AirPigz Podcast #8 - Matt Younkin & Kyle Franklin: Sons Of Legends
Sunday, February 21, 2010 at 05:12PM Listen right now thru this player
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Matt Younkin - Amanda Younkin Franklin - Kyle Franklin
(5 pix + 1 video)
Interviews with Matt Younkin and Kyle Franklin - 54:38
Matt Younkin’s father Bobby Younkin, and Kyle Franklin’s father Jimmy Franklin were two of the best airshow pilots ever, with years and years of impressive experience in a very wide range of aircraft. Known for both unique creativity and tremendous flying skill, they set the standard for excellent airshow performances again and again. Sadly, they both lost their lives in an airshow accident while performing together in 2005.
The great heritage of those years of airshow excellence is being carried on by Matt Younkin and Kyle Franklin as the Sons of Legends. Matt is well known for flying the Twin Beech aerobatically with both day and night shows… and Kyle keeps the Waco Mystery Ship and wing walker act at the forefront of airshow performances.
The Sons of Legends story is even more interesting in that Matt’s sister Amanda is married to Kyle, bringing these two great aviation families even closer together. Amanda is not only a pilot, but she manages both Younkin Airshows and Franklin Airshows, and she's Kyle’s wing walker too!
These three unique people are working hard to bring honor to the great airshow work done by their fathers, and this podcast includes in-depth interviews with both Matt and Kyle. They both talk about what it’s like to fly their signature aircraft as well as some of the other airplanes in their shows. It’s especially interesting to hear Matt talk of flying the Twin Beech at night, and to hear Kyle’s details of his 8 years of wing walking experience followed by him now flying the Waco as Amanda is out on the wing. Listen now to learn more about the Sons of Legends.
all photos: Scott Slocum 
Matt Younkin in his beautiful looking (and sounding!) Twin Beech
Coming right at ya and making lots of smoke!
Kyle Franklin is his awesome Waco Mystery Ship
Kyle Franklin flying while his wife Amanda walks the wing in 'Pirated Skies'
Reader Comments (3)
Great interview and interesting that they're working on a "muscle plane" for aerobatics. Check out this video of Pip Borman flying his Pitts Samson - definitely a "muscle plane" for aerobatics:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkS-ZQUT7kA
Pip was a fantastic aerobatics pilot and a great showman down here in Australia. Sadly he was killed flying this aircraft while practicing for the Avalon Airshow 2009.
Would love to hear this sometime. Looks like there is something wrong with the mp3 file.
Pretty Amanda has left us, may God bless her soul. We miss you Amanda.