I have hundreds of hours in the right seat, flying next to my favorite pilot; My dad. He taught me that your just a caretaker for the rare, historic aircraft, and as incredible the Staggerwing is, it's the people and the group of magnificent people that own one that make the airplane so great. I miss those days but I will always miss my dad! Thank you for your gift of wings.
This has got to be one of the best looking modes of transport ever made. Cool to see it fly like that, I've only seen them cruising, or parked, the interior is really cool too, it's one of the few planes that is designed to such an integrated aesthetic level.
That's the kind of early aluminum I like. I love how the fuse tapers so quickly down to the rudder. Really give the Beech a one of a kind look. BEAUTIFUL!
Suspension was working overtime on that takeoff. One of my all time favorite aircraft. The design is just fantastic. It looks great sitting on the ground.
Had the good fortune to watch one pass over and land at Mackinaw Island. Iconic design and being a tail dragger the owners are to be commended for taking on this aircraft and flying it.
Although I took my first flight from my grandparents' roof - aged 4 - I learned to fly in NC17GB (Beech D17s) at Flying S Farm in Justin, Texas in the early 80's. Captain Jess E. Shryack - Godspeed. Maybe Joel (Mr. "Hollywood"), Mark (SWA) or David "Bimbo" will see this entry one day & think of their father's maniacal laugh, once again.
I love how when you are used to reading about WW2 warbirds, an R-985 sounds like a lawnmower engine in comparison. But then you actually see and hear one in action and you realize that it is still a 985 cubic inch engine, still a beast. Just your R-2800s are monstrous.
landing gear needs adjusting! tail wheel is half way up and one piece of the main gear is flapping. continueing the high speed passes wil evetually tear that piece of main gear door off the aircraft. the pilot should be able to hear that flapping.
The A-10? It is in the eye of the beholder, but I have definitely never heard the A-10 described as "beautiful" before. Possibly attractive or appealing but I don't see where beauty comes into it. Most people call it extremely ugly. The Staggerwing, the Spitfire, the DC-30, the 727, the Spartan Executive, those are beautiful. A P-51 is handsome.
I see that one part of the wheel door has not retracted.I sat in one at Sutton Bank in the 80's. I remember the polished brass fuel lines with taps to access I think five fuel tanks. The control yoke was central and chain driven. The yoke was passed across between the right and left hand pilot.
Man and machine and nothing there in between The flying circus and a man from Prussia The sky and a plane, this man commands his domain The western front and all the way to Russia
