Oddly enough, I was once a part-owner in a 1957 O-1 Birddog, but we couldn't take it out of the country it was in. Long story; remind me when we meet.
I graduated 2nd in my class in military aircraft ground school.
I have about an hour stick-time in two tail-draggers, AND;
I once flew (as in 'piloted', hands-on-the-yoke/feet-on-the-pedals, total control) a US Air Force Strategic 4-engine military jet over Russian airspace at the height of the Cold War!
True story. Remind me sometime. It's my greatest bar story.I fell in love with old biplanes centuries ago and studied them intensely.
Lived alone on an uncontrolled grass NC airstrip for a year, tending the hangar and guiding odd pilots who landed to escape weather or just to see what the place was. All we had was a double hangar, a windsock and a broad grass strip surrounded by pine trees and soybean fields but it attracted curious private planes and homebuilts like you wouldn't believe. They all wanted to put it on their maps as an emergency destination. (Also local kids driving halfway down the strip to park in the dark at night).
Worked on the McDonell-Douglass Fox-Four Bravo and Juliet (F4B & F4J) Phantom II for about 5 years, had cockpit licenses for several things.
Designed and built a paper-and-balsa flying model the siZe of my kitchen table which took off on its own and promptly disappeared on its first and only flight.
Was fascinated by Richard Bach when he flew "coast to coast on an oil pressure gauge" back in the early '70s.
Saw Waldo Pepper and The Blue Max about 2,000 times.
Am I an expert yet?
