[sc:Top-of-Post ]I don’t mean to mislead but I’m not talking about the annual get-together in Galesburg, IL or even the end of season gathering in Jennings or any dozens of other fly-ins where more than one Stearman would be in attendance. No, I’m talking about the first time ever that a couple of us got…
[sc:Top-of-Post ]Don’t take financial advice from broke people! And why you need good mentors. “Don’t take financial advice from broke people.” These words of wisdom echoed through my ear buds from one of my favorite podcasts. This piece of advice is handed out regularly from financial guru Dave Ramsey to many of his listeners on…
[sc:Top-of-Post ]Using The Tools You Have The landing gear on the Stearman is big. Big oleo struts and tires with big springs and lots of hydraulic fluid. Every once in a while though these struts can stick and though I’ve seen some creative ways to measure if they work or not when you go flying…
[sc:Top-of-Post ]Airplanes can be fun but at the end of the day, they’re just metal, wood, and composite. The one ingredient required in enjoying aviation is people. I have written before that I am the luckiest guy I know. Line guy to pilot has given me a great life. But without the people that have…
[sc:Top-of-Post ]So what’s it like getting checked out in a Stearman? Well, when it’s your Stearman, it’s a little terrifying. The aircraft is a taildragger so you have those attributes to contend with and the Stearman has a reputation that precedes it, and deservedly so. Add to that the fact that this was going to…
[sc:Top-of-Post ] But I thought it was a Stearman? Yes, but no not really. It’s definitely a Boeing, but listen up. Lloyd Stearman, born 1898, worked as an architect after WWI before becoming a mechanic at Laird Aircraft in 1919. Laird sold the company to some of its employees in 1923 and became Swallow…
[sc:Top-of-Post ] Going down the rabbit hole, in my boxers, in the hotel room. So I am on a 7 day trip right now, sitting in my upgraded suite at the Hilton in Naples. It was a pretty easy day of flying. Followed by some good seafood and a few craft brews, overall…
[sc:Top-of-Post ]My friend Jack was flying under the hood, my wife Theresa was in the back with Stella, and I was about to begin a what-if scenario of IFR emergencies for Jack’s instrument training on our cross country. I was going to discuss an inflight fire, engine trouble, or maybe electrical loss as the “what…
[sc:Top-of-Post ]Thanks to guest poster Sam Stoddart for this excellent writeup and video sharing the flight of the Spitfires – great history with a great artist! ——————— On the 18th of August, thousands of spectators gathered at Biggin Hall to watch the World War 2 Spitfires take flight once more to commemorate the 75th anniversary…
[sc:Top-of-Post ]Flight Report: Phenom 300 Business Jet The Phenom 300 Business Jet is Embraer’s latest production aircraft (Legacy 450 just passed certification and sales should begin soon), and has shown great success in both aircraft sales, and aircraft performance. Both the Phenom 100 and Phenom 300 are part 23, single pilot certified, jet aircraft. I am…