Cabin Fever

We’re doing what we can to survive January.

Last weekend our good friend Lyle Jansma delivered the first of two cockpit-style flight simulators. The software allows advanced operations of our entire fleet of aircraft with Paine Field circa 1943 as the backdrop. The second simulator arrived yesterday. The next step is an Internet gaming club such that the effort invested in this wonderful system can be shared worldwide and by doing so, connect HFF with many new friends. This project has been a two-museum collaboration with Heritage Flight Museum of Bellingham. Good show.

Next Saturday, the 22nd, John Posson of Stallion 51 Corporation will offer a P-51 ground school and formation briefing. Twenty-five have enrolled in this course, which is intended for anyone wishing to know more about the fighter many regard as the best of WWII. Weather permitting, we will resume B-25 pilot training on Sunday, the 23rd. Four candidates will train on the 23rd and the 30th.

On Friday, the 28th and Saturday, the 29th, we will feature “Nose Art” through a social presentation with wine (on the 28th) and a full-blown history seminar with coffee (on the 29th). Our guest presenters from Victory Girl Studio will cover the origins of nose art in WWI, the “golden age” of nose art in WWII, it’s decline during the Korean and Vietnam Wars, changes in regulations in the 70s to proscribe personal markings, and revision of regulations in the 80s to allow it again, with examples of nose art in Desert Storm Iraq.

With any luck, the above and a bit of flying will get us to February.