CULPEPER, Va. — "I've been flying since I could walk," pilot Dave Breeding said.
From up here, fall looks a little different. Virginia's countryside stretches out below in patches of green and gold, with reds and oranges breaking through.
And in Culpeper, I got a front-row seat from the open cockpit of a 1942 Boeing-Stearman.
"Open cockpit gives you great visibility above, behind, and beside you so that you can spot traffic and and enemy aircraft. So they're teaching people how to fly like fighter pilots," Breeding said.
Today that open cockpit offers a front-row seat to the changing landscape. On the ground, a collection of historic aircraft tells another story, including one that saw action in World War II.
"TBM Avenger. It's a World War II torpedo bomber. Folding wings, carrier launched and fought in World War II, usually in the Pacific theater. It's just the coolest thing that there ever could be," Jacob Schechtman said.
One visitor even traveled from Indiana for the chance to fly in a plane he'd admired for years.
"This was one of the planes that I'd always wanted to fly in. I'm just a World War II enthusiast," Larry Alexander, a warbird enthusiast, said.
But you don't have to be a history buff to enjoy the ride. With fall unfolding across Virginia below, sometimes a change of perspective makes all the difference.
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Eat It, Virginia! with Scott and RobeyUntold with Catie Beck
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This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. To learn more about how we use AI in our newsroom, click here.
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