Air Fest in Lynn’s honor

Friendly rivalry began between pilots Charlie Schwenker and Nancy Lynn during an aerobatic competition in Farmville about 15 years ago.

"We had a saying each time we competed against each other," Schwenker said, "which was 'Have a great flight - just not as great as mine.'"

On Saturday, Schwenker will perform an aerobatic routine at Culpeper County's Air Fest in honor of his friend and world-renowned competitor.

The theme of this year's show is "A tribute to Nancy Lynn."
Lynn, 50, died Oct. 14, 2006, hours after she crashed her plane at last year's Air Fest.

Schwenker flies the same plane that Lynn did - an Extra 300 - only his is mostly blue, instead of mostly red.

The 1,300-pound airplane produces 300 horsepower and can maneuver rolls, loops and other aerobatic tricks at speeds that reach 200 mph.

An announcer at the Bealeton Flying Circus calls the plane a "benchmark of aerobatic excellence."

The Flying Circus is where Schwenker spends most of his Sunday afternoons, if he's not flying one of his two planes, competing or participating in air shows.

Schwenker, a 59-year-old Oakton resident, stores his Extra and an S1T Pitts at Culpeper Regional Airport. He enjoys performing at Culpeper's Air Fest, which he has done before, but this year it has special meaning.

"Nancy was a friend for many, many years," he said. "And we've done some air shows together before. It was fun to have her around as competition."

Schwenker's performance will emulate something similar to his show at the Flying Circus. With snarling sounds, he rolls his airplane vertically, horizontally, upside down and right side up. He tumbles, flies in the shape of an Octagon, precisely hits his four-point rolls and slides sideways in the sky. He also brings smoke.

Schwenker started flying in 1975 at the Warrenton Soaring Center, where he learned on glider or sailplanes - airplanes without motors.

After his first aerobatic flight, he was hooked. He took lessons, became an instructor and did some cross-country flying.

"I've been up 18,000 feet without a motor," he said. "If you look at the difference of power planes and sailplanes, it's kind of the difference between power boats and sailboats. And I just like both, so I've been flying aerobatics now for about 15 years."

He's competed from Canada to North Carolina and once earned the Canadian National Aerobatic Champion title.

Competitive flying is more intense than air shows but Schwenker enjoys both and still competes about three times per year. He's looking forward to Culpeper's eighth annual Air Fest and the tribute to Nancy Lynn.

Culpeper County Administrator Frank Bossio, himself a pilot, will also speak about Lynn. During the show, pilots will perform a "Missing Woman" formation.

Liz Mitchell can be reached at 825-0771 ext. 110 or