"Airshows Rising Star Series"
Star Airshow Entertainer
Name the airshow performer who begins an act with a double snap roll on top of a loop then vertical snap rolls into a gyrating, almost-flat, nose-high spin, a tumbling roll, then proceeds to an outside loop with a twisting outside snap roll on top, known as the negative avalanche? That last maneuver, the negative avalanche, is one of those special exercises that when an intermediate pilot attempts to fly, it’s truly ugly. When this pilot flies his Bellanca Super Decathlon, a nimble aerobatic trainer capable of sustaining stresses of +6/-5g, he paces the aircraft and keeps the crowd standing on their feet.
Maybe you have seen his flashy and original red and black paint scheme Super Decathlon or heard the sharp sound of the 3-bladed composite prop of his aircraft at an airshow. It’s just one of the unique airplanes that Matt Younkin flies in airshows around the country. Matt grew up on a private airstrip in Arkansas and learned to fly at the age of fourteen. A family friend, Ken Collier, taught Matt to fly in a Piper J-3 Cub. Chuck Irvin refined Matt’s piloting skills during his fifteenth year. Then for his sixteenth birthday, Matt soloed his grandfather’s 1928 Travel Air 4000 biplane. How could a young man have such a marvelous collection of instructors helping to develop his early flying skills and be able to fly such a unique collection of aircraft at sixteen? You might suspect that Matt has flying in his blood. He’s always been around flying, his great uncle owned the Razorback Airstrip for many years and his Grandfather is in the autopilot business. But Matt has deeper roots to flying than that.
He is the grandson of Jim Younkin who is well-known for his antique aircraft restorations, as well as building beautiful replicas of the 1930s air racers including the Howard “Mr. Mulligan” and the Travel Air “Mystery Ship.” Matt’s father, Bobby Younkin is the celebrated airshow pilot known internationally for his remarkable aerobatic maneuvers. Sadly, Bobby Younkin was killed in a regrettable midair collision at a Canadian airshow in July, 2005.
Matt has thousands of hours of flying time and is a third generation pilot accomplished in flying over thirty-five different types of aircraft. He taught himself aerobatics by flying radio controlled model airplanes. Matt’s sister Amanda, who also is a pilot, said, “My dad wanted us to learn aerobatics because it is in our blood, but he did not want us to go into airshows. Matt didn’t even consider it until the accident happened, and the main reason he is doing it is because he is having so much fun, and he wants to keep my dad’s name out there. When you see Matt’s show, he is following in his father’s footsteps with spectacular airshow aerobatic flying.”
He brings a special passion to his flying, delivering unique and original airshow acts to the public that seem to make the impossible take place right in front of your eyes. Airshows around the country post his name and his partner/brother-in-law, Kyle Frankin as early as possible to capture the public’s attention. Kyle is another star airshow pilot on his own and together he and Matt bring a spectacular collection of special acts to the public.
Matt has become well known for flying several unique aircraft during his thrilling airshow acts. He brought his Dad’s Twin Beech 18 out of retirement and regularly puts it though a set of graceful, nostalgic aerobatic exercises. On his website, http://www.younkinair.com/, Matt said, “The Twin Beech is a classic old workhorse. Watching it fly aerobatics is a lot like watching an elephant dance; you marvel that something that big could be so graceful. It is a big, heavy airplane designed to haul cargo and dignitaries, not to fly aerobatics…There is definitely a learning curve to flying aerobatics in the Beech and the more I practice, the more I respect Dad for what he was able to do with it!”
Matt also flies, my personal favorite, a 1979 reproduction of the 1928 Travel Air Model R “Mystery Ship.” His grandfather built the aircraft using original factory plans to create the only replica of a Travel Air “Mystery Ship” that exists. If you’re not familiar with the 1928 Travel Air Model R “Mystery Ship,” besides being beautiful to watch flying or sitting on the tarmac, the original aircraft was designed and built for the 1929 National Air Races. The design and assembly of the aircraft was completed secretly in a sealed section of the Travel Air Aircraft Corporation aircraft plant. It was seen for the first time by the public and press the day the 1929 Cleveland National Air Races opened.
The press dubbed the aircraft the “Mystery Ship” since attempts to get hold of information on the secret project failed. The design excelled at the National Air Races taking 1st place. It was the first time in history that a military aircraft had not won the National Air Races. When Matt flies this replica bird, you will see exciting, non-stop flying with low-level pylon turns and demonstrations of the grace and speed that this one of a kind aircraft can deliver in the hands of a master. He puts the aircraft through its paces and adds to its mystique playing 1920s Dixieland music for the crowds. 
Kyle’s father, Jimmy Franklin, also perished in that fateful Sunday afternoon airshow accident with Bobby Younkin. Matt and Kyle their sons, have partnered to bring people a little taste of the type of airshow entertainment that they were privileged enough to experience growing up as the “Sons of Legends.” You’ll want to see their flying more than once and fortunately they are active in airshows across the country. Look for them in the 2008 airshow circuit. You’ll be totally entertained watching the wing walkers or the only motorcycle-to-airplane transfer act that is loaded with enough stunts that you and the kids will be captivated the entire time they fly. Their flying, besides being dazzling, will make you imagine being in the cockpit of some of the most interesting aircraft at today’s airshows. Matt is just twenty six, married and already an accomplished aerobatic pilot. It’s hard to imagine he only recently started flying the airshow circuit. He is this month’s Atlantic Flyer Rising Star pilot. We salute you and the reasons you fly!
By: John Cilio - Contact John at: questions@vintageflyer.com