Barbe Park (Oregon)

Thank you to Barbe Park for sending in this pilot update. Barbe is based at KMMV, McMinnville Municipal Airport, McMinnville, Oregon.

Wow, where do I start? I’ve been flying about 4 years now and after getting my TW endorsement in the Citabria, have flown a whole bunch of other taildraggers – everything from the J-3 to an Extra 300.  My “go-to” taildragger is a 1941 Interstate Cadet, owned by Jeanne Wildman (also a LLTD member) & we are pictured here on a very cold day in December 2013, when we had snow on our runway at 7S5!
Barbe Park Jan 2013
It never snows here so we had to go fly & of course the engine quit as we came in to land, didn’t let her warm up enough…we always deadstick land anyway so no worries but stopped on the runway, had to huff n puff her off & then handprop.  Jeanne is small but mighty and despite some of the guys offering assistance, we did just fine.
I’m actually finishing my instrument rating, and gasp, not in a taildragger but a Grumman Tiger. Whenever I can get “stick-time” though, I grab it!  Yokes are fine too and I’ve got time in a Luscombe, Chief, Stinson, Pacer & 180/185.  I guess I love them all but especially my original bird, the Citabria KCAB, and now the classic J-3 Cub.
Oh, my new project is restoring a Pitts S-1C with a builder/partner!  Cannot wait!
Barbe Park Jan 2013-2
Barbe Park Jan 2013-4
We have so many taildraggin’ ladies around here where I live in Independence, Oregon (moved to the Air Park a year ago); I’m thinking they are mostly LLTD members:  Deb Plymate, Bev Clark, Vanessa Nelson, Marilyn Husser, Jeanne Wildman, Patty Viall, just to name a few! Very cool.

Barbe Park Jan 2013-3
Here are a few more photos, me flying the Piper PA-11 (Cub Special, Cont O-90; pilot from the front);
Barbe Park Jan 2013-5
Oh my gosh, the Extra was way too much for me to handle!
Barbe Park Jan 2013-6
And this photo of me in the Cub is my favorite because I was taking a selfie, thinking of how much i love that airplane and Cub flying and my hair then blew in my face which of course happens when you fly with the door open, as it should, but the photo still came out.
Barbe Park Jan 2013-7
I’m lovin it!  Low & slow, fast & aerobatic, tailwheels are where it’s at!
Take care, happy flying,
Barbe Park
More on LLT at Barbe Park Pilot Profile
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