T-28

Phil Petrik started flying in 1963, at the age of 12. He spent his spare time at the Sidney airport working with John Burns, the local operator of the day.

Phil built his first airplane, a Smith Mini-plane at age 15. He finished and flew it at 17.

He later sold the mini-plane and built a Pitts and started flying air shows at 19.

Phil is an Airline Transport Pilot with more than 29,000 hours flight time in many different aircraft. Phil is a Designated Pilot Examiner, and has been for the past 25 years. Many pilots in western North Dakota, northwestern South Dakota, and eastern Montana have taken their flight checks with Phil. You can find Phil at Richland Aviation in Sidney, MT. He has owned and operated Richland Aviation since 1971

The T-28 was added to the fleet in 1992. The restoration project continued through 2003. This aircraft is a North American T-28A, built in October of 1950. It is powered by 800 horsepower Curtis Wright R-1300-1B, radial engine.

The Air Force used the T-28 as an advanced trainer. Pilots were trained in aerobatics and instrument flight. The T-28 was also used for transition training to the F-86 fighter jet. The cockpit layout is identical to the F-86.