Tom Poberezny
| Tom Poberezny | |
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Poberezny at the Sun 'n Fun airshow in 2004
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| Born | October 3, 1946 |
| Nationality | US |
| Alma mater | Northwestern University |
| Organization | Experimental Aircraft Association |
| Known for | Former EAA President, Eagles Aerobatic Team member, Young Eagles Co-Founder |
| Home town | Hales Corners, Wisconsin |
| Board member of | Garmin, AKIA, Cirrus Aircraft, Citation Jet Pilots Association, Angel Flight West |
| Parent(s) | Paul Poberezny |
Thomas P. "Tom" Poberezny (born October 3, 1946) is a former aerobatic world champion, as well as chairman of the annual Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Fly-In and Convention from 1977 to 2011 and president of EAA from 1989 to 2010. He succeeded his father, Paul Poberezny, who founded the organization in 1953.
He is also one of the founders of the Young Eagles, an EAA program created to give children the opportunity to experience flight and to learn about general aviation. From his involvement in the EAA, Poberezny is often credited with having led the introduction of the light sport aircraft industry.
Tom Poberezny was surrounded by aviation from the very early stages of his life. Because of his father's key involvement with EAA, the basement of Tom's childhood home in Hales Corners, Wisconsin was considered "the regional social center of [aircraft] homebuilding." Poberezny graduated from Northwestern University in 1970 with a degree in industrial engineering, and became preoccupied with aviation soon after. He joined the US National Unlimited Aerobatic Team and was part of the team that won the World Championship in 1972 at Salon, France. In 1973 he won the individual US National Unlimited Aerobatic Championship.
In 1971, Tom Poberezny, Charlie Hillard, and Gene Soucy formed the aerobatic team of The Red Devils (soon renamed the Eagles Aerobatic Team) and went on to perform at airshows until the Daytona Skyfest in 1995. This makes the Eagles the longest-performing aerobatic team with one group of members. Poberezny also appeared as a pilot in the movie Cloud Dancer in 1980.
Poberezny was appointed to chairman of the EAA Fly-In Convention (now known as the EAA AirVenture Fly-In) in 1977. This annual event takes place in Oshkosh, Wisconsin and attracts over 750,000 visitors with 10,000 aircraft from 68 countries, making it the world's largest aviation gathering. In the late 1970s, he led the campaign to build the present-day EAA AirVenture Museum at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, WI.
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