Barnstorming was a popular form of entertainment in the 1920s in which stunt pilots woul perform tricks with airplanes, often in groups as a flying circus. These aerialists — or "barnstormers" as they became known — performed almost any trick or feat with an airplane that people could imagine. Barnstorming was also the first major form of civil aviation in the history of flight. For many pilots and stuntpeople, barnstorming provided an exciting and invigorating way to make a living as well as a challenging outlet for their creativity and showmanship.