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ISSUE 575 - March 2019
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| Slow and Low: Ontario to Illinois in a Stearman - Part II |
By Kevin Moore, Contributing
Editor & Photographer
Watford, Ontario, Canada |
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| Bruce flying C-GSDK over farmland, south of Sarnia, Ontario, Canada |
| Last week we started our journey from a small farm airstrip near Sarnia, Ontario in a 1941 Boeing Stearman, owned & flown by Bruce Bond. This week, we return to our flight enroute to Galesburg, Illinois. |
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| Our first fuel stop, Branch County Memorial Airport, Coldwater, MI, left. Looking over the nose and engine as we head westward, right. |
| Our first stop for a break and fuel enroute was Branch County Memorial Airport (OEB) in Coldwater, MI. Unfortunately, being a long, holiday weekend, the airport cafe had just closed as we taxied in. It was a very, very hot day and, despite being closed, one of the cafe staff was kind enough to bring us out 2 large cups of iced water which was very much appreciated. We sat and went over the next stage of our route before getting back into the aeroplane, into the air and heading westward once again. |
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| The joys of Stearman radial flying, oil leaks from the engine. Some are worse than others and that's why you always carry extra engine oil! |
| Being an open cockpit aircraft, you have to deal with wind. Being an open cockpit aircraft with a big radial engine slung on the nose in front of you, you have to deal with oil. Lots of oil. The longer you're in the air the more the oil coats everything. Windscreens. Struts. Wires. Wings. Fuselage. You! Recommended clothing for flying in a Stearman is anything you don't care about having oil on. It's one of those things you simply accept if you want to fly, or fly in, one of these beautiful old aircraft. |
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| On final for Valparaiso Airport in Indiana for a break and fuel, left. SDK on the ramp at Valparaiso Airport, awaiting our return to the sky, right. |
We continue our flight and make our next stop for a break and fuel at Valparaiso, Porter County Regional Airport (VPZ) in Indiana. Once the fuel tank was topped up, we were strapped in, back in the air and on our way. It had turned into a beautiful day with some summer cumulous clouds above our heads and nothing but green below us, with the occasional small town or distant city passing below or off our wing. |
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| As we enter the circuit for Greater Kankakee Airport, we notice it likely won't be too long before sunset, left. On final for Greater Kankakee Airport, right. |
| The headwind was still slapping our nose and slowing us down. The combination of leaving late due to weather and the winds meant we were now facing the impending sunset in just a few hours. However, knowing we weren't really that far from Galesburg, IL we flew along, content with being in the air and enjoying a glorious, if not hot, summer day. However, those head winds meant we needed one more fuel stop before making it to Galesburg so we headed for Greater Kankakee County Airport (IKK). |
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| Tied down at Greater Kankakee where we had to stop for the night as we felt there just wasn't enough daylight left to safely make it to Galesburg. |
| While at Kankakee we met some folks who had flown in from New York, on their way back to Wisconsin, in their twin. With the time of day they made the decision to stay the night and, with the sun looking low on the horizon, we made the same decision. With the Stearman fueled and tucked in for the night with tie downs, cockpit cover and control locks on we headed for our hotel and then a meal. |
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A beautiful morning at Greater Kankakee Airport. |
| The next morning we made our way to the airport where we removed the cockpit cover, untied the tie downs, packed our gear back into the aeroplane and Bruce completed the aircraft daily inspection. We strapped in, taxied out and took off for our short flight to Galesburg Airport (GBG) and the National Stearman Fly-in 2018. We were flying in beautiful weather but knew we might be facing some stormy weather by the time we arrived at Galesburg, and we did. |
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After the storm had passed, of which you can see some storm clouds in the background,
it was a beautiful day at Galesburg Airport, Illinois. |
| Just as we landed it started to pour. It came down in buckets, in pools, and it came down horizontally for about 30 minutes. We managed to get the aeroplane to its parking area. Bruce decided to tie down the Stearman as the winds were really blowing, though it seemed to be handling the winds fine but better to be safe than sorry. Within about 2 hours of landing, we were back in the air for an air-to-air shoot. So, come back next week for the National Stearman Fly-in 2018 - Part I article and lots more Stearman! |
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| At the beginning of our journey, we passed over the Canada/US border, the St. Clair River, just south of Sarnia, Ontario, Canada and Port Huron, Michigan, USA, left. Another view of Valparasio, Porter County Regional Airport, Indiana, right, as we fly the downwind leg of the circuit. |
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Next week we visit the 2018 National Stearman Fly-in at Galesburg Airport, Illinois. |
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