Airshow Stunt from 2009
30 Sep 22
4 Comments
Kyle Franklin gave me permission to post this video in 2009 and it to this day remains one of the favourite clips I’ve ever hosted.
(For those reading in the email list, you probably need to click through to the site to view this.)
Kyle Franklin is still amazing airshows all over the US, most recently from Pikes Peak Regional Airshow, and bringing his own special flair to the events. You can follow him on Facebook to find out more.
I’m in the depths of an unexpected move this week but I should be stable again next week and back with your regularly scheduled Fear of Landing post. See you on the other side!
Category:
Crazy
That was the best thing I’ve seen in a long while. Thanks for posting and good luck with your move!
I remember seeing something like this several decades ago; the joke is an old one, but sometimes still effective — especially when the field is next to a dropoff as appears here, so the plane can disappear and reappear unexpectedly.
Wow, can that man fly or what?! What truly super airmanship. I remember my dad telling me years ago about one of the pilots when he was in the RAF post war doing a similar stunt, even down to being dressed in pinstripe suit, bowler hat etc, with ‘make believe’ dodging of the dreaded RAF Military Police to jump into a handy vacant spitfire which ‘just happened’ to be parked nearby! The guy would pull off very similar amazingly jerky stunts to those we see in that clip, though I suspect not quite as near-damaging as Kyle Franklins because after all, the Spitfires were UK Government property in those days!!
What a great clip!!
I have seen several of the Franklin and Younkin airshows overf the last 50 years. They are nail biting, edge of the seat and real world dangerous.
Kyle’s father and Bobby Younkin, were killed in an airshow crash in Canada and Kyle’s wife, daughter of Bobby Younkin died from injuries that occurred at another airshow crash.
Last I heard, Kyle is now married to another aviator. I guess, if it is in your blood, you have no choice.