I had very mixed feelings to see my old "warbird" Aeronca Champ dismantled and shipped off to Philly. This is the second aircraft I ever bought and the first I ever sold. How hard to let her go!
I had many fun hours flying this little slow bird. My favorite part was coming in too high - is it a problem? - and slipping her down to land. I loved prop starting her, and the simplicity of those six little round gauges on the panel. Nothing fancy, nothing fast, no flash. Just flying at its most basic level.
N83547 will always hold a special place in my life. Fly long and well, old girl!
Can't say enough abut how flying a Champ teaches one about flying. There is no more visceral, connected, direct experience of aerodynamic principles, nor is there any more sheer delight than in the feel of this little plane interacting with the air and ground. Countless pilots over many generations have cut their teeth on a Champ, and countless more coming to "real" flying later in their career find it changes everything about how they relate to their other craft.
ReplyDeleteginny, 2WA1