Our day in Buellton, after a lovely time with Marty and Barbara seemed to be turning into a catch up day, do the laundry, do some reading put the finishing touches on the 2013 taxes take a walk around the very large and lovely RV Resort.
During the walk we noted a row of vintage Airstream Trailers. A tech was walking from one to the other with tools and as we stopped to chat he mentioned that the line was all rentals and had been recently refurbished. As most were not occupied he told us we could feel free to wander through those with open doors. As we walked through them we saw that each had been completely redone to a theme and they were quite intriguing and would be a wonderful place to rent for a someone who had showed up without their own RV.
We met another couple, seemingly younger than us, wandering through the rentals as well. It turned out that they travel in a modern Airstream and were also quite interested in these. Further conversation revealed that they actually travel separately and meet in the campground. She drives the truck pulling the Airstream and he flies his 1929 “New Standard” biplane.
As the conversation continued I learned that he had an extensive career in the Naval Air Arm followed by some years flying for USAirways before being laid off after September 11, 2001. By the time they recalled him he had bought his own open cockpit plane and taken up the business of offering flights. The New Standard was built in 1929 and has a Wright radial engine from the era. It was built for the Gates Flying Circus with a front cockpit capable of holding 4 passengers and a single cockpit aft for the pilot. If you want to know more about the plane and the pilot
this Nostalgic Warbirds site will provide far more detail.
As you can surmise by now Mike offered to take us up for an “Intro Flight” half off the listed price and we could not even think of refusing. 40 minutes later we found ourselves in the front seats of the front cockpit, the back seats were empty, with the engine beginning to spool up. I have shared most of the pictures I shot during the 20 minute flight and the direct
link is here. We flew up the valley over Solvang and Buellton making a figure eight turn over the RV Resort so Carol and I could both see and photograph it. Look for the picture with Gee Whiz hidden under some trees. The valley is beautiful to see from the air and the flight was very exciting. We both strongly recommend that if you see Mike’s New Standard, Nostalgic Warbird, in the air, track him down and take a flight, you won’t regret it. Or look him up from his web site to see where he might be.
How fun!