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It's still winter here in the American Midwest, and it has been a very unusual one. (The "Midwest" is actually a historical term dating from when the western extent of the country had yet to be discovered. Geographically, it is really the north/north east) While we usually see a few inches of snow, a thaw, a few inches more and that is about it, this year we have endured 4 feet (130 cm) of snow on the ground. The icicles hanging from the roof have reached a length of more than 2 metres (6 ft) and I have not been able to open the hangar doors since early January.

Two months without flying even once! - I'm going crazy! Yesterday though, I was rooting around in the basement and came across a book I had not read in some time--Richard Bach's "Nothing by Chance". The book is a record of the time in the 1960s when Richard set out with two friends to see if it was still possible to survive as an old-fashioned barnstormer, hopping rides from farm fields in a 1929 Detroit-Parks P-2A "Speedster" biplane and sleeping under the stars.


interestingly, the book is now 40 years old, which is about the time that elapsed between the original barnstormers and the time that Richard wrote about his adventure. He charged $3.00 for each ten minute ride, and found that two rides a day was just enough to eat and buy fuel! - How times change.

Nothing by Chance is a wonderful read, even for non-aviation people. For us biplane fans, it is an absolute treat. If you have not read the book before, I suggest you order a copy forthwith. - Amazon have plenty in stock, some for less than $1.00

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