We meet many members as we travel about the country, covering events, airshows, and putting together stories. The common thing that brings us together is our love of flying—and the love of our own flying carpets, our airplanes. So, we ask: “Why do you love your airplane?”
1979 Bellanca 8GCBC Scout “The Scout is a good off-road 4x4 airplane, with good short-field performance, and it has a lot of power with a cruise prop attached.” Bob Dobry. Crescent City, Florida.
1976 Grumman AA-5A Cheetah “I like this airplane because it’s fun to fly, it’s economical, and it’s just a joy” to experience the airplane’s “really light, responsive control. It feels like it’s an extension of you.” Leon Jackler. Silver Spring, Maryland
1953 Mooney Mite “I appreciate the efficiency, economy, and speed that you get out of this great performing airplane,” outfitted with a 65-horsepower Continental engine, a wooden Sensenich propeller, and manually operated retractable landing gear. Matthew Parrott. New Carlisle, Ohio
1946 Grumman Widgeon “I consider it the Holy Grail of aviation flying. I’ve enjoyed it for the last 24 years. It’s a little tricky, sometimes, on water—there’s some porpoising that has to be corrected—but aside from that it’s a wonderful, solid, machine." Barry Holtz. Rochester, New York
Would you like to tell us why you love your airplane?
Send a photo and information to[email protected] subject line “WILMA” and look for it in an upcoming issue.
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.