Stories That Fly is an innovative online community news venture that features the very best narratives, photography and video from general aviation.
Here, you'll land a float plane on the Allegheny River. You'll launch and retrieve a hot-air balloon. You'll discover a small country airfield and stand on a hangar roof to take photos as an astronaut's 15-year old daughter flies her first airplane. You'll visit a family-run flight school, have a meal at the airport diner and learn how to fly a taildragger.
Along the way, you'll meet aviation enthusiasts like yourself. The weekend flyers, freight dogs and farmers are here. The restorers, crop dusters, mechanics, parachute packers, blimp, balloon and glider drivers are here too. Likewise, you will find the airfield operators, flight instructors, students, sport-, sim-, and RC-pilots. You are now one among the many remarkable people who make general aviation a worldwide community.
An old pilot once said, "A mile of road will take you one mile. A mile of runway will take you anywhere." Our first flight has just departed. Welcome aboard.
AKRON — In the 1970’s, Mary Hruby became a pilot when a lot of women wouldn’t dream of it. It was a joy that she shared with her husband. Then icing over the Sierra Mountains forced them down, and when rescuers finally found the airplane wreckage, the snow had been falling for days. The Sierra Mountains had claimed a life, but miraculously spared two others.
COLUMBUS – Most wouldn’t be surprised to hear Ohio State Trooper George King is on the lookout for marijuana fields and highway speeders. But few would guess where he’s hiding: in the clouds.
King works for the aviation section of the Ohio State Highway Patrol. He flies a Cessna 182, which is nothing like the jetliners [...]
WADSWORTH, Oh. – She can’t drive a car, but this 15-year old girl traveled from Holland to a small country airfield in Ohio to learn how to fly an airplane. The proud father snapping photos of her from the taxiway is one of our nation’s leading space-based telescope repairman.
Check out this new site for some great places to fly. A list of upcoming events is provided for the pilots and aviation enthusiasts in our own backyard (Ohio and Pennsylvania) and also a link to view all of the events in your geographic area.
KENT — Some time after the first solo and before becoming licensed, every pilot who has learned how to fly since the 1920s has been warned, “There are old pilots, and there are bold pilots—but there are no old bold pilots.” How then, does one explain Richard Schwabe?
KENT — “Aviation Buzz and Bold Opinion” from the Best Aviation Blog of the Year. We were delighted to find out recently that Stories That Fly is part of the buzz in an article from Scott Spangler writing for a great aviation blog, JetWhine.
MEDINA — Pilot attempts to learn how to fly a “conventional” airplane from the 1940’s. All that is required is to be able to balance a baseball bat in one hand, and push a two-wheeled suitcase in a straight line while running. If successful, there may be hope of not ruining Earle Olsen’s 62-year old pride and joy.
Stories That Fly launched May 2 at a celebration in Franklin Hall, home of the site, as well as the Kent State University journalism program. A crowd of approximately 70 people attended. Co-hosted by the Kent State University Flight Program.
RAVENNA — It’s a bright Thursday afternoon at Portage County Regional Airport, a few weeks into April. Some pilots are taking advantage of the clear weather. Others are dusting out the downtime clutter in their hangars or simply displaying their planes in the spring sun.
SUN BEAU VALLEY FARM — Every September, crowds of people jam the city streets and the pastures of this farm for the Ravenna Balloon-A-Fair. They come for the parade and to enjoy the festival atmosphere and to watch balloonists launch ships with names like Kaleidoscope, Whale Boy, Second Wind, Kilroy, Boo-Lou-Noodles and Diamond Girl into the skies. Lynee Bixler always has a Sublime experience.
God gives wings to insects and birds, fish and angels. Everyone else has to apply to the FAA. Featured essay about a kid with one good eye and a dream of flying. See the full essay in the Oshkosh Anniversary issue of PilotMag (July-August, 2009.)
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Stories That Fly has been selected as one of the top ten innovative community news ventures in America. “New Voices has seeded some of the most exciting examples of journalism — and of active citizenship — in the United States today,“ said Peter Levine, director of The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement.
