Lieutenant Colonel (Select) Mike Lakin
(Callsign "Rudy")
The son of a World War II Paratrooper (Combat Wounded), Mike was born in Huntington, West Virginia and later raised in Southern Ohio where his father worked for the Norfolk and Southern Railroad. Mike's Dad was 45 when he was born!
Mike first started taking flying lessons at age 15, soloed at age 16, and received his private pilot's license during his junior year of high school.
While attending
In 1991 at age 21, Mike was commissioned as an officer in the United States Marine Corps and by age 23 had completed Naval Flight Training, earning his Wings of Gold. Mike served as an attack helicopter pilot, flying off of aircraft carriers in the Far East, and later as fixed-wing naval flight instructor in the Beechcraft T-34C at Whiting Field (Pensacola), Florida for the U.S. Navy Fixed Wing Training Squadron Two (VT-2).
One of Mike's military students, Marine Corps Major Drew Hess, is currently flying for the Blue Angels.
In addition to his military flying, Mike served as a Forward Air Controller with a Marine Infantry Battalion, acting as an airstrike coordinator for attack helicopters and fighter aircraft.
Mike Left active duty in 1999, returned to
In 2003 Mike's Air National Guard unit received a short notice activation and within 7 days was deployed to a secret base in Southwest Asia in preparation for Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Mike and his fellow aircrew members spent over a year flying combat missions into Iraq and Afghanistan, performing challenging low-level flying into some of the world's most dangerous airports. His squadron survived without a scratch.
From 2005 to 2007, Mike served as the chief pilot, flight Instructor, and Operational Test an Evaluation Pilot for the U.S. Army’s Airborne and Special Operations Test Directorate at Fort Bragg/Pope Air Force Base North Carolina. His primary task was to fly close-in formation (photo/safety chase) with large transport aircraft and film experimental parachute test operations. It required precision formation flying during low level airdrop operations with dissimiliar aircraft (C-130s, C-17s, helicopters, and foreign aircraft). The end result was quality film footage used to verify the success or failure of test operations, and to ensure the safest equipment for America’s Special Operations and Airborne forces.
In addition to flying as a military reserve aviator for the WV Air National Guard in Charleston, Mike currently works for the State of West Virginia as an executive transport pilot for WV Governor Joe Manchin and flies the Beechcraft King Air 350 and the Cessna Grand Caravan.
In 2009, Mike is returning to active duty with his Air National Guard unit and will also be flying as an airshow pilot on available weekends and holidays.
Mike's Airshow Routine:
Mike flies a Red and White 2004 Super Decathlon. It is a two seat aircraft capable of advanced aerobatics and airshow maneuvers. It is the most popular aerobatic training aircraft in the
Mike's airshow routine consists of many of the maneuvers that he taught to student Naval Aviators during his tour as a flight instructor in Pensacola, Florida. Military student pilots fly these maneuvers by themselves shortly after their initial solo flight. Aerobatic flight training is designed to help student pilots build their confidence, to improve their control of the aircraft, and to prepare them for later air combat maneuver training....i.e. dogfighting or evasive maneuvering . The aerobatic maneuvers are also a lot of fun!
Mike's aerobatic maneuvers include:
Spins
Loops
Rolls
Immelmans
The
Hammerheads and Vertical Rolls
Outside/Negative G Maneuvers (Outside Looping Maneuvers and Inverted Climbs)
Humpty Bumps
Inverted Flight
Point Rolls
Cuban Eights/Reverse Cuban Eights
Wingovers
Snap Rolls
Low Passes for the cameras
Landings (the hardest maneuver of them all)
Thanks for your support! Please consider the Super Decathlon for your 2009 airshow, fly-in, or corporate team building events.