We could not be more excited to introduce the incomparable Gord Price to our Vanderhoof Airshow Fans. It would take a book to give you Gord’s bio, so here are just a few highlights!
- 80 years old still pulling +7 G and pushing -5 G.
- RCAF 422 Squadron CF-104 ‘Starfighter’ Nuclear strike pilot from 1964-67.
- Performs 3 lomcevaks, as taught by Ladislav Bezak, the inventor of the manoeuvre.
- Represented Canada at 3 FAI World Aerobatic Championships… 1980, 82, 88.
- Air Canada Captain for 36 years. Retired from Boeing 747-400 in 2001
- Developed the Ultimate Wing and doubled the roll rate of the Pitts Special
- Flew CIAS Air Airshow (CNE) 1988 and 2017,2018,2019,2021 and the Oshkosh Air Show 4 times in 80s
- Designed, built and flew the ‘Ultimate ‘ series of biplanes.
- Designer of the extremely popular ‘Ultimate Biplane’ model aircraft.
- Flew the CF-104 Starfighter again in June 2018 …..52 years after being on squadron
The YAK 50 is the largest aircraft to fly in the World Aerobatic Championships and was designed as a graceful aerobat with plenty of power. Gord displays the best qualities of the YAK-50 from the flat spin to the long straight lines and spectacular outside snap rolls in a fast moving graceful display of the capabilities of a Clark YH airfoil flown to it’s maximum.
In 1982, after WAC 82 ended, the Russians asked Gord to be the first Western pilot to fly their YAK 50. He never forgot that flight. Victor Smolin flew his Pitts with the Ultimate wing and he too probably never forgot that flight.
And now we move forward to today.
Gord bought the prototype YAK 50 which was built in Moscow at the Yakovlev Design Bureau in 1972. It was developed from the YAK 18PS. It originally had fixed gear and a bubble canopy. The aircraft was subsequently fitted with a Yak-18 greenhouse and retractable gear. After type testing was completed the aircraft was mothballed and shoved in a corner at the factory. In 2003 the aircraft was rebuilt bringing modifications up to date and it was refitted with a YAK 52 spar. Barry Hancock from Salt Lake city decide to sell the aircraft in 2011 and Gord jumped at the opportunity to purchase this famous aircraft and maybe ..just maybe fly aerobatics again. That was in 2011. In 2017 Gord installed a new 435 HP Vendenyev M-14PF engine giving the aircraft incredible vertical performance.
