My infatuation with Stearmans began at 7 years old, when, while piled into the back of our Oldsmobile Cutlass station wagon on a family road trip to Florida, I spied a barnstormer in a brilliant blue-and-yellow airplane plying his trade from a nearby airstrip. I pleaded for my parents to let me take a ride, and they actually discussed it, but decided the cost was well outside our tight vacation budget.
Taking Wing: Stearman Patrol
Key Takeaways:
- The author fulfilled a lifelong dream of flying a Stearman biplane, an aircraft he had admired since childhood, thanks to an invitation from a pilot friend.
- He describes the Stearman as the quintessential biplane, detailing his experience flying it, including performing aerobatic maneuvers and noting its surprisingly familiar handling characteristics, akin to a Cub.
- The experience reaffirmed the author's passion for general aviation, highlighting the unique sense of freedom and personal satisfaction it provides, which he finds missing in his professional airline pilot duties.
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