SIOUX FALLS, SD (KELO-AM) - Flying today is a far cry from World War II. Flying in a modern jet alrliner is like traveling at 30,000 feet in a pretty nice bus---air conditioned, free snacks and drinks, reclining seats, bathrooms.
But flying always wasn't so. It used to be the wind in your face and just you--and maybe a passenger.
Thursday evening, I had the opportunity to ride in an open canopy BT-13 monoplane trainer that's in town for the Sioux Falls Air Show. It's famous for actor Harrison Ford crashing his. But during World War II, it was one of the mainstays of training U.S. Army Air Forces and Navy aviators. It is crude by today's standards. You sit with the wires for the rudder and ailerons right by your feet. You strap in like a race car driver. And there's no beverage service.
I've flown in many Cessna 172 and 182 single engine four seaters as a member of the Civil Air Patrol. They are spacious and luxuries in comparison.
When the "jugs" on the radial engine start up, they sputter then crank into a distinctive growl. On takeoff, the plane quickly gets airborne. It is a small but powerful bird.
Once in flight, there is plenty of vibrations. Then again, the plane was built in 1941 but looks like it just came off the assembly line with its gleaming aluminum finish and every line of rivets perfectly alined.
The BT-13 cruised around Sioux Falls at about 130 miles per hour--which is pretty windy, which you'll see from the shakiness in my video. But that is flying--really flying. That is the thrill so many pilots--particularly old timers--talk about that addicted them to aviation.
And on a hot and humid day, even tooling around the Sioux Empire at 1000 feet above ground level was a relief from the oppressive heat. A cool wind was cool indeed, in all senses of the word.
My pilot, Jordan Deter of the Minnesota Wing of the Commemorative Air Force, had a fascinating commentary about the aircraft, how it never left the U.S. during World War II, how it trained probably hundreds of pilots, and how that model was used to also train women flyers in the Women's Airforce Service Pilots during WWII.
For centuries, humans tried to figure out how to fly like the birds. This BT-13 I flew in was a reminder of the early days of flight and why we sought to soar in the heavens.
Click here to watch a one minute video of takeoff and flight of the BT-13 over Sioux Falls.