By Staff
Tracy B. Cieniewicz, Hartselle Enquirer
Bad weather brought an unexpected but welcome visitor to town last week.
Gina Moore of War Bird Sky Ventures in Gallatin, Tenn., and her vintage AT-6 WWII military training airplane taxied down the runway of Rountree Airport in Hartselle last Thursday to avoid inclimate weather and to let longtime friend Stoney Powell of Blackstone Rotorcraft, Inc. service the plane's alternator.
Moore, 33, travels to similar community airports from January to October each year to bring a piece of aviation history to life through the ride-for-hire business of barnstorming. She is the only female owner of such a business in America.
"People seem to love it," Moore said. "I've had passengers as young as six and as old as 93. Many are former war pilots who learned how to fly in an AT-6. I just love bringing the plane to so many towns and meeting such great people."
Although Moore doesn't actually storm barns as in the olden days to drum up business, she does offer passengers the same flying thrills through rolls, spins, and other aerobatics.
"I finished ground school training after high school and flight training during college," Moore said. "I really got serious about flying when I learned aerobatics."
This is Moore's fourth year to tour the country during barnstorming season. She will return to Hartselle to offer flights during Roundtree Airport's "100 Years of Aviation Celebration" Oct. 10-12.
To track Moore's flight schedule, check www.warbirdskyventures.com