Nearly 11,000 Stearmans were built, but only around 1,000 are still flying. Earlier this week, a handful of these biplanes descended on Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport for a special mission.

Founded in 2011, a charity called Dream Flights provides veterans with the “adventure of a lifetime” flying in a Stearman biplane. The nonprofit organization conducts these flights all around the U.S. free of charge.

• READ MORE: Two Legendary Ace World War II Pilots Return to the Skies

The group’s visit to DFW was even more special, flying its 7,000th participant in 99-year-old WWII veteran Carlyle Hayes, who joined three other senior veterans.

“I’ve never ridden in an open cockpit aircraft, so this will be [the] first time,” U.S. Air Force veteran Jerry Brown told KTVT-TV.

The flights lasted around half an hour, arriving and departing from DFW, which is the world’s third-busiest airport. Both American Airlines and the Allied Pilots Association (APA) sponsored the event.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AirlineGeeks.com.

The post World War II-Era Aircraft Visit World’s Third-Busiest Airport appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The airport, which has been around since the 1950s, was purchased in 1991 by Allen Chorman. His plan from the outset was to use the airfield as base of operations for Chorman Spraying, formerly known as Allen Chorman & Son. 

“When I was 12 years old, my dad and I rode over here on a Sunday. I remember like it happened right now,” Jeff Chorman said. “He was like, ‘Maybe we could rent the airport from John [Mervine],’ who was a real big name in Delaware at the time. My dad ended up buying the airport from John and since then we’ve built the airport up and widened the runway from 37 feet wide to 51 feet wide.”

• READ MORE: Flight Training in the Scenic, Wild Last Frontier

From mid-March to mid-November, this 3,585-foot-long paved runway is abuzz with activity from sunup to sundown. Chorman Spraying employs nine pilots and has a fleet of aircraft that consists of Air Tractors, Ag Cats, Thrushes, and Bell Jet Rangers. 

“We are probably one of the largest agricultural operators on the East Coast, as far as agricultural work, and cover the eastern shore of Delaware and Maryland,” Chorman said. “We have gone from running two airplanes to running seven all the time. And we have gone from radial engines to turbines, although [we] still spray mosquitoes with Twin Beeches and are thinking about getting into the drone world.” 

The operation is an integral partner to farmers within roughly a 50 nm radius of D74. Typical crops in the region that the company tends to are wheat, barley, pumpkins, watermelons, cantaloupes, peas, sweet corn, and other vegetables, in addition to a strong emphasis in the fall on cover crop seeding.

Aerial services are provided from 10 main airfields and five satellite airfields, from Chestertown to Snow Hill. But most ag aviation flights originate from Chorman Airport, which is a competitive advantage for the operation.

• READ MORE: New GA Airport Near Las Vegas Has Its Eye on Space

“Having your own airport [as an ag operator] is almost a must. It’s all about control,” Chorman said. “Even though it’s a public airport, we still control the people who are here. [By having our own airport] we control the activity during the busy times and also the overall ramp operations and security here.”

Efficiency and safety on the field is balanced with national security precautions in the area. Chorman reported that there is frequently a presidential TFR active near the airport, due to President Joe Biden’s home in Rehoboth Beach being only 26 nm away. 

“Right now, if you look at Delaware in ForeFlight, the whole state is yellow,” he said. “I was the first one in agricultural aviation history last year to get permission to conduct ag operations inside the TFR’s inner ring during Biden’s 10-day visit last year. The Secret Service understands [the need for our operation to continue helping farmers] and has been great to work with.” 

Chorman’s longtime interest in military aviation led him to acquire a handful of vintage aircraft. His Stearman biplane, T-6, and T-28 can be seen by airport visitors this fall during a highly anticipated fly-in event at Chorman Airport.

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“We are planning our second annual fly-in for October 26, weather and TFR permitting,” he said. “We will have a cookout with hamburgers and hot dogs. Last year we had 65 airplanes fly in, and you couldn’t have ordered better weather. We are hoping for a good turnout again this year”

The airport welcomes transient traffic, although fuel is only available to based aircraft. There are roughly four dozen aircraft presently kept on the field. 

Chorman is encouraged about the future of the airfield and that it will continue being a central asset in the operation of his business and an attractive option for local pilots to base their aircraft.  

“In 2018, we repaved the runway because it was in very bad shape with no base underneath at all. We didn’t have any state or federal funding for that project,” Chorman said. “The airport will continue to grow as the need develops. I can see two more hangars here with eight units each for rental airplane storage, as well as an [automated weather observing system] AWOS. I would also like to have a GPS approach here, since we are strictly VFR now with pilot-controlled lighting. We are just starting to work on getting that done and the Delaware Aviation Council is helping.”

The post Delaware Ag Airport Sets Eyes on Growing GA Future appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1941 Boeing​/​Stearman PT-17.

Many pilots dream of owning a vintage biplane, complete with open cockpits, fabric covering, bracing wires, and other details that characterize the classics.

In the end, though, they decide that such aircraft, lightly built with thin struts and spindly landing gear, are too delicate to be practical. While this notion might hold true for many biplanes designed during aviation’s golden age between World Wars I and II, it does not apply to the Boeing/Stearman PT-17.

Stearman Aircraft Inc. began turning out biplanes for commercial and personal use during the 1920s and by the mid-1930s had the eye of the U.S. Army Air Corps, which was looking for a new primary trainer.

The Stearman A75, later known as the PT-17 was a near-perfect candidate for the job because it was generally easy to fly yet still demanding enough to differentiate aspiring pilots with potential from those who would be better off pursuing a different specialty.

Perhaps most important was the aircraft’s ruggedness. This is one well-built biplane that was capable of bouncing back from the many mistakes that student pilots make.

The characteristics that made the Stearman a great trainer more than 80 years ago make it a wonderful personal airplane today.

The 1941 model for sale here offers pilots a window into aviation’s past, when airplanes had round engines and fabric covering. It also gives us a new way to see those familiar stretches of earth that we fly over regularly—from an open cockpit.

This 1941 Stearman has 3,749 hours on the airframe, 330 hours on its Continental W670-6A radial engine since overhaul, and 210 hours on its Sensenich propeller since overhaul. The VFR panel includes a King KLX 135 digital GPS/Comm, KT 76C transponder and intercom in addition to traditional analog flight and engine instruments

Pilots searching for a vintage biplane that is robust enough to handle frequent modern-day sorties including fly-ins, vacation getaways, and occasional formation flying with the owner’s club should consider this 1941 Boeing/Stearman PT-17, which is available for $155,000 on AircraftForSale.

If you’re interested in financing, you can do so with FLYING Finance. Use its airplane loan calculator to calculate your estimated monthly payments. Or, to speak with an aviation finance specialist, visit flyingfinance.com.

• FLYING Magazine: Restoration Nation: The Stearman Next Door
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• The Aviation Consumer: Antiques and Classics: Owning and Operating
• AVweb: National Museum of the U.S. Air Force Acquires PT-17
• AVweb: Pilot Completes U.K.-Australia Stearman Flight

The post This 1941 Boeing/Stearman PT-17 Is a Tough, Two-Winged ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1941 Boeing​/​Stearman A75N1.

When people think of biplanes, World War I fighters and other small, fragile, lightweight, and underpowered machines often come to mind. The Boeing Stearman, however, is in a different category.

It is rugged, surprisingly large and has enough power to make flying an adventure and a joy. There is nothing quite like flying a Stearman low over a Northeastern forest during autumn, when the changing foliage is at its best, or touching down gracefully on a grass strip after a day of visiting distant airports.

While the Stearman is a charismatic antique that commands attention at just about any airport, it is not especially rare, so there are many opportunities to own one in today’s market. And while few airplanes are truly inexpensive, the Stearman is among the more affordable flying collectibles.

They still serve as great trainers as well, especially for those aspiring to fly high-performance warbirds. Just like the Army Air Corps trainees of the 1940s, civilian pilots who master a Stearman today can be ready to take the next training step toward fast piston fighters like the P-51 Mustang.  

This 1941 Stearman has 5,816 hours on the airframe and 629 on its Continental W670 radial engine since overhaul. The aircraft is covered with Ceconite and was last painted in 1987. The VFR panel includes a 720-channel comm radio, Isocom intercom and traditional analog instruments.

Pilots who wish to sample what military flight cadets experienced during World War II, or simply seek the pleasure of flying a handsome vintage biplane, should consider this 1941 Boeing/Stearman, which is available for $71,500 on AircraftForSale.

If you’re interested in financing, you can do so with FLYING Finance. Use their airplane loan calculator to calculate your estimated monthly payments. Or, to speak with an aviation finance specialist, visit flyingfinance.com.

• FLYING Magazine: Restoration Nation: The Stearman Next Door
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• The Aviation Consumer: Buying the Old Ones: Homework Mandatory
• The Aviation Consumer: Antiques and Classics: Owning and Operating
• AVweb: Pilot Completes U.K.-Australia Stearman Flight

The post This 1941 Boeing/Stearman A75N1 Is an ‘AircraftForSale’ With Military History appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Former United Airlines pilot Bruce Forbes, 66 at the time, initially told authorities the Stearman experienced engine trouble on a sightseeing flight over a lake and he struck power lines while he was trying to troubleshoot the engine issues. On Monday, he pled guilty in federal court to misrepresenting the facts.

• READ MORE: The Stearman Next Door

“I was flying low over the water around the curves of Lake Keystone and struck power lines, causing the plane to crash into the lake,” Forbes told the court. “I believed if I told NTSB investigators the truth, their investigation would find that I was flying in an unsafe manner, and I would have difficulty receiving insurance payments.”

Last December, an Oklahoma grand jury indicted Forbes on two counts of making false statements and one count of obstructing a government proceeding. The indictment cited statements Forbes made to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) between August 27 and September 30, 2022, and alleged false statements on October 2, 2023, to a special agent of the Department of Transportation–Office of the Attorney General.

His passenger, 19-year-old Baily Nevill, told local news outlets that, before the flight, she had not received a safety briefing on how to unfasten her safety belt. Describing the accident, she said Forbes was demonstrating “water dancing” low over the surface of the lake before striking the power lines and crashing into the water.

Nevill said Forbes tried to pull her from her seat, but “we were sideways, and the water was rising. We were in the middle of the lake. He was screaming at me. And once the water got above my chest, Bruce then decided to let go of me and swim away.”

• READ MORE: Stearman Patrol

Nevill was unsure how she finally freed herself from the belt and swam to the surface. Boaters rescued both occupants and brought them safely to shore.

The court has not set a sentencing date, and Forbes could be facing up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He declined to comment on the case to local news outlets.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AVweb.

The post Stearman Pilot Found Guilty of False Statements in Water Crash appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1927 WACO 10.

There is something about biplanes from the 1920s and ’30s that attracts pilots, often luring them away from the high-tech piston, turboprop, or jet aircraft they typically fly. For some, the opportunity to experience the sounds, smells, and vibrations of a vintage aircraft engine and the tactile feel of direct mechanical controls is irresistible. Others seek the wind-whipped thrills of an open cockpit and the attention they receive when arriving at just about any airport.

While the airplane for sale here is certain to start conversations on any ramp, what it really offers is an escape to remote turf strips, most of which lack a defined ramp. It will transport you to an earlier era when visual references formed the foundation of flying. All you need is a chart and pilotage to find your way, though a tablet with ForeFlight loaded would serve as a reasonable backup. A rare biplane like this will urge you to add as many vintage fly-ins to your calendar as possible. It will also compel you to stop letting those sunny days with gentle winds slip by without a visit to the airport.

This WACO 10 has 2,600 hours on the airframe and 200 hours since overhaul on its Continental W670 radial engine. Its VFR panel includes a Narco 810 radio, PS Engineering 1200 intercom, and King 76A transponder.

Pilots interested in owning a classic biplane from aviation’s golden age that is far less common than the Stearmans and F-series WACOs that arrived several years later, should consider this WACO 10, which is available for $139,000 on AircraftForSale.

You can arrange financing of the aircraft through FLYING Finance. For more information, email info@flyingfinance.com.

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The post This 1927 WACO 10 Is a Golden Age ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1943 Boeing​/​Stearman B75N1.

The Stearman Model 75 biplane is a classic that seems to gain popularity with each passing year. The military versions, known as the PT-13, PT-17, and PT-18, depending on whether they had a Lycoming, Continental, or Jacobs engine, taught the bulk of new military cadets how to fly before they moved on to a more complex monoplane trainer like the Vultee BT-13 Valiant.

Today, many general aviation pilots take far more hours learning to fly these machines than the military trainees were allotted. However, people familiar with the Stearman will tell you it is easy to fly and still makes an ideal trainer, especially for pilots interested in eventually flying higher-performance tailwheel aircraft like AT-6s, fighters, and other warbirds.

Flying a Stearman is also an utter joy, judging from the 15 minutes or so of stick time I received in a friend’s airplane in 2013. Looking down through the bracing of its bright yellow wings at the green forests of southeastern New York was an experience I will always treasure. I would like to repeat it someday, for a much longer flight. 

This 1943 Stearman has 4,287 hours on the airframe and five hours on its Lycoming R680-B4E radial engine and 418 hours on the propeller since overhaul. The VFR panel includes a Garmin GTX 327 transponder, GTR 225 radio, and uAvionix SkyBeacon ADS-B.

Other equipment and features include Redline brakes, Skytronics 24-volt, 50-amp alternator, Air Repair landing gear seal kit, Russ tailwheel kit, Airwolf oil filter, and Auto Fuel STC.

Pilots who want a taste—or perhaps just a hint—of what young cadets in World War II went through while learning to fly should consider this 1943 Boeing​/​Stearman B75N1. This type would have been the first aircraft many of those aspiring pilots had ever touched, and it is available for $139,900 on AircraftForSale.

You can arrange financing of the aircraft through FLYING Finance. For more information, email info@flyingfinance.com.

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• AVweb: Buying The Old Ones: Homework Mandatory

The post This 1943 Boeing /Stearman B75N1 Is the Quintessential Biplane and an ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

A few weeks later, I found that a distinguished neighbor resided next door. A contractor had opened the hangar door to adjust the cables, pulleys, and motor that control its movement. The shape of the aircraft parked inside left no doubt regarding its identity. It was a Boeing Stearman Model 75, also known by its military name, the PT-17.

This one clearly had not flown in many years—at least 15 according to airport gossip. It had all the signs of a long slumber, such as deflated tires and a coat of dust that dulled its silver finish. Access panels on the sides of its fuselage behind the exposed Continental R-670 were open, exposing frame members, brake cylinders, control linkages, and more. The lower panel had been removed and was resting neatly on the floor, as if someone had begun performing periodic maintenance years earlier and never quite finished. A yellow towbar was attached to the landing gear, seemingly ready to pull the airplane out for its next flight after a routine oil change.

I would find out later that the aircraft’s layup had coincided with the onset of a succession of medical difficulties that kept its owner out of the cockpit, but only recently compelled him to offer the airplane for sale.

On first sight, though, all I could think about was how badly this machine needed to get back into the air. It did not look like some neglected wreck. Everything appeared to be intact. There were no holes or tears in its covering, only minimal peeling paint and no small animals nesting in its recesses—none that I could find, at least.

Almost immediately I had visions of the Stearman one day emerging triumphantly from the hangar, cranking its engine to life in a swirl of oily smoke and slowly zigzagging down the taxiway. After a run-up, the engine’s full-power song would echo through the valley as the old bird rolled, tail-high, down Runway 21 and lifted off into the late afternoon light. What would it take to get there—to bring this classic aircraft back to life?

“It needs everything,” my instructor, Rich Bartlett, said in the same discouraging tone he used years ago when I contemplated banner towing. “New covering alone would cost 80 grand,” he added.

Ray Fagnano, the mechanic who looks after “Annie,” my Commander 114B—and counts a number of Stearmans among his customers—urged me to “forget about that airplane.” The asking price of $70,000 is too high, he noted, considering how much work the airplane will need to regain its airworthiness. Anyone with that much to spend, Fagnano said, should offer it to the pilot at nearby Blairstown Airport (1N7) who owns a solid Stearman that he flies regularly and “probably would sell it to you for the same amount.”

An Expert Weighs In

Wanting to understand more about the depth of effort involved, I contacted a number of people well versed in Stearmans, including staffers at the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, where they display a meticulously restored model, and Mike Porter of East Liverpool, Ohio, who has spent the past two decades restoring vintage aircraft and specializing in Stearmans.

“I’m working on No. 26 now, but I have helped people with many more, you know, sharing tips,” Porter said, noting he consulted with the crew that worked on the Air Force museum’s restoration. He works on many types of aircraft but focuses on other warbirds and fabric-covered models when not working on a Stearman.

Porter said he got into the business essentially by coincidence. After earning his private pilot certificate at 17, followed by his commercial, he was towing banners in New Jersey with ambitions to join the airlines when the September 11 terrorist attacks halted aviation activity. He was already an airframe and powerplant mechanic, so he began working in local shops before abandoning the airline idea and eventually starting his own repair and restoration business.

He said that while many pilots are attracted to biplanes from aviation’s Golden Age of Flight, the Stearman stands out for several reasons, the foremost being its military history. The aircraft will always be associated with World War II, having trained thousands of pilots across the U.S. military services. Pretty much every wartime pilot had a Stearman story. “They are also well-designed, nice-flying airplanes that are fairly forgiving,” Porter said.

Because the aircraft was built in huge numbers—between 8,000 and 10,000—for the war and was a popular surplus purchase afterward, there are many still flying today. Indeed, it is a stretch to call the Stearman “rare.”

However, what is rare is its combination of Golden Age biplane and warbird status, which nearly guarantee the best parking spots at major air shows and fly-ins.

Military History

Lloyd Stearman began manufacturing aircraft in the 1920s for the civilian market and later the growing airmail service. The company turned out several models, including the C3 and Stearman 4 Speedmail, but it was the two-seater Stearman Model 75 that caught the military’s attention as an ideal trainer for combat pilots—in part because its rugged design, though dated, enabled it to withstand common mistakes made by flight students, including hard landings, ground loops, and nose-overs.

The military selection happened around the same time the Stearman company became part of Boeing, which brought to bear the capacity to produce the aircraft in higher volumes. This case of aviation serendipity sealed the Stearman’s place in history. For the record, Model 75s with Lycoming engines were called PT-13s while those with Continental engines were PT-17s. Others had Jacobs engines and were called PT-18s.

The airplanes’ steel-frame fuselage and wooden wings held up well through the war and kept them gong for decades afterward, often as crop dusters. Their high lift, low speed, and low prices on the war-surplus market made them the obvious choice for the booming aerial application business, dusting and spraying pesticides, fertilizer, and other chemicals on crops across the country. While people often worry about the possible effects of corrosive chemicals on the airframe, pilots and mechanics familiar with the type maintain the former agricultural aircraft are not necessarily problematic.

“It’s really a case-by-case process,” Porter said. “Many of these operators took great care of their air-planes while others might have run them into the ground.”

Anyone considering buying a Stearman, like any other airplane, should have an expert inspect it closely. Porter said he has seen aircraft arrive at his shop in a wide range of conditions, but even the rough ones usually can be returned to flying duty.

At What Cost?

While you typically can find airworthy Stearmans on the market for around $100,000, having one restored will cost more. How much more is hard to say because he figures vary so much, Porter said. “Once you get past recovering the airframe, which costs $60,000 to $80,000, you are mainly looking at time and materials,” with restorers typically charging $60 to $150 per hour, he said. The nice thing about new covering is that the process exposes every part of the airframe, making it possible to produce a like-new airplane.

The Stearman next door has been a source of temptation for me ever since I first saw it. It just has the feel of an old house with “good bones” or an old hound who needs a new home. Right now, it’s the last thing I need, but my own history with Stearmans makes it hard to forget this one.

• READ MORE: Taking Wing: Stearman Patrol

While traveling through Connecticut with my parents and two older sisters on our way to Cape Cod in1974, I spotted a biplane flying low, parallel to the highway.

Soon it turned and flew over the road just ahead of us. I was 8 years old and excited to see a real “two-winger” in action. Until that day the only biplanes I had seen up close were a couple of my father’s radio-controlled models.

The airplane I had seen overhead, painted creamy white with dark orange trim, appeared to be on final to land at a nearby field. I suggested that we follow it and try to find the airport.

My sisters moaned. They did not want our all-day drive to get any longer. But my father thought it was a good idea and turned off the highway at the next exit.

Crossing Paths

We were in a rural area without many roads, so it was fairly easy to find the one that led to the airport. An instructor was giving lessons in the airplane and we got to stand by the ramp—there was no airport fence back then—while the next student got going. They cranked the inertia starter, fired the engine, and took off across the countryside. It was a memorable mini-airshow for me and just barely tolerable for my sisters.

About 40 years later a friend was flying his Stearman across the country and met me for lunch at Sussex. Afterward we went for a long flight during which he was generous with sharing stick time.

It was early October, the weather was perfect and the forest canopy that covered that part of northern New Jersey and southern New York was a beautiful late-season green. We flew S-turns, steep turns, lazy eights, and stalls.

Almost as soon as my hand held the stick, I began to understand exactly why so many people love these airplanes. They simply fly beautifully. They are big, comfortable, and comforting in their movements—very smooth, not at all twitchy. There’s a sense of warmth that not all airplanes have that really comes through when you fly well-coordinated turns in a Stearman. I have kind of longed to relive that experience ever since.

Now this next-door neighbor has revealed itself. Is it fate or a trap? My wife, Alexa, suspects the former. Having heard my description of the aircraft, Porter said he would certainly give it a look, reminding me that “many of these laid-up airplanes turn out to be pleasant surprises.”

However, he also is booked with projects for the next three years. Perhaps that is a blessing, and enough time to change Alexa’s mind.

On the Hunt for a Classic PT-17

The Stearman was built in such great numbers during wartime in the 1940s that so many continue to fly today—making an excellent choice for a warbird that handles with docile flight characteristics and a forgiving nature. In the June 2000 edition of FLYING, former editor-in- chief Richard L .Collins extolled the virtues of the biplane that serves as both a trip to the Golden Age of Flight as well as a ticket to warbird parking at EAA AirVenture—perhaps.

“An airplane that flies in reasonable numbers and was as much of the WWII training effort as the T-6 is the PT-17 Stearman,” wrote Collins. “For some reason, though, it is considered more of a classic. At least that is the Oshkosh parking area favored by these airplanes.” Completely rebuilt Stearmans were available on order from Air Repair Inc. with a base price back then of $169,000. You would be hard pressed to restore one yourself for that kind of investment today.

This column first appeared in the July 2023/Issue 933 print edition of FLYING.

The post Restoration Nation: The Stearman Next Door appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Early this year I was taxiing to our hangar after a flight when I noticed our next-door neighbor’s bay door was open. From a distance I could see an exposed radial engine, long narrowly spaced landing gear and two stout wings—a Boeing Stearman.

You never know who might be living next door when you are a new tenant at the airport. Many of my neighbors have revealed themselves since Annie, the Commander 114B, and I arrived last November. They are an interesting posse including a Stinson Reliant, a Globe Swift and a Van’s RV-7, and that’s just in one row. I know a couple of Extra aerobatic models are in residence, as is a Fairchild PT-23 Cornell. I have seen them taxiing but do not yet know their exact addresses.

• READ MORE: Finding Your Ideal Aircraft: Roll With the Punches

The Stearman next door has not taxied for many years, much less flown. The word on the field is that it has been sitting idle for at least 15 years. After spotting it through the open door and rolling a bit closer I could see one man on a ladder working on the hangar door and another, the hangar landlord, supervising.

After I parked we chatted for a while. I found out that the owner is ready to sell and is asking $70,000, and that the airplane comes with a spare Continental radial engine which rested on a wooden pallet in a corner of the hangar. I suspect that it, like the one on the airplane’s nose, would need an overhaul.

I do not know whether the machine was in flying condition when parked or was sidelined by a mechanical failure. It looked complete, though. A few access panels had been removed but were present. The covering looked good, with no tears or holes, though I am sure it would need replacement anyway. Painted all-over silver-gray, it had white stars in blue circles for insignia – no bars, stripes or red dots. This particularly simple livery happens to be my favorite for a Stearman.

“I’m sure you could get it back in the air,” the hangar guy said. I think his tone was slightly sarcastic but I cannot be certain. “In my dreams, perhaps,” I said to myself. No, this old darling will have to find a real restorer—someone with the time, knowledge and budget to tackle what is going to be a big project.

“It will cost $80,000 just to re-cover that airplane, and I wouldn’t trust the motor, either,” a mechanic friend told me.

• READ MORE: The Upside of Flying an ‘Orphan’

He also mentioned that a pilot based nearby has a well-kept Stearman that he flies regularly and probably would sell for the same price as the project airplane. While at first I thought his price estimate was an exaggeration, I no longer think so after checking restoration shops’ price lists. It seems like after new covering and getting the engine, rigging and avionics into shape one could wind up owning the world’s most expensive Stearman.

That thought made me wonder just what it would take to get the airplane airborne again. In the coming weeks I plan to dig into this hypothetical endeavor, which has become a source of jokes among colleagues who think I might want to buy the thing and restore it myself. There is no way that will happen. Just ask my wife.

Still, it is bound to be exactly what some aviation enthusiasts would want. I would like to learn about all of the steps such a restoration would entail. Stay tuned.

The post The 1942 Stearman Next Door appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

“I came up and started looking for airpark properties, since I had already been living at an airpark in Texas,” Pomeroy continues. “Prior to Texas, I had lived in Florida and both those states have dozens of airparks. In Virginia? Not so much. I literally was driving all around looking for airparks and getting frustrated. I pulled out an old sectional and saw this airfield and another one that’s right across the street. There are two private airfields right next to each other, somebody at one of them should know where the airparks are.” 

“So I wandered around the roads based on the sectional, found the two airstrips, and then learned that this one was for sale. My first thought was that I would never be able to afford it. But the real estate market and interest rates were both at rock bottom. So it all just fell into place.” 

When Pomeroy purchased the airport in 2013, it was a quiet property that held memories of a more lively past. 

“The airport was initially started in 1970 by a gentleman named Jan Scott. He was a highly accomplished Norwegian pilot that came over and had the good fortune to be one of only 10 pilots out of 100 interviewees to be hired by American Airlines in 1966. He was the one who developed this airport, built the buildings on it, and had quite a glider operation for a while. But he ran into some hardships with the county because he was renting hangars to the glider club. That was seen as a commercial business, and he didn’t have the zoning or permits to do that. Things then kind of calmed down, if you will,” Pomeroy explains. 

Scott was active in the Vintage Sailplane Association, and the airfield had been home to a number of rare classic and antique gliders, as well as a de Havilland Tiger Moth.

“I’ve been slowly trying to reinvigorate things since purchasing the airport. But in the last couple of years things have really started to take off. We, and when I say ‘we,’ Linda [Sanbower-Burke, Pomeroy’s life partner, is included] was instrumental in the airfield’s operations and, especially, coordinating our first fly-in event in September 2021. It simply would not have happened without her. 

“We held the event in conjunction with the town of Lovettsville’s Oktoberfest. Lovettsville was originally a German settlement and has a well-known Oktoberfest event at the end of every September. Unfortunately, the town’s celebration was canceled at the last minute because of residual COVID-19 concerns.

Even without the town’s Oktoberfest taking place, Lovettsville Vintage Aerodrome still can accommodate a healthy crowd of people. 

“We went ahead with our event, since it was entirely outdoors, and it was a huge success. It went far better than I could have ever imagined! Linda invited the Flying Circus out of Bealeton, Virginia, to come up. They brought a Stearman and were selling rides. Justin, who is the organization’s president, was hesitant at first because he wasn’t sure how many people would be here and whether it would be worth his while. By the end of the day, he had sold 26 rides all by himself. He had only gotten out of the airplane one time during that period. At the end of the day, he was turning people away. He asked to come back the next year and bring two guys with him to offer more rides.”

In 2022, the second fly-in event occurred at the aerodrome. There were more patrons and aircraft there than at the first year’s event, which was just one metric that proved the event was a success. 

“At our most recent fly-in the ‘Circus’ brought two Stearmans and a Waco, which was really awesome because the Waco has a bench seat. They could take two people up for rides, so they were taking couples and parents with younger kids. It was so awesome to see the kids getting out of the airplane with huge smiles on their faces. They did 56 rides and we had over a thousand people visit the field that day. We’ve been billing the event as an ‘Oktoberfest, Wings and Wheels.’ It’s a fly-in and cruise-in, with lots of vintage cars and airplanes, live music, and various vendors. The concept has been a really big hit, and our neighbors and entire community have been tremendously supportive!”

All that said, there is still some fallout from the 1970s. The county’s decision surrounding Scott’s operations at the airfield still impacts its usage today. But Pomeroy is optimistic that aligned priorities will be mutually beneficial for both the airport, the town of Lovettsville, and the county at large. 

“We are in the process of pursuing help from county officials to review the zoning to see if we could entertain guests overnight. Not being able to stay overnight has been a deterrent for people who want to fly in and go into town to enjoy the Oktoberfest activities and patronize local businesses.”

Nonetheless, the couple and others are involved in ensuring the airfield’s positive contribution economically and socially to the Lovettsville area’s future. “We want to offer more fly-in events in the future and provide opportunities for area residents, both young and old, to experience, first-hand, the fun, thrill, and joy of vintage and recreational aviation,” says Pomeroy. “We also have high hopes that, with the county’s blessing, we will be able to offer limited opportunities for pilots to fly-in and enjoy northern Virginia’s booming tourist attractions.”

Pomeroy expresses that the 3,000-foot turf airstrip is presently in good condition, although “it’s ideal for taildraggers, but can be a bit of a challenge for high-performance tricycle gear aircraft and those with limited turf experience” (because of the runway surface’s rolling high and low spots). And as its name implies, the airstrip is the perfect place for older aircraft. It’s already host to a special collection of Czech taildraggers, in addition to the litany of unique aircraft that fly in. 

“The name Lovettsville Vintage Aerodrome kind of tells the story,” Pomeroy says. “The focus here is on classic and vintage aircraft, but everybody is welcome to come in and visit. Ideally—and this may be a few years down the road—it would be nice to have a dozen vintage aircraft hangared here. I have a small collection of Zlin aircraft, the old 526-series aircraft. We hope to do a new building where those aircraft can be stored and be visible to the public in a museum-type situation.” 

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