Participants
Civilian Acts
E Team Skydivers
Jumping with the worlds largest flag!
Kent Pietsch
Kent Pietsch in his 1942 Interstate Cadet, flies a comedy act, which includes extreme maneuvers, such as the aileron falling off in mid air!! In addition, Kent performs a dead stick (total power off) aerobatic routine from an altitude of 6,000 feet. The finale of this performance includes Kent landing in front of the crowd and placing the spinner into the hand of an individual! Kent has thrilled and entertained crowds with this unique act. Everyone with an RV has added aftermarket items to suit their individual taste. Kent has added a runway to the top of his RV and lands on it during his RV Top Landing show. This is one awesome act. While landing on his RV, Kent cannot see the RV, making this landing very difficult.
Red Eagle Air Sports
The Horsemen P-51 Flight Team
The Horsemen Aerobatic Team are the world’s only P-51 Mustang aerobatic team, comprising three warbird pilots who have a passion for showcasing the P-51 Mustang. The mission of The Horseman is to bring greater interest to the world of historic aviation and to remind future generations of how these powerful machines helped the Allies change the outcome of WWII.
Younkin Air Shows Sons of Legends
For over 30 years, the definition of airshows has been Jimmy Franklin and Bobby Younkin. These two brought the most innovative, insane, and impossible acts to life with their super-human ability to fly. By keeping the tradition alive, the next generation of Franklin and Younkin are showing the world that they have what Bobby used to call “that defective gene.”
Kyle and Amanda Franklin and Matt Younkin are all third generation pilots who come from rather well known families in the aviation community. Kyle is the son of legendary airshow pilot Jimmy Franklin, Matt is the son of legendary airshow pilot Bobby Younkin, and Amanda, being Matt’s sister and Kyle’s wife, obviously ties the two families together.
The “Sons (and daughter) of Legends” have partnered up to bring people a little taste of the type of aviation that they were privileged enough to experience growing up.
Bobby Younkin always said “An airshow act has to be unique and original to be great. People come to air shows to see the impossible take place.” Matt, Amanda, and Kyle have certainly taken this lesson and many others that Bobby and Jimmy taught them to heart.
Michael Goulian
Michael Goulian is one of only a few sport aviators who are popular on a global scale. An edgy, aggressive, and “all out” style of flying, have become Michael’s signature, and it amazes fans across the globe. He has almost two decades of experience performing at world’s top airshows and races, having started in the business at age 18. Although he enjoys his reputation as a great aviator with a flawless safety record, he is also a dedicated professional with his fans. Michael also prides himself as being “easy to work with” and unassuming with event organizers and the media.
Michael has been lucky to be rewarded with some of the industries highest honors. In 1990, he became one of the youngest US National Advanced Champions when he took that title at just 22 years old. He followed that up in 1995 by winning the ultimate in US Aerobatics, the Unlimited National Aerobatic Championship.
Michael and his entire team are very proud to have won the prestigious Red Bull Air Race Budapest in 2009.
John Klatt
John’s inspiration for flying came from his father, Robert. Robert retired after a forty-year career with Republic/Northwest Airlines as an Aviation Mechanic. When John was a young boy, Robert took him to the convention in Oshkosh, Wisconsin (the Experimental Aircraft Association AirVenture annual convention). This implanted a spark for flying in John. His parents, Robert and Phyllis, consistently aided and encouraged John to pursue a career in aviation.
John has been flying for about 23 years and has over 13,000 hours of flying time. John was introduced to flying by one of his friends shortly after he graduated high school. John continued to take flight lessons during college and in his senior year, John discovered the Air National Guard. After graduating from the University of Minnesota, Duluth, John went to the Air National Guard pilot training program where he got his wings from the Air Force in Texas and was assigned to the Air Guard in Minnesota. Now he flies both the C-130 Hercules and the F-16 for the Guard.
In his quest to continually improve his skills as a pilot, John began to train and participate in competitive aerobatic contests on both the regional and national level. This led him into air show performing and ultimately to flying air shows for the Air National Guard. John also is a Pilot for United Airlines where he has been employed since 1997.
John is proud to bring you some fast-paced, hard-core, high-energy aerobatics. He looks forward to meeting you at the Indianapolis Air Show.
Rob Reider – Air Show Announcer
Rob is “The Voice” of the Indianapolis Air Show! Rob Reider has been an important fixture at the Indianapolis Air Show since its beginning in 1996. This year marks Rob’s 31st year as an announcer and his 4th as a full-time air show announcer. His 2009 schedule will take him to 19 shows, making him one of the busiest and most sought-after announcers in North America. He’ll be working at shows from Rhode Island to California and he’ll be teamed up with Danny Clisham at EAA’s AirVenture air show in July.
Starting early in the morning, and working through the heat of the day until the gates have closed, Rob is always striving to keep the audience engaged and informed of all matters that pertain to the pilots in the air and the aircraft they are flying. It’s been said of Rob Reider, “He’s excited and supercharged! He’s a performer with the unique ability to meet an audience where they are, touch their hearts, make them laugh, make them cry, and leave them with a feeling that they have been totally entertained.”
Learn more about Rob Reider.
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