The perfect Autumn Morning

I guess I’m still in a nostalgic mood, because what I most appreciated this week was a BFR (Biennial Flight Review) I conducted in a 1947 model Stinson Voyager. Believe it or not, even I get tired of flying once in a while, and after a couple of long cross-countries, and trying to catch up with a huge backlog of Remos demo flights, that’s where I found myself Friday. I was out at 3SQ, and being the only instructor that happened to be tail-wheel current, I grudgingly agreed to perform a BFR for Jim in his Stinson. Jim is an ex-Navy A-4 pilot, retired TWA DC-9 Captain, and infinitely more experienced than I’ll ever be, but for the next couple of hours I was the “instructor”. We discussed several areas of part 91 regulations, pre-flighted the aircraft, and hit the skies. Because of the big tail, they say if you can taxi the Stinson in a crosswind, you can fly a Stinson. I learned this nugget of information, and much more between steep turns, stalls, and slow flight. Jim and I started to get to know one another, I learned about the history of his airplane, and how he got into aviation. Let me add here, it was one of those perfect autumn mornings. The Missouri foliage was in full color, the air was crisp, clear and calm, and occasionally you’d get a whiff of someone’s fire in the fireplace. Rarely did Jim and I get more than 1000’ AGL as we fulfilled the requirements of the BFR, all the while enjoying the multi-colored blanket pass beneath us. We reminisced about other airplanes, times and places, and shared just about the perfect hour in the air. This wasn’t work; this was just pure enjoyment of flight. That hour literally flew by, and I emerged re-vitalized. I guess that’s how it goes; you never know what the next opportunity will bring, so we should approach each one with anticipation and expectation. I wish you all that very special hour in the air this week, and I thank Jim for providing mine.