Patty Wagstaff facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Patty Wagstaff
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Wagstaff at the 2004 Stuart, Florida Air Show
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| Born |
Patricia Rosalie Kearns Combs
September 11, 1951 |
| Occupation | Aerobatic pilot |
| Years active | 1978–present |
Patty Wagstaff is a famous American pilot. She is known for her amazing aerobatic flying skills. Aerobatics is when pilots perform incredible stunts and tricks in the air. Patty was the first woman ever to win the U.S. National Aerobatic Championship.
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Early Life and Flying Start
Patty Wagstaff was born Patricia Rosalie Kearns Combs on September 11, 1951. Her father was a pilot, so she grew up around airplanes. After finishing high school, she lived in Australia for five years. She even traveled up the coast in a small boat without a radio!
In 1978, Patty moved to Alaska. She decided to learn to fly after a small plane she was in crashed. Her very first flying lesson was in a Cessna 185 airplane. She quickly earned many pilot licenses and became a certified flight instructor. This means she could teach others how to fly. She can fly many different kinds of aircraft. Her sister, Toni, is also a pilot for United Airlines.
Amazing Aerobatic Career
In 1985, Patty Wagstaff joined the U.S. National Aerobatic Team. She competed in many flying contests both in the U.S. and around the world until 1996. She won many gold, silver, and bronze medals in these international competitions.
A huge moment came in 1991 when she won her first U.S. National Aerobatic Championship. She was the first woman to ever achieve this! In 1994, her special Extra EA-260 airplane was put on display. It was placed next to Amelia Earhart's plane at the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum. This shows how important her achievements were. From 1988 to 1994, she won the Betty Skelton First Lady of Aerobatics award six times in a row. In 1996, she was the top U.S. pilot at the World Aerobatics Championship. She also won the Charlie Hillard Trophy that year.
Awards and Recognition
Patty Wagstaff has received many honors for her contributions to aviation. In 1997, she was inducted into two Hall of Fames: the Arizona Aviation Hall of Fame and the International Women's Aviation Hall of Fame. A Hall of Fame is a special place that honors people who have achieved great things.
She also received the National Aeronautic Association Paul Tissandier Diploma in 1997. In 1998, she won the Bill Barber Award for good sportsmanship. In 2001, Patty started training pilots for the Kenya Wildlife Service in Kenya. This helped them fly planes to protect wildlife.
In 2004, she was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame. This is one of the highest honors in aviation. In 2006, she joined the International Council of Air Shows Foundation Hall of Fame. Then, in 2007, she was inducted into the International Air and Space Hall of Fame.
Current Work and Legacy
Patty Wagstaff now runs Patty Wagstaff Aviation Safety, LLC in St. Augustine, Florida. Here, she teaches pilots from all over the world. She teaches them aerobatics, how to handle their aircraft, and how to recover from difficult situations.
She continues to be very active in aviation. She performs in airshows, flies stunt planes for movies, and works as a consultant. She is also a flight instructor and a writer. Patty flies many different airplanes in her airshows, including an Extra 300S, a T-6 Texan, and a P-51 Mustang. She has even flown OV-10 Bronco planes to help fight wildfires in California.
Patty Wagstaff has also been featured in Microsoft's Microsoft Flight Simulator video game series.
Awards and Honors
- Inducted in 2004 into the National Aviation Hall of Fame
- Recipient of the 2006 Philip J. Klass Award for Lifetime Achievement
- Wings Club of New York's Outstanding Aviator Award winner in 2013
- International Council of Air Shows' Art Scholl Award recipient in 2023
