Interesting morning

[Paul B]

One very interesting morning. Last night a somewhat on again off again gave me a text message asking what I wanted to do today. I told her I'll think of something but it'll be a surprise. Told he to meet me at the ouse about 9:30 AM and we'd go from there. W e ended up at the Tucson airport and I drove around pretending to look for something. Probably be more pretend that not as I haven't been there in years. Finally "found" the place and I said , "Let's go." The surprise was a half hour flight in a vintage 1930's Ford Trimotor, the original '."Tin Lizzie." What a boot! We had to wait for our flight, number four, as number three was yet to go. Talk about flying in class. Leather seats, more leg room than in first class for all passengers. Free air though a round hole in the window and windows large enough for even a lardo like to be almost able the crawl through. Flying the 1930's was truly an adventure. Naturally the flight was bumpy as hell it was probably some where in the mid 90s give or take and some of the thermals really pushed that old bird around. Tomorrow and Sunday there will be rides on Doc, a B29 super fortress. I gave it some thought toward treating myself but not at $600 a pop. BTW, it was $190 for my date and me. After the flight we had a long lazy lunch at Karichimaki which has some decent Mexican food. A nice Dos Exxes Amber to wash it all down was the icing on the cake.
Paul B.

 

[contender]

Ahh, a Tin Lizzie! VERY nice!

Sounds like y'all had a really nice day for sure!

 

[Taterman]

Very cool!

 

[protoolman]

Wow a really cool plane for sure. I would love that.

 

[dobegrant.45]

Awesome, love them old planes

 

[Kevin]

That sounds like a lot of fun! Hope your friend was impressed!

 

[Paul B]

"She was." Matter of fact we had a late lunch today. Who knows. This might go somewhere yet. So far it's been somewhat platonic. It would not hurt my feeling if things heated up a bit. She's awful purty.
Paul B.

 

[jimbo1096]

Sounds like it be a great time. I love to do something like that but they don’t have any older planes anywhere around here. We had the B-29 here a couple years ago , but I’m like you couldn’t afford the fare. I did fly on the B-24 Liberator and that was a blast. They also had a P-51 out but I don’t remember the name of it.

 

[Paul B]

"Sounds like it be a great time. I love to do something like that but they don't have any older planes anywhere around here. We had the B-29 here a couple years ago , but I'm like you couldn't afford the fare. I did fly on the B-24 Liberator and that was a blast. They also had a P-51 out but I don't remember the name of it."

The outfit that runs the Trimotor also runs the B25, B17,B24 and B29. They also have the P51. The B25 was $250, B17 was $450 B29 $600 and the P51, the only one I really want to take a ride in was, please be seated or lying down, $2,500. All I can say is that plane must really suck up the fuel. And I complain about the price of gas.
Paul B.

 

[Bob Wright]

Wow! All I did was go to the Senior Saints luncheon at my church.

Bob Wright

 

[Hvymax]

"Sounds like it be a great time. I love to do something like that but they don't have any older planes anywhere around here. We had the B-29 here a couple years ago , but I'm like you couldn't afford the fare. I did fly on the B-24 Liberator and that was a blast. They also had a P-51 out but I don't remember the name of it."

The outfit that runs the Trimotor also runs the B25, B17,B24 and B29. They also have the P51. The B25 was $250, B17 was $450 B29 $600 and the P51, the only one I really want to take a ride in was, please be seated or lying down, $2,500. All I can say is that plane must really suck up the fuel. And I complain about the price of gas.
Paul B.

Planes kinda cost per flight. So a plane that can take 20-30 or more on a leisurely trundle through the sky vs a high performance fighter that can only take 1 will cost considerably more per person.

 

[bedfordboy]

When I turned 60 I was in Kitty Hawk NC, went over to Manteo and took a ride in this original 1942 plane (maybe someone can help me with the model) We flew over Andy Griffin’s house then over the Wright Memorial, then up the beach to where my wife and daughters were, pilot waved the wings to them and they were waving to us. Then did the reverse back to the airport, very memorable experience for my 60th. Unknown to either of us at the time but my twin brother was doing the exact same thing that day down near Oak Island NC… coincidence or ESP, don’t know but we both couldn’t believe it when we talked later that day

 

[Wyandot Jim]

The Waco you flew in is a new model of the WACO YMF-5 which was first built in the 30s. Most all of the planes built in the early 40s were for the military. Waco built the UPF-7 for the military's primary training in 1942.

Glad you had a great flight and no better place to do it. We have been to the beginning of Aviation several times and enjoyed every time.


The very best things in life are ageless. They are imbued with a classic sense of design, impeccable workmanship, dependable functionality and an aesthetic appeal that defies the passage of time. So it is with the WACO YMF-5. If you appreciate the successful fusion of classic and contemporary, if you aspire to be the very best, it's time — your time. Time for the WACO YMF-5.

What is the essence of the WACO experience? It is the essence of flying. Stick and rudder, seat-of-the-pants flying. The thrill of an open-cockpit biplane with the wind tugging at your cheek, watching four wings and four ailerons working their magic, feeling the basso profondo that is a radial engine in full song. This is sport flying. This is passion.

 

[KIR]

I liked the part of the Dos XX!

 

[Paul B]

"I liked the part of the Dos XX!"

Me too.
Paul B.

 

[ned]

One very interesting morning. Last night a somewhat on again off again gave me a text message asking what I wanted to do today. I told her I'll think of something but it'll be a surprise. Told he to meet me at the ouse about 9:30 AM and we'd go from there. W e ended up at the Tucson airport and I drove around pretending to look for something. Probably be more pretend that not as I haven't been there in years. Finally "found" the place and I said , "Let's go." The surprise was a half hour flight in a vintage 1930's Ford Trimotor, the original '."Tin Lizzie." What a boot! We had to wait for our flight, number four, as number three was yet to go. Talk about flying in class. Leather seats, more leg room than in first class for all passengers. Free air though a round hole in the window and windows large enough for even a lardo like to be almost able the crawl through. Flying the 1930's was truly an adventure. Naturally the flight was bumpy as hell it was probably some where in the mid 90s give or take and some of the thermals really pushed that old bird around. Tomorrow and Sunday there will be rides on Doc, a B29 super fortress. I gave it some thought toward treating myself but not at $600 a pop. BTW, it was $190 for my date and me. After the flight we had a long lazy lunch at Karichimaki which has some decent Mexican food. A nice Dos Exxes Amber to wash it all down was the icing on the cake.
Paul B.

So Glad you got a ride in the Trimotor....they used to bring one to the World Freefall conventions when I was an active jumper....what a unique experience to step out of that grand old plane...we were always very respectful....had wicker seats as I recall. Probably the slowest in flight plane I ever jumped. I didn't know it, or Doc, were in Tucson....I'd have been there.

 

[Paul B]

So Glad you got a ride in the Trimotor....they used to bring one to the World Freefall conventions when I was an active jumper....what a unique experience to step out of that grand old plane...we were always very respectful....had wicker seats as I recall. Probably the slowest in flight plane I ever jumped. I didn't know it, or Doc, were in Tucson....I'd have been there.

The one I was in had leather seats. Sometimes Facebook can be useful as that's how I found out about the flight.
Paul B.

 

[watashie00]

One very interesting morning. Last night a somewhat on again off again gave me a text message asking what I wanted to do today. I told her I'll think of something but it'll be a surprise. Told he to meet me at the ouse about 9:30 AM and we'd go from there. W e ended up at the Tucson airport and I drove around pretending to look for something. Probably be more pretend that not as I haven't been there in years. Finally "found" the place and I said , "Let's go." The surprise was a half hour flight in a vintage 1930's Ford Trimotor, the original '."Tin Lizzie." What a boot! We had to wait for our flight, number four, as number three was yet to go. Talk about flying in class. Leather seats, more leg room than in first class for all passengers. Free air though a round hole in the window and windows large enough for even a lardo like to be almost able the crawl through. Flying the 1930's was truly an adventure. Naturally the flight was bumpy as hell it was probably some where in the mid 90s give or take and some of the thermals really pushed that old bird around. Tomorrow and Sunday there will be rides on Doc, a B29 super fortress. I gave it some thought toward treating myself but not at $600 a pop. BTW, it was $190 for my date and me. After the flight we had a long lazy lunch at Karichimaki which has some decent Mexican food. A nice Dos Exxes Amber to wash it all down was the icing on the cake.
Paul B.

Maybe its age,,, or cynicsim and resignation that rules me,,, but I was thinking how nice your story was,,,, what a great thing that gal did,,, and then I wondered,,, " If you married her,,, would that continue or not?" kinda dark I know,, but the on again off again thing made me think

 

[Paul B]

I doubt marriage might be on the table, although I wouldn't mine if something like that would take place. There's a it of and age difference with her being 52 and me a well ripened 85. I enjoy the time as little as there is. I've been widowed since march of 2019. I'm well aged, like a fine wine of scotch single malt whiskey.
Paul B.

 

[KIR]

OP mentioned Tucson. My cousin just sent me a cookbook called Taste of Tucson with a lot of Sonoran cuisine recipes in it. However, there was one recipe that really got my attention and had me laughing for 15 minutes. It was called Matzabondigas. It is a combo of Matzaballs and Albondigas (Mexican Meatball Soup). If you are not laughing at this combo...well I guess you either have to be Jewish or Mexican to get it. I can't wait to make it up.

See, how I subtly changed the subject? I do that a lot and I do apologize, if I stole someone's thunder.