Randy Ball
Randy W. Ball is North America’s premier civilian jet demonstration pilot and the most prolific of his kind, with more than 1,800 air show performances. He is the only jet demo pilot, military or civilian, to hold FAA unlimited aerobatic ratings in jet fighters for both day and night operations. Over a career spanning nearly four decades, Ball has accumulated more than 20,000 flight hours, including over 2,000 hours in Russian jet fighters, and has flown more than 46 aircraft types from nine countries.
Inspired early by flying with his father and by his great-uncle, a B-17 combat veteran, Ball soloed at 18 and became involved in air shows in 1982. He is best known for his MiG-17F demonstrations, which mirror modern fighter tactics, routinely reaching 8g maneuvers and speeds near 700 mph. Beyond performing more air shows than any other civilian jet pilot in North America, Ball is also a test pilot, safety leader, museum board member, air show founder, and a dedicated mentor who aims to inspire the next generation of aviators.