Airshow 2008

Air Boss - Larry Strain
Larry Strain spent 35 years with American Airlines in flying and management positions. He earned his pilot's license at the age of 16 and holds type rating in many different makes and models of jets and warbirds.

Strain has been involved with Airshows for nearly 30 years in a wide variety of positions, including planning, production, narrating, air bossing, management, construction, and flying. Strain is a member of the Royal Aeronautical Society of Great Britain and has been a faculty member for International Council of Air Shows (ICAS) seminars during the past several years. Strain is currently a member of the ICAS Ethics Committee and was most recently elected to the ICAS board of directors.

Rob_Reider Announcer - Rob Rider
Rob is a multi-talented Airshow entertainer, pilot, Midwest television personality, singer, performer, writer, and winner of 5 Emmy awards. All of his experience makes Rob one of the most well-known announcers in the Airshow industry.

Most recently, Reider received the International Council of Airshows Sword of Excellence. Given each year to recognize outstanding service and personal contributions to the Airshow industry, the Sword is widely considered to be the single highest honor an individual Airshow professional can receive.

ACCA A-10 West Coast Demonstration Team

The ACC A-10 West Coast Demonstration Team is a select group of professionals dedicated to showing the extreme capabilities of the A-10 aircraft through exceptional aerial maneuvers. The ACC A-10 West Coast Demonstration Team's mission is to:

- Demonstrate the capabilities of the A-10 Thunderbolt II

- Demonstrate the professional competence of U.S. Air Force personnel

- Positively affect USAF recruiting and retention efforts

- Promote community and international relations

Patty Patty Wagstaff
To Patty Wagstaff, the sky represents adventure, freedom, and challenge. A six-time member of the US Aerobatic Team, Patty has won the gold, silver, and bronze medals in Olympic-level international aerobatic competition and is the first woman to win the title of US National Aerobatic champion and one of the few people to win it three times.

Patty flies one of the most thrilling, low-level aerobatic routines in the world. Flying before millions of Airshow spectators each year, her breathtaking performances give spectators a birds-eye view of the precision and complexity of modern, unlimited hard-core aerobatics. Her smooth aggressive style sets the standard for performers the world over.

Mat_younkin Matt Younkin – “Sons of Legends”
Matt Younkin, a third-generation pilot, is the son of legendary Airshow pilot Bobby Younkin, who is famous for his amazing aerobatic displays in the AT-6, Beech 18, Learjet 23, Samson, and most recently, the Super Decathlon. Matt learned to fly at the age of 14 and has almost 2000 hours of total flying time in over 35 different types of airplanes. Matt performs in the 1929 Travel Air “Mystery Ship.” In addition to being the aircraft that started the Younkin family’s traditional red and black paint scheme, the “Mystery Ship” is the airplane that kicked off the “golden age” of air racing and the first civilian aircraft to win the Cleveland National Air Races.

On that same note, Matt performs in Bobby’s beautiful Beech 18! Matt considers this act to be the most special of the three. Just as it was when Bobby flew it, the act begins and ends with the same light-hearted pink elephant music which plays off an overly obese airplane attempting aerobatics. But as a fitting tribute, Matt also capitalizes on the airplane’s beauty and grace by performing a breathtaking aerial ballet to equally beautiful music.

AeroShell Aerobatic Team
Flying the WWII North American Advanced Trainer – the aircraft that launched thousands of American and Canadian cadets on their flying careers generations ago – the AeroShell Aerobatic Team thrills audiences everywhere as the pilots who take these valiant old birds through a series of precision formation aerobatic maneuvers, including the bomb burst, vertical rejoin, avalanche, and the breathtaking “Switchblade.” The team combines the skill, competence, and flair of these pilots with the roar and billowing smoke of the powerful 600 HP Pratt and Whitney engines.

wright attitudes - Paul Johnson

Wright Attitudes, Inc. promotes a key motivational concept for our children to "STAY IN SCHOOL." Its motivational aerobatic narration programs and air show acts are designed to add a unique and positive influence during the airshow and promotional activities. Paul Johnson's jet van routine is designed to generate media attention and build public goodwill.