By Hal Bryan
Ken Wilsbach, EAA 1079683, is a longtime EAA member who owns and flies a Lancair Legacy, but has never managed to make it to Oshkosh for AirVenture until this year. That might be surprising, but sometimes life and a busy career just get in the way. For this particular EAA member, that career has meant serving his country for more than 40 years as a pilot in the United States Air Force, flying mostly fighters, the F-22 Raptor, the F-15 Eagle, the F-16 Fighting Falcon, but also the MC-12 Liberty (a militarized version of the Beechcraft King Air 350). Along the way, he’s amassed more than 6,200 hours and flown 71 combat missions.
Gen. Wilsbach actually started retiring from the Air Force last year but was called back for one more job — the top job, as it turned out. He is now the chief of staff of the Air Force and is the senior uniformed Air Force officer overseeing approximately 665,000 active-duty, Guard, Reserve, and civilian personnel. He is also a member of the Joint Chiefs.
On a recent episode of EAA’s The Green Dot podcast, the general said, “I have been trying to get to Oshkosh for decades, and this will be my first time. … I am so excited.”
While Gen. Wilsbach has his hands full working to improve readiness, modernize the Air Force, and take care of airmen and their families, he also plans to set aside some time to visit with other Lancair owners while at Oshkosh.
“I love hanging out with the experimental crowd and seeing what people are doing with their aircraft,” he said. “I just put a new radio in mine when I did my condition [inspection] this year. I always like to see what upgrades you can put into your aircraft.”
During the podcast, he had some kind words for the organization as well.
“Please pass along to your colleagues at EAA [my thanks] for all they do to facilitate our flying around the country, and especially in experimental aircraft … for the safety and tips for maintenance, all of the things that they do. I’m so looking forward to seeing the great gathering at Oshkosh.”
Gen. Wilsbach will be speaking on Tuesday, delivering a presentation called “Fly & Fix” in the Hilton Theater in the EAA Aviation Museum at 4 p.m. If you see him around the grounds, be sure and say hello. Unfortunately, you won’t find him camping with his Lancair, but he will be flying himself into the convention on Tuesday — in an F-22.