• Hero Banner
  • ACVCACVC
  • DVM 360
  • Fetch DVM 360Fetch DVM 360
DVM 360
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
By Role
AssociatesOwnersPractice ManagerStudentsTechnicians
Subscriptions
dvm360 Newsletterdvm360 Magazine
News
All News
Association
Breaking News
Education
Equine
FDA
Law & Ethics
Market Trends
Medical
Products
Recalls
Regulatory
Digital Media
dvm360 LIVE!™
Expert Interviews
The Vet Blast Podcast
Medical World News
Pet Connections
The Dilemma Live
Vet Perspectives™
Weekly Newscast
dvm360 Insights™
Publications
All Publications
dvm360
Firstline
Supplements
Top Recommended Veterinary Products
Vetted
Clinical
All Clinical
Anesthesia
Animal Welfare
Behavior
Cardiology
CBD in Pets
Dentistry
Dermatology
Diabetes
Emergency & Critical Care
Endocrinology
Equine Medicine
Exotic Animal Medicine
Feline Medicine
Gastroenterology
Imaging
Infectious Diseases
Integrative Medicine
Nutrition
Oncology
Ophthalmology
Orthopedics
Pain Management
Parasitology
Pharmacy
Surgery
Toxicology
Urology & Nephrology
Virtual Care
Business
All Business
Business & Personal Finance
Buying or Selling a Practice
Hospital Design
Leadership & Personal Growth
Personnel Management
Practice Finances
Practice Operations
Technology
Wellbeing & Lifestyle
Continuing Education
Conferences
Live Conferences
Conference News
Conference Proceedings
Resources
CBD in Pets
Contests
Veterinary Heroes
Partners
Spotlight Series
Team Meeting in a Box
Toolkit
Top Recommended Veterinary Products
Vet to Vet
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

Advertisement
By Role
  • Associates
  • Owners
  • Practice Manager
  • Students
  • Technicians
Subscriptions
  • dvm360 Newsletter
  • dvm360 Magazine
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us
  • MJHLS Brand Logo

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences™ and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

Taking to the skies on vintage wings

March 1, 2008
Paul Tulacz, DVM

I don't have the urge to escape to some other venue.

I started flying at age 52, which is somewhat late in life to take up this particular hobby. About that time I began to develop an interest in older aircraft. So in 1995 I purchased a Piper J-3 Cub in Clinton, Miss., and transported it to Oregon. Seventy-five percent of the plane required restoration, but it had its maiden flight after restoration in August 1998. Restoring the aircraft was a learning experience that involved precision and innovation—but the reward was beholding the plane's incredible beauty when I first flew it.

Dr. Paul Tulacz flies high in his Stearman N75PT, a 1940s-era airplane he restored. Photo courtesy of Dr. Paul Tulacz

In 1992 I had purchased a Stearman originally built in 1941, but I wasn't able to start restoring it until February 2000. The delay was because of the usual factors: time, money, and personal circumstances. I first flew the plane in July 2003, making this a roughly three-and-a-half year project. Its purple color is uncommon, but I chose it because it's characteristic of the 1930s when the plane was designed.

Advertisement

I took pleasure in designing the look of this airplane and in performing the hands-on restoration work—and now I get to fly it. Purple Passion is an open-cockpit aircraft, so I'm at the mercy of the flying season here in the Northwest, which generally runs April through October. Occasionally there's a great day at other times of the year, so I take the opportunity to fly whenever I can.

Learning to fly, building a beautiful and functional machine, and then flying that machine has been a very rewarding process. It's not necessarily an escape for me—I truly enjoy my chosen profession. Daily practice certainly has its tribulations involving clients, pets, employees, and other challenges, but I don't have the urge to flee to some other venue. My interest in restoration and flight is just another one of life's joys.

I'm fortunate to live in this beautiful area of the country with its mountains and other sights. What better way to enjoy the splendor of the Northwest than from the sky?

—Paul Tulacz, DVM

Portland Animal Clinic; Portland, Ore.

Related Content:

Wellbeing & LifestyleOwners
New certificate program addresses the importance of self-care
New certificate program addresses the importance of self-care
From the lens of a veterinarian: The proboscis monkey
From the lens of a veterinarian: The proboscis monkey
3 Must-reads for Mother's Day
3 Must-reads for Mother's Day

Advertisement

Latest News

Drug for acute onset of canine pancreatitis is launched on the US market

New Automatic 2-in-1 Pet Feeder and Water Dispenser launched

PetHub launches AI tools for pet owners

Prairie dog pups emerge from underground at Maryland Zoo

View More Latest News
Advertisement