The Museum’s 1940 Stearman took to the air once more on March 27. It has been maintained in airworthy condition since being donated to the Museum in 2016, but has not had air under its wheels – until now! Training Pilot, Kevin Maher and Museum pilot, Bill Findlay took advantage of the cloudless sky and headed out. Bill has extensive experience on older, tailwheel aircraft, but each aircraft has its peculiarities and secrets that need to be explored in the company of a qualified pilot. Kevin has considerable experience with the Stearman, including rebuilding his own machine.
Pilots Kevin and Bill carry out prefight checks before engine start.
After a thorough discussion of the Stearman’s ground and flight handling it was time to suit up and fly. Suit up? Yes, this is not space flight, but flying an open cockpit biplane in March is a tad draughty. Flying suits, helmet and goggles are a good way to prepare for the 10C/90 mph breeze that penetrates every corner of the cockpit. No – a cockpit heater is not provided!
The trusty 220 hp Continental 7-cylinder radial engine fired up to its customary rumble. Then it was time to practice taxiing in the narrow confines of Langley’s taxiways. An engine runup confirmed all was ready to go and the aircraft soared into the sky.
The Stearman soars to the throaty roar of its Continental radial engine.
Only at Langley! The Stearman heads north with the snowy peaks of the Golden Ears ahead.
(Photo credit: D. Cardy)
One of the characteristics of tailwheel aircraft is their tendency to take matters into their own hands and become ‘squirly’ just after landing. This is accentuated if the wind is blowing at an angle to the runway as the aircraft is perfectly designed to act as a weather vane and point into the wind. They can also react rapidly to a sideways drift on touchdown. Both of these characteristics require rapid and precise control inputs from the pilot. So the pilots headed over to Delta Air Park, where its grass runway provided no other air traffic and an opportunity to explore what air force cadets experienced in the 1940s. Soon it was back to Langley, with the crosswind still making for a challenge, with a flawless approach and landing.
The Stearman touches down in a brisk crosswind. A test of the nimble-footed pilot!
For more on the Stearman story, see: Stearman A75N1