There's something local pilot Ray Patchett once said to me that's always stayed in my mind: "When you're eventually in that rest home, you want to be talking about memories, not dreams." Wise words and, since 2005, a certain Yakovlev Yak-3U known as 'Steadfast' has been busy making my dreams a reality. Every time you are lucky enough to witness the spectacle of a World War Two-type fighter being flown for a display practice or at an airshow, please make sure you take a moment to reflect on what it has taken to keep these machines in the sky. I have to admit operating any warbird is extremely time and cost prohibitive. However, on the other side of that coin, I consider myself extremely fortunate to be able to be a part of all this. These aircraft are exceptional machines and they fly wonderfully. That feeling of exhilaration and performance, representing the peak of yesteryear's technology, is truly remarkable. Many of these aircraft were once frontline war machines, derived in earnest from seemingly endless government money, tasked with helping to bring a global conflict to an end. Now, many decades later, I love being part of the solution that keeps these aircraft flying, and, of course, displaying them for everyone to enjoy. These machines should be seen and heard.
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