Stearman flight

[fecmech]

Earlier this summer at the Geneseo Air Show my daughter commented that she thought riding in a biplane would be neat. I had seen a Stearman flying in our area so I went over to our local airport to see if I could do something about getting her a ride. I got in touch with the pilot (a United Captain) and he called me this past Sunday morning. So I set it up for my wife, daughter and her spouse to get some 20-25 min rides and off to the airport we went. Beautiful day, unlimited visibility, just perfect for the flight. Everybody came back with grins from ear to ear and then the pilot asked how come I wasn't flying. I just shrugged my shoulders as I was tapped out paying for everyone else and I have flown a lot in my life. He told me to jump in and off we went for a spin around the area. I had mentioned to him earlier that my only disapointment with my P-51 ride was that the pilot did not do a high speed low level over the runway. On our return to the airport he pushed the throttle up and down on the deck we went. The Stearman is no P-51 but it was great roaring along just off the ground and I really appreciated him doing that. After the flight we went to his hangar to see his "toys" as he put it. He had 2 other airplanes a 182 and one that he built from scratch similar to a Pitt Special. Beautiful little aircraft! All in all a really great Sunday afternoon for everyone. Picture is my wife getting ready to go on her ride.

[waynem34]

+1 Thats bad ***.

[MtGun44]

Sounds like a lot of fun.

Bill

[Echo]

What a Hoot! For the whole family!

[wallenba]

Got a ride in one years ago. I got a bad headache from it. For some reason, I felt it on my forehead every time the prop went by. Had fun though.

[uscra112]

Great treat ! Wonderful how many of those have survived. I used to live within a mile of a grass strip in Michigan where guys with antiques liked to come and do touch-and-goes. You could always tell a Stearman was coming by the sound of that old slow-turning round engine. (Jacobs, as I remember?)

[fecmech]

(Jacobs, as I remember?)
That's what was on the one we had in school but this one was a Continental R-670. They all seem to sound the same and I can always tell when this guy is in the area. They are a fairly low RPM engine, max I think is around 2100 RPM.

[Don Purcell]

That's on my bucket list.

[Charlie Two Tracks]

Looks like you all had a great time. I saw the Geneseo air show in your post and had to do a double take. I live in Geneseo............... only it's in Illinois and we have an air show with planes like you mention.

[richhodg66]

Nice! There were a few Stearman's at that last airshow I went to, but rides weren't available.

I bet that would be a blast.

[Springfield]

My father trained in Stearman's in flight school in 1944. I always kinda wanted a ride in one because of that. He already knew how to fly, learned on some sort of old Cessna. Went up in his Cessna 170 a couple of times, never got the flying bug, rather ride my motorcycles.

[dbosman]

What a thoughtful gift to give your family.
The pilot was a nice guy too, for him to take you up too.

[kartooo]

your a lucky guy.
they are beautiful. there is one at an airport about 20 miutes from here. i have have a r/c friend with a scale one he has been flying for many yrs.
it has a radial 4 stroke on the frt and the pilot even has a scarf.

[mroliver77]

Small airport a mile from my house. As a teen we would go there and guys that were testing or playing would take us with them for a few bucks for gas. That danged avgas was $.70 a gallon!!

[472x1B/A]

You all should check out the national Sterman fly in that is held at Galesburg Ill. every September. Last year there was over 125 Stermans from all over the country. Alot of the pilots will take people up for a price. Been here for 22 years now and never went to a single show yet.

[fecmech]

That danged avgas was $.70 a gallon!!
It's a little different now. I helped him fuel it when we were done and it took 18 gallons @ $6./gal