10.15.06 - San Diego, Miramar Air Show
Gillespie airport was the setting for a good day of
aerobatic rides in our new Extra 300L. Thanks to Tutima for
providing us with all of our daring passengers! We’ll have
to do it again next year.
-Ben
[Click image to enlarge]
10.8.06 - Fleet Week
We got in a great weekend of rides for San Francisco’s Fleet
Week event. It was nice flying around my old stomping ground
in the Bay Area. Thanks to Tutima and Manpower for sending
out some great folks to fly with. Thanks also to Kaiser Air
at the Oakland airport for great service as usual!
-Ben
[Click image to enlarge]
10.1.06 - California International Airshow
In a formation training camp last winter Sean and Bill came
up with an idea. “Why don’t we put together a four-ship
formation for Salinas this year?” Well it took a lot of
planning and some very intense training, but we did it. The
entire team of the Tutima Academy was involved. Ken coached
and announced, Sean flew lead, I flew right wing, Eric on
left wing, and Bill held us all together in slot.
Billed as “The Three Amigos and Pancho” the show was very
well received. For me it was the experience of lifetime. It
was truly an honor to share the sky with these three amazing
aviators!
-Ben
[Click image to enlarge]
9.16.06 - Paso Robles Airshow
Ken, Eric and I had the privilege of flying the Paso Robles
Air Show today. Just a quick flight south of our home in
King City, Paso is one of my favorite flying locations (I
flew my first aerobatic contest there in 2002). Ken and I
flew the show as a two-ship formation in both school Pitts
and Eric wowed the crowd in the S-2C. This being my only
third airshow I learned a lot and as always enjoyed flying
Ken’s wing!
-Ben
[Click image to enlarge]
9.5.06 - Hartzell Airshow
After more than a week of waiting out the Ohio rain and
clouds, managing to squeeze in a few training flights and
some personal practice, the weather decided to break long
enough for us to fly the biannual Harztell Airshow. The
crowd of Hartzell Propeller employees and family were
treated to a one of a kind airshow featuring some of the top
acts in the business including our own Sean D. Tucker.
I was also given the chance to take the stage and fly my
fist solo airshow. It was also my first airshow in the
Extra. I kept it high and simple but flew my hardest and had
an absolute blast. The Extra is a great airshow machine. I’m
excited about learning as much as I can about the airplane.
Thanks to everyone at Hartzell for the great flying and we
see you all soon. Special thanks to Jim Brown for the
opportunity of a lifetime. It was an experience I will never
forget.
- Ben
[Click image to enlarge]
8.20.06 - Chicago Air and Water Show
After a quick cross country trip (Ken in the Extra, I flew
the Challenger III) we arrived on location in Gary, Indiana
the staging point for this years big Chicago Air and Water
show.
We had a great week of training and rides. Thanks to Oracle
and Manpower for setting up many of our flights. Also thanks
to the Gary Jet Center for their outstanding hospitality and
all their great folks we got to fly with. We’ll see you next
year!
-Ben
[Click image to enlarge]
8.10.06 - New Tutima Academy Website
Welcome to the new on-line home of the Tutima Academy of
Aviation Safety, Sean D. Tucker. We hope you enjoy exploring
the site. We’d love to hear any comments you have. Check
back soon for more updates.
-Ben
7.19.06 - New Extra 300L!
Our brand new Extra 300L, N771TA, arrived at it’s new home in King City, California today. I had the pleasure of picking it up from the great folks at South East Aero in St. Augustine Florida. We had a great flight together coming home, stopping off at the airshow in Pittsburgh before doing some great training with the pilots at the Hartzell propeller factory in Piqua, Ohio. Look for our shiny silver Extra back out on the road with Sean very soon!
-Ben
