Sam Hoskins bio

Sam Hoskins Quickie Q-200 N202SH
Race 22

Having built it over a five-year period, Sam and his Quickie Q-200 have now accumulated more than 2,000 hours of flight time since its first flight on June 9th, 1986. This will be the 22nd year he has flown it to the Oshkosh convention.

The Q-200 is powered by a modified Continental O-200A, turning a Catto composite propeller. The airplane was built according to the plans, but has been constantly modified over the years. In hopes of gaining an extra knot or two, Sam completely revamped the wheel pants and the engine cooling inlets, and installed high compression pistons, electronic ignition, and electronic fuel injection. This Q-200 has an 800-mile range with 32 gallons of fuel.

His modifications have paid off; his race speeds have improved from 172.08 mph in 2002, up to 201 mph (with headwinds) in last year’s race. Over the years he has taken every position in the Sprint class; from fourth place, up to 1st place in 2004 and 2011. Sam is also an avid Sport Air Racing League (SARL) racer and was the 2012 Sprint Class Grand Champion.

Inspired by his father, who served in WWII as a Navy pilot and navigator on PB4Y and PBYs, Sam joined the Civil Air Patrol during the 1960s as a teenager. Sam started skydiving at age 21 and soon was performing at air shows, including doing the flag jump for the USA Bicentennial EAA Oshkosh 1976. As a skydiver, with over 2,000 jumps, Sam participated in national championship skydiving competitions and was a participant in two World Record Free-fall formations.

On June 22, 1999 Sam and his Q-200 made a coast-to-coast flight from French Valley Airport in Murrita, CA to the Dare County Airport in Manteo, NC, establishing a coast-to-coast speed record for the Q-200 type. Sam completed the flight in 17 hours and 55 minutes becoming the only Q-200 to cross North America in a single day.

Sam wants to thank his wife, Sandy, for tolerating his incessant shenanigans and for even flying with him, once in a while.

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