My first flight in a Tiger Moth!

Yesterday I took my first flight in a Tiger Moth, and all I can say is that it was heaven!

It was a beautiful late summer’s day at Harvey Field near Snohomish, WA and there were two Tiger Moths on the field.  We took off to the north and made the noise abatement turn to the left, then flew up along the river and the edge of town for a ways, gently banking left and right.  The airplane was bobbing along on the thermals with the engine purring away.  After only a couple of minutes we had to turn back to the field and we made our way, slowly, into the pattern.  The approach was beautiful, I couldn’t think of more lovely countryside to be flying over at such low altitude.  It is so quiet when throttled back that you really can’t hear the engine at all, just all the wind noise.  As we came in to land we hit some more thermals and then a crosswind just at touchdown, so it was a bit sporty but the Tiger didn’t care, it just soaked up the beating and rolled out like a champ.

When we landed we found a car waiting for us, a local gentleman had heard our engine overhead and drove out to the airport to confirm his suspicion that it was a Tiger Moth.  He was from South Africa, and had always loved the airplane.  I was happy to see that the Tigers drew an admiring crowd all day long, both from those knowledgeable about aircraft and those who simply enjoy them.

I don’t think I needed any extra inspiration, but the day and the experience certainly ratcheted up my desire to get my Tiger Moth restored and flying!