Lowell LeMay

[A6PILOT]

Lowell LeMay passed away 30 Dec 2021. This obit was written by a long time Falcon Flight wingman holding formation card #2. Lowell Lemay began his career in the USAF as an enlisted gunner on the Convair B-36 and finished as a full colonel flying the RF-4C tactical reconnaissance Phantom. As an original member of Falcon Flight, a formation demonstration team based in Texas and flying RV aircraft, Lowell flew many air shows first in his RV 4 and later in the RV 7 he built. Lowell’s military experience in formation flying and his quiet way of suggesting a better way was invaluable to the many new members of Falcon Flight. Personable, kind, and never raising his voice but quietly helping others improve their formation skills was his hallmark. Lowell helped design the very large formation arrivals and flyovers Falcon Flight and other RV formation groups initiated at AirVenture. Lowell was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Wanda. Lowell will be interned at the Fort Sam Houston national cemetery, with a fitting missing man flyover performed by Falcon Flight.

[Check6]

Thanks for posting this Lizard! Phantom was an excellent pilot and friend. He checked out a lot of RV pilots in their aircraft. He will be missed.
Throw a nickel on the grass...

Blue Skies and Tailwinds Phantom

Falcon Flight Missing Man

[Bruce]

He will be missed.
Great guy to have known.

Godspeed Phantom.

Boomer

[A6PILOT]

A quick memory: I was transitioning from my RV6A to an RV8 and needed some tail wheel training. Lowell offered to teach me in his RV 7. He was very patient and super tactful while transferring an abundance of knowledge and experience. I was deeply grateful then and I miss him a great deal now. Falcon Flight has lost a truly great one.

[N520TX]

From Phantom's official BIO:

Lowell “Pfantom” LeMay is a graduate of Oklahoma State University with a degree in Aero Engineering and an MBA from St. Edwards of Austin. He started flying with the Air Force in 1952 and during his career he flew the F-86, RB-26, RB-57, RB-66 and the RF4C. After surviving 103 combat missions in Vietnam and various assignments throughout the free world Lowell retired as a Colonel from the Air Force in 1976.
Following that he helped establish Emerald Airlines of Austin, flying the Gulfstream G-1 and the Fairchild F-227. After leaving Emerald, Lowell flew many corporate airplanes to include the Lear Jet, Saberliner, Citation, Falcon 20, all King-airs, Merlin, and the famous ‘MU-2’ from around the Midland and Austin, Tx. area until his second retirement from Aviation.

Then a local flight school friend suggested that he help out a little, so that followed for another 10 years until one of his students asked him to help build an RV-7. Finally after a day watching the Georgetown Air Show, REAL retirement and the beginning of formation flying with Falcon Flight, starting with an RV-4, the RV-7 and now an RV-8. And the rest is history...


He was my commercial ticket instructor - can't disagree with anything posted in this thread. He's missed.