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, an aircraft he had been infatuated with since childhood, thanks to an invitation from a pilot friend.
- He found the Stearman's handling surprisingly similar to a Cub despite its larger size and power, and experienced aerobatic maneuvers as well as the demanding nature of landing the taildragger.
- The experience reaffirmed the author's deep love for the freedom and pure enjoyment of general aviation, contrasting it with the more mission-driven nature of his airline flying job.
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