Cross America Flight: Do we make it? Stearman Biplane Delivery Adventure!

John Pike and his daughter Becki, of Big Sky Stearman, in Sandy, Oregon, agree to fly a tired Stearman Biplane cross counrty to deliver the plane to it's new owner. Little did they know the plane still had a few bugs to resolve (thanks to its hard life as a crop duster). Join them on their adventure, attempting to fly from Oregon to Minnesota in an open cockpit biplane.
Let the Ground Loops begin!
This video is brought to you by Big Sky Stearman Swag Store (tee shirts and mugs) at www.BigSkyStearman.Etsy.com
Check out the NEW "Ground Loop Certified" tee shirt and mug design, inspired by this cross country adventure.
Video also shows the disassembly of the Stearman and packing it in to a Penske truck.
Big Sky Stearman is a full service vintage aircraft restoration shop.
www.BigSkyStearman.com
www.BigSkyStearman.Etsy.com

[@tinlizzie37]

This fine plane was the first tail wheel airplane I flew! After I checked out in it, any tail wheeled aircraft , was easy! The first Stearman was N 206 J, and N 73449 . I enjoyed 20 years of flying one. Great experience !

[@LJDRVR]

Sorry to see you have to go through that. Glad nobody got hurt.

[@wadesaxton6079]

Thanks for sharing your adventure with us. I used to fly a WACO for an owner that was scared of it. He said it would randomly dart left or right. He would fly from the front seat enroute and I would handle the landings and departures from the back. After a month or so of going to fly ins or airshows for static displays with this guy, on landing it took off to right on a calm, looking wonderful landing. I used everything, and a lot of rubber to keep it on the pavement, it was ugly. I couldn’t find a problem. A few more good landings, then it did it again…. I bowed out. Another mechanic could not find anything wrong. That mechanic went and flew it with the owner and they ground looped it. Got the wing. They sold it. It’s been through a few owners around the country since then. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@larrykrise3609]

love the sterman enjoyed the vidieo

[@dganschow]

Enjoyed every minute. Thanks for sharing and the technical work and explanation. I live in Sandy and have a Stinson 108-1 I'm working on. I teach AMT classes at PCC and one of my students, Grayson, has done some work for you. Would love to come by and see your operation someday.

[@peteshaslloyd2207]

Had the same problem with a stearman I worked on ,,,, found out it was the landing gear strut was bent ,,,, would only retract when all the weight was on it …. All at one time. Takes a real pilot to do those x country trips

[@eriklindgren5870]

Very excited to see new video from you John. You may remember you built two new Stearman lower wings for me in 2018 due to a ground loop incident. It not a fun feeling. But we fixed the tail wheel spline due to wear and installed the new wings and have had no ground handling issues since. And the new wings are amazing. Great work to Big Sky Stearman!! Blue skys and tail winds (except on landing). 😉

[@stevesingleton2148]

I just discovered your channel and really enjoyed watching. The ground loop was really sad to see i look forward to seeing you getting the plane fixed to remedy the issue. We have been blessed to have a strip to fly a couple Champs and a Chief off of.

[@markburton8680]

My father soloed in a Stearman early 1940’s Army Air Corps, flew 20 of his 29 year career. Sure miss my hero!

[@rogermcglaughlin3854]

Lotsa flying fun.......THANKS!!

[@jimksa67]

Good show! Good luck on tracing down the related problems and fair skys for 24!!

[@pianogal853]

Great musical choices and editing, Becki!

[@pianogal853]

I'm impressed that you got recordings from your flight mics!

[@ClearedAsFiled]

OMG..what an epic flight.....just AWESOME 😊...learning experience for sure!!

[@user-uk8ro7rk5n]

I had similar directional problems on the roll out with my Stearman. Turns out the tailwheel assembly had been fitted incorrectly with the lock to rudder feature working only in reverse.

[@doncollins786]

Damned shame about the damage. A close friend of mine has a Stearman and he has promised me a ride. I am not a Pilot, I am an A&P, I will be happy to sit back and enjoy the ride, maybe get a little stick time.

[@kotwa]

You guys are incredible. What a journey. Beautiful Stearman anyway.

[@user-os9nb8dn2x]

Hi John and daughter. Yes, an adventure indeed to say the least, but thank you for sharing this with us. A great educational video for sure. Sure sorry it happened the way it did. I finished restoring my Stearman in 2010 and you sold me the wood kits for the center section and lower wing inspection doors which I was thankful for. I am based at at Martin Airfield S95 in College Place WA where we are blessed with grass and pavement. It does certainly like that grass for sure. If you have any more adventures please continue to share. You are appreciated!!!!

[@skywagon19c]

My wife and I had the pleasure of meeting you and Alinda at the Cashmere Dryden Airport several years ago. We have the hangar and a 1954 Cessna 180 just to the east of Dan Stewarts hangar. Sure enjoyed the video of you and your daughter flying the Stearman. Just subscribed and look forward to more video's and seeing your business in Sandy, Ore.

[@wilgarcia1]

Well at least you're all safe and its repairable =)

[@allenshirley1077]

Enjoyed this start to the journey. Made me remember the book about two teenage brothers who flew from New Jersey to California in a Cub which could barely clear the lowest Rockies pass. Subscribed to get updates and journey part two! Thanks!

[@colindoyle2225]

'Flight of Passage' by Rinker Buck

[@SpruceSculptures]

Interesting, I found a 1/3 scale version I built also was squirrely on hard surface but grass was very stable.

[@orvjudd1383]

You did it right. Great job!

[@TheSiriusProject]

I few yrs ago I was an active banner tow pilot with about 90 hrs in a Balanca Eagle biplane. It had a nasty tailwheel shimmy ever since I started flying it. One day with just a slight right crosswind I couldn’t stop the turn into the wind with the tailwheel shimmy and drifted off the runway. I got a bit aggressive on the brakes and flipped it over the nose. Cracked the upper right wing and center section not to mention destroying the prop and damaging the cowl and engine. I believe it is still not flying but almost complete in repairs. YES it will crush your confidence. Should have insisted we fix that shimmy.

[@SailorPilot]

I wanna fly this thing one day. 🥰

[@brentdykgraaf184]

Groundloop gremlins live in the F.B.O.'s bushes.....waiting for a taildragger to attack !

[@pianogal853]

I'm surprised to see it was already finished and you were flying it!

[@user-th8pz9sc4d]

Я ни слова не понял, что вы там говорили, но Я получил большое удовольствие от того, что увидел !!! У нас в России нельзя запускать даже детские воздушные змеи. !!!Штраф 500 долларов!!! Thank you very much!!!

[@peteshaslloyd2207]

Forgot 🤗 A roll of 3 in duct tape handy to have ! As a kid i ferried fabric aircraft back to the shop to get a new skin ..

[@jasonbarnes9664]

Happy new year from Maine. I too dislike when the phone changes location when not even close to the border.

[@robertthompson9455]

Keep that tail wheel in the air as long as possible.....

[@bdr3125]

My dad was a crop duster,had Stearmans to start with in the early 70's he always landed on the wheels and kept the tail up,every tail wheel airplane he ever flew he never 3 point landed them,and before the comments he had over 15,000 hours and never bent an airplane doing some of the most dangerous flying, he also was a water bomber pilot for the forestry service

[@veryblueeyes100]

Better is to made Wheel Landings for safer handling! I have ca. 900 Hours on a Stearman and never I made a ground Loop

[@TheBuldog2000]

🙏🙏🙏

[@MrGunPilot]

What brand helmet/headset/goggles do you use and or recommend?

[@Logan-ce2uh]

Where is the video number 2. ? come on.

[@TheBuldog2000]

🙏🙏👍🌞👌

[@TheBuldog2000]

🙏🙏👌✅🌞

[@stacase]

Gee, I hate to be critical ....... But, who did the annual? No investigation after the first incident? No taxi test after the alignment with the broomsticks? Did the FAA get involved? When you get stuck on the active runway and have to get towed in, your phone rings. Well I hope my negative comments aren't regarded as out of line.

[@user-qw8ij7bx2g]

The scissors bushings were worn out. The airplane would have had to be jacked from the wing Jack points in order to discover the problem. We had jacked from the axle to adjust the brakes and service the bearings. The FAA finding was satisfactorily concluded with no violations. Taxi tests were inconclusive and two subsequent landings were manageable after adjustments. Thanks for your inquiry. JP

[@stacase]

Thanks for replying to my Monday morning quarterback remarks. I'm nearly 80 and a low hour non instrument rated pilot and I sold my Cessna 152 last year. I made enough errors in the ten years I owned it while perusing the $100 hamburger to finally realize I should stay on the ground. Yes, I did have to be towed off the runway with a dead battery and the FAA called me up to ask how that happened and also contacted the shop that performed the annual. Best wishes for you in the new year! Stay safe and have a blast (-: @@user-qw8ij7bx2g