RyanShort1
Final Approach
This week marks 100 years of military aviation in San Antonio, TX. Tomorrow, there will be ceremonies and events at Fort Sam Houston where the first flight took place off of the parade grounds under the pilotage of Lt. Benjamin Foulois.
The replica Wright B Flyer bird flew this morning at Stinson Municipal Airport. I wasn't here in time to catch the first test flight, but one of our guys from the Alamo Liaison Squadron flew alongside with a photographer in the Legend Cub. The air-to-air shots below are courtesy of Timothy Gaffney at: http://timothyrgaffney.com Most of the ground shots (from the Texas Air Museum hangar) are mine.
WBF pilots Rich Stepler (left, in right seat) and Don Stroud of Dayton, OH prepare to test fly Wright "B" Flyer No. 001 on Stinson Airport in San Antonio, TX in preparation for tomorrow's Military Flight Centennial.
WBF pilots Rich Stepler (L, in right seat) and Don Stroud of Dayton, OH, lift off on Wright "B" Flyer No. 001's first test flight at Stinson Airport in San Antonio, TX in preparation for tomorrow's Military Flight Centennial.
WBF pilots Rich Stepler and Don Stroud tested Wright "B" Flyer No. 001 and made a photo flight at Stinson Airport in San Antonio, TX in preparation for tomorrow's Military Flight Centennial.
WBF pilots Rich Stepler and Don Stroud land Wright "B" Flyer No. 001 on the numbers after successful test flights and and a photo flight at Stinson Airport in San Antonio, TX in preparation for tomorrow's Military Flight Centennial.
Here are a few of my shots:
Don't forget the guys who work to bring the machine to us! Here's the maintenance crew with the pilot.
The folks flying the Flyer B are careful to note that this aircraft is a replica, and has some significant differences from the original for safety reasons, but the aircraft was designed so that at flying distances, it is virtually indistinguishable from the original except for trained observers (like here :wink
. It actually weighs about 3 1/2 times as much as the original aircraft and has a modern steel tubing structure, engine, working radios and transponder, and a few other "niceties".
For those nearby who are interested in military history, noted author Col. C.V. Glines, author of a number of significant military history books is also in town today talking about military "greats" he has known including Gen. Foulois.
Check the links below for other information or related updates:
Don't forget that we have a nice little museum here on the field called the Texas Air Museum as well as a decent cafe!
Ryan
The replica Wright B Flyer bird flew this morning at Stinson Municipal Airport. I wasn't here in time to catch the first test flight, but one of our guys from the Alamo Liaison Squadron flew alongside with a photographer in the Legend Cub. The air-to-air shots below are courtesy of Timothy Gaffney at: http://timothyrgaffney.com Most of the ground shots (from the Texas Air Museum hangar) are mine.
WBF pilots Rich Stepler (left, in right seat) and Don Stroud of Dayton, OH prepare to test fly Wright "B" Flyer No. 001 on Stinson Airport in San Antonio, TX in preparation for tomorrow's Military Flight Centennial.
WBF pilots Rich Stepler (L, in right seat) and Don Stroud of Dayton, OH, lift off on Wright "B" Flyer No. 001's first test flight at Stinson Airport in San Antonio, TX in preparation for tomorrow's Military Flight Centennial.
WBF pilots Rich Stepler and Don Stroud tested Wright "B" Flyer No. 001 and made a photo flight at Stinson Airport in San Antonio, TX in preparation for tomorrow's Military Flight Centennial.
WBF pilots Rich Stepler and Don Stroud land Wright "B" Flyer No. 001 on the numbers after successful test flights and and a photo flight at Stinson Airport in San Antonio, TX in preparation for tomorrow's Military Flight Centennial.
Here are a few of my shots:
Don't forget the guys who work to bring the machine to us! Here's the maintenance crew with the pilot.
The folks flying the Flyer B are careful to note that this aircraft is a replica, and has some significant differences from the original for safety reasons, but the aircraft was designed so that at flying distances, it is virtually indistinguishable from the original except for trained observers (like here :wink
. It actually weighs about 3 1/2 times as much as the original aircraft and has a modern steel tubing structure, engine, working radios and transponder, and a few other "niceties".For those nearby who are interested in military history, noted author Col. C.V. Glines, author of a number of significant military history books is also in town today talking about military "greats" he has known including Gen. Foulois.
Check the links below for other information or related updates:
- http://www.samhouston.army.mil/pao/Foulois.aspx
http://stinsons.org/FlightOfficers/Foulois Cent.html
http://www.stinsonfield.com
Don't forget that we have a nice little museum here on the field called the Texas Air Museum as well as a decent cafe!
Ryan
