FIRST QUARTER | 2018
Supporting backcountry pilots for over four years
Photo by Deon Mitton w w w. S T O L A i r c r a f t M a g a z i n e . c o m
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Q1 2018 Volume IV | Number 1
32 MARK PATEY Takes the STOL Drag Win! DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH
34 TRENT PALMER Maximum Skills, Minimum Horsepower
DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH
38 N7789P FINDS A NEW HOME
DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH
33 STEVE HENRY Flies his Wild West Hylander DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH
36 NORWOOD THOMAS Going Strong at 95
DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH
55 EDDIE STASH WINS BIG At The STOL Round-Up
DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH
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DEPARTMENTS www.STOLAircraftMagazine.com PUBLISHING
Publication Printers
CEO
Sheila Smith
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EDITOR IN CHIEF Dennis “Shooter” Smith
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
03 FROM THE COCKPIT Message from the Editor
14 MEDICAL TIPS Cool, Cool, Water
DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH
RANDLE CORFMAN, MD, PHD
04 AIRMAIL Letters to the Editor
18 STOL STOPS Backyard Playground
06 ASSET PROTECTION Upgrading Ratings What Do They Do For You SCOTT “SKY” SMITH
08 BUSH PROTECTION Marlin 1895
20 TEXAS STOL ROUND UP And Results
DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH
42 WHAT OUR READERS ARE FLYING The Major Flies A Super STOL
DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH
DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH
10 THE DUKE SPEAKS Cold and Your Pets Health DUKE SMITH
12 MAINTENANCE Torque & Horsepower
46 STOL STOPS Lake Michigan Fly Out Pt. 2 JEFFERY BABER
48 A DIFFERENT KIND OF STOL GARY LEE
50 SOUTHWESTERN REGION Builder Assist: Done Right RICK BOSSHARDT
54 BOOK REVIEW Skyward Bound Why Flyers Fly by Russell Munson
SCOTT BOLING
05 CALENDAR OF EVENTS
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DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH
54 POEM My Tools
DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH
56 THE EMPENNAGE Our Parting Shot
DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH
INSIDE BACK COVER People & Planes of STOL ON THE COVER Rob Dehoney’s 185 is highlighted by evening fireworks at the High Sierra Fly-In.
Dennis “Shooter” Smith Duke Smith Gary Lee Jeffery Baber Kevin Quinn
Randle Corfman, MD, PhD Richard Walker Rick Bosshardt Scott Boling Scott “Sky” Smith
ART DIRECTOR Jackie McMillen
GRAPHIC DESIGN Courtney Smith PRODUCTION Innovative Solutions Group PHOTOGRAPHERS Dennis “Shooter” Smith Sheila Smith
WEB DESIGN Sheila Smith
ADVERTISING
Advertising Manager Sheila Smith 713-299-2062 sss@stolaircraftmagazine.com Dennis ”Shooter” Smith 713-816-0927 shooter@stolaircraftmagazine.com
MAILING ADDRESS: 13121 Louetta Road, Ste 1370 Cypress, Texas 77429
PHYSICAL ADDRESS: 32106 Windrose Lane Waller Texas 77484
RICHARD WALKER
SUBSCRIPTIONS Sheila Smith
BACK ISSUES To purchase back issues please visit: www.STOLAircraftMagazine.com
Airframes Alaska...45 Avemco Insurance...Inside Front Cover Bearhawk...11 CubCrafters...41 Custom Aircraft...19 EarthX...21
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Husky Aviat Aircraft Inc...09 Micro AeroDynamics Inc...09 R & M Steel...11 SkySmith Insurance...15 SunCountry Cubs...53 Turnbull Restoration...34 Univair...19
RETAIL SALES To sell STOL Aircraft Magazine at your establishment contact Dennis Smith at 713-816-0927
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To change your address, order new subscriptions or report a problem with your current subscription, please email STOL Aircraft Magazine at sss@STOLAircraftMagazine.com Printed in The United States of America
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From The Cockpit |
BY DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH
ith the passing of 2017 and the arrival of another even numbered year, we are well on our way to closing out yet another decade. It is interesting how time is labeled. A decade, ten years. A century, one hundred years. Four score and seven, eighty seven years. A fortnight, fourteen days, OK, I had to look that one up. Numbers are funny. If you are talking age we like to think of low numbers that don’t change frequently. We would like to dodge those numbers completely if that were possible. If it’s money we are talking, then we want high numbers that increase rapidly. The same applies to aircraft times. We want high numbers in our log book to boast about our extensive flight experience and all the fun and adventures we had acquiring those hours. If we are talking time on our airframes, engines, and accessories, we want low numbers as high numbers increase the potential of the big number of dollars we are going to spend to get back to a low numbered part. Wow, talking about fickle. You can’t seem to make those numbers work in the right direction. I had a former spouse like that, but I digress. Airframe numbers are a little different with rag and tube airplanes. The sub-structure or the airframe itself can be completely inspected and repaired by removal of the fabric covering. Certainly a major project but nowhere near as bad as removing the skin of a metal airplane. Portions of the metal tube frame of fabric aircraft can be cut away and a new part or piece welded in its place. Sand blast the repaired airframe, paint or powder coat it and your as good as new. Wings are very similar. Remove the fabric, replace the broken or bent part, cover it, add a little paint and your good to go. These actions won’t bring you back to zero time but you at least know that the structure is sound. Engines and their components are different. Remove the engine or part put in a new one and you are zero time or at least at fresh overhaul. I’m going to reach the magic number of 65 this year. Good or bad it’s coming. That puts me just about at TBO. I have frequently run my engines well past TBO due to good maintenance and proper engine care. I’ve given myself fairly good maintenance so I think I’ll keep on keeping on. I own one airplane that will be 71 this year (J-3) and two others that will be 64 (Cessna 180) and 56 (Piper Super Cub). All of them are in excellent shape and quite airworthy. My wife told me I was ready for overhaul. I don’t think that’s going to happen. She really doesn’t want to go through the hassles of a new model break-in. She would have to monitor the temperatures, change the oil, check for metal in the filter
and hope the new model didn’t blow a piston or seal. I think she will probably just keep what she has due to the good service history and known track record. Sometimes knowing what you have, although it’s a little older, is better than something shiny and new without a good history in the logbook.
Dennis “Shooter” Smith Editor-in-Chief STOL Aircraft Magazine shooter@STOLAircraftMagazine.com 713-816-0927 w w w. S T O L A i r c r a f t M a g a z i n e . c o m
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STOL DEPARTMENT
Airmail
Got it - thanks! I thought I had a bit before it expired but wanted to make sure - I am already friends on FB with STOL Aircraft Magazine - my hands down favorite publication! Thanks again. -Dave I get 5 aviation magazines and STOL is one of my favorites for sure. You should send out renewal notices. My two years came and went and I missed renewing in time. EDITOR’S NOTE: Subscription expiration is noted on your address label. We email renewal notices if you have provided us with an email address.
Hey Dennis, Just a little update on the clipwing. The airplane flys better than I expected. The first 15 hours are behind me. I had to work through some high oil temps. Because of a few 85+ degree days up here, I added a 1960s Corvair oil cooler after trying a larger aircraft cooler. Oil temp at 180- 210 depending on the ambient temp. We’re down to 35 degrees at present, with the cooler covered, am still at 180. Problem solved. Added VGs to the wing only so far. Having a hard time getting the thing to stall. Buffets at 32 mph indicated, my buddy had 0 with. 35 knot head wind, only a buffet. I have been operating out of a local airport, but flew home for the first time last week. The 1000 ft works good. Was a bit nervous the first time. Off the grd. in 350- 400 ft. In the hanger now, heading to Florida for a week. Talking snow here tomorrow. Good time to get away. Enjoying the 40 hr test process with no hurry. Hope all is well on your end. -Wayne K. 4
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We really do love your magazine, can’t wait for the next issue each time! -Harvey
Hi Sheila, Love Duke’s column ! -Paul L., Pine Grove, CA
STOL DEPARTMENT
Calendar of Events
COMING EVENTS THE NORTH WEST AVIATION CONFERENCE AND TRADE SHOW FEBRUARY 24-25, 2018
Kick off the New Year in Washington and see the latest, greatest in aviation at the Northwestern United States largest aviation conference and trade show.
THE 20TH ANNUAL GREAT ALASKA AVIATION GATHERING
MAY 5-6, 2018 Come see Alaska’s largest aviation trade show. Held in the FedEx hanger on Ted Steven’s International Airport, this event is huge. Over 275 exhibitors presenting the latest in STOL, Bush and backcountry equipment, and accessories. Register to win a Bush Plane. Best of all, admission is free!!
MARK YOUR CALENDAR! February 24-25, 2018
May 5-6, 2018
April 10-15, 2018
www.greatalaskaaviationgathering.org
Northwest Aviation Conference and Trade Show Washington State Fairgrounds Puyallup, Washington www.washington-aviation.org Sun-n-Fun Lakeland Lindner Regional Airport Lakeland, Florida www.flysnf.org
April 27-28, 2018
Great Minnesota Aviation Gathering www.mnpilots.org
The 20th Annual Great Alaska Aviation Gathering Alaska’s Largest Aviation Event FedEx Hanger on Ted Stevens International Airport Anchorage, Alaska
May 11 – 13, 2018
Valdez Fly-in and Air Show See the one that started it all! STOL Competititon at its best. www.valdezflyin.com
June 19-23, 2018
33rd Annual Sentimental Journey Fly-in William T. Piper Airport Lock Haven, Pennsylvania www.sentimentaljourneyfly-in.com
WWII-era Piper L-4H observation plane lives. Submitted by Doug Turnbull
VALDEZ FLY-IN, AIR SHOW AND STOL COMPETITION
MAY 11-13, 2018 Experience the Grand-daddy of them all. The 15th annual running of the STOL planes. Valdez STOL Competition. Take in Alaska at its finest in the beautiful, scenic coastal city of Valdez. See the incredibly short take off and landings made by Alaska’s premier STOL pilots. Walk among the hundreds of STOL equipped Alaskan Bush aircraft. Experience the thrill and excitement. If you’re a pilot, you have to live it at least once!
KEEPING UP WITH YOUR SUBSCRIPTION
DON’T LET IT RUN OUT!
STOL Aircraft Magazine is published four times per year. Mail dates are March 15th, June 15th, September 15th and December 15th. Subscriptions run for one or two years, depending on the requested length of your subscription, from the date that we receive your subscription. Your subscription termination date is located on the mailing label of each issue. If you have provided us with your e-mail address, we will send you a reminder that your subscription is about to end. If you have not provided an e-mail address we will send you a post card reminder. STOL Aircraft Magazine adheres to strict confidentiality standards. We will not sell or release your e-mail address or any other information that you provide to us. We hate junk mail as much as you do. We hope that you enjoy reading STOL and that you will refer us to a friend or advertiser.
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STOL DEPARTMENT
Asset Protection |
BY SCOTT “SKY” SMITH
UPGRADING RATINGS,
WHAT DO THEY DO FOR YOU?
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oving up the aviation training ladder can cost money. A typical instrument rating can be $5,000 or more. But will it really save you that much money? And will it reduce your insurance costs? From the insurance company and the underwriters view, advanced ratings and certificates are good decision. An underwriter will usually give you credit or some sort of a discount for additional ratings and certificates. How much depends on the company, rating or certificate, underwriter and
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type of aircraft insured. And really, the bottom line is more than likely going to be based on the type of aircraft. In many cases, the reduction in the premium doesn’t outweigh the cost to get the rating. If you are the proud owner of a two seat, fun-flying aircraft; getting an instrument rating might make you a better pilot. It might instill in you the desire to maintain altitude, reduce your deviations in headings and become an all-around smoother, more confident
pilot. And I think we can all agree that there is nothing wrong with that! But does really it save you money? Let’s think about the different process’ here. If you’re insuring a small single engine aircraft, a multi engine rating probably won’t change your rates much. But if you are trying to buy a bigger, faster, more complicated aircraft, an advance rating could be the difference between getting insurance or not. Does it mean you’ll automatically be a better pilot?
Not necessarily. I can use myself as an example. When I got my multi rating it was done in a cram course. Two days and six hours later, I had the distinction of a successful multi-engine check ride in my log. I’m not convinced that in just six hours of multi training I really became the greatest or a great multiengine pilot. I JUST became a multi pilot. The skills I learned did helped improve my single engine flying. What the additional rating did was to give me a license to learn. So by adding a multi engine rating, should I hope for a reduction in my insurance rates in a Piper Super Cub? Chances are they would look at the rating as an extra, but since I wasn’t insuring a twin, the credit would be small if nonexistent. It is important to realize that if I am paying a small premium for a small aircraft, the percentage of savings will be… well, small. But if I was insuring a twin-engine aircraft, the savings could be substantial. So the big question. If the savings are small and are related to the aircraft, what rating or certificate would be the most valuable? We have to remember that this is relevant only to the pilot (and the underwriter). Probably the most popular (and valuable) advanced training is the instrument rating. Of all the ratings that can save money on insurance, the instrument is at the top of the list. While an instrument won’t save huge dollars on a Just STOL or a Husky, it can still save you money. I think most will admit that the instrument training will make the average pilot more precise and more comfortable in the ATC system. Yes, the instrument rating can actually put you in dangerous conditions. But if you are willing to take the death defying chances in the clouds, you probably would have done the same type of thing as a VFR pilot. The inherent risk taking behavior manifests itself in pilots who scud run (we have probably all done a little of that) or flown when the clouds were imminent and we thought we
could out run them. But, if you practice, keep current, use good equipment and use common sense. It can be a safe and cost saving way to fly.
Instrument. Without, you might have one or two underwriter choices, with the rating four or six! Competition can reduce premiums.
I agree that getting an Instrument can cost money in the beginning. Not only the training but also the charts, recurrent training, and upgrades to the aircraft panel. As a VFR pilot have you been stuck somewhere or never made the trip, because of the weather? I can remember numerous VFR trips where I have had to take an unscheduled “detour” to go around the weather. And I have to admit, I have also had a few unexpected stops along the way. Every detour or delay costs money. It could be an increase in fuel, the cost of a rental car or an overnight stay.
And what about the other ratings, certificates, and endorsements that are available? Depends on the aircraft you’re flying. Learning to fly a glider may be the best training you can get for an engine failure. But it won’t save you much (if anything) on an insurance policy for a powered aircraft. Getting a multi rating (and a few hours in a twin) before you buy the multi engine aircraft can lower your insurance premium (and might even change your attitude about buying one). And if you like flying a tail wheel aircraft, getting the tail wheel endorsement before you buy, just might lower your insurance (and dual requirements).
And if you put the money and time into the instrument rating, the insurance company will usually give you a discount. And especially if the aircraft is Instrument Meteorologically Condition capable. And lately, some underwriting companies won’t even insure pilots in a high performance airplane. And remember, of all the ratings that can get a discount on your insurance, the instrument is one of the few that works for almost every aircraft. The savings aren’t always substantial, only about five to ten percent. And it depends on the amount of premium. So a high premium will equal a higher savings. Low premiums will be lower savings. This isn’t an endorsement to run out and get the Instrument rating. If all you plan on flying for the rest of your life is a small VFR aircraft (150, Champ, Pitts Special) the instrument savings will be negligible over the years. But if you plan on moving up to a high performance single or a twin, the instrument is going to be a requirement to get insurance coverage. And the savings can be significant. Premiums of $5,000 a year can be reduced by five to ten percent. Not bad for one rating. And over a few years, you have your money back. Additionally, there will be more competition between insurance underwriters for your business with an
Remember, aviation insurance underwriters look at the type of aircraft and the type of pilot when they figure the quote. And the more ratings, the better, but more important is the hours of experience. The more training, total flying time and actual hours in the make and model aircraft will have just as much or more effect on the rates than the addition of ratings. BUT… don’t forget that the more advanced the aircraft the more advanced your ratings should be. One other thing, to save money on insurance it’s always a good idea to practice “PET”, which is proficiency (practice), experience (hours) and training (dual). While it’s not the only way to cut insurance costs, it can sure help. And as usual, if you have questions about keeping your insurance costs down, contact your aviation insurance agent and see what the underwriters can recommend. Scott “Sky” Smith
Sky owns SkySmith Insurance in Ankeny IA. He can help you with insurance for all your toys. Contact him at 515-289-1439 w w w. S T O L A i r c r a f t M a g a z i n e . c o m
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STOL DEPARTMENT
Bush Protection |
BY DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH
MARLIN
1895
SHOOTING BIG CALIBERS IS FUN. Hunting with them is more fun. When STOL Aircraft Magazine decided to start it’s STOL competition competitor rifle give-a-way at the Texas STOL Round-up we contacted Doug Turnbull of Turnbull Restorations. Doug does big bore lever action rifles to perfection. Doug suggested a Marlin 1895 lever action rifle in .45-70 caliber. He took that rifle and enhanced it by color case hardening the action that resulted in a very durable unique color finish. I suggested that if he was making one for the give-a-way he might as well make another. The second one would be for me.
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My rifle was also enhanced with color case hardening. The Marlin has a four shot tubular magazine and side ejection. The stock is American Walnut with a pistol grip and fluted comb. Cut checkering adds function and beauty. Recoil is dampened with a rubber rifle butt pad. Swivel studs are added for the attachment of a rifle sling. It sports a 22 inch barrel with Ballard six groove rifling and a 1 in 20 twist. The barrel is topped with a Buckhorn folding rear sight and a ramp style front sight with a brass bead and hood. Fortunately for me and my aging eyes, the flat top rifle receiver is tapped for a scope mount. I have installed a Nikon 4-12 X 40 Buckmasters scope that will make accurate shooting much easier for me. The rifle is compact at 40 ½ inches. It has a 13 3/8 length of pull and weights approximately seven pounds without the scope, base, and rings.
at best a 3.5 inch group. I installed the Nikon scope with a single piece Leupold base and Leupold rings. The installation of the glass helped significantly. After a few elevation and windage adjustments, I was shooting a elliptical one hole group. I moved out 50 yards and sighted in at dead center at 100 yards. Recoil with the 300 grains was minimal at the bench. I will move up to 405 and then 500 grain bullets to determine accuracy and recoil with those rounds. It’s a hog stopper now with the 300’s. With the
500’s it should easily stop anything on the North American continent. When I get a little more time I will chronograph the rounds for speed and compute the kinetic energy at 50 and 100 yards with the 300 and 500 grain rounds. I’m looking forward to the journey of finding all its working parameters, especially with handloads. Due to its size and power, it going to probably end up being a cargo compartment favorite in the Super Cub.
Shooting the rifle is fun. I initially shot the rifle with open sights. I shot it with 300 grain Winchester ammo. Open site accuracy at fifty yards with my poor vision was surprisingly good producing
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STOL DEPARTMENT
The Duke Speaks |
BY DUKE “THE YELLOW LAB” SMITH
COLD AND YOUR PETS HEALTH 10
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ast issue I wrote of heat and how it may effect your dog. With winter well on us, you should be aware of and understand how the cold can also impact your pet. Certain medical conditions can be worsened by the cold. Arthritis and some muscle, ligament and bone problems will become more painful in cold temperatures. Pet tolerance to cold is based in part on the breed of the dog, thickness of their coat, stored fat, activity, age and their general health condition.
Check on your pet frequently in cold temperatures. Provide warm dry bedding, offer a good water source, and provide increased food to offset the higher level of caloric burn that it takes to keep your pet warm and maintain core body temperatures. Give your pet the attention needed to keep them safe and warm this winter. They will give that attention back at double the rate.
Duke Smith is a 22 month old Labrador Retriever. He has acquired his Bachelor Degree in duck and goose retrieval with a minor in crane and dove fetching. He will now pursue his Masters in UKC Hunting field trials.
Dogs tend to do best with exercise when the temperature is between 33 and 70 degrees Farhenheit. Below 32 degrees may be too cold for old, small, thin coated or ill dogs. Be sure to shorten outdoor activity for these cold sensistive pets in lower temperatures. Provide a warm bedding area for both indoor and outdoor pets. Indoor pets can absorb cold from floors of both slab or pier and beam style homes. Outdoor pets will absorb the cold from the ground. Moisture will accelerate the cold transmission. Outdoor animals are also effected by wind chill. A solid floor dog house off the ground with dry bedding and a flap or door to prevent wind infiltration will assist in making your dog more comfortable. In below freezing temperatures extra caution should be taken for your pet, even for the most cold tolerant of breeds.
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Be sure to watch for paw pad erosion and cuts from ice and frozen snow. Your dogs pads and paws are very susceptible to frostbite. Be aware that dogs require adequate water in cold as in warm weather. Frozen water cannot be consumed. Drinking cold water or licking ice will contribute to core temperature loss and make your dog miserable. Remember that anti-freeze is very poisonous to dogs. It is sweet tasting but deadly. Dispose of it in a safe place. Be sure your pet cannot get to it. w w w. S T O L A i r c r a f t M a g a z i n e . c o m
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STOL DEPARTMENT
Maintenance |
BY RICHARD WALKER
TORQUE
HORSEPOWER Photos From Land and Seas website and Custom Aircraft
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e all love to toss around horsepower numbers during our aeronautical discussions and of course the bigger the better, right? To better understand the mythical and misunderstood Horsepower and Torque let’s review the definitions. To quote Wikipedia “Horsepower is a unit of measurement of power (the rate at which work is done).” There are many different standards and types of horsepower; the one most applicable to reciprocating aircraft engines is “Brake Horsepower”. Wikipedia - “Brake horsepower (bhp) is the power measured at the crankshaft just outside the engine, before the losses of power caused by the gearbox and drive train.”
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HP = Torque X RPM/5252. Now for Torque. Wikipedia: “Torque, moment, or moment of force is rotational force. Just as a linear force is a push or a pull, a torque can be thought of as a twist to an object.” The expression of rotational or twisting force around an axis is called torque. It is measured in units of force times distance from the axis of rotation. If you have a 1-foot-long wrench and you exert a force of 10 pounds on the end of it then you apply a torque of 10 pound-feet (10 lbft). If the wrench were 2 feet long, the same force would apply a torque of 20 lbft. When an engine is said to make “200 lb-ft of torque”, it means that 200 pounds of force on a 1-foot lever is needed to stop its motion.Force is a pushing or pulling action of one body against another. Depending on
the resistance to the application of force, it may or may not result in movement. Imagine you are pulling on your biggest breaker bar that is attached to a stubborn prop bolt on your Bushwacker Special 1000 with 100 pounds of force, but it remains frozen, no movement. You’ve exerted force, but no movement has occurred because the bolt has too much resistance. If you apply force (torque) to your stuck bolt and movement does occur, you’ve performed work or the movement of an object from one position to another.
For example, if you use a hoist to lift a 500-pound engine 5 feet in the air, the work done would be 5 feet x 500 pounds or 2,500 foot-pounds (ft-lb). Work = D (distance moved) x F (force applied) So now that we have a technical idea what these terms mean how do we measure them? Since horsepower is a calculated number in order to get there we have to measure torque. The way to do that is with a dynamometer or “dyno” for short. Dynos come in various
forms such as Water Brake, Eddy current, and Hydraulic. The function of each of these devices is to load or resist the engines output. They are often referred to as the absorber. Once you control the output with a load absorber you then simultaneously measure the force applied to the absorber with some type of strain gauge. Once you can nail down torque output you are a simple calculation away from the big (hopefully) horsepower number. See photos for examples of different types of dynos/absorbers. Specifically for aircraft engine testing, we use a strain gauge to measure torque and a propeller to act as the absorber. The entire engine is mounted on a shaft that allows all the torque it can produce to be transferred into the strain gauge. (See photos) From there the data acquisition computer takes in all the data points, records them as often as 1000 times per second per channel and the Dyno-Max software calculates, charts and displays the information. So what does this all mean? To put it simply torque is what gets a vehicle moving from a start and horsepower keeps it moving. And of course the more power you have the faster you move. For propeller aircraft torque is what gets the prop moving and accelerating. Power allows it to keep accelerating up to the point the propeller transfers all the power available to moving air. In the end, horsepower is like money. Those that don’t have it wish they did and those that do have it wish they had more! Shiny side up and keep flappin! See ya next time.
Richard Walker can be contacted at www. customaircraft.com or by phone at (907) 745-6030
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