Who is Nate Perlman?
Contributor for iFLYblog.com
ATP Rated
Corporate Pilot
Stearman owner and pilot
I grew up in Oshkosh. And I don’t mean I went to the airshow every year, which I did, I mean my mail was delivered there. I grew up there, worked line service for Basler, volunteered at the EAA museum, went to high school and college there. I’m from Oshkosh.
I started learning to fly in 1991 at Brennand Field in Neenah. Ten miles north of OSH it was then a 2000’ grass and gravel strip with 2 hangars and a gathering of old timers every Saturday morning, same time as my lessons. I did my private, instrument, commercial/multi/instrument all at that little airport. I was the airport kid.
After college I was in class on my first flying job. Learning all about the Shorts 330 and 360 aircraft. I flew those aircraft hauling freight in the dark for over 5 years. I still love the airplane though don’t have occasion to fly one now. After that I spent a year flying a regional jet for an airline and then came to my current job, business jets. I’ve been flying a Citation Excel for 10 years here.
I started building an RV-8 years ago. But I sold the project and bought a 1957 H35 v-tailed Bonanza. I sold that a couple years later and went without for a while until I bought a Kitfox Super Sport kit. It was a ton of fun to build but I had to sell the project before I could complete it. Then last year, if you’ve read my articles, a Stearman dropped into my lap.
The airplane is a dream come true and while I couldn’t be happier with a Stearman it’s always going to be the people that matter. The friends I make and folks I meet because of this grand old warbird will be what I remember fondly. But I’d be lying if I didn’t say that sitting alone in that cockpit 500’ over north Texas didn’t make me smile.
-Nate
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