By Skies Magazine | July 25, 2022 Estimated reading time 2 minutes, 24 seconds.
On the opening day of the Experimental Aircraft Association’s (EAA’s) AirVenture Oshkosh 2022 event, EAA director of communications Dick Knapinski shared the sad news of the passing of long-time EAA president, Tom Poberezny, at the age of 75. Poberezny passed in the early morning hours of July 25, after a brief illness.
“It’s certainly not lost on us that Tom’s passing occurred this morning on the first day of AirVenture,” said Knapinski.
Poberezny was EAA president from 1989 through 2010, exceeding his father, Paul, who was instrumental in building EAA into the influential aviation association that it is today.
Poberezny was a member of the U.S. National Unlimited Aerobatic Team, which won the world championship in 1972. The following year, Poberezny won the U.S. National Unlimited Aerobatic Championship. Moreover, he flew for 25 years as a wing for the Eagles Aerobatic Team.
“The growth of EAA, the development of the EAA Aviation Center and Museum here in Oshkosh can be credited to him — he led that — as well as the Young Eagles Program, which we’re celebrating the 30th anniversary of here this year,” said Knapinski.
He noted that the association is currently looking at tributes to Poberezny during the AirVenture show this week.
“He will be greatly missed but more importantly, he will be remembered for all that he did for EAA and aviation,” concluded Knapinski.
