One of the things I like about working at an airport is getting to see some of the coolest aircraft actually flying. Ogden Airport is right across the freeway from Hill AFB and everyday F16 Falcons, A10 Thunderbolt IIs, C130 Hercules and other aircraft fly overhead. At Ogden, we get other interesting aircraft taking off and landing, like the V-22 Osprey.
As interesting as they are, those aircraft cannot match the classic beauty of the Beechcraft 18. The first prototype flew in 1937 and the Beech 18 remained in production until 1970. They were used as trainers, for delivering cargo and passengers and a myriad of other tasks. Air America operated Beech 18s in Vietnam. It could carry 6 passengers 1000 nautical miles at a cruising speed of 160 mph.
There is a Beech 18 here at the airport and after sitting all winter, she got out today to stretch her wings. The twin radials are raucous, belying the graceful way she flies. Few Beech 18s remain airworthy, time and a design flaw of the wing spar have taken their toll. That makes witnessing the flight today of this little lady of the sky, in her Navy blue, all the more special
You know what’s cooler than watching one fly? Flying one
Years ago I was employed at the Beech Aircraft Company and became a private pilot at the nearby Jabara Airport. Every year the company hosted a Beech Owners Club fly-in and we got to see all manner of cool classics from the Beech 17 onwards to the newest King Airs and Barons.
Some of the owners ocassionally gave rides and one year this guy was giving rides in his Model 18. His plane was set up as a corporate/private transport (essentially the predecessor of the modern corporate jet) so he could take like 6 or 7 people at a time. As I made my way up and greeted him I told him I was a certificated airman and if he didn’t mind I’d like to ride in the right seat.
He not only did not mind, as soon as we were airborne and clean he passed the controls to me. That is one nicely balanced, sweet flying aircraft. Most Beechcrafts are blessed with beautifully balanced controls and if one flies a King Air and then a Model 18, it is immediately obvious where the former gets its famous handling qualities from.
When I was a teen I spent a summer with family in Wisconsin, highlighted by spending a week at the big fly-in/airshow at Oshkosh. Having lived in eastern NC I was used to seeing modern mil aircraft, but it was a great experience to see the older planes.
I’d heard the Beech 18 was a wonderful flier. One place I worked flew King Airs and I’d go up with one of our pilots for test flights and such. One night, we flew a King Air to drop off at our base of operations at one of the reservations in northern Arizona to pick up the Cessna 421. The 414 was flown to Colorado to be dropped off to have a new GPS system installed and picked up the Piper Comanche to fly back to our main base. I got stick time in all three. The King Air flew like the proverbial Cadillac
You know what’s cooler than flying one? Jumping out of one
I’ve got a few jumps out of a Turbine Beech 18. You have to make sure you DIVE DOWN out of the door, if you jump UP you might hit the tail.
Oh yeah, and I was inside one when it ground looped on takeoff and crashed. Broke the gear didn’t flip than God and everyone had a seat belt on so we didn’t get tossed around too bad.
I live less than a mile from the airport in Oshkosh, so I’m lucky enough to see cool old birds pretty much every day. The B-17 “Aluminum Overcast” has been out on the ramp for a week or so now.
Best flying airplane I ever flew were the Lears. The 36 was a Caddy. Smooth and powerful. The 25 was a race car. Edgy and out of control. That airplane was awesome.
Flew a Mooney M20J years ago. That was a real tight plane. You moved the controls and it went. No messing around.
