I am 10 years younger on this Monday morning, just because over the weekend I got a ride in a beautiful, double-winged, open cockpit, noisy, round-engined Stearman aircraft.
The airplane belonged to Rick Mantei of J.P. Turner & Company. Rick graduated from the Air Force Academy, spent 25 years as a fighter pilot in the US Air Force and flew 34 combat missions in F-16s in the Gulf War.
My friend Mike Williams, who works with Rick, arranged for my flight. It’s nice to have friends like Mike. J.P. Turner is in the investment business, and they invited several well-off senior citizens to fly, hoping they might all buy investments in the near future. I qualified as a senior citizen, but somehow failed to mention that I have all of my money tied up in debts at the current time. That was a small oversight, I reckon, but I did get to ride.
Y’all, a Stearman ride is fun far beyond the flight itself. It’s the beautiful roar of a radial engine, the history of the airplane and pioneer feeling of flying with a cloth helmet and goggles. It’s the open cockpit, the puffs of smoke at startup, and the allure of a sho nuff antique, tailwheel biplane.
The biggest thrill came when Rick, shouting from the rear cockpit asked, “Do you want to fly it?â€
Hell yes!
I grabbed that big stick and turned this way and that with a big grin, and for those brief shining minutes I was, if not the ace of the base, at least (in my own mind) master of the air.
I am still grinning.
When we got out Rick swore that I kept the ball right in the center during those minutes.
I like people who will lie for you that way.
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