![Pat Epps [Photo courtesy of Living Legends of Aviation.]](https://avbrief.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/epps-living-legends.jpg)
Tributes are pouring in for Pat Epps, a well-known FBO owner and vintage aircraft movement icon, who died Nov. 14 at the age of 91. Nationally, he was probably best known as the leader of the effort to recover a P-38 Lightning from beneath 256 feet of ice in Greenland. Glacier Girl has become a staple on the airshow circuit and the subject of several documentaries. Epps himself was an airshow pilot and spent decades flying his aerobatic Bonanza throughout the South and also at major airshows like AirVenture. He has received numerous awards and accolades throughout his storied career.
Epps’ bread and butter was Epps Aviation, an FBO he founded with two of his brothers in 1965 and grew into one of the largest full-service aviation companies in the U.S. “Known for his entrepreneurial vision and tireless commitment to the industry, Pat Epps left behind a legacy as one of Georgia’s most influential figures in aviation,” his obituary read.
Pat Epps gave a lot of young men and women their start in aviation and was a daily presence during the time I was based at Epps Aviation-PDK in the 1980s. The ramp crew was particularly efficient and well-known among pilots; one crew member went on to become an Olympic medalist and heavyweight boxing champion of the world – Evander Holyfield.
Of all the accolades, I believe Pat would have been most pleased to be remembered as a person who was revered by so many people for his encouragement and support to be the best they could be.
Pat Epps was the real deal in all respects…When Epps Air Service was a Piper dealer, I spent a lot of time with Pat in my positions as Piper Regional Sales Manager and Cheyenne sales demo pilot. On top of his many contributions to general aviation, he was a really good guy and may his legacy endure…
A true loss to Aviation. Thank you Pat for letting me fly your beloved F-33C years ago while killing time in the FBO @ PDK. Blue skies and tailwinds!
I met Pat once in the early 90’s at PDK while wandering past his open office door looking for the snooze room. He invited me in to have a seat and talk about Citations. He seemed genuinely interested in my career ambitions as a Pilot/A&P and shared some of his insights on the industry. A conversation i still remember. Always looked forward to a trip to PDK.
There was and is no more passionate champion for GA than Pat Epps. RIP my friend!