The wind in your hair

July 5, 2011 By Mike Collins

Time for a change of pace?

There may be nothing more fun in aviation—after your first solo, of course—than feeling the wind in your hair as you fly through a sultry summer evening. This is a sensation you can’t experience in many of today’s training airplanes. But for a change of pace, you may be able to sample something more airy at your airport, or nearby. This twin-engine Lockwood AirCam, originally designed as an aerial photography platform, has a very open cockpit. Other fun airplanes are easier to find; airplanes like the Piper Cub taildragger and the Fred Weick-designed Ercoupe allow you to fly with the side windows open. An open-cockpit biplane such as a Waco or a Stearman will offer a much different, and louder, open-air experience.

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Mike Collins

Technical Editor

Mike Collins, AOPA technical editor and director of business development, died at age 59 on February 25, 2021. He was an integral part of the AOPA Media team for nearly 30 years, and held many key editorial roles at AOPA Pilot, Flight Training, and AOPA Online. He was a gifted writer, editor, photographer, audio storyteller, and videographer, and was an instrument-rated pilot and drone pilot.

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The wind in your hair

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