Barnstorming at Oshkosh
On a summer day ten years ago, pilots Andrew King and Frank Pavliga were flying their vintage single-engine airplanes over eastern Indiana when they spotted an inviting field on which to land. The farm, as it turned out, belonged to Matt Dirksen and family, who, after some initial skepticism, struck up a lasting friendship with the strangers who had dropped, literally, from the sky.
So began a years-long tradition chronicled in the new film Barnstorming, a celebration of flying, community, and the spirit of the American heartland. (See the movie's trailer below.) Documentary filmmaker Bryan Reichhardt (if the name sounds familiar, he's my brother) and co-producer Paul Glenshaw will be at this year's EAA Airventure in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, for a showing at the Fly-in Movie Theater on July 26, the night before the convention begins, and other screenings during the week. King, who's done everything from movie stunt flying to vintage aircraft restoration, will also be on hand to discuss Barnstorming's unique and charming story.