3 Skip Barber Instructors Fly the Grand Canyon

[Eleven's]

*** For Immediate Release ***

3 Skip Barber Racing School Instructors Fly the Grand Canyon

On Monday, March 27, 2006 Nick Nicholson, Tommy Fogarty, and Jim Pace flew America’s Grand Canyon in Arizona. All three men are instructors at the Skip Barber Racing School. All three men are licensed pilots, aircraft owners, and charter members of the Wussie Little Fraidy Cat Flying Club or WLFCFC.

This historic flight began with an early morning departure from the North Las Vegas airport in a rented Cessna 172SP single engine aircraft. After flying over the Las Vegas “Strip” and Hoover Dam, the trio of aviators headed east to join the Colorado River near the Grand Canyon West airport. After following the course of the meandering Colorado River their first stop was at Grand Canyon National Park. After a flawless landing at the Grand Canyon National Park airport the engine of the single engine Cessna quit on roll-out, resulting in a “dead stick” taxiing maneuver. Good thing the engine didn’t quit an hour earlier. Next was a short flight south to Grand Canyon Valley Airport, and the “Planes of Fame Museum”. Their return flight followed the Colorado River west to Lake Mead, and across Las Vegas to return to North Las Vegas Airport.

Nick Nicholson, a resident of Raleigh, North Carolina, was pilot-in-command of this mission. Nick has been associated with the Skip Barber Organization since taking his 3-day racing school in 1981, 25 years ago. He also raced in the Skip Barber Formula Ford Series then went on to race in GTU, Camel Lights, and GTP in IMSA. He finished 4th in Group C2 in the 1985 LeMans 24-Hour Race. Most recently, in December of 2005, he posted a 1st Place finish in the Endurance Karting Championship Series 6-Hour race at Moroso, Florida. Nick is licensed to fly single engine airplanes, seaplanes, gliders, and hot-air balloons. He owns a yellow 1946 J-3 Piper Cub.

Tommy Fogarty, of Portola Valley California, was the mission’s co-pilot. Tommy has been with Skip Barber for ten years. He has raced SCCA Formula Vee, Star Mazda, Skip Barber Formula Dodge, the Barber Dodge Pro Series, IMSA Speedvision, and most recently, an 870 horsepower 410 Winged Sprint Car in the Golden State Challenge in California. Tommy owns a Cessna 150 “Texas Taildragger”.

Jim Pace, from Ridgeland Mississippi, was the crew’s third member. His primary responsibility was to accompany “Cayenne”, official mascot of WLFCFC, and aid with electronic navigation. Jim took his Skip Barber 3-day racing school in 1987, almost 20 years ago. He raced in the Skip Barber Formula Ford Series, Barber Saab Pro Series, won the Daytona 24-Hour race in the GTU class in 1990, won the Camel Lights Class at the Sebring 12-Hour race in 1991, was IMSA GTU Champion in 1994, and won both the Daytona Rolex 24-Hour and the Sebring 12-Hour races overall in 1996. Jim owns an F-33A Beechcraft Bonanza, and a Cessna 180 Skywagon.

At various times Nick, Tommy, and Jim all represented the United States as members of TEAM USA at the FIA Winter World Ice Go-Karting Championships in Russia. Each man posted wins in that internationally-contested event.

WLFCFC is a National organization of airplane, seaplane, and hot-air balloon pilots who have either demonstrated wussie little fraidy cat tendencies in an aircraft, or not. Membership in WLFCFC is by invitation only. WLFCFC is based in “the hearts of all wussie little fraidy cat fliers”. The WLFCFC creed: “You never make the wrong decision not to fly. I’d rather be down here wishing I were up there instead of being up there wishing I were down here.”

Check your local TV listings for the Discovery Channel special on these three WLFCFC aviators, and their Grand Canyon flight adventure.

*** End of Release ***