Wayne Handley

Who is Wayne Handley?

Wayne Handley is an American airshow performer, former naval aviator, agricultural pilot, Aerobatic Competency Evaluator, and coach for upcoming and current airshow stars. Wayne, and his wife Karen are former residents of the Salinas Valley of California, who currently reside in Groveland, California.

Wayne’s father wouldn’t allow him to fly while living under his roof, but in 1957, while attending Hartnell College in Salinas Wayne got in touch with the campus flying club, and took his first lesson in an Aeronca 7AC. Two years later Wayne had 70 hours in his logbook, left College and enlisted in the US Navy. Wayne trained through propeller driven aircraft up into the Grumman F9F Cougar and F-11 Tiger carrier based fighters. In 1963, when faced with the choice of either transitioning into the F-4 Phantom or taking an aerial application job back at home, Wayne chose to be with his family, and started flying agricultural operations in fixed wing aircraft and rotorcraft. Wayne began flying aerobatics after taking ownership of a Pitts S1C in the early 80's, entering his first International Aerobatic Club contest in 1983.

Today, with over 27,000 hours of flight time logged, Wayne is a highly respected, record setting aviator who received the California Agricultural Aircraft Association's Outstanding Airman Award in 1985, the International Aerobatic Club named him the California Unlimited Aerobatic Champion also in 1985, the Bill Barber Award for Showmanship in 1996, the Art Scholl Memorial Showmanship Award in 1997, the Crystal Eagle Award in 2000, and the International Council of Airshows Sword of Excellence in 2001, and induction into the International Council of Airshows Airshow Hall of Fame. Wayne also set the world records for inverted flat spins in 1989 with 67 consecutive revolutions. Wayne beat his own record in April 1999 with 78 rotations flying a Giles G202. In 1999 Wayne also set multiple time to climb records in his Turbo Raven.