Tell Me Your Stearman Story

[sdennison]

After spending time with John Mohr at Wings Over Waukesha and watching his performance, I look at my reason for becoming a pilot and really like the Stearman. A million opinions exist I know but I'd like to hear some advice from the WIX'ers with Stearman experience.

[gunnyperdue]

sdennison-

I think you are on the right track...... no doubt in my mind at all! Watch this video and see if it doesn't make you want to fly!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1i5hfY1AQM

gunny

[Dan Jones]

I've had one for almost thirty years now, and it's still a thrill to pull her out of the hangar and fire her up. Apart from all the historical and sentimental reasons to have one, they're just a wonderful flying machine. A Stearman represents the best of two worlds: all the sentiment, history, and emotion that's wrapped up in an antique from a bygone era, as well as the solid reliability and dependability of a modern, well supported airplane. A well restored, well maintained one fitted with a 670 Continental and disc brakes has at least the dispatch reliability of a new Decathalon, Piper, or Cessna product. Boeing's reputation for quality work goes back a long, long ways.

[sdennison]

OK, I'm 100 hour tail wheel guy, all stick and rudder, no real "steering wheel" experience. I want the smell of grass, chickens, cows,etc. 500 AGL. What do I need to fear? I think I have some of my Pop's genes but have tons to learn. I have 1 hour listening to the wind in the wires and it was magic to me. Thanks!

[N3Njeff]

I've had one for almost thirty years now, and it's still a thrill to pull her out of the hangar and fire her up. Apart from all the historical and sentimental reasons to have one, they're just a wonderful flying machine. A Stearman represents the best of two worlds: all the sentiment, history, and emotion that's wrapped up in an antique from a bygone era, as well as the solid reliability and dependability of a modern, well supported airplane. A well restored, well maintained one fitted with a 670 Continental and disc brakes has at least the dispatch reliability of a new Decathalon, Piper, or Cessna product. Boeing's reputation for quality work goes back a long, long ways.

Very nice dan.

[sdennison]

sdennison-

I think you are on the right track...... no doubt in my mind at all! Watch this video and see if it doesn't make you want to fly!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1i5hfY1AQM

gunny

Sweeeeeet! Thanks.

[mlenoch]

"What do I need to fear?"

On those beautiful, blue-sky Sunday afternoons............landing on a cow pie.

(And how would I know???)

VL

[RyanShort1]

OK, I'm 100 hour tail wheel guy, all stick and rudder, no real "steering wheel" experience. I want the smell of grass, chickens, cows,etc. 500 AGL. What do I need to fear? I think I have some of my Pop's genes but have tons to learn. I have 1 hour listening to the wind in the wires and it was magic to me. Thanks!

Fear? At 500' AGL it's towers, birds, powerlines, ag pilots, helicopters, R/Cs etc... and hiccups. Nothing you can't see and avoid if you are careful and go slow enough.

All three of my Stearman flights have been fun to date. First was a ride in California at the Nut Tree with Mustangs in the pattern. Second was a flight at Heritage Airpark nearby and I got to use the stick for about 5 minutes. Last time I got to fly in a Stearman, there was an instructor in it who stopped with his son to check out our airport. I talked him into letting my fly in it with him, and I ended up getting to land it when we were done and log it in my logbook. That was fun.

Nice going to be at 100 hours of tailwheel time!

Ryan

[sdennison]

"What do I need to fear?"

On those beautiful, blue-sky Sunday afternoons............landing on a cow pie.

(And how would I know???)

VL

No sh1t? Vlado, when I grow up I wan to be like you! Only scotch, not beer....

[N3Njeff]

All these mushy stearman stories are going to make me sick!

Last edited by N3Njeff on Wed Oct 26, 2011 9:19 am, edited 1 time in total.

[mlenoch]

Agreed, scotch!
VL

[FG1D Pilot]

about 25 years ago I helped a friend restore a Stearman. He was going to learn to fly in it when finished. When it was completed and test flown by a Stearman airshow veteran, the owner asked him to let me fly it. I flew over to the airport in a Cessna Ag Wagon that "Ober" and I owned and started flying at about 9:00 with the Stearman guru. I already had several hundred hours in tail wheel. After flying all day in the Stearman, doing everything possible, he said " Now tomorrow we'll do it again". I told him that I could not believe there was anything else I could prove to him. He stated that since the plane was just restored by my friend, he didn't want to leave any doubt. We talked about flying and he said he had never flown an Ag Wagon before. I told him " get in". I tried to warn him of how difficult it was to fly compared to the Stearman. He just blew me off and climbed in. After trying to land several times and bouncing the hell out of it, he taxied back in. I asked what he thought. He said " If you can land that thing, give me your log book and I'll sign you off in the Stearman.

I have a similar story about checking Ober put in the Ag Wagon.

[Red Tail]

After spending time with John Mohr at Wings Over Waukesha and watching his performance, I look at my reason for becoming a pilot and really like the Stearman. A million opinions exist I know but I'd like to hear some advice from the WIX'ers with Stearman experience.

Scooter,

Just last week some friends and I were talking about the Stearman and our desire to get one. I still think bang for the buck they have to be the most fun and liberating warbird to fly or fly in. Like the difference between driving a car and riding a motorcycle! Back when the Palm Springs Air Museum was Planes of Fame East and located in Eden Prairie, MN, I had the opportunity to fly in and help maintain the two we had. After my first flight I was hooked (Thanks JD!). We would operate ours from April into November provided our passengers brought warm clothes to wear and we kept our pilots filled with warm coffee. The high power stuff is cool and really has the wow and sizzle factor but that comes at an outlandish price, For downright unadulterated barnstorming fun, don’t walk, RUN for the Stearman. Cheap to keep, built like a truck and easy to maintain. So easy even an old Indy Car guy can do it!
John
PS: The Army colored Stearman Courtesy has for sale for $70k is one I worked on at POF East! It was a good solid airplane back then and does not appear to have been flown much since then. That price is a laugher. You couldn’t restore one for that money… heck, I think even a new Z06 “Vette cost more!

[gunnyperdue]

Red Tail-

I couldn't agree more... there is something about the Stearman that transcends the experience in another airplane... you are part of the air, the sight, the smell. the feel of it... and the airplane really wants to cooperate with someone who wants to fly it well (it will bite you if you are inattentive)... the world has a whole different look from the perspective of those two wings! My airplane, 476, is the second Stearman in our family and it has been in the family for 32 years.... I think my youngest will be flying it in a few years and then someday it will be in a 3rd generation.... the magic continues!

gunny

[TonyM]

Back in the 1970s, my mom's boss, a WWII flying vet, used to take my brothers and me for rides in his 1941 Stearman PT-17 (N811G).

I very much want to own or build a Stearman PT-17 some day.

TM