FAYETTEVILLE, WV (WOAY) – On this National Aviation Day, Wild Blue Adventure’s Bill Chouinard calls flight ‘one of the most magical yet accessible things we’re able to do as human beings.’
WBA resides on the grounds of the more than 70-year-old Frank Thomas Memorial Airport.
“Generations of pilots have come here to learn to fly, to experience flight,” said Chouinard. “It’s a pretty amazing thing to be continuing sort of Frank’s tradition here, giving rides and introducing to people flying and also doing lessons in a 1943 Boeing Stearman.”
For centuries we’ve been intrigued by flight. Pioneers of the skies, the Wright Brothers forever changed the trajectory of human flight.
Chouinard says he’s lucky to be able to fly both antique Legacy airplanes like the Stearman and modern airplanes.
“There is something special about flying in a piece of history like this,” the pilot said. “It’s very different than a modern airplane, and I think it provides people with a unique perspective of exactly what aviators did need to go through in sort of the Golden Era of flying.”
Learning to fly in Legacy airplanes, Chouinard’s first was a 1939 J4 Cub. He had 800 or 900 hours before he took to the sky in an electrically-equipped modern plane; and learned hand-propping and flying with no radios or navigational equipment, just using a map or compass.
“That’s sort of a dying way to learn; most people are learning in sort of more modern ways,” said the pilot. “But these planes are out there to be purchased and operated, and they integrate well into the modern system that the FAA provides us.”
‘Is it safe to fly in this 81-year-old aircraft?’ Chouinard often gets asked. On this National Aviation Day and beyond, safety is of the utmost importance. He doesn’t fly unless it’s 100 percent safe.
“It is an 81-year-old airplane, and it’s been safely operated for 81 years,” the pilot said.
“It’s gonna provide you with this unique experience, and so I encourage everybody to come and fly with us.”
