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"Sons
of Legends"
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Kyle
Franklin son of Jimmy Franklin Amanda
Younkin - Franklin Matt
Younkin son of Bobby Younkin
daughter of Bobby Younkin daughter-in-law of Jimmy Franklin |
| For
over 30 years, the definition of airshows has been Jimmy Franklin and
Bobby Younkin. These two brought the most innovative, insane, and impossible
acts to life with their super-human ability to fly. By keeping the tradition
alive, the next generation of Franklin and Younkin are showing the world
that they have what Bobby used to call "that defective gene.
Kyle and Amanda Franklin and Matt Younkin are all third generation pilots who come from rather well known families in the aviation community. Kyle is the son of legendary airshow pilot Jimmy Franklin, Matt is the son of legendary airshow pilot Bobby Younkin, and Amanda, being Matts sister and Kyles wife, obviously ties the two families together.
Matt grew
up on a private airstrip in Lowell, AR. His third word was "airplane"
and when he wasn't riding in his father's Beech 18 or AT-6, he was playing
what he called "airshow center" with his toy airplanes over
an airport he had drawn on the driveway with a piece of chalk. Matt
was taught to fly at age 14 by Ken Collier in a Piper J-3 Cub. At age
15 Chuck Irvin, the same instructor who taught his father to fly, refined
Matts piloting skills. On his 16th birthday, Matt soloed his grandfather's
1928 Travel Air 4000 bi-plane. Matt, now a fully rated flight instructor
himself, has almost 3000 hours of total flight time and is perficient
in over 50 types of airplanes ranging from the Piper Cub to the North
American B-25 Mitchell. Matt's father gave him limited aerobatic instruction
which focused mainly on slow rolls. Like his father, Matt taught himself
aerobatics by flying radio controlled model airplanes and later refining
them in the Super Decathlon. The "Sons (and daughter) of Legends" have partnered up to bring people a little taste of the type of aviation that they were privileged enough to experience growing up. Matt is continuing the Bobby Younkins legacy by performing precision aerobatics in unique airplanes and unique aerobatics in precision airplanes. Matts latest and greatest achievement is performing MAGIC BY MOONLIGHT NIGHT TIME BEECH 18 AEROBATIC DEMONSTRATION. He is also continuing the DAYTIME TWIN BEECH 18 AEROBATIC DEMONSTRATION, , the 1929 TRAVEL AIR "MYSTERY SHIP" AEROBATIC ACT and unique outside aerobatics in the SUPER DECATHLON. Kyle, with the help of his lovely bride, is currently performing the ever popular PIRATED SKIES WINGWALKING ACT. He is also continuing the VINTAGE WACO SOLO AEROBATIC ACT, WINGTIP DRAGGING COMEDY ACT, and the worlds only MOTORCYCLE TO AIRPLANE TRANSFER. Bobby
Younkin always said "An airshow act has to be unique and original
to be great. People come to air shows to see the impossible take place."
Matt, Amanda, and Kyle have certainly taken this lesson and many others
that Bobby and Jimmy taught them to heart. |
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