Maine Biplane Flight

Maybe it was Snoopy and his fisted “Curse you Red Baron” that inspired me. Regardless of the reason, I have wanted to ride in an open cockpit biplane for as long as I can remember. I wrote a report in middle school (called junior high back home in Indiana) on the planes of WWI and in my research discovered that the cowl-mounted machine gun synchronized its bullets to fire in the gaps of the turning prop. I thought this an amazing fact at the time, still do actually, and had to prove it to my father, who thought I’d made it up.

There is a scenic biplane tour available over Bar Harbor, Maine, and I took it yesterday, sans machine gun. Open cock pit, original and restored biplane (WACO, 1935, http://www.wacoclassic.com/sales.html), skein covered wings, bright beautiful yellow. (http://acadiaairtours.com/) It was exactly as I thought it would be: loud, exhilarating, scenic and freeing. Caption Phil says he loves coming to work--and his customers are always happy.