Stearman Found!

Yesterday I told of the loss of my Stearman... The video tells the rest of the story! I flew over an hour of video recon over our southern woods over several 12 minute flights. A few minutes of twisty ride over the woods and stuff in this vid to share with you how dense the woods are, though they are not that wide! I really enjoyed flying the Alpha on a "mission", a flight with purpose, and it improved my flying confidence remarkably. Stick with it to the end, the flight part is not too long. Do notice the sweet, sweet landing (can you tell when the wheels start to spin; that's when it lands of course)? Here are a few stills:

Professional corporate jet pilot, hang gliding, outdoors crazy man George Vilchez made it a quest to find my Stearman. He told his son he wasn't coming out without it! He put on his jeans and long sleeved shirt, strapped on his machete and bushwacked his way through the woods. He emerged an hour later with my Stearman in his hands! He found it deep in the forest, just above the ground, well hidden by the tree canopy, about 30 yards north of the southern edge of the woods, nearly dead in the center. I ran over and hugged him as he came out, I was so giddy with joy and appreciation!

No major damage, no breaks in her cote! Can you believe that?

Some of the delicate parts of the engine cowl are broken off. Doesn't look like it matters much!

This strut is cracked (thought they were aluminum, not balsa), and there is a cracked rib on the fuse just behind the pilot. No other damage!

I cannot express my appreciation more grandly to Bill for helping me walk the edge of the woods yesterday, and to George, for making my Stearman's return his personal quest. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Now, I will fly her with the reverence a miracle plane deserves!