Member Tested

Product Reviews

BARNSTORMING
Barnstorming is the true story of an unexpected friendship that developed between a farm family and two pilots who literally dropped out of the sky. Their friendship has created a new tradition out of an old one, long gone: barnstorming. www.BarnstormingMovie.com

Number Tested	33
Would you recomend this product to other members?	Yes - 97%
Overall, how satisfied were you with this product (0-10, 10 being highest)?	8.6

 

First Name	Rating	Comments
Chuck	9	Barnstormers is a charming and well-made documentary about the growing bond between a farm family and a group of flyers that began with a chance landing in an Indiana hayfield one summer day in 1999. The type of film you wish your non-flying friends and family would see, to help them understand why you spend so much time and money on airplanes. Beautifully shot flying scenes and interviews with the pilots and their farm family hosts illuminate this story of friendship, community, and the love of airplanes. Pilot and antique airplane restorer Andrew King talks about “spreading the gospel of airplanes,” and I have rarely seen a film that does better than this little gem. Aviators will enjoy the flying (of course), but the best scenes are on the ground: Friends gathered on the porch in the evening to swap flying stories while children chase fireflies in the fading summer light, architect and pilot Frank Pavliga remembering his late father and the Pietenpol they built together, and the way a whole town can be brought out by a few old airplanes landing in a hayfield. A movie well worth owning, and even better, sharing with family and friends.
Bob	5	I’m neutral with respect to a recommendation to buy this video. The quality was good, the “interviews” were good, but the content left me waiting more with a title like “Barnstorming.” I was hoping for a modern version of Richard Bach flying from field to field with some friends hawking rides in Wacos, Jennys, and Fleets. I don’t think this 48 minute video can justify a $20 price tag. I think it’s more suited to PBS.
Bill	8	A great story, very well done. The only thing I would have done is to have included a short explaination by each aircraft owner talking about why he chose his particular airplane, and what he has done to it, with a walk around the airplane as he talked about it.
William	10	Joy! That’s the feeling this wonderful documentary evokes. From the low-and-slow flying, the vintage airplanes, the warm friendships, the sqealing and excited kids, the happy dog scampering about, it all speaks of joy. The photography is great; I especially liked the shots from just outside the J-3 Cub’s door. The musical score was the perfect accompaniment to the spirit of the film. Watching this film made me want to jump in a J-3 or a Pietenpol and head off barnstorming! What a great little documentary.
David	8	More than a home movie but not quite a Hollywood production. I enjoyed the movie, nonetheless. It does a good job of portraying the simple Americana lifestyle of a family of dairy farmers who have a couple of antique airplanes land in their hay field and forever change their lives. The movie depicts what seat-of-the-pants flying is all about. Very heartwarming. Thank you for the opportunity to review the movie.
Sue	9	This is a thoroughly enjoyable documentary. Excellent cinematography, the flying and farm scenes looked wonderful. This movie demonstrates one possible answer to the question “How to win friends and influence people”. These wonderful pilots have done a great service to all pilots. They are spreading the joy of aviation to others. I want to go flying right now.
Matthew	10	I found this documentary to be a refreshing take on aviation. It highlights the best sort of pilots and the best sort of non-pilots. This documentary is a reminder of the joys of flight. The soundtrack, interviews and footage are expertly assembled such that they evoke this feeling of family and friendship. Overall, this account of an accidental fly-in is on my list of must see aviation documentaries.
Reynaldo	7	Barnstorming once again demonstrates how aviation can turn complete strangers into life-long friends. It is an inspiring story of adventure and a return to a simpler time. Watching the film makes you want to plan a trip to Indiana every year to join in the fun on the farm!
Steve	9	A very engaging and heartwarming story that leaves you smiling. It recreates that spirit of a bygone era when flying was a way of life and sharing it with others the highest form of personal satisfaction.
Michael	7	$20 list price is too high, I enjoyed watching the movie. Something I’d probably expect to see on PBS.
Darick	8	Overall I would recommend this video. The photography was good, sound was good, scene transitions good, story line flowed logically and kept your interest. There were two scenes that were questionable to me. One, I feel that we should be very careful to give aviation a safe and credible reputation. The scene of the Pietenpol cutting the electric line does not do this. The pilot was very lucky he wasn’t killed even though the film treats this very lightly. Someone not familiar with flying would think this was just a minor incident, which is good for this film, but those familiar with the hazards of flying know better. The other scene, which again only a pilot would recognize as unsafe, is when one pilot wants to check out the weather and goes “up for a look”. Yes, that’s how the old barnstormers would have done it, but today, it’s much better to call flight service for a weather briefing. There was recently an article in AOPA addressing this very issue and how easy it is to fly into bad weather, which could easily result in a fatal crash. The only minor issue was with the ending credits. At first, I thought there was supposed to be a connection between the names and the video which appeared together, but then I realized it was not intended.
Tom	10	Really wonderful story that I wish I could duplicate in my life. It’s really a story of people some of whom happen to have airplanes all of whom accept and enjoy one another. Great story and a great example for us all.
Andrew	10	Barnstorming is a touching story about a group of aviators that, through random chance, have found an inviting family and community to visit every year. During their time there, they put on a small air show for the community and spread the love of flying to them. Director Bryan Reichhardt captures the thrill and joy of sharing aviation with others. It’s an inspiring tale that really chalenges the viewer to remember how wonderful it is that we can fly and how important sharing the gift is. The people who participate in this fly in truly understand the spirit of aviation.
Richard	10	Great video. Takes one back to the old days of flying and yet set in modern times. Low and slow is the way to go. Can’t wait for the snow to disappear.
Ryan	9	If you have ever had the pleasure of landing on a farm and being welcomed as friends, then you know what a treat it is. Unfortunately, most flyers today have not enjoyed this once common experience. Through the words of pilots Andrew King, Frank Pavliga, the Dirkson Family and others, the viewer experiences the excitement of a country fly-in. More than this however, this film reacquaints viewers with some of the best and most basic of humanity’s values: integrity and friendship. Barnstorming was not filmed with state-of-the-art cameras, lighting, and audio. It won’t be remembered as one of the greatest block-busters of all time. What is extraordinary about this film is that just like the people whose story it tells, it makes no claims to be anything other than what it is. It’s a simple little story about a simple little gathering of friends. Its honesty is apparent in all areas, from the words of the pilots and farmers to the beautiful aerial footage of vintage airplanes drifting across the summer sky and especially in the film’s original score. Nothing feels staged or forced. Barnstorming is an everyman’s film that reminds the viewer that sometimes the most simple things are the most satisfying.
Gryphon	6	Production quality wasn’t stellar, but the content was good. Enjoyable documentary on how an “accidental” modern-day barnstorming grew into an annual fly-in /local “airshow”. If re-mastered, I would recommend re-doing the subtitle/titles. I found them distracting at best and unreadable at worst.
Travis	9	This 48-minute video documentary sets the stage for both pilots and non-pilots to be invited into the grass roots aviation community! I had two of my neighbors preview this view with me to get their take on it. Both agreed that they would recommend the video to others with very high marks. For one neighbor, it opened the eyes and reaffirmed that Middle America still exists and it is a great country that we live in! I personally would recommend this video to anyone! Pilots and non-pilots! This is a great outreach tool EAA should have in its arsenal to bring more pilots into the fold! I would suggest that EAA utilize this video as an outreach tool by sending NETFLIX one to open the eyes of new additional people!
Christian	10	Excellent! I’m a designer by trade, so I have very high standards when it comes to quality of images or videos. I have to admit, after I started the DVD I thought to myself, “Uh oh, this looks like it was filmed with a cheap handy cam; not good.” But after I got into the story I don’t think I’ld have it any other way. The look and feel of the video just made the people and emotions that much more genuine. It was easy to connect with! I haven’t felt that way since I saw One Six Right. Great documentary! Thank you for the privilege of screening it!
Ray	9	This very pleasant video takes us back in time for a look at a segment of Americana that is largely gone. The interplay between the airmen and the farm family was unique, touching, and also a great example of shared thoughts and feelings this country has, to a large extent, lost. This is wholesome entertainment at its finest. The music added greatly to the presentation, and the production was top notch. The video gives insight into the diverse worlds of the aviators and the farm family, and does so in a most pleasant manner. It makes you wish you were there in the field, waiting for the aircraft to show up, or flying in to that friendly farm. I would have liked to see the aircraft identified, and that’s why I rated it 9 instead of 10.
Carol	8	A nicely-done story about a group of pilots who bring back the good old days to an area of rural Indiana as modern-day barnstormers. The video details the preparations and staging done by the pilots and the Dirksens and captures the excitement of all involved. Would have liked more details on the history of the individual aircraft, but I realize that this video is geared more to the non-flying public, so I’m OK with that.
Tony	10	This DVD expresses the love of flying from the grassroots point of view. It shows how simple and fun aviation can be. It could be a powerful tool to combat those who would take away our freedom and rights to use the open airspace above our land, as well as a tool to lure young Americans into the air.
Terry	10	This story is a must-see for anyone who has dropped a tailwheel on a grass airfield, or you wish you could. Celebrating friendships and the airplanes that made it all possible. After landing in a dairy farmer’s hayfield, two pilots get to know the owners. As a passing comment the farmer says, “Come back next year and we will feed you.” The pilots, always looking for an excuse to fly, return and make it an annual event. We join them several years later. A film crew follows the pilots and another follows the farm family as each prepare for the day. We meet the pilots and see why they come. We see the excitement of the farm family and their neighbors as they await the arrival of their new freinds and the small airplanes that have brought them together. The combination family reunion and aerial events make for laughter and smiles all around, showing us that the simple pleasures of Middle America are alive and well. A feel-good DVD you will watch time and again, even sharing it as a gift to your friends. As I have.
Michael	8	It is an interesting story with entertaining people and plenty of humor. There’s lots of flying footage. The passion these pilots have for aviation really comes across, and it’s enjoyable to see them spread their love for aviation to non-pilots. It truly is a modern version of the barnstorming experience. It left me wanting to fly off looking for an aviation adventure of my own. If you like to fly low and slow, you’ll enjoy this film.
Dean	9	An excellent film. Re-lives the romance of aviation in a modern day setting. Sure to attract future EAAers.
Jesse	10	I’m 17-years-old from Middletown, Ohio, and love aviation, so I was extremely excited to be chosen to watch and review Barnstormers. It immediately got my attention when I looked at the cover and read the summary on the back. Then, when I started watching the video, I was hooked! What a cool film! It’s so neat to see how something like this event that the pilots started has evolved into a small fly-in for the entire town. Plus, it’s at a farm. They just land in a hayfield like they used to in the old days. It was also cool to see a couple of local airports on the video. I highly recommend this to anyone!
Bob	10	My wife and I watched the DVD immediately after receiving it in the mail. I’m kind of biased, we fly to most of the Ohio airports featured in the film and we know of most of the participants. However, if you would have had this product test during better weather, we’d have gone flying right after watching it. This documentary makes us proud to live and fly in the nation’s heartland. It’s great to see kids being raised in a responsible, healthy, working environment; their excitement was inspiring. It’s also good to see the real America that doesn’t make the news shows. In fact, the first thing my wife said during the show was, “Now that’s the real America, baby!” We will recommend this to friends and maybe playing this to schools would show city kids what a rewarding life there is available to those willing to work for it. Four thumbs up from this family.
Burt	8	Barnstorming is a documentary that tells a great story how a few vintage aviation guys (Andrew King and Frank Pavliga) met a dairy farmer (Matt Dirksen) and built a unique friendship. This short film (48-minutes) really brought it home on how simple and enjoyable aviation can still be today. Barnstorming made me think about where my next flying trip will be, although I don’t think I will be landing in a farmer’s field anytime soon.
Phil	7	A very interesting story. The story could have been set up better in the beginning...all the players, and there are many, were not always well identified. Disappointed that there was no footage from the 2000-2007 gatherings. A map would have been nice to see and how all the fliers came together. Needs more airplanes...less cows.This appears to be a low budget film and the technical quality of the photography sometimes showed it. Overall a solid 7 in my book.
Jerry	9	Barnstorming is a tender documentary about a chance landing at a dairy farm in 1999 and what became a yearly event for the pilots and the local families. The stars of the movie quickly become the local children. Their delight at spotting the arriving airplanes establishes its heart. Original music throughout does a fine job of enhancing the feelings without intruding. This is a truly sweet film that reminds pilots of how lucky we really are and of our ability to affect not just kids, but communities.
Scott	10	Now this is a wonderful story and I’m so happy to have experienced it through your film. Having grown up in a community much like the one in the documentary, I beleive the producers genuinely captured the essence of the events. The cinemaphotography was excellent and imaginative. I particularly enjoyed the aerial sequences taken from inside the Cub (with the camera held outside the cabin). This created immediacy which one never sees. Scenes taken of the family preparing for the arrival could have been lifted directly from my own recollections of past family gatherings. Generally speaking, I watch movies for entertainment and rarely expect to be as engaged in a film as I was with Barnstorming.
Daniel	9	Modern day BARNSTORMING at its best. We need to encourage more of this type activity bringing flying to the public. I sincerely enjoyed this documentary and was surprised that I had never heard of this spectacular annual reunion.
Helen	5	Too long and too little substance. Well filmed though and I liked the music.
Buck	9	This is a heartwarming story that reminded me of the fundamental reasons I got involved in recreational aviation in the first place. The pilots who, by chance, landed their airplanes in one particular farmer’s field could not have known what was in store for them, but their experiences, and the way these experiences were documented for this film, are a reminder of our shared humanity. I feel better about the human race after watching this film.