Patty returns to Kenya again to provide aerobatic and recurrency training to the Kenya Wildlife Service pilot rangers. This will be Patty's fourth year returning to Kenya and she's very happy about seeing old friends and visiting one of her most favorite places in the world.
The KWS provides airborne law enforcement against poachers who are particularly interested in elephant ivory and rhino horn. Elephant and Rhino are becoming increasingly endangered so the service the KWS provides is one of the utmost value to our entire civilization.
Patty's trip will be partly funded this year by IFAW, the International Fund for Animal Welfare and we thank them for their continued devotion to protecting the environment for ours and future generations.
Pictured here are Patty with a group of airshow performers and their crews at the Wright Brothers Memorial at Kitty Hawk. Picture taken by Annette Calicoat
We left the ICAS Convention a day early to arrive in Virginia for the opening gala and dedication ceremony for the Udvar F. Hazy Center - the new National Air & Space Museum
http://www.nasm.si.edu, - at Dulles. The new Museum - the Nation's Hangar! - is absolutely breathtaking in scope and beauty. The collection of aerobatic aircraft alone is spectacular (our favorite!) - and includes Betty Skelton's Pitts "Little Stinker;" Suzanne Oliver's Travelair, the "Pepsi Skywriter;" Art Scholl's Chipmunk; Leo Loudenslager's Lazer 200; Al Williams Gulfhawk biplane; Bevo Howard's Bucker, and others. Also on display are a Concorde, SR-71, the Space Shuttle and lots more. There are more aircraft and artifacts going on display all the time. This is definitely a place to put on your 2004 calendar.
The Dedication Ceremony on December 11th started with the dedication of the Donald D. Engen Tower. Admiral Engen was the past Director of the National Air & Space Museum and had also been a past head of the FAA. Everyone loved Don. He was a wonderful man and the Tower is a fitting tribute to his contributions to aviation. After the Tower Dedication, guests and media were welcomed to the Museum by General Jack Dailey, Director of NASM, and speakers included Vice President Cheney, Supreme Court Judge William Renquist, and John Travolta who introduced a number of "heroes of aviation" who were in atendance - including Neil Armstrong, John Glenn, Scott Crossfield, relatives of the Wright family, and Patty who was honored to be included in the lineup.
From Dulles we went directly to Kitty Hawk to celebrate the Centennial of Flight. This was an amazing gathering of aviation friends and enthusiasts. The most amazing part of it to us is that everyone gathers together with NO ulterior motives - no politics - just a celebration of aviation and what it has meant to all of us. As Vern Rayburn put it, it was a true "gathering of the clan."
It has only been 100 years since December 17, 1903, the year that the Wright Brothers took their first steps into flight - the flight that marked the amazing spirit of American ingenuity and entrepreneuralship. It is so important to mark the progress that has been made in aviation and aerospace in such a short time, and important to commemorate the triumphs of the Wright Brothers and the pioneers who followed in their footsteps.
On the morning of December l7, 2003, true to Outer Banks tradition, the weather was cloudy and rainy, but over 35,000 people greeted the morning with great enthusiasm. President Bush arrived in a helicopter and was on hand to make a very inspiring speech about the contributions and future of aviation and aerospace. Not once did he mention the current political situation, the war in Iraq, or any of those ripe and juice topics, so we approved of his speech. Good job, George. Other celebrities in attendance included country western star Aaron Tippin (he's a pilot too!), John Travolta (thanks for stepping out publicly for aviation this year, John), the Temptations, Eric Lindbergh, great grandson of Charles Lindbergh, Chuck Yeager, Neil Armstrong, John Glenn, Sally Ride and lots of other exciting people.
To top off a very busy week (and one in which Patty spent three days in bed with a bad cold - bummer), Northrup Grumman sponsored a dinner one evening that Patty attended and had a great time catching up with old friends.
Several airshow pilots flew the show including Patty, Ian Groom, Mike Mancuso and Bobby Younkin, and sky jumpers included the Liberty Parachute Team and the Golden Knights. We weren't able to base out of First Flight Airport (security was tight at the Monument), but based out of Manteo just five miles away and flew the airshow several days.
2003 was the Centennial year and we were thrilled and honored to be a part of aviation during this anniversary.
2004 will be a different year. It marks the first year of the next centennial of aviation. Airshows are planning different themes for this year (including several women in aviation themed airshows, we hear!), and we are ready for the next exciting projects in general aviation, the airline industry and in aerospace....what's next?
The just completed Centennial of Flight Air Show season is always finished with the ICAS Convention, except for this years with Kitty Hawk and the new Hazy Center opening. ICAS was held at the Dallas Wyndham Anatole Hotel from Dec 7-10th. Despite several cancellations during the early part of the season due to military operations in Iraq and unusually rainy weekends throughout the spring, event organizers reported record setting crowds. ICAS convention is not just the end of the airshow season but the first big steps to prepare for the 2004 season. The convention has fun filled activities and some General Sessions with great speakers and also some social gatherings. This year Rick Soule was presented the ICAS Sword of Excellence, Rich's Incredible Pyro team received the Art School Showmanship Award, and Elmendorf Air Force Base was named the Dick Schram Memorial Community Relations Award. Betty Skelton and Jim Mynning were inducted into the ICAS Foundation Air Show Hall of Fame. They always have a Fan of the year which Steve Holzinger, a 19 year old from Marlton, NJ was named 2003 ICAS Air Show Fan of the Year. Our good friend Ed Shipley was elected to his first three-year term on the ICAS Board of Directors. Duane Cole and his wife came as a surprised visit to the convention hall. We enjoyed all the people and fans that stopped by the booth and meeting some new ones too. We will be getting our 2004 Air Show Schedule up real soon. Please check back soon!!!!
We wish you a wonderful Holiday Season with happiness and prosperity throughout the coming year. We enjoyed the cards and letters we received, plus the great e-mails and e-mail cards from friends and fans.
Major corporate sponsor or no major corporate sponsor, we are heading for the annual ICAS Convention December 7 - 11. This year the convention will be held in Dallas, Texas, at the Wyndam Anatole Hotel (see www.airshows.org for more information). Dallas is ok but the best thing about it is the Tex Mex food. Show us the guacamole. This will be our EIGHTEENTH year of going to the convention. WOW, how time flies...yes it does. We've seen some changes in the business but the funny thing is, airshows still remain the same - great family entertainment, something for everyone, a bit of vaudeville, a lot of talented people, and the same old politics that any organization has, good and bad. There is a lot of talk about changing the nature of airhsows, becoming more like Nascar, more competitive etc., but we beg to differ on that one. We think airshows are spectacular for their own reasons - it is true entertainment and a real variety show. Everyone has their own niche and their own special talents, and airplanes. We think competition should stay with the International Aerobatic Club and airshows should remain the fabulous entertainment venues they are. It's hard to believe that another year has passed so quickly. We've had a safe and successful season, but a long one. This one hasn't even ended yet as Patty will be flying at Kitty Hawk for the Centennial of Flight Celebrations, along with our old friend Ian Groom. So, along the sponsor lines. We have had some interesting offers, but are keeping our options open and waiting for the right match. Frankly, we're excited about what the future holds and know it's going to be bigger and better than ever. The 2004 season is already filling up with airshows like Punta Gorda, Dayton and Beaufort, SC, Sun & Fun and Oshkosh. We are also hoping to add an international show or two into our schedule next year. We will post our 2004 Schedule on this website so come back and visit soon.
Patty Featured in Women In The New Economy web site
WITNE is a publication, a major reference resource, a source of ideas and information, and a clearinghouse through which interested individuals and organizations will be able to communicate with and assist each other. WITNE’s editor is Teresa Callies, who in addition to her long involvement with women’s issues has traveled widely and thinks globally. Patty is featured in the October, 2003. Please check out the website http://www.newwork.com/Pages?WITNE/2003/Oct%20WITNE.html
Patty is honored to have been invited to fly at Kitty Hawk during the week of December 12 for the Centennial of Flight activities. Patty will be flying December 12, 13, 14 and l6. We are thrilled to be a part of this once in a lifetime opportunity.
America’s first woman pilot and a present-day aviatrix among National Aviation Hall of Fame’s Class of ‘04. Innovative X-plane engineer and a former Apollo astronaut to also be honored at July ceremony. (Dayton, OH – 11/20/03) The National Aviation Hall of Fame (NAHF) will host its 43rd Annual Enshrinement Ceremony on Saturday, July 17, 2004, in Dayton, Ohio. Founded in 1962 and chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1964, the National Aviation Hall of Fame’s mission is dedicated to honoring America’s outstanding air and space pioneers. Four more legends of aviation will be enshrined during the formal ceremony, where they will join the roster of the 178 men and women previously so honored by the NAHF. Often referred to as “the Oscar Night of Aviation,” this black tie dinner gala draws an audience of hundreds of aerospace, defense, government and industry leaders, as well as NAHF members and previous enshrinees. The enshrinee Class of 2004 consists of former Apollo astronaut and nuclear energy expert, William A. Anders; America’s first officially licensed woman pilot, the late Harriet Quimby; pioneering flight test engineer and pilot, the late Jack L. Ridley; and air show headliner and three-time U.S. National Aerobatic Champion, Patty Wagstaff. Willam A. Anders, the son of a naval officer, was born in Hong Kong in 1933. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and the U.S. Air Force Institute of Technology, NASA selected Anders for astronaut training in 1963. He was a crew member with Frank Borman and James Lovell on Apollo 8, on which they became the first space travelers to orbit the moon and during which Anders captured the now iconic “Earthrise” photograph. He retired as a Major General from the USAF Reserves in 1988, and as an executive of GE, Textron and General Dynamics. With over 8,000 hours in fixed-wing and rotary aircraft, Anders remains active as an air racer and flys his restored military aircraft in air shows nationwide. Harriet Quimby was born in Coldwater, Michigan, in 1875, moving with her family to California in 1884. As a journalist and photographer, she first witnessed an air race at a New York race track, and subsequently enrolled at the Moisant Aviation School in Garden City, Long Island. She was awarded her pilot’s certificate by the Federation Aeronautique Internationale on August 2, 1911, making her the first American woman pilot. With a journalist’s flair for the dramatic and spectacular, she embarked on a career as a air race and demonstration pilot. Her pioneering achievements include becoming the first woman pilot to fly the English channel solo in April of 1912, but she tragically died while competing in an air meet later that same year. Jackie (Jack) L. Ridley was born in Garvin, Oklahoma, in 1915. With a B.S. in mechanical engineering from the University of Oklahoma, he attended the AAF School of Engineering at Wright Field, Ohio, after pilot training. Upon receiving a M.S. in Aeronautical Engineering from Cal Tech in 1945, he returned to Wright Field’s Flight Test Division for test-pilot training. When Charles Yeager was selected to pilot the Bell X-1, he recommended Robert A. Hoover and Jack Ridley assist. The USAF named Hoover as alternate pilot and Ridley the flight test project engineer. Ridley’s role was instrumental in Yeager’s first breaking the sound barrier on October 14, 1947. Ridley was among the passengers killed in the 1957 crash of a military transport. Patty Wagstaff was born into an Air Force family in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1951, eventually settling in Japan. From there she continued her cross-cultural academic career in Southeast Asia, Europe and Australia before moving to Alaska where she learned to fly in 1979. Wagstaff eagerly went on to earn numerous flight and instructor ratings. Upon setting a goal of competing in aerobatics, she first earned a spot on the U.S. Aerobatic Team in 1985. In 1991, she became the first woman to win the title of U.S. National Aerobatic Champion, repeating that feat the following two years in a row. An inspirational role model and aviation ambassador, her standard-setting aerial performances annually thrill millions of air show spectators worldwide. Advance reservations to the NAHF 43rd Annual Enshrinement Ceremony can be placed by calling (937) 256-0944 ext. 10. Seats are $125 per person. The NAHF is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, thus $75 of each seat purchased is tax deductible as allowed by law. For more information visit the NAHF website at www.nationalaviation.org or call (937) 256-0944 ext 16. The National Aviation Hall of Fame’s 13,000 square foot Learning Center opened to the public in January of 2003, featuring six galleries that trace the exciting history of flight through the people that made it happen. A variety of interactive displays highlight many of the achievements of the 178 enshrinees honored to date. The site is also home to the Harry B. Combs Research Center, dedicated to preserving tens of thousands of images and documents tracing the enshrinees’ life stories. Located adjacent to the USAF Museum in Dayton, Ohio, admission to the NAHF is free. A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, the NAHF is supported primarily through memberships and the contributions of individuals and corporations.
Aerobatic Pilot Patty Wagstaff Seeking New Major Corporate Sponsor
ST. AUGUSTINE, FL, Sept. 10, 2003 -- U.S. National Aerobatic Champion Patty Wagstaff announced today that her 12-year relationship with Goodrich Corporation will end after the 2003 season. She is currently pursuing corporate candidates to serve as her major sponsor. According to Marshall Larsen, President and Chief Executive Officer of Goodrich Corporation, "We have considered Patty part of the Goodrich family since the early 90's and are proud of the outstanding job she has done representing our company in air shows and aerobatic competitions all over the world. Patty has been a great ambassador not only for our organization but for the industry as well. We are indebted to her for promoting Goodrich's involvement in aviation over the course of the last 12-years as we transformed the company into the global aerospace systems supplier it is today. We will always count Patty as a friend and colleague and we wish her continued success. Her impressive list of professional accomplishments combined with her passion for flight is a winning combination for any corporate sponsor seeking a true professional to represent them in the air show arena." According to Patty, " I am saddened to see my long-term relationship with Goodrich come to an end. I am, however, excited about new opportunities and welcome corporations to allow me to prove to them how I can serve as an asset to their current marketing mix." Recently honored by Women in Aviation, International as one of the 100 most influential women in the aviation and aerospace industries, Patty Wagstaff flies an Extra 300S. A resident of St. Augustine, Florida, she is a three-time U.S. National Aerobatic Champion and the first woman to win this title. She retired from aerobatic competition in 1996, and now divides her time between air show and movie stunt flying. She is also a six-time recipient of the Betty Skelton, "First Lady of Aerobatics" award. For more information please visit http://www.autopilotmagazine.com
Patty is featured in the September/October Issue of the beautiful glossy "Autopilot" magazine. Journalist Dale Smith interviewed Patty in early June during a quiet moment at her hangar in St. Augustine, Florida, as she was preparing to leave for another airshow.You can also check out the website at:http://www.autopilotmagazine.com
Wichita is a very cool town. It's basically all about aviation, hence the "Festival of Flight." We started our journey to Wichita with a reception hosted by Paul & Gail Bowen. Paul is aviation's pre-eminent photographer and had some of beautiful work on display in the City Arts Center. You've seen his books - Air to Air and Air to Air II, his most recent being on Warbirds. What's next, Paul? On Thursday, Patty visited the kids at Collegiate School. What a great, focused group of little guys we've seen! These kids were really on the ball and had some great aviation projects going on. The picture posted here is of Patty with some of the kids and the sign they made for her. Considering the Thunderbirds cancelled their performance, due to the recent accident of #6 at Mountain Home, Idaho (the pilot is ok), the turnout for this airshow was really great. Patty was joined by Bill Leff, Steve & Suzanne Oliver, Mig Magic (Bill and Julie Reesman), Jimmy and Kyle Franklin, an F-18, and a gaggle of warbirds. The flying was good - the air was cool and dry - on Saturday, but unfortunately Sunday got off to a rainy start causing the show to be cancelled for the day. Thanks for having us Wichita!
Naval Air Station Oceana Airshow - East Coast Headquarters of MILITARY POWER machinery - ALL F-l4's and many F-l8's being based here - was held September 5 - 7, and we loved performing in front of thousands of friends, fans and spectators. Another awesome show, and we really appreciate the very special treatment we received from the airshow this year. Patty held up the Blue Angel's show on Saturday for a full ten minutes! While she was flying her routine her right break went flat. After completing the ribbon cut (doesn't use much rudder or brakes) she set up for landing. The problem with losing a break in a taildragger, especially a fast landing one like an Extra, is that the pilot has no directional control when the airplane slows down. Luckily the winds were light and the runways were super wide, and the landing was without incident. We had to tow the Extra off the runway, thus delaying the Blue Angels - OOPS!! Sorry guys! It's only rock and roll, so ten minutes was no big deal. That evening Piedmont Hawthorne made great efforts to get us a brake part (our brake caliper actually broke off) Air Freighted from Dallas and our line service took care of picking up the part at 2 AM from Norfolk International Airport. Ralph Riddell, our crew chief then got out to the airplane at 3 AM, the part was successfully installed and VOILA - we had brakes on Sunday and were able to fly the airshow. THANKS GUYS. Hey Cookie Lady (Denise Decker) - thanks for the cookies and support NAS Oceana ATC - thanks for the flowers and card :) :) :) Pat Gann - Piedmont Hawthorne Line Support - Thanks for the 2:00 effort!!! Piedmont Hawthorne, Norfolk, Virginia - YOU ARE AWESOME!!
Patty is featured in the September/October Issue of the beautiful glossy "Autopilot" magazine. Journalist Dale Smith interviewed Patty in early June during a quiet moment at her hangar in St. Augustine, Florida, as she was preparing to leave for another airshow.You can also check out the website at:
Wichita is a very cool town. It's basically all about aviation, hence the "Festival of Flight." We started our journey to Wichita with a reception hosted by Paul & Gail Bowen. Paul is aviation's pre-eminent photographer and had some of beautiful work on display in the City Arts Center. You've seen his books - Air to Air and Air to Air II, his most recent being on Warbirds. What's next, Paul? On Thursday, Patty visited the kids at Collegiate School. What a great, focused group of little guys we've seen! These kids were really on the ball and had some great aviation projects going on. The picture posted here is of Patty with some of the kids and the sign they made for her. Considering the Thunderbirds cancelled their performance, due to the recent accident of #6 at Mountain Home, Idaho (the pilot is ok), the turnout for this airshow was really great. Patty was joined by Bill Leff, Steve & Suzanne Oliver, Mig Magic (Bill and Julie Reesman), Jimmy and Kyle Franklin, an F-18, and a gaggle of warbirds. The flying was good - the air was cool and dry - on Saturday, but unfortunately Sunday got off to a rainy start causing the show to be cancelled for the day. Thanks for having us Wichita!
Check the