British Airways can trace its origins back to the birth of civil aviation, the pioneering days following World War I. In the 90 years that have passed since the world’s first schedule air service on 25 August 1919, air travel has changed beyond all recognition. Each decade saw new developments and challenges, which shaped the path for the future. Take a look at the different eras of air travel to see how British Airways became the airline it is today.

After 61 years and six months the Barn Cub took off just after 5:00 Thursday evening. She flew well. Take off roll was very short due to a 12 knot cold front that knocked the temperature down from mid 50’s to 40. Everything checked out okay and it is still somewhat surreal. She was a lot of work. Total time on the airframe since new is now 198 hours and six minutes.

As for the bare fairings, those will be painted in the new year. Aside from that and a few small touches she is almost finished! Acknowledgement is due to the following:

The Moseley Family, for trusting the Cub would be done right.

Thank you for the products, services, guidance, do’s & don’ts, inspiration and everything else in between. What a journey!

Jared Calvert

David Martin’s airshow in his Bücker Jungmeister at AirVenture 2011.

2009 and 2010 Ranger Fly-In & Airshow attendees will recognize both plane and pilot in this Oshkosh performance with David’s signature snap-dance and Bevo Howard finale. The Bücker is powered by its original, exposed rocker arm, 165 h.p. Siemans radial.

Grass cut? Check. FAA Waiver? Check. 30 briskets? Check. Performers? Check.

Everything was set up for another record year at Ranger, but a stationary front to the north and compressional warming caused by a high to the south had different plans. More simply, it was very hot, and very windy. What a difference wind makes. In total, 66 aircraft braved the wind and attended Ranger‘s fourth fly-in and airshow. One pilot said he had cruise speeds of 35 mph on part of the flight over in his Piper Cub. One gentleman bucked a headwind in his Cessna 120 all the way from OKC.

The VFW’s Friday fish fry was great, the Lions served a good breakfast on Saturday and 24 of the 30 briskets were had for lunch before Saturday’s airshow. While only 66 aircraft flew in, many pilots and spouses drove in. Some of the older aircraft to attend included a Howard DGA, Culver Cadet and Bücker Jungmann. A 1944 P-51D performed in the airshow. David Martin piloted “Happy Jack’s Go Buggy”, the 2008 Oshkosh Grand Champion, for its first appearance at Ranger. Other performers included Tony Wood in his Sukhoi, Julia Wood in her Pitts, Ron Cain in his 1950 de Havilland Chipmunk, and Scott Lane in his Pitts S-2B.  

Ranger Airfield’s First Landing Centennial occurs this November. To know that this small plot of land has been serving aviators for 100 years is exciting. That first landing on November 24, 1911 by a Wright B was long before Ranger’s main street was bustling with Model Ts, long before P-51s were kicking butt in Europe, long before a Cub was parked in a barn, and long before I was hosting fly-ins at Ranger. So much has changed. It took that wood crate 112 days to fly from California to Florida 100 years ago. We’ve come so far in so many ways as Americans and yet at times we yearn for the old days. While so much has changed, Ranger Airfield hasn’t. We don’t have a paved runway, we don’t have lights, we lack fuel, we don’t even have a telephone. What we do have is a grass runway and a brick floor hangar. And for one weekend a year, that’s all we need.

Jared Calvert

Photos are by Dennis Price

  

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