Being married to my instructor gives me some perks both in and out of the cockpit (tee hee). Getting my tailwheel endorsement in a 1942 open cockpit biplane is just one of them. This fall I logged my first hours in the Stearman, which included plenty of miles on the tires from high-speed taxis and a couple not-so-pretty take-offs and landings (with plenty of instructor assistance). Don't be surprised if when the weather gets warmer you see the stock Stearman in the sky and Brian let stranded on the ground. Oh, who am I kidding. He'll be right alongside me in close formation. Until then, I'll just work on my checklist and fantasize about new fun flying experiences... like breaking the sound barrier in a 1942 stock Stearman.

Brian is getting ready to convert av-gas into smoke and noise with our North American SNJ-5 Texan on a brisk winter morning.  With a 12-to-1 blower installed, he's probably heading out for some aerobatic fun by the lake and proving once again that he lives his personal motto, "fly it like you stole it."