New (Old) Airplane for Pioneer Airport

November 12, 2002 The Museum has acquired an interesting vintage airplane to add to the flying collection at Pioneer Airport - a 1929 New Standard D-25. The purchase was made possible by donations from two EAA members, Lewis Shaw and John Dunham. Powered by a Wright J-6-7, this airplane was designed by Charles Healy Day and Ivan Gates to meet the needs of the famous Gates Flying Circus. While daredevil stunts were the drawing cards of the Circus, passenger rides provided the income for the enterprise.  It is estimated that the Gates Flying Circus carried over 750,000 passengers for rides in the days before World War 2. Able to carry a pilot plus 4 open cockpit passengers, the New Standard gained a reputation as the “ultimate” barnstorming airplane. This is believed to be the only truly original New Standard D-25 flying in the world today, and we believe it will be a huge attraction at Pioneer Airport for many years. Roll on May 2003!

We are also extremely grateful to O. Boyd Clow of Chicago for the recent donation of a 1972 Piper Aztec to the EAA Aviation Foundation (airplane pictured left). The airplane has flown less than 1500 hours from new and is in very original condition. For the time being, we plan to keep the Aztec on flying status and use it in a staff support role.