I'm flying by the seat of my pants in the YMF5 Waco (rhymes with taco) from Winsted MN (10D) to Stanton MN (KSYN).  There's no autopilot, no GPS (there is a VOR that I use for reference to make sure I'm not busting the Minneapolis Class B!)  But mostly I'm looking outside and using pilotage.

The weather is CAVOK with a decent breeze from the southeast.  The flight takes about half and hour doing a bit over 110 ktas.

Pulled her out of the hangar at 10D and ready for engine start

We're up and away off 10D's runway 27

The Waco, originally Waco Aircraft Company, built bi-planes in Troy, Ohio, USA from the 1920s to 1940s.  I'm probably butchering the history a bit, but the company went out of business after World War II, and some other aircraft were produced in the 60s and 70s under another owner.  Eventually, the plane I'm showing here was revived under a different banner: Classic Aircraft Corporation, based out of Battle Creek, MI (KBTL).  The company is now named Waco Aircraft Corporation, and produces the YMF-5 variants.  I believe the company CEO moved to Florida, or is owned by another entity somewhere in Florida.

At any rate, the aircraft are beautiful and I saw a few at Oshkosh this year!

This is one of my favorite pics - sticking my head out in the slipstream - you can feel like you're up in the (virtual) air hehe

Passing over Lake Waconia and the blooming far western "suburb" of Waconia

Just under the mirror here I can faintly make out my old workplace, KFCM - I'm about to cross the Minnesota River eastbound

One can follow the river and highway 169 southwest to towns like Jordan, Belle Plaine, Le Sueur, St Peter, and eventually Mankato (KMKT - the airport is so busy a new FAA tower will be built soon)

We continue SE and pass Mystic Lake Casino (or Mistake Lake as the locals call it haha) - also Prior Lake is ahead, a very busy lake with numerous watersports during our MN Summer months

Crossing over Interstate 35, near the Lakeville/Burnsville area - KMSP airport proper can faintly be seen in the upper right of the frame

Passing overhead Airlake airport KLVN.  LVN is a popular GA reliever field - there's no tower here to bother the pilots lol

Passing by my current workplace

South central MN is home to lots of agriculture - once you fly south beyond MSP suburbs its farms and fields for miles

I guess we've arrived at a muddy?  Stanton airport

Short final runway 18

The grass could use a clipping!  Stanton is home to many glider operations, but the turf strip, featuring two runways (approx 2000 x 180 and 2500 x 200), is nicely maintained even in the winter months, for ski equipped aircraft or even wheeled aircraft wanting touch and go practice!

One tricky part of this airport - when corn is growing, you cannot see the intersection of the runways from the ground...so announcing intentions on CTAF is crucial!

Hope you enjoyed!

 

Edited September 24, 20241 yr by ryanbatc

Nice change of pace posting. Grass strips have a special charm.

As an aside, something that's always been missing in flight sims over the years: the Waco Cabin Biplane series. Wish Golden Age would have done a few, but still waiting...🙂

 

Very well done series...somehow I associate Waco with Duesenberg, they reflect a different time do they not?

That plane is a beauty!

Love the Waco, Ryan, and here is a lovely series of pics with it...!

BTW, you mean, this plane does not have a G3X/GTN...Are you sure ...🙂...? Seriously, everyone should do some seat-of-the-pants flying into Grass airfields...

Nice bits of commentary...And I do see you've flown IFR "I Follow Roads"...🙂...I know Troy (OH), the exit for it would appear on my many trips between Columbus and Indianapolis...but I would just drive on...

 

Love the Waco - great plane for sightseeing and just taking in the world outside. And a great set of shots, Ryan.