April 13, 2010 Meeting Speaker: Billy Werth

The Indianapolis Aero Club welcomes Billy Werth as it's speaker for the April 13th meeting.

Location:  Marten House, 1801 West 86th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46260
Date: April 13, 2010
Cocktails: 6:00 pm - Dinner: 6:30 pm - Speaker:  7:00 pm

Advance or Reservations - $20.00  At Door - $22.00
1st time guest - $10.00
16 or under $10.00

Please RSVP to: John Brill
H: 317-877-7777  C: 317-501-8610
Mail to:  107-A Knoll Ct,  Noblesville, IN 46062
email:  jwbrillsr@aol.com

Video from last years air show
Photo credit - Ryan Sundheimer - AirShowStuff.com

Pilot Bio:
Billy Werth:  Growing up in an Air Force family, Billy has been around some sort airplane his whole life.  He started flying in 1988 and graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Professional Aviation Technology from Indiana State University in 1994.  In 1992 he started teaching aerobatics and has been hooked ever since. 
In 1997 he graduated from Undergraduate Pilot Training and started flying for the Air Force Reserves out of Grissom Air Reserve Base, IN where he is an Instructor Pilot on the KC-135R Aerial Refueler.  He is a veteran of Operation Northern and Southern Watch, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom.  He was part of the initial bomber strike on the opening of the Iraqi war staged out of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.  He was hired by Chautauqua Airlines in 2001 and is a Captain on the Embraer 145, based in Indianapolis.  Billy has over 8000 hours of flight time in 20 different aircraft, with 900 of it teaching folks how to fly upside down.
 
Here's a great article about Billy from year's Indianapolis Air Show:

Air-to-Air in a Pitts S-2C with Billy Werth

Company Info:
Grayout Aerosports LLC provides solo airshow performances, aerobatic thrill rides, and offers aerobatic and emergency upset training all over the Midwest.  We’re based at Hendrick’s Co airport near Indianapolis, IN.
In addition to airshow performances we also give airshow coordinators the useful option of offering aerobatic rides to their spectators.  Many attendees are thrilled to be able to experience some of the things they’ve spent all day watching.  From mild to wild, we have the convenient option of offering anything in between.  Arrangements can also be made for media and press rides as well as school and sponsor visits prior to, or during the show weekend.

Members in the News: John Brill

Retired Air Force Lt. Col. John Brill, dressed as U.S. Army General George Patton, was one of a group of World War II and Koran War veterans talking to over 400 North Central High School social studies students in the library at the school Thursday March 18.  Another session will feature veterans of the Vietnam and later wars.  The event, in its seventh year, is sponsored by the Forum at the Crossing.  (Joe Vitti/Indianapolis Star)

March 2010 - Meeting Summary

March's meeting found us listening intently to Rob Reider tell us about the "Good, the Bad and the Ugly" of the air show business.  Some stories were sad as we remembered some performers who have graced the skies.  Rob presents well and he also had us laughing real hard at times.  Rob showed us videos of his flights with the Blue Angels and was even humble enough to let us see the part where the G's were just a bit much and he, um, .... "went a little blank" on us. 

We also learned there is a difference between the cadence that a "The Boss" of the US demo teams and that of the United Kingdom team, the Red Arrows, uses during an air show.
Blue Angels:  "A little more power....a ....little ... more..."  Then Rob stepped back from the mic and .....
Red Arrows:  "MORE POWER NOW"

Well, it doesn't work as well in print.  If you were there, then you are at least chuckling again with the memory.

Once again, thank you Rob Reider for carving a night out of your busy schedule and coming to visit us in Indianapolis!

We recognized our visitors at the meeting, but we'd like to acknowledge them once more, and thank them for visiting us this month: Jack Hansen of Clermont, Jim Leslie of Indianapolis, and Colin and Michael Oberthur of Indianapolis.  Michael was kind enough to send an email thanking the club for the hospitality showed to him and Colin.  Rob was kind enough to spend some time with Michael and Colin after the presentation, and even took time out take a picture with Colin. 

WASPs were honored today in Washington

Here's a page on the Indy Transponder with a lot of the coverage in one place.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

March 9, 2010 Meeting Speaker: Rob Reider

We are happy to announce that Rob Reider will be our speaker for the March 9, 2010 meeting of the Indianapolis Aero Club.

Location:  Marten House, 1801 West 86th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46260
Date: March 9, 2010
Cocktails: 6:00 pm - Dinner: 6:30 pm - Speaker:  7:00 pm

Advance or Reservations - $20.00  At Door - $22.00
1st time guest - $10.00
16 or under $10.00

Please RSVP to: John Brill
H: 317-877-7777  C: 317-501-8610
Mail to:  107-A Knoll Ct,  Noblesville, IN 46062
email:  jwbrillsr@aol.com

From Rob's website:

Rob Reider - air show announcer, recipient of the coveted ICAS "Sword of Excellence," entertainer, pilot, Midwest television personality, singer, performer, writer, and winner of 5 Emmy awards has put all his experience into bringing the excitement of air shows “up close and personal” to audiences all over the country. 2010 marks Rob's 32nd year as an announcer and his 5th as a full-time air show announcer.

At the International Council of Air Shows 2007 convention in Las Vegas, Rob became the 34th recipient of the ICAS "Sword of Excellence," the highest award an air show professional can receive.

He's recognized by pilots around the country as the on-camera host for Sporty's Pilot Shops pilot training videos.

While still a college student in Cincinnati, Rob began work as a singer and co-host of a live, daily talk-variety show that was broadcast in 4 cities in the Midwest.

During his 13-year career there he won 5 Emmy awards for his on-air performance and musical compositions. Over the years he appeared as a soloist with the famed Cincinnati Pops Orchestra and has sung both "The Star Spangled Banner" and "O Canada" for many air shows and major league baseball games.

In 1979 his television work took him to the Dayton Air Show and he immediately became a volunteer. By 1990 Rob was the "color announcer," working with award-winning announcers Bill Bordeleau and Danny Clisham. He learned from the best in the business.

Rob began to work on the "air show circuit" and has been a member of ICAS for 15 years. ICAS has also recognized his talent by asking him to be the master of ceremonies for the final night convention "Chairman's Banquet" for nine of the last ten years."

February 2009 - Meeting Summary

Braving the weather for the February meeting was very rewarding as we heard Dick Curtis tell us some of his experiences flying P-51 Mustangs during World War II.  Mr. Curtis had all of our attention as he talked about the strafing runs he was assigned to.  He also shared that the Tusakagee Airmen of the 332nd Fighter Group were just down the road from where he was stationed in Italy.   While sharing some somber moments that only those who have experienced in WWII can really share, he also had us laughing as he shared his great sense of humor (none of us are convinced the designers of the P-51 meant for the scoop to be used corn harvesting!)

Below are some the pictures Dick Curtis shared during his presentation.  Additionally, links are provided at the bottom of this post for the books Mr. Curtis has authored and offered at our meeting.  To Haley Norwood – thank you for your assistance in making the arrangements for Mr. Curtis to speak to us and transporting to and from our meeting.  Thank you to Mr. Curtis for signing the copies we purchased at our meeting!

The slide show used during the meeting is posted here.


A reminder from the meeting:  Jim Bettner wanted to remind everyone to send in their scholarship nominees as soon as possible.  Have the ability to review as many of the application before the deadline is extremely helpful.  Thank you!