Over the years we've visited numerous fly-ins, some we've returned to a few times, and the September fly-in for the National Stearman Fly-in (NSFI) out at Galesburg, Illinois, is a very popular one. Though the Gen-Air Park fly-out luncheon is specifically organised for the NSFI, other aircraft owners sometimes visit but, with limited parking available for the event, most aircraft that make the visit are Stearmans.

Stearman pilots and crews at Galesburg head out to their aircraft in the morning, many after the morning briefing at Galesburg. Throughout mid to late morning Stearman pilots take to the air to head to Gen-Air Park (3G8), the Geneseo, Illinois airport about 2 miles SE of the town of Geneseo. The mostly flat runway (09/27) is 2568' in length and 120' wide. Both approaches offer a clear line in with no hydro/phone lines across either end.

Gen-Air Park volunteers do a great job preparing the airstrip and hangar for the arrival of aircraft. Marshallers direct pilots to parking areas and keep browsing visitors away from the spinning propellers, ensuring a safe and enjoyable event for all. Of course, the Stearman pilots are very safety conscious and everyone involved make sure they're away of the goings-on.

Though lunch is the focus for the event, it's also about showcasing the vintage, iconic Boeing Stearman, allowing local residents the opportunity to get a close up look at these warbirds once a year during the NSFI. Though many show up every year, there are always newcomers who are in awe of these loud, smoky biplanes. Whether young and new to aviation or older, maybe with a family history in aviation and, in some cases, the Stearman, all enjoy watching aircraft coming and going throughout the late morning and early to mid afternoon.

Stearmans are parked wing-to-wing everywhere you look, apart from the runway, and visitors walk about the aircraft, often talking to pilots about their aircraft. Sometimes a willing pilot will have a visitor get up and sit in the Stearman cockpit and, on occasion, a lucky individual who mentions their family history with the Stearman, will get the opportunity for a flight from a willing pilot.

During World War II pilots and aircrews were trained across the US and the Stearman was the most widely used basic training aircraft of the day. With more than 10,000 built, they were seen at airfields, in the air, throughout the war. It's a big and somewhat intimidating aircraft for the novice pilot but they proved to be effective training aircraft. When you fly the Stearman you fly it the entire time you're at the controls. Ask any Stearman pilot what happens if you don't pay attention and every single Stearman pilot will probably offer up a story or two. Regardless, the aeroplane is loved by all who fly it or fly in it. You don't get out of a Stearman without a huge grin on your face!

When you get into a Stearman the first thing you notice is its size. Most Stearman owners/pilots have some type of step stool that allows easier access to the lower wing that you have to step up on to in order to get to the front seat (pilots fly from the rear seat in the Stearman). To get in you grab hold of the nearest wing handle, lift a leg up and over the cockpit threshold and onto the seat, then pull yourself up using the wing handle, or handles, lift your other leg up and over and onto the seat, then, while holding both upper wing handles, you lower yourself down, while shifting your feet to the cockpit floor, and lower yourself down onto your seat. Your pilot will then get you strapped in, give you some dos and don'ts then you're ready to go for your flight and it's a flight you'll remember for the rest of your life.

When you're in the air your view over, between and through the wings and wires will have you thinking about the bygone days of aviation (despite being a World War II era aircraft) when barnstorming was commonplace and post-war aviation after World War I was a popular spectator event. The noise of the big, radial engine, the smell of engine exhaust, the wind in your hair and face and you in the roomy cockpit, often with nothing more than basic instruments, is a truly wonderful experience, even for a long time pilot who's never experienced open cockpit aviation before.

The luncheon fly-out event at Gen-Air Park is always a popular one with the NSFI pilots, crews and volunteers. Of the 71 Stearmans that attended the 2023 NSFI, the turn out at Gen-Air Park was probably about 80%. In fact, when departing Galesburg enroute to the fly-out, there were only 9 Stearmans left in the parking area with at least 2 making preparations to head out. The Gen-Air Park fly-out luncheon is always very popular and it shows with the number of aircraft that make the trip and in how long pilots stay.

The airstrip is nice and wide and allows for aircraft to take off while other aircraft taxi from the parking area down to the runup and take off area. At times, there were half a dozen or more Stearmans taxiing down to depart while other Stearmans departed. There was even a formation departure which certainly turned heads as it's not commonly seen during the fly-in except at Galesburg with the bigger, longer and wider runway.

This week we had a first look at the National Stearman Fly-in luncheon fly-out to Gen-Air Park at Geneseo, Illinois. This very popular fly-out offers a great lunch of pork on a bun, corn on the cob, side salads, desserts and non-alcoholic cold beverages. It's a delicious lunch and everyone enjoys it. Next week we'll return to Gen-Air Park to see more of the Stearmans and the enjoyable day had by all.