Dacy, Oldham Enter Air Show Hall of Fame

Air show performer Dave Dacy and announcer Hugh Oldham were each inducted into the prestigious ICAS Foundation Air Hall of Fame during an award presentation at last week’s ICAS Convention in Las Vegas.

Dacy got his start in the air show business in the mid-1970s, flying the Buecker-Jungmeister and the Ryan STA Special, but he left his mark on the air show community flying the Boeing Stearman biplane as a solo performer and as part of one of our industry’s most successful wingwalking acts. Beginning in 1991, Dacy and Johnny Kazian were partners in a wingwalking act that defined air show showmanship. Then, when Kazian decided to retire from the business in 1997, Johnny’s son, Tony, got up on the wing of that Stearman and flew with Dacy for another two decades.

Oldham worked in the air show industry for more than 60 years, including roles as an announcer, sound system provider, mentor, safety advocate and constructive critic. Whether in his monthly magazine columns or in his role as a member of the ICAS Board of Directors or during long and passionate conversations about the future of our business, Hugh has passionately and consistently advocated for a stronger, more sustainable and safer air show industry. 

Dacy and Oldham join a fraternity of air show icons that includes Duane Cole, Bob Hoover, Bill Barber, Art Scholl, Curtis Pitts, Charlie Hillard, Bevo Howard, and last year’s inductee, Kent Pietsch.