Biplane Ride at Myrtle Beach

For something different, we decided to pay for a short biplane ride at the beach. At Myrtle Beach, SC, you always see flying overhead banner towing planes and a biplane giving people rides. This year we decided to give it a try. It is a bit expensive, but it was fun.

Classic Air Ventures at the Ramp66 FBO at Grand Strand Airport in North Myrtle Beach is where you pick up the ride. It was easy to set up over the phone and we made the reservation for the next day.

It was only a 20 minute ride, but it was a fun one flying over the beach high rise condos, then a little north where there are deserted waterways, marshes, and beaches. Very pretty area from the air that you never see from the ground. I wish I had taken some pictures; next time... When there is a nice stretch on a deserted beach he takes you down low below tree top level. Also in the air, he did some mild hammerheads which was fun.

The plane we were in was a Waco Biplane. It was great fun with the open cockpit, wind, and the rustic plane feeling. The RPMs of the plane were quite low which I guess is due to the radial engine. I think he said somewhere around 1800 RPMs. It had a neat sound to it. They modified the front compartment and fit two of us in there. In order to do this, they remove the front stick so no flying it myself; bummer. We had headsets, but no microphones; this worked out fine, but was a little different since I was so used to having a microphone.

Next time, I will have to get a ride where I can take the controls. But it probably won't be in quite as picturesque a place.

/Brian