Bob Talarczyk of Santa Fe, N.M., sent us these photos of a recent stop of “Screamin Eagle” at Santa Fe Municipal Airport (SAF) and a brief report:
John Kokshoorn of Gold Coast, Australia, dropped by the Santa Fe Municipal Airport on his way to Reno, Nevada, to get some training with Larry Salganek of Jet Wardbird Training Center. Kokshoorn arrived in his newly refurbished Czechoslovakian L-29, named “Screamin Eagle,” purchased from the Romanian Air Force, Squadron 54, through Dave Cannavo of Aero Enterprises, which is based in New Castle, Delaware.
Kokshoorn’s new aircraft developed a landing gear actuator problem while at SAF and, fortunately, Skyland Aircraft, Inc. was able to do the repairs over the weekend. This would allow Kokshoorn to be on schedule for his Air Race Training Class in Reno, which would be in preparation for the Reno Air Races this September.
Kokshoorn was chosen Rookie of the Year 2008 at Reno flying his Formula One aircraft, which has since been sold. He was co-pilot with Terry Delore in December 2009 when they made a world record distance flight in New Zealand in an Ash-25 sailplane at 2,500 kilometers in 15 hours, crossing from island to island at 29,000 ft., taking off at dawn and landing just before sunset.
Aviation is in Kokshoorn’s family. His wife just acquired her pilot’s license and his oldest son is a pilot with QantasLink.
