LadiesLoveTaildraggers

Rowena Mason is based at Santa Paula Airport (KSZP), Santa Paula, California.

In addition to the Stearman pictured and the J3 Cub we own and fly…. 1953 Piper Pacer, another 1941 Stearman with a 450 P&W engine, and a really cool Sportavia Putzer RF4D motor glider.  We actually have seven airplanes right now, some are still projects.

Me in front of my bare Stearman; the red Stearman right after the engine was hung

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Stearman flight!

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Rowena Mason & her Cub

I bought my Cub in 1985 shortly after I moved to Southern California.  I have an aircraft fabric covering shop at Santa Paula Airport. My husband and I rebuild and fly antique airplanes.  My Stearman was purchased from a crop duster auction and my husband and I completely restored it.

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It has a Jacobs 275 hp engine conversion and had its first flight in April of 2010.

Stearman Rat!

I have never been to Galesburg, but have always wanted to make the journey.  I wish I could fly it back to Galesburg this year for the Stearman Fly In. You know how that goes, time or money, or both…… this year it’s both.  Great to communicate, I had no idea there was this group, it looks like a fun bunch.

This was sent in by our very own, and totally cool, Vanessa Jump Nelson for your viewing & reading pleasure. Vanessa says, “I just have to share!”

Vanessa with her friend Linda M and her beautiful Cub "Tumbleweed".

Independence in the truest sense of the word!  Since my first Cub solo several weeks ago I’ve been flying several times a week.  I took my Cub in to Aurora airport when “Nine o’ Nines” the B-17 was visiting, and I got to park next to it and get a photo.  My Cub ended up becoming, for a few hours at least, part of a display that included not just the B-17, but also a PT-22, and a P-51 Mustang.  My “Tumbleweed” fit right in.

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I gave Linda a ride back to her home airport afterward, and she became my second passenger that I have ever given a ride to.  She and her husband are restoring a Waco biplane, and she soloed in a Cub many years ago, with her mother as her CFI.

Tumbleweed with the B-17, the P-5

That was a couple weeks ago.  I followed that adventure up with being able to say that “On Independence Day, I flew to Independence, Oregon, independently!”  Attached is a photo I took on the way back to Twin Oaks.

4th of July

I know it’s only a little more than 70 miles round trip when you use the AirNav calculator, but it felt like a big step for me, as it was the first time I’d been to Independence by myself.

Independence Day trip - on the way back flying with the door open, and Cascade mountain tops showing off their snow covered peaks.

I thought it was kind of fun to do it on Independence Day!  :0)

Vanessa Jump Nelson

Tumbleweed’s pilot

My name is Jennifer Treese and I live in Tucson, Arizona and fly out of the Marana Regional Airport (AVQ).

Jennifer flying a Cub

I’ve been flying for just over three years now and received my private in July 2008. I started tailwheel training in January 2009 in a friend’s RV-6 but didn’t finish my training because the plane had to go back to Oregon where her parents live. I finished my tailwheel endorsement in June of 2010, this time flying an Aeronca Chief that my flight instructor had access to.

Cessna 140

Shortly after this I started working on my instrument rating and wasn’t doing much tailwheel flying. There are no flight school in Tucson that have tailwheel training or anywhere to rent!

"Finally a taildragger to fly!"

Last August, right before my instrument checkride my flight instructor and friend passed away in an aircraft accident and although I didn’t stop flying, I didn’t have access to the Chief anymore. That is, until recently. A couple friends just bought a 1946 Cessna 140 and we created a type of flying club for the three of us. The plane is absolutely beautiful and so much fun to fly! I just recently finished my checkout in it and I am so excited to fly it all the time! Finally, I have a taildragger to fly!

Me in the back seat of the Mustang I got to fly in!

I’ve also flown a 1941 Piper Cub and a P-51 Mustang, “Betty Jane”, which was awesome!

In addition to flying the 140 now, I am working on my commercial certificate and just finished my masters degree in Aeronautical Science.

Jennifer Treese

Diana Votaw’s getting darn good at creating great little videos and here’s a new one to prove it! Of course, how could they help being great, she’s flying low over the OK18 area with 2 other Cubs!

And yes, not sure how we made the cover shot but that’s me and Boyd and Melanie Amos dancing around Diana’s Cub. She’s probably thinking “would ya get outta my way so I can fly this thing!”

OK18 – 3 yellow Cubs!! from Diana Votaw on Vimeo.

Lynn O’Donnell is based at (7FL6) Spruce Creek Airport, Daytona Beach, Florida.

Lynn O'Donnell

I first flew Cubs as an employee of Piper, then DC-3s in charter and skydiving operations. Years later I bought a Stinson 108-3 Flying Station Wagon which I still have and love. I’ve flown it up and down the east coast, from NJ out to Denver and to Memphis.

Ice Runway 4171C

I’m now hanging out in central FL finding all kinds of grass strips and open fields to land in. Now that I’ve retired from the airlines, I keep current as a CFI giving tailwheel checkouts.

Happy news from Susan Theodorelos! She & her husband, Andy, bought part interest in a Citabria that belongs to a friend of theirs, also based at their Moraine, Ohio airport. If you were at the Lady Taildraggers fly-in last year you might remember seeing this pretty blue Citabria….

“I now have something to fly that I don’t need Andy to start — that “might” keep up with the RANS — and that I can jump in and come visit without having a “starter” around!”

Looks like some fun summer flying's ahead for Susan!

“It is WAAAAAY different from the RNF — sooo much heavier on the controls….  but I’m current in it now — and with more time I will learn the “finesse” of it.”

Susan

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Posted March, 2010

Susan's Waco Avatar

Susan Theodorelos flies a 1930 Waco RNF out of I73 (Moraine Airpark) Dayton, Ohio.

1930 Waco

In the six or so years I have been flying I’ve done a LOT — so much so that I wrote a little book about it — but that’s for another time!  I have the absolute privilege of owning and flying two 1930 Waco RNF biplanes (well … one is a 75% complete project).

I started flying in 2003, flew the Champ at first — solo’d it at 13 hours, but put my flying on hold due to the death of my mother — got back to flying the following year  but then put things on hold due to the death of my father (yea…it was a bad couple years there).  Got back into flying the following year after purchasing the RNF.

Solo’d the cub in 5 hours and jumped into the RNF, solo’d it after 6 hours and never quit flying after that.  I had 29.7 hours of flying, solo’d 3 aircraft.

One happy pooch (Maggie) & Susan in the Waco

After goofing off for two years, and the threat of my written exam expiring — I finally set things up to take my practical in the RNF!   On 22 October 2009, I got my ticket!  My poor husband was having sympathy anxiety for me — as the winds were gusting to 22 kts on that day.  The ol’ RNF never let me down. It truly is a joy to fly.

The best part is that I took my checkride with Martha Lunken and had an absolute blast!  (I guess you’re not supposed to have that much fun on a checkride, but I did!)  My husband wrote an article about it for Vintage Aviation that came out in February.

Waco One:  1930 Waco RNF NC663Y

Waco Two:  1930 Waco RNF NC863V

Lane Davis is based at (KPDK) DeKalb Peachtree Airport, Atlanta, Georgia.

Lane Davis

I’m 16 and learning to fly in a 1946 JR Piper Cub, with my dad as my instructor. I should be soloing in a couple of months! Everyone tells me that learning to fly a little taildragger like the Cub will make me a better pilot. I’ve never really flown anything different but I love the Cub!

With John and Martha King at the Women in Aviation conference!

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Marilyn Pearson is based at (KHFD) Hartford-Brainard Airport, Hartford, Connecticut.

I started flying taildraggers when I was a teen, in gliders.  My love of aviation had to wait till I finished college and saved for my power ratings.  I had the great fortune of getting to know several tailwheel pilots while I was still a student pilot.  They would take me flying in Luscombes and Cubs.  I was bitten.

My first airplane was a Skybolt.  I combined my love of aerobatics, biplanes and tailwheel all in one.  I was a competitive gymnast thru college and couldn’t wait to learn aerobatics!

My current career as a FAA Inspector allows me to fly in many tailwheel aircraft, as I am a national resource pilot and travel throughout the country doing checks for other pilots.  I rarely get to fly with other women, and got very excited to see this group.

I have a partnership in a Cub, on floats in the summer and wheels in the winter.  I’m fortunate to have 2 friends with Extra 300s and fly those till my eyes turn bloodshot!  I would love to have a share in a Stearman, any takers?

Darlene Rudisill is based at Moose Pass, Alaska in the summers and flies on the west side of the Kenai Peninsula the rest of the year.

My friend, Joy Smith, sent me the link to this web site.  This is really awesome.  I’m very excited about being a part of this community.

Darlene & her Luscombe

In 1975 my Grandfather taught me to fly in a Luscombe, off of a dirt strip in San Diego, CA.  I have had a passion for flying all of my life, especially taildraggers.  I got my CFI in 1980.

In the beginning I taught in all Piper singles including a Super Cub and also in a Bellanca Scout.  As time went by I flew and taught in anything I could get my hands on.

I still have the Luscombe that I started in and finished a full restoration on her in March of 2008.  Her maiden flight was out of Chino, CA.  Last May I flew her from Southern California to her new home in Soldotna, Alaska.

I have made aviation my lifetime career.  I love most all airplanes.  I have done Charter and Corporate flying in Lear Jets, but I really love being a flight instructor and that is all I do now. I have a CFII MEI Land and Single Engine Sea.

The Wilga I flew from Canada to So Cal for someone and checked out some other pilots in it.  It is an interesting beast.

I spend my summers teaching float flying in Super Cubs out of Moose Pass, Alaska and in the winter I live and fly on the west side of the Kenai Peninsula.

These last four pictures are from my wedding, Sept. 19, 2009.  My husband Allan and I got married at one of my very favorite places on earth, at the dock in Moose Pass, Alaska, where I teach in the summer.

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Looking forward to getting to know some of the other ladies.

Channon Boullion is based at Merritt Island, Florida (KCOI) and flies a Cub.

“I currently fly for the airlines but my passion is flying a Cub with the windows open!”

“I met some ladies in the club a couple weeks ago flying the Cub around and they asked me to register! Thanks!!! I look forward to meeting more great ladies!”