Patriots Aerobatic Team

Our pilots are among the best aerobatic jet pilots in the country.

Dean "Wilbur" Wright (Lead Pilot) #1

US Air Force Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Dean "Wilbur" Wright entered the Air Force in 1987 upon graduation from the US Air Force Academy.  Since then Wilbur has logged over 4,000 hours of fighter time on assignments in Europe and the Pacific and deployed to Turkey in 1991 in support of Operation Desert Storm and to Iraq in 2006 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Wilbur had a remarkable Air Force career with the opportunity to fly several front-line fighters.  He won numerous Top Gun awards for his air-to-ground gunnery skills while flying the A-10 "Warthog" and represented the USAF as an exchange officer in the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force flying the GR.7 Harrier "Jump Jet".  Wilbur also served three years with the US Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds, as Lead Solo flying the F-16C Fighting Falcon. As such, Dean has performed in over 160 air shows in 9 countries and enjoys using air shows to discuss Air Force career opportunities with young adults.  He then rounded off his career by flying the now-retired F-117 Stealth Fighter as Bandit #520.  Wilbur currently flies as a corporate pilot in the Gulfstream IIB for Fry's Electronics and lives in Grass Valley, California.  He is married to the former Andrea Hammond of Yorkshire, England and they have two young sons, Jack and Max..

Rob "FANG" Hutchison (Right Wingman) #2

Rob Hutchison is a civilian pilot with 30 years of flying experience.  He has more than 13,000 hours flight time and 12 type ratings ranging from the DC-3 to the Boeing 747, as well as a helicopter rating, and he is currently a 747 captain.  Rob is also a competitive aerobatic pilot, and he joined the air show circuit in 2004 when he flew for the U.S. Jet Aerobatic Team.Rob first flew for the Patriots Jet Team in 2006 as a replacement pilot and joined the team full time in 2008 as right wingman.For the past five years, Rob has owned, maintained, and operated a Grumman Albatross, which he flew in the latest Batman movie, "The Dark Knight."Rob credits his mother, an experienced skydiver, with his introduction to the world of aviation. His two brothers are airline pilots, and at age 15 Rob learned to fly from his oldest brother Johnny. That year, Rob also began skydiving and has competed with his mother and brothers as a four-way free fall skydiving team. To date, Rob has accomplished more than 700 sport parachute jumps. When he's not flying or falling through the air, Rob's running. He's completed 15 marathons, and has run the Boston Marathon for the past eight years. Rob lives on a small Alaska lake with his Albatross and a Piper Supercub.

John "Boards" Posson (Left Wingman) #3

John Posson has over 17,000 hours of flight time. His flight experience ranges from Piper Cubs to numerous Airliners and Military Jets. John has extensive experience as a commercial airline pilot, formation aerobatic team pilot and as a competition aerobatic pilot. He is currently a
P-51 and L-39 instructor pilot for Stallion 51 Corp.  John was a pilot for United Airlines from 1991 until 2006, has experience as a member of a three-ship formation aerobatic team, competed for 10 years as an unlimited aerobatic competition pilot and was a former Alaskan Bush Pilot. John was chosen as an Airshows America team pilot in 2000 due to his formation skills, his professionalism, and his meticulous attention to detail in his flying. John earned his B.S. Degree from San Diego State University in Business Administration.

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Paul "Sticky" Strickland (Slot) #4

Col. (Ret) Paul "Sticky" Strickland entered the US Air Force in 1983, graduating with honors from Officer Training School.  Sticky logged over 3,900 hours in the A-10, F-5, and F-16 aircraft. He served with various squadrons in the US, Europe, and Korea, flying missions during Operation Deny Flight over Bosnia, Operation Northern Watch over Iraq, and supporting Operation ALLIED FORCE over Kosovo as operations director, Combined Air Ops Center in Italy. In 1991, Sticky was named to the USAF Air Demonstration Squadron “Thunderbirds” as the #4, Slot pilot, Instructor Pilot, Flight Examiner, and Safety officer. While with the Thunderbirds, he logged over 160+ air shows throughout the United States and two overseas tours, flying in 11 European countries (and the first ever USAF demonstration in Hungary and Poland), and seven South American countries. Sticky commanded the 4th Fighter Squadron "Fuujins", the 388 Ops Support Squadron "Raptors", and the 8th Ops Group "Wolfpack" at Kunsan, Korea before serving with the Joint Staff, Pentagon as the Chief, Joint Operations Division, SOUTHCOM.  Sticky is currently a pilot with Southwest Airlines. He and Gena, his wife of 24 years, currently reside near Salt Lake City, Utah.  

Jon "Jughead" Counsell (Announcer - Media Pilot) #5

Jon Counsell is a military and civilian pilot with experience in over 42 types of aircraft, gliders, helicopters and skydiving. Lieutenant Colonel Jon “Jughead” Counsell entered the Air Force in 1991 upon graduating from Central Washington University ROTC as a Distinguished Graduate. Since then Jon has logged over 2800 hours in the F-15C, T-6 Texan II and T-38C.  Jon’s assignments have included flying North American Air Defense (NORAD) missions over Alaska in the F-15, instructing in the T-6 with the Navy at Pensacola NAS, flying NOBLE EAGLE missions in the F-15C out of Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, serving as the Director of Safety for Seventh Air Force, Osan AB, Korea. Jon is currently a T-38C Instructor Pilot and Director of Operations 47th Operational Support Squadron at Laughlin AFB, TX.  In addition to his flying duties, Jon is a motivational speaker at the Air Force’s Air University and numerous public forums and has been featured on Dateline NBC and Discovery Channel, Impact.  Jon has been narrating air shows for over 13 years.  Jughead calls Moses Lake, Washington home and is married to the former Marianne Bunce of Seattle, Washington.  The couple has two daughters, Kailey and Kodie.

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