Bud Granley

Flying has been a part of Bud's life since he was 9 years old. He and his brothers were playing when they saw a Tiger Moth biplane glide to a landing on their uncle's farm. They ran to see the plane and were amazed to find that their Dad was the pilot. He had secretly earned his flying license. Bud and his two brothers were hooked on aviation after that. Their father made a career of flying and saw his three children begin their lives in aviation.

Bud joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1956 after earning his wings with a Royal Canadian Air Cadet scholarship. He was awarded honour scrolls at basic, and advanced flying schools in flying the T-6 and T-33. He served 3 years flying the F-86 Sabre in Baden-Baden, Germany. He was a member of the Canadian gunnery team which won the NATO competition for the third straight year.

Bud then instructed on the T-6 Harvard at Red Deer Alberta. He was selected to be the base solo demonstration pilot on the Harvard, thus starting his career as an airshow pilot. A civilian who had purchased a World War 11 surplus P-40 for $150 asked Bud to fly his plane at local airshows. This was Bud's introduction to WW2 type aircraft. Bud became an A-1 instructor and served in Standards flight and as a base instrument check pilot.

Bud lives in Bellevue Washington. He flew for United Airlines until retiring in 1997. He has six children.; three of them served in the Canadian Armed Forces. Two flew with the Snowbirdaerobatic team, and are now airline pilots. Ross flies with United, Chris with Air Canada. Deb flies the 737 for Alaska Airlines. Bob chose the Navy, and is now a Captain with BC Ferries, but also ferries the T-6 or Yak-55 to airshows.

The T-6/Harvard, Yak-55, or the Fouga Magister is the usual airshow planes. He also flies the formation aerobatic act with his son Ross using his Yak-55 and Ross in theYak-18T. You may see Bud flying museum airplanes around Seattle; classic warbirds like the Mustang, P-40, P-47, TBM Avenger; maybe a British Hawker Hurricane or Spitfire; a German ME-109E, FeislerStrorch; or an old biplane; a Russian “night witches” Polikarpov PO-2; a World War One JN-4Jenny, N3N, or Stearman.

His airshow peers awarded Bud the Art Scholl Showmanship award in 2005 and the BillBarber Showmanship award in 2008.

Ross Granley

Ross Granley comes from a large family of pilots that include grandparents, uncles, parents, cousins, brothers, and sister Deb, and wife, Shari. He was born in Red Deer, Alberta Canada in 1963, A Royal Canadian Air Force base, where his father was instructing on the Harvard/T-6.

The third of six children, Ross showed an early love of flying and a strong desire to make it his life’s ambition. Ross joined the Canadian Air Force in1985. He received his wings in 1987, then instructed in the Canadair CT-114 Tutor aircraft in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. This aircraft is still used by the Snowbirds. He earned his A2 Instructor's rating, then was selected to fly as #2 with the Snowbird's 1990 and 1991 teams. After his tour of duty with the Snowbirds, he moved on to fighters at Cold Lake, Alberta. He underwent basic and advanced fighter pilot training in the CF-5 and CF-18. He earned top honours in both courses then flew the CF-18 with 416 Tactical Fighter Squadron for three years. In 1996 Ross was selected as a team member for Canada’s participation in the William Tell air combat competition. This included teams from all commands in the US Air Force. Canada swept the competition in nearly all categories including the top team.

In 1997 with 3,100 hours of military flight time, Ross, his wife Shari and son Gregory transitioned to life as civilians. They moved to Everett, Washington where Ross lives while working as a pilot with United Air Lines, based in SFO.

Ross purchased a Yak-18T in Moscow which he flies in a formation aerobatic routine. The Yak-55, flown by his dad Bud, and the Yak-18Tmake an unlikely and unbelievably entertaining act