Friend Of Stunt Pilot Says Heale Was The Best

Bob Heale, the stunt pilot who died while performing at Aerospace Days last weekend at Fairchild Air Force Base, was unsurpassed not only in skill but also in conscientiousness, according to a friend and colleague.

Alan L. Stacey, a member of the sky-diving team at Silverwood Theme Park where Heale regularly performed, said Heale once told him if he ever got in trouble while performing, he would get the plane as far as possible from the crowd below - which apparently is what happened Saturday.

“Basically,” said Stacey, “I figure he sacrificed himself to get that plane out of there.”

Responding to a question from “Bagpipes” on Tuesday whether thrill shows are worth the kind of risk that took Heale’s life, Stacey said more than entertainment is involved.

“The public comes for many reasons, but when they see us perform and do the dance, they, for one fleeting moment, understand our world. You obviously do not.

“We don’t perform to show off. We perform to share the grace, balance and beauty of flight. Flight has always been a mystery, something to be sought. Anyone can do it if they want to. We just show them the best of the best. We are the professionals, the top 5 percent to 10 percent of our sports.”

Stacey cited a pilots’ maxim: “There are old pilots and there are bold pilots, but there are no old, bold pilots.”

Stacey said it’s safety first for aerial performers. They spend countless hours and thousands of dollars on training, certification, licenses and equipment. He said Heale’s CAP 10B was one of the best-maintained aircraft he has flown or been in.

“Bob Heale was the best; there were none better. He was a five-time champion, served his country with pride and spent over 5,000 hours performing at air shows such as the one he died at.”

Given the cumulative hours logged by Heale and others who have died the same way, Stacey asked, “How many pilots, both military and civilian, perform every year for thousands of hours without incident?”

“I am a performer. I don’t wish to be scorned, ridiculed or questioned. I want people to understand and join in to be part of what we do. I think this is what Bob would state as well. He can no longer speak for himself, but I can. He was my friend, a co-worker and a caring person. This response cannot even begin to do him or others who perform for everyone justice.”

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