For almost forty-years, the AeroShell Aerobatic Team has been thrilling crowds with aerial feats that leave even inveterate aviators wondering what sort of Faustian devilry it takes to impel a quartet of 2.8-ton, AT-6 Texans to snap and leap and pirouette like stunt-kites.
Throughout 2022, the team will perform its superbly-choreographed, deftly-executed routine of close-formation, classic aerobatics at no fewer than 23-air-shows—including major engagements at Sun ‘n Fun, AirVenture, and the Rose City Airfest. By dint of its members’ skill, tenacity, and graciousness, the AeroShell Aerobatic team has become one of the most recognizable well-loved air-show performance teams in the world.
The team’s roots can be traced back to 1984, when Mary Lou Retton won six-olympic-medals, Apple debuted the Macintosh, and Alan Henley and Steve Gustafson formed the North American Aerobatic Team with fellow-pilot Ben Cunningham. A fourth aircraft, flown by Gene McNeely, was added in 1996. The following year, Cunningham was replaced by Alan Henley’s twin brother, Mark.
The team penned its sponsorship deal with Aeroshell in 2001, and all seemed a proper pip until 2008—when a non-aviation accident precipitated Alan Henley’s retirement and his replacement by Bryan Regan. Jimmy Fordham joined the team as its spare pilot in 2010, and in 2018 replaced Gene McNeeley. Today, the Birmingham, Alabama—based team comprises Mark Henley (Team Lead), Steve Gustafson (Left Wing), Bryan Regan (Right Wing), and Jimmy Fordham (Slot).
The team’s accolades—which include the Bill Barber Award for Showmanship, the Art Scholl Memorial Showmanship Award, and enshrinement in the International Council of Air Shows Foundation's Air Show Hall of Fame—are impressive, but no more capture the group’s in-flight dynamism than a photo of the sheet-music captures the thundering precision of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.
By Day—with smoke systems painting the sky; by night—with lights illuminating their aircraft, the pilots of the Aeroshell Aerobatic Team and their mighty, radial-engined, AT-6 Texans delight with a spectacular and storied syncretism of nostalgia, romance and entertainment.
Aero-TV is a production of the Internationally syndicated Aero-News Network. Seen worldwide by hundreds of thousands of aviators and aviation adherents, ANN's Aero-TV has produced over 5000 aviation and feature programs, including nearly 2000 episodes of our daily aviation news program, AIRBORNE UNLIMITED, currently hosted by Holland Lee. Now in its third decade of operation, parent company Aero-News Network, has the most aggressive and intensive editorial profile of any aviation news organization and has published nearly a half-million news and feature stories since its inception -- having pioneered the online 24/7 aviation new-media model that so many have emulated.
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