With Mt. Rainier in the background, a vintage, fully remodeled, freshly waxed, and dearly-loved Stearman takes off from a backyard runway. Two men are strapped into the seats – one, a seasoned commercial pilot with deep-rooted love for these antique crafts, mans the helm while the other, a first-time occupant of an open-air craft, is crammed into the front seat with a heap of audio recording equipment packed around him for the voyage.
The two men sit silently as they ascend into the air on this beautiful spring day. The air is whizzing through their hair as they climb to altitudes of 600-700 feet. A serene feeling takes over the pair as they enjoy the ambient sounds of the air, the sun warming their skin, and the calm feeling of gliding through the sky. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, this peaceful cruise ends as the pilot jolts into thrilling aerobatics that the Stearman handles masterfully. Once back on the ground the two men smile and the passenger exclaims that, while he was understandably alarmed with the sudden turns, he had “more fun than fear” in his first open-air flight. The passenger sets down his gear and then remembers this is his job; he gets paid to occasionally fly around in awe-inspiring planes. This man is the Audio Supervisor for Microsoft Flight, Jason, and he pours this same passion, wonder, and excitement for flying into his work every day.
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