ANTIQUE ATTIC
Barnstorming, New Standard Style
“It actually is harder work than I thought it would be, but you can make a living barnstorming, especially with a New Standard D-25" states Ted “Scooter” Davis, of Brodhead, Wisconsin, who spend all his summers selling rides at various venues around the Midwest.
After the way of life of the 1920's barnstormers made it in the history books, it became the fabric of legends. Inspired by their tale, Richard Bach decided at the end of the 60's to spend his entire summer going from places to places, in his newly acquired Bird biplane, covering all his expenses by selling rides. His conclusion was unequivocal: barnstorming still worked.
“Nothing By Chance”, the book relating his misadventures convinced the generation growing up in the 70's that they could carry on this American tradition well into the 21st century.
Inspired by Bach’s tale, Ted Davis recalls his humble beginnings in the business:
“ I started at the bottom of the food chain with Clay Adams. I was a scooter, selling ticket and loading airplanes.
Pretty fast, I decided that I would rather do the flying. I started looking for a Travel Air, but had wind of a New Standard for sale through my friend Rob Lock. I bought the one I am flying at the moment for his father and another from Craig Sinclair, at Hampton Airport, in New Hampshire.
If you really serious about barnstorming, the New Standard is the way to go. If you want to have fun and make a couple of buck doing so, you go with a Travel Air or a Waco, while you keep you daytime job to pay your bills.”
In 1926, Ivan Gates, of Gates Flying Circus fame, unsatisfied with the airplanes available on the market, contacted Charles-Healy Day, the designer of the Standard J-1- a favorite of the 20's barnstormer-, to work on an airplane more in line with his needs.
Forming the Gates-Day Aircraft Company, in Paterson, New Jersey, Day worked on his 24th design, a big biplane able to take aloft 5 people (pilot included) in a big open cockpit often described as five men in a tub. Aptly named the GD-24, the airplane was powered by 180 hp in-line Hisso engine.
After being refitted with the brand new 220 hp Wright J-5 engine, the airplane became a winner under the name of New Standard D-25. Between 1929 and 1942, a grand total of 72 examples were built under various designations.
The New Standard D-25 was a large five-place open cockpit biplane seating four passengers in the front cockpit, while the pilot had his own open cockpit.
Originally built as a money making machine for the barnstormer- even at the cutthroat rate of one dollar per flight per passenger-, the airplane is very well though after, and more than half of the surviving 15 or so, are now used in the same capacity the airplane was designed for.
Yet, the life of the modern barnstormer is not all fun and games, as Ted Davis points out:
“You start as early as necessary and fly until dark. It is just the way it is. The New Standard, of course, makes it easier.
I chose the venues by evaluating the community living around the airport. I participate in festivals, fairs, whatever community event is popping up in the landscape. However, it has to take place at or around an airport.
We did about 16 events this year. Being on the road six months of the year can get a little old, sometimes, but it is bearable if you enjoy it.
I do like barnstorming and I do like traveling and I enjoy meeting people. This year I took more people on their first airplane ride than usual. It is quite cool to give somebody his first ride in a 1929 biplane. For a first aviation experience, it is, I hope, as neat for them as it is for me.
My favorites are when I take couples aloft during their honeymoon or when couples propose in the airplane and things of this nature. I also enjoy taking really apprehensive people for a ride, the kind of people who need a lot cajoling and convincing to get in, and give them a ride that completely changes their views on flying.
None-the-less, it is not always fun for all the passengers, as I fly sometimes in rain, and the two people sitting in the back get hit by 80 mph rain drops that sting a little bit, but I never had any major complaints.”
After rebuilding two New Standards and flying them full time, Ted picked up a new project in October 2010.
“I have less time now, and it will take some 4000 hours to rebuild the airplane. So the first flight will probably take place at the 2014 horizon, if not later.”
The life of the barnstormer is obviously not for everybody, but is it is Ted’s life:
“Since I live in Wisconsin, my season is short, but, on the other hand, I have long winters for maintenance and rebuilds. I am really enjoying what I am doing now. Five or six months a year is fine, more might become too much like a real job!”
By Gilles Auliard
