Walter Beech was one of America's greatest aviation pioneers, a former World War I flyer who spent three years after the war touring the country as a barnstorming exhibition pilot. That experience spawned ideas for aircraft design, inspiration that came to fruition in 1932 when he and his wife founded Beech Aircraft Co.
The Air Force Academy recently purchased 25 advanced trainers from Cirrus Aircraft for its powered-flight program, an integral part of the cadets pilot training.
