The sound of multiple propeller-driven aircraft passing overhead rings like a clarion. It is practically impossible not to look up and watch small aircraft cruising by. The sound evokes something which triggers an immediate reaction. 

Mineola is fortunate in having frequently been the recipient of fly-bys put on by the Texas V-Tails. The last fly-by courtesy of the V-Tails was Veteran’s Day 2019.

This collection of experienced aviators pilots versions of the famous Beechcraft Bonanza aircraft. 

Mineola is tied tightly to the history of the Texas V-Tails through one of its own, the late Wayne Collins.

It is little wonder that the official emblem of Wood County Airport, which honored Collins by adding the name Collins Field to its official title, features a heads-on view of the v-tail configuration of the Beechcraft Bonanza. 

This particular story about Collins – there were many stories of his life – but this one had its beginnings in a small ad he placed in the American Bonanza Society magazine in the year 2000. 

“Learn to formation fly - $10.00”

The ad was Collins’ initial effort to gather fellow Beechcraft pilots for formalized instruction in formation flying in order to conduct group fly-ins to the mecca of American aviation, the annual Oshkosh, Wisconsin Air Show.

Collins had been flying his Bonanza to Oshkosh since 1990. A small number of fellow Bonanza pilots joined him, but as interest had grown within the Bonanza-owning community, Collins realized that more formalized training was required.

At that time Collins was an experienced Beechcraft pilot who had already conducted two around-the-world flights in his Bonanza.

Fellow Bonanza pilot Keith Rutherford remembers responding to that ad.

“I called Wayne up and asked, ‘Are you serious… can I really get formation flight training for $10?’” he recalled. 

Collins was indeed serious. That first year of training resulted in 40 pilots becoming certified in formation flying. 

Another of the Bonanza brotherhood, pilot Mike Parrish, recounted, “Wayne was perceptive enough to realize that he had to get all the pilots proficient before attempting that first fly-in to Oshkosh.”  

In 2004, the initial formation flight at Oshkosh was a four-ship flight. Parrish recalled the reaction of the organizers that year at Oshkosh, “You guys are really serious about this?!” they had questioned. 

Participation at Oshkosh as a “showcase event” began that year and has seen steady growth. Rutherford and Parrish piloted their Bonanzas in that initial 2004 formation. 

At the registration table, Rutherford was asked what the name of their group was. He hesitated, as they had no name, they simply wanted to fly in the event as a formation.

“Well, we are from Texas,” he stated, “and we fly V-tails.”

“Good,” came the response, “you are the Texas V-Tails.”  

Based on the 2004 performance and the training efforts led by Collins, participation by Bonanza owners at Oshkosh skyrocketed. From four to 40 to 130 aircraft have coordinated their appearances at Oshkosh – the organizers have now limited the number of Beechcraft aircraft to 100. More importantly, the work of Collins and his fellow pilots launched a training organization of the highest standards and opened the joy of formation flying to civilian pilots.

Long the purview of military pilots and vintage aircraft owners, formation flying was an unrealized realm for most civilian pilots before Collins placed that ad. 

That little ad spawned a bevy of regional formation flying associations throughout the nation, all of them taking their lead from Collins and the small group of pilots in Northeast Texas. 

Using the old Perrin Air Force Base, now North Texas Regional Airport, in Denison as a training base, the group runs two certification clinics per year: one specifically for the Oshkosh fly-in and one for air show performances.

The dimensions of Perrin are identical to those at Oshkosh, which facilitates fly-in instruction.

The training became more codified in nature. Collins eventually struck an agreement with the late Stu McCurdy of Formation Flying, Inc. to have separate syllabi of formation flight training manuals produced exclusively for the Beechcraft aircraft. 

The trainers must, of course, recertify annually. Fifteen pilots recertified among the group this year. As one veteran pilot noted, “I’ve had just about all the COVID I can stand, let’s go recertify.”

The V-Tails are drawn together by the love of flying and the love of their Beechcraft Bonanza aircraft. 

The Bonanza is the longest running aircraft in continuous production. The first Bonanza was produced in 1946. According to Parrish, “Beechcraft hit a home run in both engineering and design of the aircraft.” 

Parrish noted the efficiency, power to weight ratio, speed and handling characteristics as the airframe’s biggest pluses. “It is like a sports car,” he stated, “with a really active feel to it.”

The renowned v-shaped “ruddervators” combine the functions of the rudder and the elevators and give the most popular version of the Bonanza its characteristic look. Beechcraft came to produce a number of variants, including the twin engine Baron, but they never departed too far from the original.

The Texas V-Tails are waiting for the recommencement of festival and national holiday celebrations. They are ready to fly this year.

As Rutherford explained, “Once a request is received, they put the notice out and will draw from a number of qualified pilots.”

The formation at a Fourth of July event or Veterans Day may have pilots from Fredericksburg to Granbury, from Oklahoma City to Houston. 

The opportunity to fly in formation is secondary in importance only to the value of the friendships they have built in learning the skill.

“We all love to fly,” said Rutherford, “but the real draw is the camaraderie of fliers who love the challenge and discipline.”

“I have made a lot of good friends,” he summarized, “and it’s all thanks to Wayne Collins. He was a pioneer.”

The Texas V-Tails flew an eight-ship missing man formation in honor of Collins upon his passing in January of last year. He will surely be flying in spirit when the V-Tails return to the skies over Mineola.