This fly-out was to a small grass strip in the vicinity of Marysville, Ohio. We go over there every once in a while and the owner of the field has a hamburger and hot dog cook-out. The members bring a covered dish and it is really fun to just go over there, eat and sit around and just talk flying stories...most old, and some even real.
During this outing, the owner's son brought out a Stearman they own. What a beautiful biplane it is. Blue body with yellow wings, and a real nice black leather interior. I was once supposed to take a ride in one of these at the Troy WACO Field. My wife bought it for me as a present, but my first deployment to Iraq got in the way and when I got back from there, I found out that the guy who had the plane had gone out of business. I never got that ride, and I joked about it with the guy who owned this Stearman (shown below). He then asked me if I wanted to take a ride to make up for that one...I don't think a fly could blink faster than I answered yes. So off we went.
It was pretty cool. I even got to (had to) wear a little leather helmet with goggles and a built-in headset -- just like the Red Barron. We went rolling down the runway and had just cleared the wheels when he asked me if I wanted to fly it. That didn't take much convincing either. What a beautiful flight -- clear, blue skies at about 7:00 at night, no wind and me at the control of the stick. It doesn't get much better than that.
I might have flown a plane this way in an earlier life. No instrument panel, just a few dials, a stick and a rudder. This was as close as I might ever come to actually flying like a bird.
Maybe some day Quinn and I will get to go up together!!
When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return. (Leonardo Da Vinci)
Hooah
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