The airshow industry is nothing if not varied... there seems to
be more variety in this business than in most others and just about
the time when you've gotten to the point when you've seen every
variation of, say, formation airshow teams, along comes a solidly
entertaining and quite different offering.
Such an offering is the internationally
flown and flavored "Yak Attack" airshow team, featuring a triple
formation airshow act utilizing either CJ-6 or Yak 52TW mounts. Yak
Attack airshows is an aerial display team that came about when
three highly skilled and seasoned professional aviators decided to
join forces.
The team lead is Daniel Fortin. Dan is a corporate pilot who
began his flying career with gliders at the young age of 16 and
like many kids in Canada, Dan's dream took him to the Canadian
Forces. Over the course of his career, Dan flew many different
airplanes ranging from single seat gliders to heavy corporate jets
while also achieving FAR 135 Check Airman status while he worked as
a Simulator instructor for Flight Safety. Dan has also served as
Chief pilot for the Northern Lights Acrobatic team Air Support
Division where he received type ratings for high performance
airplanes like the Fouga Magister, L39 Albatros and the Hawker
Hunter. Dan has been a CJ6 operator since 1996 and has accumulated
over 600 hrs in type. Dan is a Formation Lead and RedStar Pilots
Association formation Check Pilot. After flying aerobatics for
nearly 10 years, Dan finally decided to move into airshow flying in
2005. In 2006, he obtained a Transport Canada Statement of
Acrobatic Competency on the CJ6 and has since performed at various
airshows in Canada and USA.
Charlie Lynch Is the Right Wing (#2) Pilot, and has been flying
since 1992 -- first as a helicopter pilot, and then as a fixed wing
aviator. After receiving his commercial certificate and getting his
first taste of aerobatics, Charlie acquired a CJ6 in 1998 and flew
it for over 1100 hours. In 2006, Charlie traded his CJ for a new
Yak52TW and has been performing with this airplane since then.
Charlie received his FAA Statement of Acrobatic competency in 2003
after being coached by such legends as Dan McCue and Dale
Snodgrass. He now holds an FAA Statement of Acrobatic Competency
for both the CJ6 and the Yak-52. Charlie first learned formation
flying from the members of the now defunct Red Dragons formation
team, and is now a Formation Lead/Instructor with the RedStar
Pilots Association and has also lead a CJ6/Yak Mass formation
during Oshkosh. Charlie holds commercial, multi-engine, Instrument
and rotor wing qualifications.
Steve Dalton, flies as Left Wing (#3) and Deputy Lead. Steve is
a USAF fighter pilot turned Airline Pilot. In his military career,
Steve was an instructor/evaluator on the T38, F4 and F16. After
leaving the USAF, Steve joined the Northrop F20 Tigershark team
until the project's cancellation. He then joined Southwest
airlines, where he became a regional Chief Pilot for 5 years, and
has been one of their check pilots for a decade. Steve was also
involved in the development of the current formation training
program for the Red Star Pilot's Association (RPA), and has lead
mass formations over the skies of both Lakeland and Oshkosh. Steve
participates vigorously in RPA events both on the regional and
national scale. Steve owns/operates the world's first Yak 52TW, is
a FAST Lead, an RPA formation check pilot and holds an FAA
Statement of Aerobatic Competency.
Together, these three aviators are showing the world a truly
unique and exciting side of the aviation world... and we're pleased
to feature them on Aero-TV.
ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (04.15.24)
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