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News & Media Why I love my Airplane

Remarkable aircraft

Every aircraft has a story

August 1, 2024 By David Tulis

After the D.C. Flover in May we realized how remarkable each and every aircraft is and how speical they are to their owners. And, we learned, every aircraft has a story to tell. Enjoy these!

Click on the images to read more about these aircraft and their owners.
Kodiak 900, “First off, it’s a brand-new airplane, certified in 2022. It has all the features and benefits of the Kodiak 100, which is STOL, new, modern, safe, and the 900 improves that by going 30 to 35 knots faster, carrying a little bit more load, and it’s about four feet longer. You have all the benefits of the Kodiak 100, and it flies at 210 knots true." Mark Brown, Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas. 1944 Howard DGA-15, “It’s a war veteran, it was built for the Navy, and was used as an air ambulance aircraft called the Nightingale. It had two stretchers in the back and the pilot in the front. In the early 1990s, it was in the film Bugsy with Warren Beatty. It’s just a practical traveling airplane.” Steve Fulton, Helena, Montana GC-1B Globe Swift “It’s the best of all worlds. It’s a good cross-country airplane that I can cruise at 135 knots-plus and it’s aerobatic so I can tip it upside down.”Paul Mercandetti, Knoxville, Tennessee. 1946 North American Navion, “We love the airplane. It’s docile, it’s reasonably fast, you can haul a load, and you can see out of it.” Rusty Herrington, Statesboro, Georgia.
David Tulis
David Tulis
Senior Photographer
Senior Photographer David Tulis joined AOPA in 2015 and is a private pilot with single-engine land and sea ratings and a tailwheel endorsement. He is also a certificated remote pilot and co-host of the award-wining AOPA Hangar Talk podcast. David enjoys vintage aircraft and photography.
Go to David Tulis's Profile

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