Awards

Skip Stewart to Receive 2013 Bill Barber Award for Showmanship

EAST TROY, WISCONSIN, June 1, 2013 -- World Airshow News has announced that Skip Stewart is the 2013 recipient of the Bill Barber Award for Showmanship. Skip joins a growing list of honorees that reads like an airshow hall of fame.

Skip is known worldwide for his innovative high-energy airshow performances in his highly modified Pitts biplane. He is a master at grabbing the audience’s attention with his spine-tingling tumbles, ribbon cuts, and knife-edge passes. Skip has also been an innovator with multi-dimensional theme acts like Tinstix and flying under a jumping motorcycle.

Skip has been infatuated with airplanes as long as he can remember, and built remote-controlled models as a kid. But it was the flying of the great Leo Loudenslager, another Barber Award winner, which inspired Skip to set his goals high and eventually pursue airshow flying.

He learned to fly while in college and almost immediately began to learn aerobatics. He began his aviation career with a variety of jobs with commuter airlines and corporate flight departments, and eventually saved up enough to buy his first aerobatic airplane, a Pitts S2A.

As many do, Skip started out in competition aerobatics before moving into airshows. After taking an airline job with a major overnight freight carrier, Skip was able to sell the S2A and buy a stock Pitts S2S. Over the years and through numerous modifications, the S2S has morphed into Prometheus, his 400-horspower-muscle biplane.

Today, in addition to an extensive schedule of North American airshows, Skip is one of a handful of performers who flies worldwide, with shows in the United Arab Emirates, Australia, the Caribbean, and Latin America to his credit. He now has two Prometheus biplanes to help facilitate his wide-ranging schedule and has a new, custom-designed all-composite biplane under construction.

The Bill Barber Award for Showmanship began in 1986, and is awarded to airshow performers or teams that have demonstrated great skill and showmanship. World Airshow News (www.airshowmag.com) and the friends and family of the late Bill Barber present the award annually.

Tentative plans call for the award to be presented during EAA AirVenture 2013 at EAA’s Theater in the Woods.

Past Bill Barber Award winners include:

2014: Greg Koontz

2013: Skip Stewart

2012 Matt Younkin

2011 Rich and Dee Gibson

2010 Steve Oliver and Suzanne Asbury-Oliver

2009 Michael Goulian

2008 Bud Granley

2007 Dacy Family Airshow Team

2006 Danny Clisham

2005 Pietsch Airshows

2004 Bobby Younkin

2003 Jim LeRoy

2002 AeroShell Aerobatic Team

2001 Northern Lights Aerobatic Team

2000 John Mohr

1999 Dan Buchanan

1998 Patty Wagstaff

1997 Gene Soucy & Teresa Stokes

1996 Wayne Handley

1995 Bob Hoover

1994 Bob & Annette Hosking

1993 Red Baron Stearman Squadron

1992 Sean D. Tucker

1991 Julie Clark

1990 Leo Loudenslager

1989 Jimmy Franklin

1988 No Award

1987 The French Connection

1986 Eagles Aerobatic Flight Team

Since 1981, the International Council of Air Shows Sword of Excellence has been synonymous with air show excellence. Given each year to recognize outstanding service and personal contributions to the air show industry, the Sword is widely considered to be the single highest honor an individual air show professional can receive.

Past ICAS Sword of Excellence winners include:

2013: Mark Magin

2012 Wayne Boggs

2011 Michael Goulian

2010 Larry Gallogly

2009 Peter Bunce

2008 Ralph Royce

2007 U.S. Navy Blue Angels

2007 Rob Reider

2006 Charles Hutchins

2005 Harry Wardwell

2004 Eddie Andreini

2003 Rick Soule

2002 Jerry Van Kempen

2001 Wayne Handley

2000 Sean D. Tucker

1999 Steve & Suzanne-Asbury Oliver

1998 Gene Soucy

1997 Karen Geldner

1996 Duane Cole

1996 John McGowan

1995 Patty Wagstaff

1994 Leo Loudenslager

1993 Bill Bordeleau

1992 Danny Clisham

1991 Rick Grissom

1990 Chuck Newcomb

1989 Gary McMahon

1988 T. Allan McArtor

1987 Bob Bishop

1986 Bill Barber

1985 Jim Gattis

1984 O.B. Philp

1984 Art Scholl

1983 Dick Schram

1982 Bob Hoover

1981 Paul Poberezny

1981 Troy W. Dodd

Each year, the International Council of Air Shows presents the Art Scholl Showmanship Award to the air show act or performer which best exemplifies the qualities of showmanship demonstrated b Art Scholl. Scholl was killed while filimg a flying sequence off the coast of California on September 16, 1985. A long-time and active ICAS member, he was renowed aerobatic pilot and consummate air show performer.

Past ICAS Art Scholl Showmanship Award winners include:

2013: Roger & Pauline Buis

2012 Rob Holland

2011 Dan Buchanan

2010 Steve Hinton

2009 Chuck Aaron

2008 Gene Soucy

2007 Kent Pietsch

2006 Michael Goulian

2005 Bud Granley

2004 AeroShell Aerobatic Team

2003 Rich's Incredible Pyro

2002 Jim LeRoy

2001 Tora Tora Tora

2000 John Mohr

1999 Jimmy Franklin

1998 Julie Clark

1997 Wayne Handley

1996 Les Shockley

1995 Red Baron Pizza Squardron

1994 Danny Clishman

1993 French Connection Air Shows

1992 Sean D. Tucker

1991 Leo Loudenslager

1989 Bob Hoover

1988 Craig Hosking

1987 Candian Forces Snowbirds

1986 Jimmy Franklin