Sam Huffstetler started his flying career in Gastonia, NC and entered the US Air Force after graduating from North Carolina State University in 1981. He was an instructor pilot in both the F-15C and the AT-38B, and flew combat missions over Iraq and Bosnia. He retired from the USAF in 2001 and now works for a major airline, flying the Airbus A320 out of New York as a Captain and Line Evaluator.

Sam is an avid general aviation pilot and flight instructor, with over 16,000 flight hours logged. He lives in Yorktown, Virginia with his patient wife Susan.

Lead Pilot Bob “Spock” Ingle has an extensive flight background. After graduating from NC State he joined the Air Force and retired in 2009 as a Lieutenant Colonel after 22 years of service. He flew over 125 Combat Missions in both the A-10 Warthog during Operation Desert Storm and the F-15E during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Among his many medals, he holds the Defense and the Joint Meritorious Service Medal, four Meritorious Service Medals, nine Air Medals, five Aerial Achievement Medals, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and Kuwait Liberation Medal. Bob is currently an F-15 academics and simulator instructor at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. He flies an RV-8A with the Bandit Flight Team, which he and his family built in their garage. He and his wife Missy have lived in Goldsboro, N.C. for over 20 years with their two daughters, Abigail and Mei Wen.

Jim Kilpatrick has an extensive flight background flying with the U.S. Air Force and American Airlines.  After graduating from Western Carolina University he joined the Air Force and attended Air Force flight school. He flew 257 missions in the F-100 Super Saber in Viet Nam and among his medals he holds two Distinguished Flying Cross Medals, thirteen Air Medals, and the Viet Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry.  Jim flew for American Airlines for 34 years in various aircraft across the United States, South American, Europe, and the Far East.  He was a Check Airmen on the Boeing 757 & Boeing 767 and retired in 2006 after flying the Boeing 777.  He and his wife Beverly have lived in Cary, N.C. for over 30 years where they raised their four daughters. He flies an RV-14 “Miss Bev” with the Bandit Team.

Andy is a U.S. Air Force Academy graduate and served as a fighter pilot flying the F-15. Andy was part of the initial test group converting the F-15 from strictly an air superiority mission and adding a ground attack role.   The F-15 proved to be very capable for ground attack, and later the Air Force developed the "E" model Strike Eagle as a dedicated bomber. After his Air Force career, Andy attended N.C. State University and earned a PHD in engineering. Today he lives in Cary N.C. with his wife Macrela and works as an engineer.  He flies the RV 8 with the Bandit Flight Team.

Greg started flying in 2003 near Portland, Oregon after selling a motorcycle to raise the money. About 6 weeks later he had his private pilot’s license. Just in time to get some flying in before the rains of the Pacific Northwest set in for the winter. Greg continued training to achieve his Instrument, Commercial, and ATP ratings after moving to North Carolina in 2005.

Greg has accumulated over 1900 hours of flight time and currently works as an airline pilot when not flying for the Bandit Flight Team. Formation flying has been a focus for Greg since his first experience in 2008. He has a Guinness record for largest formation flight (37 planes) and flew with several formation teams before joining the Bandit Flight Team in 2010. He flies an RV-7 with the Bandits that he built over 4.5 years of nights and weekends in the family garage. The first flight took place March 6, 2008.

Greg currently lives in Fuquay Varina, NC with his wife Robin and two children, Will and Izzy.

Greg has accumulated over 1100 hours of flight time in the last 10 years and currently works as an account manager in the electronics industry when not flying for Bandit Flight. He currently flies an RV-7 that he built over 4.5 years of nights and weekends in the family garage. The first flight took place March 6, 2008.

Jamison “Flash” Baysden loves flying as a Bandit Flight Team Wingman. Flash is a retired USAF F-15E Weapons Systems Officer, Instructor, and Evaluator. He is a graduate of the USAF Fighter Weapons School and served in multiple combat operations throughout his career and has a BS in Aeronautical Science from Embry-Riddle.

Flash flies the RV-8A (N900PP) and currently resides in Eastern NC with his wife and two daughters. He currently holds a Multi-Engine Commercial Instrument rating with over 2500 hours flight experience.

Hal Bowman is a retired USAF Lieutenant Colonel with military time in the F-86F, F-84F fighters, and the B-47E bomber. He currently flies an ASW-20 sailplane and a Yak 52 for The Bandit Flight Team, and also tows gliders in a Callair crop duster for the North Carolina Soaring Association. During his fifty-year flying career, he has earned the following flying certificates: Commercial, Single-engine, Multi-engine, glider, helicopter, instrument and flight instructor. Hal served as majority owner and President of Zema Corporation, a manufacturer of veterinary products until his retirement in 2000.

Hal and his wife Mercedes Auger spend most of their winter weekends in the northern US at DN iceboat regattas (he competes and she officiates). They are residents of Cary, NC.

Cecil Boyd is a retired business executive with over 30 years in the field of telecommunications. He is currently retired and works as a flight instructor specializing in tailwheel training. Cecil is a Viet Nam veteran and a recipient of the Bronze Star, having served in the US Army prior to his business career.

Cecil is a commercial pilot with over 46 years and 3200 hours of flight time including over 500 hours of aerobatic and over 300 hours of formation time. He has owned and flown over 15 different aircraft including several high-performance aerobatic machines. One of his favorites is the Russian Yak 52 that he currently owns and flies as wingman for the Bandit Flight Team.

Vince Tryer has been flying since the mid 80’s for personal and business reasons. He is an NC State graduate with a Civil engineering degree and is a Licensed General Contractor in NC and VA. He is VP for Thomas Construction Company in Wilmington. Vince utilized aviation to visit jobs and clients around the country and has over 2000 hours flying. His flying background includes single engine and multi-engine turbines including Meridian and King Air aircraft. The love of his flying life is flying his RV-4 with the Bandit Flight Team. His daughter recently graduated from NC State, and Vince had the unique experience of being in the National Anthem flyover for her first and last NC State football games spanning her freshman to senior years. His son is a Citadel graduate and serves as a Captain in the US Army which makes the National Anthem fly overs special to him. Vince believes the National Anthem flyover is an opportunity to salute his son and other service members protecting our country.

Vince lives in Wilmington, NC with his wife of 31 years Christine.

Stephen Graham is a native of Sanford, NC and currently working on his private pilot license. He is a 2004 graduate of North Carolina State University with a degree in Textile Technology. After graduation, he entered into the pharmaceutical industry and currently is employed by PPD pharmaceutical research company, as an Electronic Publisher. He developed a love of aviation early on with models and books which lead to his position as Lead Ground Coordinator with the Bandit Flight Team. He loves coordinating the fly over timing for the NC State football games and then cheering for the Pack.

He still lives in Sanford, NC with his wife Cara and two young daughters Chloe and Emma. Along with spending a time with his family and flying, he also enjoys pulling for the NC State Wolfpack, NASCAR, sporting clays and various church activities.

Wanda Jackson is a Raleigh native and two-time graduate of NCSU. She graduated with a BA in English and then worked for American Airlines for 9 years. She returned to NC State to earn a Master’s in Accounting. Those years spent in airports with American left their mark, though. After many years indoors as a licensed CPA, she decided that she wanted to fly. Wanda earned her private pilot license in 2014 and progressed into aerobatics with world aerobatic champion Patty Wagstaff in a Super Decathlon and Extra 300. Wanda is an instrument rated pilot, owns a Cessna 182 and is working on her commercial pilot license, and eventually plans to become a certified flight instructor. After spending the majority of her life not flying, she is cramming in as much aviation as possible and loves being part of the Bandit Flight Team. She and her husband Frank have been happily married for over 25 years.

David is a Senior Software Developer and flies as a hobby. He inherited the love for flying from his father Ross, a US Air Force F-106 fighter pilot. As a young boy his dad took him flying in the local trainer, even when sitting on phone books, he still couldn’t see over the dash. The father-son pair later enjoyed building and flying RC planes and helicopters where David was the youngest nationally ranked Fun-Fly competitor. In 2007, David earned his own private pilot’s license and currently has over 500 flight hours in various aircraft ranging from J-3 cubs to a B-25. His current certificates are Commercial, Single-engine, Instrument, and Remote Pilot (Drone). David lives in Raleigh, NC with his wife, Laura and their two sons, Henry and Porter. The family enjoys flying to Georgia’s coast and visiting family.

Tom is a former US Navy pilot with a wide variety of flight experience. After graduating from NC State University with a Civil Engineering degree, he joined the Navy and attended Navy flight school in Pensacola, Florida. Tom spent 20 years in the Navy and was qualified in five different Navy aircraft accumulating over 3900 flight hours. Tom is currently a First Officer with Southwest Airlines flying the Boeing 737, and is also a licensed Professional Engineer in the State of North Carolina. Tom and his wife, Ann, have been married 25 years and have four children, Brock, Hannah, Sarah Beth, and Austin. They live in Cary, NC.