Well-Known Airshow Performer Died Unexpectedly Of A Heart Attack

An announcement on the Greg Poe Airshows' Twitter site brought very sad news Monday. The well-known airshow performer has passed away unexpectedly of a heart attack.

The bio on the Greg Poe Airshows website says that Poe started his flying career at an early age and earned his pilot's license while still a teenager, flying out of the old Strawberry Glen airport along side the Boise River.

His flight instructor, John Chambers, introduced him to aerobatics early on and it quickly turned into a passion that continued throughout his life.

Greg’s love of aerobatics led him to enter competitions around the country, which enhanced his skills and understanding of high performance aircraft and eventually led to his first airshow performance in 1992. Shortly after, he became a full time airshow pilot and a main stay on the circuit, performing at 15 to 25 airshow events each year.

In 2007, Poe founded the Ryan J. Poe foundation following his son's tragic, drug related death in 2002. The foundation funds the "Elevate Your Life" program, who's mission is to "Utilize aviation to inspire, motivate and provide a path for young people to realize their dreams."

ANN had the good fortune to work with Poe on a number of projects. ANN CEO and Editor-In-Chief Jim Campbell remembered Poe as "one of the class acts" in the airshow industry. "He will be sorely missed," Campbell said.

Poe's family said they will post additional information on the Greg Poe Airshows website and Facebook page as they become available.

FMI: www.gregpoe.com, www.facebook.com/pages/Greg-Poe-Airshows/231068520856