Yesterday, there was a car and airplane show at Wings Field, all for the benefit of Angel Flight, which is a good cause. Of course, I had to check out the aluminum and steel. There will be more photos to follow, but let’s start with the North American T28, this example from 1954.
North American T28, vintage 1954.
Not the most handsome plane, but a rugged unit with flaps the size of barn doors. I’d like to fly one of these someday. Have to get to work on that.
I’ve always wanted to fly in the venerable Piper J3 Cub. This is a legendary aircraft, an original, an icon. No doubt thousands of people learned to fly in this type of plane. Fortunately, there’s a couple of nice guys at my local airport who own them. While working on another video project from the air, I managed to get a few minutes of stick time in this plane. Take a look at the video of us flying around Brandywine Airport (KOQN).
An absolute joy to fly in the J3. It’s aviation at its most simple. The basic instruments, controls, and machinery. More than that, you don’t need. Plus, flying with the old stick and rudder forces you to be a good pilot, controlling the aircraft properly all the way from the hangar and back. Special thanks to Dave Nelson for taking me for a ride in his bird. By the way, most of the camera work you saw was done with a GoPro Hero 2. The shot in the middle of the runway was with a Canon XF100.
Earning a pilot’s license is one of the most rewarding things you can do. I learned to fly at TAS, Inc., located at the Brandywine Airport in West Chester, PA, USA. Here’s a video showing some great footage both in the air and on the ground.
As you saw in the video, TAS has been teaching people to fly for more than 20 years. Not only were my instructors great pilots, they were friendly people who enjoyed the process of teaching a rookie how to fly. The right instructor will help you along the way, and if you have a good attitude, you’ll be flying solo in no time. Remember, always do your checklist!
Lil’ Buster showed up at my home airport yesterday. Quite a nice example of a classic aircraft, in this case a Luscombe. Take a look.
Lil’ Buster, Luscombe Aircraft
It featured that fancy paint job, complete with the name.
Cowling of the Luscombe, Lil’ Buster.
The instrument panel contains only the necessities, those instruments required by law, for safe operation.
Luscombe instrument panel.
A plane like this requires real stick and rudder skills. It’s all you, all the time, and I would venture to say, that’s what makes it fun and interesting. You’re flying under visual flight rules, using a chart and dead reckoning, and what you can see below to find your way. This is my kind of flying.
The Bent Page 
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