STOL AIRCRAFT MAGAZINE 1ST QUARTER 2018

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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AIRCRAFT MAGAZINE

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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

SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES

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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BY RANDLE CORFMAN, MD, PhD.

O

ne of my favorite songs is “Cool Water”, sung by the Sons of the Pioneers (Roy Rogers was my hero growing up, and he sang with this terrific group): All day I’ve faced the barren waste Without the taste of water, cool water Old Dan and I with throats burned dry And souls that cry for water, cool, clear water Recently, I had the pleasure of flying in Southeast Alaska with Bill Rusk, a dear friend, and kindred spirit, visiting a number of Forest Service cabins between Juneau and Ketchikan. The outside air temperatures were generally cool, but during the days it could get pretty warm, requiring us to take off a layer or two to stay comfortable. Layering was the name of the game, though, in that the temperatures could change in a hurry!

When we went for a hike we could go from being comfortable to being too hot in a matter of minutes, and we would tough it out for a while, then remove a jacket, then a shirt, just to keep from perspiring too much. The wind would blow, having a chilling effect…you know the drill.

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Shortly after I flew with Bill he invited another of his friends to spend some time with him, and he was looking forward to showing this gentleman the beauty of Southeast Alaska. His friend was a very active, in shape gentleman who was in his mid-70’s and had no known health issues. A few days after Bill’s trip with his friend ended I asked him how it went and he said that his friend had developed some chest pain and he took him to the emergency room of a local hospital, thinking (wisely) that it could be significant. They were pleasantly surprised to find out that the diagnosis was “dehydration”. Bill was incredulous that this had happened, in that they both had a couple cups of coffee in the morning, had a Coke for lunch, and something to drink in the evenings and Bill had no problems.

I have had several variations of this story told to me over the years, with the common theme being a person in their late 60’s, early to mid 70’s, no noticeable medical problems who developed chest pain and lightheadedness, becoming concerned and going to the ER, only to be diagnosed with dehydration. That diagnosis being reached only after a series of blood tests, and EKG, etc. The

treatment? Intravenous hydration with instructions to drink more water.

Men and women are estimated to require 3.7 liters (8 8 oz glasses) and 2.7 liters, respectively. Our daily fluid intake requirements are influenced by a variety of factors. Exercise increases our metabolism, and with this there is an increased need for water to carry away waste products from our cells and a need to replace the fluid loss that occurs with increased respiration and sweating. If we find ourselves sweating from work or exercise for more than an hour we should not only drink water but replace electrolytes and minerals with a sports drink, for example. Energy drink, you ask? No. Energy drinks do not replace electrolytes and, worse yet, have large amounts of caffeine. Caffeine has a diuretic effect on the kidneys, making urine output greater, further contributing to dehydration. The two cups of coffee in the morning? The good news is that there are two cups of water going down, but the caffeine contributes to depletion of our body fluids. There is significant amounts of caffeine in that Coke you drink for lunch, too, further contributing to a fluid deficit!

STOL DEPARTMENT

Medical Tips |

BY RANDLE CORFMAN, MD, PhD.

Our environment contributes to dehydration by increasing our insensible water loss. Insensible water loss is defined as the water that is lost through our skin (as we perspire to maintain a core temperature of 98.6 degrees F) and the water that is lost through breathing (respiration). As medical students and residents, we learned how to calculate insensible loss for our patients and we were taught that fever, diarrhea, and vomiting increased this greatly. Walking briskly with a backpack increases insensible loss as we breathe harder in order to keep up with the oxygen requirement, and as we perspire more to keep our core body temperature at 98.6F. Lastly, our general health can affect our fluid requirements. Many of us over 65 take laxatives to help us “stay regular”.

This increases fluid loss. There are medications which increase our urine output, putting us at risk for dehydration.

How about getting older? It has been shown that our thirst response declines with age. The thirst response is very important, in that it tells our brain that we are running low on fluids. When we are young and get thirsty it is our brain telling us that we have a 1.5 quart fluid deficit. That is about 2% of our body weight. The person who is over 65 doesn’t get thirsty until an even greater fluid deficit. Now that is a problem.

Another problem is that aging kidneys are less able to concentrate urine, and this leads to a lesser ability to retain water. Combined, we are prone to dehydration, and our bodies simply have a hard time dealing with this. This explains why the leading cause of fluid

disorders in people over 65 years of age is dehydration.

Back to the thirst response, it is the first indicator of low fluid levels, and we are already behind the power curve at a deficit of 1.5 quarts. That is a lot. So, what do we do? We drink water, or we at least take a sip to “quench our thirst”.

It is important to note that taking a sip of water quenches the thirst response but does very little to solve our fluid deficit, and we quench our thirst and keep on hiking.

Alcohol? Forget it. It sucks the water from your system, acts as a diuretic, opens the flood gates and removes water from your system. Major problem.

Aging and hydration concerns are important to recognize. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t just a problem for old geezers like me. It is a problem for you young aviators, too, and being tough and assuming that you can get by with just a splash of water is quite dangerous, at a number of levels. Poor judgement.

Poor concentration. Tiredness. What a bad combination for the aviator who is flying a high performance aircraft into rugged terrain.

Take a look back, then, at Bill and his friend, and think about the factors that were working for his friend. We can learn from it, and keep that cool, cool water coming!

Randle Corfman, MD, PHD is a reproductive specialist in MN. He holds commercial, instrument, S/MEL and SES ratings. He has special interest in wilderness and survival training and flies a C-210 and PA-18.

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We’d set out on adventures in the backyard, which seemed like a whole world in itself.

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Q1 2018 |

STOL

AIRCRAFT MAGAZINE

STOL DEPARTMENT

STOL STOPS |

BY SCOTT BOLING

D

o you remember when balancing work and play, wasn’t very difficult?

Let’s face it, the older we get, the more responsibility tends to erase all our free time. I remember when we were little kids; our only worry in the world was what we were going to do that day.

Just thinking about it, brings about a smile. We would set out on adventures in the backyard, which seemed like a whole world in itself. We would tell mom we were going exploring, which really meant we just wanted to see how far past the fences we could go without getting in trouble. From the endless Cottonwood trees and boundless trails to the waist deep stream that passed just beyond the property, our backyard was the ultimate playground. 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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Now that I’m older, you could say my backyard has grown immensely.

Living in Eastern Idaho affords me the opportunity to venture out almost anywhere (work permitting). When I received my pilot license, I quickly found that most destinations, once thought to be too far away, were now in reach. I originally would stick to direct valley routes or lower altitude areas, where an emergency landing would be more manageable. Over the years, my confidence began to grow, along with my curiosity. I started venturing into slightly wooded, mountainous areas just to get a look, even if only briefly. With each flight, I found myself venturing further into the interior of Idaho, an area I once avoided. Soon, the beauty of the Gem State was at my fingertips and it was beckoning.

I wanted more, but more than anything, I wanted to be smart about it. All too often, I would hear stories of pilots venturing into areas that were beyond their capabilities.

It’s easy to see how it happens, especially if it’s a “no-go-around” strip that requires a bit of guidance from someone with experience. So for many years, I would stick to the larger strips that had great access from almost every direction. Then over time, I found myself landing more challenging, shorter strips. Still, the only way I could satisfy my urge to venture into the Idaho Wilderness was to learn to land at the more difficult strips from those with experience. I contacted Paul Leadabrand of Stick & Rudder Aviation in Boise. He primarily offers his clients instructional Idaho Backcountry flying using Kitfox aircraft built right here in Homedale, Idaho. I was first introduced to Paul when I was initially training for my tail wheel endorsement. He agreed to venture out in my 170 and teach me more about the Idaho Backcountry.

Looking back, I learned more than I thought I ever would. Not just about Idaho or my own Aircraft, but more importantly, about my capabilities as a pilot. It’s a balance of confidence, experience, focus, and fear all rolled 18

Q1 2018 |

STOL

AIRCRAFT MAGAZINE

STOL DEPARTMENT

STOL STOPS |

BY SCOTT BOLING

into one, and while hitting your mark every time. Lining up for certain strips or aiming for a specific tree may not be a huge factor with larger strips like Garden Valley, Big Creek, or Bruce Meadows, but it made all the difference landing at more challenging strips like Soldier Bar, Lower Loon Creek, and Wilson Bar. I learned technics and approaches to strips that I still use each time I revisit. But more importantly, I learned to appreciate the backcountry safely. Idaho is truly a remarkable state and one that I’m proud to call my home. I would recommend it to anyone, but I also attach a word of caution. Push the pride aside and ask for help, especially if you’re venturing into a strip you’ve never visited. It is only then can you truly appreciate flying in Idaho, a backyard playground in itself.

Scott Boling is a private pilot from Idaho Falls who enjoys flying in the Idaho Backcountry in his 52’ Cessna 170B.

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BY: DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH 20

Q1 2018 |

STOL

AIRCRAFT MAGAZINE

T

he fourth annual Texas STOL Round-up drew a moderate crowd despite rain and adverse weather. For the five days preceding the event, the Texas skies unloaded on the parched Texas landscape. Hondo, the new home of the event, had not received any rain for three months prior to the round-up.

The rain was needed but unfortunately, came at a most inopertune time.

Forty nine pilots registered to participate in the STOL competition.

A grass runway had been made by Air Boss Jimmy Gist and airport personnel specifically for the round-up. The 2000 foot strip constructed parallel to the main 6000 foot concrete runway was made unusable by the heavy rains. The unfortunate circumstances necessitated moving the competition to the north end of the field for safety reasons. The move made it difficult for the spectators to view the competition. Many individuals voiced there disapproval.

The event was structured and laid out to support the expected arrival of over 350 aircraft and 3000 plus people. The adverse weather resulted in approximately 120 aircraft and a much smaller turn out of spectators resulting in an appearance of a overly spaced out event. This would not have been perceived had the expected draw of participants and spectators arrived.

I heard comments about the structure of the event and its layout.

Putting on an event the size of the Texas STOL Round-up is challenging.

Weather plays and emence roll in its outcome. This event was moved from Llano to Hondo for several reasons.

First and foremost, Llano was too small for the growing event. The proximity of the participants and spectators to the aircraft and competition created safety concerns. Second, the city of Llano did not wish to participate. The City of Hondo, on the other hand, rolled out the Red carpet. A dance, equipment, personnel, and support were all offered by the City. Hondo’s airfield is huge.

It will support this growing event for years to come. Growing pains were expected as the transition was made from Llano. The weather was unexpected and unfortunate.

STOL Aircraft Magazine has an active roll in the support and advertising of the Round-up as it is the largest STOL event in Texas. I and the Magazine offer our compliments to Jimmy Gist, Phil Whittemore, all of the support personnel and the City of Hondo Texas for their efforts in making this event possible. We look forward to next year.

With the transition to it’s new home behind them and a little cooperation form the weatherman this event will become the premier event in the lower forty-eight.

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TEXAS STOL ROUND-UP RESULTS TRADITIONAL STOL BUSH CLASS

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N NUMBER

PILOT

T/O YARDS

N87314 N871CC N868X N871CC N868X N14043 N57HY N668BC N14043 N7380D N7380D N9517D N9776D N2319J N87006 N81BH N33382 N81BH N87006 N40552 N40552 N33382 N6125D N3619M N3619M N6125D N668BC N179D N179D N87314 NS7HY N78H4 N78H4 N9776D N9517D

Kevin Johnson Mick Hammond Chip Ferguson Mick Hammond Chip Ferguson Steve Pierce Eddie Abraham Mark Thompson Steve Pierce Michael Ormn Michael Ormn David Larson Brian Center Brett Griffin Terry Dow (no name) Dean Davis (no name) Terry Dow Jason Peeler Jason Peeler Dean Davis TJ Van Matre Fabio LaBrada Fabio LaBrada TJ Van Matre Mark Thompson John Hicks John Hicks Kevin Johnson Eddie Abraham Chuck Lambert Chuck Lambert Brian Center David Larson

51.5 58.6 68.3 53.5 81.5 55 51.7 67.5 59.3 60.7 70.3 79.5 52.2 100 110.2 111.7 90.2 114.9 125.2 53.5 75.7 106.6 106.4 123.6 142.2 98.6 66.8 100.6 72 64.7 58.8 71.8 95.1 164 93.6

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AIRCRAFT MAGAZINE

LANDING YARDS 59.3 67.6 68.2 84.9 66 94 97.5 88.2 105.1 121.2 117.7 111.8 142.7 98.7 94.8 110.2 135.7 113.2 108.8 184.1 171 141.5 167.3 DQ DQ DQ DQ DQ DQ DQ DQ DQ DQ DQ DQ

T/O FEET 154.5 175.8 204.9 160.5 244.5 165 155.1 202.5 177.9 182.1 210.9 238.5 156.6 300 330.6 335.1 270.6 344.7 375.6 160.5 227.1 319.8 319.2 370.8 426.6 295.8 200.4 301.8 216 194.1 176.4 215.4 285.3 492 280.8

LANDING FEET 177.9 202.8 204.6 254.7 198 282 292.5 264.6 315.3 363.6 353.1 335.4 428.1 296.1 284.4 330.6 407.1 339.6 326.4 552.3 513 424.5 501.9

TOTAL FEET 332.4 378.6 409.5 415.2 442.5 447 447.6 467.1 493.2 545.7 564 573.9 584.7 596.1 615 665.7 677.7 684.3 702 712.8 740.1 744.3 821.1

TRADITIONAL STOL EXPERIMENTAL BUSH CLASS N NUMBER

PILOT

T/O YARDS

N87GS N87GS N131MH N87GS N87GS N131MH

Connor Simmons Connor Simmons Mike Sasser Greg Simmons Greg Simmons Mike Sasser

35.8 36.3 71.1 63.1 48.1 46.5

LANDING YARDS 47.9 64.9 82.2 92.2 115.2 DQ

T/O FEET 107.4 108.9 213.3 189.3 144.3 139.5

LANDING FEET 143.7 194.7 246.6 276.6 345.6

TOTAL FEET 251.1 303.6 459.9 465.9 489.9

TRADITIONAL STOL BUSH CLASS N NUMBER

PILOT

T/O YARDS

N87314 N868X N57HY N868X N871CC N57HY N871CC N668BC N668BC N14043 N9776D N7380D N87314 N14043 N33382 N87006 N9517D N87006 N81BH N78HY N7380D N9517D N78HY N179D N33382 N81BH N179D

Kevin Johnson Chip Ferguson Eddie Abraham Chip Ferguson Mick Hammond Eddie Abraham Mick Hammond Mark Thompson Mark Thompson Steve Pierce Brian Center Michael Ormn Kevin Johnson Steve Pierce Dean Davis Terry Dow David Larson Terry Dow (no name) Chuck Lambert Michael Ormn David Larson Chuck Lambert Jon Hicks Dean Davis (no name) Jon Hicks

56.7 66.5 54.7 68.7 57.6 54.7 65.9 90.4 90.1 57.7 81.2 69.9 56 55.2 101.2 97.8 97.8 101.2 133.3 87.7 72.8 147.6 89.9 90.9 131.8 (took off) 81.6

LANDING YARDS 100.2 95.2 127.8 120.3 136.4 143.1 132.9 115.4 124.6 176.2 172.3 185.7 203.3 206.7 166 183.5 198.3 195.6 172.3 245.1 262 201.4 298.2 299.2 275.3 163.3 DQ

T/O FEET 170.1 199.5 164.1 206.1 172.8 164.1 197.7 271.2 270.3 173.1 243.6 209.7 168 165.6 303.6 293.4 293.4 303.6 399.9 263.1 218.4 442.8 269.7 272.7 395.4

LANDING FEET 300.6 285.6 383.4 360.9 409.2 429.3 398.7 346.2 373.8 528.6 516.9 557.1 609.9 620.1 498 550.5 594.9 586.8 516.9 735.3 786 604.2 894.6 897.6 825.9 489.9

TOTAL FEET 470.7 485.1 547.5 567 582 593.4 596.4 617.4 644.1 701.7 760.5 766.8 777.9 785.7 801.6 843.9 888.3 890.4 916.8 998.4 1004.4 1047 1164.3 1170.3 1221.3

PLUS 300 770.7 785.1 847.5 867 882 893.4 896.4 917.4 944.1 1001.7 1060.5 1066.8 1077.9 1085.7 1101.6 1143.9 1188.3 1190.4 1216.8 1298.4 1304.4 1347 1464.3 1470.3 1521.3

244.8

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OBSTACLE STOL EXPERIMENTAL BUSH CLASS

Note: All landing measurements were taken from the takeoff line. Plus 300 includes the 300 feet from the pylon tothe takeoff line.

N NUMBER

PILOT

T/O YARDS

N87GS N87GS N87GS N87GS

Connor Simmons Greg Simmons Connor Simmons Greg Simmons

35.5 48.2 47.6 39.4

LANDING YARDS 123.2 114.8 129.2 157.6

T/O FEET 106.5 144.6 142.8 118.2

LANDING FEET 369.6 344.4 387.6 472.8

TOTAL FEET 476.1 489 530.4 591

PLUS 300 776.1 789 830.4 891

TRADITIONAL STOL HEAVY TOURING CLASS N NUMBER

PILOT

T/O YARDS

N6503A N6503A N4121D N4121D N2697K N9177C N131E N748P N185HH N131E N185HH N748P N9177C N2697K

Paul Brown Paul Brown John Sessions John Sessions John Prince Eric Medsger Jason Balcar Scott Perdue Greg Coyne Jason Balcar Greg Coyne Scott Perdue Eric Medsger John Prince

70.1 78.5 96.2 89.8 103.5 84.6 133.1 151.2 142.4 149.3 146 151.1 105.8 96.8

LANDING YARDS 76.8 87.6 103.8 147.2 152.7 182.2 163.2 161.3 202.2 208.1 222.2 221.2 DQ DQ

T/O FEET 210.3 235.5 288.6 269.4 310.5 253.8 399.3 453.6 427.2 447.9 438 453.3 317.4 290.4

LANDING FEET 230.4 262.8 311.4 441.6 458.1 546.6 489.6 483.9 606.6 624.3 666.6 663.6

TOTAL FEET 440.7 498.3 600 711 768.6 800.4 888.9 937.5 1033.8 1072.2 1104.6 1116.9

TRADITIONAL STOL EXPERIMENTAL HEAVY TOURING CLASS N NUMBER

PILOT

T/O YARDS

N303AP N303AP

Jared Yates Jared Yates

81.2 108.1

LANDING YARDS 161.3 DQ

T/O FEET 243.6 324.3

LANDING FEET 483.9

TOTAL FEET 727.5

OBSTACLE STOL EXPERIMENTAL HEAVY TOURING CLASS Note: All landing measurements were taken from the takeoff line. Plus 300 includes the 300 feet from the pylon tothe takeoff line.

N NUMBER

PILOT

T/O YARDS

N303AP N6503A

Jared Yates Jared Yates

83 68.6

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LANDING YARDS 114.9 150.4

T/O FEET 249 205.8

LANDING FEET 344.7 451.2

TOTAL FEET 593.7 657

PLUS 300 893.7 957

OBSTACLE STOL HEAVY TOURING CLASS Note: All landing measurements were taken from the takeoff line. Plus 300 includes the 300 feet from the pylon tothe takeoff line.

N NUMBER

PILOT

T/O YARDS

N4121D N6503A N9177C N6503A N4121D N9177C N185HH N185HH N2697K N2697K

John Sessions Paul Brown Eric Medsger Paul Brown John Sessions Eric Medsger Greg Coyne Greg Coyne John Prince John Prince

98.5 83.5 74.6 90.9 115.7 100.9 115 100 94.6 106.7

LANDING YARDS 84.8 114.6 125.9 115.7 106.2 136.2 160.9 208.2 224.1 261.4

T/O FEET 295.5 250.5 223.8 272.7 347.1 302.7 345 300 283.8 320.1

LANDING FEET 254.4 343.8 377.7 347.1 318.6 408.6 482.7 624.6 672.3 784.2

TOTAL FEET 549.9 594.3 601.5 619.8 665.7 711.3 827.7 924.6 956.1 1104.3

OBSTACLE STOL LIGHT TOURING CLASS

N NUMBER

PILOT

T/O YARDS

N9918T N9918T N7749E N50055 N7749E N50055

Ross McCrea Ross McCrea Matt Grant Venvo Damionon Matt Grant Venvo Damionon

73.6 77.5 170.7 192.9 172.1 176.9

LANDING YARDS 97.3 113.9 99.8 80.8 117.8 DQ

LANDING FEET 291.9 341.7 299.4 242.4 353.4

T/O FEET 220.8 232.5 512.1 578.7 516.3 530.7

PLUS 300 849.9 894.3 901.5 919.8 965.7 1011.3 1127.7 1224.6 1256.1 1404.3

TOTAL FEET 512.7 574.2 811.5 821.1 869.7

OBSTACLE STOL HEAVY TOURING CLASS

Note: All landing measurements were taken from the takeoff line. Plus 300 includes the 300 feet from the pylon tothe takeoff line.

N NUMBER

PILOT

T/O YARDS

N9918T N7749E N9918T N7749E N50055 N50055

Ross McCrea Matt Grant Ross McCrea Matt Grant Venvo Damianov Venvo Damianov

81.5 104.1 79.4 107.8 142.5 163.7

LANDING YARDS 94.9 72.7 110.2 115.4 114.9 124

T/O FEET 244.5 312.3 238.2 323.4 427.5 491.1

LANDING FEET 284.7 218.1 330.6 346.2 344.7 372

TOTAL FEET 529.2 530.4 568.8 669.6 772.2 863.1

PLUS 300 829.2 830.4 868.8 969.6 1072.2 1163.1

TRADITIONAL STOL LSA CLASS N NUMBER

PILOT

T/O YARDS

N39298 N39298

Greg Karber Greg Karber

100 103.3

LANDING YARDS 167.1 DQ

T/O FEET 300 309.9

LANDING FEET 501.3

TOTAL FEET 801.3

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OBSTACLE STOL LIGHT TOURING CLASS N NUMBER

PILOT

T/O YARDS

N625GS N75SL N461CW N625GS N625GS N63PQ N47XP N625GS N75SL N6270E N75SL N6270E N461CW N353PD N353PD N292EC N292EC N75SL N63PQ N47XP

Connor Simmons Scot Warren Levi Noguess Cameron Simmons Cameron Simmons Chris Miller Joe Edwards Connor Simmons Scot Warren Levi Noguess Cameron Simmons Levi Noguess Levi Noguess Tony Terrell Tony Terrell Eddie Stash Eddie Stash Cameron Simmons Chris Miller Joe Edwards

39.2 43.7 39.5 44.7 53.1 41.8 61.2 39.1 53.2 61.9 41.8 63 55.3 98.6 90.7 73.8 80.2 39.4 42.4 63.6

LANDING YARDS 69.8 71.5 80.9 78.6 73.2 88.1 72.8 101 97 96 124.3 113.2 124.9 87.8 99.3 DQ DQ DQ DQ DQ

T/O FEET 117.6 131.1 118.5 134.1 159.3 125.4 183.6 117.3 159.6 185.7 125.4 189 165.9 295.8 272.1 221.4 240.6 118.2 127.2 190.8

LANDING FEET 209.4 214.5 242.7 235.8 219.6 264.3 218.4 303 291 288 372.9 339.6 374.7 263.4 297.9

TOTAL FEET 327 345.6 361.2 369.9 378.9 389.7 402 420.3 450.6 473.7 498.3 528.6 540.6 559.2 570

OBSTACLE STOL LSA CLASS Note: All landing measurements were taken from the takeoff line. Plus 300 includes the 300 feet from the pylon tothe takeoff line.

N NUMBER

PILOT

T/O YARDS

N39298 N39298

Greg Karber Greg Karber

113.9 91.7

Dan Terry Dufault, Doug Turnbull, John Wayne, Isreal Payton, with Sheila and Lilly Smith.

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AIRCRAFT MAGAZINE

LANDING YARDS 248.2 No Stop

T/O FEET 341.7 275.1

LANDING FEET 744.6

TOTAL FEET 1086.3

Shooter riding his golf cart.

PLUS 300 1386.3

OBSTACLE STOL EXPERIMENTAL LSA CLASS Note: All landing measurements were taken from the takeoff line. Plus 300 includes the 300 feet from the pylon tothe takeoff line.

N NUMBER

PILOT

T/O YARDS

N47XP N63PG N625GS N75SL N63PG N461CW N47XP N625GS N75SL N625GS N461CW N625GS N353PD N75SL N292EC N353PD N292EC N75SL

Joe Edwards Chris Miller Connor Simmons Scot Warren Chris Miller Levi Noguess Joe Edwards

52.7 32.1 35.1 44.2 32 37.5 70.4 40.9 70.2 48.1 57.7 33.6 117.1 32.2 99.2 102.8 88.2 31.4

Cameron Simmons

Scot Warren Cameron Simmons

Levi Noguess Connor Simmons Tony Terrell Cameron Simmons

Eddie Stash Tony Terrell Eddie Stash Cameron Simmons

Phil Whittemore and Jimmy Gist admire the give-a-way rifle.

LANDING YARDS 76.9 134.4 143.2 134.2 160 156 123.8 163.2 153.3 177.2 175.5 216 194.2 284.6 230.2 DQ No Stop No Stop

T/O FEET 158.1 96.3 105.3 132.6 96 112.5 211.2 122.7 210.6 144.3 173.1 100.8 351.3 96.6 297.6 308.4 264.6 94.2

LANDING FEET 230.7 403.2 429.6 402.6 480 468 371.4 489.6 459.9 531.6 526.5 648 582.6 853.8 690.6

TOTAL FEET 388.8 499.5 534.9 535.2 576 580.5 582.6 612.3 670.5 675.9 699.6 748.8 933.9 950.4 988.2

PLUS 300 688.8 799.5 834.9 835.2 876 880.5 882.6 912.3 970.5 975.9 999.6 1048.8 1233.9 1250.4 1288.2

Major support at Hondo was provided by Rey Hernandez, Ana Garcia, John Ramos. 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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High Sierr

DEAD COW LAKE BED, NV 28

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ra

V 4,100’

Photo by Deon Mitton

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Photo by Deon Mitton 30

Q1 2018 |

STOL

AIRCRAFT MAGAZINE

STOL DEPARTMENT

High Sierra Fly-In |

BY KEVIN QUINN

T

hey say that smells are the biggest trigger of memory. When I went to the plane this morning and climbed in, it smelled like sage brush, campfire, playa dust and gun powder.

A combination of smells that reek at the High Sierra Fly-in.

Our little gathering of friends has turned into something that no one could ever imagine. Held annually on a remote northern Nevada dry lake bed, we named many years ago, “Dead Cow”. We now own a large portion of the property only after researching endlessly on the world wide inter web for Nevada land cheap .com web sites.

There are hundreds of them. No joke.

Once we found it, there was no turning back. It was ours. That chunk of land continues to grow to this day.

The High Sierra Fly-in (HSF) is unique in itself. Its like no other fly in or gathering of aviation enthusiasts anywhere in world. One could say that if you put Oshkosh, the Valdez STOL event, the Reno Air races and Burning man in a blender, you just might come up with our event. However, it is still so much more than those, and yet still very down home and grass roots.

Safety is paramount and our number one concern. Everything else is secondary and seems to fall in place. Some may say the draw is our STOL Drag races.

Others may say its the opportunity to gather among friends and like minded individuals. I like to say its a celebration of aviation held in the backcountry.

Everyone is invited and all types of aircraft are welcome. You can walk the flight line and find your typical big tire aircraft, the Cubs, Skywagons and off airport experimentals, yet you will

also see the not so typical. How about a Mallard or a Seabee? Maybe a Huey helicopter. Possibly a Beaver. Maybe even a few of them. Everyone loves the Beaver. Of course, you will also see the RV8’s, the 10’s a few Cirrus and more.

Tube and fabric or the good ole metal planes. Everything is there getting dusty and gathering those quintessential smells from the fly-in.

The fly-in officially starts on Thursday yet aircraft start to arrive much sooner.

Come Saturday night the celebration is in full swing around the large fire with awards for the World Championship STOL Drags, a live band, dinner and a large firework show. Once the clock strikes midnight the fire is at its peak and the lies and tales that are told become legendary.

Sunday morning comes early. There is always that one Skywagon (and it is welcomed here) that has the prop all the way in wound up and screams just outside of the camper area as it departs.

I call it the sound of music. Its our token “Reveille” here at HSF. If you wanna sleep in, this fly in may not be for you.

Up and at em’. Jack is serving breakfast in the main tent. Everyone is collecting their items, gathering any loose trash and cleaning up the playa as they found it. By noon everyone is gone, the sounds of the distant coyotes are back and its pure silence. You look around and its empty again. Its gorgeous out. The smell of sage brush and the cool crisp air fills your soul. Its northern Nevada in late October. I depart and give one last fly over the empty space that just had 500 plus people celebrating aviation. I smile. Its time for me to fly home and start planning for next year.

FACTS Over 200 aircraft attended this year.

Many could not make it due to poor weather on Thursday night and in the Pacific Northwest.

Over 450 people were in attendance and a couple of hundred RVs and campers.

Thursday night had 70 mph winds local and 127 mph nearby. One aircraft was damaged but we think it was due to a knot on the tie down rope. The tie downs were still in the ground.

TEMPS Daytime mid 60’s to low 70’s, Night as low as 21 on Thursday night.

2017 STOL Drag Champion: Mark Patey in his Carbon Cub - 2nd place Steve Henry in his Highlander, 3rd Trent Palmer in a Kitfox

MAIN SPONSORS CubCrafters, Airframes Alaska and STOL Aircraft Magazine More info at www.stoldrag.com #stolpilot #Flyingcowboys #HSF17 Special thanks goes to all of those that helped out: Cory Robin, Air Response, Flying Cowboys, Ross Parton, Tobe and Emmet Smith, Bo Ellis, Jake Bunting, my wife Jessica, Dennis “Shooter” Smith and again, so many more. I hate forgetting people but please know that your efforts are sincerely appreciated!

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STOL DEPARTMENT

High Sierra Fly-In |

BY DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH

MARK PATEY TAKES THE STOL DRAGS WIN!

I

t was very close and down to the wire. I mere blink of the eye, half second distance between the first and second place winners. Mark Patey squeezed out he win at this years High Sierra STOL Drags at Dead Cow Lake-Bed in Nevada.

ratings. His aircraft include jets, two Cubs, a Wilga, and a Robinson helicopter that is used for search and rescue operations. He and his brother have built over twelve aircraft. He holds three world records including the fastest transcontinental flight, previously held Mark is a unique character. He and by Howard Hughes. His flight was his twin brother operate the well made in a Lancair Legacy. known aircraft tug company, Best Tugs. He has flown over 10,000 The High Sierra win was made in hours in his twenty plus year a 2013 CubCrafters EX. Mark has flight career. He is a commercial, owned the Cub for one year. The instrument rated pilot holding SEL, aircraft is powered by a CC340, MEL, SES and rotorcraft helicopter 180 horse power engine spinning a

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Catto 84 X 41.5 prop. The airframe is supported by three over, three extended gear with a Shock Monster suspension on 29 inch Airstreaks.

Tail support is by a 3200 Scott.

STOL capabilities are improved with Vortex generators. Mark’s custom made carbon fiber panel holds a Garmin G-3X touch screen with remote transponder and an auto pilot. The aircrafts empty weight is 988 with a gross of 1680. A great aircraft piloted by avery capable pilot.

Congratulations on your win!

STOL DEPARTMENT

High Sierra Fly-In |

BY DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH

STEVE HENRY FLIES HIS WILD WEST HYLANDER

S

teve Henry of Nampa Idaho is easy to pick out at STOL events. His brightly painted yellow Hylander stands out in a crowd. His performance in STOL events stands out as well. Steve is a true STOL Champion. He is known for production of multiple backcountry flight videos and his STOL competition placement.

Steve states that he placed a controversial second in the 2017 High Sierra STOL Drag competition. There was a ½ second difference in finish times between first and second and a question of complete stop due to tail movement. He won first place last year at High Sierra (2016), took first at Oshkosh 2017 and won first at the Independence Oregon event in 2017.

Steve has owned five Just Aircraft, four Hylanders, and one Super STOL, and is

currently building another Hylander.

“Yee Haw 5,” is his current aircraft. He has modified the airplane to become his “Wild West Hylander.” The aircraft is powered by a Yamaha RX-1 1000 cc 140 horse-power engine fitted with a 40 horse-power shot of nitrous oxide. Steve built the motor mount, airbox, custom exhaust and several other parts for his project. He has those parts available to others who are installing a Yamaha engine at www.wildwestaircraft.com Spinning a NR three bladed ground adjustable carbon fiber simitar tipped propeller the Hylander is capable of reaching cruise speed of 100-105 mph.

and brakes. Steve states that the gear/ wheel and brake combination is very light. Tail suspension is provided by a TK-1/Monster Shock suspension with a Tundra Lite tailwheel.

The airframe stands on Beringer backcountry landing gear with 29inch Bushwheels and Beringer wheels

Congratulations are in order for Steve and his many wins in 2016 and 2017.

Eighteen-inch extended wings allow for longer flaps decreasing stall speed. A leading edge cuff assists with low speed as well. The aircraft is covered with Stewarts.

The interior of Steve’s modified ship includes an EIS-Engine Information System, GRT Avionics, an I-pad mini with Foreflight, a Sigtronics 200S intercom and Flight Line 760 transceiver.

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STOL DEPARTMENT

High Sierra Fly-In |

BY DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH

TRENT PALMER MAXIMUM SKILLS, MINIMUM HORSEPOWER

T

rent Palmer flies a Kitfox and flies it well. He and his brightly colored red, white and blue aircraft took third place in the 2017 High Sierra STOL Drags.

The Kitfox is powered by a Rotax 912 with a Zipper Big Bore kit. The Big Bore increased his output from 80 to approximately 114 horsepower. The engine swings a Prince 80 X 42 prop.

This engine/prop combination results in a mean machine.

An STI wing package increases STOL capabilities. The STI wing lowers stall speed by approximately 10 mph. Wing span is 32 feet with a wing area of 142 square feet.

Suspension is provided by the Kitfox Shock Monster gear system. It is a cabane style gear with a TK-1 shocks and 29-inch Airstreak tires. An Airframes Alaska/Dan Dufault T-3 tail suspension and a Tundra Lite tail wheel completes the aircraft suspension.

Trent navigates by way of an I-Pad with Foreflight and a Stratus. A Dynon D6 provides situational awareness.

Communication is accomplished via a King KY97A and a KT76 transponder.

Trent’s Kitfox was built in Dallas Texas in 1997. He purchased it three years ago. He has flown it approximately 160 hours per year since acquiring it.

Needless to say, based on his excellent competition performance, he has learned to fly in well in his 480 hours of accumulated time.

Congratulations to Trent outstanding performance!

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orld War II Veteran Norwood Thomas is still kicking it at age 95. The active Army Airborne vet made yet another tanden style parachute jump on his recent 95th birthday over Suffolk Virginia.

Mr. Thomas endured and survived a military combat jump into Normandy during the invasion of Europe during WW II. He then survived being transported in a plywood glider towed inland and its eventual crash landing. He is a taildragger pilot with particular interest in Cessna 195’s.

He has made prior tandem jumps to commemorate his survival in Europe and to celebrate prior birthdays. I has been my honor to know Mr. Thomas and his son Steve, my flying and traveling buddy for over thirty-five years.

My congratulations and gratitude to Mr. Thomas for his sacrifice and service to our country and his can do attitude!

NORWOOD THOM GOING STRONG AT 95 BY: DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH

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MAS,

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FINDS A NEW HOME

BY DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH 38

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B

uying a new, or new to you, aircraft is an exciting and sometimes a trying ordeal. The phone calls, e-mails, photo reviews, the travel to see the aircraft and do a pre-buy inspection burns a tremendous amount of time and dollars.

I recently decided to purchase a Piper Super Cub for STOL Aircraft Magazine.

I chose an original Piper Super Cub because, well, it’s a Piper Super Cub. William T. Pipers original design Super Cub has been around since 1949. It is the gold standard by which all others are judged. Newer modified designs and many experimental versions of the original design will out-perform it, but not by a wide margin. It’s hard to improve on the perfection that Mr. Piper created. Having an original anything is cool. Cooler still, if it’s a classic. Having one in excellent condition is even better.

I found our 1962 PA-18-160 Super Cub on Barnstormers. What a rare find! I couldn’t believe that it hadn’t been sold.

The aircraft has an extensive history. It has appeared in many magazines, books and film. I will discuss its history in another article in the future. In brief, it has had four owners. The first was a tow outfit on Long Island for about three years. The aircraft was rebuilt after the tow tour. The second owner, world renoun photographer Russell Munson, owned her for thirty four years. The Super Cub was used by Mr. Munson for photographic work for many aircraft magazine articles, coffee table books, and film work. This included work with Richard Bach best selling author of books such as Jonathan Livingston Seagull, A Gift of Wings, Biplane, No such place as far away, and many others.

After several years of ownership, Russ had the aircraft rebuilt by CubCrafters in 2003. The third owner purchased the aircraft from Mr. Munson. He had a partial airframe rebuild and complete engine overhaul in September of 2016.

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N7789P finds a new home | We are in Texas. The Cub was in Florida.

I contacted the owner a former A-10 driver for the United States Air Force and a retired American Airlines Captain.

We immediately became friends as we had a lot of things in common. I found we had a mutual friend in Steve Pierce of Pierce Aero in Graham Texas. Steve as most STOL aircraft people know, is a Super Cub and Piper aircraft guru.

After a long discussion with the owner, I knew I wanted the airplane. I called Steve to pick his brain about the Cub. Steve related that he knew the airplane well. He had recently returned from a trip to Johnson Creek with the owner and the Super Cub. Steve confirmed the aircraft history and integrity. Based on my inquiries and Steve’s input I immediately called the owner back and bought the aircraft sight unseen. The purchase was made on the contingency that the airplane would be as represented when I arrived to pick it up.

I flew commercial on a one way ticket to Ft. Lauderdale Florida on Wednesday and was picked up by the Cubs owner.

As the hour was getting late in the day we went directly to his home, had a drink and a steak, discussed the Super Cub, reviewed the logs, told a few stories and watched a movie featuring the Super Cub on Route 66 produced

by Russ Munson. The next morning after breakfast we headed directly to the airport in Indiantown Florida.

Upon arrival, we pulled open the hanger doors and the early morning light glowed from the yellow Cub. I was very pleased with the aircraft as it was as represented in our prior negotiations.

We closed the sale on the spot. At this point, both my happiness and problems were peaking. I had a new airplane and Hurricane Harvey was bearing down on Houston. There was no way I was going to get the airplane back to Houston and beat Harvey’s arrival. Concern was also high for my family and home standing 40

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BY DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH

in Harveys path. I decided to forego the attempt to fly the Cub to Houston.

I called my wife and had her schedule a round trip to Houston and back to Ft. Lauderdale. I was going to have to return once again to Florida to fly the airplane to its new home. The following morning I flew a turbulence ridden flight back to Houston and into the wrath of Harvey.

One week later I was back in Florida.

Harvey had cleared the gulf coast leaving record breaking devastation in its wake. My family and I were fortunate and sustained no major damage. I now had to contend with Hurricane Irma, a CAT 5 storm that was headed

straight for southern Florida and the Super Cubs home town. The massive, record breaking destruction producing Hurricane was forty eight hours south east and moving my way fast. The prior owner again picked me up in Ft. Lauderdale. We fought the evacuation traffic heading north. My rapid departure from south Florida was imperative and the traffic wasn’t helping. Upon arrival at the airport, I wasted no time. The Super Cub was pulled out of its hanger.

Pre-flight inspection was performed, sixty gallons of fuel was loaded and I took off climbing like a home sick angel running from the approaching storm.

Thank goodness for my Garmin 796 and its in flight XM weather capabilities.

I flew 2.7 hours through light rain skirting as much of it as possible before hitting a massive wall of weather from an approaching cold front. There was no way to get around, above or below it. Its span covered the state of Florida from the east to the west coast. I was stalled for the night. I back tracked fifteen minutes and landed in Inverness Florida. I wish I had chosen another airport. I had a negative experience there and do not recommend it as a stop. I lucked out and got a ride from a local mechanic to a nearby hotel. He was on field helping another stranded aviator. My wife had located the hotel on line as the local FBO personnel had no clue as to what was available in the small town regarding lodging or transportation. I was fortunate to acquire the room. It was the last room available in town due to the evacuation of southern Florida. A taxi ride to the airport in the morning had me wheels up at 0730 local. I departed into clear skies that quickly degraded to a solid layer below me. The weather forecast

was for severe clear. I felt strongly, being near the water, that this was early morning ground fog. As I had plently of fuel on board to get to my next stop that was reporting clear skies, I proceeded.

Fortunately, my assessment was correct and the lower layer dissipated in about twenty minutes.

The remainder of my long day of flying was uneventful except for moderate turbulence for ninety percent of its duration. I enjoyed the time in my new Super Cub. I flew on in severe clear air looking to my left at the Gulf of Mexico and right to the deep wooded pines of the numerous states over which I soared. I thought of its history and the three prior owners who had enjoyed the aircraft before me. I considered where she had been and the photos taken from her perch in the sky by former owner Russell Munson. I could almost hear the conversations between Munson and author Richard Bach as they flew the airplane together looking for that perfect photographic image. A daily

total of 10.1 hours with four quick fuel stops resulted in me arriving home in Waller, Texas at 1845. It had been a 12 hour and fifteen minute day of flight.

I was fatigued but pleased to have my new best girl safe from the approaching storm and tucked into her new home hanger. A total of 12.8 hours were flown over one and a half days. I can only dream of the flights and fun we will have together in the future.

Editors Note, Over the next many months I will be discussing and adding to N7789P to increase her performance capabilities for STOL flight and avionics. Initial plans are the addition of 35 inch Bushwheels on 10 inch wheels, certified Airframes Alaska Performance STOL “Keller flaps”, fueling steps, AOSS suspension, upon it’s certification a T-3 tail suspension, Oregon Aero front and rear seats, tune up of the paint, painting of the Firmin pod, and the addition of a Garmin glass panel. Stick with me in the coming issues as I enhance our new PA-18.

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STOL DEPARTMENT

What Our Readers Are Flying |

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BY DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH

THE MAJOR FLIES

A SUPER STOL BY: DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH

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etired Major Hubert Davis is a happy man. He is the proud owner of a new Just STOL Aircraft Super STOL XL built by Gary Schmitt in Walhalla, South Carolina.

Hu picked up the new aircraft in Clemson South Carolina near the Just STOL factory and made the long crosscountry trek to Boerne in central Texas.

The 13.5 hour flight went well dodging rain showers most of the way at altitude not exceeding 3000 feet. Hu flew 10.5 hours with three fuel stops the first day to LaPorte Texas and an additional 3.0 hours the second day. He states that the new airplane performed flawlessly.

The XL is the new stretched version of the Just STOL Aircraft line of airplanes.

The traditional Super STOL model’s fuselage was lengthened twenty-four inches and six inches were added north of the firewall to allow for the use of larger engines.

Hu’s new green monster (my name, not his) is powered by a much more powerful engine than found in previous Just STOL models. The normally aspirated Titan OX-340 has 8.5 to 1 compression and produces 180 horse power. The carbureted engine is fired with magneto’s. Hu chose the carburetor and mag’s for simple operation, elimination of hot start

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STOL DEPARTMENT

What Our Readers Are Flying |

BY DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH

problems in the heat of Texas and to maintain the ability to prop the engine in the event of power failure.

at it. Stopping the big bird is accomplished

by Beringer toe brakes mounted to Beringer light weight wheels.

The larger framed STOL aircraft stands on extended gear with a long exterior shock absorbing system. The long stroke of the fuselage mounted shocks in combination with 29-inch Airstreak tundra style tire’s will absorb the worse that can be thrown

A wingspan of 31.27 feet with full span retractable Helio style slats provides maximum lift. For those without a hanger, the wings fold to a width of 8.5 feet for easy transport.

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Hu quotes a gross weight of 1750 pounds and a well-equipped empty weight of 1100 pounds. Fuel capacity is 27 gallons total with 13.5 in each wing. Cruise speed with a Catto 80 X 50 propeller is 100 miles per hour.

Major Davis went full throttle when designing his instrument panel. It includes a Dynon 10-inch Skyview,

a Garmin GMA 240, one com and an additional nav/com with VOR indicator wired independently from the Dynon.

A full six pack provides situational awareness with the engine data supplied through the Dynon. Throttle placement is center panel. Hu prefers to fly from the right seat with a conventional left-hand throttle and right-hand stick.

Several comfort and safety items were added to his interior package including head rests, rough finish leather seats, that smell great, and Hooker harnesses.

Ease of entry and egress is made by large top hinged swing up doors, a plus for Hu’s large size. The Major states that he is still becoming comfortable with the airplane and its performance envelope. He has yet to wring it out on the low end of the spectrum. Now retired, he has plenty of time to get that worked out. I’m sure he’s going to have a lot of fun doing it.

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STOL DEPARTMENT

STOL Stops |

BY JEFF BABER

LAKE MICHIGAN FLYOUT

PART II

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e left off last article traveling around the east side of Lake Michigan from the southern end to Wolsey airport. Our next stop in our adventure is Mackinac Island.

Mackinac island is a picturesque location with high bluffs that fall right into the ocean. Arriving at the airport you will not be disappointed by the wonderful local airport.

Mackinac Island was protected after the creation of Yellowstone National Park making Mackinac Island one of the earliest national treasures. The island does not allow any motor vehicles. All residents or visitors have to bike, walk or travel by horse drawn carriage. The silence on the island is astonishing.

I was struck by the silence that felt deafening. To get to the island there are only two choices. You can take a ferry over from the St Ignace or you can fly into KMCD. Mackinac Island has a 3501 foot paved runway in great condition.

It also boasts nice grass areas in between the runways for those if you like me that prefer to land in the grass. The FBO buildings like many of the structures in town look to be build in the Victorian theme. There was plenty of parking on the ramp, but many of us Cubs opted to tie down in the grass abeam the runway.

Whether just stopping for some shopping and lunch or a longer stay be sure to take a horse drawn carriage ride into town. There are a number of great little Knick knack shops, and confection stores. All of the store fronts are decorated in the Victorian motif.

The cottage near Fort Mackinac was purchased by the State and converted into the governor’s mansion in the mid 1940s. Many

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The rolling trails can be hiked or you can rent a bike for a nice afternoon ride. After lunch we walked around the town and then opted to catch another horse drawn taxi to the airport. On the way back we were able to see views of mission point resort.

There is no fuel at Mackinac Island so be sure to plan accordingly. We departed and stopped at Mackinac County airport just 5 miles away to get fuel. Upon departure we flew We flew in with our group of 15 around the shore of the island. and we were able to get a couple of carriages to pick up right at the grass This leg of our adventure was along strip we landed on. It is a pleasant the peninsula headed west then south 10 minute carriage ride right into ultimately arriving at Washington the quaint town. Even in the middle Island (2P2). The water in Door of the summer we got a group of 20 County is crystal clear and a very into a restaurant with very little wait. bright blue color. If you choose to fly low enough you can see the schools of Another must see is Arch Rock. sturgeon. At many of the points there Legend has it that Indian tribes are under water vessel graveyards. We believed that the rock was created arrived at Washington Island just in by the tears of a squaw that had lost time for the annual fish fry. her lover at sea. It is a bit of a hike but it is well worth it. The smoothed We all camped under the wings of our limestone flows right into the sea. aircraft after a very delicious fish fry. famous politicians have graced this historical monument in meetings.

Some of the most notable are “John Kennedy rocked on the porch with Governor G. Mennen Williams in 1960 and won his important support for the Democratic nomination that year. More recently Bill Clinton, Newt Gingrich and Bob Dole conferred with state politicians here” (mackinac.com).

There is not much better than eating outside under the wing of a Cub. In the morning we took a short hike down to the shoreline to search for Petoskey Stones. The Petoskey stone is a fossil of coral from the bottom of Lake Michigan. During the last glacier period the stones were ground smooth. If you take the fossils home and polish them in a rock polisher they make amazing talking pieces.

The trick for looking for them is to wet some of the river rock looking stones. When wet you can see the fossil patterns. I was able to find enough for each of my kids to have their own Petoskey stone.

Our next flight was not to far down the road. We flew down to Ephraim airport for some more airport camping. Ephraim has a gorgeous grass strip and the airport owners were gracious enough to allow us to camp in the grass open areas. We had to stop in Ephraim to visit one of my favorite local restaurants the Old Post Office.

The old post office looks like a 1800s mansion and has some of the best local fair around. Ephraim is located on one of the narrow peninsulas that protrude into Lake Michigan. The Post Office offers wonderful views of Lake Michigan and outdoor dining.

We could not possibly see all there is to see in Ephraim but we had to get down to New Holstein (7D1) for the SuperCub.org flyin.

Jeffery

Baber operates Innovation Aircraft Sales, a Certified CubCrafters Sales Center. Jeff enjoys sharing his passion with aviation enthusiasts and is building an “off-airport” community of fellow pilots and participating in organized backcountry flying trips. 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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Kind of STOL A Different

BY: GARY LEE

R

ecently I added a new aspect to my STOL flying. I acquired a Single Engine Seaplane rating. You may not think this applies much to STOL flying, but I learned a lot of things and had a blast doing it. For instance, flying a float equipped PA-12, we were doing rough water landings, touching down at 28-30 mph. That would make for a pretty short roll out in a land plane but I found it amazing how rapid a seaplane will come to idle taxi speed in a very short distance. There is no stopping distance in seaplanes. Unless you are anchored or attached to the shore in some way, the plane is always moving.

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That forces you to be aware of everything going on around you while you are in the aircraft. A very useful habit.

Just like land planes, there were different types of take off and landing techniques to learn based on the condition and amount of the landing surface. Doing a confined space take off, read short field take off in your wheeled plane, seaplanes get a running start downwind then make a180 degree step turn around into the wind to be able to get airborne in the shortest distance possible. I thought a glassy water takeoff was especially fun. You start as a normal take off, full power, a little right rudder to keep pointing straight, stick full aft until the

nose reaches it’s highest point, then release back pressure to get the plane up on the step and accelerating. Next, you put in full aileron one direction and lift one float out of the water. This cuts down on drag and allows the plane to continue to accelerate to takeoff speed.

Accelerating wing low down a lake is a really cool feeling.

To me, docking was the hardest part to learn. It’s a total judgment call on the pilot’s part. You have to keep in mind the wind direction as you approach the dock, in best case against the wind, then cut the engine at the correct time to float up to the dock without being too short or running into the dock. That

part probably gets much easier with experience, which I don’t have. You can also beach the aircraft by using the same technique only sliding up on a smooth beach. Then there is sailing the plane backwards. That just seemed odd, although it was quite leisurely. Sailing is done with the engine shut down and letting the wind blow you backward.

You are able to control direction to a certain extent by use of the ailerons and rudder. This is useful when the wind is blowing onshore and you want to beach the plane, just sail it backward onto the shore, hop out and secure it.

I got my ASES rating from Traverse Air in Traverse City Michigan. (traverseair. com). Tom Brady was a great instructor and a joy to be around.

Michigan is very open to seaplanes and there are plentiful lakes around to explore while getting the rating. I went in October and the trees were just starting to turn colors. Made for a wonderful view as we flew from lake to lake.

To get there, several airlines serve Traverse City (TVC) or fly your own plane in. It’s a nice small tower controlled field near Lake Michigan. It’s a neat little lakeside resort town with plenty of hotels and unique eatingplaces. Traverse City claims to be the cherry capitol of the world. Lots of unique cherry dishes and drinks are available for sampling.

Not only did this rating build confidence in my flying skills, but it was also Great Fun! I highly recommend branching out and getting this rating. Maybe next time your BFR is due?

Give it a try.

Gary Lee is a 17,000 hr pilot.

He is retired from the Air Force and currently flying for a major airline. He is an ATP, CFI multi and single engine land and recently received an Airplane Single Engine Sea rating. He owns the 1947 PA-12.

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BUILDER ASSIST: DONE RIGHT

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STOL DEPARTMENT

Southwestern Region |

O

ver the last several decades, the Experimental Amateur Built (E-AB) part of General Aviation has provided much of the innovation and excitement to GA, as well as many new aircraft. Not only have new techniques, materials, designs and airframes shaped the growth, but the freedom to install non TSO’d avionics has spurred safety, innovation and phenomenal situational awareness at a fraction of the price of Part 23 Certified airplanes. The sticking point, however, is that not everyone is cut out to spend 1,000 to 3,000 hours building an airplane from a kit, let alone from scratch, and that has held many a pilot back from entering the E-AB world.

Enter Jim Richmond and his company, CubCrafters. Having taken the backcountry Cub market by storm with the phenomenally successful Carbon Cub in 2009, CubCrafters offered both a factory built Light Sport version (Carbon Cub SS), as well as an E-AB kit version (Carbon Cub EX). While being the most complete Cub kit on the market, with

BY RICK BOSSHARDT every nut, bolt, rivet and screw included, the EX still took that special person who wanted to spend the time and effort on a really big project. While the kit was, and still is successful, most of the 450+ Carbon Cubs flying were ordered as production LSAs (SS).

Jim knew there had to be a better way, while staying firmly within the bounds of the FAA rules on E-AB airplanes. He had already demonstrated a knack for clearly understanding and navigating the FAA rules when designing the LSA Carbon Cub, and so he set about breaking the mold again.

I have asked many a builder/pilot of E-AB airplanes what, exactly, constitutes an “E-AB”. Most know that the builder needs to do 51% of the work to qualify… but almost NONE of them could really answer the question: “How does the FAA measure that 51%?”

Therein lay the path forward for CubCrafters, as Jim studied the rules

and realized that the FAA measures the 51% (referred to as ‘major portion’) not as a TIME based measurement, but as a TASK based measurement. In addition, the FAA has clearly set out the list of tasks required to build an airplane, with the Carbon Cub specific list at 174 tasks. So, Jim reckoned that if a builder was to perform 88 or more of the tasks, the plane would qualify as an E-AB, no matter how much time it took. He realized that he could turn the building process upside down, and have the customer FABRICATE the parts instead of the manufacturer, and have the manufacturer ASSEMBLE the parts instead of the builder!

So in 2015 CubCrafters began to offer the “Factory Builder Assist” program, and named the resulting Carbon Cubs “FX” for Factory eXperimental. I wanted to find out more about how this really worked, and being a builder wanna-be that did NOT have 1,000 hours to spare, this FX program seemed perfect for me.

I arrived in Yakima, WA at the

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STOL DEPARTMENT

Southwestern Region | CubCrafters World Headquarters on a Monday morning at 7am sharp, with a lot of excitement and not a little trepidation!

What was I getting myself into?

From the very start, the FX Program Manager, Zach Davidson, made me feel at ease, as he led me that first morning to the Composite Department in one of the four different manufacturing buildings I would see that week. At each station during the week, I was greeted warmly

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BY RICK BOSSHARDT

by the expert in that particular area, and the work to be performed was laid out, explained and ready for me to tackle!

To say that I learned a huge amount about my (third) Carbon Cub through this process is an understatement! While picking up a factory built ‘SS’ in the past, I really hadn’t appreciated the hands on manufacturing that these impeccable aircraft require. The dedication, focus, skill and pride that each of these 160+

technicians displayed blew me away! I was humbled by the experience, but at the same time extremely enthusiastic to be learning so many new things about an airplane that I’m so passionate about flying.

So I proceeded from cutting carbon fiber fabric to cutting all of the wing and fuselage fabric. I moved on over to the pipe cutting and fitting area, measuring lengths to the 1/32” and bending,

squeezing, drilling and filing each piece of the fuselage and tail feathers in a very precise way. I ran C&C machines, routers, blow torches, 300-ton presses to form each rib, aileron leading and trailing edge pieces, and even the avionics panel. I cut control cables and fitted eye holes on the end that had to be within 1/32”. I mounted my tires on the rims and bolted the brake assemblies together. I completely manufactured and riveted (880 times!) all four of my flaps and ailerons. I even mounted several accessories like the cold air intake onto the fancy new CC363i fuel injected engine that will be at the heart of my new FX-3.

Over the course of five days and 40+ man-hours, I managed to perform 100 of the required tasks to allow this airplane to qualify for E-AB, with me as the builder! Instead of assembling this plane from premanufactured parts, I was the one to manufacture the parts themselves, and I will let the experts at CubCrafters assemble those parts on their normal production line during the next 3 months or so.

the DAR that afternoon. With all the documentation and proof of my 51+% participation in this build, the plane will be registered that day as an E-AB, with my name on the dataplate as the builder.

For those pilots who want to experience what it’s like to build your own E-AB airplane, but don’t have the skill or 1,000 hours to spend, this is the program for you! It has become the most popular Carbon Cub model offered, and I can see why.

Once again, Jim Richmond has developed another industry-leading innovation, and a Carbon Cub FX can honestly withstand the scrutiny of the FAA E-AB certification requirements.

“Builder Assist… Done Right!”

Rick Bosshardt

is a CubCrafters dealer serving the Southwest and central portions of the US. He can be contacted at www. suncountrycubs.com 480-300-4402

To allow this process to pass a full inspection by the FAA or a DAR at the end, the Program Manager, Zach, took copious photos, and documented every single step along the way. He directed an ‘orchestra’ of at least a dozen different workstations and technicians, so that I could move from station to station and have the right material ready, the right tools on the workbenches, and the experts ready to guide me through the next steps. No way would this have worked without this careful planning and execution, and it was a wonderful sight to see, not to mention a great load of fun and super-educational.

At the end of the 12 or so weeks, I will return to Yakima for two more days: one to finish up a few odds and ends and ensure that I performed a total of 100 tasks, like mounting ailerons, flaps, tail feathers and the cowl. Finally, on the last morning, the Program Manager will prepare me for the inspection with

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STOL DEPARTMENT

BOOK REVIEW

BY DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH

SKYWARD, WHY FLYERS FLY

BY RUSSELL MUNSON

MY TOOLS

BY DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH

THE CEILING IS LOW THE NORTH WIND WILL NOT STOP, A PERFECT DAY TO BE IN MY SHOP. START A NEW PROJECT, FIX A FEW THINGS, THE SUMMER GAVE NO TIME TO REPAIR BROKEN WINGS. IT SEEMS IT WAS PLANNED LONG NIGHT AND SHORT DAY, DURING LONG SUNLIGHT SEASONS, FUN GETS IN THE WAY. THE COLD IS BONE DEEP IT GIVES ME A CHILL, ALL IS QUIET OUTSIDE A DARK LONELY STILL. This “Coffee Table” style book is an oldie but a goodie. Originally published in 1989 by Howell Press in Charlottesville VA, it presents the incredible photographic work of renoun photographer Russell Munson presenting everything from early biplanes to modern jets. Text and images are by Mr. Munson with the introduction by multiple publication best selling author Richard Bach. Copies can be found by google search. Look closely and you will find Shooter’s Super Cub on pages 175, 177, and the rear inside jacket.

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MY SHOP, BY CONTRAST, IS WARM AND IT’S BRIGHT, I DRINK HOT COFFEE ALL DAY AND INTO THE NIGHT. A PLEASURE, NOT WORK, AS FELT BY SOME FOOLS, I FIND NOTHING BUT JOY WHEN I’M WITH MY TOOLS.

EDDIE STASH WINS BIG At The Texas STOL Round-up BY: DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH

E

ddie Stash was a STOL competitor at the Texas STOL Round-up in Hondo Texas. Eddie didn’t win the competiton but he won big none the less.

Eddie is the proud recipient of the STOL Aircraft Magazine/Turnbull Restoration enhanced Marlin 1895 .45-70 lever action rifle given away at the STOL Round-up.

Of the forty nine individuals who registered to compete, thirty nine registered to win the rifle. Eddie had great one in 39 chances to win.

The rifle was purchased by STOL Aircraft Magazine and enhanced by Doug Turnbull of Turnbull Restoration with color case hardening of the action and engraving of the Texas STOL Round-up and STOL Aircraft Magazine logos.

STOL Aircraft Magazine appreciates the cooperative effort of Turnbull Restoration and Doug Turnbull in the preparation and presentation of this rifle.

Look at other STOL Aircraft Magazine sponsored events next year for your chance to win a STOL/Turnbull rifle by participating in one of our sponsored STOL competition events.

Current potential events for a rifle award include The Valdez STOL Competition, Sentimental Journey, The Texas STOL Round-up and The High Sierra STOL Drags.

Congratulations Eddie and thanks for participating!

Doug chooses the winning ticket from the hat.

Doug Turnbull presents the rifle to winner Eddie Stash. 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

55

STOL DEPARTMENT

The Empennage |

BY DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH

OUR PARTING SHOT

S

TOL competitons and STOL Drags have become an integral part of the STOL community and our sport.

When my wife and I started STOL Aircraft Magazine over four years ago I stirred controversy when I came on the scene at Oshkosh. Although a pilot and professional exhibition player for over forty years, at that time, I was new to the STOL game and unrecognized.

While at Oshkosh, I suggested at that time that a hard set of rules should be established to standardize all of the new STOL competitions and exhibitions coming into being. I suggested that an LSA class should be implemented as Bush and Alternate Bush classes were having to compete against much lighter and equal horsepower LSA aircraft. In my opinion, the field wasn’t level nor fair. I was not well accepted.

Things have changed since I made those suggestions. Most competition/ exhibitions have implemented some form of pure or modified “Valdez Rules.”

The difference in most cases seems to be whether the tail wheel can strike before the mains and or does the tail have to

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be down to stop the clock. Many have implemented an LSA class.

Two years ago, with the onset of sponsor prizes of significant value being awarded, I suggested a more exact method of scoring take-off and landing distances. My recommendation was for an electronic system for the first 100 feet by way of laser beam interruption to score the serious players. The difference in competitors in the Bush and Alternate Bush classes can be inches. The current visual method, in my humble opinion, is too subjective. Cash awards and prizes of high dollar value bring out serious competitors.

Serious competitors spend real money on performance enhancement items on their aircraft to increase their potential to win. They spend a lot of time and money traveling to and from competitions. Ego’s, pure pride and bragging rights also come into play at this level of competition.

Winner’s want to win.

Based on comments and conversations I have had with numerous competitors and high placement winners, the game

has changed. These individual are not competing for fun. The top end players are VERY serious about winning.

It takes an immense amount of time, effort and dollars to put on an event. The time and dollars can be lost based on the roll of the dice of the weather Gods and the loss of premier competitors.

Attendee’s and enthusiast’s want to see tight competition. High level competitors have told me that they will not return to certain events unless the scoring is changed. They perceive the scoring as too broad and subjective. To draw in and keep top competitors the scoring must improve. A few individuals on the field visually recording the distance in approximates of feet will not continue to meet the standard of top notch competitors. It is my opinion, and that of many top competitors that video replay, photo finish or laser scoring must be implemented to improve the quality of scoring at our top STOL and STOL Drags events.

PEOPLE, PETS

& PLANES OF STOL Bailee and Cory Lee

STOL Aircraft Magazine contributing writer Rick Bosshardt driving a train In Gotthard Switzerland. Great shirt!

Submitted by Steve Pierce

Sadly Jet passed at 9:15am, Tuesday, 11/14/17.

Kevin Quinn and Dennis Smith

Doug Turnbull and Shooter

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L A i r c r a f t M a g a z i n e . c o m 57 Shooter shoots

13121 Louetta Rd Ste 1370 Cypress, TX 77429 www.STOLAircraftMagazine.com

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Photo by Deon Mitton AIRCRAFT MAGAZINE