Commercial pilot and airframe and powerplant mechanic Brian Norris manages travel, logistics, public relations, and aircraft maintenance for veteran airshow pilot Sean D. Tucker, who is sponsored by software giant Oracle. Though a college knee injury left Norris unable to fly for the military, he knew that airplanes would loom large in his career, and has worked with Tucker for 19 airshow seasons. He spoke with Air & Space Associate Editor Diane Tedeschi.
A&S: What do you carry in the Seneca support airplane?
Norris: All of our spare parts. A lot of those parts we’ve actually designed and built ourselves. Specialized tools and the regular wrenches and hammers. PR material. Hats. Autographed cards. Videotapes for TV stations. The headsets and the harnesses that photographers wear during photo flights. Poles for the ribbon cut. Luggage. Golf clubs. Sean’s ice chest. Towels. Wax. Polish. My Seneca is a six-seat airplane, and we fly it with only two seats — the other four are removed. That airplane is filled from front to back. You couldn’t fit a box the size of a loaf of bread in anywhere.
A&S: Is fuel for Sean’s biplane readily available at each airport where he flies?
Norris: The military bases don’t always have avgas available. Usually they have jet fuel. But they will make an agreement with a local operator to bring fuel to the show. On rare occasions when the show [site] will not have avgas, they’ll make a deal with an [off-site] operator to at least provide fuel. In those instances I’ll fly my Seneca to [that] airport, fill it with 123 gallons, fly back to the base, drain the gas out with a little electric fuel pump, and put it in the biplane.
A&S: What’s the best thing about your job?
Norris: I’ve been fortunate enough to lead photo flights with pretty much every civilian performer in the country. I’ve gotten to fly lead with the Thunderbirds following me. I’ve flown lead with the Blue Angels. That is a rewarding part of my job — to look over and see a big blue Navy jet sitting 10 feet off my wing. I used to watch the Blue Angels fly every year from the time I was five years old, and now they’re following me around the sky.
A&S: Any advice for people who’d like to have a job like yours?
