Honoring Two American Workhorses this Labor Day

Labor Day weekend. The long weekend marking the end of summer and for many, the last opportunities to take advantage of the warm summer breezes. Gentle winds enjoyed while flying in an open cockpit or a quick jaunt with the door open, elbow hanging in the slipstream.

With the thought in mind, which aircraft would you enjoy flying more on a carefree Saturday morning?

An open cockpit Stearman? The sound of the wind whistling through the flying wires. The throaty belch of a Continental W670 radial engine as it coughs to life and turns to a bellowing roar. Warm wind whisking at your face and a near 360 degree view of the earth, the feeling of ultimate freedom. Knowing as you touch down on a grassy runway you are at that moment connected with so many American heroes who spawned their young careers flying the same aircraft you are in right now.

Or a Piper J-3 Cub. Some might say the iconic image of American General Aviation. A quick flick of your wrist is all it takes to bring the spunky 65 horse engine to life. Don’t bother to close the doors so you can fully enjoy the rich smells of tasseled corn, mixing with a gentle hint of autumn hiding in the wind as you slowly swoop across dense corn fields at treetop height. Cocking your head slightly to one side so you can see around the family Labrador sitting comfortably in the front seat, giddy with the feeling of the rushing wind tickling his ears. A small pull of power is all it takes to bring the yellow legend scraping onto the grass as it has for over 70 years.

Both are examples of proud American heritage that are not only a picturesque portrayal of how many of us perceive aviation but both aircraft have served as workhorses, building the roots of aviation in America. They labored through thousands of hours of primary training for both military and civilian flight students. The stearman filling a specialized niche as the agricultural community discovered its ability to work, dusting fields. The J-3 served on America’s front lines during WWII, being used as an observation plane and was even flown in by Generals Dwight Eisenhower and Patton as they surveyed European battlefields. After the war the J-3 offered a financially feasible option for many young Americans to enter the general aviation community.

As we enjoy this Labor Day weekend, barbecuing and spending time with our families; If your head turns to the sky at the sound of a passing airplane and your minds begin to wander to the thoughts of an evening jaunt around the pattern, which example of American working history do you imagine yourself sitting in? The survey is on the right of the page and will end at the completion of the long weekend.

Let’s see which one you would rather have!