Houston Pilot Wins National Championship Title
Debby Rihn-Harvey named 2006 U.S. National Aerobatic Champion

Debby Rihn-Harvey of La Porte, Texas, was crowned the overall 2006 U.S. National Aerobatic Champion at the U.S. National Aerobatic Championships in Denison, Texas.

The award came after five days of intense competition among the country's elite aerobatic pilots last week. Rihn-Harvey is an eight-time winner of the Betty Skelton trophy, awarded to the highest placing woman in the powered unlimited category at the U.S. Nationals. She can now add the Mike Murphy Cup to her list, an award given to the overall winner of the powered unlimited category and the reigning U.S. National Aerobatic Champion.

In addition, Rihn-Harvey will join the 2007 U.S. Unlimited Aerobatic Team whose members will compete in the 2007 World Aerobatic Championships next summer.

"I am so excited!" said Rihn-Harvey. "I have won eight times among the women, but for more than 20 years, the championship trophy has eluded me. This time, I did it!"

No stranger to aerobatics competition, Rihn-Harvey began competing in 1980. By 1983, she was competing at the highest level of competition, the Unlimited category, and by 1985, was the highest scoring female aerobatic pilot in the Nationals. Since then, she has been a regular competitor at the Sherman/Denison, Texas-based annual event as well as the World Championships.

Rihn-Harvey is the longest-running member of the U.S. Aerobatic Team, male or female and has brought home numerous World Championship medals, including three Gold Medals.

Rihn-Harvey also is the owner of Harvey-Rihn Aviation at La Porte Municipal Airport and a captain for Southwest Airlines, an FAA Designated Flight Examiner and an ICAS Designated Aerobatic Competency Evaluator.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Nicole Lemasters/281.334.1991
ndcloutier@ev1.net

DEBBY RIHN-HARVEY NAMED AS
TEXAS AVIATION HALL OF FAME
2003 INDUCTEE

HOUSTON (August 1, 2003) . . . In recognition for her role as the longest-standing member of the U.S. Aerobatic Team, The Texas Aviation Hall of Fame announced that Debby Rihn-Harvey is among five new members selected for induction to the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame.

Rihn-Harvey recently concluded her eleventh World Competition with the team, winning both a Gold and Silver individual medals this summer at the World Aerobatic Championships in Lakeland, FL. Rihn-Harvey is also the highest-ranked female U.S. aerobatics competitor, having won the Betty Skelton "First Lady of Aerobatics" Trophy for the fifth year in a row in 2002. Rihn-Harvey will compete again at the U.S. National Aerobatics Championship this September in Sherman, Texas.

Rihn-Harvey will be inducted into the Hall of Fame at the fifth Annual Induction Ceremony and Gala to be held on Saturday, November 8, 2003.The Texas Aviation Hall of Fame honors Texans who have made outstanding contributions to the development, growth, or preservation of aviation. The Class of 2003 inductees also include: Gordon M. Bethune, Chairman and CEO Continental Airlines, Inc.; Archie G. Donahue, a World War II fighter pilot with 215 combat missions and 14 aerial victories; Dr. Leo Windecker, developer of the world's first FAA certified all-composite airplane, the Windecker Eagle; and John W. Young, the first person to fly six times in space, working aboard missions from Gemini III in 1965, to the first Spacelab flight in 1983. In 1972, Young flew to the moon on Apollo XVI.

Rihn-Harvey is owner of Harvey & Rihn Aviation at La Porte Municipal Airport and a captain for Southwest Airlines, an FAA Designated Flight Examiner and an ICAS Designated Aerobatic Competency Evaluator.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Nicole Lemasters/281.334.1991
ndcloutier@ev1.net

BRINGING HOME THE GOLD
LOCAL PILOT RETURNS FROM
WORLD AEROBATIC CHAMPIONSHIPS

HOUSTON (August 2003) - After years of exhaustive training and an intense competition in Lakeland, Florida, Houston's own, Debby Rihn-Harvey has returned from the World Aerobatic Championships sporting two new medals: the Gold medal for her execution of the Four-Minute Freestyle flight, and a Silver medal for the Freestyle flight.

"The World's are always very intense, but being in the U.S., this one was definitely more meaningful," said Rihn-Harvey. "It means that much more to medal when you are among your supporters."

This was Rihn-Harvey's eleventh season with the U.S. aerobatic team, as she faced the best aerobatic pilots from more than 12 countries. Rihn-Harvey is the longest standing member of the U.S. Aerobatic Team as a participant since her debut in 1984.

Rihn-Harvey is now preparing for the U.S. National Aerobatic Championships, which will be held this September in Sherman, Texas. There Rihn-Harvey hopes to again, win the coveted Betty Skelton "First Lady of Aerobatics" trophy for a sixth straight year. The Trophy is awarded solely to the highest scoring female in the unlimited aerobatics category.

Rihn-Harvey is a past World Champion Gold Medallist. Rihn-Harvey also is owner of Harvey-Rihn Aviation at La Porte Municipal Airport and a captain for Southwest Airlines, an FAA Designated Flight Examiner and an ICAS Designated Aerobatic Competency Evaluator.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Nicole Lemasters/281.334.1991
ndcloutier@ev1.net

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