Ever since the birth of aviation pilots have tested the limits of the skies in hopes that they will one day be recognized as one of the greatest aviators in history. That tradition still lives on today in the form of air shows, where pilots demonstrate their skills in front of a live audience. Today, one of the greatest aerobatic pilots still performing is Sean D. Tucker. Tucker is the head of Team Oracle, which does aerobatic competitions at various air shows around the globe. Their main event of the year is of course EAA’s Air Venture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, where Tucker, his son Eric, and other pilots in Team Oracle test their skills in front of thousands of spectators.
Sean Tucker always goes at life full throttle by learning new manuevers and pushing his limits. Tucker has been flying at airshows worldwide since the 1970’s and has won multiple aerobatic championships for his piloting skill, personality, and professional attitude while at the same time entertaining the crowd. Overall, he has had more than 1000 performances at more than 425 airshows, in front of more than 80 million fans. However this is not an easy task for any pilot to do, despite how easy and smooth he makes it look to the audience. Tucker must practice his routine three times a day and devotes his life to his passion of exploring every aspect of aerobatic flight. His training also includes a rigorous workout session combined with lifting weights and jogging so that his body can endure the physical effects of G-loading he feels while performing. He continues to improve his aviation skills even after his long career of flying and is driven by the inspiration of flight.
The signature airplane that Sean Tucker is known to pilot is the Oracle Challenger II bi-plane. This Pitts Special has over 400 horsepower, weighs just over 1200 pounds and responds to the slightest pressure on the control stick even at 300 mph. Tucker explained that his main goal was to reach out and inspire all the fans that watch his performances, because he says that is the greatest achievement any pilot could desire. At every airshow he wants to leave every person thrilled and going away saying the airshow was one of the greatest things they have ever seen.
Sean Tucker has performed at popular airshows such as the Red Bull Air Race, Dayton Airshow, and Air Venture in Oshkosh. Sean has become so comfortable and in tune with his airplane, that he can even talk to a crowd over the loudspeaker while demonstrating vertical takeoffs, snap rolls, and spins. His most famous maneuver is cutting not one, but three ribbons held twenty feet above the runway with his airplane while upside down using the wheels, or on the side using the wings. Tucker always finishes every performance by saying “God Bless America” to the crowd. He has been named as one of the Living Legends in Aviation, recipient of the Crystal Eagle Award, and named as one of the Living Legends of Flight. This raises Sean Tucker into an elite group of aviators and astronauts that includes General Jimmy Doolittle, General Chuck Yeager, Bob Hoover, Gene Cernan and John Glenn.
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