Here are 13 gift ideas for pilots. The prices range from the very affordable to those that are extra special gifts for milestones, achievements, or significant birthdays, and you don’t need to know much about aviation to make these purchases. Aviation-Themed Apparel & Accessories Let’s begin with the budget end of our gift guide. A…
There are many things that set Svetlana Kapanina apart from other aerobatic pilots. For one, she is a world-renowned champion, having won first place at the World Aerobatic Championship in 2010. She is also an accomplished instructor pilot, having taught aerobatics to pilots from around the world. What’s more, she started flying when she was…
We have compiled this list of celebrity pilots in USA after the feedback received about our older post concerning celebrity pilots in the UK. The geography and climate of the USA have been partly responsible for a more open and tolerant attitude towards General Aviation in contrast to the crowded airspace and nimby attitudes in…
Polly Vacher is a British aviator known for long distance solo flights made in the name of raising money for the charity Flying Scholarships for the Disabled. Born in 1944 in Devon, England, she did not obtain her private pilot license until 50 years later in Australia. Prior to her charity work, she circumnavigated Australia…
Mélanie Astles is a French aerobatics champion. Born in Rugby, England, on May 30, 1982, Mélanie moved with her parents to France at age three. She was educated in Monaco but left school out of boredom and did not graduate. She initially aspired to be a fighter pilot but was discouraged from doing so because the…
There are a surprising number of celebrity pilots in the UK, so if you find yourself doing a double take at someone who walks past you on the apron or in the aero club café it may be because they’re one of those people who have a Private Pilot’s Licence and are also well-known for other…
What follows is a press release about the flights Tracey Curtis-Taylor made a few years ago recreating the journey made by Mary Heath from South Africa to England. CAPE TOWN TO GOODWOOD: ZARA PHILLIPS CELEBRATES A PIONEERING WOMAN’S JOURNEY ACROSS AFRICA Tracey Curtis-Taylor to fly Spirit of Artemis solo from South Africa to UK in…
Jean Batten was born in 1909 in Rotorura, New Zealand. In her late teens, her father took her to a lecture given by the aviator Charles Kingsford-Smith. She was so inspired by the famous pilot that she declared her decision to learn to fly and was especially interested in breaking flight records. Batten and her…
There are few pilots who can match the air time and flight experiences of General Chuck Yeager. This short post summaries the basic facts of his life and might inspire you to learn more about this legendary aviator. Charles Elwood “Chuck” Yeager is a noted test pilot who served as a major general in the…
Amelia Earhart has cemented her place in history as one of America’s greatest pilots. This pioneer of aviation went on to set many prestigious flight records throughout her career. Although mystery still surrounds the circumstances of her disappearance, the accomplishments of this celebrated pilot simply cannot be denied. Amelia Mary Earhart was born to parents…
Paul Bonhomme was born in England on September 22, 1964. His extensive career includes flying as a commercial pilot, an aerobatic racer and an airshow performer. Born into a family of aviators, Bonhomme was a natural to take up the profession himself. He received his private pilot license at the age of 18 and became…
Nigel Lamb was born in 1956 in Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia). His father flew in World War II as a Royal Air Force fighter pilot. This led Lamb to pursue a career in the Rhodesian Air Force in 1975. He earned his wings in 1976 and began flying helicopters and jets. Lamb left the Air Force…
Mike Mangold is an US Air Force veteran who has made a name for himself both as a commercial aviator and an aerobatics pilot, racking up numerous achievements in the sport of aircraft racing. Mangold was born in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1955; the oldest of three brothers, he moved with his family from Pennsylvania to…
Melissa Pemberton has soared to new heights in the world of aviation. This young and daring pilot uses aerobatics during her flights to entertain audiences. She can be hired to perform her daring routines at special events. Melissa Andrzejewski Pemberton was born on June 22, 1984 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She was a master rock climber…
Kirby Chambliss was born on October 18, 1959 in Corpus Christi, Texas, USA. He has an extensive career as both a commercial pilot and aerobatic racing pilot. An adventurous athlete in his youth, Chambliss participated in motocross and his father taught him to skydive. It was the thrill of the long spiral descent the plane…
Alejandro Maclean (“Alex”) was born on August 6, 1969 in Madrid, Spain. From an early age, Maclean was fascinated with flying, building model airplanes and radio controlled aircraft. He bought his first Ultralight when he was 18. It was in this Ultralight that he suffered his first accident attempting an aerobatic maneuver. Undeterred by the…
Alan Cassidy was born in Ringmer, Sussex in 1949. He is one of the top aerobatic pilots in all of the United Kingdom. Prior to joining the Royal Air Force in 1970, Cassidy attended Trinity College, Cambridge. While at university, he studied mechanical sciences. Cassidy served in the Royal Air Force for 20 years as…
When ten-year-old Patty Wagstaff sat with her father, a commercial pilot, and put her hands on the controls of a DC-6 for the first time, the world had no idea that it was about to be taken by aerobaticstorm. Born in St. Louis, Missouri on September 11, 1951, Patty seemed destined to leave her distinctive…
Carolyn Grace was born in and was native to Australia but lived in the UK for many years. As a young woman, Carolyn married Nick Grace, a pilot and aircraft mechanic. In 1979 her husband Nick purchased two Spitfire airframes, one of which was sold and the other (ML407) became Nick’s restoration project. Carolyn and…