Saturday Sept. 21st, 2024 • 1:30 PM
Albertus Airport
(reminder: No drones allowed within 5 miles of the airport)
AIR SHOW STARTS IN:
On The Stage
Special performances by
Sweet Reminders
(Andrews Sisters Reenactors)
* Plus interviews with pilots, sponsors and other special guests.
* National Anthem sung by the Freeport High School Choir.
BUY TICKETS HERE
SKIP THE LINE!
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Parking at Stephenson County Fairgrounds ONLY
2250 S. Walnut Rd. • Freeport, IL. 61032
FREE shuttle bus to the airport
GATES OPEN @ 10:30am
SHOW STARTS @ 1:30pm
This year's line up:
Special Appearance by
The GreenState Credit Union hot air balloon
Susan is one of only a few females performing airshows in a biplane, and is the only woman flying exhibition in the Super Stearman. Attending airshows as a child, Susan remembers being in awe of the big, loud, smoky biplanes. As a teenager, yearning to fly, Susan felt the only way to fly a Stearman was to have one of her own. At the family airport, located inHarvard, Illinois, Susan worked in the office, fueled planes, and eventually acquired a rebuildable Stearman Project. While in high school, every spare hour was spent restoring the aircraft, which she still owns and operates today.
At sixteen Susan learned to fly in a Piper Cub (her Stearman wasn’t yet ready). She attended Southern IllinoisUniversity, where she earned a degree in Aviation Operations and Systems, along with aircraft mechanic’s licenses. Following college, Susan pursued flying jobs throughout the country. Scurrying cancelled checks before midnight deadlines in twin engine airplanes, flying for commuter airlines, and even pipeline patrol was eventually rewarded with a job offer from American Airlines. Susan is a Chicago based International Captain, currently flying 787 Dreamliner. Susan has flown more than sixty different types of aircraft, and has logged more than 35,000 hours.
Michael’s passion for flight started at the age of 18, as a paratrooper, and later as an airborne instructor. In his 4 years of service, Michael has performed hundreds of static line jumps, sky-dives from C-130's, DC-3's and more.
Passion for aviation led Michael to take flying lessons and earn his commercial pilot and flight instructor certificates. Instructing at local flight schools Michael logged hundreds of hours helping new pilots achieve their goals in aviation. The affair with aerobatics started immediately after earning the private pilot certificate, a short ride in a ZLIN Z-242 and Mike was hooked.
Today Michael is an active IAC Competitor and an ICAS member, performing at air shows around the Country. Michael’s style brings precision, speed, head dazzling Gyroscopic and high G maneuvers to airshow center. To maintain proficiency during the contest and air show seasons, Michael flies twice a day, five days a week.
Michael is currently employed as a professional pilot flying business jets
Galen has been flying for over 30 years in over 25 different airplanes. His wife purchased his RV-8 as a Christmas present with the single restriction that she approved the paint scheme on the plane and it had to combine the family love of scuba diving with flying. As an aerobatics competitor, Galen’s flying is precise, fast paced and exciting to watch utilizing both positive and negative G maneuvers. His experience comes from many years of competing in aerobatic competitions. He connects with everyone who watches him fly and shows them what they could easily accomplish. He greatly enjoys giving youth and young eagle rides to help them engage in aviation.
Galen and his family take an annual scuba diving every year with his wife and 2 children at destinations around the world. He is a very dedicated to his family and their adventures together. In their travels, they have been lucky enough to see very large schools of hammerhead sharks in person. Therefore, the hammerhead shark teeth on the nose
MIG-17 Aerobatics
Rich Dawe
Jet Provost Aerobatics
Jet Provost Aerobatic Shows’ Mark 5 provost is flown by owner Rich Dawe from Melbourne Arkansas. The plane is a 1971 side by side British jet training aircraft. It produces 2,450 lbs. of thrust resulting in a maximum speed of 440 mph. Rich has performed in airshows for many years, both in and outside of the military.
He is a retired naval aviator and captain. A decorated combat veteran, he has logged more than 750 carrier arrested landings, or traps, primarily in the EA-6B prowler. Rich has been the president at Ozarka College located in northern Arkansas for 15 years, having started a thriving Part 141 commercial pilot training degree program 8 years ago.
Rich is rated in the provost, strike master, vampire, sea venom, L29, T28, citations and seaplanes. He and his wife, Chris own and fly the jet provost, T28 and a chipmunk. They know they are fortunate to share their passion for aviation with one another!
Rich is also former chair the Chair of the Arkansas Division of Aviation and past president of the Arkansas Aviation Historical Society. He enjoys flying the JP in airshows and plans to increase the number of shows when he retires in the next couple of years.
JP Mellor/T-6 Aerobatics
Trojan Phlyers-T-28 Formation Aerobatic Team
BeechNutz Formation Team
The Beechnutz are a group of formation pilots that primarily fly in Beechcraft Bonanzas, along with a few Barons and Mooney’s.
We are proud to announce that some of the Beechnutz pilots are right here from the Freeport area!
Phil Dacy brings to the center stage an enthusiastic style of airshow announcing that is ‘second to none’. Having accumulated over 10,000 hours as a pilot in a variety of aircraft, Phil’s extensive knowledge and experience bring sponsors, spectators and media to the ‘front row’ in experiencing the finest in airshow entertainment.
Phil is recognized in the industry for his trademark dedication, experience, knowledge and commitment to airshows and aviation. A genuine interest and familiarity with aircraft ranging from small, single engine planes, to today’s military fighter aircraft, Phil is able to ‘put attendees in the cockpit’, or ‘on the wing’ of the aircraft, as no other announcer can!From fly-ins and corporate outings to the large, ‘jet team’ shows and military open houses, Phil brings over twenty years of professional experience to the show-line.
Phil’s expertise in announcing comes from personal experience having flown aircraft ranging from taildraggers to jets. When not performing in Airshows, Phil is employed as the VP of Flight Operations/Director of Operations and as a pilot with Priester Aviation, a Chicago based (Chicago Executive – formerly Palwaukee) Charter Company. Phil is Captain on their Hawker 4000
Phil’s intense and riveting airshow announcing, make him the number one choice of performers and event organizers
Warbirds on Static Display (T28, T33, T34, Stearman)
Plus many more arriving the day of the show!!!
Aircraft & Performers are subject to change • Free Fairgrounds Parking and Bus Shuttle
