On September 22nd David took me for an Ultimate Barnstormer’s ride. It was a childhood dream come true! The aerobatics were spectacular (I had a huge grin on my face! and the sightseeing was scenic and relaxing. The countryside and foothills surrounding the airport look beautiful at 1,500 feet. And they’re even more stunning when viewed from an open-cockpit biplane that’s flying upside down! Plus David is a great tour guide, and he pointed out many interesting sights.

Went on an aerobatic flight with David on 9/21 – it was absolutely fantastic! The open cockpit is great. You’re behind a windshield so you don’t get wind in your face, but you can see anything and everything around you. David was excellent and had very smooth maneuvers that didn’t leave your brain rattling inside your head like some modern roller coasters. Smooth doesn’t mean boring, though – we pulled 3.5 positive g’s on at least one maneuver. If you have any maneuvers you’ve ever seen on a movie that you’d like David to try, let him know. I asked David for an aileron roll, barrel roll, loop, spin, and split-S. After that I told him it was his choice and to just have at it. Honestly, you should add this to your bucket list.

I coordinated a surprise biplane ride for my boyfriend who’s wanted to try this out for months. The pilot and owner of the company, David Brown, was very responsive and accommodating on all fronts — he went out of his way to ensure we had all info needed before the flight and was extremely understanding when our group was running 20 minutes late because of traffic coming from DC. When we arrived, he greeted us warmly and jumped right into the process for the safety review and teaching us fun facts about the historic aircraft. He also doubles as a great photographer ensuring your group has the perfect photos to capture this once in a lifetime experience. I can’t say enough good things about this fun activity and if you have an aviation enthusiast in your family, this is the perfect way to spend a morning or afternoon in Virginia.