Paul T. Entrekin

Paul T. Entrekin
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Born November 4, 1954
Detroit, Michigan
Nationality American

Paul T. Entrekin (born November 4, 1954) is an American aviator and aerobatic pilot known primarily as an airshow performer in his Russian MiG-15 jet fighter.

Biography

Entrekin was born in Detroit, Michigan, but considers Decatur, Alabama, to be his hometown. He graduated from Decatur High School, Decatur, Alabama in 1972 and went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in education from Auburn University in 1976. At Auburn, he was a varsity football letterman, and is now a member of the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame.

Military career

Entering active duty with the United States Marine Corps following graduation from Officer Candidate School in 1977, he completed The Basic School in Quantico, Virginia, and then received flight training at Pensacola, Florida, where he was designated a Naval Aviator in 1980.

He was assigned to the Marine Light Helicopter Squadron 267 (HML-267) “Stingers” and later the Marine Attack Helicopter Squadron 369 (HMA-369) [1][2] “Gunfighters” at Camp Pendleton, California, which deployed to the Far East flying the UH-1N Huey both at sea and ashore. He is a graduate of multiple Marine Aviation and Weapons Tactics Squadron 1 (MAWTS-1) Instructor courses (WTI) at MCAS Yuma, Arizona, Forward Air Controller (Tactical Air Control Party) School, Landing Force Training Center, Pacific, at NAB Coronado, San Diego, California, and the Aviation Safety Officer Course at the United States Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California.

Selected as a Naval Aviation Training Command flight instructor,[1][2] in 1984, he was assigned to the Navy Training Squadron 3 (VT-3) “Red Knights” where he was recognized as an Instructor of the Year [1][2] flying the T-34C.
He also received the squadron’s prestigious Order of the Red Max.

He later served as a reservist with the Defense Intelligence Agency [1][2] retiring with the rank of major after Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in 1991. He is a member of the Order of Daedalians, the Marine Corps Aviation Association, the Association of Naval Aviation and the National Naval Aviation Museum Foundation.

Civilian career

In 1986 he began Entrekin Aviation, initially with his Pitts S-2B and later with his MiG-15 as a full-time airshow performer that flew aerobatic flight demonstrations across North America entertaining millions of spectators.[3]

Known as “The Bandit”, Entrekin was the first pilot in the world to own and fly a Russian MiG aircraft.[4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15]

He also utilized the jet for motion picture and television productions; among them – Steal the Sky (HBO, 1988) and Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous (1987).
Entrekin is also one of the very few pilots rated to fly the world’s smallest jet, the experimental BD-5J microjet.[16][17] He flew classified government contract flights simulating the characteristics of cruise missile profiles.

He was the second jet representative of the International Council of Airshows (ICAS) Performer Safety Committee (later the ACE, Aerobatic Competency Evaluator, Committee) and held a level 1 (unlimited/ground level) aerobatic waiver.[1][18][19]

In 1989 he accepted a position with Delta Air Lines. He has flown more than 18,000 hours in over 40 different types of aircraft including the Boeing 777.

He is author of two books, Mighty Hands [19] and Mr. MiG [1]

Honors

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Entrekin, Paul T. (July 2012). Mr. MiG and the Real Story of the First MiGs in America. United States: Xlibris. p. 145. ISBN 978-1-47713-297-5.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Koranda, Donald J. (2004). World and United States Aviation & Space Records. National Aeronautic Association of the USA. ISBN 0-9709897-3-3.
  3. ↑ "Airshows.com: Airshow Information".
  4. ↑ Wilkinson, Stephan; Gilbert, James (March 1989). "Letter from America – The American who flies a MiG-15". Pilot. ISSN 0300-1695.
  5. ↑ Jernigan, Mike (2002). "When MiGs Fly". Auburn Magazine (Auburn Alumni Association) 9 (3). ISSN 1077-8640.
  6. ↑ Weiman, David (May–June 1988). "There’s a MiG in our Midst!". World Airshow News (Flyer Publications) 3 (3). ISSN 0888-5265.
  7. ↑ Levy, Howard (February 1989). "A Bad Old MiG". Private Pilot (Fancy Publications) 24 (2). ISSN 0032-8901.
  8. ↑ Entrekin, Paul (January 1989). "If I Just Had a NATOPS Manual". Approach (The Naval Aviation Safety Review, Naval Safety Center) 34 (7). ISSN 0570-4979.
  9. ↑ Mormillo, Frank (January 1987). "First MiG-15 Takes to Skies Over California". Pacific Flyer (Aviation News, Wayman Dunlap) 37 (1).
  10. ↑ Mormillo, Frank B (January 1988). "MiG in the Circuit". Aircraft Illustrated 21 (1).
  11. ↑ Shafer, Jan (1988). "A MiG-15 in U.S. Airspace?". ICAS News (International Council of Airshows) (First Quarter). ISSN 1097-3133.
  12. ↑ O’Leary, Michael (November 1987). "Airborne MiG, The first civil registered MiG-15 has successfully flown". Air Classics (Challenge Publications, Inc) 23 (11). ISSN 0002-2241.
  13. ↑ Lawrence, James (March 1988). "The Ghost From MiG Alley". Plane & Pilot (Werner Publishing Corp). ISSN 0032-0617.
  14. ↑ Mormillo, Frank (May 1988). "MiG Dynasty". Flying (Hachette Magazines). ISSN 0015-4806.
  15. ↑ Levy, Howard (January 1988). "Migrant MiG". Aeroplane Monthly (Kelsey Publishing, Ltd., England).
  16. ↑ "The Federal Aviation Administration".
  17. ↑ "Paul Entrekin, About Paul, Aviation Career".
  18. ↑ "Federal Aviation Administration".
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Entrekin, Paul T. (November 2011). Mighty Hands: Victory Over Adversity Through the Grace of God. United States: Xlibris. p. 355. ISBN 978-1-46536-903-1.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 Koranda, Donald J. (2004). World and United States Aviation & Space REcords. National Aeronautic Association of the USA. ISBN 0-9709897-3-3.
  21. ↑ "National Aviation Association: Records".
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 "The International Air Sports Federation".
  23. ↑ "National Aeronautic Association".
  24. ↑ "National Aviation and Space Exploration Wall of Honor Info.".

External links