Barnstormer soars for movie spotlight
A version of this story appeared in The Tennessean on Aug. 13, 2002.
By Margaret Bailey
Diversity Institute Fellow
08.14.02
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Editor's note: The accompanying graphic is by 2002 Diversity Institute Fellow Diane Tinsley.
When Nashville native Gina Moore was a little girl, she told her father that she wanted to grow up and become an airplane pilot.
He suggested that she become a flight attendant.
Moore went on to become what is thought to be the only female barnstormer in the country. She can’t explain her love for aerobatic flying except that it always seemed a fun thing to do.
"I could be in the crappiest mood in the morning, but by the end of a day of flying, I’m the silliest girl you ever met,” said Moore, 32, who first took flight in 1987.
"There are other women pilots. I still haven’t found one that barnstorms. If I ever do, I’d grab her and say, ‘Come here. I’m glad to meet you.’”
Until such time, the barnstorming spotlight appears to be fixed on Moore. She is now a consultant for a movie that will eventually hit the big screen — "Sweet Water Blues" — about women Air Force service pilots during World War II and will actually fly a plane in one of the scenes. She’s also partner in a family-run barnstorm business that is literally soaring to new heights.
Barnstorming is an advertising technique developed by World War II pilots. When they returned from the war and couldn’t find suitable jobs, they would fly over barns sometimes performing aerial tricks.
"The distinct sound of the plane would cause people to come out and investigate. The pilots would then offer to give rides for a fee.
"We don’t storm barns any more,” said Moore. “We attract customers through advertisements on radio, in newspapers and on TV.”
Moore flies a WWII North America AT-6 plane out of Sumner County Regional Airport in Gallatin. She has accumulated more than 4,700 hours of flight time and has given rides to people in Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Minnesota and as far away as Seattle.
Moore first received aviation instruction at Volunteer State Community College before going on to receive a bachelor’s degree in aerospace science from Middle Tennessee State University. She was then employed by an airline in the aircraft maintenance department where she first flew an AT-6 and fell in love with the plane she describes as pretty.
She has flown banners up and down the beach in Maryland, served as a flight instructor in a Super Decathlon and instructed basic aerobatics to first officer cadets of AeroMexico and Asiana Airlines.
After seeing her daughter’s love for flying, Moore’s mother, Neldia, suggested they go into a barnstorming business of their own. The Moores purchased the AT-6 in 1999 and launched the business now called Warbird Air Ventures.
Neldia has logged about 10 hours of flight training in the AT-6 toward her private pilot’s license. But she basically serves as the company secretary.
Moore’s plane was used to train cadet pilots during World War II. It was sold to the Spanish Military and later brought back to America.
Moore has plans to expand her air ventures into Canada, provide parachute jumps and enlarge her fleet with the purchase of a Steerman bi-plane, which has two fabric-covered wings and was used in training during World War II.
Rides in the AT-6 can last for 15 to 30 minutes depending on whether customers want primary, basic or advanced training. The 60-minutes ultimate sky venture flight is also available. Prices range from $189 to $549. Front cockpit checkout is included in the price and aerobatics are optional.
Many of her customers are people who have romanticized about becoming pilots and flying through the air like the aces of yesteryear. Some of them are just veterans who wish to reminisce about their glory days during the war.
"When people get off of Gina’s plane, they are smiling. It is a real adrenalin rush," said Jacob Gray, flight line technician at the Gallatin airport.
Moore gives each of her customers a briefing of duties they can perform before the flight. She then walks them out to her freshly painted yellow plane and makes sure they are safely harnessed in the front seat.
Moore then winds the propeller that gives off a sound of continuous rolling thunder.
"That is the sound of the propeller tips breaking the sound barrier,” she explains.
She climbs into the back seat, taxis down the runway and soon takes to the skies as the sound becomes a smooth but loud, heavy drone.
Two cameras on board record the various moves — the barrel, aileron, four-point and slow rolls — performed by either Moore or the adventurous soul on board when she flies the plane to heights as high as 6,000 feet. Moore lands the plane when the flight is over, and the customer is shown the in-flight video.
Moore’s youngest customer was a 7-year old whose feet were too short to reach the foot pedals that controls the rudders, but he made good use of the control stick. The oldest was 92 years old.
Jim Mcgregor, a B-24 lead pilot, was given the ride with Moore as an 80th birthday present in February 2001. The ride helped inspire him to write a book about his World War II experiences.
"Gina is a great pilot and did one roll, which was enough for me. She allowed me to fly as much as I wanted, which was not too much since I just wanted to see if I could still do it … make smooth turns and maintain constant altitude,” said Mcgregor. “For 10 minutes, I was leading a virtual 1,000 plane raid. What more could this old pilot ask for?”
Moore’s father Jerry no longer has any doubts about his little girl’s dreams. He now serves as “flight attendant” and ticket agent for the business.
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