Steve Dari: a great pilot and a great man

One can only thank Steve Dari for the memorable flight in the air races and for living life on the edge and pushing the limits. Indeed, a life well lived: he was a great adventurer, sportsman, RVer and lover of life. Our condolences to his wonderful and supportive family.

In addition to being an accomplished sportsman and pilot, Steve Dari was also a successful business consultant in Lemon Grove, CA. The sport biplane he was flying stopped just after takeoff, about 250 feet off the ground, puffs of black smoke and the rest is history, Steve was killed on impact. He was practicing for another big performance at the Reno Air Races.

Vince Lombardi tells us that the most competitive men are drawn to the most competitive sports, Air Racing is the quintessential competitive sport and is not for the faint of heart. Steve was strong, dedicated and determined to win it. He raced in the Formula One Air Racing finals several years in Reno and was a top contender. Unfortunately, his life was cut short during a practice run and he will be greatly missed by aviation racing.

Steve Dari was loved and respected and a great pilot as well as an accomplished businessman in California. As reported in the paper, the 2007 Reno Air Races are going ahead, as scheduled, and someone like Steve wouldn’t have it any other way. He loved to fly and his fans and sponsors loved to see him win. We will all miss Steve Dari.