Chasing the Blue Demon
Interview & Photography: Christian Gross
The start of airshow season is something I am always counting down the days to on my calendar. For 2022, my airshow season kicked off with Thunder over Dover. This show is a short drive from my South Jersey home, but being hosted at Dover Air Force Base in Dover, Delaware; this is one I try to attend. While this year’s show was remembered as a scorcher for being in the high 90’s temperature-wise, I also remember watching a scorching performance by Patrick McAlee of Extreme Flight. We had a chance to catch up and chat with Patrick to find out more about his experiences as an aerobatic pilot.
Hi Patrick, thanks for taking the time to speak with us! Can you tell us a little about yourself, where you’re from, etc.?
Originally St. Louis, MO but currently live in Chicago with my wife Natalia. I have a 13-year-old daughter that travels between Chicago and St. Louis and two step children who are Natalia’s.
It sounds like your interest in aviation started at a young age, what influenced you into becoming a pilot and performing aerobatics?
My father was the first aviator in our family. He introduced aviation to me at a very early age. It was really all I knew growing up and just became my way of life. He would take me to airshows and fly-ins as my “get good grades” awards. It was Oshkosh where I met and became inspired by Julie Clark, Sean Tucker, Bob Hoover, and Patty Wagstaff to do airshows (that’s a whole different story).
Wow that’s a distinguished list, certainly some awesome and inspiring pilots! What was the first aircraft you learned to fly?
A 1947 Cessna 140, though my first flight was in an Aeronca.
We hear that your father had some involvement in the Gemini Space Program which helped pioneer American space flight. What can you tell us about that
I’m still learning what all he did. He worked for McDonnell Douglas and when the space program launched, he walked in and said he wanted to be a part of it. He was actually working as an engineer without an engineering degree. That was a generation of mechanics and designers I strive to be like but could never be. They were a very unique breed during a very challenging time.
That’s amazing, engineers of that era are truly one of a kind. It’s hard to imaging being able to create those complex and groundbreaking designs without the help of computers. We’ve seen you fly your gorgeous “Blue Demon” at several air shows, can you tell us more about her?
It’s originally a 1979 S1S Pitts Biplane that’s been modified a few times over the years. Steven Wolf helped with the ailerons before he designed his Wolf Wings version. It weighs about 850lbs with 230HP 10:1 compression. The side panels are carbon fiber and the chrome is a wrap. The exhaust is a 4:1 skydynamics. The propeller is a modified GT propeller from Italy.
She’s an absolute beauty, I love the chrome details and how the sunlight bounces of them when in flight! When you fly the airshow circuit, you put on quite an amazing show of aerobatics. From your perspective, what is the most rewardable aspect to performing?
On the ground, when talking with fans and listening to them. Whether I’m inspiring or crazy in their eyes, I love their views and I try to instill their own ability in going for it, if flying (or anything) is their dream.
I’m sure that must be the best reward! From a photographer’s perspective it’s great to see the awe in the faces of the fans, particularly the youngsters, as you walk up and down the crowd line. We’ve seen you travel with a special superhero, what can you tell us about her?
She's my wife, Natalia. In her earlier life, she used to write comic books and knows some pretty big names in the industry. Even some of the senior writers of recent movies love what we are doing with the character at shows. It took a while and a lot of planning and observations to develop. We are still evolving and learning but the fan response has been awesome. In fact, it inspired artists who created some of our fan material and that eventually led to the new plane scheme, so it is all streamlined for the theatrical look. We took it further and developed our own activity book for kids based on all the data we have learned what our demographics desire. The book is “The Blue Demon's Flying Adventures: Blue Demon Flying Adventures” on Amazon.
Image copyright - Joe Lammerman
Image copyright - Joe Lammerman
That’s so awesome! What a great way to connect with your fans and provide an aviation-themed artistic outlet! I heard you’re also launching a Kickstarter campaign, what can you tell us about that?
We are trying to raise funds to provide books to the airshows we attend and create future books including one in Spanish. We hope to have it launched very soon, but the link is:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/talia/extreme-flying-adventures?ref=clipboard-prelaunch
Do you have a favorite place to perform and what makes it so?
I enjoy it all. Every place is unique. I always love the south of course because I do love warm weather. Florida is always a favorite, but each show is unique, and we treat each show as such so no two are the same.
Seems like you brought the warm weather with you this weekend, we’re seeing the high of 97 degrees! Do you have a favorite aircraft to fly and what makes it so?
I’ll always fly the biplane. Yeah, monoplanes are cool and great for challenging competition especially modern day. I used to teach with an Extra 300 and even learned in the Oracle Extra, but even then they tried to sell me on getting a mono fever. In my view, many people relate classic aviation to biplanes because that’s how they started. If you see a Ferrari, like a monoplane, you expect it to be a rocket and perform as such. You see a station wagon (like a biplane) perform like a Ferrari, to the general public it has more of a wow factor. In my view, most monoplanes perform very similar maneuvers too. Tumbles, right rights, etc. Us biplane people are always figuring out different mods and different techniques to fly because we have a lot less energy. I feel if you watch a straight monoplane show vs a straight biplane show, there’ll be a more diverse maneuver set among the biplanes.
You make a great point - I love watching biplanes because they do invoke those feelings of aviation nostalgia. When flying aerobatics though, their pilots can really put them through some amazing maneuvers! What are the most challenging aspects about aerobatic flying?
Don’t hit the ground. You have to commit, sacrifice, and train double to triple the amount you perform. It only takes a millisecond to make a mistake that can turn very bad very quick. Preparation and training are keys along with intensive aircraft maintenance to make sure plane and pilot are in the best shape.
That is a harsh truth to aviation, it’s inherently dangerous and respect needs to be always maintained. There are no routine flights. In your piloting experience, do you have one flight that sticks out as your most memorable?
Definitely Sun N Fun 2021. It was the 1st show back from the pandemic and it was the 1st show I performed where my wife, father, and sister were all in attendance. Only thing to make it more was if my daughter was there (and my mom but she passed in 2008).
That’s on my bucket list of shows to attend one year, hope to catch you there again! Speaking of bucket list, are there any aircraft on your bucket list to fly and why?
Any Warbird. I love history and cherish those aircraft. I’ll fly and love any plane handed over to me to fly, but I look at airplanes as airplanes. They’re all cool and unique!
I always get choked up seeing warbirds and thinking about their history and the courageous pilots that flew them. What advice would you give to those budding pilots, as they start down the path of aviation?
Be patient. Don’t rush. Very few wanted me to do airshows. My father and I quit talking for 2 years over it and now we are very close. During that time I felt I had to prove them wrong so I was rushing, trying to make it. Natalia slowed me down and taught me how to deal with it as a business and stay away from the drama. When I listened to her, everything I wanted started coming to me. Be deliberate, be persistent, be safe, don’t rush, and don’t quit! Follow that, and anyone will get anywhere they wish.
That’s great advice! Are you on social media? Where is the best place online for your fans to follow you?
Instagram @ExtremeFlight
Facebook @ExtremeFlight45
Finally, what’s next for you?
Will be at OSH all week. As far as business and endeavors, I’ll let you know tomorrow *laughter* - we always have many urns in the fire. We are working with a couple athletic celebrities currently to produce a cross-promotion into their industry and ours. I’ll be pulling the plane apart after OSH due to inspections since I’ll be performing nearly into the winter (will be winter in Chicago). So far, we are starting 2023 in SC, so I’ll be leaving the plane there for a few months while it’s snowing at home.
This is all great information Patrick, thanks so much again for your time and we look forward to seeing you on the airshow circuit!
