Flight Of Four

The Eagle Flight is a group of former U.S. Army and Navy training aircraft flown by pilots having a common desire and goal of showing the public the type of flying that was required of military cadets during World War Two. The multi-colored hues of the two Army and two Navy trainers are a favorite of the air show crowds, especially with the smoke systems on. We normally appear in the early minutes of the show because of our slow airspeed.

The Pilots

The four members of this flight are Russ Greenberg, Ernie Persich, John Hodgson and Turk Turley.

Russ and Turk are retired U.S.A.F. Fighter Pilots who flew everything from T-6s to F-4 Phantoms. Both flew F-106s from Castle AFB in the 456th Fighter Squadron in the late sixties. Their paths crossed again in Germany where they flew F-4s in the same squadron.

John Hodgson is a former RAF Reserve pilot who learned to fly in the Leeds University Air Squadron, in England. He has flown 50 types of aircraft. John has achieved an altitude of over 26,000 feet in a sailplane in the Sierra Nevada Wave. He holds CFI certificates for SEL, MEL, Instruments and gliders.

Ernie Persich started flying at age 12 with the CAP. He got his A & P Certificate at San Jose State, where he also earned a B.S. in Aeronautical Science. He now has his own German auto restoration and small radial engine overhaul business -  Vintage Wheels & Wings. He has already overhauled two of the engines in Eagle Flight. If an overhaul is due on your engine, you may want to get in touch with Ernie and discuss it.

Formation Flight Experience

The group began demonstrating precision formation flying in 1988. The pilots have a combined total of over 80 years of formation flying experience. They love to show the public what military flying was like 50 years ago and share the sights and sounds of these great biplanes. EAGLE FLIGHT is the only known biplane flight of four on the West Coast permitted by the FAA  to perform formation exhibitions.