Owning an aircraft enriches these pilots’ lives, and the smiles on their faces attest to that joy. Keep those photos and stories coming! 
1967 Beechcraft Bonanza E33
No, it’s not a Debonair. It’s the first year Beechcraft dropped the Debonair name and called them all Bonanzas. We love this airplane because it does everything you want it to do. You can fly it like a Cherokee, or you can fly it like a Bonanza, and it can burn auto fuel. It has more than 17,000 hours, so it must know what it’s doing.
Trey and Janice Rennie
Cheswold, Delaware
1941 450 Super Stearman
My wife and I purchased this magnificent airplane three years ago. Having flown more than 40 different types of piston, as well as tactical fighter/airline transport-powered airplanes, the 450 Super Stearman provides so much excitement, enhanced performance, and challenging flying qualities for any aircraft enthusiast. N56416 is a specific 1941 Boeing-Stearman A75N1 primary trainer biplane, serial number 75-914, known for its vintage appeal, detailed restoration, and inclusion of a powerful Pratt & Whitney R-985 Wasp engine swinging a Hamilton Standard 2D30 propeller. We enjoy flying short flights within our local area, participating in EAA fly-in breakfast socials, and flying events while proudly showing aviation enthusiasts a true representation of vintage biplane flying.
Emmitt Dickens
Virginia Beach, Virginia
1940 Waco UPF–7
I acquired N45373 in late 2024. Learning to handle the Waco was a challenge, especially on the ground. You really need to keep it straight! I began flight training at age 69 in 2022, earned my private certificate in mid-2024, and my tailwheel endorsement shortly thereafter. Owning and flying an aircraft like this has been a lifelong dream for me. Flying open cockpit, open to the sky with the wind in my face, the feel of the stick in my hand, combined with the sound and power of the big radial engine—just the freedom and beauty of it all is an experience that enriches my life tremendously.
Samuel S. Stanley
Reno, Nevada
1970 Piper Twin Comanche PA–39-10
This record-setting Piper PA–39-10 Twin Comanche, purchased new by my mom and dad, is famous as the only twin to race twice around the world. My mom, Marion Jayne, and I hold FAI Gold Medals for the longest race in history (so far): 21,000 miles in 12 of 24 flying days. If you love an inanimate object for 51 years (and its engines), it will love you back and keep you safe. It was recently donated to the Lone Star Flight Museum at Ellington Airport (EFD), which has a robust STEM program and the belief that “aviation inspires achievement and endless possibilities.”
Patricia Jayne (Pat) Keefer
Trophy Club, Texas
2001 Diamond DA40
I’ve been flying since 1981, but my Diamond Star is the only aircraft I have owned. Mine was built in Austria and is one of the first five IFR-equipped DA40s imported to the U.S. Our family used it for many spring break trips to the Southwest and Southeast U.S., and I was able to easily load two adults, two kids, and 70 pounds of baggage plus full fuel and remain under max gross weight. With the kids now grown, we use it mostly for hamburger runs and the occasional trip to Arizona or Florida. It is really fun to fly and a very safe airplane.
Steven Chalfin
San Antonio, Texas
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