VA-Vol-34-No-1-Jan-2006

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VOL. 34 , No. 1

N E 2006

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CONTENTS

1

Straight and Level

by Geoff Robison

2 4

VAA News Editor's Note Expanding Vintage Airplane

by H.G. Frautschy

5 6

Aeromail Reminiscing with Big Nick The All-American Air Maneuvers

by Nick Rezich

10

So Long, Big Nick Jim Rezich remembers his father

by Jim Rezich

12

VAA Hall of Fame 200S Inductee Charlie Nelson

15

Evaluating a Potential Project Doing your homework before you spend your cash

by Budd Davisson

19

Wings Clipped for Added Zip! Pegging the fun meter in a Vintage airplane

by Sparky Barnes Sargent

24 28

Type Club List The Vintage Instructor In a funk about the FIRC

by Doug Stewart

30

Hints from VAA Members Shipping a propeller the economical way

by H.G . Frautschy with Espie "Butch" Joyce

32

Pass It to Buck Just toolin' along

by Buck Hilbert

34

Mystery Plane

by H.G. Frautschy

38 39

Calendar Classified Ads

COVERS

FRONT COVER: Monocoupe restorer Bill Symmes is one of the pilots who enjoy the zip of a clipped

wing airplane , in th is case , his 110 Special. See Sparky Barnes-Sargent's article on clip wing vin­

tage ai rplanes in her article starting on page 19. EAA photo by Jim Koepnick.

BACK COVER: EAA Master artist Wil liam Marsalko loaned "Navy Ace David Ingalls." his watercolor and

mixed media illustration of a Sopwith Camel F.I flown by the only American naval ace to fly the Camel for

England and earn eight victories. Bi ll 's note mentioned that the pilots of the Camel could claim more en­

emy aircraft than any other type, wi th 2425 confirmed victories. Bill's entry in the 2005 EAA Sport Avia­

tion Art Competition reminds us that entries for the 2006 edition of this long running art show are being

accepted. Visit www. airventuremuseum.orgjartj, call the EAA Museum office at 920/ 426-6880, or e­

mail EAAArtComp@eaa.org <mai lto:EAAArtComp@eaa.org> for information regarding thi s year's event.

STAFF Publisher Editor-in-Chief Executi ve Director/Editor Administrative Assistant Managing Editor News Editor Photography Advertising Coordinator Classified Ad Manager Copy Editor

Tom Poberezny Scott Spangler H.G. Frautschy Jennifer Lehl Kathleen Witman Ric Reynolds Jim Koepnick Bonnie Bartel Sue Anderson Isabelle Wiske Colleen Walsh

Director of Advertising

Katrina Bradshaw

Display Advertising Representatives: ~o rth ea s t:

Allen Murray

Phone 609-265-1 666, FAX 609-265- 166 1 e- mai l: al/' IIII11ITTa)@rllil/(/sprillg.colII Southeast: Chester Baumga rtn er Phone 727-5 73-0586, FAX 727-556-01 77 e-mail; cballlll/// @'IIIilldsprillg.wlII Central: Todd Reese Phone 800-444-9932, FAX 816-741-6458 e·mail: toddlff'spc-lIIag.coIII Mountain & Pacific: Keith Kn owlton &. Associat es Phone 770-516-2743, (I-mail: kkll o lVlto/l @leaa .o~~

GEOFF ROBISON PRESIDENT, VINTAGE AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION

Planning ahead

The New Year has arrived! 2005 has come and gone. Where the devil did it go? How did it pass me by so swiftly? It was a whirlwind year for us here at the Vintage Aircraft Asso­ ciation. Your board of directors was able to accomplish a number of goals in 2005, and we have a number of items on the agenda to sort through for the New Year as well.

Strategic planning is, and has been, an agenda item for us for quite some time now. I am pleased to report we have a talented and dedicated group of VAA directors working hard on this important initiative. One of the most critical elements of develop­ ing a viable plan is to ensure that it dovetails appropriately with EAA's mission. Another critical element of developing an effective plan is to ensure that once the board of direc­ tors adopts a plan, we begin the im­ plementation process and move the plan forward to successfully reach the goals that we have set for our organi­ zation. It is also critically important that we continuously measure the effectiveness of these goals as they are met. These goals will need to be consistently measured and tested for effectiveness and value when com­ pared to the resources expended.

I am excited that we have experi­ enced an excellent planning process, and we all hope the membership will find a good measure of value in this process as it develops. As time marches forward I will look forward to the many challenges we will face in reaching and then enhancing these goals as they are met.

Speaking of valued membership initiatives, you may have noticed this issue of Vintage Airplane is' a little

heftier than it has been in the past.

Through the efforts of our editor, H.G. Frautschy, along with the able assis­ tance of the VAA Editorial Commit­ tee, and in response to the readership survey conducted earlier in the year, we are now committed to providing eight additional full-color pages of content in each month's publication.

This is but one new enhancement planned and now implemented to improve upon our excellent publi­ cation, Vintage Airplane. For more on what's planned, see H.G.'s addi­ tional commentary in "Editor Note" on pages 4-5. I also would like to echo H.G.'s call for technical mate­ rial from those of you out there who have the experience as well as the de­ sire to share it with the next genera­ tion of vintage aircraft owners. We truly need this additional content so we are in the best position to prop­ erly sustain this long-term effort to expand this publication.

I would also like to join H.G. in ex­ tending a hearty welcome to Marcia "Sparky" Barnes Sargent, a writer new to the pages of Vintage Airplane. I am sure you will agree she is a welcome addition to the content of this publi­ cation. Welcome aboard, Sparky.

Now that winter has actually ar­ rived, I find myself engaged in see­ ing to those minor little fix-up items on my two flying machines. My trip to the airport this weekend saw about 18 inches of drifted snow in front of the hangar door, so what better time to start planning some improvements for my two worthy steeds. The C-120 is in need of some new paint on the gear legs, the cowl­ ing, the wheel pants, and the doors.

This is to be accomplished right after

a visit to my favorite metal worker to deal with a few dings in the alu­ minum. With all those parts at the paint shop, what better time to give my girl a totally new interior. The only really challenging part of this project to me is the headliner. I have never done one before, so this could prove to be an interesting learning curve. I may have to enlist the as­ sistance of at least one person who knows what to do.

As far as the C-170A goes, she is in pretty good shape. But I think I have a vacuum problem develop­ ing, so I need to chase that down. As far as planned improvements go, the only thing I really desire for her right now is a set of shoulder harnesses for the front seats. The added safety they would provide is a welcome comfort­ ing feeling I desire in any aircraft I fly.

This project is of course contingent on what's left in the checkbook after the C-120 project is covered. Then the next critical decision will be which of these two aircraft I should take to Sun 'n Fun Fly-In? Hmm, there's that checkbook thing again. .

Tom Poberezny recently stated, "Now is the time to begin planning your journey to EAA AirVenture.

We promise you an experience un­ matched anywhere else in aviation."

EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2006, the world's greatest aviation celebra­ tion, is July 24-30, 2006.

VAA is about participation: Be a member! Be a volunteer! Be there!

Let's all pull in the same direction for the good of aviation. Remember, we are better together. Join us and have it all.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE

FEDS ORDER AIRCRAFT OWNERS TO UPDATE REGISTRATIONS BY FEBRUARY 2006 Aircraft owners and operators have until February I, 2006, to en­ sure their aircraft registration infor­ mation is properly completed and up to date (including address) or they may be denied access to the National Airspace System (NAS).

An FAA notice published in the Federal Register on December 9 in­ dicates that the FAA and TSA "will revitalize and refocus" U.S. airspace­ monitoring capabilities to ensure that each aircraft operating within the NAS has met all statutory, reg­ ulatory, and certification require­ ments, effective February I, 2006.

This notice is the latest FAA ac­ tion intended to ensure that only properly registered aircraft operate within the NAS. Previous requests to register aircraft and update con­ tact information were in an effort to update the aircraft owner data­ base and assist local law enforce­ ment agencies in the event of a downed or overdue aircraft.

The current notice states that operators of aircraft identified as having "questionable registra­ tions" and/or no TSA-required se­ curity measures/waivers will be notified of the deficiency. A pi­ lot deviahon will be filed on the operator, who may be denied ac­ cess to the NAS. If the operator is not the owner, both operator and owner will be notified of the defi­ ciency and both will be subject to any action deemed warranted by the agency in accordance with lo­ cal, state, and federal regulations.

Visit www.faa.gov/aircraft/airJert/ aircra(Cregistry/ to search the FAA database. To find what informa­ tion is on file with the FAA re­ garding your aircraft, visit www. (aa.gov/licensesJerti{icates/aircraft_ certi{ication/aircra(Uegistry/interactive_ aircraft_inquiry/.

2

JANUARY 2006

EAA, NAFI ASK TSA TO EASE RECURRENT SECURITY AWARENESS TRAINING HURDLES WAIVER SECURED FOR 'IN-MONTH' RECURRENCY REQUIREMENT

EAA and the National Associa­ tion of Flight Instructors (NAFI) are asking the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to help flight schools and independent flight in­ structors comply with mandated recurrent security training. Specifi­ cally, the member organizations would like TSA to create a free and field-accessible program to help en­ sure compliance with TSA regu­ lation 49 CFR Part 1552, "Flight Training for Aliens and Other Designated Individuals; Security Awareness Training for Flight School Employees."

EAA and NAFI are also asking TSA to make finding regulatory re­ quirements within the TSA website a much simpler process by creating web links to specific Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and De­ partment of Transportation (DOT) regulations that impact initial and recurrent training.

Meanwhile, thanks to direct in­ volvement from EAA, NAFI, and other aviation organizations, TSA has waived a requirement for flight school employees and independent CFls to receive recurrent security training in the same month as when they received initial security aware­ ness training. The waiver instead allows 18 months to get annual secu­ rity awareness recurrency training.

EAA Government Relations Di­ rector Randy Hansen and EAA Vice President of Government Relations Doug Macnair made the requests during a series of recent discussions with TSA officials.

"We (EAA and NAFI) have re­ ceived several phone calls from our members who are confused by the current process and find it difficult to locate specific regulatory and ad­

ministrative requirements within the TSA website," Hansen said.

"Part of the confusion lies in the lack of information on the website about which TSA officials the pub­ lic should contact when questions arise concerning either the initial or the recurrent security awareness training programs. We hope our discussions with TSA will eliminate these issues."

TSA initially published the Se­ curity Awareness Training program for flight schools and independent CFIs in the Federal Register on Sep­ tember 2004, creating 49 CFR 1552.

The initial training requirements required flight school employees hired on or before January 18, 2005, to receive the initial training no later than January 18, 2005. For employees hired after January 18, 2005, initial training must be com­ pleted no later than 60 days after date of hire. A key component of this new rule is the requirement for those same employees to com­ plete recurrent training each year "in the same month as the month they received initial training."

Training requirements of 14 CFR 1552 include procedures for veri­ fying citizenship of those seeking flight training; procedures for non­ U.S. citizens (aliens) seeking flight training; and mandatory security awareness training for all flight school employees and indepen­ dent CFIs. The one-year anniversary date for those first trained has passed, as many instructors and flight school personnel completed their initial training in October 2004. Many of these individuals and others who completed training in November 2004, December 2004, and January 2005 may not have completed the recurrent training requirements, simply because the TSA regulatory guidance was, or is, very difficult to locate. As a service to members, EAA has worked hand in hand with

TSA officials to develop the guid­ ance below for flight schools and independent CFls to complete the requirements of paragraph §lSS2.23(d) Recurrent security awareness training program TSA regulation lSS2.23(d): (d) Recurrent security awareness training program.

(1) A flight school must ensure that each flight school employee receives recurrent security aware­ ness training each year in the same month as the month the flight school employee received initial se­ curity awareness training in accor­ dance with this subpart.

EAA Note: For those instructors and employees who met the initial training requirements in October and November 2004, your recurrent one­ year anniversary date has passed. See the next note for a recent change to this issue.

EAA Note: "As a direct result of the concerns ofEAA, NAFI, and others in the flight-training industry, TSA has published a waiver to the requirement to 'receive recurrent security awareness training each year in the same month as the month the flight-school em­ ployee received initial security aware­ ness training,' as currently required

by TSA regulation," said Doug Mac­ nair. "This waiver (Docket No. TSA­ 2004-19147) will allow flight schools and independent CFIs to complete the mandatory recurrent training within eighteen (18) months of initial train­ ing. This change will greatly assist flight schools and independent CFIs in meeting both ongoing student flight training and the TSA recurrent security training requirements. It's a win-win for all."

(2) At a minimum, a recurrent secu­ rity awareness training program must contain information regarding­ (i) Any new security measures or procedures implemented by the flight school; EAA Note: This involves a secu­ rity briefing by a designated individ­ ual (chief pilot, school owner, school security officer, etc.). It should also include a review of airport security and airport watch procedures in a

SKIPLANES PREPARE FOR A NN U A L F LY- I N Get your skis ready for Saturday, January 28, and EAA Pioneer Air­ port's annual EAA Skiplane Fly-In. The event will be held, snow or no snow, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

If there is sufficient snow on the ground, skiplanes will get the rare opportunity to land at historic Pioneer Airport. If the ground remains bare and firm, wheeled airplanes will be allowed.

If planes cannot fly into Pioneer, all are invited to stop by to enjoy chili and cake to celebrate the birthday of EAA's matriarch Audrey Po­ berezny. Soup's on at 10:30 a.m.

Pilots intending to fly-in must contact Sean Elliott (920-426-4886) to preregister and receive an arrival briefing. For those who wish to fly­ in and land at Wittman Regional Airport, a shuttle service will operate throughout the day to and from Basler and Orion FBOs.

briefing conducted by an airport offi­ cial (manager or their designated rep­ resentative, etc.).

EAA Note: For independent CFIs, this section would be met by obtain­ ing a security briefing from the air­ port manager or their designated security representative. (ii) Any security incidents at the flight school, and any lessons learned as a result of such inci­ dents; EAA Note: This requirement cou ld be met the same way as above-briefings to review security issues at the flight school and air­ port, including lessons learned, etc.

The same personnel, as noted above, may conduct the review. (iii) Any new threats posed by or incidents involving general avia­ tion aircraft contained on the TSA website; and EAA Note: TSA does not yet have this information posted on the Web. Once it's posted, this recurrent requirement becomes a mandatory component of all recurrent security

awareness training programs covered by this regulation. (iv) Any new TSA guidelines or recommendations concerning the security of general aviation aircraft, airports, or flight schools.

EAA Note: It would be ap­ propriate to visit the TSA general aviation website at www.tsa.gov/ public/display?theme=180 and review the information. Items of importance include, but are not limited to, all the topics listed under the General Avia­ tion Security Initiatives section . A re­ view of the TSA document "Security Guidelines for General Aviation Air­ ports" would also be appropriate. Sev­ eral sections of this document discuss relevant security measures applicable to flight schools and aircraft security.

EAA Note: For independent CFIs operating out of a Slnall airport with­ out an airport manager, the recurrent training requirement may be met by receiving an airport security brief­ ing from the law enforcement agency which has the geographica l responsi­ continlled on page 36 VINTAGE AIRPLANE

3

H.G. FRAUTSCHY ED ITOR , VI NTAGE AI RPLANE

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, VAA

Expanding Vintage Airplane

With this issue, the Vintage Air­ craft Association and its flagship magazine, Vintage Airplane, begin the new year with a change we hope you'll welcome-the addition of eight more full-color pages to each monthly copy. Based on comments we've received and the results of a survey conducted during the sum­ mer months, the addition of these eight pages will be the first in a se­ ries of changes that will make the magazine more closely reflect the needs of our membership.

None of the changes will be dra­ matic or shocking; rather, they're more like the mid -course correc­ tions of a few degrees we all find ourselves doing on a cross-country flight. A tweak here, an addition there, and we should be in good shape to continue enjoying vin­ tage aviation.

Along those lines, we've added a new writer to our pages, Marcia "Sparky" Barnes Sargent. Many of you will recognize Sparky's byline from her work in Custom Planes and GA News & FLyer. Sparky restored her Piper PA-17 and was one of 50 pilots chosen to represent her then home state of Tennessee by flying the state flag to the Wright Brothers National Memorial in 2003. She's an enthusiastic vintage airplane nut, and her infectious joy over vintage aviation comes through in her writing. Welcome, Sparky!

It has been my p leasure and honor to serve as the editor of this magazine for more than 15 years, starting in October of 1990, when [ took over the reins from Mark 4

JANUARY 2006

Phelps. I am blessed with the input of a dedicated and passionate board of directors and have had the lux­ ury of being able to confer over the past years with three of the previ­ ous editors of this magazine, Gene Chase, Jack Cox, and the late Al Kelch. I also have the gUidance of an editorial committee comprised of members of the VAA board of directors. After reviewing the sur­ vey data and meeting to discuss the content of Vintage Airplane, the committee and I agreed that a regu­ lar review of the magazine's content was a good idea, and the results of the most recent review will start to become apparent during the com­ ing months.

Not surprisingly, some of our readers' favorite topics relate to technical issues. Members want to see more "how-to" type articles, and as our membership changes to reflect the incorporation of younger members, more basic information is needed to nurture those who come to us with scant knowledge but plenty of enthusiasm. That's where many of our more experi­ enced members come in. We need your articles!

Some things never seem to change, and one of these is the need for mate­ rial to create a useful association pub­ lication. Let me quote from a column written by EAA Founder and Chair­ man of the Board Paul Poberezny: If I had a penny for every time I was promised an article but never re­ ceived it, I would need a big jar to hold them all. I am sure Sport Avi­ ation editor Jack Cox can document

many similar instances of his own.

Let's face it, the tOllghest job facing any association today is getting out a timely, worthwhile in-house publica­ tion. One easy way to solve that prob­ lem is to have a paid editorial staff that does all the work, from research to writing. This would make membership dues cost-prohibitive.

I find today that many members of EAA forget that Sport Aviation and Vintage Airplane are THEIR publica­ tions. It is not a newsstand item with stories written by paid editorial staff.

Rather, it is a house organ with arti­ cles written by the members, for the members. I guess because it has de­ veloped into such a fine publication, people tend to forget that we are all amateur publishers at heart.

The problem is universal. As I re­ view the hundreds of Chapter newslet­ ters that come through Headquarters each month, it becomes apparent that each of the newsletter editors faces the same problem . .. where do we get in­ formation and who will contribute?

The Vintage Airplane is facing the same problem. There are many great stories to be told and fine photos to be printed. But unless we can get participation from the membership, your editOJ~ Al Kelch, cannot do it all.

He already has a lead on many fine stories but has found that it takes three or four letters and a number of phone calls before he can receive a response. Many times he is prom­ ised an article and it is two, three, or four months before any information is received. When information is re­ ceived it may be incomplete and fur­ ther pursuit is needed.

To each one of you I say, the Vin­ tage Airplane is your publication.

Your editorial staff NEEDS YOUR HELP. If you need an item of inter­ est or know of any item that would be noteworthy, please let Al or any of the officers, directors, or contributing edi­ tors know about it. If you say you are going to write an article, please do so. lt is a big job to put together this pub­ lication, and it is being done by com­ plete volunteer effort. Let's all work together to make a tough job eas ier.

Each one of us will benefit.

Quoted in part from Paul's March 1976 Vintage Airplane col­ umn, "Whistling In The Rigging."

This is your association, your magazine. I enjoy writing articles and editing it each month, but I don't think you want it to be "all H.G., all the time." A good mix of contributors and ideas helps keep the foundation of the maga­ zine and the association a strong one. The VAA is much more than simply a piece of real estate where we meet once a year; there are is­ sues to be worked out related to government rulings, judging air­ craft at fly-ins, and many other items that affect our enjoyment of all vintage airplanes. So open the floodgates, and let me be deluged with the fruits of your experience. For guidelines for article submissions, visit www. vintageaircraft.org and click on the Publications link. If you pre­ fer the mail, drop me a line here at EAA HQ and we'll pop a copy in the mail. ~

A FEW

JACKAROO NOTES

I keep referring back to Budd's article on the Jackaroo in the April issue of Vintage Airplane. In particu­ lar, I found the beautiful photogra­ phy absolutely fascinating. I've had the pleasure of periodically meet­ ing up with Tom Dietrich over the years, and he has helped me out on one or two occasions. A really nice chap. Since he, too, was a modeler, I suppose I really was not surprised when he told me that the nicely fin­ ished flying and landing wires were sprayed with silver HobbyPoxy ep­ oxy model paint!

Anyway, I had the benefit of watching all of the Jackaroos come to life, since I often flew out of Thrux­ ton, which was a few minutes down the road from my RAF base, the Aero­ plane and Armament Experimental Establishment at Boscombe Down, in Wiltshire-very close to ancient Stonehenge. Boscombe was the UK's equivalent of Edwards Air Force Base.

Thruxton has also appeared be­ tween the covers of EAA's publica­ tions in the past, since that place also was where John Isaacs' mini Spitfire was finally completed and I was oc­ casionally able to look in on John.

However, my real reason for writ­ ing was to add a little to the written history of the Jackaroo, since Budd chose only to mention that its cre­ ator was "an RAF officer."

So let me set the record straight.

The former RAF officer was a squad­ ron leader, Bill Doran-Webb, RAF,

retired, at the Wiltshire School of Flying. It was his initiative and drive that envisioned a market for some of the hundreds of ex-RAF Tiger Moths that had come up for dis­ posal after World War II. I know I saw many, many wingless Tiggies stacked up on their noses, almost like sardines, at 33 Maintenance Unit on my father's base, the nearby RAF Station Lyneham. In fact, as an ATC cadet of 1304 Squadron, I had lessons on DF186 there. At the tender age of 15, don't think that I didn't look first at my meager "two bob a week" allowance and then at one of those Tigers!

As you now know, Squadron Leader Doran-Webb obtained a number of them with a view to their conversion into a relatively inexpensive and easily maintained conveyance for Australia and Third World countries. While I men­ tioned "drive" in connection with the squadron leader, it was of little use trying to engage him in con­ versation. He most definitely was a "driver" and had no time to stand around lollygagging!

One more snippet: Somewhere I read that four de Havilland Tiger Moths could be built for the cost of one Boeing Stearman-World War II figures, of course.

Best wishes to all "antiquers," in particular to those who find it en­ joyable keeping the older UK types of my youth in the air.

Jim Newman Kent City, Michigan ~ SEND YOUR COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS TO:

VAA,

LETIERS TO THE EDITOR

P.O. Box 3086 OSHKOSH WI 54903-3086 OR YOU CAN E-MAIL THEM TO: VINTAGEAIRCRAFT@EAA.ORG

VINTAGE AIRPLANE

5

REMINISCING WITH BIG NICK

BY NICK REZICH PHOTOS COURTESY OF NICK REZICH

The recent announcement of the Second Annual Mid-Winter Sun 'n Fun Fly-In at Lakeland, Florida, re­ minds me of the good old All-American Air Maneu­ vers held in Miami from 1928 to 41. I did not attend the 1928 show, but by 1938 I had accumulated enough money and experience (thanks to Howard Aircraft) to attend every year thereafter.

One of the highlights of the Miami Races from 1938 on was the Light Airplane Cavalcade to Miami-better known as the "Gulf Oil Tour." I believe this was the greatest single contribution to sport flying in American aviation history.

It was also sometimes called "The Cavalcade of Cubs."

It was co-sponsored by Aeronca, Taylor-Young Aircraft, Piper Aircraft, and the aviation department of Gulf Oil Co., with Gulf picking up the tab for all the gasoline and oil. The tour was divided into three divisions-East­ ern, Central, and Southwestern.

The Eastern Division started in New York from Roos­ evelt Field; the Central Division originated from Bow­ man Field, Louisville, Kentucky and the Southwestern Division started from Dallas, Texas. Each division had subdivisions that joined them along the way, which

then became a caravan.

The original plan was that all the divisions would fly to Orlando, Florida, where the entire group would assemble for a massed flight to Miami on the opening day of the races. The idea was great, but somebody for­ got to inform the weatherman.

Reprinted from Vintage Airplane September/October 1975 6

JANUARY 2006

"This is your captain speaking. I have some good news and some bad news. First the good news: We have a tailwind and are making good time. Now for the bad news: We're on a mountaintop somewhere in Tennessee."

The reason I think it was the greatest thing that hap­ pened to sport flying was that all one had to do to partici­ pate was fill out an entry form giving your airport of origin, type of airplane, engine, and some personal history, and agree to display the Gulf Oil decal on your airplane.

It was as simple as that. In return, you received a packet that included a very detailed flight plan listing the airports and the Gulf Oil dealers along your route; also included were the dates and cities where your divi­ sion caravan originated and the caravan route. A book of gas and oil tickets was issued for the round trip. You used these to pay for your gas and oil. They allowed quite a bit for getting lost-as most everyone had tick­ ets left over after reaching home.

We also received listings of available overnight park­ ing, hotels at special rates, overnight stops that had planned entertainment, and passes to the races.

The first year of the Cavalcade some 210 lightplanes participated, but after the word was out that Gulf Oil was picking up the tab for all the gas and oil, the figure rose to more than 1,000. In 1939, during a press conference, Claude Pullen, president of the Miami All-American Air Maneuvers, announced that the morning of January 5, 1940, would mark the birth of a new day in American aviation history, when more than 1,200 airplanes, or 10 percent of all the private planes in the United States, would be on the Miami Municipal Airport. Well, when that big fat moon over Miami gave way to a bright, sunny dawn on January 5, there indeed were more than 1,200 airplanes in town for the races, thanks to the Gulf Oil Company and the Light Plane Cavalcade.

Wouldn't it be great if some enterprising young PR directors for Gulf Oil and Piper Aircraft announced a similar program for the coming Sun 'n Fun Fly-In? The tour that I had the most fun on was when I was initiated into the Alligators Club.

My flying partner for the tour was Ted Linnert, one of the original engineers for Howard Aircraft, who owned the Lycoming-powered T-Craft we flew.

Accompanying us was another original Howard engi­ neer, Ted Patecell, flying a Continental 50 Cub, and two of my buddies from Harlem Airport, Bruno Gramont and Jimmy Merrick, flying Jimmy's new Cub Coupe.

Ted and I left from Rubinkam Airport on Chicago's far south side, and the others from Harlem Airport. Our first stop was Indianapolis, where we topped off the tank and were joined by several Cubs and T-Crafts en route to Louisville to join the caravan and make our first overnight stop. Our first taste of Southern hospitality came after our landing at Bowman Field, where it was still overcoat weather, but a big improvement over the 2 degrees we left behind in Chicago. We shut down in front of the Gulf gasoline pump, and before you could say "willy whiskers," two linemen grabbed our bags, led us into the warm office, and notified us that they would top off the tank, check the oil, clean the inside, and put the airplane in the hangar for the night.

In the meantime, a shapely young beauty informed us that our transportation was on the way and that she would call the hotel and notify them of our arrival.

Wow! All this and free gasoline!

Arriving at the hotel, we met a bunch on their way to dinner. They informed us of the party to follow and suggested Bishops as a good place to eat. After dinner at Bishops, it was back to the hotel to get rid of the overcoats and hats and join the party. During the in­ troductions at the party, we met another Chicagoan from Ashburn Field flying a 50-hp Aeronca Chief, his sale purpose for going on the tour was to party! And party we did, all the way to Miami! Nine years later, Mr. Party, Jack Woods, became my co-pilot on a DC-3 flying for the nonskeds.

The next morning, hangovers permitting, we were off for Bowling Green, Nashville, and Chattanooga, our second scheduled overnight stop. Our departure from Louisville was in clear, cold weather, and the trip to Nashville was pleasant and uneventful. At Nash­ ville, we were advised that there were low ceilings be-

Ted Linnert in the bridal suite at Valdosta, Georgia. Note the portable Learadio on the nightstand.

V I N T AGE A I RPLANE

7

tween Nashville and Chattanooga and that it would be advisable to sit in Nash ville until the weather moved through Chattanooga.

While sitting on the ground for a couple of hours and still wearing that damn overcoat, I decided to ex­ ercise my knowledge of mountain flying. Wh y not?

I'd flown this route before and didn't have any prob­ lems-no sweat!

I proceeded to give Ted a snow job about pushing on, but Ted was not quite ready to buy my line of bull. We sat for another hour, and by then I was really getting antsy. I checked the new Chattanooga weather and it was better; in fact, it was good. I put the arm on Ted again, and this time he knuckled under and agreed to go.

Yep, you guessed it. Thirty minutes out and the clouds were pushing us down. I dropped down about a thou­ sand feet to where the visibility improved quite a bit.

For the next 30 minutes I kept going lower and the ter­ rain kept getting higher until we were into the moun­ tains. As the visibility deteriorated, I kept turning, trying to keep sight of the mountaintops.

Ted was busy with the map, trying to trace all my turns with one eye while keeping a lookout for trees with the other. Someone suggested that we turn back and land at an airport that Ted spotted in the lower ter­ rain, to which I replied in classic form, "Don't worry, Ted, I'll fly along the ridge, pick up a road and follow it over to the other side." We continued blindly for about another 10 minutes when I spotted a saddle on the ridge. I turned and we squeaked through only to find total obscuration.

Ted Linnert tying down the T-Craft at Miami. Holding Ted's head is another Howard Aircraft engineer, Ted Patecell, who is now a captain for Pan American. After World War II, Ted fixed up a DGA-15 to look like Mr. Mulligan, including the original NR-273Y registration number. He also was the first sales representative for Lear Jet aircraft sales. Jim Mer­ rick's Cub Coupe is in the background.

As I made a turn to parallel the ridge, I said to myself, in your mess kit!/I Ted was "Nick, I think you just not saying a word, but I knew what he was thinking.

The next five minutes convinced me that this flight was going to terminate in the boondocks, when sud­ denly I spotted a field out the left window that looked like an Iowa hayfield. I chopped the throttle, and with a nose-high turning slip, I was on the ground in sec­ onds-nary a ripple.

Ted Linnert and the T-Craft somewhere on a mountaintop along the Walden Ridge in the Crabapple Mountains north­ west of Chattanooga. Ted, a fonner engineer for Howard Air­ craft, is now with the A.L.P.A. Safety Board.

Airport manager at the mountaintop airport in Tennessee collecting his landing fee.

S

JANUARY 2006

As I taxied up to the fence-or did we roll out to the fence?-I turned to Ted very assuringly and said, "See! I told you I knew these mountains." As we shut down and got out, Ted handed me the map and said, "Show me where we are!/I My 2S,OOO -word vocabulary shrunk to "Ah! Ummm! Ah!/I We spent the next hour or two exploring the moun­ taintop, trying to figure out a way of spending the night without freezing to death. By then the weather kept im-

proving until we could see the mountaintops clearly.

We agreed we had enough fuel and daylight to make Chattanooga-if we were where we thought we were. I climbed back into the left seat, and Ted gave the prop a twist and we were off into a brisk northwest wind with a run of only about 300 feet. We made a climbing turn and rolled out on a southeast heading, and in about 20 minutes we were past the last ridge. There were the Tennessee River and Chattanooga dead ahead. The landing at Chattanooga was routine, and again the Southern hospitality and the very fine Gulf Oil service was quite evident with two linemen greeting us and treating us like we were VIPs. The evening was spent partying and meeting about 30 to 40 Ohio and Kentucky pilots who were joining the caravan.

The cold front we had been chasing was now lying across Atlanta, so we spent the following day sight­ seeing. I spent the morning rooting around in all the hangars, where the find of the day was the 1930 Thompson trophy-winning Laird Solution being used as a skywriter for 7-Up. The next day we planned for a takeoff at dawn in hopes of reaching Orlando by nightfall. The next morn­ ing some SO-plus lightplanes lifted off the runway at Chattanooga headed for the land of the sun.

All went well until reaching Valdosta, Georgia. Land­ ing at Valdosta, we learned that the cold front was now a warm front that covered all of north Florida, with ceil­ ings varying from zero to 200 feet, with drizzle and fog and no improvement until the next day.

I again tried my sales pitch on Ted, telling him about my previous experiences along this route and the bit about no mountains, just flat ground and plenty of air­ ports. He took one look at me and said, "Nick-O-Louse, this is not a race and I know all about our experiences, and I don't care to spend the night in the swamps with the alligators!"

By sundown every square foot of the Valdosta Air­ port was covered with airplanes. And every motel and the hotel were full. We managed to squeeze into a sin­ gle room in the town's only hotel, while many of the others camped out with their planes. Georgia laws didn't permit much partying, so it was a hamburger and off to bed.

The next morning the weather had cleared and we all were off for Orlando.

Arriving at Orlando, it looked like Oshkosh '75­ there must have been 200 airplanes on the ground and another SO in the pattern.

After landing we were quickly guided to our tied own area, where we were met by a chauffeur-driven limou­ sine collecting people for the trip to the hotel.

At the hotel the driver announced that he would re­ turn at 6:30 to pick up all those going to the Alligator Club initiation at the Country Club. Wow! What ser­ vice. This is the best tour of all!

Editor's note: Sadly, this was Nick's last column written for Vintage Airplane. Nick was diagnosed with throat cancer, which took his life a few years later, in 1981, silendng the "Voice ofthe EAA./I .,...

VINTAGE AIRPLANE

9

Jim Rezich remembers his father

JIM REZICH

Thanks for reprinting all the "Reminiscing with Big Nick" ar­ ticles. They have brought many phone calls, e-mails, and personal notes from countless people who have enjoyed them either for the first or second time.

One question I usually get is, "What's next?"

Since this was his last article, the next question is usually, "Why did Big Nick stop writing?" The an­ swer to the first question is clear; sadly, there are no "next articles," but I do know some of the titles to pieces that Dad planned on doing, like "Jim's First Solo, "DC-3 Days at International Harvester," "Rock­ ford-The Early Years," and "Capt.

John and the Ford Tri-Motor," to name a few.

The writing stopped when can­ II

10

JANUARY 2006

~EEIJ..ING

OF AL..l

US ING

ThiE TrItlR@ffi1iLE f0RWAR ~EEILING

~

"ERiE

WHElEI!.S lLEAME THE GR0WNID.

cer trea tmen ts began to reduce his activities. During his recov­ ery he had intentions of picking up where he left off. As a matter of fact, one of Dad's biggest em­ barrassments was his handwriting, or should I say handprinting. As Jack and Golda Cox can tell you, they received each month's arti­ cle handprinted in all capital letters on yellow legal paper, with the ac­ companying photographs.

Some of my most treasured possessions are those original handprinted pages that Jack so gra­ ciously returned to me before he retired from EAA . Since this was the 1970s, we didn't have the lux­ ury of laptop computers and word processors, so during his recovery, Dad tried to master the typewriter.

But he knew his time was limited,

hls corporate flying. mer copilot/mechanic Gary Beck now as acting chief pilot, the At­ wood family advanced Dad's po­ sition to director of aviation. He continued to fly until he amassed more than 35,000 hours of acci­ dent-free flying. He also oversaw the building of a new hangar and the acquisition of the company's first jet, a Citation II. He retired af­ ter 22 years of service.

Aviation was Dad's entire life, from profession to hobby. He loved to fly, and it didn't matter what kind of airplane it was. He said the greatest feeling of all was pushing the throttle forward and feeling the wheels leave the ground. Those people lucky enough to have had a chance to fly with him can attest he was a talented airman, regard­ less of the airplane.

His passion was aviation, and he helped bring it to everyone he could. From his involvement with EAA and the then Antique/Classic Division, to the Antique Airplane Association, the OX-S Club-where he served as national president­ the Quiet Birdmen, the Polish air force, the original Confederate Air Force, and on and on. And he was vocal! His deep, booming voice could be heard halfway across the room, halfway across the hangar, or halfway across the airport! With or without a microphone!

He loved air shows, from flying the Travel Air in them, to exciting the crowd with his unlimited de­ scriptions of-his term-"flip flops"!

I can't tell you the number of early local Midwest EAA fly-ins, lAC con­ tests, and air shows where my dad handled the announcing as well as flying in the shows . And most of these were gratis; it was his way of helping promote sport aviation.

I was fortunate to start accompa-

As time progressed, I was also a par­ ticipant with the )-3 Cub I learned to fly in, and I was encouraged, by the likes of Marty Headtler and Bill Bordeleau, to be an active contrib­ utor by doing the announcing for my dad's air show routines.

Big Nick's last flight was on July 4, 1980, to the air show at the Ogle County Airport in Mt. Mor­ ris, Illinois. It was in the Travel Air NC81l5, and I was lucky enough to be back in the front seat. We went as spectators this time, not partic­ ipants. When the show was over and we departed for the return to Rockford, the smoke was on for the takeoff and the chandelle after­ ward! Along the way back to Rock­ ford, Dad spotted a family picniC, and those strangers would get to see the last air show by Big Nick as he did several loops and rolls with the smoke on continuously.

Our arrival at Rockford was his "standard" no-radio knife-edge­ to-knife-edge wing rock, with his trademark nose-high turning side­ slip to a perfect three-point touch­ down . We pushed the Travel Air back into its hangar like we had done so many times before, and locked the door, knowing that flight was Big Nick's last time at the controls. In January 1981, with all of his family near him, he would pass away quietly at home.

Having Dad inducted into the 2003 Vintage Aircraft Association Hall of Fame was a spectacular trib­ ute, and it left me speechless to see so many old friends and hear so many people "Reminiscing with Big Nick" that evening.

It is unfortunate that EAA didn't start its Timeless Voices program sooner; it would have been nice to hear liThe Voice of EAA" again, but thanks to Vintage Airplane, we can go back and relive Big Nick in print~

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11

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N~ Born into a tenant farming fam­ ily in 1931, Charles E. Nelson be­ came interested in aviation in grade school, when a )-3 Cub landed near his Euchee, Tennessee, school to wait out some bad weather. While his father plowed the fields of the Tennessee River bottomland, 7­ year-old Charlie was whittling model airplanes from cornstalks .

Growing up during World War II, he developed an interest in all things mechanical and electrical.

By 1949, 18-year-old Charlie had volunteered for a three-year Air Force enlistment.

As an airman, he was sent to Airborn e Radio Operators School, where he received his Amateur Ra­ dio license "W4RST," which is still curre nt today. After graduation

from Keesler radio school he was assigned to SAC at Carswell AFB, Fort Worth, Texas. While at Car­ swell, he was tasked to build and maintain a Military Amateur Radio Service station, which he did until the Korean war saw him reassigned to a communications base in Eng­ land, where he learned to decode Russian weather reports.

After a one-year extension of his enlistment, he was honorably dis­ charged and found himself at work in Tulsa, Oklahoma, at Douglas Aircraft in the electrical development depart­ ment. A return home to Tennessee led him to work with the phone company. In 1955 he was involved in dirt-track racing, both as a backer and as a track announcer, money that would eventually be used in part to PHOTOS COURTESY CH ARLI E N ELSON

12

JANUARY 2006

Chariie Nelson eariy in his Air Force career.

During the Korean War he was assigned to a commu­ nications base in England, where he learned to decode Russian weather reports_

Above three photos: A remarkable achievement by Charlie and other members of the club was the recovery and subsequent resto­ ration of the Temco Buckaroo. Sold to the Saudi government, parts of the Buckaroos were languishing in a desert bone yard when they were found. The restored airplane can now be viewed at the Swift Museum Foundation's facility at the Athens, Tennessee, airport.

The first airplane owned by Charlie was this Luscombe SA, which he later sold to Jack and Golda Cox.

buy his first airplane. He also found time to get married and was blessed with his daughter, Pam, who works with her father as the secretary of the Swift Association office.

A lifetime of business ventures with his partner, David Boyd, included ven­ tures in a campground, sub-division

development, and cemeteries.

While involved in business in Ardmore, Oklahoma, Charlie en­ rolled in an American Flyers" pilot school, the only American student in a classroom full of Afghani stu­ dent pilots. After soloing a J-3 Cub, in 1961 he bought a Luscombe 8A. 1/

Later, he bought an airplane sal­ vaged from the Tennessee River, the airplane to which he'd become indelibly linked-a Swift. He later sold the Luscombe to another VAA Hall of Fame inductee, Jack Cox, and his wife, Golda.

Charlie's interest in aviation V IN TAGE A I RPLANE

13

Aspecial moment for Charlie was getting to know John Kennedy of Ft. Worth, Texas, the man behind Globe Aircraft Company. Kennedy's company was the first producer of the Swift, and his attendance at the 1994 Swift FIy·ln will long be remembered.

Charlie's love affair with the GlobelTemco Swift started with this airplane, which he flew to the 1964 EAA convention in Rockford, Illinois. He has not missed a convention since that first visit. On the way home from that convention, Charlie was inspired to start the club which he has overseen since that time-the International Swift Association.

continued to take root, and he at­ tended his first EAA convention in Rockford in 1964. He hasn't missed one since.

His early visi ts to the EAA con­ vention convi n ced h im that the owners of Swifts needed a way to comm u nicate with one another.

While flying home in his second Swift, he developed a plan of action and placed a two-dollar ad in Trade­ A -Plane. The International Swift As­ sociation, whic h later became t he Swift Museu m Foundation, qu ickly 14

J ANUARY 2006

The flagpole and its 10-ton base from the Globe factory now sits in front of the museum foundation's facility, thanks to the efforts of the club's Red River Swift Wing and club member Hal Cope. Nelson early in his Air Force career.

The Swift is one of the most modified aircraft of the post-WW II era.

Charlie's Swift, with its bubble canopy and state-of-the-art instrument panel, epitomizes the love and care Swift owners lavish upon their fa­ vorite airplanes. For more than 40 years, the Swift Association and its founder, Charlie Nelson, have worked to keep them flying. Congratula­ tions to Charlie Nelson, 2005 VAA Hall of Fame inductee.

grew to 800 members, and contin­ ues to serve aviators who have an abiding love for the Swift.

Over the next 37 years, Charlie and the Swift Association have ac­ quired the Swift Type Certificate, negotiated with the Saudi govern­ ment to acquire and restore what became th e only remaining Temco T-35-A Buckaroo, and celebrated the 50th anniversary of the aircraft with a reunion fly-in, which fea­ tured a reu nion of Temco employ­ ees, including past Temco President

Bob McCulloch.

By the end of the past century, under the leadership of Charlie Nelson and with the help of his volunteers and small staff, the Swift Museum Foundation has its own headquarters building, a parts de­ partment to supply parts to Swift owners, and its own museum, and is once again working with man­ ufacturer to build new aircraft based on the SWift's design, as well as make replacement parts for the Globe/Temco Swift. ~

Potential Project

Doing your homework before you spend your cash BUDD DAVISSON

f there is one daydream that is universal, it is opening a long­ closed hangar door, or fighting through the weeds to the back of the barn, where a long-for­ gotten diamond in the rough lies waiting. It'll be rusty and cor­ roded ,but to us, it's beautiful. Its po­ tential is enormous.

Unfortunately, that's usually all we see. Potential. Seldom, if ever, db we have a realistic view of the road that leads from where we are to where we want to be. Just when we need to be cold and calculating, our brains are positively flipping out as we en­ vision this aero-corpse sitting in our

workshops. For that reason, the worst thing that can happen is to stumble upon what appears to be the perfect project before we're ready for it. So don't go looking until you've done your homework.

Yeah, right!

Evaluating a potential project is all about comfort zones. First, the proj­ ect can't challenge your skills to the point that you're forced out of your comfort zone so far that it wears you down. Of course, a heavy infusion of cash generally cures that problem, which for some is a viable alternative; for others, it's not.

The skill comfort zone is driven by

Above: Look carefully at this Aeronca Sedan and you'll see the remains of every single wooden fonner, although one is laying on the ground and an· other inside. The importance of hav· ing all the wood for patterns can't be over emphasized. Also, the tubing has the surface rust characteristic of the southwest with no pitting. If this air· plane had been in the northern states the tubing would be mostly gone. Look at the vertical fin tubing: it still has paint on it. This fuselage will clean up with light sand blasting or Scotchbrite pad/wheels. If pitting had been pres· ent, careful evaluation of the impor· tant members would be necessary, with replacement being a probability.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE

15

Editor's Note: No, none of the airplane projects shown are for sale so don't bother calling. Besides, we've already tried. Sorry.

This picture is going to drive Aeronca buffs nuts: the interior trim and the ashtray are still intact.

The small parts are always much harder to find than the large ones, but the details make a restora­ tion. The spider just in front of the ashtray isn't going to like losing its home. Another thing to think about when inspecting abandoned air­ planes--criHers love 'em.

It just got tired of waiting and laid down.

This may be a bedraggled looking air­ plane but look how straight the sheet metal is. And how all of it is still there.

The cowling shows the modifications for the 0-435 Lycoming that replaced the 0-300 Continental (190 hp vs 145 hpJ. Atrue restoration would require replac­ ing part of the cowling but the Lyc gives better performance. The question is whether the STC paperwork is with the airplane. Paperwork is as important as hardware on a project.

materials and systems-some folks are more comfortable with sheet metal than rag and tube. Some love working with old wood. Some don't like working with any of the above, which is something they'd better dis­ cover about themselves before drag­ ging that hulk out of the weeds.

The skill zone is also defined by sys­ tems. Someone who is totally comfort­ able converting a rusty tube fuselage into a freshly welded thing of beauty may shy away from doing any engine work other than a "Krylon overhaul."

To a "normal" avia· tor, this looks like an abandon building that needs to be tom down, but to a restorer, it looks like King Tut's treasure. Here we have an insbument panel that is not only complete but reason­ ably unbutchered. It even has the glove box door (right) and the stall waning gizmo (left). Starting out with a thoroughly disgusting, but nonetheless complete hulk, is much easier than a cleaner, but incomplete one.

Nearly every vintage airplane has some­ thing that is totally unique to the breed.

Sometimes it's something like this tail wheel shock assembly, which is specific to the make and model. Hit's gone, find· ing one that's useable is going to be a chore. Don't overtook details like this.

16 JANUARY 2006

Averitable treasure trove of wood pat­ terns. Also, notice the trim system, although mostly unusable, is all there, so you don't . have to reinvent the . routing. The wings show litHe wear, but in the case of some air­ craft, Aeronca Sedans and Luscombes being two of them, large sec­ tions have no inspection panels so it's hard to get inside for inspection. Mirrors and flashlights through the root rib holes will help, but a critical inspection is called for.

Notice the surface rust on the tubing with no obvious pitting.

An aversion to working on certain types of systems or materials has a lot to do with which project should follow you home. That aversion says there are some parts of every project you evaluate that have to be useable as is, or the expense of farming it out has to be added to the budget.

The project also has to fit the work space that is available or that can be made available. Call this the cubic zone.

If you're stuck with a Single-car garage, a Bamboo Bomber is out of the ques­ tion, but a Luscombe would fit nicely.

However, just because your work space is large enough to be measured in acres, that's no reason to gleefully jump into restoring a DC-4 just because you can get it for next to nothing.

You also have to evaluate the degree of restoration you're willing tackle. Is your idea of restoration scrubbing the mildew off the upholstery or do you want to pound rivets and make sparks fly? Since projects range from basket cases, where the basket is the only thing worth saving, to Cherokees left sitting in a hangar for a few years, it's important to know exactly how deep you're willing to get into this thing.

Questioning the degree of restora­ tion and repair you're willing to commit to is another way of saying how much time you're willing, or capable, of giv­

ing to the project. Some airplane proj­ ects, e.g., a Staggerwing Beech, are black holes when it comes to time. A disas­ sembled but otherwise whole C-140A is, by comparison, blissfully quick.

And then there's the dollar zone: Committing time is one thing, but committing a large amount of the household budget is something else.

This is where you really have to be cold. For some unknown psycholog­ ical reason, airplane projects tug at your heartstrings, and although those strings pass through your heart, they actually terminate in your wallet. You can easily get into a project and say, "Oh, to hell with it. You only live once," when you really can't afford that because of other commitments (e.g., feeding the kids, gas for the car etc.). So you have to put a financial plan in place and stick to it. The latter is really hard to do, so don't pussy­ foot around when planning the bud­ get. Figure out what it's going to cost; then double that and add 20 percent and you'll still probably be surprised what it costs. Have you priced a gal­ lon of poly paint lately?

As a rule, no one wants to have more tied up in an airplane than it's worth, but that's not always the case.

Remember the emotion thing? Some people just "want" a particular air­

This is a very early, first year production C-150 and the plastic interior is amazingly complete and undamaged. A quick walk around says it also has straight sheet metal, not surprising, considering it hasn't flown since around 1980.

Even though the current owner put new tires on it and poured gas into it to get it running, the engine is still probably full of trash, most of it busy eating bearings. Also, the inside of the wings shows some corrosion powder on the top skins. What else is there we can't see? A Long Beach, CA sticker under the tail explains the skin corrosion. Just because you find an airplane in Arizona, doesn't mean it's lived there all its life.

plane that's done a particular way and money isn't a factor. If that's the case, and it's not going to put your family out in the street, more power to you.

We envy you because that's a carefree way to go into any project.

When looking for a "project," it'll make your life more difficult if you don't narrow the concept of "project" down just a little. Although it helps to narrow it down to a specific type, e.g., PA-12s, it's really not necessary to nar­ row it down that far. However, you don't want to be cruising the back roads, flipping over rocks, willing to take whatever pops up. You need to give your search more forethought than that. However, if you do hap­ pen across a really unbelievable deal but decide it's not for you (a $500 90A Monocoupe, while your heart is set on an Ercoupe), go ahead and buy it anyway. That's what eBay and Trade­ a-Plane are for.

Although it's not necessary to look for an exact make and model, it's helpful if you go back and shuffle through your comfort zone thoughts and narrow your search to a specific type of airplane, e.g., two-place rag and tube, two-place metal. Your bud­ get considerations also need to weigh in there, which may eliminate certain types of projects. For instance, you

Re-engined with a 160 Lycoming and constant speed prop, this promising looking C-170 is a project, not a ready-to-go used airplane if for no other reason than it hasn't flown for well over a decade. Even though the desert has preserved its metal, the engine is toast. Ditto many of the instruments. Hthe price is right, this is a clean airframe to work with. The tires might need some attention.

VI NTAGE A I RPLAN E

17

Poor little guy! Don't you hate to see something like a classic Bellanca being let go to seed. In the case of this speedster, the tubing show­ ing through the tail fabric is of little concern.

Hthere's rust, it can be repaired. The massive wooden wings are where the real questions should be asked. Because of lack of access, cantilever wood wings like these are very difficult to inspect for deterioration ranging from rot to glue lines separating because of shrinkage. Some skins will probably have to be pulled.

Oh-oh! Not good. This belly land­ ing damage will call for special inspections, The lower comer of the firewall even shows what could be evidence of a small fire when the gascolator was ground off. This kind of damage calls for opening as many panels as can be opened to ascertain the extent of the damage.

can't restore a derelict Twin Bonanza on a Tripacer budget.

As you think about a project, pon­ der this first: what is the construc­ tion type (metal, tube, etc.)? Second, how much deterioration and/or dam­ age has to be fixed? Finally, put those against your comfort zone concerns and see how the fit feels.

Before you get serious about the search, you should make sure you have identified information sources for a wide range of aircraft. Check in at VAA's website at www.vintageaircraft.org and click on the Type Club link at the top of the page. With any luck, there will be a club or two specifically oriented toward your new love. You don't have to be an expert on every airplane, but you do need a direct pipeline to the experts.

The ideal situation is to find a proj­ ect that is for sale, but before traveling over to see it, you tap into the type club and find out all you can about that particular make and model.

There are some very specific questions you need to ask.

Where is rust and corrosion most likely to occur?

What kind of damage should you look for?

Are there cosmetic parts (dash trim, cowl piece, etc.) that are unique to the airplane and hard to find?

Are there parts that affect airwor­ 18

JAN UARY 2006

thiness (brakes, wing fittings, etc.) that are hard to find and for which there are no replacements?

Are particular models of this type more desirable than others?

What's the average overhaul cost for the engine?

Does anyone (Univair, Wag-Aero, etc.) offer PMA'd airframe parts?

Have there been STC'd modifica­ tions for the airplane that make it more user-friendly in today's environ­ ment (brakes, tail wheels, etc.)?

Generally, when you're talking to a semi-professional at a type club, all you have to say is, "I'm thinking about buying a Gezorninpflatz 132 project.

What should I be looking for?" That'll get him talking, and you'll have more info than you know what to do with.

Take notes! Write fast!

When you find a project, it'll likely fall into one of five categories, each of which says something about the road ahead.

• Basket case. This is a totally dis­ assembled project that is probably missing some parts and is not for the faint of heart or the casual restorer.

• Derelict. A complete airplane that has been left sitting, sometimes with the wings off. Here the method of storage says a lot about the condition of the airplane and what to look for.

• Unfinished project . Someone else has started and is giving up or

you wouldn't be talking to him. Find out why he gave up. Maybe you don't want the problems either. Also closely examine the quality of the work and the legal status (more on that later) of the airplane and the work that's been done.

• Fl y in g but need s rebuild.

Determine how much of it actually needs restoring and how much just needs cleaning and restoring. Often a flying airplane will be more of a mess than one found covered up in a barn, so don't let its flying status fool you.

• Flyin g but n eeds TLC. This is a possibility for a restore-while-flying project. Usually it's limited to paint, interior, maybe an overhaul, but price it carefully, as it's really easy to get fi­ nancially upside down with this one.

Evaluating the project Before you lay an eye on the pro­ posed project keep four things in mind: originality, completeness, con­ dition, and location.

First, how close to factory-original do you expect the final product to be?

The more original you want it to be, the more it's going to cost in parts, time, and headaches. Especially head­ aches, because it's amazing how com­ pelling the search for authenticity can become. If you're not careful, that search can become the project. Also, if you want originality, you'll have to steer clear of some projects because they've been modified too much.

The second of the big four con­ cerns is the degree of completeness continued on page 38

WingsCli ~

Pegging the Fun

dfor dded er in a Vintage Airplane

SPARKY BARNES SARGENT

lipped-wing airplanes have been around since virtu­ ally the beginning of flight (the Wrights introduced a clipped-wing Model R [Racer] in October 1910), and they have en­ joyed popularity as aerobatic, fast airplanes all along the way. Some­ times, they're an aerobatic pilot's first introduction to the sport.

Other times, they simply provide their pilots with fun flying. There are many varieties of clipped-wing airplanes, so let's just take a brief look at a few that might be seen at fly-ins across the country today.

C

tlWVl1mbtv Clipped-wing Luscombes are a rare sight-especially ones with

metal wings. Bill Bradford and his daughter Allison, of Independence, Missouri, flew his handsome dark maroon and silver metallic clipped­ wing Luscombe to AirVenture, for its first debut in front of a large aviation crowd, where the judges deemed it "Best Custom Classic ."

NX2133K is a 1947 all-metal Lus­ combe 8A, certified as an experi­ mental exhibition airplane after its metamorphosis into a clipped­ wing machine.

Bradford and his father-who was nicknamed "Brad" (hence the airplane's name, "Brad's Clip")­ were inspired by Chuck Forrester's conversion of a rag-wing Luscombe 8E

back in the 1990s. Bradford ventured into somewhat unknown territory with his project-he's aware of only three other Luscombes that have had their wings clipped-and that made it an intriguing project.

He completed the airplane in four and a half years; two and a half years were spent on the wings alone. He kept the fuselage in mostly original condition and re­ moved 42-1/2 inches from the in­ board portion of each wing. The wing lift struts had to be short-

Rear view of NX2133K, an experimental clipped-wing Luscombe SA. Note the newly fabricated corrugated metal skins. Side view de­ tails the newly fabricated corrugated metal skins.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE

19

The clean, curvaceous lines on this award-winning 1937 Mono­ coupe 110 Special exemplify aircraft beauty.

ened, and the strut fittings had to be changed on the wings and fuse­ lage. Bradford fabricated new aile­ ron control cables and decided that n ew corrugated metal skins were required for the project . A friend of his built a press to make new skins for the ailerons, wing-trailing edges, rudder, and elevator.

When he replaced the original 6S-hp engine with a 11S-hp Ly­ coming 0-235 engine, he manually hammered out a stock nosebowl to accommoda te the larger engine (the nose is 5 inches longer than standard) and retain tha t familiar Luscombe look. One of the special finishing touches for the project, in addition to new paint and inte­ rior, was a set of new wheel pants.

Look closely at NX2133K and you'll notice that these wheel pants have a sleek, rounded shape similar to a Monocoupe's. They were fabricated by none other than the well-known master craftsman Jim Younkin.

Bradford says that both he and others have flown aerobatics in NX2133K. "It does everything the 20

JANUARY 2006

long-wing Luscombe will do, except it rolls a lot better," he explains, adding that "it stalls power off at 55 mph, instead of 48 mph, but because of the increase in horsepower, it stalls power on about the same, at 38 mph. As far as spins are concerned, I've gone up to two turns-they are the same; release back pressure and it comes right out.

Bradford reflects that the thing he likes best about flying it is "tak­ ing other Luscombe pilots for a ride to show them that clipping the wings actually makes it a better aircraft . Th e higher wing loading makes it a safer aircraft to land in a crosswind and feels more stable in rougher air."

II

;tfpIU'MlHpeThe Mo d el 110 Specia l differs from some clipped-wings in that it has a one-piece wing, and was pro­ duced by the factory in the 1930s.

Only seven were factory-built, but despite that small n umber, it's not too unusual to see one of these beauties at national fly-ins. William Smith of Franklin, Pennsylvania brought N2064, a gorgeous white­ and-red 1937 Mode l 110 Special, powered by a 16S-hp Warner, to

AirVenture this year, and the judges awarded it "Runner Up" Outstand­ ing Closed Cockpit Monoplane for the Bronze Age (1937-1941). And Bill Symmes of Miami, Florida had N2347, a handsome yellow-and­ black Model 110 Special at Sun 'n Fun Fly-In this year.

Back in 1932, Monocoupe clipped about 9 feet off the wing­ span of racing pilot Johnny Liv­ ingston's Model 110, at his request.

Livingston also had a 14S-hp War­ ner Scarab installed, which signifi­ cantly increased its speed-to more than 200 mph. In 1948, Woody Edmondson and "Little Butch," a Model 110 Special powered by a 18S-hp Warner, won the first Inter­ national Aerobatic Championships, and the Model 110 Special contin­ ued to become well known in the aerobatic world, for a time.

~rcra-ft Many pilots have started their aerobatic careers with a clipped­ wing Taylorcraft. Duane Cole purchased a 1938 Taylorcraft BF­ SO from air show performer John Vasey, who had modified its wings and upgraded its horsepower. Cole became internationally known for his own aerobatic routines in the lS0-hp airplane, and in the 1960s, Margaret Ritchie was a top competi­

Note all of the windows and skylight in this clipped-wing Taylorcraft, which provide excellent visibility for the pilot.

tor in her orange and black clipped­ wing T-Craft.

Today, Randy Henderson and his 1946 "Texas T-Cart," and Warren Pietsch of North Dakota, are recog­ nized for their winning aerobatic performances in their respective clipped-wing Taylorcrafts. And the vintage clipped-wing Taylorcraft is also owned and flown by other pilots-whether they are aerobati­ cally inclined or not.

Thomas Barnes of Pittsboro, North Carolina, purchased his yel­ low and blue Trick T for a number of reasons, besides its obvious good looks and sturdy construction. It's certified as experimental, is sport­ pilot eligible, and "it has excellent short-field performance-it can take off from a grass field on a stan­ dard day in 250 to 300 feet," smiles Barnes, adding "it has a good cruis­ ing speed of around 100 mph and is economical to operate."

Barnes' Trick T was modified by a previous owner, Buffington, who clipped the wings and converted the cockpit from dual to single flight controls; the yokes were replaced by a single center-mounted control stick. Another owner installed an inverted fuel and oil system, which Barnes removed because he wanted a simple and reliable system. (Swick Aircraft holds three STCs for the

Taylorcraft BC-12D. One is to clip the wings, revise the control sys­ tem, and add aileron and elevator servo tabs; another is to use Piper metal spars to replace the original wood spars; and the third is to in­ stall a stick-type control system.)

The Trick T is powered by a 100­ hp Continental 0-200, which burns up to 5 gph. It has a fuel capacity of 12 gallons. It has a 1939 fuselage, and 3 feet have been trimmed away from the inboard portion of each fabric-covered wing. The wing lift struts were shortened, fiberglass wingtips were installed, the rib spacing was decreased (15 ribs per wing), and a servo tab was installed on the left elevator to lighten the elevator stick forces. Other modi­ fications, according to Barnes, in­ clude the addition of a skylight over the cabin, windows in the bot­ tom of the door and the lower left side of the cabin, rear side windows, and "a 'groundlight' window in the belly so the pilot has a nice view of the ground-or the sky-depend­ ing upon which side is up."

Barnes enjoys its responsive­ ness in the air, its excellent visibil­ ity, and its potential for aerobatics, should he ever get the training. "It is more docile on the ground than a short-wing Piper Vagabond, since its fuselage has retained its origi­

nal length," comments Barnes, who has flown a Vagabond on sev­ eral occasions. "The most challeng­ ing thing about flying it is getting used to the climb-out angle at 65 mph-the nose is way up there! I usually climb out at full throttle, around 90 mph, just to get a better view over the nose . Its best initial rate of climb at 80 mph is around 1,200 fpm, and it's a very nice-han­ dling plane on the ground and in the air."

PiperCHb One of the most well-known clipped-wing airplanes today is the Piper Cub. Charlie Hillard owned and flew a clipped-wing Cub that was once owned by aerobatic champion Bevo Howard, and Hazel Sig-Hester and Mary Gaffaney were also known for their aerobatic rou­ tines in clipped-wing Cubs.

Two clipped-wing Piper Cubs were on the flightline at AirVen­ ture this summer. N357BF is a 1942 model owned by Arlee Titel of Chil­ ton, Wisconsin. It bears a colorful orange and blue paint scheme and is powered by an 85-hp Continen­ tal engine. Its neighbor was N342X, with a 90-hp Continental, owned

by Roland Olm (also of Chilton, Wisconsin). Olm's 1941 Cub had the Reed clipped-wing conversion VINTAGE AIRPLANE

21

Arlee Tltel of Wisconsin owns this pretty 1942 clipped-wing Cub, which wears a colorful stars-and-stripes paint scheme.

Two 1940s vintage clipped-wing Cubs were on the flightline at AirVenture.

completed in 1968; other modifi­ cations through the years include vortex generators (for more aile­ ron control at slow speeds), a PAolI cowling that provides better visi­ bility over the nose, a battery-op­ erated starter, and two 12-gallon wing tanks.

Olm is no stranger to the clipped­ wing Cubs; he previously owned one in which he competed at Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He recalls that the Reed Manual lists several reasons for clipping the Wings-increas­ ing airspeed, enhancing crosswind capabilities, and utilizing limited hangar space.

An interesting "technical" note is that the Piper Cub's Aircraft Spec­ ification No. A-691, Item No. 625, lists the clipped-wing installation, 22

JANUARY 2006

wherein 40-1/2 inches are removed from the root of each wing (with specific operating limitations), per Earl C. Reed's Aircraft Modi­ fication Manual dated October 7, 1953 . Some conversions are done in accordance with supplemental Type Certificates (STC). Keith Rawe holds an STC to clip Cub wings and install a Continental A-75-8 engine. Additionally, Scootair, LLC holds an STC to concurrently in­ corporate the Aircraft Specification No. A-691 items without changing the operating limitations, install­ ing wingtip spill plates, and a C85­ 8 or -12-hp engine.

Describing the clipped-wing con­ version, Olm explains that "you need more horsepower than you need for the same performance that you have in a long-wing Cub, and

it has a lot more ai­

leron control, so you can land in a higher crosswind. It doesn 't float as much on land­ ings, and the roll rate is probably doubled.

They're very nice aer­ obatic machines and very forgiving ; if you fall out of a maneu­ ver, the speed doesn't build up real fast and all you have to do is put the stick in the middle and it'll all come out okay. " Carol Dodge enjoys sharing the flying with Olm. "I used to instruct for many years in Cherokees and Arrows, so I needed a full panel and the nosewheel. When I first met Rol­ lie, I had never flown taildraggers, so we had a lot of discussions about how to fly airplanes," she laughs, adding, "I will never go back to al­ titude flying. Low and slow is the way to go-just needle, ball, and airspeed. It's a fine airplane."

And that grassroots-style aviat­ ing is part of the joy of owning and flying these vintage clipped-wing airplanes, in addition to their en­ hanced maneuverability and aero­ batic capabilities-whether you're flying farm-type aerobatics, com­ peting, or just flying low. ~

Robert Smith Athens, OH

• Purchased Ercoupe N2122H as a retirement present in 1983 and restored it • Has accumulated over 2, 500 flying hours

" Fortunately, I have never had to use the services of AUA, but I have thoroughly enjoyed the very professional working relationship with AUA and Norma Joyce for over 20 years,"

- Robert Smith

AUA is Vintage Aircraft Association approved. To become a member of VAA call 800·843·36J2.

AUA'. 'xclu.lv. EAA Vintage Aircraft A ••oclation In.urance Program Lower liability and hull premiums Medical payments included - Fleet discounts For multiple aircraft carrying all risk coverages • No hand-propping exclusion enc~r~~If$ • Discounts For claim-free renewals carrying all risk coverages

This information is listed on our website, www.vintageaircraft.org, throughout the year. Anytime you have changes related to your listing, drop a note in the mail detailing the changes (use the format you see on these pages). Send your note to: Editor, Vintage Airplane; Vintage Aircraft Association; P.O. Box 3086; Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086 or email it to vintageaircraft@eaa.org.

AERONCA AVIATORS CLUB Robert Szego P.O. Box 66 Coxsackie, NY 12051 518-731-3131 f:mail : robert@aeronca.org Web: www.aeronca.org Dues: $29/ yr, $55/2-yrs; $37 / yr, $55/ 2-yrs Canada and Foreign Publication : Quarterly, Aeronca Aviator FEARLESS AERONCA AVIATORS (F-AAl John Rodkey 280 Big Sur Dr. Goleta, CA 93117 805-968-1274 Email: poobahster@gmail.com Web: http://aeronca.westmont.edu Dues: Donations accepted for server maintenance Publication : email list http://mail. westmont. edu/ mailman/ listinfo/ aeronca NATIONAL AERONCA ASSOCIATION Jim Thompson 304 Adda St Roberts, IL 60962 217-395-2400 Email: nationalaeroncaassociation@yahoo.com Web: www.aeroncapilots.com Dues: $25/ yr. $35 Canada, $45 Int'I Publication: Quarterly STAGGERWING CLUB Bob Hoff, President 10741 S. 25th E. Idaho Falls, ID 83406 208-522-8567 Dues: $25/ yr.

Publication: Quarterly

BIRD AIRPLANE CLUB Jeannie Hill P.O. Box 328 Harvard , IL 60033 815-943-7205 AMERICAN BONANZA SOCIETY Nancy Johnson P.O. Box 12888 Wichita , KS 67277 316-945-1700, Fax: 316-945-1710 Email: absmail@bonanza.org Web: http://www.bonanza.org Dues: $50/ yr. ; Foreign $85 Publication: Monthly, ABS Magazine TWIN BONANZA ASSOCIATION Richard Ward 19684 Lakeshore Drive Three Rivers, MI 49093 269-279-2540, Fax: 269-279-2540 Email: forward@twinbonanza.com Web: http://www.twinbonanza.com Dues: $35/ yr US & Canada; $45/ yr foreign Publication: Quarterly BUCKER CLUB A. Gordon Clement 2225 Peachford Lane Lawrenceville, GA 30043 770-995-1798 Email : bucker131 @adelphia.net Web: www.bucker.info Dues: $22/ yr US & Canada $27 Foreign in US Funds Publication: 6/ yr. , The Bucker Newsletter SSNA AIRMASTER CLUB Gar Williams 9S135 Aero Drive Naperville, IL 60564 630-904-8416 Email : Call for Email address

TWIN BEECH 18 SOCIETY Rand Siegfried P.O. Box 550 Tullahoma, TN 37388 931-455-1974, Fax: 931-445-1994 Email: staggerwing@bellsouth.net Web: www.staggerwing.com Dues: $50/ yr. US; $60 Foreign Publication: Quarterly

CESSNA 180/185 INTERNATIONAL CLUB (ownership required) Dave Hayden 21910 S. Gardner Road Spring Hill , KS 66083 913-884-2187, Fax: 913-856-5941 Email : president@skywagons.org Web: www.skywagons.org Dues: $25/ yr.

Publication : Bi-monthly

BELLANCA-CHAMPION CLUB Robert Szego P.O. Box 100 Coxsackie, NY 12051 518-731-6800 Email: robert@bellanca-championclub.com Web: www.bellanca-championclub.com Dues: $35/ 1-yr,$63/ 2-yrs ; Foreign $41/ 1-yr, $68/ 2-yrs Publication : Quarterly, B-C Contact!

INTERNATIONAL CESSNA 195 CLUB Coyle Schwab 632 N. Tayler Rd. St. Charles , IL 60174 630-513-7002, Fax: 630-513-1343 Email : coyle.schwab@sbcglobal.net Web: www.cessna195.org Dues: $25 Publication : On Website . Some interesting materials available for non-members as well.

24

JANUARY 2006

CESSNA OWNER ORGANIZATION Randy Augustinak P.O. Box 5000 lola, WI 54945 715-445-4053 , ext 118 888-MY-CESSNA Email: help@cessnaowner.org Web: http://www.cessnaowner.org Dues: $48/ yr., $89/2 yrs., $119/3 yrs.

Publication: Monthly EASTERN CESSNA 190/195 Assoc.

Cliff Crabs 25575 Butternut Ridge Road North Olmsted, OH 44070 440-777-4025 Email: ccrabs@aol.com Dues: $15 Publication : approximately 4/ yr INTERNATIONAL CESSNA 120/140 ASSOCIATION Ken & Lorraine Morris, President 2900 Howard St Poplar Grove, IL 61065 815-465-6425 Email: taildragger7w@aol.com Web: http://www. cessna120-140. org Dues: $25/ yr; $35/yr. Overseas Publication: Bi-monthly. Annual Calendar Issue & Membership Handbook/ Directory INTERNATIONAL CESSNA 170 ASSOCIATION. INC. Velvet Fackeldey P.O. Box 1667 Lebanon, MO 65536 417-532-4847 , Fax: 417-532-4847 Email: headquarters@cessna170.org Web: http://www.cessna170.org Dues: $45 USD/ yr Publication : Monthly, Flypaper; Quarterly, The 170 News WEST COAST CESSNA 120/140 CLUB Randy Thompson 4375 Six B Rd Anderson, CA 96007 530-357-5440 Email : thompsonsair@northvalley.net Dues: $20/ yr.

Publication : 6/ yr.

CULVER AIRCRAFT Assoc.

Dan Nicholson 8319 Thora Ln., Hangar B-5 Spring, TX 77379 713-202-9156, Fax: 713-850-3450 Email : dann@gie.com Dues: Contact Club Publication: Contact

CULVER DART CLUB Lloyd Washburn 2656 East Sand Road Port Clinton, OH 43452 419-734-6685 Email: washlloydburn@cros.net

ERCOUPE OWNERS CLUB Carolyn T. Carden P.O. Box 7117 Ocean Isle Beach, NC 28469 910-575-2758 Email: coupecaper@aol.com Web: www.ercoupe.org Dues: $30/yr. US; $35 Foreign Publication: Monthly, Coupe Capers

FAIRCHILD CLUB John W. Berendt, President 7645 Echo Point Road Cannon Falls, MN 55009 507-263-2414 Email: fchld@rconnect.com Web: http://www.fairchildclub.com Dues: $20/ yr.

Publication: Quarterly

FUNK AIRCRAFT OWNERS Assoc .

Thad Shelnutt 2836 California Av. Carmichael, CA 95808 916-971-3452 Email : pilotthad@aol.com Web: www.funkflyers.org Dues: $12/yr.

Publication: Monthly, The Funk Flyer

THE AMERICAN YANKEE ASSOCIATION (GRUMMAN) Stewart Wilson P.O. Box 1531 Cameron Park, CA 95682 530-676-4292, Fax: 530-676-3949 Email : sec@aya.org Web: http://www.aya.org Dues: $40/ yr.

Publication: The American STAR

HATZ BIPLANE ASSOCIATION Lyman Hatz P.O. Box 10 Weyauwega, WI 54983 715-536-1069, Fax: 715-536-7977 Email: HatzLymanC@aol.com Web: http://www.weebeastie.com/ hatzcbl/ Dues: $20/yr.

Publication: Quarterly

CANADIAN HARVARD AIRCRAFT ASSOC .

Roy Venn P.O. Box 175 Tillsonburg, ON N4G 4H5 Canada 519-842-3813 Email: frvenn@sympatico.ca Web: www.harvards.com Dues: $50/ yr.

Publication: Quarterly, "The ROAR of the Harvard "

HEATH PARASOL CLUB William Schlapman 6431 Paulson Road Winneconne, WI 54986 920-582-4454

HOWARD CLUB & HOWARD AIRCRAFT FOUNDATION Edward R. Moore P.O . Box 50 West Mystic, CT 06388 860-536-3002 or 386-760-8766 Email : EBDGA15P@aol.com Web: http://members.aol.com/ HowardClub Dues: $30/yr.

Publication: Quarterly

CONTINENTAL LUSCOMBE Assoc .

Jim & Patti Sani, President & Secretary/ Treasurer 10251 E. Central Ave .

Del Rey, CA 93616 559-888-2745 Email: cla-jim-patti@pacbell.net Web: www.luscombe-cla.org Dues: $20 US, $21 Canada, $35 Foreign.

US Funds Publication: Bi-monthly, The Courant

LUSCOMBE ASSOCIATION Steve Krog 1002 Heather Lane Hartford, WI 53027 262-966-7627, Fax: 262-966-9627 Email : sskrog@aol.com Web: www.luscombeassoc.org Dues: $25 USD - US & Canada, $30 Foreign Publication: 6/yr., Luscombe Association Newsletter

THE LUSCOMBE ENDOWMENT INC .

Doug Combs 2487 S. Gilbert Rd, PMB 113, Ste 106 Gilbert, AZ 85296 480-65()'()883, 602路790-7240, Fax: 484-762-6711 Email : mr.luscombe@luscombesilvaire.info Web: www.luscombe.org Dues : None Required, Donations Accepted Publication: Bi-Month ly cCK:ontributor to Luscombe news, Monthly on-line updates to archives

MONOCOUPE CLUB Frank and Carol Kerner 1218 Kingstowne Place St. Charles, MO 63304 636-939-3322 Email : monocoupe@sbcglobal.net Web: www.monocoupe.com Dues: $25/ yr.

Publication: website

N3N OWNERS AND RESTORERS ASSOCIATION H. Ronald Kempka 2380 Country Road #217 Cheyenne, VVY 82009 307-638-2210 Email : wyn3n@aol.com Dues: $20/yr.

Publication: Quarterly

AMERICAN NAVION SOCIETY Gary Rankin 22813 NE 28th St Camas,WA 98607 360-833-9921, Fax: 360-833-1074 Email: Flynavion@yahoo.com Web: www.navionsociety.org Dues: US $50/ yr.; Canada $54/ yr.; Foreign $64/ yr.

Publication: Bi-monthly

NAV ION PILOTS ASSOCIATION John Hartman P.O. Box 6656 Ventura, CA 93006 805-320-3924, Fax: 805-672-2424 Email: jon@navionpilots.org Web: www.navionpilots.org Dues : $25/yr.

NAVION SKIES Raleigh Morrow P.O. Box 2678 Lodi, CA 95241 209-367-9390 Email: Navionl@inreach.com Web: http://www.navionskies.com Dues : $45/yr.

Publication: Monthly, Navion Skies

CUB CLUB Steve Krog 1002 Heather Lane Hartford , WI 53027 262-966-7627, Fax: 262-966-9627 Email: sskrog@aol.com Web: www.cubclub.org Dues: $30 USD - US/Canada, $35 Foreign Publ ication: 6/yr., Cub Clues

PIPER AVIATION MUSEUM FOUNDATION Russell C. Nelson One Piper Way Lock Haven, PA 17745 570-748-8283, Fax: 570-893-8357 Email: piper@kcnet.org Web: www.pipermuseum.com Dues: $30 per year Publication: Quarterly, The Cub Reporter

PIPER OWNER SOCIETY Randy Augustinak P.O. Box 5000 lola, WI 54945 888-692-3776, Fax: 715-445-4053 Email : help@piperowner.org Web: http://www.piperowner.org Dues: $48/ yr., $89/2 yrs ., $119/3 yrs.

Publication: Monthly

SHORT WING PIPER CLUB , INC .

Eleanor Mills P.O. Box 1667 Halstead, KS 67056 316-835-3650 or 316-835-3307 Email: swpn@sbcglobal.net Web: http://www.shortwing.org Dues: $30/yr. US & Canada; $40 Foreign Publication : Bi-monthly, Short Wing Piper News

SUPERCUB.ORG Steve Johnson P.O. Box 901465 Kansas City, MO 64190 816-741-1486, Fax: 816-741-5212 Email: sjdj@supercub.org Web: www.supercub.org Dues: Donations Publication: Website Forums, CubDriver On-line Newsletter, Annual SuperCub Cal. VINTA GE A I RP L A NE

25

PORTERFIELD llRPLANE CLUB

WEST COAST SWIFT WING

WESTERN WACO ASSOCIATION

Chuck Lebrecht 91 Hickory Loop Ocala, FL 34472 352-687-4859 Dues: $5/yr.

Publication: Quarterly

Gerry or Carol Hampton 3195 Bonanza Dr Cameron Park, CA 95682 530-676-7755, Fax: 530-676-7755 Email: av8rgnh@sbcglobal.net Dues: $15/yr.

Publication: Monthly

Les Whittlesey or Rich Nurge 16 Oak Canyon Trl Coto De Caza, CA 92679 Les: 949-789-4555; Rich : 408-847-0774 Fax: 949-789-4556 Email: Whittlesey4@cox.net Dues: USPS $20, Email $10 Publication: Quarterly

INTERNATIONAL RYAN CLUB TAYLORCRAFT FOUNDATION. INC.

John R. Hodges 6749 Sproul Lane Colorado Springs, CO 80918 719-637-0978, Fax: 719-637-0978 Email: editor@ryanclub.org Web: www.ryanclub.org Dues: $15 electronic subscription , $20 print (U.S.); $25 print (International) Publication: Quarterly

Forrest A. Barber, Exec. Dir. 13820 Union Ave. NE Alliance, OH 44601 330-823-1168, Fax: 330-823-1138 Email: fbarber@alJiancelink.com Web: www.taylorcraft.org Dues: $12/yr.

Publication: Quarterly page in TOC newsletter

STEARMAN RESTORERS Assoc.

VIRGINIA/CAROLINAS TAYLORCRAFT OWNER'S CLUB

Jack Davis 7000 Merrill Ave., Box 90, Chino Airport Chino, CA 91710 626-792-0638 Email: davco@stearman.net Web: www.stearman.net Dues: $35/yr. US, $45 Overseas Publication: Quarterly, Stearman Flying Wire

INTERNATIONAL STINSON CLUB Anthony L. Wright 2264 Los Robles Road Meadow Vista, CA 95722 530-878-0219 Email: stinson2@juno.com Web: www.stinsonclub.org Dues: $30/ yr.

Publication: 11/ yr. , Stinson Plan News

NATIONAL STINSON CLUB George Alleman 1229 Rising Hill Road West Placerville, CA 95667 530-622-4004 voice & fax Email: nscgeorge@internet49.com Dues: $20 US & Canada; $25 Foreign Publication: 4/yr., Stinson Plane Talk

Tom Pittman 116 Winston PI Appomattox, VA 24522 434-352-5128 Email: vctoc6@juno.com Web: www.vctoc.org/ Dues: $10/yr.

Publication: Quarterly

TRAVEL AIR RESTORER'S ASSOCIATION (TARA) Jerry Impellezzeri 4925 Wilma Way SanJose,CA 95124 408-356-3407 Email: clear_prop2003@yahoo.com Web: www.travelair.org Dues: $15/yr. US & Canada; $20/yr. Foreign Publication: Quarterly, Travel air Log

AMERICAN WACO CLUB

Phil Coulson 28415 Springbrook Dr. Lawton, MI 49065 269-624-6490 Email: rcoulson516@cs .com Web: www.americanwacoclub.com Dues: $35 US, $45 Foreign SWIFT MUSEUM FOUNDATION. INC. Publication: Bi-monthly

(SWIFT ASSOCIATION)

Charlie Nelson

P. O. Box 644 Athens, TN 37371 423-745-9547, Fax: 423-745-9869 Email: swiftlychs@aol.com; Swift Parts Dept, hunterkegly@aol.com Web: www.swiftparts.com Dues: $35/ yr.

Publication: Monthly

26

JANUARY 2006

NATIONAL WACO CLUB Andy Heins 50 La Belle St. Dayton, OH 45403 937-227-1326 Email : wacoaso@aol.com Web: www.nationalwacoclub.com Dues: $20/yr.

Publication: Bi-monthly, Waco Pilot

MULTIPLE AIRCRAFT ORGANIZATIONS FLORIDA ANTIQUE BIPLANE ASSOCIATION. INC. Larry Robinson 10906 Denoeu Road Boynton Beach , FL 33437 561-732-3250 Email: BeyeView@aol.com Dues: $48/ yr.

Publication: Monthly, The Flying Wire

NATIONAL BIPLANE ASSOCIATION Charles W. Harris P.O. Box 470350 Tulsa, OK 74147-0350 918-665-0755 Fax: 918-665-0039 Email : cwh@hvsu.com Web: www.nationalbiplaneassn.org www.biplaneexpo.com Dues: $25 individual; $40 family; add $10 foreign Publication : Semi-Annual

NORTH AMERICAN TRAINER ASSOCIATION (T6. T28. NA64.

NASO. PS1. B2S) Kathy & Stoney Stonich 25801 NE Hinness Road Brush Prairie, WA 98606 360-256-0066 or 360-896-5398 Email : natrainer@aol.com Web: www.NorthAmericanTrainer.org Dues: $45 US & Canada; $55 Foreign Publication: Quarterly, "NATA Skylines'

TAILDRAGGER CLUB Asa Dean 16216 N 34th Way Phoenix, AZ 85032-3119 602-622-8335 Email: asa@taildraggerclub.org Web: www.taildraggerclub.orgjtdc

WWI AEROPLANES . INC. Leonard Opdycke 15 Crescent Road Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 845-473-3679 Dues: $42/yr, $47 Foreign Publication: 2 Journals, each 4/yr.

AMERICAN AVIATION HISTORICAL SOCIETY Bruce Cunningham 2333 Otis Street Santa Ana, CA 92704 714-549-4818 Email: pres@aahs-online.org Web: www.aahs-online.org Dues: $39/yr. US Publication : Quarterly CROSS

& COCKADE

Bob Sheldon, Secretary 14329 S. Calhoun Ave Burnham, IL 60633 708-862-1014 Dues: $15/ yr.

Publication: Bi-monthly

EASTERN REG . U .S .

AIR RACING ASSOCIATION Jack Dianiska, President 26726 Henry Road Bay Village , OH 44140 440-871-3781 FLYING FARMERS INTERNATIONAL Kathy Marsh P.O. Box 9124 Wichita, KS 67277-0124 316-943-4234 Fax: 800-266-5415 Email: Support@flyingfarmers.org Web: www.flyingfarmers.org Dues: $25/yr.

Publication: 6/yr.

UNITED FLYING OCTOGENARIANS Herbert Sloane P.O . Box 11114 Montgomery, AL 36111-0114 334-832-2413 Email: pilotherb@yahoo.com Dues: Dues: $12/ yr.

INTERNATIONAL DEAF PILOTS ASSOC. Jeff Willoughby 13 Fox Valley Drive O'Fallon, MO 63366 Web : www.deafpilots.com Dues: $35/yr, active pi lots Publication : yes

INTERNATIONAL LIAISON PILOT & AIRCRAFT Assoc .(ILPA) Bill Stratton 16518 Ledgestone San Antonio, TX 78232 210-490-4572 Fax: 210-490-4572 Web: www.centercomp.com/ ILPA/ index.html Dues: $29/yr US Publication : Liaison Spoken Here

SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY TO CUB HAVEN. INC. John L. Buchan, Fly-In Director P.O. Box J-3 Lock Haven, PA 17745-0496 570-893-4200 Fax: 570-893-4218 Email : j3cub@kcnet.org Web: www.sentimentaljourneyflyin.com Dues: $12/ single, $17/family per year Publication: Quarterly

INTERNATIONAL WHEELCHAIR AVIATORS P.O. Box 2799 Big Bear City, CA 92314 909-585-9663 Fax: 909-585-7156 Email: iwaviators@aol.com Web: www.wheelchairaviators.org

SILVER WINGS FRATERNITY Bud O'Brien 820 Harper Dr. Algonquin, IL 60102 847-658-6934 Email: obconsults@aol.com Web: www.silverwings .org Dues: $25/1st year, $15 renew Publ ication: Quarterly

LAKE AMPHIBIAN FLYERS CLUB Marc & Jill Rodstein 7188 Mandarin Drive Boca Raton, FL 33433-7412 561-483-6566 Fax: 240-376-4875 Dues: $56/yr.

Publication: Newsletter: "Lake Flyer"

NATIONAL AIR RACING GROUP Betty Sherman 1932 Mahan Avenue Rich land, WA 99352-2121 509-946-5690 Emai l: betty.sherman@verizon.net Web: www.pylonl.com; www.aafo.com Dues: $15 US, $20 outside US Publication: Mont hly

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PRIEST PILOTS (NAPP) Mel Hemann 127 Kaspend Pl ace Cedar Falls, IA 50613-1683 319-266-3889 Dues: $20 Publication : NAPP OX-5 AVIATION PIONEERS Robert Taylor P.O. Box 7974 Pittsburgh, PA 15216 412-341-5650 Email : QX5Nationalhqs@hotmail.com Web: http://ox5pioneers.org Dues: $20/yr.

Publicat ion: 6/yr.

SEAPLANE PILOTS ASSOCIATION

INT'L FELLOWSHIP OF FLYING ROTARIANS Tom Surowka, World Sec./Treasurer 203A Rubens Drive Nokomis, FL 34275-4211 941-966-6636 Fax: 941-966-9141 Email : surowka@iffr.org Web: www.iffr.org

SOCIETY OF AIR RACING HISTORIANS Herman Schaub 168 Marion Lane Berea, OH 44017 440-234-2301 Web: www.airrace.com Dues: $20/yr US - $23 others Publ ication : Bi-monthly

Michael Volk 4315 Highland Park Blvd, Suite C Lakeland, FL 33813 863-701-7979 Fax: 863-701-7588 Email: spa@seaplanes.org Web: www.seaplanes.org Dues: $40/yr.

Publication: Bi-monthly

NINETY-NINES . INC ..

WOMEN PILOTS ORGANIZATION Elizabeth Lundin 4300 Amelia Earhart Road Oklahoma City, OK 73159 405-685-7969 Fax: 405-685-7985 Email: ihq99s@cs.com Web: www.ninety-nines.org Dues: $65/yr.

Publication : Bi-monthly VINTAGE SAILPLANE ASSOCIATION Linn Buell 1709 Baron Ct. Daytona Beach, FL 32128 Web: www.vintagesailplane.org Dues: $15/ yr.

Publication: Quarterly WACO HISTORICAL SOCIETY, INC. WACO AIRCRAFT MUSEUM Marla Boone, Dir. of Membership P. O. Box 62 Troy, OH 45373-0062 937-335-WACO; 1-5 pm Sat.-Sun. Email: mSimonboone@yahoo.com Web: wacoairmuseum.org Dues : $20/yr.

Publication: 4/yr.

WOMEN IN AVIATION , INTERNATIONAL Dr. Peggy J. Chabrian 101 Corsair Drive Daytona Beach, FL 32114 386-226-7996, Fax: 386-226-7998 Web: www.wai.org Dues: $39/yr., $29 students Publication: Bi-monthly V I NTAGE AIRPLANE

27

DOUG STEWART

In a funk about the FIRe

"I think we had better go back and try that one again," [ said as we cleared the runway. "Remember, this is sup­ posed to be a power-off ISO-degree accuracy [anding, and [ think floating almost 300 feet beyond our touchdown point is not exactly accurate." The pilot in the left seat taxied back to the runway and we tried again.

On his second attempt he was making the same mis­ takes. He pulled the throttle to idle abeam the touch­ down point but now took so much time going through his checklists that by the time he turned base we were farther from the threshold than we should have been. Again, he had for­ gotten to take into account the wind.

He realized his mistake, angled to­ ward the runway, and waited to add flaps until we had the runway made.

But he waited too long and now found himself high.

Rather than bringing in full flaps and putting the airplane into a forward slip, and thus keeping the airplane on target and on speed, he pushed the nose down, gaining airspeed.

"Well," I thought to myself, "at least we wouldn't hit the imaginary trees that stood SO feet high at the end of the runway." As we came over the touchdown pOint, he surprised me by pushing the nose down, driving the airplane onto the runway. He did indeed touch down on the specified point, but why we didn't collapse the nose strut and get a prop strike is beyond me.

Now you might be thinking that I'm describing a train­ ing scenario with a client seeking the commercial certifi­ cate. The power-off ISO-degree accuracy landing is one of the mandated tasks in the area of operations dealing with takeoffs and landings. You might also think, if you know how I train my clients, that I was working with a primary student prior to his or her first solo flight. (This is a maneuver I do indeed teach primary students, prepar­ ing them for the possible dead-stick landing.)

But the truth is, I was administering a flight instructor reinstatement practical test. This particular applicant had allowed his flight instructor certificate to expire just a few short weeks before. He hadn't had enough signoffs to qualify for renewal, and he had neglected to take an FIRC (flight instructor refresher course) before his certificate expired. So now he had to take a reinstatement check ride, which is an abbreviated practical test.

He knew I wasn't too impressed with the impression he left on the runway (if it had been a grass strip we'd be out there replacing the divots from the last landing), but I said that I would accept it ... just barely, and that we should continue with the "ride."

"Let's taxi back, and on the next takeoff we'll head out to the north­ west, where we'll find some prom­ inent silos which we can use as references for eights on pylons."

In a short while we found ourselves over the silos. I asked the applicant to give me an in-flight lesson on eights on pylons. For those not familiar with this, it is a maneuver where you fly a figure-eight pattern around two ground references. As you circle each "pylon," you keep a reference pOint on the wing pOinted directly at the pylon in coordinated flight. Sounds easy, and if the wind isn't blowing it is relatively easy.

However, if the wind is blOwing, as it was this particular day, you will have to have a good understanding of piv­ otal altitude, and how your groundspeed affects that alti­ tude, in order to fly the maneuver properly.

Well, this poor applicant didn't have the foggiest idea what the maneuver was about. Not only could he not fly it, he couldn't describe or explain it either! The more we floundered through the sky, the redder his face got, as well as the pink on the slip I would soon be filling out. I finally had to inform this unfortunate fellow that there was no way I could not issue a "notice of disapproval"

The more we floundered

through the sky,

the redder his face got, as well as the pink

on the slip I would soon

be filling out.

28

JANUARY 2006

and that we had best head back to the airport.

But now we get to the crux of why I am sharing what was, for the applicant, a very embarrassing situation.

How many flight instructors are out there, holding cur­ rent flight instructor certificates, who would most likely fare no better than this applicant had? How many flight instructors renew their certificates every 24 months without ever getting an in-flight evaluation? I fear the number is higher than we'd like.

Let's look at the various ways a flight instructor can renew his or her certificate. One way is through instruc­ tional activity. If a flight instructor signs off five appli­ cants for practical tests (with an 80 percent pass rate) in 24 months, he can automatically renew, by documenting his activity to the FAA. Now that's not really a lot of activ­ ity, but the FAA accepts it.

Instructors who obtain an initial or renewed Master CFI designation from the National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI) qualify for an FAA instructor certifi­ cate renewal partly because they have to document active flight training far above just five signoffs in two years.

If an instructor conducts flight evaluations in the role of a chief or assistant chief instructor in a Part 141 flight school, or as a chief pilot for a Part 13S or 121 operation, this, too, will serve as qualification for renewal.

There are a few other ways as well (all outlined in FAR 61.197), but perhaps the most popular way to renew is for the instructor to attend an FIRe. (It can also be done on­ line.) At the FIRC, all the pertinent rules and regulations are reviewed in depth, and there is a test at the end of the course to ensure that the attendee has stayed awake and taken the appropriate notes. It's a wonderful way to stay current with the changes that do occur in the regulations, as well as practical test standards, but it has one very glar­ ing defiCiency. There is no evaluation made, in any way, shape, or form, of how the renewing instructor can per­ form as an aviation educator. Not only are his instructional techniques not reviewed, neither are his flying abilities, nor his genuine understanding of all the maneuvers and knowledge of aerodynamics beyond "book" knowledge.

The FAA requires all pilots to undergo recurrent train­ ing. Whether you hold a sport pilot, recreational, private, commercial, or ATP certificate, you have to pass either a BFR or other acceptable recurrent flight training. If you fly professionally, you might very well undergo this re­ current training every six months. Beyond the FAA re­ quirements, many insurance companies require more frequent training other than the BFR. Of all these pilots, only the CFI does not have to undertake periodic flight training for his instructor's rating. (He still has to have a BFR or equivalent.) I truly think there's something very wrong with this.

The pilot who received the pink slip from me could have easily renewed his flight instructor's certificate by merely going online, spending the time required to com­ plete the course, taking the test, and then waiting an­

other two years before he would have to do it again. He would then be out there supposedly teaching others how to fly. No one would evaluate his instructing skills. No one would evaluate his flying skills. Would he really be qualified to instruct?

I believe all instructors should have to undergo a pe­ riodic flight evaluation. It would not necessarily have to be conducted by an examiner, but could be conducted by a "senior" instructor. It would not have to be a pass/fail situation; it could be the same as a flight review. If the evaluating pilot felt the need for more training, he or she could decline to "sign off" the review until that training was completed.

I really have no idea how many instructors fall into the category of the one I've described in this article, but I worry that there are way more than we think. All of us who share the sky should strive to be the very best we can be. The sky is too unforgiving for us not to. One of the ways to stay sharp is to have a periodic flight evaluation.

It's something we should all seek, whether we fly for the pure joy of it, but more especially, if we are one of those who have taken on the responsibility of teaching others to fly, we should absolutely require it!

Doug Stewart is the 2004 National CFI ofthe Year, a Master CFI, and a DPE. He operates DSFI Inc., (www.dsfIight.com). based at the Columbia County Airport (1B1). ......

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Shipping a propeller

the economical way

H.G.

FRAUTSCHY WITH ESPIE "BUTCH" JOYCE

PHOTOS BOB LUMLEY

'II bet everyone of us has had a moment where, when we were shown a clever solution to a problem, we didn't slap ourselves on the forehead and say, "Why didn't I think of that?"

Former VAA President Butch Joyce came up with just such a solution to a common shipping problem that restorers often run across. When Bob Lumley needed a new propeller for his Cessna

I

30

JANUARY 2006

140, it came to pass that Butch­ had just what he needed, but it was in North Carolina, and Bob lives just outside of Milwaukee.

Normally, someone would have to build a plywood shipping crate with precisely positioned cradles for the blades and enough room in the box to accommodate cush­ ioned packing material. The crate can be expensive to ship-Butch recalls it once cost him $250 to

ship a prop in a wood crate. The cost this time? $ 3 7, shipped via DHL Ground.

Butch noticed the size of the prop would fit neatly inside a 6-inch­ diameter PVC pipe, with room left for padding.

As you can see in the accom­ panying photograph, Butch cut the pipe so the prop would fit in­ side with plenty of room at each blade tip for a few inches of tight

packing material. His material of choice? Terry cloth bathroom towels! (We presume they're old.

Don't tell Norma, Butch's wife!)

Each end of the pipe was capped by a glued-on cleanout plug adapter.

Towels were wrapped around the hub so the prop slid snugly into the tube and was centered in the hollow pipe. Then additional towels were packed around the blade tips to pad them from the end caps that would be installed a bit later, and to prevent the blades from rattling off the sides of the pipe. A short piece of duct tape kept the padding from unwrapping.

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31

E.E. " BUCK" HILBERT

Just loolin' Along

I' m still on a "proper use of tools" kick. The way some peo­ ple abuse tools and themselves is a real concern to this old grouch.

I'm especially distracted when I see utter disregard for personal safety while using power tools such as drills, reamers, welders, and moving machinery.

OSHA won't save you from yourself. It can write any rule it thinks might do the job, but pro­ tecting yourself and perhaps oth­ ers around you when you work is your responsibility.

Protecting your personal safety has got to become a habit. Wear safety goggles and/or protective face shields whenever there is a chance that flying metal chips, ac­ ids, sparks, or anything else might get into your eyes.

Wear earplugs or other hearing protectors in areas with high noise levels (including the cockpit!).

Some machinery can really cause problems. Maybe not immediately, but hearing loss is progressive and cumulative. Exposure to high fre ­ quencies, gun blasts, rivet guns, concrete jackhammers, air drills, and many other sources, including loud heavy-metal rock music will also add up and result in hearing loss, which can give you problems later in life.

My number-three son, who wanted to be an Army aviator, blew the physical because of hear­ ing loss . He spent several years as a "Western gunfighter" doing the shoot-'em-up stuff without hearing protection. It cost him a career in 32

JANUARY 2006

aviation simply because he was too macho to use earplugs.

The responsibility for protect­ ing yourself is on you and no other.

Your family needs you with hands, fingers, and eyes-with all of you in good physical condition.

"Take on the job only after you protect yourself.

Don't rely on medical miracles to fix things after the fact."

Using a dril l press or any other machine that has rotating parts that might entangle long hair, neckties, or loose clothing is cause for caution. I've seen a man get his tie caught in his work while doing a simple job on a drill press. There were some very unhappy results!

His nickname is "Dimples."

Unprotected feet are also a haz­ ard. Moccasins, sandals, athletic shoes, and even non-steel-toe work shoes offer very little protection against dropped or falling objects that could crush, bruise or break a

foot. Hey, you need those feet to push on the rudder pedals! Take care of them!

I've harped enough. Protecting yourself is your responsibility. If there is even a slim chance that you cou ld be hurt, take precautions.

Take on the job only after you pro­ tect yourself. Don't rely on medical miracles to fix things after the fact.

Let's talk about some of the com­ mon tools.

Screwdrivers . Make sure you have the right one for the job. It should fit the slot or cross point correctly. The blade of the point sho uld fit snugly and give a good grip. Check the cross-point screw­ is it a Phillips or a Reed & Prince? A cross-point screwdriver for a Reed & Prince screw has a sharper point at the tip, and it will bottom out in the recess before properly engag­ ing the four flats inside the screw head . If it doesn't fit, go find the right screwdriver! In today's world, the price of simple hardware like screws has escalated to the point where most of them are about 10 cents apiece. Have you priced an AN 76 prop boIt lately?

Use the screwdriver that fits the job. The replaceable bits they sell to­ day are cheaper than the hardware.

Throwaway those old boogered-up screwdrivers, and get several of the drivers that accept replaceable bits.

Keep on hand a supply of cross­ point and flat bits to fit the job. An offset screwdriver set comes in real handy too.

Break tight screws loose before you try to remove them with a

power screwdriver. Those power screwdrivers are won足 derful. They sure take a lot of the labor out of removing the innumerable screws every airplane seems to have.

But like any power tool, if carelessly handled, they can mar the work, catch you off guard, and even mess up a finger or two. Treat them with caution. Don't use ex足 cessive force. Let the tool do the work.

Pliers. Oh boy! I've seen more "butchered" hardware and connectors as a result of using pliers . Sometimes there is no other way; there just isn't a strap wrench or a tool to do the job. I could go into great detail on the various types of pliers and their uses, but again, the right tool for the job is the way to go. Pliers are in the same category as pipe wrenches. They can sure mess up a beautiful piece of hardware. Think about the time you saw a less-than-professional plumber take a pipe wrench to a chrome-plated brass fixture. We have all . seen the result.

The mark of a good mechanic is a job well done. No tool marks, a clean shop, safety equipment in place and used accordingly, the necessary book at hand for reference in the event it's needed, and they take pride in their work.

That's the definition of a mechanic: "A person who takes pride in his work. Here's another thought: "If you don't like the job, do it well! No one can dislike a job well done."

Meanwhile, it's over to you. More in the next issue.

II

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VINTAGE AIRPLANE

33

BY H.G. FRAUTSCHY

THIS MONTH'S MYSTERY PLANE COMES TO US FROM THE EAA LIBRARY'S GARNER P. "EMY" EMERSON COLLECTION. Send your answer to EAA, Vintage Airplane, P.O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086. Your answer needs to be in no later than February 10 for inclusion in the April 2006 issue of Vintage Airplane.

You can also send your response via e-mail. Send your answer to mysteryplane@eaa.org. Be sure to include your name, city, and state in the body of your note, and put "(Month) Mystery Plane" in the subject line.

OCTOBER'S

MYSTERY

Lawrence Sperry's petite wife, Winifred, who was just 5 feet tall, holds the tail of the one-of-a-kind two-place Sperry Messenger aloft. Before Sperry proposed to her on New Year's Day 1918, Winifred Allen had been a successful silent movie star.

EAA library/ Garner P. "Emy" Emerson Collection 34

JANUARY 2006

ANSWER

October's Mystery Plane is a one足 off version of my favorites. Here's a response from Jack Erickson of State College, Pennsylvania: The Subject Mystery Plane almost looked like a Sperry M-l Messenger, but was not short-coupled enough.

Pete Bowers' article in AOPA Pilot had a photo of what must be the same aircraft as in your picture. Bowers also had a more detailed article with ad足 ditional photos in Air Progress Homebuilt Aircraft, which also featured the same photo and detailed scale drawings by Jim Morrow.

The Mystery Plane must be an ex足 ample (the only two-seater, possibly) of a Sperry Civil Sport version of the Messenger, which in this case had a fuse/age stretched both in front of and aft of the cockpit with a small rear seat behind the pilot and a slightly

What appears to be the same airplane appears to sport a different color scheme, with lighter-colored wings and vertical tail.

The flattened turtledeck and lengthened fuselage are clearly visible in both photos. With a wingspan of just over 20 feet, and the modified fuselage 19 feet, 9 inches long, the Messenger was a diminutive biplane.

Peter Bowers Collection

wider {uselage to enclose the passen­ ger's feet beside the pilot. The aft tur­ tledeck on the Messenger was removed and replaced with a flat surface when the extra seat was added. According to the Air Progress article, these changes were made to the prototype af­ ter Speny bought it back from the Ar­ my following load testing. The wings and their bracing structure are identi­ cal to the Messenger, and it seems to have the same engine, a three-cylinder, air-cooled radial Lawrance L-4 (later manufactured as the Wright Gale).

The L-4 delivered 56.5 hp @ 1600 rpm and 64 @ 1800 for takeoff.

The Lawrence Speny Aircraft Co., of Farmingda le, Long Island, New York, built this aircraft, a few other Civil Sport single-seaters, and the 42 mili­ tary M-1, M-1A, and MAT (Messen­ ger Aerial Torpedoes, early radio-con­ trolled UAVs). The M-l was designed in 1919 by Alfred Verville of the engi­ neering division of the Army Air Ser­ vice at McCook Field nea r Dayton, Ohio. The military versions were built

by Sperry under Army contracts for which they entered the winning bid.

References: Bowers, Peter M., "The Mini-Bipe from Farmingdale," Air Progr ess Homebu il t Airc raft , Spring­ Summer 1967 edition.

Bowers, Peter M., "Yes terday's

Wings: TheSperryMessenger, " AOPA Pilot, April 1983.

Aerofiles.com reports on th e firm'S products, but does not have a photo of this particular aircraft.

To further explain the Singular modifications to this particular aircraft, here's a quote from Pete Bowers' 1967 article: "The Messenger was a fully aer­ obatic airplane, designed to a load factor of six. The first one was static-tested at McCook Field in September 1920. The test was dis­ continued at a factor of seven be­ cause there was no point in going further and destroying a perfectly good airplane. This particular plane was sold back to Sperry, who used it as his personal machine, with lit­ tle modification other than steel­ tube 'N' struts. He built a slightly larger two-seat fuselage that was fit­ ted to it briefly, with tandem seats in a single 'Buddy' cockpit 4 inches wider so that the passenger's legs could be placed alongside the pilot.

The wider fuselage increased the span by an equal amount. [Now 20 feet , 4 inches-Ed.] The increased weight aft was offset by moving the engine forward for an overall length increase of only 2 feet."

Lawrence Burst Sperry Sr. 's con­ tributions to the science of aviation

were voluminous, and one can only wonder what he might have accom­ plished if his life hadn 't been cut short. By the age of 31, he had ac­ cumulated more than 4,000 hours of time aloft, much of it testing his gyroscope-stabilized autopilot invention as well as other instru­ ments and inventions for which he is given credit. Unfortunately, his trust in his aircraft proved to be his undoing. Having shipped a person­ ally owned Messenger to England, Sperry set off on a flight across the then fogbound English Channel on December 13, 1923. The ex­ act cause is unknown, but Sperry's Messenger was forced to land in the channel. The airplane washed ashore intact , and it was pre­ sumed he was lost while trying to swim to shore in the chilly waters.

Sperry's body was found on Janu­ ary 11 , 1924. His wife, Winifred, passed away at a relatively young age as well: 47, in 1943. For more on the life of Lawrence Sperry, I'd suggest reading Gyro! The life and Times of Lawrence Sperry by Wil­ liam W. Davenport.

Other correct answers were re­ ceived from Wayne Muxlow, Min­ neapolis, Minnesota; Thomas H. Lymburn, Princeton, Minnesota; and Wayne Van Valkenburgh, Jas­ per, Georgia. .....

VINTAGE AIRPLANE

35

continued from page 3 bility for that airport, meeting with other airport tenants to review airport/ aircraft security issues that occurred at the airport over the past year, and re­ viewing the GA Airport Security Guide­ lines plus the other security awareness topics on the TSA web page.

EAA Note: If at any time an in­ dependent eFI or (light school em ­ ployee feels he or she needs a basic review of the overall TSA security awareness program, the emp loyee may retake the TSA Flight School Se­ curity Awareness Training program.

EAA Note: To learn about other recent changes to TSA flight training requirements, visit the DOT's Docket Management website at http://dms. dot.gov/search/searchFormSimple.c(m.

Enter 19147 in the search block.

When the docket appears click on the reverse link to view the most recent TSA changes.

The goal of the TSA security awareness recurrent training is to provide individuals with the latest information available that pertains to general aviation flight training.

An important note to remember is that TSA regulation lSS2.2S (a) states that each individual receiv­ ing initial or recurrent security awareness training must receive documentation stating th e train­ ing has been complete. For recur­ rent training, this documentation may be a memorandum, letter, or diploma containing the required regulation lSS2.2S(a) information and must be signed by the appro­ priate person. For independent CFIs who receive a briefing from their airport manager or appropriate law enforcement official, that individ­ ual's signature on the document would be appropriate. The proof-of­ training document must be main­ tained in the trained individual's employee record as required by TSA regulation lSS2.2S(b) and (c).

If you have any additional ques­ tions on security awareness recurrent 36

JANUARY 2006

training that may not have been ad­ dressed above, please contact: Monty Thompson, TSA Security Awareness Training manager, S71­ 227-2428, monty. thompson@dhs.gov Rusty Sachs, executive director, National Association of Flight In­ structors (NAFI), 888-322-4636, ext.

6801, nafz@eaa.org Randy Hansen, EAA Government Relations Director, 888-322-4636, ext. 6S22, govt@eaa.org.

EAA RECOMMENDATIONS WOULD HELP ELIMINATE AVIATION MEDICAL CERTIFICATE BACKLOG EAA PROPOSAL WOULD AID FAA' S CURRENT HEIGHTENED EFFORTS TO SOLVE DILEMMA

Pilots would see improved response times to their medical-certification and special-issuance applications if policy and process changes proposed

by Experimental Aircraft Association are adopted by the Federal Aviation Administration. In a letter and sup­ porting documents delivered to the FAA this week, EAA President Tom Poberezny recommended solutions to the backlog of applications for aeromedical certification. Delays in processing such applications, par­ ticularly special-issuance paperwork, continue to be a vexing problem for the FAA and the pilot community.

Poberezny's letter to Nick Saba­ tini, the FAA's associate administra­ tor of regulations and certification, referred to a position paper devel­ oped by EAA's Aeromedical Coun­ cil. The council is made up of EAA members who are active aeromedi­ cal examiners and volunteer their time to advise and assist on medical issues affecting pilots.

"These highly qualified individu­ als, who are well recognized within the aeromedical field, have the ex­ pertise and experience to address th e issues and develop practical recommendations and solutions,"

VAA HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE CELEBRATES 100TH BIRTHDAY Captain John Miller, our 2002

VAA Hall of Fame inductee, cele­

brated his 100th birthday on De­

cember 15, 200S. John has had

a remarkable aviation career. It

started when, as a 4-year-old, he

witnessed Glenn Curtiss' epic

flight from Albany to New York

in 1910. Be was the first to fly an

autogiro from coast to coast and

served as a test pilot for Colum­

bia aircraft. His life's story can

literally fill a book, and it's not

over yet! Congratulations, Capt.

Miller, on a remarkable century

of flight!

Poberezny said. "These medi cal professionals deal with aeromedi­ cal-certification matters daily and want to help improve this often­ frustrating process."

Poberezny noted that, during EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 200S last July, the medical-certification backlog was the most commonly mentioned topic by pilots during the annual "Meet the Administrator" session.

Poberezny commended the FAA for responding to EAA members' appeal for action by making a good-faith ef­ fort to address the backlog.

"We applaud the work FAA has done, but its current effort is not sustainable," Poberezny said. "The agency addressed the backlog by re­ doubling its efforts-in other words, working longer and harder. With no additional resources or relief on the horizon for FAA, we believe it must adopt reforms to create a more effi­ cient medical-certification system."

In addition to identifying and analyzing the factors that can pro­ tract the processing of medical ­ certification and special-issuance applications, the EAA position pa­ per offers up specific policy and process solutions from the EAA Aeromedical Council.

In preparing the position paper, the EAA Aeromedical Council re­ viewed numerous potential solutions addressing all phases of the process, including enhancing the quality of data input, minimizing or eliminat­ ing delays in the multiple steps in the certification pathway, reducing the input burden to the [FAA's] Aero­ space Medical Certification Division through the delegation of authority to aeromedical examiners [AMEs], and pursuing other measures.

Regarding the additional author­ ity to AMEs, EAA's position paper refers to a survey indicating that 94 percent of AMEs are willing to take on additional training and respon­ sibility to address the problem.

"The EAA Aeromedical Coun­ cil has done outstanding work in outlining the current situation and providing solutions. Enacting the council's recommendations will streamline the processing of medi­ cal applications without compro­ mising air safety."

NOMINATIONS FOR EAA DIRECTORS Nominations are now being so­ licited for the eight Class 1 Direc­ tor positions on the EAA board of directors, to be fi ll ed at the 2006 annual membership meeting held during EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2006 at Theater in the Woods at 10 a.m., COT, on Saturday, July 29, 2006, Wittman Airport, Osh­

kosh, Wisconsin.

Candidates must be current EAA members, and nominations must be submitted on officia l forms available bye-mail from jreader@ eaa.org or by mail from EAA, c/o Tom Poberezny, P.O . Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086.

Each nomination petition must in­ clude at least 25 EAA members, along with such members' EAA numbers and membership expiration dates, a recent 3x5 photo or full-reso lution 2-megapixel photo of the candidate, and a brief resume of his or her back­ ground and experience.

Submit nomination petitions to Nominating Committee Chairman Ron Scott, c/o EAA Headquarters, P.O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903­ 3086, no later than February 28, 2006. The six-member nominating committee-Ron Scott, East Troy, Wisconsin; Zonnie Fritsche, Nesh­ koro, Wisconsin; Robert D. Lumley, Brookfield, Wisconsin; Fred Stadler, Arlington, Texas; Cody Welch, lin­ den, Michigan; and Harry Zeisloft, Mesa, Arizona-will verify th e pe­ tition Signatures. If the committee receives ins ufficient nominations, the Governance Committee of the EAA board will make additiona l nominations of its own.

Alan Shackleton, Secretary Experimental Aircraft Association Inc.

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING For many years, we ran a regular monthly feature called 'What Ou r Members Are Restoring ". Over the past couple of years , the number of submissions for that feature has dwindled to a trickle, and we'd like you to help us give it a boost.

In the distant past, each new and renewing member of EAA and VAA received an "activity card " that gave the member the opportun ity

to tell headquarters what airplanes they were working on. Since that card is no longer part of a new­ member packet, we have no way of knowing what you're up to , so here's our request.

Are you nearing comp letion of

a restoration? Or is it done and :you' re busy flying and showing it

6ft? If so, we'd like to hear from

EAA MEMBERS RECEIVE $5 DISCOUNT AT LASERGRADE As an exclusive EAA membership benefit, EAA members receive $5 off the cost of any FAA tests taken at LaserGrade centers. LaserGrade is one of only two computer-based tes tin g companies authorized by the federal government to adminis­ ter FAA Airman Knowledge Tests.

To take advantage of this dis­ count, call 800-21 1-2754 when you are ready to schedule your test. Tell the registrar you are an EAA mem­ ber and you'll get $5 off of the $80 regu lar price. To find the La ­ serGrade center nearest you, visit www.lasergrade.com/locate.shtml or call 800-211-2754. .....

photos smaller, say no.) For more tips on creating photos we can publish, visit VAA's website at

www.vintageaircraft.org. Check the News page for a hyperlink to Want To Send Us A Photograph?

For more information ,

you can also e-mail us at vintageaircraft@eaa .org or call us at 920-426-4825.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE

37

of the project. What is it missing to make it airworthy, and what is it missing to make it original? Those are two different and very impor­ tant questions.

Condition can cancel out many of the other concerns. An airplane in really good condition means much less work for you, so you'd be willing to overlook a few missing pieces. An airplane that has every last nut and bolt, but everything is rusted and dented, is going to keep you at it for years longer than the same airplane in better condition.

Location can drive the price, but not at the expense of the preceding points. Relocating an airplane on a trailer is neither cheap nor easy.

More damage is done moving air­ planes than flying them. Still, when comparing two identical projects, the foregoing points should outweigh

the location. Two days spent truck­ ing the remains of a top-condition airframe can save you two years of hard work on a local ai rplane that's not in as good condition.

The following list of coming events is furnished to our readers as a matter of information only and does not consti­ tute approval, sponsorship, involvement, control or direction of any event (fly-in, seminars, fly market, etc.) listed. To sub­ mit an event, send the information via mail to: Vintage Airplane, P.O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086. Or e-mail the information to: vintageaircra(t@eaa. org. Information should be received four months prior to the event date.

2006

MAY 5-7-Burlington, NC­ Alamace County Airport (KBUY).

VAA Chapter 3 Spring Fly-In. All Classes Welcome! BBQ Fri Night, Acft Judging/Banquet Sat Night. Info: Jim Wilson 843-753-7138 or eiwilson@ homexpressway.net JUNE 15-18-St. Louis, MO­ Dauster Flying Field, Creve Coeur Airport (lHO). American Waco Club Fly-In. Info: Phil Coulson 269-624-6490, rcoulson516@ cs.com or Jerry Brown 317-422­ 9366, Ibrown4906@aol.com, www.americanwacoclub.com

38

JANUARY 2006

Do an Inventory Before you journey down to see the project, make up a checklist that combines what you learned from the type club and your local mechanic, who, if he's not too expensive, is right there at your elbow through the entire process. You'll need him to sign off your work anyway, so he might as well have a say in the proj­ ect selection. The checklist is going to be partially common-sense stuff generic to every airplane (" Engine?

Check!") and items unique to this airplane (" Cowl inlet grills? Nope, missing one.") .

Be very systematic, because once

you've written the check, you seldom have any recourse. If you overlook something that's missing, that's your problem. If something is missing that the seller said was there, that's a dif­ ferent subject altogether and reason enough for an inventory to be signed by both seller and buyer.

Condition Inspection The condition inspection is an in­ tegral part of the inventory. Since, in theory, you'll be looking at ev­ ery part to confirm its presence, at the same time you want to inspect that part for airworthiness. Have a column on your checklist that has a "condition" box where you rate the condition from one to five, with five being best. Ones and twos get re­ placed; the rest get reconditioned to the extent indicated by their ratings.

The number of parts that are going

MAJOR

FLV-INS

For details on EAA Chapter fly-in s and other local aviation events, visit www.eaa.org/events

U.S. Sport Aviation Expo (Rescheduled from October 2005) Sebring Regional Airport, Sebring, FL January 12-15, 2006 www.sport-aviation-expo.com

EAA AirVenture Oshkosh Wittman Regional Airport (OSH), Oshkosh, WI July 24-July 30, 200 6 www.airventure.org

Sun 'n Fun Fly-In Linder Regional Airport (LAL), Lakeland, FL April 4-10, 2006 www.sun-n-fun.org

EAA Mid-Eastern Regional Fly-In Marion Municipal Airport (MNN), Marion,OH August 25-27, 2006

EAA Southwest Regional-The Texas Fly-In Hondo MuniCipal Airport (HDO), Hondo, TX May 12-14, 2006 www.swrfi.org

Virginia Regional EAA Fly-In Dinwiddie County Airport (PTB), Petersburg, VA September 30-0ctober 1, 2006 www.vaeaa.org

Golden West EAA Regional Fly-In Yuba County Airport (MYV), MarysVil le, CA June 9-11, 2006 www.goldenwestflyin.org Rocky Mountain EAA Regional Fly-In Front Range Airport (FTG), Watkins, CO June 24-25, 2006 www.rmrfi.org Northwest EAA Fly-In Arlington Municipal Airport (AWO), Arlington, WA July 5-9,2006, 2006 www.nweaa.org

Copperstate Regional EAA Fly-In Casa Grande (AR) MuniCipal Airport (CGZ) October 12-15, 2006 www.copperstate.org EAA Southeast Regional Fly-In Middleton Field Airport (GZH), Evergreen, AL October 6-8, 2006 www.serfi.org U.S. Sport Aviation Expo Sebring Regional Airport, Sebring, FL October 26-28,2006 www.sport-aviation-expo.com

to require replacing or fabrication be­ come bargaining points when nego­ tiations get serious.

When inspecting the major com­ ponents, you're really keeping your eye open for corrosion or serious rust, which, if it's present, means ma jor surgery, major expense, major time expenditure. Be really critical about rust and corrosion, because they can be deal breakers. If you're an accom­ plished metal man or we lder, you may be willing to put up with more of this kind of deterioration than most amateur restorers . If you see that telltale powder creeping out of riveted joints everywhere, it may be time to move on to the next project.

The same thing said about rust and corrosion can be said about damage.

If you're talented and experienced, damage is much less of a worry than to the rest of us. If you see any dam­

age in a component, search out the part that component was bolted to and see if the damage carried over.

Check Out the paperwork It's not unusua l to find disassem­ bled airplanes that have been in that condition for decades and have passed through six owners in 30 years while the airplane is still titled to the original owner. Th is can be a chal­ lenging problem, because the FAA is very insistent that the ownership pa­ perwork be right. If the original owner is deceased, it can get very sticky and you' ll become a genealogy expert as you track down someone who the FAA says can legally sell the airplane.

In some cases, it just can't be done.

Plus, you may find a lien that some­ one forgot to remove, and that can be another stumbling block.

Besides the ownership, however,

it's important to make sure any modifica tions or additions to the airframe have been properly certi­ fied by 337s, STCs, etc. If the logs aren't complete, then you'll have to jump th rough t he appropriate hoops to make t he airplane legal.

And don't take the seller's word on it. Look at the logs.

Don't pay for the airplane until all of the paperwork issues are resolved.

More than one restorer has finished a project assuming he could get the paperwork issues ironed out, only to find he was trying to tap dance on quicksand with the FAA. When it comes to evaluating any project, just remember the four most important things are completeness, condition, completeness, and condi­ tion. Everything else can be worked out. Now go clea n out the gar. e, and get ready to have fun!

Something to buy, sell, or trade?

Classified Word Ads: $5.50 per 10 words, 180 words maximum, with boldface lead-in on first line.

Classified Display Ads: One column wide (2.167 inches) by 1, 2, or 3 inches high at $20 per inch. Black and white only, and no frequency discounts.

Advertising Closing Dates: 10th of second month prior to desired issue date (Le., January 10 is the closing date for the March issue). VAA reserves the right to reject any advertising in conflict with its policies. Rates cover one insertion per issue.

Classified ads are not accepted via phone. Payment must accompany order. Word ads may be sent via fax (920-426-4828) or e-mail (classads@eaa.org) using credit card payment (all cards accepted). Include name on card, complete address, type of card, card number, and expiration date. Make checks payable to EAA. Address advertising correspondence to EAA Publications Classified Ad Manager, P.O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086 BABBITT BEARING SERVICE - rod bearings, main bearings, bushings, master rods , valves , piston rings.

Call us Toll Free 1-800-233-6934, e-mail ramremfg@aol.com Website www.rameng ine.com VINTAGE ENGINE MACHINE WORKS , N. 604 FREYA ST. , SPOKANE, WA 99202 CUSTOM PRINTED T-SHIRTS for your flying club, flight shop, museum. Free samples. Call 1-800-645-7739 or 1­ 828-654-9711 THERE'S JUST NOTHING LIKE IT

ONTHEWEBII

www.aviation-giftshop.com A Website with the Pilot in Mind (and those who love airplanes)

Warner engines. Two 165s, one fresh O.H., one low time on Fairchild 24 mount with all accessories. Also Helton Lark and Aeronca C-3 project.

Find my name and address in the Officers and Directors listing and call evenings. E. E. "Buck" Hilbert.

WANTED-Metal wheel pants, Cessna 120-140-170-& early 180s. Must be near perfect as they will be polished.

Will pay a premium. Will pay a finder's fee. Dean Richardson (608) 310-6107 or (608) 877-8485

For Sale - 1939 Spartan Executive, 3500TT, 10 SMOH. 214-354-6418, www.lpjetservices.com

Airplane T-Shirts

150 Different Airplanes Available

WE PROBABLY HAVE

YOUR AIRPLANE!

www.airplanetshirts.com 1-800-645-7739

Flying wires available. 1994 pricing.

Visit www.flyingwires.com or call B00-517-9278.

A&P I.A.: Annual, 100 hr. inspections.

Wayne Forshey 740-472-1481

Ohio - statewide.

WANTED: Taylorcraft BC-12D left wing.

785-437-6078, odredger@kansas.net

1938 CESSNA AIRMASTER 1874TT, 165 HP WARNER SUPER SCARAB, 480 HRS , CURTISS REED PROP, ALWAYS HANGARED , FRESH ANNUAL $54 ,500 (707) 812-0300 OR (707) 480-1012 VI N TA G E A I RPLA N E

39

Membershi~ Services VINTAGE

AIRCRAFT

ENJOY THE MANY BENEFITS OF EAA AND ASSOCIATION THE EAA VINTAGE AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION OFFICERS President Geoff Robison 1521 E. MacGregor Dr. New Have n, IN 46 774 260·493·4724 chieI7025@aol.com

Vice·President George Daubner 2448 Lough Lan e Hartford, WI 53027 262·673·5885

Secretary Steve Nesse 2009 Highland Ave. Albert Lea, MN 56007 507·373· 1674

Treasurer Charles W. Harris 72 15 East 46th SI. Tulsa, OK 74147 918·622·8400

stlll's(glieskmedia.colll

cwh@hv511.com

vaaflyboy@~IlS".com

DIRECTORS Steve Bender 85 Brush Hill Road Sherborn, MA 01770 508·653·7557

Jeann ie Hill P.O. Box 328 Harvard, IL 60033·0328 815·943·7205

sst JOLtVcomcast. net

dingllao@owc. nel

David Bennett P.O. Box 1188 Rosevill e, CA 95678 916·645·8370

Espie "Butch" Joyce 704 N. Regional Rd. Greensboro, NC 27409 336·668·3650 wimJsock@aoi.com

antiquer@illreacil.colll Jo hn Be rendt 7645 Echo Point Rd.

can non Fa lls, MN 55009 507·263·2414 mjb{chld@rcolllltct. com

Steve KIog 1002 Heather Ln .

Hartford, WI 53027 262·966-7627 sskrog@aol.com

Dave C lark 635 Vestal Lane Plainfield, IN 46168 317 ·839·4500 da wcpd@iquest.llet

Robert D. " Bob" Lu mley 1265 South 124th Sl. Brookfield, WI 53005 262·782·2633

John S. Copeland lA Deacon St reet Northborough, MA 01532 508·393·4775

Gene Morris 5936 Steve Court Roanoke, TX 76262 8 17·49 1·9 110

copeloml l @jUlw. com

gellemoffis@Charter. llet

Phil Coulson 2841 5 Springbrook Dr. Lawton, MI 49065 269·624·6490 rcoll/son516@Cs.com

Dean Richardson 1429 Kings Lynn Rd Stoughton, WI 53589 608·877·8485

Dale A. G ustafso n 7724 Shady Hills Dr. Indianapoli s, IN 462 78 317·293·4430 daJefaye@msn. com

S.H. " Wes" Schmid 2359 Lefeber Avenue Wauwatosa, WI 53213 414·771·1545

Jumper@execpc.com

dar@aprilaire.com

sIJscl1mid@milwpc. com

DIRECTORS

EMERITUS

Gene Chase 2159 Carlton Rd. Oshkosh, WI 54904 920·231·5002

E.E. "Buck" Hilbert P.O. Box 424 Union, IL 60180 8 15·923·459 1

GRCHA@Ci1arter.1Iet

b7tlc@mc.l1et

Ronald C. Fritz 15401 Sparta Ave. Kent City, MI 493 30 6 16·6 78·50 12

Directory

~

EAA Aviation Center, PO Box 3086, Oshkosh WI 54903-3086

Phone (920) 426-4800

Fax (920) 426-4873

Web Site: www.vintageaircraft.org and www.airventllre.org EAA and Division Membership Services 800-843-3612 ........ FAX 920-426-6761 (8:00 AM-7:00 PM Monday-Friday CST) oNew/renew memberships: EAA, Divi­ sions (Vintage Aircraft Association, lAC, Warbirds), National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI) oAddress changes

oMerchandise sales

oGift memberships

Programs and Activities EAA AirVenture Fax-an-Demand Directory . ...... .. ... . .... .. . . . . . 732-885-6711 Auto Fuel STCs ... , ... ..... 920-426-4843 Build/restore information . . . 920-426-4821 Chapters: locating/organizing920-426-4876 Education .. . ... ... .... .. . 888-322-3229 ° EAA Air Academy

° EAA Scholarships

E-Mail: vintageaircra{t@eaa.org

Flight Advisors information ..

Flight Instructor information Flying Start Program ...... .

Library Services/Research . .. .

Medical Questions ....... . .

Technical Counselors ...... .

Young Eagles .. ... ... . . . . .

920-426-6864 920-426-6801 920-426-6847 920-426-4848 920-426-6112 920-426-6864 877-806-8902

Benefits AUA Vintage Insurance Plan . 800-727-3823 EAA Aircraft Insurance Plan . 866-647-4322 Term Life and Accidental. ... 800-241-6103 Death Insuran ce (Harvey Watt & Company) Edi torial .... .... . ... . .... 920-426-4825 Vintage . ... ... . ...... FAX 920-426-6865 ° Submitting article/photo ° Advertising information EAA Aviation Foundation Artifact Donations .. . . . ... 920-426-4877 Financial Support .......... 800-236-1025

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION EAA Membership in the Experimental Aircraft Association, Inc. is $40 for one year, includ­ ing 12 issues of SPORT AVIATION. Family membership is an additional $10 annually.

Junior Membership (under 19 years of age) is available at $23 annually. All major credit cards accepted for membership. (Add $16 for Foreign Postage.)

EAA SPORT PILOT Current EAA members may add EAA SPORT PILOT magazine for an additional $20 per year.

EAA Membership and EAA SPORT PILOT magaZine is available for $40 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not in­ cluded). (Add $16 for Foreign Postage.)

VINTAGE AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION Current EAA members may join the Vintage Aircraft Association and receive VINTAGE AIRPLANE magaZine for an ad­ ditional $36 per year.

EAA Membership, VINTAGE AIRPLANE magazine and one year membership in the EAA Vintage Aircraft Association is available for $46 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not in­ cluded). (Add $7 for Foreign Postage.)

lAC

Current EAA members may join the International Aerobatic Club, Inc. Divi­ sion and receive SPORT AEROBATICS magaZine for an additional $45 per year.

EAA Membership, SPORT AEROBAT­ ICS magazine and one year membership in the lAC Division is available for $55 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included). (Add $15 for Foreign Postage.)

WARBIRDS Current EAA members may join the EAA Warbirds of America Division and receive WARBIRDS magazine for an additional $40 per year.

EAA Membership, WARBIRDS maga­ zine and one year membership in the Warbirds Division is available for $50 per year (SPORT AVIATION magaZine not in­ cluded). (Add $7 for Foreign Postage.)

FOREIGN MEMBERSHIPS Please submit your remittance with a check or draft drawn on a United States bank payable in United States dollars. Add required Foreign Postage amount for each membership.

rFritz@pa thwaynet.com

Membership dues to EAA and its divisions are not tax deductible as charitable contributions Cop)'light ©2006 by the EM Vinlage Aircraft Association All rights reserved.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE (USPS 062-750; ISSN 0091·6943) is published and owned exclusively by the EM Vintage Aircraft Associalion of the Experimenlal Aircraft Association and is published monthly at EM Aviation CentOf, 3000 Poberezny Rd., PO Box 3086, Oshkosh, WISConsin 54903-3086, ...mail: vintageairr;raft@eaa.org. Periodicals Postage paid at Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901 and al additional mailing offICeS. POST· MASTER: Send address changes to Vintage Airplane, PO Box 3086. Oshkosh, WI 54903·3086. PM 40032445 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses 10 World Distribution Services. Stalion A. PO Box 54, Windsor, ON N9A 6.15, ... mail: cpcretumS@Wdsmail.com. FOREIGN AND APO ADDRESSES - Please allow alleasl two monlhs for delivery of VINTAGE AIRPLANE 10 foreign and APO addresses via surface mail. ADVERTIS­ ING - Vintage Aircraft Association does not guarantee or endorse any producl OffOfed Ihrough Ihe advertising. We invite constructive criticism and welcome any report of inlerior merchandise obtained through our advertising so that corrective measures can be taken.

EDITORIAL POUCY: Readers are encouraged to submit slories and photographs. Policy opinions expressed in articles are solely Ihose of the authors. Responsibility for accuracy in reporting rests entirely with lhe contributor. No remuneration is made. Malerial should be sent to: Editor, VINTAGE AIRPLANE, PO Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903·3086. Phone 920-426·4800.

EM® and EM SPORT AVIATlON®. lhe EM Logo® and Aeronautica,. are registered trademarks, trademarks, and service marks of lhe Experimental Aircraft Associalion. Inc. The use of these lrademarks and service marks without the pennission of lhe Experimental Aircraft Association, Inc. is strictly prohibiled.

40

JANUARY 2006