The National Stearman Fly-In at Galesburg and the open-cockpit biplane that taught America to fly

The National Stearman Fly-In is the largest gathering of Stearman biplanes on Earth, held every September at Galesburg Municipal Airport in west-central Illinois. More than 100 of these open-cockpit antique trainers fly in from across the country each year, and the event has run continuously since 1972. It is not a static display—it’s a week of active flying, formation clinics, and competitions centered on the airplane that taught America to fly.

What Is the National Stearman Fly-In?

For one week every September, the quiet field at Galesburg Municipal Airport becomes the single largest concentration of Stearman biplanes anywhere in the world. The gathering has been held annually since 1972—more than 50 years of tradition.

Pilots fly their open-cockpit antiques in from all over the United States. For many, the journey itself is part of the experience, with some spending two or three days in the air just to arrive, exposed to the wind the entire way.

The fly-in is organized largely by volunteers and members of the National Stearman Fly-In organization—people who take a week off work to marshal aircraft, host visitors, and welcome every arriving pilot.

What Is a Stearman Biplane?

The Stearman is officially the Boeing Model 75, commonly nicknamed the Kaydet. It’s a biplane—two wings stacked one over the other, joined by the distinctive flying wires—powered by a large radial engine and built with two open cockpits, one behind the other.

Produced from the late 1930s through World War II, it served as a primary trainer. More than 10,000 were built, and depending on the variant, the radial engine produces roughly 220 horsepower.

This is the airplane that taught America to fly. Tens of thousands of pilots who went on to fly fighters and bombers for the Army and Navy took their very first flying lessons in a Stearman before ever touching a Mustang or Corsair.

Why Do Pilots Love the Stearman So Much?

Old instructors used to say the Stearman had “just enough bad habits to teach you respect.” It’s tricky on the ground, a genuine handful in a crosswind, and unforgiving of lazy footwork—it will ground-loop on you if you stop flying it. But in the air, pilots describe it as pure joy.

Because it’s a taildragger, the nose points skyward when the aircraft sits still, meaning you can’t see straight ahead while taxiing. Pilots S-turn down the taxiway to see around the long nose.

The real draw is the open cockpit. With no canopy and no door, the pilot is fully immersed in the elements—wind, the smell of cut grass and fields below, the unfiltered experience of flight. Many modern pilots say flying a Stearman for the first time fundamentally changes how they understand aviation.

The Living History on the Ramp

What sets this event apart is that nothing is behind a rope. These are flying machines, and many carry deep personal histories.

One pilot flew in from Tennessee in an airplane that rolled off the line in 1943—a genuine wartime trainer. He located the original logbooks and discovered that a 19-year-old took his first flying lesson in that exact aircraft in 1943. More than 80 years later, he keeps it flying in its original yellow Army colors and brings it to Galesburg every September.

Another owner, a woman whose father trained in a Stearman during the war, learned to fly after he passed away, bought her own aircraft, and now flies it to the event each year in his memory. These airplanes function as time machines—not by taking people back, but by carrying the past forward and connecting generations.

What Actually Happens at the Fly-In?

The emphasis is on fly. The week includes organized flying events:

Spot landing contests, where pilots aim to touch down precisely at a target line
Fun flight and navigation competitions
Formation clinics
A mentorship program called “Lead Follow,” where newer Stearman pilots are paired with seasoned veterans to build formation skills safely

Formation flying in an open-cockpit biplane is a demanding craft—pilots hold position by feel, hand signals, and trust, since talking over the wind and engine is nearly impossible. Veterans pass these skills down directly to newer aviators.

The aircraft appear in a range of liveries: faithful military trim like the Navy’s blue-and-yellow scheme and the all-yellow Army trainer known as the “Yellow Peril,” alongside privately restored examples in custom colors, many of them former crop dusters brought back to life.

How to Attend (You Don’t Need a Stearman)

The event takes place every September at Galesburg Municipal Airport. You don’t need to own a biplane to attend—visitors can drive in, walk the ramp, talk with pilots, and watch the flying.

The town of Galesburg, a classic American railroad community with brick streets and historic downtown diners, fully embraces the event. Expect pancake breakfasts, a banquet, and an awards dinner with trophies for spot landings, longest distance flown in, and best restorations.

If you’re a pilot, plan a cross-country with Galesburg as your destination—call ahead and make it part of your flying. And if you’ve ever wanted to ride in a Stearman, this is one of the best places to find a pilot willing to take you up.

Key Takeaways

The National Stearman Fly-In at Galesburg, Illinois, is the world’s largest gathering of Stearman biplanes, held every September since 1972.
The Stearman (Boeing Model 75 / “Kaydet”) was a WWII-era primary trainer; over 10,000 were built and it trained tens of thousands of future military pilots.
It’s a flying event, not a static show—featuring spot landing contests, formation clinics, and the “Lead Follow” mentorship program.
The Stearman is a demanding taildragger prone to ground-looping, prized for teaching pilots discipline and rudder control.
The fly-in is free to attend for the public; you don’t need to own an aircraft to walk the ramp and meet the pilots.