This one-of-a kind wild and crazy comedy act puts Kyle Franklin as Ben Whabnaski, the annoying drunk who wants his airplane ride that was promised to him. Much different from your typical flying farmer routine, this routine will get everyone on their feet and roaring with laughter. The effort and skill Kyle displays is amazing to say the least. Most pilots only put a wingtip on the ground during ground loops. Kyle Franklin does it for fun so often, that his cub needs skid plates taped on the wingtips! This is truly a show stealing act.
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Photo by Amanda Franklin
Photo by Larry Raulston

Photo by Larry Raulston

 

      In 1972, Franklin’s Flying Circus performed the first motorcycle-to-airplane transfer. Now managed by Kyle Franklin, FFC is still the only group performing this incredible feat! The Super Cub is equipped with a 15 foot, 100LB ladder that Kyle drops shortly after take off. He then circles around and pilots the Cub down the centerline of the runway at the proper height and speed as if it were on rails. On the stunt man's signal, the bike driver accelerates the motorcycle to over 80 mph to catch up with Kyle as soon as possible. The timing of the start is as critical as the timing of the transfer. Suddenly, the airplane and the motorcycle become united by the body of the daredevil which passes between them. On Kyle's signal, he pulls away with his new passenger, allowing the driver just enough time to stop the bike before the runway ends. However, the transfer is only half the show! The stuntman will then attempt a series of freestyle stunts including the “Why would you do that,” which finds him hanging upside down by his legs, less than 100 feet off the ground! Without safety wires, cables, or parachute, the stuntman's life depends completely on his own strength as well as Kyle’s piloting skills. Finally, he climbs the ladder, gets in the airplane, and pulls the ladder up behind him, which is a trick in itself. It takes careful planning, lots attention to safety, precise timing, and a tremendous amount of skill on the part of all three individuals to make the only ground-to-air transfer in the airshow industry possible.
Watch Transfer Video!
Photos by Bill Fauth


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Matt Younkin’s Beech 18 performance is likely the most unusual act on the airshow circuit today. The Beech 18 was never designed for aerobatic flight; however that doesn’t make it incapable of doing just that. The performance is almost a mirror image of the one his father Bobby pioneered and flew for over 15 years. It begins with a roll on takeoff followed by a series of Cuban eights, point-rolls, and even a loop. The conclusion is a dirty pass dubbed the “Elephant Waltz” in which Matt rocks the huge transport’s wings more than 90 degrees with the landing gear and flaps extended!
The performance begins and ends to light-hearted music which capitalizes on an overly obese airplane executing maneuvers that its designers and airshow audience members alike never conceived possible for a large transport plane. As a contrast, the majority of the performance flows with beauty and grace to equally beautiful music and a special tribute to Bobby Younkin.
Photos by Scott Slocum


Imagine the airshow circuits largest, noisiest, and smokiest airplane lit up like a Christmas tree and performing aerobatics at night! Imagination has become reality! Keeping with Younkin Airshows tradition of pioneering the unusual, this new variation of an existing amazement will surely be the highlight of any night airshow.
Twin Beech after dark consists of the industries only ground started night spectacular. With the lights and smoke, the airplane appears to climb vertically like the spaceshuttle Discovery. The Beech returns shortly for a spectacular display of strobes, spotlights, and illuminated smoke. The bottom of the airplane contains a series of red and white strobes and military position lights that combine to create an effect that will thrill even UFO enthusiasts.
In contrast, the top of the airplane contains spotlights which illuminate the wing, tail, and at times even the fuselage based on spectator position and smoke enhancement. With powerful music that only the Twin Beech could perform to, and an obscene amount of lights top and bottom, this act is the envy of many night show performers who spend thousands on pyrotechnics.
Photo by Dariusz Jezewski
Photo by Dariusz Jezewski
Photos by Scott Slocum
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