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Best Stearman Instructor/Checkout?

Tue Nov 04, 2008 3:59 pm

Hi everyone,
Sorry if I'm posting this in the wrong forum (maybe the GA one would be better) but this is the most read one it seems so here goes.

I have access to a Stearman (he shoots, he scores!), and I'm looking to learn as much as possible about the airplane. I've flown it around a bit and soloed it (like 10 hours or so) but I'm hoping to find someone who can REALLY teach me every nut and bolt about the airplane. The owner of the airplane, while very capable with it, doesn't consider himself an instructor and has no time for me really anyways. He's too busy making money away from the airport. Must be nice.

Ultimately, I'm hoping to go to a few different guys, because I believe that everyone has there own little tips/tricks, but I need a place to start. I'm a member of the SRA, but there's no real "feedback" section on the instructors they have listed there, and it seems a little out of date anyways. I also own a Stearman of my own, but it's currently in a box. Well, many boxes, so by the time I get that thing in the air I'd like to be the next John Mohr, haha. I really hope you guys can appreciate the humor of that, because that guy is unreal.

Location isn't SUPER important, because I'm from Canada, so anything is going to be a journey for me I'm sure. The plus side is that I work for an airline that has a few destinations in the US so if there's a guy close to places like Orlando/L.A./New York/Phoenix or even Seattle all the better for me.

I'm 27, been in maintenance for 10 years now, but I'm only starting to take this pilot crap seriously, haha. Sorry if this post seems a little strange, I'll blame it on lack of sleep (stupid airline job nightshifts).

Thanks for reading, and thanks in advance for any help provided. PM's are cool obviously, because this may involve personal info.

Uh, blue skies to all, etc etc.

And stay tuned to a request for a harvard/texan guy... (I'm lucky, I know - right place right time, that's all).

Tue Nov 04, 2008 4:21 pm

Hello Bones,

I can't help you with a Stearman, but let me know when you are ready for the Harvard. I am also in Edmonton and it will be really nice to have a third Harvard to fly with. I am not an instructor, but I can certainly give you the information I know on the Harvard and other who can help in our area.

Drew

Tue Nov 04, 2008 6:06 pm

Red Stewert Airfield in Waynesville, Ohio has a Stearman they rent and can give you alot of excellent pointers. They are about 20 SE of KDAY.

Tue Nov 04, 2008 6:28 pm

you might also want to look into Preston Aviation. I have been told by a few people who used to fly with him a lot he is the go to guy.

http://www.flytailwheel.com/

Tue Nov 04, 2008 7:40 pm

Try asking on the website for Stearman's. www.stearman.net

Tue Nov 04, 2008 9:17 pm

Why not just go straight to the top and see John Mohr 8)

Steve G

Mohr

Tue Nov 04, 2008 9:24 pm

Steve is right on target with that. If you have not seen John Mohr fly you have a treat in store. He does things in a Stock Stearman that most pilots don't do in a specialized acro plane. I think he is in the Minneapolis area, don't know if he teaches.

stearman instructor..

Tue Nov 04, 2008 11:17 pm

I had the extreme pleasure of getting 5.1 hrs of stearman instruction time
from Ms. Sarah Wilson who operates out of the Orlando FL area. She's
fantastic. I flew with her on 4 different occasions and had a blast. She
has a beautiful '42 stearman in army (blue & yellow) colors thats
gorgeous and handles like a dream. She's an instructor thats flown lots of
things and really knows how to teach to many levels. She got me through
a couple of mental blocks I had with my regular instructor working through
lazy 8's and other maneuvers while I work for my commercial ticket. This
is what she does for a living and I can't say a single bad thing about the
experience.

She's fun, she's tolerant, she's got a great demeanor with students and
her ability to teach and work out the bad habits we all get from time to time.

Plus, florida, especially for the next 6-7 months, is a great place to spend
a little flying time with the weather and all. :-).

Feel free to ping me via a message if you like and I can pass along her
contact info.

Good luck,

Henning

ps. If you want to test the waters of some T-6 time, I can recommend
warbird adventures down in Orlando area as well. I believe you may
be able to find WIX's Chuck Gardner down there doing some instruction/ rides
there in a couple weeks. I did a couple rides with them and had a blast
there as well.

Wed Nov 05, 2008 12:44 am

Hi Bones,

While I'm not an instructor per se, if you want to come down and talk Stearmans I'm only about an hour south of you. Stearman flying season might be over but I'm puting an N2S-3 together and have been flying my E75 for twenty some odd years now. While I'm not fit to even be in John Mohr's presence, I can take you to the place that makes the best homemade style cheeseburger (with a beer chaser) in all Alberta! :D

Dan
warbirds@shaw.ca

Wed Nov 05, 2008 1:06 am

Thanks for all the replies!
Hvd2Pilot and Dan Jones, we'll be in touch!

I did check "stearman.net" (that's what I meant when I said I was a member of the SRA, but upon re-reading it I didn't exactly mention the website but it's what I was thinking at the time), I didn't realize there was a forum there. I'll check that out though, so thanks.

I'll send out some PM's in the next few days for some contact info.

Thanks again everyone!

BTW, Dan, I took it out one last time on Saturday for an hour or so, I love fall flying because it's so smooth. The problem is you don't have any excuses (besides that bump in the runway that everyone knows isn't really there) for not greasing the landings.

Oh well, time to learn.

Wed Nov 05, 2008 9:02 am

Another plus for Sarah. She also has an L-4 that she gives instruction in.

Here is her website with contact info.

http://www.floridatailwheel.com/

Re: stearman instructor..

Wed Nov 05, 2008 9:57 am

henning wrote:I had the extreme pleasure of getting 5.1 hrs of stearman instruction time
from Ms. Sarah Wilson who operates out of the Orlando FL area. She's
fantastic. I flew with her on 4 different occasions and had a blast. She
has a beautiful '42 stearman in army (blue & yellow) colors thats
gorgeous and handles like a dream. She's an instructor thats flown lots of
things and really knows how to teach to many levels. She got me through
a couple of mental blocks I had with my regular instructor working through
lazy 8's and other maneuvers while I work for my commercial ticket. This
is what she does for a living and I can't say a single bad thing about the
experience.

She's fun, she's tolerant, she's got a great demeanor with students and
her ability to teach and work out the bad habits we all get from time to time.

Plus, florida, especially for the next 6-7 months, is a great place to spend
a little flying time with the weather and all. :-).

Feel free to ping me via a message if you like and I can pass along her
contact info.

Good luck,

Henning

ps. If you want to test the waters of some T-6 time, I can recommend
warbird adventures down in Orlando area as well. I believe you may
be able to find WIX's Chuck Gardner down there doing some instruction/ rides
there in a couple weeks. I did a couple rides with them and had a blast
there as well.


I did Stearman training with Sarah Wilson as well and second everything Henning said--she's an outstanding instructor and pilot. She makes it fun, enjoyable and a productive training experience. In 22 years of flying and 10,000+ plus flight hours I've flown with lots of instructors in the military, airlines, warbirds and general aviation and I consider Sarah among the best.

Wed Nov 05, 2008 10:18 am

Serious Stearman instructors.
John Lohmar in St. Louis 314-283-7278
Tom Lowe in Chicago 815-459-6873
and don't forget the National Stearman Fly-In http://www.stearmanflyin.com/
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