Finally... An Airshow-Related Emergency Story With A Happier Ending

Whew! Some somewhat 'good' news for a change... ANN has learned that airshow pilot Jacqueline Warda has had to execute an unplanned landing in her Pitts airshow biplane, N77MN, due to an engine failure. While her bird is reportedly destroyed, she's alive, a bit bruised and scraped but otherwise OK -- and that's ALL that matters.

Warda was heading home to the SF Bay area, from an airshow in Caldwell, ID, when her Pitts S-1T packed it up over SE Oregon and necessitated a forced landing. The International Council of Airshows reports that "She'll be sore for a few weeks, but, on behalf of the entire air show community, we're very glad it was not worse than that."

Jacquie's background is a compelling one. During the 100th anniversary of powered flight in 2003, Jacquie retired from the legal profession and realized her dream of becoming an air show pilot. She holds the distinction of being the first female pilot to enter this business at 50 years young. In the last eight years, she has flown well over 80 air shows from coast to coast and earned six marketing awards from the International Council of Air Shows. Her "Red Eagle" is one of three Pitts built to fly an air show around the Statue of Liberty during the 1986 centennial celebration, which followed Ms. Liberty's refurbishing.  The paint motif is both beautiful and patriotic. She currently holds a Commercial certificate in land-based aircraft as well as a seaplane rating and holds an unrestricted, Level 1 A.C.E. card.

FMI: www.jacquiebairshows.com