I was supercargo in a vintage WACO ( pronounced wacko) aircraft today. I not only carried my pocket kit, AND my knife, but a vintage model 10 S&W with 200 grain cartridges. I wore a tie! We took off from an airport surrounded by lemon orchards. There was a flask of coffee and cold sandwiches. The air was not stale as on modern commercal craft. In fact, fresh air was in abundance, along with noise from the engine. for a few glorious hours I enjoyed a period when flight was not so "hermetically sealed for your protection", still subject to the whims of nature and chance. Oh, and people were responsible for their own preparations and well being. "listening to the biplane song by the Irish Rovers and reading NIGHT FLIGHT by Antoine De Saint- Exupery

*nods knowingly*<br><br>Best ride I've ever had was in a cargo-configured DC-3 that had started flying over the China-India-Burma Theatre in WWII. She may have let the rain in, but she also let in the fresh air. And not a single microchip or inch of fiber in the whole bird- I love hydraulics.<br><br>BTW, where did you scrounge the 200gr'ers? I have seen those in a while.

I handload the 200grain Super police load. Iv'e shot just about every firearm and caliber , from german parlour pistols to .500 Nitro express rifles. When fnancial reality set in, I kept this old 5 screw Smith with 6" barrel. I just happen to shoot it ( the handfitted action contributes) better than any other handgun. I got to meet the legendary shooter Bill Jordan. My friend asked what he carried . Mr. Jordan pulled a Smith shrouded snub with his left hand, tossed it to his right ( before we could blink) and carefully opened the cylinder, extracting 5 Super Police.

Oh man, this sounds like my kind of flying! I have always hated commercial.<br><br>I fly four to five days a week in our privately owned mapping airplane. I too get to bring anything I want. I never go without a sandwich and a thermos. A good book is always in my kit too. I love to fly and have about 15000 hrs doing what I love to do. We often end up in places that are good to explore. <br><br>Great story on your vintage flight.