Jon Melby Airshows

My name is Jon Melby and I am an airshow pilot with over 34 years of flying experience. Over the many years, I have flown dozens of aircraft types and currently perform in a highly modified Pitts S-1-11B bi-plane.

I first learned to fly at age 8, when I created a pile of leaves in my Duluth, Minnesota lawn, climbed onto the roof of my 2 story home, and jumped like a bird into the leaves.

At the age of 12, I had the opportunity to meet the legendary airshow pilot Bob Hoover at a local airshow. Bob Hoover’s sincerity and great personality gave me the inspiration to pursue my dream of flying. When I was financially able, I made it a goal to solo in a glider before my 16th birthday. In only 8 flights, I achieved my goal by riding a bicycle 45 miles, on hot Arizona July summer weekends, to the nearest glider airport!

It was this type of determination that inspired me to purchase an airplane at age 19, and then hired an instructor to learn to fly it! I received my pilot’s license by flying every day for a period of 3 weeks, yet eventually yearned to do more in an airplane. After owning several Cessna passenger type aircraft, in 1996, I purchased a Pitts S2B Bi-plane and spent 3 months training to compete in aerobatic contests.

During my first competition against 23 pilots, I achieved 3rd place, and in the next two contests I won first and second place, awarding me enough points to become the Arizona State Sportsman champion. This all took place the first year of competition aerobatics. It was then that I knew that aerobatics was my “groove” and it’s been an adventure ever since.

Now, flying “extreme” freestyle aerobatics at Airshows, I can encourage both adults and children to pursue their dreams, much like Bob Hoover did for me.

When I am not flying my airplane, I am a computer systems analyst (Web ASP.NET and SQL Database developer) for a major stock brokerage firm.

There is a great saying that I would like to share with you to help you achieve your dreams.  It has helped me many times over:

“Bold actions bring bold results!”