Aviation Community
Loses a Great Performer

In the post I wrote last night (shown below this one), I spoke of meeting Jim LeRoy several years back at an ICAS meeting in Northern California. Today, however, I am saddened to discover this on ANN:

[Jim] LeRoy was lost during a July 28 performance at the Vectren Dayton Air Show in Ohio, when his modified "Bulldog" Pitts biplane impacted the runway in a flat attitude at the bottom of a loop, during a performance of the two-ship "Code Name Mary's Lamb" routine. ANN has learned friends and colleagues of air show performer Jim LeRoy are encouraging air show fans, pilots and aviation enthusiasts to make a contribution of any size to the scholarship fund recently established to benefit Jim's four-year old son, Tommy.

Air show fans and aviation enthusiasts are urged to send their contributions to: Jim LeRoy, Jr. Memorial Fund, c/o Harris Bank, 110 East Irving Park Road, Roselle, IL 60172, phone 630-980-2700.

My sincere condolences go out to the LeRoy family. Jim was not only one of the best in the business, he was a helluva nice guy...never talked down to me or his fans. A class "act" that will be missed.

Godspeed Jim..say hello to Papa Louie for me up there.