Aerostar Aerobatics

denverpilot said:
Who remembers seeing this show?

Click to expand...

Not me. There’s sumpin Hooveresque bout that. A plane you might actually be able to ride in someday. Unlike the usual Wacos, Extras, Decathalons etc. Not to diminish his performance, but I don’t think I saw him turn the engines off. Or have a spot of tea.
 
And I thought I saw everything when I saw an Ercoupe do an airshow performance.
 
Jimmy was an amazing pilot. I'm glad Kyle is continuing the airshow tradition. They've had a lot of tragedy in the Franklin and Younkin families.
 
Saw his Aerostar demo at least once that I know of. The 1988 Lake City Air Show.
 
luvflyin said:
Not me. There’s sumpin Hooveresque bout that. A plane you might actually be able to ride in someday. Unlike the usual Wacos, Extras, Decathalons etc. Not to diminish his performance, but I don’t think I saw him turn the engines off. Or have a spot of tea.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I think even Jimmy knew he wasn’t Hoover.

There were a few shows back then that showcased “regular” airplanes.

That Aerostar ain’t exactly stock by a long shot, but it does emulate one, which was a neat thing seen a little bit in a few shows back then.

Might be interesting to try and remember and find videos of all the “[almost] regular airplane” airshow routines...
 
denverpilot said:
Yeah, I think even Jimmy knew he wasn’t Hoover.

There were a few shows back then that showcased “regular” airplanes.

That Aerostar ain’t exactly stock by a long shot, but it does emulate one, which was a neat thing seen a little bit in a few shows back then.

Might be interesting to try and remember and find videos of all the “[almost] regular airplane” airshow routines...
Click to expand...

Not what you'd call a routine, but....
 
Jimmy’s dad(Zip) and another person crashed and died in this Aerostar back in 1991. They were taking off out of Ruidoso, NM. The family has had their share of tragedy. I also remember, I think, a wing walker falling off of Jimmy’s biplane in the 80’s. He was saved by a safety line, but then had to be rescued by a improvised rescue involving a pickup racing down the runway trying to cut the line holding the ‘walker’ as Jimmy flew a few feet above pickup. It was successful, but the thought entered my mind, was this planned? I don’t think it was, but knowing the Franklin’s, it did enter my mind.
 
Brad Smith said:
What aerobatics did the Ercoupe perform?
Click to expand...
He did the usual routine. Loops, aileron rolls, snaps, cuban eights, hammerheads, every thing. He did fairly well on the vertical. It was a 10-15 minute show. It was an airshow at KHUM years ago. I wanted to get over to the flight line and check out the Coupe. What was under the hood? I was working for a 135 at the time and the cops had us restrained at our area and mobility was an issue. Airspace was closed and our AC were locked down.
 
Brad Smith said:
What aerobatics did the Ercoupe perform?
Click to expand...
Among the other performers that day was a guy named "Corky" something or other. He was a resident at KHUM and flew a BD-5J. I heard that he flew it through a hanger on occasion. He and his dad once had matching F8F Bearcats. Corky usually did an off the cuff aerbatic routine over the field on weekends. Like wise the guy with the Pitts. Also the half scale P-47. Then they put in a tower and everyone had to grow up.
 
Todd82 said:
Did he land it on a windy day with his feet propped up?
Click to expand...
I would like to have seen it. I regret that I was with my employer on the S side of RW 12, restrained by the cops & airshow security. Spectators were on the N side at the FBO. Judging from his performance, I would expect that he had his feet in the rudder stirrups. Probably not a stock "Coupe."
 
I watched Jimmy do an awesome acrobatic routing in a Kitfox. I was working at the Kitfox factory at the time and was invited to go out to the small private strip he was practicing the routine at. I flew my rented Tomahawk there and then climbed up on the hill beside the strip and watched him do the routine. The most impressive thing was the Kitfox was so slow that he never got very far from show center, so the whole routine was right in front of us. Also being about 50 feet above the airstrip let me look down on his low passes.

I am sure a few others here saw his routine at Oshkosh or a few other airshows he might have performed with the Kitfox.

Brian
 
brcase said:
The most impressive thing was the Kitfox was so slow that he never got very far from show center, so the whole routine was right in front of us.
Click to expand...

I’ve always liked the performers with slower aircraft for just that reason. Soucy in his biplane, folks doing the Cub stuff, etc etc.

Jets have their place — blasting back and forth in big aerobatic boxes and making crowds ooh and ahh with ear splitting noise — but I like the stuff that stays at show center and has to work for it.

That said, the Aerostar routine does stretch out a ways but gets brownie points for staying as close as it did with an airplane that wants to go places fast.
 
Lowflynjack said:
Jimmy was an amazing pilot. I'm glad Kyle is continuing the airshow tradition. They've had a lot of tragedy in the Franklin and Younkin families.
Click to expand...

My heart ached for Kyle when Amanda died. I can't imagine the pain he went through.
 
3393RP said:
Corkey Fornof is a second generation airshow performer and test pilot.

He's gotta be old as dirt. He flew the BD-5 shows in the 70s.

http://www.corkeyfornof.com/bd-5j-1.html
Click to expand...


I saw Bob Bishop and Corkey Fornof in the "acro-jets" in Plainview, Tx in about 1975ish.
Then Corkey was sponsored by Coors, the "Silver Bullet". for a time after that.
He did fly through a Hangar for the movie "Octopussy". It was done at El Reno, OK, a friend of mine was an A&P there when they filmed it.
 
Last edited:
denverpilot said:
I’ve always liked the performers with slower aircraft for just that reason. Soucy in his biplane, folks doing the Cub stuff, etc etc.

Jets have their place — blasting back and forth in big aerobatic boxes and making crowds ooh and ahh with ear splitting noise — but I like the stuff that stays at show center and has to work for it.

That said, the Aerostar routine does stretch out a ways but gets brownie points for staying as close as it did with an airplane that wants to go places fast.
Click to expand...

John Mohr was a master at slow speed aerobatics with his Stearman. It was unbelievable watching what he could do with that thing.

 
The Corky Fornof Swift Fury at MCMinn TN. He used to do a great demo as well. Another plane that I wished would’ve entered production.

A320A4AB-AB59-467C-8B3C-29A5B36B6878.jpeg
 
brcase said:
I watched Jimmy do an awesome acrobatic routing in a Kitfox. I was working at the Kitfox factory at the time and was invited to go out to the small private strip he was practicing the routine at. I flew my rented Tomahawk there and then climbed up on the hill beside the strip and watched him do the routine. The most impressive thing was the Kitfox was so slow that he never got very far from show center, so the whole routine was right in front of us. Also being about 50 feet above the airstrip let me look down on his low passes.

I am sure a few others here saw his routine at Oshkosh or a few other airshows he might have performed with the Kitfox.

Brian
Click to expand...

I saw that routine my first trip to Oshkosh. Quiet, never ventured far from show center, and very fun to watch.
 
Eldorado said:
Jimmy’s dad(Zip) and another person crashed and died in this Aerostar back in 1991. They were taking off out of Ruidoso, NM. The family has had their share of tragedy. I also remember, I think, a wing walker falling off of Jimmy’s biplane in the 80’s. He was saved by a safety line, but then had to be rescued by a improvised rescue involving a pickup racing down the runway trying to cut the line holding the ‘walker’ as Jimmy flew a few feet above pickup. It was successful, but the thought entered my mind, was this planned? I don’t think it was, but knowing the Franklin’s, it did enter my mind.
Click to expand...

no it was not planned. the wing walker was lee oman, a friend of mine. I got to hear the story from him after more than a couple of adult beverages at reno one year. the outcome was all do luck, jimmy's skill, and some great pilots at the show. i miss jimmy, he was a great performer and a really great guy. as is kyle. after all the airplane related tragedy in those two families It still amazes me that they are still on the circuit.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top