THE RIDE OF A LIFETIME

Arriving early means you will be able to make the most of your visit to the Museum while you wait for the aircraft to be prepared. Being flexible is the best way to avoid disappointment due to weather! Weather is beyond anyone’s control, but if you have already planned to spend your day with us, you can try to wait some of it out, in hopes of getting in the air later in the day.

The view from inside the airplane is one thing, but family members with cameras on the ground can capture your takeoff and landing at the Museum! If your pilot knows you have cameras on the ground, he may try to get you an extra pass overhead for photos!

You are welcome to bring your own flying clothes if you have them and want to wear them, Flight Suits are provided on request, however most guests are comfortable with long pants, close toed shoes and a light jacket. A headset with a microphone will be provided for you.

For one thing, you get to see the Museum and the surrounding areas of rural Virginia Beach on your ride. The farm fields, trees and lush grass make for a stunning view from above. The ride will also take you over the wetlands of the Back Bay Wildlife Refuge, down the North Landing River, past the Pungo Ferry Bridge. You will see the Atlantic meeting the Virginia Coast when the ride heads out to the False Cape State Park, and along the coast to Sandbridge.

Your ride aircraft is operated under the supervision of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The Military Aviation Museum is registered with the FAA to conduct Air Tour Operations. As a standard category aircraft, the Stearman is maintained by professional mechanics to the standards high standards required by its type certificate. Participation in the Air Tour Program also requires all pilots and mechanics who work on, or fly, the aircraft to be routinely tested for drugs and alcohol.

For anyone who owns a car, the pain at the pump is a well-known phenomenon! Our Stearman burns 100LL Aviation Gas, and that generally runs between $6.50 and $7.50 per gallon. Full, the airplane holds 45 gallons of this specialized fuel, and while it can do a couple of rides on a single tank, those fill-ups cost around $300 each.

Additionally, the aircraft requires routine oil refills, and we also maintain a reserve for propeller and engine maintenance, since the lifespan of these components is limited by the number of hours they put on each year. There is more!

We also have the fixed costs of maintaining the airfield, as our airport receives no Federal Funding or support, and of course insurance for the airfield and aircraft. So what is the bottom line?

With the airplane flying an average of 122 hours per year, it has a per-hour operating cost of just over $600. Our ride pricing is calculated to cover this cost, so your ride purchase helps us keep this historic airplane flying!

Unfortunately there is only a single seat available in the aircraft for a passenger. Although it seats two, the second seat is for the pilot, who flies the airplane from the back seat. During WWII the trainee sat in the front seat, and that is where we position our riders today!

We do not offer aerobatic flights because, above all, these aircraft are Museum pieces. We consider them flying artifacts, and our pilots fly the airplanes with thought towards their preservation long term. This is not to suggest that all aerobatics are dangerous, quite to the contrary! However, these kinds of maneuvers can put additional stress on airframes and engines, potentially reducing their longevity.

Generally the answer here is no. Our Ride aircraft fly a prescribed route, and it is uncommon for your house to be directly in the path of the flight. Because of the Military facilities and urban areas that surround us, the airplane is not free to fly all over Hampton Roads, and must stick to this chosen path. However, if you routinely see our airplane overhead from your back yard and want to try and spot your house, you are welcome to discuss it with your pilot.

Because our pilots rotate between them for duty weekends, we cannot confirm a particular pilot at the time of booking. All of our pilots are FAA Certified Commercial Pilots, who have hundreds of hours of experience. Many are currently airline pilots, many are former military, and others fly private jets all over the world. If you want to know more about your pilot on the day of the ride, please feel free to ask them about their background and experiences!