[youtube]https://youtu.be/qvINVLw2oAI[/youtube]

I had a fascinating conversation with a gentleman last night about 2 of his antique airplanes. I had called about one and we ended up pivoting to another. Along the way he told me stories about his flying career, his father's and acquaintenanceship with several historical figures everyone here would know.

This is just one of many similar conversations I've had as I look at old airplanes. As I do I'm talking to old men. The conversations are interesting on a number of levels. One is just the kind of hangar flying talk that doesn't really exist anymore, or at least not the way it did when we actually hung out at the airport. But there are also insights gained into these old airplanes which is in many cases fascinating. Often I hear comments that the seller is contemplating the sale of a family member. It's an emotional thing and the sense that we both love these old airplanes is bonding.

There seems to be not so much a transaction pending as a transition. These guys want to be treated fairly of course but I think often are more interested in knowing that their airplane's stewardship is passing to a kindred spirit. I can't buy them all, of course, and sometimes there is a big disconnect betwen what the owner thinks he has and what actually exists. But regardless of that its interesting to see, again, how quickly a relationship which isn't strictly commercial arises between two people who share a similar passion from different vantage points. These guys like to talk and it's fun to listen.

The only time I've ever called a "call for price" ad was helping a friend look for an ercoupe. He wanted something to fly for fun with his young son and he had an injured foot that made it hard to use rudder pedals when it flared up.

The plane was close by and seemed a perfect fit. "Call for price" turned into "come down for a visit and we'll talk" still with no price. We went to meet the elderly gentleman, the plane's 2nd owner. We spent a half hour looking at the plane and then the rest of the afternoon on the front porch drinking lemonade and listening to him and his wife revisit all the trips they made in the little coupe. They took a liking to my friend, the conversation was light-hearted but I could see them making mental notes approving of his young family, his profession, his Church, etc. The old man disappeared into the house to freshen up his glass, and returned with a bill of sale signed for a price of $1. So my friend had his first airplane, but more importantly we had made some new friends.

That's a nice story Jeff. I enjoyed reading it!

We all must be ambassadors for all types because at some point they will all be antiques. I can tell you this. You can go to any fly-in and see all kinds of neat aircraft flying. But when you go to places like Brodhead, or Blakesburg, etc, you begin to understand the grandeur and passion for the older stuff. As much as it is about the airplanes, its the people that make it what it is.

I am so sorry if that's how I came across, Chuck. I was simply lamenting tht when some of these airplanes get donated, their flying days are over when the sponsorship ends. I think I threw in the word usually because I've seen cases where it didn't. The C-3B I mentioned was from a flying museum that actually closed and sold it off to an individual.

I think overall the numbers tend to go the other way. I would never bad mouth an organization attempting to showcase flying history, just lamenting that often those airplanes end up as static displays so that some owner can avoid taxes.

My disclaimer is that I could be completely wrong. In fact I hope I am.