Piloting Small Aircraft

One of my passions is piloting small aircraft.  The freedom to move about in three dimensions is downright cathartic.  The plane pictured above is a Waco biplane that was hand built in 1998 by craftspeople in Battle Creek, Michigan based on the original 1930s plans.  Want to see it fly?  Click on the video below!

The American Champion Super Decathlon is a fully aerobatic airplane capable of inverted flight and maneuvers up to 6 Gs.  Many pilots have used it to learn aerobatics and compete at the sportsman and intermediate levels.  It is responsive, predictable and forgiving.  Below is a few short video showing its  aerobatic capabilities.

Another favorite machine is this bright yellow Lockwood Aircam.  This highly unusual plane features twin pusher prop engines and a pilot seat cantilevered far forward for unobstructed pilot views.  It was designed to film wildlife, flying low and slow over rugged terrain and landing where most planes cannot.  

In the video below, I describe the airplane in more detail and fly it to an off field landing in search of a WWI plane wreck in the Sonoran Desert.