Tuscaloosa veteran wins ride of a lifetime with aerobatic champion ahead of air show

Michael Newman

Michael Newman won the opportunity to fly in a stunt plane with aerobatic champion Rob Holland. Holland and Window World, America's largest replacement window and exterior remodeling company, teamed up to create the Hero Flight program where military veterans can enter to win the flight. Newsome sits in the cockpit of the stunt plane on Thursday March 26, 2015 in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

With each click of the ratchet tightening him into his seat, Michael Newman of Tuscaloosa grew more excited. Within minutes of the propeller whirling to life like a ceiling fan, he was off the ground, flying over Tuscaloosa at between 2,000 and 5,000 feet at about 230 miles per hour.

Newman, a U.S. Navy veteran, rode in the front passenger seat of a Window World Extra 300 on Thursday as the winner of the Rob Holland Ultimate Airshows Hero Flight Program. The aerobatics champion and air show pilot created the program about five years ago to honor U.S. military veterans.

The Hero Flight Program, in cooperation with Window World, a window replacement company, offers one U.S. veteran per air show a ride in Hollands plane to experience the thrill of air show quality maneuvers like loops, rolls and tumbles a tail over nose flip.

Holland will perform Saturday and Sunday in the Tuscaloosa Regional Air Show at the Tuscaloosa Regional Airport.

Newman said he read an article about the contest on The Tuscaloosa News website and entered the contest on Monday. When he received a call from Holland on Tuesday telling him he was the lucky winner, he said he thought, Youve got to be kidding. This is a once in a lifetime (opportunity).

Ive watched Rob at other air shows and hes like the best in the world, Newman said. To be able to do a little bit of what he does in a show is something nobody gets to experience. Them doing this for veterans, thats just incredible.

Newman said he served from 1986 to 1991 on nuclear submarines, including a stint as a technical expert on the SEAL Delivery Vehicle team one.

Holland said he is inspired by his fathers military service to offer rides to veterans like Newman.

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Tuscaloosa veteran wins ride of a lifetime with aerobatic champion ahead of air show