Gary, a former USAF F-16 pilot trainer, has accumulated over 18,000 hours of flying time all over the world in a vast variety of planes. His love for flying and talent for aerobatics is unmistakeable in his remarkable performance.
Gary Rower
Gary Rower began his flying career at age 16, in an apple orchard in upstate New York. While a cadet at the United States Air Force Academy he became a soaring instructor and was Captain of the USAF Academy Soaring Team. Following graduation from the Academy, Gary attended USAF pilot training at Vance Air Force Base in Oklahoma from which he was a Distinguished Graduate. His assignment out of pilot training was to what was then the Air Force’s newest fighter, the F-16 Fighting Falcon. These were the early days of the F-16 and Gary was the 136th USAF pilot worldwide to achieve 1000 hours in the aircraft. During that time he became an instructor and flight evaluator, participated in several Red Flags and was awarded Top Gun.
In 1986 Gary left active duty and joined a major air line which he has now been flying with for 20 plus years. During the late 1980’s he continued flying the F-16 with the Air Force Reserve in Utah. He currently holds an Air Transport Pilot rating in the Boeing 767,757,737 and DC-9 and flies to Europe and South America.
The Super Stearman
The Stearman began life as a basic flight trainer for the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1942, one of nearly 10,000 of its kind. More pilots have trained in the Stearman than in any other aircraft in history. In 1973 the aircraft was completely reconstructed. At this time the 220 horse power seven-cylinder engine was replaced with a nine-cylinder 450 horse power Pratt and Whitney Wasp Junior engine. It was also fitted with a fuel and oil system capable of sustained inverted flight, as well as a nine-foot propeller that is nearly supersonic.
Specifications:
Engine: P&W R-985 Wasp, Jr.
Wingspan: 32.17 ft
Stall: 55kts
Max Altitude: Classified
Max Speed: Classified
Empty Weight: 2536 lbs
Gross Weight: Classified
50% Cruise Power: 110 kts
Horsepower: 450+
Length: 24.83 ft
Height: 9.33 ft
Range: 175 nm
Rate of Climb: Classified
Max Fuel: 46 Gallons
