Patty Wagstaff Acceptance Speech at the National Aviation Hall of Fame, July 17, 2004.
Thank you. This is an amazing honor and I’m very humbled. It’s all a bit surreal, but it’s great to have such recognition while I’m still relatively young and – alive! Having a place in history alongside people like Bill Anders, Jack Ridley and Harriet Quimby is really a charter and responsibility of what I can only hope to live up to.
The National Aviation Hall of Fame not only honors aviation’s legends, but builds a bridge to the future for aspiring pilots, engineers and astronauts.
It seems like only yesterday I was an aspiring pilot – but then, growing up surrounded by pilots, hangar stories and leather flight jackets, I didn’t have much of a choice! One of my earliest memories is of being lifted on to the wing of my father’s B-25 and it never occurred to me that flying was “just for the guys” – all I ever saw was romance and excitement.
But, what I think is really important is that by honoring me tonight, you are honoring every airshow performer and competition pilot.
I’ve been inspired by so many of them – past and present. People like Jimmy Franklin, Leo Loudenslager, Gene Soucy, Teresa Stokes, Bob Bishop, Betty Skelton, Jim Moser, the French Connection, Ian Groom – and of course, several National Aviation Hall of Fame inductees – Roscoe Turner, Lincoln Beachey, Clyde Pangborn and the incomparable Bob Hoover.
And, if you’d indulge me for a moment, I would like to introduce you to some of the airshow professionals that are with us tonight:
Julie Clark
Bob and Pat Wagner (from Dayton!)
Steve and Suzanne Asbury-Oliver (thePepsi Skydancer and Pepsi Skywriter)
Dale Snodgrass
Debbie Gary
Danny Clisham
Rob Reider
Bill and Theresa Beardsley Sr. (Big B and Little T)
Gene McNeely
Bambi Knight and Lonnie Marshall (Misty Blues)
Hal Biestek
Jacqui Warda
John Cudahy
These people are your ambassadors of aviation to millions of spectators a year!
Performing in airshows gives us the opportunity to bring aviation to future generations of pilots, like at the one and only Dayton Airshow – thanks Blair Conrad, who is in the audience tonight, for bringing us the airshow this year! Where else can you touch and feel aviation so personally?
But performers or not, we are lucky to be in aviation in this country. We still have the most freedom of anywhere in the world. And, if we lose it we won’t get it back. So, hold on to the freedom you have and don’t give it up without a fight.
The Dayton Airshow’s theme this year is a “Tribute to Women in Aviation.” Women finally have the freedom to pursue any aviation career we want – thanks to our predecessors (like Harriet Quimby!). Doors that were originally closed to us are now open to everyone.
So as we embark on the first year of the second century of flight, let’s make it our mission to first, preserve our freedom and second, the empower everyone, especially women and other minorities – to take a great role in aviation; and to help each other because, after all, aviation is all about teamwork.
We can all help each other and I certainly wouldn’t be here tonight without the support and encouragement I’ve had from my family, my friends and last, but not least, my sponsors.
Thank you!
Patty with Connie Tobias, presenter for Harriet Quimby; and Emily Warner Howell, who accepted the honor for Harriet Quimby.
We have had a lot of friends ask about how we did during our recent hurricane "Frances." It was exciting, but thankfully nothing like "Ivan." We are waiting to hear from our trusty friend and crew chief, Big B, about his house in Pensacola, but we are sure the news isn't good.
During "Frances" we flew the Baron support airplane and the Extra over to Keystone Heights Airport, about 40 miles inland from St. Augustine, just in case there was flooding at St. Augustine, right on the water. The people at Keystone couldn't have been more obliging and really took care of us, getting us tucked away in their hangar. During the storm, Keystone actually had tornados and widespread power outages, so they were worse off than we were. The airplanes are now safely back in St. Augustine and Patty has been practicing getting ready for our next airshow in Hawaii.
The Marines at Kaneohe Air Station in Hawaii (north shore of Oahu) are hosting us at our next airshow. No, we won't be aerial refueling the Extra :) but will be transporting it to Hawaii via Miramar on an ANG C-5/A transport airplane. Patty has transported aerobatic airplanes this way many times to Europe as a member of the U.S. Aerobatic Team, so it will be like old times. Patty and our crew will be riding along in the C-5/A with the pilots and airplanes.
We are really excited about this airshow and have heard from several Hawaii locals who said they haven't seen an airshow with top civilian performers in Hawaii before! Other performers joining us will be Eric Beard and Greg Poe, and the US Navy Blue Angels.
Do we get the impression that someone is mad at Florida?
By 4pm this past Saturday, downtown St. Augustine was nearly deserted as visitors stayed away and residents prepared for our third hurricane strike in six weeks. We saw lots of boarded up businesses and homes, some painted with sayings like Kiss my Fanny Franny...Or #1..Frances..#2..Ivan..#3..Jeanne..#4..FOR SALE!!
We were very lucky this time as we only had gusts of 50-60mph and rain and in our area, most people did not lose their power for very long. Some neighborhoods saw the ocean come over the road and downtown St. Augustine was flooded, with the Bridge of Lions closed.
Luckily, the airport survived, once again, and our airplanes are doing fine! The airport closed Saturday and reopened for business on Monday and so things are almost back to normal.
But, there are a lot of frazzled and fatiqued people in this area who have had weeks with no power and empty refrigerators. Some lucky people had generators, but a lot of others do not. As the storms got closer to land people rushed to stores to buy plywood and generators, but they ran out quickly. The long term effect of all the storms is going to be significant.
We were lucky and are sorry for those less fortunate. Let's make Jeanne the last hurricane of the season for Florida.
Aloha from Marine Station Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. Ten days ago Patty, her crew - famed airhsow performers (and now members of the United Airshow Grunts) Steve & Suzanne Oliver and ace mechanic and now instrument rated pilot, Gene Powers - embarked on a grand adventure to fly the K-Bay Marine Base Airshow on the Island of Oahu in Hawaii, the first held at this base in 22 years, and one of the few airshows in Hawaii that included civilian performers from the mainland.
Courtesy of the US Marines, the USAF Reserves and US Navy, we were able to put off the entire thing and put our airplane on a C-5A at Navy Jacksonville. The wheelpants, sight gauges and spinner came off and the tail, including vertical and horizontal stabilizer of Patty's Extra were removed. The wheels of the Extra were then put on castors and we pulled (and pushed) the aircraft on to the C-5 sideways. There are only inches to spare on either side, and Patty is a nervous wreck watching her airplane sliding around, but as in the past when Patty was traveling with the U.S. Aerobatic Team to competitions in Europe, it was a great success and nothing was even remotely dinged or damaged.
The crew of the C-5 was fantastic and hospitable. We were able to ride up front and sit in the cockpit for takeoff out of Jax. We were especially happy to see our old friend "Angel" who had traveled with us in the past on C-5 trips to Germany. On the first leg we had to divert into Mexico to get around thunderstorms - so our trip to Hawaii became a truly international one.
In Miramar we picked up airshow performers Eric Beard and Greg Poe, a Marine Cobra helicopter and Navy Blue Angel supplies before heading to K-Bay the following day. Thanks to everyone at Miramar, especially Mike Hatch and Ed Downum, for their hospitality in helping us with lodging.
From Miramar it was a 6 hour flight to K-Bay. By the time we arrived we weren't sure what time zone we were on, but it was Thursday evening and we had to get the airplanes reassembled and ready for practice day on Friday. On Friday we completed assembly, our test flight and flew our first airshow at K-Bay. The weather was perfect and surrounded by such beauty Patty said she found it hard to focus on her airshow flying.
We had heard the locals wouldn't appreciate the noise and that the base had been getting noise complaints, but during the course of the weekend we heard nothing but good things about the airshow from the people we met. We think everyone was thrilled about the show and got totally behind it. There were a couple of locals flying as well - Clint Churchill and Hank Bruckner. They did a great job, so it was a good mix of performers.
Special thanks to our airshow coordinators and directors: Lt Col Christensen, Lt Col Clark and Bob Farrow, and to everyone else who helped us with lodging and coordination. The show was run as well or better than many of the airshows we've flown. From a logistical standpoint the organizers created a friendly and low stress environment for the performers.
After the show in front of huge crowds on Sunday, we disassembled the Extra, loaded on Monday morning, slept and rested and took off for Miramar on Tuesday morning. After takeoff, one of the aerobatic airplanes had a little fuel dripping from a vent line, so the crew opted for a precautionary emergency landing at Hickham AFB, which adjoins Honolulu International. We found ourselves standing around a field between runways, surrounded by crash rescue trucks and firemen in silver suits. All went OK, and while the crew got permission to take off again (after unloading a couple of airplanes to check them for fuel leaks etc.), Patty and her friends headed back to K-Bay for a night of debauchery with one of our favorite friends Danny Clisham and his favorite friend, Joanne. On Wednesday, we almost missed our flight because of a rock slide on the way to the airport, and because Hickham wouldn't let us on base. We called our trusty Marine friend & Cobra pilot, TJ, and he came to our rescue to escort us on base. Thanks TJ :) for saving us for not letting the C-5 leave without us!
Back at Miramar, everyone (except us) unloaded their equipment until the early hours of the morning. We slept until the lodging office kicked us out, and headed back to Navy Jax that evening arriving at 4 a.m.
Now, what time zone is it?
Was it a lot of work? You bet. Would we do it again? Absolutely.
Patty at K-Bay with airshow coordinators "Hans"
and "Don Ho".
Steve & Suzanne Oliver and Patty arriving at K-Bay.
Arte Six by Sasha Soren is a fantastic web site, featuring artists, musicians, book reviews, dance reviews and interviews with performance artists like Patty. Here's a link to a recent issue, including an interview with Patty.
http://www.sahasoren.com/newsletter229771.htm
Chesterfield County Airport just outside of Richmond, Virginia, held their first airshow is almost ten years this weekend and we were thrilled to be a part of it. Coming from Florida and Hawaii before that, we thought the 50 and 60 degree temps were just freezing, but quickly got used to it. The flying was the best! Better airplane performance & we forget that cool air gives not only the airplane, but the pilots energy...it was just great! Patty was joined by the Iron Eagles Team of Billy Segalla and Billy Gordon (always great), Roger Leinart who puts on not only one of the best Flying Farmer acts we've ever seen, but also does a truck top landing on his "teenie weenie airport." A new act of a formation of 6 T-28's flying in formation was interesting and a nice alternative to loud, noisy jets. And, it was great to see our friends Andy & Boots, up from Easton, MD. Andy was flying a Spitfire.
The organizers were hospitable, the food was great, and the airport is beautiful. Stop in for fuel, you'll be impressed. We were.
We lost our little friend, the Peachfront Lovebird, Bugsy yesterday. We never knew how old Bugsy was because we adopted him as an adult, after he was found almost starving to death in a used car lot. He had obviously escaped from his owner's cage. So, after five years of fun and games, playing with his favorite friend Casper, Bugsy died of old age. We will miss our little Bugsy
Richmond and Nas Jacksonville Airshows...Countdown to end of Season
We always end our season with a bottle of Champagne (really good champagne, that is), and the end of the season is coming up with two more to go...this weekend the Rotary Club Airshow of Orlando at Orlando Executive Airport, November 6 & 7th, and the following weekend November 13 & 14 the Stuart, Florida, Airshow - check the schedule section in our web site for web links and information about the airshows.
Patty and Big B were helped by friends Dorothy Cochrane (who doubles as a curator for the National Air & Space Museum in Washington DC when not crewing for PWAS!), Rich Kolasa (check out his web site: www.crystalgraphix.com) who is an aviation photographer that just keeps getting better and better with his art; and our own favorite "Cookie Lady" Denise Decker. Thanks to everyone for all the help you've given us. And, at Nas Jax last weekend, our favorite friend Cal Wagner showed up with a personalized PWAS shirt and helped out as well. Cal made a stop in St. Augustine on his way back to his home in Sarasota to visit us and other friends.
It seems like every year the airshows get better and better, more and more organized. We're still enjoying every airshow we fly, and seem to be enjoying them more and more too! As we wind down, we have to reflect on what an amazing year it's been - from flying in international airshows like Farnborough for Raytheon Aircraft in the Texan II to being inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in Dayton, Ohio - it's been a year filled with adventure, honors, excitement and great flying. We are lucky to be in the airshow business for so many reasons - from the fantastic people we meet, both other performers and their families and spectators and fans; to being able to fly the best airplanes in the world (we love the Extra!); to the travel and instant friends that aviation gives us everywhere. It's not always easy, but it is always amazing and rewarding.
Thanks for being a part of it.
Patty with Roger Lienart, the Flying Farmer at the Chesterfield County (Richmond), Virginia, Airshow
St. Augustine Airport Pilot's Association Honors Patty
The St. Augustine Airport Pilot's Association honored Patty for her induction into the National Aviation Hall of Fame. The pilots are so proud of Patty that they gave her a wonderful dinner and awards ceremony on October 27, 2004, at the Reef, an oceanfront restaurant in St. Augustine. Patty has many friends in St. Augustine and the Pilot's Association had to turn down people as seating had run out!
The evening was a great mix of humour (thank you Big B for your introduction! Thank you Lyn Freeman, Editor of Plane & Pilot for your remarks!); and on a more serious note Capt Warren Rauhofer read letters from Governor Jeb Bush, Phil Boyer of AOPA, Tom Poberezny of EAA, Mac McLellan of Flying Magazine, and Brenda Tran of AutoPilot Magazine. Patty was so honored to receive a plaque and resolution from the St. Augustine Airport Authority. A representative from Congressman Mica's office also read a beautiful letter. Congressman Mica is Chairperson of the Aviation Subcommittee in the House. And, Kramer and Sandy Upchurch, owners of Southeast Aero Services and the new Extra dealer, presented her with a beautiful Tiffany bowl.
We were definitely "bowled" over by this incredible tribute. It was a thoughtful, memorable and humbling evening. Patty moved to St. Augustine to be a part of the airport community, and this confirms everything she thought - it's a friendly, supportive environment and encouraging to aerobatics. Thanks everyone.
We nailed another airshow season - thanks everyone who made it happen. Extra Aircraft, Big B, Milly, all of our friends and sponsors. It takes a team to make it happen...so after completing the 20th year of flying airshow, since Patty's first airshow in Gulkana Alaska...we've come a long way. We've made friends and have flown all over the world; met thousands of kids, some of who were first exposed to aviation at an airshow and now fly for the airlines or are in the military. Airshows are a great business and THE best way to share aviation with people around the world...and we're proud to entertainers in this industry.
The VNA Stuart Airshow was our wind up airshow of the season, and it was max fun! We flew with the Aeroshell Team, Gene Soucy & Teresa Stokes, Bob Cox, the F-15 and F-16 demo teams, Lee Lauderback, the Texan II flight demo team, Jim Tobul, and a bunch o' T-28's. Saturday had perfect weather, Sunday was windy, and the flying was a challenge...the ribbon cut was a real challenge!
Pictured here is Patty with the Texan II demo team in front of Jim Tobul's T-6. Jim flies a heritage flight with the Texan II team.
Patty featured in "Be A Pilot" new advertising campaign
Love and Money, the theme of a new campaign by Be A Pilot, features Patty and Clay Jones, CEO of Rockwell Collins. Patty is the Love - "A genuine, lasting opportunity to share your love of aviation" and Clay is the Money - "A practice, profitable investment in your company's future."
It's been an exciting year and a really busy one. Starting the first year of the Second Centennial of Flight, we started off the year with Christmas in Costa Rica. Shortly after that traveled to Kenya once again to work with the Kenya Wildlife Service and look forward to working with these fantastic people and pilots again in 2005. We attended the 50th Anniversary of the Humane Society of the United States Gala at the Kennedy Center and opened the airshow season close to home in Florida at Punta Gorda, with a special visit from Betty Skelton-Frankman and Dorothy Cochrane. The airshow season was a particularly good one this year, mixing U.S. airshows with international airshows, as Patty flew the T-6A Texan II at Farnborough, UK, for Raytheon Aircraft (and we look forward to flying more international airshows for them in the future) and a trip to the Kaneohe Bay Airshow in Hawaii. And, of course, mixed in with airshows was Patty's induction into the National Aviation Hall of Fame. This was, and forgive the understatement, a big honor.
In May we lost our dear friend, Ian Groom. We admired and loved Ian for many reasons - his love of life, his sense of humour, his intelligence and sophistication and his skill with an airplane; and especially his love for his wife, Mimi and son, Daniel. Patty and Ian had been friends for many years and had spent many hours at hot dusty airports in the midwest working on becoming better aerobatic pilots. We miss him every day.
We recently lost another close friend, Jimmy Goggin. Jimmy was a wonderful person who knew no boundaries when it came to generosity or to being a friend. Jimmy had some hard times over the years, but never forgot who his friends were and was always supportive, encouraging and "there" for us. We think Ian, Jimmy and a few others are "up there" flying biplanes and dogfighting each other in the sky, laughing at the absurdity of all the things we take too seriously. We will miss you Jimmy.
Of course it's the people we know that make us realize how truly lucky we are. Thanks to our fans and friends who helped us on the road this year - Big B, what would we do without you? Your help is invaluable and it's been a most fun experience having you on the road (even if you are the boss!); Little T, thanks for your help when on the road or behind the scenes; Andy Irwin, we appreciate you, your piloting and people skills; Melissa - thanks for helping us at Oshkosh. You will always be a part of the PWAS crew (like it or not!). Cal Wagner, you are always a big help and so nice to have on the crew! Rich Kolasa - the belly of the Extra never looked better; Denise Decker - our favorite cookie lady. Thanks for your help, the cookies, and for your friendship. Thank you Steve & Suzanne Oliver, airshow pilot and Skywriters extraordinare - lucky you, you are now official PWAS crew! And, from Patty, a special thank you to Milly for everything you do - and for taking such good care of me and our guests at the National Aviation Hall of Fame! And, there are so many people that help us at each and every airshow and event we attend.
As the season winds down, we are getting organized for next year and getting ready for the annual ICAS Convention. This year it's being held in Las Vegas, so we plan on a few late nights with friends and to booking a few more airshows for next year. Check our Schedule page later in December for a peek and preview at next season's schedule! Whatever we do and wherever we go, knowing this business, it will be fun, exciting and different.
Our Super Cub was sold and is now in a container going to Mombassa, Kenya, where it will be put together for a flight to its new home at the Garamba Game Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This will be the primary airplane used in the game park for anti-poaching efforts and it's needed desperately. With the recent civil war in the Sudan, life for the elephants has become more and more precarious. Sudanese horsemen poach the elephants in mass numbers.
To cap off the year, Milly has been archiving 20 years of newspaper and magazine clippings, correspondence files, airshow programs and schedules and other memorabilia we've collected; putting them into acid free boxes and getting them ready to give to the National Air & Space Museum's Archives Department. We hope that someday, someone doing research on aerobatics and airshow flying will find some of the paperwork useful and insightful.
Patty has accepted a position on the Board of Nominees for the National Aviation Hall of Fame and is looking forward to serving. Her National Air & Space Museum Board status is at the end of its second term, and she has accepted Emeritus status on this Board and looks forward to a long association with the best aviation Museum in the world.
Off season and anytime she can, Patty rides her big Irish Sport Horse mare, Banagher Sue ("Susi"). Susi is a big Irish Draught/Thoroughbred Cross, imported from Ireland, and loves training for show jumping and riding trails. Along with Cassidy and Ripley, her Jack Russell Terriers, Bijou and Bandit, her two African Grey Parrots; Buddha, the Green Cheek Conure; and Bunny, her Orange Factor Canary; there is always plenty to muck up and keep her busy.
See you on the circuit in 2005. Make sure to check our Schedule page after the first of the year for next year's schedule!
Jim Lawrence recently captured Patty over the beach near St. Augustine Florida, from the Baron on a photo shoot for Plane & Pilot Magazine
This airplane is a favorite with top aviation photographers like Paul Bowen, Charles Stites, Jim Lawrence and many others; and video and film makers who shoot air to air. It has a lot to offer the photographer including camera windows that open on either side of the airplane (great for shooting warbirds who often only have markings and signage on one side of the airplane) and a port in the belly for those great shots looking straight down!
If you're an aviation photographer or videographer, or real estate or construction company, or anyone who might have use of this aircraft, send an e-mail to: Patty@pattywagstaff.com so we can send you a quote.
We just returned from Las Vegas and the International Council of Airshows annual convention. It was great to see all of our airshow friends and share a drink with them at the bar at the Rio Hotel. We booked a few airshows and have another exciting season to look forward to; our schedule will be posted shortly on the Schedule Page so please check back.
A special thank you to John Herman and Stan Fletcher at Tempest for lending us their beautiful booth! It made all the difference.
Hope to see all of our friends and fans at an airshow next year!
We wish all of our fans and friends a very happy holidays and a fantastic new year. We always make a New Year's Resolution. World Peace would be a good thing to aim for and all we have to do is wish hard enough for it to happen, and it will. We can each create the positive energy to change the world for the better.
We'll be posting our 2005 Airshow Schedule within a few days. We are still booking airshows so it might be incomplete, but take a look and start planning your shows now!
Every year we think it will be hard to top the last, but we know that 2005 will be the best ever.
Love to everyone from us.
A Christmas card designed by Angel, a fan in Spain.
Check the