AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2019 - 47

BY BRAD DONNER AND JIM CAVANAGH

2019 CamGuard Heroes of Aviation
AIRSHOW!!!! The word just screams excitement
No one brings excitement to an airshow like Kyle Franklin!
Whether he's dressed as Ben Whabnoski and dragging
a wingtip in the Super Cub or thrilling the crowds in
Dracula, Kyle has been entertaining airshow audiences
since he was just 17.
Kyle's father Jim Franklin started the family business
over 50 years ago. Jimmy Franklin believed an airshow
act had to be more than just precision flying - it had to
be entertaining. In 1984, Jimmy set a new standard for
entertainment with the debut of "Zar" - an airshow routine
in a modified Aerostar that featured a Star Wars themed
costume, cutting edge music, and a story line that captivated kids young and old. In 2019, Kyle continues the
tradition and keeps raising the bar.
At age 17, Kyle was the world's youngest professional
wingwalker and - being a Franklin - he couldn't just debut
on the wing of any old biplane. Kyle started his wingwalking career on the family's WACO "Mystery Ship" and
at age 19, he upgraded to the ultimate biplane, his dad's Jet
WACO. The highly modified, phenomenal performing, "we
own the vertical" Jet WACO was another Franklin first.
In 2009, Kyle upgraded the Mystery Ship and developed
an entirely new act - Pirated Skies! With his beautiful late
wife Amanda on the wing, dressed in pirate costumes, and
with a family pleasing story line and soundtrack - Pirated
Skies took the airshow industry by storm. Sadly, Pirated
Skies came to a tragic end that still reverberates through
the General Aviation community. But Kyle has persevered
and built a one of a kind big biplane airshow act.
Dracula - the creation of Kyle, his Father and Amanda -
combines the looks and sounds of a big biplane and a Gee
Bee racer with the performance and maneuverability of a
Pitts. Being 20% smaller than the Mystery Ship, Dracula
boasts the world's only direct port fuel injected Pratt &
Whitney R-985, built by Airflow Performance and TAE
- and it cranks out over 515 horsepower at show center.
Never meant to be babied, Dracula was designed
from the beginning to be easily disassembled and transported by trailer. However, the trailer is just a small part of
Kyle's requirements for the airplane, as it must be reliable in
a dangerous and punishing environment.

The R-985 engine is pushed to its limit on every flight
- running at maximum power or idle, being exposed to
G-loads, heat, and torque that is way beyond what any
"normal" R-985 would ever be exposed to. The workout
Kyle gives this engine requires that it be inspected and
repaired as needed every two airshow seasons.
These demanding inspections are performed by the leading
R-985 shop - Tulsa Aircraft Engines (TAE). Tulsa's
lead mechanic tells us that working on Kyle's engine is
easy because "every time it looks like the day we put
it together." No varnish, no carbon, and best of all - no
metal. Why?
Because Kyle uses CamGuard.
He has been using CamGuard since before he built Dracula
- he started using it on the Mystery Ship and the Super
Cub, so it was only natural that his new biplane brings
together the very best combination for a hard-running
R-985 - CamGuard and Tulsa Aircraft Engines. After the
excellent results with his airplanes, Kyle uses CamGuard in
all his vehicles - even his riding lawn mower.
Kyle puts his life on the line for the people who love to
watch airplanes and be entertained. His business demands
an airplane that requires as little maintenance as possible
but performs like a monster! Whether his engines are
idling or running at redline, Kyle knows he can depend on
CamGuard.
Learn more about Kyle Franklin and how he uses CamGuard by
visiting www.franklinairshow.com or check out Franklin's Flying
Circus on Facebook.

http://www.franklinairshow.com

AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2019