I was at an event in Los Alamos and saw your plane fly by the ski area.  Having a long time love affair with WWII planes I told my brother what an awesome ride this looked like.  Well he decided to hook me up with a ride the next morning.  When he told me I couldn’t believe it, I was so excited I couldn’t sleep that night.  The following morning I met with Don and he explained the process in a very efficient and easy to understand manner.  After we took off he said “the plane is yours”……. Unbelievable……..never in a million years did I think I would be able to actually fly a SNJ plane.  I was thinking “this is like a dream come true.  It came time for the aerobatics which were so much fun.  This ride is something that in a way changed my life…….I think about it often and what I accomplished.  Absolutely outstanding.  I will be back for more.  Corps and businesses!  Keep your tickets to the ball game and the concert.  If you really want to do something for your “Top Gun Performers”  Put them on a Santa Fe Top Gun Adventure they will never forget it, I know I won’t.  Thanks Don it was out of this world.

—K Peterson
Albuquerque

I’m not a pilot, nor have I ever had a great desire to be. I am however a former sailor and an enthusiast of old aircraft, especially that of the WWII era.

On Memorial Day I had the opportunity to take a flight in the vintage, Navy SNJ at Santa Fe Top Gun Adventures. This was a gift from my wife and the adventure started by meeting Ken “Rascal” Kalstad. Ken, a retired Naval Aviator provided me with a history of the SNJ as well as a clear description of the maneuvers we were going to perform. His enthusiastic personality put me immediately at ease and at the same time, excited me about what was to come.

Strapped into the rear cockpit of the SNJ, I surveyed the stick and the instruments as the huge 9 cylinder radial engine barked to life. Bluish gray smoke belching from the exhaust transformed me to an era of courageous young pilots sitting on carrier decks awaiting the launch signal at the Battle of Midway. My reverie was interrupted by communications between the pilot and tower as we taxied into takeoff position.

As we taxied and I looked about the aircrafts interior, I was struck by the simplicity of it all. To have taken to the skies unencumbered by numerous computers, advanced avionics and various electronic components must have been the pinnacle of aviation in the eyes of many pilots.

At the edge of the runway awaiting clearance, Ken ran up the engine and performed his final pre-flight checks. We turned onto the runway and began our takeoff. My heart beat matched the RPM’s of the engine as we departed earth and lifted above the high desert of New Mexico. Upon attaining appropriate altitude, Ken turned control of the aircraft over to me. As we flew over the beautiful scenery around Santa Fe, Ken, with clear instruction, talked me through several maneuvers including loops and rolls.

I have flown frequently in aircraft large and small, but I cannot even begin to describe the awesome feeling of reaching the top of your loop and looking through the clear canopy back down at mother earth as your vintage aircraft rolls over and you guide it back into level flight, the radial engine drumming smoothly. It doesn’t matter if you are an aircraft enthusiast, veteran pilot, history buff or just somebody who wants a different perspective of the grand New Mexico scenery. Santa Fe Top Gun Adventures will tailor the flight to your wants and capabilities. After handling the aircraft through a few maneuvers, I was content to sit back and enjoy Ken’s great flying skills. As with anything that is totally pleasurable, it was over way to soon and I was returned to terra firma, but I don’t believe my feet actually touched the ground for the rest of the day.

My flight with Santa Fe Top Gun Adventures took me back to men and women of the “Greatest Generation” and was the high point of an already wonderful weekend. If my travels bring me back to the area, I will definitely fly with them again. I would highly recommend Ken Kalstad and Santa Fe Top Gun Adventures.

—Allan Sperling
McNeal, AZ

I recently became a grandmother. As I hold my granddaughters in my arms watching them sleeping peacefully I thank God my family is fortunate enough to live in a country where they will be free to pursue whatever dreams are locked in their little souls. My mind wanders to those who made that possible; the many known and unknown who fought so many wars, past and present, for our freedom allowing each of them to achieve whatever their talents and determination might allow.

As a child I was fascinated by the stories of my ancestors who fought in the revolution, civil war, my grandfather who was in the navy during WWI and my parents’ memories of their experiences during WWII. So many from past generations willingly forfeited their dreams and futures for love of their country and a strong sense of duty innately understanding that future generations of Americans, including my grandchildren, would enjoy the definitive fruit of their sacrifices; freedom. I remember wishing I could break through the dimension of time to meet those men and women of honor I’d learned so much about in order to understand their sacrifice and unimaginable courage. How do you march in formation across a battlefield into certain death? How do you step off the landing craft while those who stepped off just before you are lying dead on the shore? How do you take off on a bombing mission with the knowledge that there is a good chance you will not return? How do you take off on another mission after barely returning safely from the last? I imagined that I would have been paralyzed by fear and uncertainty. What mental fortitude and emotional strength drove people to sacrifice their very lives for an ideal?

Recently those desires of my childhood soul were rekindled when Top Gun Adventures graciously offered a flight on their lovingly restored WWII SNJ advanced Navy trainer. When I arrived at Capital Aviation at the Santa Fe Airport for my flight I was still in my business mode. My thoughts remained solely on obtaining adequate information to create an article for my magazine that would properly promote Top Gun Adventures utilizing my experiences on the flight in their beautiful SNJ. I had no idea the spiritual and highly emotional experience I was embarking on. This flight was about to allow my soul to travel through time and momentarily connect with those young men of courage I had been in awe of as a child.

It was a beautiful sunny day in New Mexico. My pilot, Ken Kalstad was waiting for me and took me into the lounge for a pre-flight briefing. We went over the flight path highlighting the New Mexico landmarks we’d have the opportunity to see. Ken then began to explain some of the mechanics and history of the aircraft. This SNJ advanced trainer was the last step in the training process for all WW II fighter pilots before the young cadets would go off to fight for our way of life. Most of the young men had no idea what lay ahead but were so dedicated to serving their country that they were willing to move forward into the unknown without hesitation. Then it was on to basic flight training where we discussed yaw and thrust and other things regarding the aerodynamics of the plane; how the controls operate the different parts of the plane, and the affect they have on direction and elevation. He explained the combat applications aerobatics performed at many air shows; rolls and loops have strategic purposes in combat that need to be perfected by the pilots to achieve strategic advantage in aerial battles. Ken explained that I would experience the identical situations that those young men experienced. Ken offered to perform aerobatics so I could experience a bombing run. His enthusiasm, knowledge, love of the aircraft and flight was very apparent. His father, who was the only child of Norwegian immigrants, for love of country, had volunteered for the flight program during WW II, passing up an appointment to the US Military Academy, and had trained in the SNJ. It was obvious to me that I was in very good hands! Then he explained that I would have the opportunity to fly the aircraft myself and perform an aileron roll, and how I would accomplish that. I thought. “Oh…Okay…I am going to fly the plane. My family will find this particularly amusing since they are constantly teasing me about my grace and coordination.”

Then we were off to the aircraft. Ken helped me get situated in my seat hooking up my parachute and then securing me to my seat. He explained all the necessary safety information including, and most importantly, how to operate the parachute. Soon we were taxiing out to the runway. As we took off the sun shone on the sparkling clean aircraft, the engines were roaring, my heart was pounding and off we went into the crystal clear New Mexico sky. I have looked out the window of a jet from 30,000 feet and seen the landscape below, but somehow it all seems a little removed from reality. This flight however stirred my soul. I actually took the controls and flew the plane, tried to keep the wings even, nose up 30 degrees and then hard left on the controls executing, what I imagined, was an absolutely beautiful aileron roll! Okay, I am sure it wasn’t perfect but WOW what a feeling. We did loops and rolls, flew through the canyons along the Rio Grande…..the sun shining and the engine rumbling like thunder and the landscape was beautiful. As we flew through space it felt great to be alive and my mind was flooded with thoughts of the young men who had sat in this very seat preparing for war. What battles were they off to, how many won and how many lost… who came home and saw the fruits of their sacrifice, who gave up their lives and future generations of their families so others would be free; the pride and sorrow of all the families who said goodbye to their loved ones, the waiting… the fear… the loss. It brought sorrow to my soul but also a sense of gratitude I hoped their souls felt.

I had a few butterflies during the flight and the G-Force is definitely noticeable; but what a thrill the aerobatics are to the soul. The entire experience was amazing from taking the controls to fly the plane, to feeling the freedom of flight, but the absolute best part was the connection with those men who sat in the very seat of the very aircraft in which one flies. It was absolutely captivating. Top Gun Adventures gave me a gift I will never forget and it is something I would recommend to anyone; it will definitely rank as one of your top 10 lifetime experiences! Rest assured the professionals allowing you this experience are in full control of the situation at all times and are concerned not only with ensuring your safety but ensuring you have the experience of a lifetime!

—Sharon Yemal
Albuquerque, NM