After a careful process involving several months of practice and performance reviews, Team RV welcomed two pilots to its roster in March: Robert "RB" Gibbons of Sumter, SC, and Greg "Greese" Reese from Cincinnati, OH. Team RV Flight Lead Mike "Kahuna" Stewart said "It's exciting for us to welcome aboard Bob and Greg. They have been practicing hard and long for a spot. Each pilot brings the skill, discipline, character and attitude we require of all wingmen on the team."
Gibbons is a retired United States Air Force Fighter Pilot and Forward Air Controller. In 26 years of service, he amassed 3700 hours in the O-2, A-10, and F-16. He built and flies a powerful RV-8 with an IO-390 and three-bladed prop. His 13 years of build time was rewarded last year at Oshkosh where he won a prestigious Kit Champion Bronze Lindy award for workmanship. Gibbons lives in Sumter, SC, with his wife Stephanie, who also is a pilot and flies a 1976 Grumman Tiger.
Reese flies his RV-8 for Team RV. He started flying at age 16 as a Civil Air Patrol cadet and soloed a plane before he got a driver's license. After college he joined the United States Air Force and became a Distinguished Graduate of flight school. In nine years of service, Reese flew the C141B worldwide and the C9 throughout Europe. Currently he is a Captain for Delta Air Lines on the MD88/90 and commutes between Cincinnati and Atlanta. Reese has accumulated more than 1000 hours in his RV.
Gibbons and Reese will fly with Team RV's Bravo and Charlie Flights which consist of eight planes flying large formation passes, close trail chases, graceful pitch ups and difficult rejoins throughout the routine. Alpha Flight is the team's four-man aerobatic wing that moves in and out of show center with Bravo and Charlie, as the entire team fills the sky with constant action and large close formation photo passes. Both pilots will make their air show debut with Team RV at SUN ‘n FUN International Fly-in & Expo on March 30.
See the Pilot Page to learn more about Team RV's 12 program pilots.
March 7, 2011
