EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2014 Airshows: Valdez Alaska STOL Competition

Fred Harl and Carmelo Turdo

EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2014 featured the top-tier airshow performers available, and often the airshows feature some very unusual acts.  This year, there were several demonstrations of (super) short takeoff and landing (STOL) capabilities by several top competitors from the May, 2014 Valdez Alaska Fly-In and Air Show STOL Competition.  EAA member Frank Knapp, winner of the Alternate Bush Class A competition, and Bobby Breeden, winner of the Bush Class competition, flew along with others to show off their skills and the STOL capabilities of their aircraft.  Knapp showed his expertise with takeoffs and landings measured at under 50 feet in his insect-like "Lil' Cub."  All participating pilots accounted well for themselves and showed that with the right skills and aircraft, a bush pilot can create an airfield just about anywhere!