LadiesLoveTaildraggers

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

Rowena just keeps checking them off her “must fly” list! Fun news from Olmsted Aviation, Santa Paula, California, March 12, 2012.

“Congratulations to Rowena Mason on her successful completion of our S1 Checkout, which concluded with her first solo in her own S1-S this afternoon!”

Rowena's checkout in Olmsted Aviation's Pitts S1

From http://olmstedaviation.com

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Posted 8/8/2011:  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.

Diane Sokolowski is based at KCEK, Crete Municipal Airport, Crete, Nebraska.

AAA Blakesburg

My Dad always had a passion for flying for as long as I can remember.  My earliest years were spent at RC model airplane contests as my Dad and brother Larry would compete at pattern plane meets.  Dad always had a dream to get his pilot’s license but with seven kids to feed, it remained a dream at least until my four oldest brothers were out of the house.  Fortunately, my Mom was supportive of Dad earning his license and the youngest three of the family; my brother Larry and sister Sheila and me (I was the youngest) were able to come along for the ride – all getting our licenses as well.  We lost our Dad a few years ago, but his love of flying lives on in us.

My Dad Vern

My brother Larry builds and flies RC model jets that exceed speeds of 200 mph.  My sister Sheila lives in the Big Apple, but comes back often to fly as much as she can.  We enjoy our annual “two chicks in a tailwheel” tour each summer, during which we burn a lot of gas tormenting airport operators at our favorite airports around the state.  As for me, I was one of those lucky kids that had the opportunity to learn how to fly and airplane before I ever drove a car.  I soloed at 16 after three “official” hours of flight instruction.  I earned my pilot’s license at age 17.

Sisters "two chicks in a tailwheel" tour

I grew up flying Cessna’s and transitioned into taildraggers in college.  I worked at an airport fueling airplanes and cutting grass.  My boss at the time, let me get checked out in his Citabria.  Dan (now husband) worked in the maintenance shop and we spent many lunch breaks practicing our tailwheel skills and even enjoyed a few rolls along the way.  We were in love – with tailwheels!  We have been flying together for over 20 years.

We bought our first airplane, a 1967 Cessna Skyhawk about ten years ago.  It was pristine as we were the second owners since it was new.  It was a great plane to learn about ownership and of course fly.  My Dad would visit for a week in the summers, and we would do nothing but fly and wax the airplane.  After a few years, we traded the Skyhawk for a newer Citabria.  I’ve always dreamed of flying an open cockpit biplane and the Citabria was the first step in pursuit of that dream…I wanted to get current in tailwheels again.  The plan was to sell the Citabria after we found a biplane, but I thoroughly enjoy flying it and haven’t had the heart to part with it just yet!

A few years ago at a small airshow, my sister Sheila and I saw a young women wearing an Amelia Earhart t-shirt and we struck up a conversation.  It turned out that Rachel (also a pilot) and her husband Brian owned a Stearman and brought it to the show.  They invited us to stop by their hangar sometime for a Stearman ride.  Not sure if it was a “courtesy” offer or not, we showed up at the hangar several weeks later.  Brian holding true to his word offered me a flight in the Stearman – I accepted and he promptly put me in the back seat and began showing me how to start it up.  My first Stearman flight, was dual instruction during which he graciously allowed me to take-off and land.  Dan said it was the sparkle in my eye that told him, we needed to start looking for a Stearman.

Formation flying over Iowa landscape with friends (Brian and Rachel Aukes in 429 and Dan and Diane Sokolowski in 66). Photo courtesy of Matt and Amy Sawhill.

That Amelia T-shirt has opened up a new world of friends that we now fly with.  We have an unofficial flying club in which we do nothing but fly, fix and clean our airplanes.  We enjoy flying our Stearman and Citabria to antique fly-ins like Blakesburg, Galesburg and the National Biplane Fly-in at Junction City.  The flying is great, but the friendships we’ve gained are even better.  Every adventure is an opportunity to meet someone new to share our passion of flight.  Blue skies and tailwinds!

Flying our Stearman which we fondly call "Blondie".

Diane Sokolowski

Ping Zhao is based at KSQL, San Carlos Airport, San Carlos, California.

Headed to the runway for first solo

Steve (my husband) and I bought our Piper Clipper 2 years ago and I started to learn to fly in it.

Taken from a friends J3 during some games in the valley

This raised more than a few eyebrows as it apparently was not the simplest route to my license. Thankfully Len von Clemm,  Dave Gray, and Jim Grant, all of Aerodynamic Aviation, took the challenge and the rest is history. Before this I had never been in an aircraft that didn’t have at least one flight attendant.

Minutes after passing checkride!

It has been an uphill climb but last week I passed my checkride with every logged minute in our Clipper apart from 3 hours night flying in a Citabria.

Trophies in hand at a Sierra Skypark flyin

We keep N6913 at San Carlos KSQL but live half of the time in NYC so we are now working towards our next adventure which is to hop, low and slow, across the country taking photographs and meeting people along the way.

Ping, under the watchful eye of Sarah Wilson playing with a Stearman at the Fantasy of Flight

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Here is a view into our world http://www.littleboss.net/

Jeanne Reed is based at Antique Acres Airpark (OH65) Goshen, Ohio and flies a Stearman and a Cub.

Stearman Flight

Hi, my name is Jeanne Reed and I have been flying taildraggers since 1989.  I started my training in a Piper J5A and have about 350 hours in it.

With the Cub

I then transitioned to our Stearman in 1995 and have over 800 in the Stearman.  All except 10 hours of my logged hours are in a taildragger so I don’t know anything else.

Stearman

I’m not sure I could even fly a nose wheel airplane – ha.  Learning to fly has been the most incredible thing I have ever done for myself and I hope I have several more years ahead of me to enjoy the sport.

Stearman

The next picture are ladies in our new group of lady Stearman pilots. We call ourselves the Galesburg 12 as there were 12 of us who flew a Stearman at Galesburg last year for the Stearman Fly-In.

8 Lady Stearman Pilots!

For the 40th Anniversary of the Stearman Fly-In this year we plan to have a real presence!

Jeanne Reed

I got to zip over to Hagerstown, Indiana in the S7 late this afternoon for the yearly gathering of antique & vintage aircraft. Yep, I know it’s strange having a flyin on a Tuesday, but this is the 4th year they met on the Tuesday before Oshkosh for a gathering loved by the locals and held at the small town, grass strip. Led by Andrew King, the pilot from the movie “Fly Boys,” vintage & antique aircraft descended on Hagerstown in preparation for the big fly-in to Oshkosh. “The Hagerstown Airport is great,” says King, “We loved it the past three years. It’s not often we get to see such a large airport that’s also a grassy airport. Old planes like grass because that’s what they were built for.”

The Wright Flyer flew in from Dayton and I managed to get a close up shot on its departure

I have to say, I got a little concerned when it departed downwind to please the crowd that was gathered on the north end of the strip. Hagerstown has about 4,000 lovely feet of grass so a downwind departure in about 8 kts normally wouldn’t be a big deal in most aircraft but this reproduction with an O-360 Lycoming still struggled to get up and around (not over) the trees! It came back around for a slow speed flyby and then headed back to Dayton before sunset.

Judy (me) & Juliet Lindrooth in front of friend, Paul Fuller's Great Lakes Biplane

So, I’m hanging out, minding my own business at Hagerstown and surprise, up comes this happy lady asking me, “Is your name Judy?!” Holy cow, turns out to be lady taildragger pilot, Juliet Lindrooth, from Pennsylvania who flew in solo for today and the rest of the trek to Oshkosh. Now it was getting very interesting! Juliet owns and flies a very special antique airplane, a 1932 Brunner Winkle Bird BK.

Juliet's Brunner Winkle Bird

Sadly, she wasn’t able to bring it on this trip but I was happy to see her in her Grumman Tiger. But not to despair, she WILL be flying a taildragger for the next 2 weeks courtesy of a friend – and it’s a Champ so she’ll have a wonderful time!

The ground loop!

OK, new and old tailwheel pilots beware, I learned tonight you can mow down some nice looking Indiana corn if you’re not prepared. This Luscombe made his approach and landing a little too close to the corn on the east side of the strip and somehow ended up doing a quick ground loop through the corn. No damage though – just a lot of corn stalks hanging from the tail feathers and down the runway.

There were 3 nice looking Stearmans doing fly-bys tonight!

Juliet and I sure enjoyed finding ourselves at a grass strip in middle of Indiana tonight, surrounded by corn and bean fields!

It was kind of a fluke that I even flew over there tonight but so happy I did. Sure was great meeting you, Juliet, and look forward to catching up with you at OSH! Don’t forget ladies, we’re meeting for lunch on Tuesday, July 26 at the Hilton Terrace Restaurant past the north 40 at 11:30 for lunch – join us lady pilots – tailwheel or nosewheel!

It’s also lady taildraggers day in Vintage on Wednesday, July 27,  so be there to support your taildragger pilots at 11:00!!

Judy

Evelyn Greene is based at Kalaeloa Airport (KJRF) on the island of Oahu.

Evelyn Greene

Aloha, I own and fly a Stearman PT-17 based out of Kalaeloa Airport on the island of Oahu.  I learn something new every time I fly this airplane.

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She is the Queen with her nose in the air – she knows everyone is looking at her!

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40th National Stearman Fly-In

Galesburg Airport  (KGBG) Illinois

Monday,  Sept. 5 – Saturday, Sept. 10, 2011

This is the 40th year of the event. Lots of cool stuff planned. Everyone welcome to stop in during the week even if you don’t fly a Stearman. Info on the National Stearman Fly-In website.

Link to Fly-in Info Stearman flyin

Submitted by Stearman pilot, Marie Spear

Sweetwater, Texas is home to the National WASP World War II Museum at Avenger Field and host for the May 2011 WASP Homecoming (Women Airforce Service Pilots).  Thanks to Marie Spear for sending these lovely pictures from an awesome event. Marie is based at (KENW) Kenosha Regional Airport, Kenosha, Wisconsin.

Pete & Marie's Stearman in front of WASP museum hangar upon arrival

My husband and I flew our Stearman to the WASP Homecoming from our home airport here in Kenosha, WI. It was an awesome experience!!!!!!!

Husband Pete and Marie

From the Reporter News; In the spirit of WASP, Peter and Marie Spear flew their restored 1941 Stearman — the same model that WASP flew — a thousand miles from Kenosha, Wis., to Sweetwater.

WASP Mary Alice Putnam Vandeventer and Marie

“I would have been a WASP,” said Marie Spear, adding that she had never heard of the female aviators until her husband gave her a book, so she insisted they fly in for the homecoming. ”They are inspiring,” she said.

WASP Betty Wall Strofus and Marie

Peter Spear let one of the WASP get into his plane. ”I said we better be careful getting them out of the plane,” he said. “They are a national treasure.”

WASP Shirley C. Kruse and Marie

Julia Doerner is based at (KRNT) Renton Municipal Airport, Renton, Washington.

Julie flying L4

The first flight I took was in a 2 seater Pitts when I was 12. From then on I wanted to learn to fly.

Learning to fly an L-4 at Andover Academy in New Jersey

I did training with Damian Delgazio in New Jersey. My Mom did the advanced tailwheel training and I did primary in the L-4. Ever since I have wanted to own an L-4.

Diana Votaw (mom) & Julie

Now I fly with my Mom every chance I get who owns a Cubcrafters S2. (see Diana Votaw). I have always found taildraggers to be far more fun the tricycle aircraft.

Cool Taildragger Pilot!

I am a student at University of Washington getting my bachelors in Mechanical Engineering.

Julia Doerner, Damian DelGazio, Diana Votaw

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Flying a Stearman!

Marie Spear is based at (KENW) Kenosha Regional Airport, Kenosha, Wisconsin.

I fell in love with flying while flying passenger with my husband in his Stearman. I got my ticket in 13 weeks flying a Cessna 172, because that’s all the instructor had. I found it pretty boring. In 2000 I purchased a beautiful 1946 Cessna 140 and learned to be a tailwheel pilot in it. After a few years in that, and after my husband was certain I wouldn’t break his ‘baby’,….I soloed the Stearman at the National Stearman Fly-In. A few months after we got married in 2006, we purchased a 1953 Cessna 180. It’s been a great airplane! At the end of December 2010, we sold my little 140 and are currently looking for another Stearman…this one will be my ‘baby’.

I look forward to learning more about the other members and activities!

Marie Spear