Crazy Ferry Pilot Wanted

TMetzinger

TMetzinger

Final Approach
Joined
Mar 6, 2006
Messages
9,660
Location
Northern Virginia
Display Name
Display name:
Tim
Just had a guy call me with an intriguing ferry job (which I can’t take because I don’t have the experience in the type of aircraft). I’m passing it along to the list because some of you may know of someone who can help this gentleman out.

This guy has a Stearman in Green Bay, WI, and he’d like it in Gulf Port (near New Orleans) by Christmas (as he wants to surprise his grandchildren with lessons on Christmas day). So the pilot needs to be experienced in Stearmans (either with a lot of Stearman time or a lot of tailwheel time and some time in Stearmans), and have the cold weather gear necessary to fly in the kind of temps he’d be facing now. The owner says he’s just “too damn old” to put up with that kind of cold.

If you (or anybody you know) might fit the bill, please let me know, and I’ll put you in touch. I’m not gonna have any financial interest in this deal – I’d just like to see him get his Christmas wish.
 
oh man...

i need some stearman time, fast!
 
Geeze, to many pilots such a gig WOULD BE the Christmas present.

I'd love such an adventure.
 
I know a guy that'll do it. He doesn't have a medical and the FAA revoked his license. But he has a lot of Stearman time (XC, aerobatics, crop dusting).
 
jesse said:
I know a guy that'll do it. He doesn't have a medical and the FAA revoked his license. But he has a lot of Stearman time (XC, aerobatics, crop dusting).
Click to expand...
All he needs is a legal PIC to come along. I wish I could be the one!
 
JohnR said:
All he needs is a legal PIC to come along. I wish I could be the one!
Click to expand...

No, because the legal PIC needs to be insurable, and if that's the case, you don't need Jesse's expert along. And if not insurable, then he's no help.
 
I'd try the Red Baron's Stearman formation team.
I heard they just lost their sponsor, so one may have the time and incentive for many hours of open cockpit mid-western winter flying!
 
(Feels cheeks, wiggles fingers).

No way, even if I could.
 
There's a guy at KLEB (Lebanon, NH) who owns a Stearman. You can call the Tower there, they have his phone number (that's how I got ahold of him). He's out flying that thing all the time, so I'd bet he'd like this sort of gig. I think Jeff at Hap's Air Service in Ames, IA could put him in touch with a couple other Stearman owners in that area who's planes (a guy and his cousin, they both own Stearmans) the shop cares for from time to time. Then again, if he's willing to give me Stearman lessons, I'll fly the thing!
 
If I thought that getting ten hours of dual and the endorsement would do it, I'd do the job. But I would expect the insurance company to require more (25+) time and probably more than 100 tailwheel.
 
I could, but I won't. it's too damn cold.

You could possibly get coldweather all the way down.

do the wind chill factor at 40 degrees and 80 MPH winds.

Ain't no way

brrrrrrrrrrr.
 
NC19143 said:
I could, but I won't. it's too damn cold.

You could possibly get coldweather all the way down.

do the wind chill factor at 40 degrees and 80 MPH winds.

Ain't no way

brrrrrrrrrrr.
Click to expand...

Yeahbut, Tom, if you streak due south you'd only have that for 3 hours or so! :hairraise: Once you get halfway through Illinois you might see temps in the 30s!
 
Last edited:
TMetzinger said:
Just had a guy call me with an intriguing ferry job (which I can’t take because I don’t have the experience in the type of aircraft). I’m passing it along to the list because some of you may know of someone who can help this gentleman out.

This guy has a Stearman in Green Bay, WI, and he’d like it in Gulf Port (near New Orleans) by Christmas (as he wants to surprise his grandchildren with lessons on Christmas day). So the pilot needs to be experienced in Stearmans (either with a lot of Stearman time or a lot of tailwheel time and some time in Stearmans), and have the cold weather gear necessary to fly in the kind of temps he’d be facing now. The owner says he’s just “too damn old” to put up with that kind of cold.

If you (or anybody you know) might fit the bill, please let me know, and I’ll put you in touch. I’m not gonna have any financial interest in this deal – I’d just like to see him get his Christmas wish.
Click to expand...

Any idea what he's willing to pay? I know a Stearman pilot and can forward this to him...
 
I will ask my buddy Jerry Schiera. Most of his time is in Wacos, but he seems to know quite alot about many different types.
:blueplane:
ApacheBob
 
I have a pal near Madison with lots of Stearman (glider, cub, champ, ag cat, Fokker tri-plane, piston warbird, F-16, 767, you name it) time who might do it. I'll forward your note to him.
MM
 
TMetzinger said:
If I thought that getting ten hours of dual and the endorsement would do it, I'd do the job. But I would expect the insurance company to require more (25+) time and probably more than 100 tailwheel.
Click to expand...

See my PM, Travis will do it, he owns a stearman,cfi, a/p (i.a) 1st class medical 7000 hrs, cropduster by day.
 
Thanks to everyone - I was able to pass along more than five qualified pilots to the owner (and vice versa). Hope the job happens, and that the pilot stays warm.
 
taters said:
See my PM, Travis will do it, he owns a stearman,cfi, a/p (i.a) 1st class medical 7000 hrs, cropduster by day.
Click to expand...
Would this be the Stearman that I saw on the ramp at Lincoln? It had a wooden prop and probably the 220 hp engine.
 
I have a pen, and a logbook. I'm suddenly qualified.
 
I think I'd be wearing my snowmobile helmet.

I was in Green Bay yesterday and today. Yesterday, it was 14 degrees F on the ground. Then when I flew at night it dropped to 8.

Flying a Stearman in this? :hairraise:

Pretty neat idea for a Christmas present, though.
 
The first thing that comes to mind is the scene in Dumb & Dumber when they are riding the scooter in freezing temperatures. :rofl:
 
TMetzinger said:
Just had a guy call me with an intriguing ferry job (which I can’t take because I don’t have the experience in the type of aircraft). I’m passing it along to the list because some of you may know of someone who can help this gentleman out.

This guy has a Stearman in Green Bay, WI, and he’d like it in Gulf Port (near New Orleans) by Christmas (as he wants to surprise his grandchildren with lessons on Christmas day). So the pilot needs to be experienced in Stearmans (either with a lot of Stearman time or a lot of tailwheel time and some time in Stearmans), and have the cold weather gear necessary to fly in the kind of temps he’d be facing now. The owner says he’s just “too damn old” to put up with that kind of cold.

If you (or anybody you know) might fit the bill, please let me know, and I’ll put you in touch. I’m not gonna have any financial interest in this deal – I’d just like to see him get his Christmas wish.
Click to expand...
Rich Davidson at Lee Bottom Flying Field, Hanover, Indiana. 812-866-3211. He can fly anything that drags its tail plus some airliners. Good guy.
www.leebottom.com
 
My buddy, Jerry, can do it. Most of his time is in Wacos, but he has about 1,000 hours in almost every airplane (seemingly).
His e-mail is GGerald@Juno.com He lives near Chicago.
:blueplane:
ApacheBob
 
Shoot, a spare battery and electric vest and gloves, a riding suit and a full coverage helmet, yer set to go! :)
 
bjohnson said:
The first thing that comes to mind is the scene in Dumb & Dumber when they are riding the scooter in freezing temperatures. :rofl:
Click to expand...

Ha! Yes good comparison! :rofl: :yes: Ahh, I love it! I had a big poster of that scene on my apartment wall in college. I just about have that movie memorized.
 
Extra gloves? You have extra gloves?
Yah. It's the Rockies!
 
Shucks! I don't have any strearman time. I have 800hours+ in a 170B so I have the tailwheel time. I have only been up for 20 min in a Stearman. Neat Christmas presint though.
 
If you keep in touch, it would be really neat to get the story of this trip from whichever pilot actually ended up doing it.

~ Christopher
 
Any news on whether this trip happened yet?

I recalled this thread upon seeing our forecast for the upcoming weekend: highs around 10 degrees F.
 
skyflyer8 said:
Any news on whether this trip happened yet?

I recalled this thread upon seeing our forecast for the upcoming weekend: highs around 10 degrees F.
Click to expand...

Don't expect anything posted until early spring, when the PIC's fingers might unthaw and typing a post may again become possible...
 
very good read and a nicely put-together doc! Thanks!
 
TMetzinger said:
The Crazy Ferry Pilots first-person account is now available at http://www.metzair.com/downloads/crazy_ferry.pdf.
Click to expand...

That is a nice pictorial of a great aviation adventure.

I think the guy's got the 'antique aviation' real bad though. After reading about the bulky, visibility restricting clothes for low temps and even lower windchills (not to mention the costly nose-over, partly because of him choosing to be up front to scavenge some engine warmth) then reading his conclusion about Stearman flying being "unlike and superior to any other type of flying", I had to laugh good naturedly.
 
Wow, what a great story and pictures, despite a few statements that made me cringe! For example, "Not bad for only my second Stearman landing in over 20 years, I thought to myself!" At least the author seems honest and didn't leave out the details of the mishap. Kudos to him for completing a challenging mission. I really enjoyed reading this story.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top