What Does It Feel Like to Fly in an Open-Cockpit Aircraft?

It's one of the questions we get asked most often.

"What does it actually feel like?"

The honest answer is that it's unlike any flight you've probably experienced before.

Most of us are used to modern air travel. You walk through an airport, sit in a comfortable seat, look out a small window, and arrive at your destination. Flying becomes a means of getting somewhere.

An open-cockpit flight is completely different.

The Adventure Starts Before Take-Off

The experience begins before the engine even starts.

Instead of boarding through a cabin door, you'll climb onto the wing of our 1941 Boeing Stearman, Winnie, and lower yourself into the cockpit. It feels more like mounting a horse than boarding an aircraft.

Once you're strapped in, you'll put on your leather flying helmet, goggles, and headset.

Suddenly, you're not just a passenger anymore. You're part of the aircraft.

The Sound of a Radial Engine

When Winnie starts up, you'll immediately notice the sound.

The Pratt & Whitney radial engine doesn't quietly hum into life. It roars.

You can feel the vibration through the aircraft and hear the unmistakable sound that made these aircraft famous nearly a century ago.

It's a sound that aviation enthusiasts love and one that many passengers say is their favourite part of the experience.

The Wind in Your Face

The moment the wheels leave the ground is when the magic really begins.

There are no windows.

No cabin walls.

No separation between you and the sky.

You feel the fresh air rushing past, smell the ocean breeze, and experience flying in a way that modern aircraft simply can't offer.

It's incredibly freeing.

You Feel Every Movement

One of the biggest differences with open-cockpit flying is how connected you feel to the aircraft.

You'll feel the acceleration during take-off.

You'll feel the aircraft climb.

You'll feel the gentle G-forces through turns.

You'll feel the aircraft responding to the air around it.

It's not uncomfortable—in fact, most passengers love it—but it gives you a much deeper appreciation for what flying really feels like.

Seeing Bunbury from a Different Perspective

There is something special about seeing familiar places from above.

As Winnie flies over Bunbury and the South West coastline, passengers often spot landmarks they know, beaches they've visited, and places they've never seen from the air before.

The coastline stretches out beneath you, the ocean sparkles, and suddenly you have a completely different perspective of the region.

Many passengers tell us it gives them a renewed appreciation for how beautiful the South West really is.

More Than a Flight

What surprises many people is that they don't just remember the views.

They remember how the flight made them feel.

The excitement.

The freedom.

The connection to the aircraft.

The history.

The adventure.

Flying in an open-cockpit aircraft isn't about getting from A to B. It's about experiencing aviation the way it used to be.

It's about stepping back into the golden age of flight.

And for a little while, feeling what it was like when flying was an adventure.

Ready to experience it for yourself?

We'd love to welcome you aboard Winnie and share the magic of open-cockpit flying over Bunbury and the South West.