Wacky Jet Waco Revealed at ICAS

With a General Electric CJ610 jet engine producing 3,000 pounds of thrust tucked underneath the airplane's Pratt & Whitney 985 radial engine, the Screamin' Sasquatch has a thrust-to-weight ratio of 1:1, which will allow it to fly vertically.

This is not the first time the jet-powered Waco concept has been tried. Jimmy Franklin flew a similar platform from 1999 until 2005 when he tragically died in the airplane in a mid-air collision during a performance with his friend Bobby Younkin.

With all the additional power of the jet engine, Klatt will likely put on a great show with impressive vertical maneuvers. In addition to the jet engine installation, several modifications have been made to the airframe and control surfaces to allow the Screamin' Sasquatch to withstand extra forces. The cockpit has also been moved three feet aft to accommodate additional fuel tanks and it features MGL Avionics' iEFIS Challenger 10.4-inch touchscreen avionics.

The Screamin' Sasquatch was named after its sponsor Jack Link's Beef Jerky's advertising mascot, the Sasquatch. "Matching up the wildest airplane in the air show business with a brand that encourages all of us to feed our wild side every day makes for a perfect fit," said Klatt.

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