...But The Neatest Part Of This Story ISN'T The Plane
Kyle Wilson is coming to Oshkosh this year for the big EAA
AirVenture fly-in... and like thousands of other pilots, Wilson is
flying his plane into Oshkosh for the world's biggest air show. He
won't be part of the gaggle, however... in fact, you can bet when
Kyle lands, he won't have to share a runway with anyone.
Kyle's plane -- we'd better make that Captain Wilson's
plane -- is a B-1B Lancer bomber, and he'll be flying in for the
show from Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota. It will be the
first time a B1-B has graced AirVenture's ground displays in a
decade.
"The minute I started pilot training I always thought about how
I could get a plane back to Oshkosh," said Wilson. "It's always
been a dream of mine."
Just five years ago, however, that dream seemed a distant
memory... as Wilson (below) was diagnosed with colon cancer,
and underwent surgery on September 26, 2001. That was also the same
week his fellow members of the 34th Bomb Squadron were deployed
overseas.
Wilson's subsequent chemotherapy treatment kept him from the
flight line... but didn't ground his love of aviation. Faced
with fighting an uphill battle, Wilson decided the best way to cope
with the uncertainty was to begin building his own plane, a
RV-7A.
"It was probably the most rewarding year of my life, seeing the
progress and knowing I was building something I could fly," he
said.
Wilson has since been declared cancer-free, and has been cleared
by the Air Force to fly again. And while having Wilson fly his
homebuilt plane (below) to Oshkosh would have been a pretty cool
ending to this story... well, when you have a B-1B available, we
must admit we'd make that same choice, too.
And the Lancer is a fitting choice. See, the B1-B is itself a
fighter... having survived a rocky development process, and
uncertain future as early as the late 1970s. It has since served in
several skirmishes, including the 1991 Gulf War. Recently, the B1-B
was once again thought to be on its way out... but has since proven
vital in recent years due to the conflicts in the Middle East.
Wilson will fly the bomber into Wittman Field on July 24, and it
will be displayed on AeroShell Square through the 28th.
"Having the B-1 return to Oshkosh is a great addition to this
year's event," said Tom Poberezny, EAA president and AirVenture
chairman. "Adding Kyle Wilson's story of determination and
perseverance, however, makes it a truly special occasion this year
at Oshkosh, as he returns to his home state."
Amen.