VANDALIA, Ohio — History is being made by a father-son helicopter pilot duo at the Dayton Air Show. 

What You Need To Know

  • Jeff Moss and Captain Jeff Moss Jr. are performing together at the Dayton Air Show

  • The father and son pilot U.S. Army attack helicopters 

  • The duo is excited to make history and a life memory this weekend

  • They also hope to inspire others to get interested in aviation
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U.S. Army Captain Jeff Moss Jr. loaded up into his Guardian Apache Helicopter, getting ready to take to the skies at the Dayton Air Show. 

“I’ve been coming to the Dayton Air Show since I was a kid,” Moss Jr. said. “My dad is a performer, so I used to tag along with him as a child.” 

This is the first time Moss Jr. will perform at the Dayton Air Show, and it’s also the first time his father is flying right alongside him. 

Jeff Moss flying in his Cobra helicopter at the Dayton Air Show. Photo by Tino Bovenzi, Spectrum News 1.

“It’s almost indescribable to put into words how it feels to be here and have this opportunity to fly with him in the Air Show,” Moss Jr. said. 

The duo didn’t plan on performing together, but it was a welcome surprise. Now they’re happy to be making history together. 

“It’s never happened before,” Moss said. “In the history of Army aviation, you’ve never had a first and second generation Army aviator, flying first and second generation Army attack-helicopters in an environment like Dayton. This is a historic day."

Jeff Moss is a Cobra Pilot for the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation and Flying Museum, a role he's performed for more than two decades. Photo by Tino Bovenzi, Spectrum News 1.

Jeff Moss pilots the Cobra helicopter and has been flying in the Dayton Air Show for more than 20 years. His career as a pilot helped inspire his son’s. Now they both hope they can help inspire others, too. 

“When you see any child's dream come true, only sitting there as a little boy pointing and then getting that first ride and he's grinning ear to ear, and he then says, I want to do something,” Moss said. “And you see him do it. I hope it inspires a lot of young people that aspire to do anything in their life. This is America, dream big — go get your dreams and be that, you know, incredible human being you've got the capacity to be.”

The Dayton Air Show is happening July 30-31 at the Dayton International Airport.