Gene Soucy is one of the most well-respected airshow pilots in the US. He is a former member of the record-setting Eagles Aerobatic Flight Team, he has been a member of two World Champion U.S. Aerobatic Teams, and he has won more awards than any other active airshow pilot. Gene began professional airshow flying in 1968, and since then he has appeared in every major airshow in North America. His 3000+ airshow performances have seen versatility with the wide range of airplanes he has flown in. Gene began his career with appearances in his first airplane, the Pitts Special S-1S. He branched out to include demos in the BD-4 homebuilt, the Bellanca Decathlon, Piper Cubs and Cessna 150s. Perhaps his most outstanding performances came with his involvement on both the Red Devil and Eagle Aerobatic Teams, which he flew for an unprecedented twenty-five years!
In 1988, Gene looked to be unique once again and began developing a new airshow airplane for his performances. What he came up with was the “ShowCat.” By extensively modifying a Grumman Ag Cat, a bi-plane traditionally used for crop spraying, Gene emerged with a tremendous airplane built for the rigors of a wingwalking act and a “Fireflight” night performance, not to mention the most unbelievable solo act of smoke and noise ever to reach the skies.
Teresa Stokes is the most experienced and recognized wingwalker in the airshow industry, and she has been performing with Gene Soucy since 1988. Audiences have been mesmerized by her ability to climb about the wings of an aircraft in flight and are inspired by the incredible life she gets to live.
In addition to wingwalking, Teresa is also an internationally acclaimed aviation and space artist. At the astonishingly young age of 4, she won her very first art contest. Since then, Teresa has gone on to have her work flown into space on two separate shuttle missions, and she has created artwork for rock bands like Aerosmith.
Teresa is an accomplished pilot in her own right, with over 1700 hours of flight time. She has her multiengine, instrument, and commercial ratings and she enjoys flying aerobatics. Teresa usually flies the teams’ twin and occasionally can be found in the cockpit of the Showcat ferrying the plane to airshows.
In 2003, when her flying partner Gene Soucy needed a kidney transplant, incredibly she was able to donate one of hers to him by the new easier laparoscopic method. She now uses her forum to increase awareness of organ donation to hopefully save lives.
