Even with all the advancements in flying technology, there’s a fond and very loyal fanbase of flying enthusiasts who find no simpler joy than that of flying and maintaining vintage fixed wing aircraft.
Scott McFadden, from Ontario, Canada, is a current example of one such vintage plane fan, and he has made the headlines this week with his beloved 1946 Taylorcraft airplane that he keeps in the hangarage at his local air base, Thunder Bay Airport.
It has been in his ownership for over 35 years, after he purchased it unseen in 1984. It had been sat in the basement of its then owner for much of that time. That was until about five years ago, when McFadden took it on for a new restoration project.
It was in better condition than he imagined it would be, and he found it was still capable of getting and staying airborne. His loving restoration work on the old Taylorcraft has now paid off, as just this week it was awarded Grand Champion in the Vintage Aircraft category by the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) for North America.
McFadden’s achievement is just the tip of the iceberg in the world of vintage aircraft. Here on FlyDays, many of our airfields here in the UK - particularly those with strong heritage links - still have maintenance facilities on site that allow classic and vintage fixed wing planes to be maintained and kept in good working order.
Of our Vintage Flying experience days, there is just one we have available at present, our 30 Minute Bi-Plane Pilot Lesson, which we offer in a classic de Havilland Tiger Moth from the beautiful Salisbury Plains in Wiltshire.
But this particular flying package has proved very popular for bookings, and we can say that there are forthcoming plans for more just like it to be added to our available experiences in the next few months.
Learning to fly a vintage aircraft is a great way of connecting with some of the most iconic and timeless aircraft in the world, and what it lacks in the forward thinking technology of today, it makes up for in sheer enjoyment and who knows... It could just be the start of a budding hobby in vintage flying or restoration!
To make sure you’re first in the know about our new Vintage Flying experiences, keep checking our dedicated Vintage Flying page on FlyDays, where you’ll be able to browse and book your next nostalgic time in the sky through open dates and gift vouchers.
