VA-Vol-35-No-11-Nov-2007

GEOFF ROBISON PRESIDENT, VINTAGE AIRCRAFT ASSOC IATON

Volunteering at any level

The fall weather has now turned into much cooler evenings here in northeast Indiana. We have seen many excellent and oftentimes warm flying days of late that have provided us all with many pleasurable flights in any number of wonderful flying machines. The annual inspection on my Cessna 120 went extremely well, which has al­ lowed us to move forward with my de­ sire to spruce up the interior. I will likely put it off for just a while longer-at least until the temperatures chill to a point of diminishing that burning de­ sire to push it out of the hangar and take it for that occasional jaunt around the pattern! I'm blessed to have a heated hangar that allows me to not have to worry much about having the appropriate environment to start such a project. Here's hoping all goes well with this lat­ est endeavor. I've never taken on a proj­ ect quite like this; I certainly expect to learn about this process. Time will tell, and I will keep you all posted. With the Vintage Chapter 37 club­ house now mostly completed, the chapter members are in a position to dedicate more time to the restoration of Harold Neumann's 90AW Monocoupe. We've taken on this project for the EAA AirVenture Museum so the well-known airplane can be displayed at the mu­ sellin. This project has become a labor of love for many of the members at VAA Chapter 37 in Auburn, Indiana. A number of club members have truly appreciated the opportunity to learn a great deal about the processes involved in a restoration of this magnitude. We are often reminded in our work on the Monocoupe that we really are engaged in the restoration of a histori­

cally significant aviation artifact, and in this chapter we are very fortunate to have a wide range of skilled and semi­ skilled folks who have offered up the necessary horsepower to see a project of this magnitude through to the finish line. Some of these members are folks who wouldn't even think of working on their own lawn mowers. They work side by side with others who are actu­ ally certificated airframe and power­ plant mechanics, homebuilders, and some who have owned and restored various other aircraft. The really neat thing to observe is the camaraderie everyone feels when you assign the various tasks at hand. Everyone seems to be pleasantly sur­ prised with how much fun is being had, while actually learning these vari­ ous skill sets. We recently decided that it was time to permanently schedule specific work weekends for this project. Starting last month, we began hosting a work party in the Chapter 37 hangar every second and fourth weekend of each month. This unique project continues to attract a number of local individuals and area EAA chapter members who stop in and visit. I'd bet that now the restoration's schedule is accelerating, there will be greater interest in visiting. Let us know if you plan to come around and see how things are developing. After EM AirVenture Oshkosh 2007 ended, we began planning for our fall board meetings in Oshkosh. This al­ ways proves a productive time for all of your officers to get together and begin the important work of planning next year's event, and also to discuss our suc­ cesses and shortcomings of the previ­ ous months. The VAA board and staff

work year-round to improve upon all aspects of this fine organization's mem­ bership experience. I hope you enjoyed the October is­ sue of Vintage Ailplane as much as I did. It is always one of my favorite issues, because this is typically the month we feature our valued volunteers hard at work at Oshkosh. The goal at Oshkosh continues to be "What can we do to improve ourselves over last year, and provide for an even more exciting and fulfilling event for our member­ ship during their visit to the World's Greatest Aviation Celebration?" I be­ lieve that we continuously meet these goals, and oftentimes we even exceed our own expectations from one year to the next. How can this be, one might ask. Well, I can't say I always under­ stand this phenomenon, but I can tell you without hesitation that this is all about the unbridled spirit and enthu­ siasm that the many VAA volunteers bring back to the event each and every year. I can absolutely assure you that if I could figure out how to bottle and distribute this "spirit," I would be a bil­ lionaire overnight. If you are a regular reader of this and other EM publications and have never been able to get yourself to Oshkosh, you must be wondering if this event is really everything we say it is. Be as­ sured, it is! 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.

G

N E

VOL. 35, No. 11

2007

OVEMBER

CONTENTS I Fe

Straight & Level Volunteering at any level by Geoff Robison

2

News

5

A Stinson Family Album

Th e early days

by H.G. Frautschy

6

Grand Canyon Pioneer

John Seibold's Stinson SM-1

by Budd Davisson

14

Those Lovable Old Stinson Detroiter Juniors

Wh en on e is n ot en ough

by Sparky Barnes Sargent

20

Curtiss Flying Boat Replica Constructed

1914 Curtiss A merica is re-created by the Glenn Curtiss Museum

by Jim Pohl and Trafford Doh erty, Curtiss Museum

24

What Our Members Are Restoring

1940 Howard DGA-1 SP

by Mark Liptrap

28

Duct Tape

The pilot's friend

by Irven F. Palmer Jr.

30

The Vintage Instructor

Tailwheel landings: wheel or three-point?

by Doug Stewart

32

Back to Basics A n ewcomer fu lfills his other dream by Mike Ren cavage

36

Mystery Plane by H.G. Frautschy

37

Calendar/Classified Ads

38

Book Reviews

CO VER S

FRONT COVER The first monoplane of a series of great cabin airplanes that would bear the Stinson name, this is the only flying Stinson SM-1 Detroiter. It was restored by Chuck Wentworth and his company, Antique Aero in Paso Robles, California, for John Seibold, the founder of Scenic Airlines, and previous partner in Grand Canyon Airlines. The livery is of the very first airplane used by Grand Canyon Airlines. BACK COVER: Hit seems that Bob Hedgecock is at the controls every time you see a Stinson SM-2 Deboiter Junior at a fly-in, you're to be forgiven. Hedgecock just doesn't like to see moss growing beneath the wheels of the big cabin Stinsons, and he has been flying a pair of them now. This example, restored during the 19905 by Hedgecock, with help from Ted Davis and Paul Workman, was campaigned on the fly-in circuit by Bob Jen足 kins back in the 19605. Jenkins always flew with a handling rope tied to the tailwheel , and it had become so identified with the yellow and black Stinson that Hedgecock felt he had to continue the tradition.

STAFF

EAA Publisher Director of EAA Publications Executive Director/Editor Executive Assistant Managing Editor News Editor Photography Advertising Coordinator Classified Ad Coordinator Copy Editor Director of Advertising

Tom Poberezny David Hipschman H.G. Frautschy Jillian Rooker Kathleen Witman

Ric Reynolds

Jim Koepnick

Bonnie Kratz

Sue Anderson

Daphene VanHullum

Colleen Walsh

Katrina Bradshaw

Display Advertising Representatives: Northeast: Allen Murray Phone 856-229-7180, FAX 856-229-7258, e-mail: allelll1lllTraY@llIi1ldsprl1lg.com Southeast: Chester Baumgartner Phone 727-532-4640, FAX 727-532-4630, e-mail: c/)(llImll l @mi1ldspri1lg.colll Central: Gary Worden Phone 800-4 44-9932, FAX 816-741-6458, e-mail: gary.wordell@Spc-mag.com Mountain & Pacific: John Gibson Phone 916-784-9593, e-mail: iollllgibso1l@Spc-mag.colll Europe: Willi Tacke

Phone +498969340213, FAX +4989693402 14, e-mail: willi@/1ying-fJ<'ges.com

VI N TAG E AI R PLANE

EAAlVAA Comment on Taylorcraft AD In early October, as the deadline for comments to the FAA regarding Air­ worthiness Directive 2007-16-14 were due, EAA and VAA sent a joint letter ex­ pressing our concerns regarding the AD. What follows is the text of that letter: EAA and VAA request that the FAA consider the following comments re­ garding Taylorcraft AD 2007-16-14, which will allow those maintaining and restoring these vintage aircraft to do so in a safe and cost-effective manner. Based on the data presented in the AD, and after subsequent conversations with Taylorcraft Type Club representa­ tives, we support the overall need for the airworthiness directive. While we still have some reservations concerning the single-source origin of the sample struts that were used to instigate the AD, later reports to the FAA and the Taylorcraft Owners Club have revealed corroded struts exist in the field as well. There are a few issues related to the AD's im­ plementation and timing that we'd like to address, and we request that the fol­ lowing suggestions be considered. A least two alternate methods ofcom­ pliance (AMOC) should be given con­ sideration, along with a modification to the ultrasonic inspection method: • During a conversation with FAA engineer Andrew McAnaul, he stated that the primary reason the same proce­ dures used for Piper strut AD 99-01-05 could not be included in Taylorcraft AD 2007-16-14 was due to a lack of engi­ neering data (both on the part of the FAA and of New Piper) concerning the procedure used in the Piper AD. In that procedure, a Maule Fabric Tester is uti­ lized to check the integrity of the strut. We have read with great interest the subsequent Maule Fabric Tester report issued by Mr. McAnaul on September 17, 2007, and find the results very sur­ prising given the nearly two decades of apparently successful testing done on Piper lift struts. If sufficient engineer­ ing data is made available to the FAA that would further detail the methods 2

NOVEMBER 2007

used to justify the use of the procedure within the Piper AD, we ask the proce­ dure could be added to the Taylorcraft AD as an AMOC. EAA is not in posses­ sion of any engineering data concern­ ing the procedure, but research into the procedure has revealed the name of one of the consultants who worked with the FAA on the Piper strut AD, and we have asked that he contact Mr. McAnaul re­ garding the engineering data concerning the Maule Fabric Tester AMOC. • A number of comments have been received concerning the inspection of the struts without removal from the airframe, using the ultrasonic non­ destructive testing (NDT) methods spec­ ified in the procedure. While during the first inspection it is certainly desirable to inspect the strut attach fitting at the same time, per Taylorcraft Service Bul­ letin SB102-T, these are certainly sepa­ rate maintenance actions and should be considered separately. NDT profes­ sionals have stated to the commenters that the inspection ofthe struts while in place does not present any difficulties to the certified inspector. • We'd like to see the inclusion of an X-ray NDT inspection method as an AMOC. We understand both the type club and members at large have been active in testing this procedure, and that it is highly likely it will be included in the AD as an AMOC. In AD 2007-16-14, the agency has

suggested a recurrent inspection interval of two years. Over the years degradation of strength properties due to corrosion in 4130 tube aircraft structures has been identified and inspection procedures have been put into place to detect any degra­ dation in the structures. However, there is much debate regarding proper recur­ rent inspection intervals for corrosion on 4130 tube structures on aircraft. EAA contends that a two-year recur­ rent inspection interval is excessive for the fol/owing reasons: • No data has been provided to in­ dicate a need for any specific recurrent inspection interval. • The structures in question have corrosion protection in the form of paints and oils. In addition the struc­ tures are often further protected by air­ craft structure. • The primary environment of con­ cern is exposure to water. ASTM has monitored extensive corrosion tests by atmospheric exposure and immersion of panels and hardware of black iron, al­ loys, and metallic coatings. For results see annual reports of Committee A-5 "Corrosion of Iron and Steel," 1918 to date. 1 In ASTM tests of unprotected 16 gauge sheet steel in a marine environ­ ment, the first failure occurred after 26 years of continuous exposure. • EAA is not aware of any reported corrosion induced failures in aircraft 4130 tube structures in aircraft less

than 30 years ofage. The information above indicates that 4130 has considerable corrosion resis­ tance and that in the manner that this material is used in aircraft, there is sig­ nificant corrosion protection provided. Based on this information, EAA be­ lieves a reasonable interval for inspec­ tion would be approximately half the time, in years, at which the first fail­ ures were discovered on like aircraft structures, e.g., tube and fabric aircraft showing corrosion in the same location. For the aircraft identified in this pro­ posed AD 2007-16-14, EAA proposes a recurrent inspection period of 15 years for corrosion. • EAA also suggests that following the initial inspection, anti-corrosion measures be taken, including the fogging of the inside of tube with tube sealing preservative oil (MIL-L-21260) or simi­ lar "creeping" anti-corrosion agents. As expected, given the wide range of models affected (Taylorcraft A, Band F models), many EAA/VAA members contacted their organization regarding the maintenance issues resulting from the AD. Prior to composing the comments, VAA Executive Director H.G. Frautschy and EAA's industry and regulatory af­ fairs staff spent considerable time gath­ ering feedback from the Taylorcraft Owners Club and individual EAA and VAA members. In addition, contact was initiated with the FAA engineer in the office responsible for the AD. EAA's sub­ mitted comments were based on infor­ mation and suggestions from VAA and EAA members, as well as independent research into the facts. "Our members were active in calling and commenting on this AD, as well as providing us with background on the struts, the structure, their experience with inspection issues, and other infor­ mation," Frautschy said. "Forrest Barber and the Taylorcraft Owners Club and Taylorcraft Foundation were also very helpful in educating us on the issues surrounding this AD." Like the similar Piper lift strut AD issued more than 20 years ago, one of the most challenging aspects of this AD is the price and availability of replace­ ment struts for the aircraft. The website

www.Taylorcraft.com. whose parent com­ pany holds the type certificate for the affected models, advertises the availabil­ ity of a new set of struts and hardware. Some member comments expressed confusion regarding the suitability of PMA replacement struts offered by other aviation suppliers. To clarify, per paragraph (3) (B) of the AD, terminat­ ing action for the AD is the installation of new sealed lift struts (PIN MA-A8I5 or FAA-approved equivalent PIN) [empha­ sis ours]. Therefore, PMA'd, sealed lift struts manufactured by vendors other than the OEM (Taylorcraft) are eligible for in­ stallation and will eliminate the repeti­ tive inspection requirement of the AD. We urge members wishing to replace their wing struts to carefully understand the terms and conditions of any sales contract for replacement struts.

New EAA Membership Structure Launches This Month

Several changes are taking place within the EAA member­ ship structure effective November I, 2007. Chief among these changes are a new EAA student membership, elimi­ nation of the EAA junior membership, and changes within the EAA family membership. The new EAA student membership was announced at EAA AirVenture Osh­ kosh 2007 as a way to engage young people and help ensure that aviation's future is a strong one. Previously, student members were included in a family membership, but kids never really received any benefits "just for them." With the new student membership, youths will gain access to their own website and to scholarships to further their aviation education, a demo copy of X-Plane flight Simulator, an EAA Aviation Highlights DVD, and other items-all for just $10 per year.

The website features include: • Exclusive members-only access to more than $300,000 per year in scholarships to aviation universities, internships, the EAA Air Academy, and other opportunities. • Detailed information to help in­ form their aviation career chOices, in­ cluding a personal online career counselor" service. • Exclusive members-only access to aviation videos. • Help with learning to fly, includ­ ing the monthly Reach for the Sky e­ newsletter, and access to a personal "on_ line flight instructor" service. • Opportunity to join the EAA mem­ bers-only group on Facebook. • Full access to the EAA members-only website, including services such as the AeroPlanner flight-planning software. "What we're trying to do is simplify our membership structure while at the same time creating a valuable member­ ship option for youth with an interest in aviation," said Rick Larsen, EAA vice president of marketing communica­ tions. liThe student membership is de­ signed to create opportunities for kids to stay involved in aviation." In addition, student members will also receive most of the same benefits as regular EAA members, including dis­ counts to EAA's Air Academy and Aero­ Scholars programs. II

Family Membership Changes

Also beginning this month, the family membership will be realigned to an "in_ dividual plus spouse" membership. Adult members may add their spouse to their EAA membership for only $10 a year. The addition of children will no longer be in­ cluded in the family membership. Changes to the family membership will begin with memberships expiring in February 2008. Memberships expir­ ing prior to February 2008 will be able to renew the same family membership (adult, spouse, and children-$50) for one year. If you have any questions, please contact EAA Membership Services at 800-564-6322.

Reach for the Skye-Newsletter Millions of people have dreamed of learning to fly but have never taken VINTAGE AIRPLA NE

3

that next step, and the U.S. pilot popu­ lation has fallen by 25 percent over the past 30 years. EAA is addressing both situations with Reach for the Sky, a free monthly e­ newsletter launched in September and aimed at helping people start making their dreams of flight a reality. "This online newsletter focuses on the basics for those who want to get started: What do I need to know? How much time does it take? How much will it cost? Where do I find a good in­ structor?" said EAA President Tom Po­ berezny. "The newsletter will give those interested in learning to fly the confi­ dence to take that first step, whlch can lead them to an achievement and fulfill­ ment matched by few other pursuits." The newsletter evolved from EAA's successful Learn to Fly Center at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2007, where thou­ sands of potential pilots sought and received answers to questions about avi­ ation from EAA and members of the Na­ tional Association of Flight Instructors. The newsletter is a part of EAA's mission to expand the pilot popula­ tion, along with the Young Eagles pro­ gram and the sport pilot/light-sport aircraft initiative. "There is so much momentum and excitement building toward what's ahead in recreational aviation, but that momentum will be lost if we can­ not build the pilot population," Po­ berezny said. "This is an issue that every pilot, regardless of their expe­ rience, should be concerned about. A continued net loss of pilots affects today's aviators in availability of ser­ vices, cost, and public influence. And a sharply lower number of pilots in the future would have far-reaching conse­ quences for those who use commercial air travel for business or pleasure. "Each pilot should make it a per­ sonal responsibility to encourage those with an interest in flight, whether it's through the Young Eagles program, the nearly 1,000 EAA chapters in lo­ cal communities, or by simply guiding them to this newsletter as a resource. No pilot can afford to sit on the side­ lines and say, 'It's not my problem,'" Poberezny continued. Anyone can register to receive Reach 4

NOVEMBER 2007

EAA Welcomes Burt Rutan to Keynote

Wright Brothers Memorial Banquet

Aviation and homebuilding legend Burt Rutan will be the keynote speaker at EAA's fifth annual Wright Brothers Memorial Banquet, to be held De­ cember 14 at the EAA AirVenture Museum's Eagle Hang~r.

The dinner commemo rates the anniver­

sary of man's first successful powered flight by Or­ ville and Wilbur Wright on December 17, 1903, at Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina. Rutan designed the first successful suborbital spacecraft, SpaceShipOne, which won the $10 million Ansari X Prize in 2004 for becoming the first privately funded spacecraft to enter space twice within a two­ week period. Rutan will discuss the exciting future of space flight as the company he founded, Scaled Composites, works to complete SpaceShipTwo in Mojave, California. Rutan is also well-known for his ingenuity in designing light, strong, energy-efficient aircraft, such as the Voyager, which became the first plane to fly around the world with­ out stopping or refueling. For more information, or to make reservations, call 920-426-6880 or visit www. AirVentureMuseum.org. Cocktails and a cash bar will be open at 6:30 p.m. with dinner served at 7 p.m.

for the Sky at www.SpartPiiat.arg/leamta fly/subscribe.asp.

EAA Launches Speakers Bureau Is your chapter looking for a guest speaker for an upcoming chapter meet­ ing ... a speaker fluent in discussing a wide variety of aviation topicS like safety, aircraft construction, aviation innovations, history, aeromedical con­ cerns, or other topics? Then you should check out the new EAA Speakers Bu­ reau, an online directory located on the EAA website. You'll find a wide variety of speakers by name, topic, and state for your up­ coming chapter meeting. There's also a spot where you can register as a speaker, offering your own area of expertise to a fellow EAA chapter. To learn more about how to arrange for a speaker or register as a speaker, visit www.EAA.arg/chapters/speakers.

New York EAA Chapters' 1903 Wright Flyer Dedicated The next time you're in New York City, make time to pay a visit to the Gateway National Recreation Area's historic Floyd Bennett Field in Brook­ lyn, where a 1903 Wright Flyer replica

is on permanent display. The airplane model is the result of nearly a dozen New York state EAA chapters, who worked together on it since before the Centennial of Flight celebrations in 2003. The Flyer was officially handed over to the National Park Service during a special dedication ceremony on Sep­ tember 8. "This was a remarkable un­ dertaking," said EAA board member Alan Ritchie, who was on hand at the dedication ceremony on behalf of EAA. "The chapter members did a very nice job-as good a reproduction as any I've seen. For kids as well as adults, their Flyer will provide a great perspective of the origins of flight." EAA Chapter 594's Michaelene "Mickey" Carpenter was the driving force to complete the project. Michae­ lene, who also spoke at the ceremony, thanked all those who participated in the project, including members from the following EAA chapters: Chapter 3 (Westbury); 46 (Buffalo); 69 (War­ wick); Ultralight 95 (Rochester); 294 (Utica); 353 (Glens Falls); 500 (Mas­ sena); 528 (Suffolk County); 594 (Long Island); 656 (Clare nce); and ....... 1070 (Cooperstown).

A Stinson Family Album

The early days BY

H.G. FRAUTSCHY

T

he family name of Stinson was one of the most recog­ nized words in aviation during the first half of the past century. Adventurous young Katherine Stin­ son, "The Flying Schoolgirl " (she was actually in her early 20s) , was cheered wherever she flew during the years before and during World War I, and her sister Marjorie was a renowned pilot in her own right. Later, in the 1920s and '30s, their brother, Eddie, would associ­ ate the Stinson name with the finest cabin airplanes ever built. His SB-1 Detroiter biplane would be the first production airplane with an entirely enclosed cabin and cockpit, com­ plete with a cabin heater, along with a real pair of novelties-wheel brakes and an electric starter. He sold two of them to heirs to the Dodge fortune, then eight more in 1926. Then he and his new company built something that really put them on the map: a modern high-wing monoplane with a well-appointed cabin, which soon began setting re­ cords for efficiency and capability. ~ Even after a ground loop wrecked ~ the landing gear only 150 miles ~ from the finish line of the 1927 Ford :;: u National Air Tour, Stinson had such ~

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STINSON SM-l "DETROITER" o

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day's worth of repairs didn 't cause 8 him to move down in the stand- ~ ings when he finally arrived back ~ $5.95 I M£fUTAGf PRESS lox 167, GlencYle, c.ntomla 912CW in Dearborn, Michigan. His SM-1 ,

powered by a 225-hp Wright J-5 , tique Aero. VA contributing editor

scored a total of 9,853.7 points , Budd Davisson wrote our article de­

which beat his nearest competitor, tailing the circuitous path the first

Randolph Page flying the Hamilton " modern" Stinson cabin airplane

took on its way to Oshkosh.

Metalplane , by 1,990.2 points. In the next article, Sparky During this year's EM AirVenture Oshkosh , we were privileged to Barnes Sargent tells us the tale of one of the most recognizable an­ have one of the few remaining Stin­ son SM-1 Detroiters on hand , flown tique airplanes flying today-Bob to the event for owner John Seibold Hedgecock's beautiful black and by restorer Chuck Wentworth of An- yellow Stinson SM-2. Bob's been

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t" flying another version of the cabin monoplane, the SM-2AA, since 1973, and he had kept an ear to the ground listening for rumblings concerning the whereabouts of SM-2 NC6871. His patience paid off, as detailed in Sparky's article. So sit back , pour yourself a nice cup of something warm, and read all about two of Eddie Stinson ' s outstanding monoplanes ... VINTAGE AIRPLANE

5

John Seibold's Stinson SM-l by Budd Davisson

A beautiful Wisconsin morning and a bit of morning ground fog combine to highlight the sleek lines of the 1927 Scenic Airlines Stinson SM-l.

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A/HlON IIJIlIII

8

NOVEMBER 2007

charter routes not only up to the Canyon, which opened it up to many who didn't want to make the arduous automobile trip on what were then mostly dirt/gravel roads, but to many other smaller cities in the Southwest and Mexico. The air­ tour tradition and the aviation com­ munity in the immediate area grew and is unabated today (despite years of fierce opposition from many en­ vironmentalist groups and federal agencies that have tried to ban over­ flights of the Grand Canyon).

The instrument panel of the SM-l seems to hang in the space below the windshield and is populated by a period set of minimal instrumentation. The small Terra radio is the only concession to modem airspace needs.

The Stinson SM-1 was a good choice for his first airplane, both from a practicality point of view and in terms of public relations because of the airplane's high public profile. The late 1920s was a period of record­ setting flights, and the Stinson SM-1 series was right in the middle of it. In fact, it has been said that practically all of the early Stinson monoplanes were involved in some kind of record

seeking by their pilots. The company Van Zandt founded, Scenic Airways, grew and then flo un­ dered after the stock market split-S'd into the toilet, but was bought and reopened within a year as Grand Can­ yon Airlines, which is still operating to this very day. In 1972, John Sei­ bold, who had founded a modern air­ tour company, Scenic Airlines in Las Vegas (1967), bought part ownership of Grand Canyon Airlines, which placed him even closer to the roots of Grand Canyon air tours and further piqued his interest in the airplanes that had founded the tradition. By this time both the air-tour busi­ ness and the general aviation traffic out of the new Grand Canyon Airport were growing by leaps and bounds, so Seibold started looking for an alterna­ tive to the congestion. "At one point," he says, "we were number 50 to the airport with air­ planes circling all over the place. We were experiencing 20- to 30-minute delays that were costing us one or two tour flights a day." Seibold looked around for alterna­ tives as a reliever airport and settled on the abandoned airport at Valle, 20 minutes south of the Grand Canyon and right on one of the major high­ ways coming into the Canyon area from the south. "Valle was a dirt runway and, as I understand it, was built by TWA dur­ ing the war," Seibold says. "They may have done some training there, but there were no buildings. Only the log terminal building. I decided to buy the airport and rebuild it to be the re­ liever airport for Scenic Airlines. The shuttle ride down from Grand Can­ yon Airport wasn't any longer than the delays we were experiencing, so it made sense at the time. I say that because I was about halfway through rebuilding Valle when I sold Scenic to SkyWest Airlines and then 12 years later sold my half of Grand Canyon Airlines to my partner. So, I owned an airport, but no airlines. Then, in my infinite wisdom, I went ahead and finished rebuilding Valle, includ­ ing paving the runway and building some big, display-sized hangars."

Left: John Dillon, president of Grand Canyon Airlines. Middle: John Seibold, owner. Right: Chuck Wentworth, owner of Antique Aero.

"Display-sized hangars" is a key phrase in his rationale for continu­ ing to progress from what had been a dirt strip to a viable general avia­ tion airport. First, however, it has to be understood that airplanes are, to put it simply, what Seibold lives for, and when he found himself sharing the helm of such a proud air-tour tra­ dition, he couldn't help but begin putting together a collection of those aircraft that had built that tradition. This included a Standard J-l, sev­ eral Ford Tri-Motors (5ATs), a Stinson SR-9, Curtiss Robin, and Travel Air 6000A, just to name a few. So, hav­ ing his own airport in a tourist area, albeit a tourist area that's about as far away from a population center as you can get, again made sense. He could put all of his air-tour-related airplanes together under one roof and do his part in making the public realize that aviation has been opening up the area to tourists almost from the be­ ginning. Plus, if he wanted, he could roll them out and fly them. To build further on the history theme, Seibold made a personal invi­ tation to the Planes of Fame Museum of Chino, California. He would do­ nate 10 acres of land on the airport and assist in building a museum dis­ play hangar, and it would relocate a portion of its massive collection to Valle, including some significant air­ planes. For instance, while driving through the desert miles from any­

where, you don't expect to see an ex­ tremely rare Messerschmitt Me-l09G nicely displayed or a Lockheed Con­ stellation formerly used by President Dwight Eisenhower and Gen Douglas MacArthur. Valle is, however, logi­ cally located on the only north-south roads (the junction of U.S. Highway 180 and State Route 64) that take you to the South Rim of the Grand Can­ yon. So, it may be a small highway, but it has significant tourist traffic. Still, even though Seibold had been collecting and restoring Grand Canyon airplanes for years, there was still one airplane missing: the Stinson Detroiter SM-l. The bird that started it all.

The Sm-l The original airplane was a straight SM-l, not an SM-IB, with its much wider, more stable landing gear. The SM-l had a narrow tripod gear that was changed to the wider outrigger gear af­ ter only approximately 15 had been built. Given the airplane's less than wonderful ground handling in winds due to the gear, and the rough and tumble tasks they were are expected to do, the survival rate of straight SM-ls is extremely low. Still, one surfaced, a genuine barn find, in 1981. Seibold says, "We actually had lo­ cated a complete and quite nice SM-l by searching the records, but our good friend Greg Herrick moved faster than we did. At the same time, however, we found one that was still registered to a VINTAGE AIRPLANE

9

Scenic Airways' first commercial air tour on October 3, 1927. Passengers were four tour drivers for the Fred Harvey Company.

J. Parker Van landt, founder of Scenic Airways (third from left) and well known frontiersman of the Four Corners region, John Wetherill (in the cowboy hat) at Monument Valley, October 1927.

First cargo flight of Scenic Airways, taking auto parts from the South Rim to the North Rim of Grand Canyon, typically a full day's drive, but just a short 10-minute flight. 10 NOVEMBER 2 007

gentleman in Pennsylvania who had been deceased for some time. We fi­ nally got in contact with his son, who said they still had what was left of the airplane and yes, he'd sell it. Since you don't run across SM-ls very often, you really can 't be choosey; besides, he wasn 't asking very much money for it, so I bought it sight unseen. I didn't actually know what I had bought until they unloaded it at Valle." Saying Seibold bought a Stinson SM-l may be stretching a pOint, be­ cause although it looked like the re­ mains of an SM-l (rotting, damaged wings and rusting fuselage, landing gear, tail) , it was an SM-l in name only : nature and a hard life had pretty much squeezed the aeronauti­ cal juices out of this airframe it would not be an easy restoration. Still, when it comes to airplanes that are that rare and important, you take what you can get and forge ahead. "Originally, we were going to try to do the airplane in our own shops," Seibold says, "but we quickly saw it was going to be more than we bar­ gained for. We happily gave the job to Chuck Wentworth and his com­ pany, Antique Aero Inc. in Paso Rob­ les, California. He ' d done a lot of restorations, although "restoration" doesn't adequately describe the pro­ cess they went through ./J Wentworth says, "Although a lot of the airplane was missing or would be good for patterns only, we did have

some great resources available to us . For one thing, John came up with an original set of factory drawings for the airplane. Also, both Greg Herrick and the Ford Museum, which has a diesel-powered SM-l, w re more than willing to let us poke around their airplanes with a camera to see how everything was supposed to look. Even thought we had the drawings, if we hadn't had some actual airplanes to look at, our job would have been much more difficult, and we can't thank those folks enough." The lives of pioneer transport air­ planes similar to the Stinson, whether it was the big Fairchild 71, Giuseppe Bellanca's famous high-wing haul­ ers, or the wide series of Travel Air transports, were almost always hard and short. The decade following their births, the 1930s, was one of amazing technological growth in the trans­ port industry, and pioneer birds like the SM-l Stinson were rapidly left be­ hind. Only a few years after they were built, they were wildly obsolete and had to forage for work where they could get it. Often that took them north or into the American wilds, and that automatically meant their lives were going to have an ugly end­ ing. When Wentworth got into Sei­ bold's SM-l, he knew he was looking at an airplane that had been ridden hard and put away wet many times, and then was left to die. Wentworth says, "The logs show that the airplane was re-covered sev­ eral times in the first five years, so it was being worked really hard . But, we didn't have to look too closely at the fuselage structure to know that. There were a number of repairs ev­ ident, and when we started getting ready to build a new fuselage because of all the rust, we found it wasn't even remotely straight, so we couldn't jig from it." The beauty of steel-tube fuselages is that they are easy to repair or build. The bad news, however, is that, left unattended, they rust, and they rust badly. The SM-1, unlike many of its peers, used 4130 chromoly steel rather than the more common 1025 mild steel, so it was even more prone

to moisture turning it into useless ox­ ide. So, with the plans in hand, they built a fuselage jig that was much straighter than the fuselage they were replicating. Wentworth continued. "This is one of many places where the plans made it possible, not just easier. In other areas, like the tail, we found the

"We show about

95 mph cruise

.. . in 1927,

that was really fast.

That would get

people from

Phoenix up to

the Grand Canyon

in what seemed

like no time

at all, considering

eueryone else was

driuing model T

fords on steep

dirt roads."

plans didn't agree with what we had on the airplane, probably because the plans were slightly later than the ma­ chine we were working on. So, when we found a discrepancy like that, we went with the plans." The tail was another area where rust had taken its toll. Like many air­ planes of its day, the tail ribs were steel trusses composed of short pieces of small diameter 4130 welded to­ gether into trusses, and nothing rusts faster than welded chromoly. So, as

with so much of the airplane, even though it had a tail , it was primar­ ily used as a pattern, although some original pieces were saved. The goal of the restoration was to complete the airplane in the ex­ act configuration the original Scenic SM-1 had, when it served with Scenic Airways circa 1927, while at the same time make it thoroughly safe to op­ erate in today's environment. In ad­ dition to the plans, they also had a reasonable number of photos of the airplane in service, so they knew what was needed to make it look original, but to make the airplane safe, they were going to have to make a few mi­ nor deviations. Chuck Wentworthexplains, "For one thing, the airplane originally had a tail skid, and that was just not going to work on paved runways. Plus, al­ though the airplane originally had toe brakes, they weren't very good, so we adapted a set of Redline brakes to the drums and the Fisher 32 x 6 wheels. " The engine was another area where originality was traded for reliability and safety. "The airplane was originally equipped with a Wright ]-5, but some­ where along the line it was changed for a Lycoming R-680-13 with 300 hp. This is an engine we felt we could trust, plus with the 2020 constant­ speed prop, we'd get much better performance. This turned out to be a fortunate deCiSion, because perfor­ mance isn't that great with this en­ gine, so it must have been really marginal with the ]-5 ." The wings, as would be expected, were essentially airfoil-shaped trash. The elements had reduced the wood to fungus-ridden splinters, and the fittings to oxide patterns. "The wings," Wentworth says, "were a colossal project. First, they are really big, but they also have tons of parts. The ribs, which are 3/8-inch trusses, are spaced only 10 inches apart. I've never counted them, but there are lots and lots of them . The good news, however, is that they are all the same. "One thing that 's unique about the wings is that even though they VINTAGE AIRPLANE

11

The expansive windows of the SM-l are punctuated by a sin­ gle porthole window just below the windshield, on each side of the fuselage.

are strut braced, they have double drag-anti-drag wires, one set on the top of the spar and one set on the bottom. This gives some torsional ri­ gidity to the wings, but complicates the fittings, all of which had to be made from scratch using the origi­ nals as patterns." The interior is what makes a trans­ port a transport, and in the case of the SM-l, that meant six seats and a door on each side of the fuselage. 12 NOVEMBER 2007

"Two seats came with the carcass, one of which had a fair amount of the original wicker on it, so we at least had an idea what it was sup­ posed to look like. We made the seat frames from scratch and had them done in a wicker pattern that matches the original. "We also had one door, or most of one, anyway, so at least we knew what the structure looked like. It was plywood-skinned wood and fairly

easy to duplicate. "The instrument panel," says Wentworth, "was like most airplanes from that time: butchered beyond recognition or repair. It had gone through so many owners and so many uses that every possible kind of instrument or radio that came along had its own hole cut in it. The last owner even mounted a light switch from a house in the panel. So, us­ ing photos and what we saw on Herrick's airplane, we built an entirely new one. We tried to find all original gauges, but couldn't find them all without holding up the proj­ ect, so what we have right now is a mixture of 1927 instruments and later units. We'll replace the late ones when we come across originals that are rebuildabIe." It must be just a little dishearten­ ing to finish the incredible amount of fabrication and duplication to get an airplane like this up to the stage

-;;--::;:.,' . ~ ~t~:~,..c-k..:~' , .~':7:~;;'·':· ',. ", ."" ',~ ....

- ..

•

BONNIE KRATZ ~~

.l

~

The SM-1B's restoration by Chuck Wentworth was presented with the An­ tique Golden Age (1918-1927) Cham­ pion Bronze Lindy at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2007.

that it is ready for cover and then re­ alize how much work still lies ahead, This is definitely not like re-covering a Champ, Wentworth continues, "In the first place, we used just over a hun­ dred yards of Poly-Fiber, and I never thought we'd be done rib stitching. I'm not sure which was worse, build­ ing all those ribs or having to rib stitch them, "We used the Stits/Poly-Fiber sys­ tem all the way up and finished it off with Nevada Silver. The entire finish­ ing process took about two and a half months, which, considering the size of the airplane, isn't really that bad. "The entire project took just a lit­ tle over four years. I usually put one guy, full time, onan airplane, so it took right at 8,000 hours to finish this one. "On the first flight I was glad for the 300 hp, because it was obvious it needed it. The airplane gets off the ground fairly quickly, but then doesn't want to climb, especially

at the altitudes we're at in Arizona, around 5,000 feet MSL, and it's usu­ ally hot. At Oshkosh, we were get­ ting as much as 700 feet per minute with only two people on board, but we don't get anywhere near that back in Valle. It has an absolute ceil­ ing of 9,000 feet. It won't go any higher no matter what, so there are lots of hot days when we simply can't fly it, because it won't climb away from the runway. "We show about 95 mph cruise, which a GPS says is about right, but in 1927, that was really fast. That would get people from Phoenix up to the Grand Canyon in what seemed like no time at all, considering every­ one else was driving Model T Fords on steep dirt roads. I don 't imagine Model T's like the high altitude any better than our Stinson does, but the Stinson is going a lot faster. "We come down final at about 75 mph with 65 mph over the fence. When you hit ground effect, there's just a little float; then you grab the

wheel with both hands and pull as hard as you can to get the tail down. There's not a lot of finesse involved, and you do your best not to have to land in a crosswind, That's where the narrow gear is a problem and undoubtedly why they changed it to the wider outrigger gear. It's a re­ ally interesting airplane to fly, but I don't think it's one you say you fly for pure fun." So, now Seibold has found his Stinson. Is there anything else he's missing and looking for? Funny you should ask. "Yeah," he says, "I'd like to find a de Havilland DH-104 Dove in original, unmodified configura­ tion. It doesn't have to be a flier, and I don't care about corrosion, because we're only going to display it." There you have it. You can help John fill out his dance card by telling him about the Dove your neighbor has in his backyard, where he is using it as a guest house. Help out a fellow airplane nut and beautify your neigh­ borhood at the same time. ....

"Bullets bounce rIght off the Poly-FIber... see?" e here at Poly-Fiber are mighty proud to help heroes like Captain Eddie defeat the dreaded Hun in the skies over France by covering his ship with the toughest. easiest-to­ repair fabric known to man, It's easy to apply. too. even Over There. and it'll see our boys through the most arduous dog­ fighting they'll face. Poly-Fiber will never let them down. so don't you, either! Help put Liberty Bond sales "over the top" for all our gallant doughboys!

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info@polyfiber.com VINTAGE AIRPLANE

13

Those Lo~aDle

Old tinso

a Cub at age 16 and went on to make his career in aviation. As a teenager, he joined the U.S. Air Force and served as a ground-controlled approach control­ ler during the Berlin Airlift. After dis­ charge, he worked during the swelter­ ing summer of 1952 as an operations agent with Continental Airlines in Texas, until an entry-level position as a flight assistance service operator and weather bureau observer with the Civil Aeronautics Administration became available at a remote Airways Station in Colorado's freezing climate. In 1956, he began the flying career for which he had hoped-starting as a copilot in DC-3s for Delta Air Lines. Thirty-five years and 30,000 hours later, he retired in 1991 as a Lockheed 1011 captain and lead Lockheed 1011 international

NC6871

has traversed the country for nearly 80 years, passing from caretaker to care­ taker, but perhaps hasn't landed in the hands of any who have more lovingly cared for it and restored it to award­ winning status at separate times than two fellow aviators of Georgia. Both are retired Delta captains who share a long-standing friendship and a dis­ tinct affinity for antique airplanes. Bob Jenkins, known today in the antique world for his faithful 1938 Cessna Air­ master, was the first of these two men to own and restore the 1928 Stinson SM-2 Detroiter Junior. The second is Bob Hedgecock, cur­ rent caretaker of NC6871. He soloed 14 NOVEMBER 2007

operations check pilot. Thanks to these two individuals in particular, NC6871 still enjoys not only its airworthy status, but also that of being the last remaining SM-2 of 45 that were manufactured by the Stinson Aircraft Company.

Looking Back A glimpse back in time at the Stin­ son aircraft line reveals that the SM-2's "granddaddy," the SM-1, first took to the sky in January 1926. Breaking away from Stinson's cabin biplane produc­ tion, the Stinson SM-1 Detroiter was a six-place, high-wing cabin monoplane powered by a 220-hp Wright Whirl­ wind J5. It received aircraft type certifi­ cate (ATC) 16 in November 1927, and Eddie Stinson highlighted the SM-1's

Bob Hedgecock of Barnesville, Georgia, with his award-winning 1928 Stinson SM-2.

"The Iront window tan be raised or lowered by means 01 abell trank, thus allowing the

pilot (!ood vision in

Ireezing weather."

performance capabilities with panache by flying it to a first-place finish in the 4,121-mile 1927 Ford Air Tour. The success of this new model helped pro­ pel the Stinson Aircraft Corporation into the foreseeable future. The following year, a scaled-down version of the SM-l was produced; it was designated the SM-2 Detroiter Ju­ nior (ATC 48) because it was a four-place aircraft and thus had a smaller configu­ ration. Notably, it was the first airplane to be certificated with the small 1l0-hp Warner Scarab. Even with the decrease in horsepower, the SM-2Junior was not to be outdone by its granddaddy SM-l; Randolph G. Page flew it to a respect­ able third-place finish in the 6,304-mile 1928 Ford Air Tour. A detailed review of the aircraft was published in the May 28, 1928, issue

-

from the May 28, 1928, issue of Aviation

of Aviation, entitled, liThe Stinson 'Ju­ nior. "' The author highlighted several interesting aspects of the SM-2: "A new feature in the Stinson Junior, not found in other Stinson designs, is the wheel tail skid mounted on an oleo shock ab­ sorber leg. The first plane of this type was completed in three weeks, while the design work was completed in three weeks previous to that. William C. Nay­ lor, chief engineer of the Stinson Aircraft Corp., is the designer of the plane ... The front window can be raised or lowered by means of a bell crank, thus allowing the pilot good vision in freezing weather ... A skylight of Pyralin, in the center section of the wing, gives proper vision above and to the rear."

Business was good for Stinson, and the SM-2 was further refined into the SM-2A series aircraft, of which 85 were manufactured . Being slightly larger, its handling and performance was en­ hanced by a balanced rudder and the optional, more powerful Wright Whirl­ wind J6-5, J6-7, and J5 engines-allow­ ing it to carry four people with ease. Despite the throes of the Great Depres­ sion, Stinson continued the evolution and production of its SM series, which eventually included a tri-motor version, and flourished throughout the ensuing decades with the SR (Reliant) series on into the smaller Voyager aircraft.

NC6871 ReminisCin g about the history of NC6871, Hedgecock shares that avia­ tion historian Joseph Juptner featured this particular SM-2 by including a pic­ ture of it in U.S. Civil Aircraft (Volume I, page 129). lilt shows a big Civil Air Patrol (CAP) emblem on its fuselage," says Hedgecock, explaining that "during World War II the airplane was used by the Civil Air Patrol to patrol the New York and New Jersey coasts in search of German U-boats. According to Hedgecock, NC6871's last registered owner prior to its dis­ covery in Chattanooga, Tennessee, was a company called Air Movie Cruises of Grand Rapids, Michigan. During the late 1950s, Hedgecock re­ calls that when his friend Jenkins first saw the plane, it was a basket case and stored in a hangar in Chattanooga. II

VINTAGE AIRPLANE

15

"Then they moved it out of the airport and into some kind of storage facility up northwest of Chattanooga in the mountains. We didn't know who owned it then and Jenkins was trying to buy it, but the late Evander Britt, a well­ known antiquer, ended up locating the airplane and hauling it back to his place in Lumberton, North Car­ olina. Then Jenkins ended up buying the project from him in 1965 . A year later, he had it completely re­ stored and flying, recalls Bob Jenkins restored the SM-2 during the 19605 and Hedgecock. "He covered it into the '70s. with Grade A cotton and butyrate dope, and painted it in the of the SM-2 since 1973. For years, original black color scheme, with yel­ he flew the big red 1929 Stinson low [as opposed to the original or­ across the country, winning awards ange] for the trim. He flew it to the along the way during fly-ins held Antique Airplane Association (AAA) at Oshkosh, Wisconsin; Blakesburg, Fly-In at Ottumwa, Iowa, right after Iowa; Lakeland, Florida; Bartlesville, he got it restored, and started win­ Oklahoma; Burlington, North Caro­ ning awards with it. He kept it until lina; Camden and Darlington, South 1977, when he sold it to somebody Carolina; as well as at Gainesville out in California; he flew it as far as and Thomasville in his home state. Tucson, and the new owner met him Whenever NC8471 came out of the there and flew it on into California." hangar, it was a safe bet that Hedge­ It wasn't long after NC6871 departed cock and his Stinson were headed the southeastern United States and flew to yet another fly-in, with a suitcase west to California that it seemed to in the baggage bin, a cooler of food drop right off the aeronauti­ cal chart. "No one knew what hap­ pened to it after it went to California, except there were rumors that it was sit­ ting tied down outside at the Orange County Airport. Then it completely disap­ peared, and nobody heard of it for years after that," ex­ plains Hedgecock.

and beverage on the back floorboard, and a big tool bag under the seat. But during all those years of traveling to such a variety of locations and talking with antiquers, he never heard any reliable infor­ mation regarding Jenkins' old SM-2. Then suddenly one day, NC6871, the big black and yellow 1928 Stinson, be­ came visible on the west­ ern horizon .

What Was Once Lost..• owned it

"In 1988, I was looking in Trade-A-Plane under an­ tique airplanes, and I saw a 1928 Stinson SM-2 for sale or trade for a 1950s classic automobile. I knew there was only one and that was the one Jenkins restored. So I called the guy up-he was located near Denver-and asked him what the N number was, and what condition it was in," smiles Hedgecock. "He said it was disassem­ bled and stored in his warehouse. So I made a deal with him over the phone and bought it sight unseen. Apparently what had happened to the airplane was that they flew it for only one year after it went to California. Then this fellow bought it and flew it to Colorado. He immediately decided that the engine needed to be overhauled, and then he disassembled the airframe and started re-covering the fuselage-he had already re­ built one wing. After about 10 years, he just sort of gave up on the project and ad­ vertised i t." Hedgecock was soon on his way to Denver, where he rented a truck, loaded up the airframe parts and The Other Stinson pieces, along with the dis­ Having owned the assembled engine, and award-winning and only began the long drive back known remaining air­ to Georgia . He started the worthy 1929 Stinson restoration process slowly, Detroiter Junior SM-2­ and began pursuing it more AA-NC8471, Hedgecock had been concerned about Outrigger gear and balsa-fa ired wing struts frame the 1928 vigorously after he retired from Delta. the whereabouts and fate SM-2's nose. II

16

NOVEMBER 2007

in Ottumwa, Iowa.

Bob Jenkins refuels NC6871 at Ottumwa, Iowa, during the 1966 AAA Fly-In, as his sidekick "Winglow" relaxes on the ramp after their 10-hour flight from Georgia.

immediately I took all that hardware out and put the original type hard­ ware in, because even if nobody else would no­ tice, I would know the difference." The fuselage tubing was in good condition, and ac­ Somewhere on the moon during the 1930s! cording to Hedge­ cock, still had the same primer that Jenkins put on it back in the 1960s. "So I just cleaned it up and gave it another coat of primer. The door and the area just forward of the door were originally fabric, and when I restored it, I made it all sheet metal. I You can clearty see the name on the pilot's side is "R.G. found something Page"; Page flew Stinson SM·2 NC5889 to a third-place interesting when I finish in the lengthy 1928 Ford Air Tour. Note the eyelets took the fabric off and lacing around the wing's fuel tank, which handily fa· the door structurecilitate fuel tank removal when necessary. written inside the door was 'This airplane will never fly,' Airframe One of the first things he did was and it was signed 'E. Stinson.' Some­ to take the wings to "a fellow in body did that somewhere along the Florida who did all the woodwork on line," shares Hedgecock with a laugh, them, and then I hauled them back "so I just left it in there." and finished up by installing the alu­ When it came time to install fabric minum leading and trailing edges on the airplane, Hedgecock took the on them. His woodwork was excel­ airplane to Ted Davis in Brodhead, lent, but he'd used the modern elastic Wisconsin, who used Ceconite cover­ locknuts, and I wanted the original ing and Randolph butyrate dope, top­ castellated nuts and cotter pins. So ping it off with plenty of hand sand­

ing and rubbing to bring out a deep luster and gleam to the finish. Greatly pleased with Davis' work, Hedgecock hauled the Stinson back to Georgia in February 2003. The handsome gold Stinson Detroi­ ter Junior logos on the vertical fin add a touch of the elegance of antiquity to the SM-2. They are actually mirror­ image decals that were made from a photograph of the original logo by a sign shop. And speaking of the tail, you'll notice two distinctive features when you glance at the rudder. One, it doesn't ex­ tend forward over the top of the verti­ cal fin. Two, it has a large cutout at the bottom to accommodate the tailwheel, which is mounted behind the tail post, as opposed to underneath the fuselage. Along with position lights on the wingtips and tail, Hedgecock installed a large landing light on the bottom of the left wing, just aft of the lead­ ing edge. It was manufactured as an add-on accessory by Pyle Landing Light Company of Chicago during the 1920s, and Hedgecock says it works well: "I've been up after dusk, and it's a good, strong landing light. It has a big bulb and reflector, and a focusing coil out front that is ground adjustable by twisting it around, to make the beam go up or down depending upon your landing attitude." The tail wheel and main gear have spring-oleo shock struts, which effec­ tively smooth out landings and ground maneuvers on rough ground. The cir­ cular "band" style brakes are operated mechanically, and the 30xS wheels have wire spokes, complete with (optional) wheel covers for operations in tall grass (to prevent the grass from quickly wrapVINTAGE AIRPLANE

17

ping up in the spokes and thereby flip­ ping the aircraft over).

Interior The panel shape and size, as well as most of the instruments, were not orig­ inal when Hedgecock bought the proj­ ect. That posed a puzzle for a while, un­ til he obtained a factory drawing of the 1928 instrument panel from a fellow in Anchorage, Alaska. Jenkins quietly bor­ rowed the drawing, and it wasn't long before he presented Hedgecock with a new panel. Soon after that, Hedgecock set out to acquire the appropriate in­ struments-in addition to the original height meter, tachometer, airspeed in­ dicator, and amp meter that came with the plane-along with panel lights and a Scintilla magneto switch. Paul Workman of Zanesville, OhiO, is credited with the work on the new interior, and the attention to detail is easily visible with even a quick glimpse inside NC6871's cabin. The pilot's seat frame deserved special treatment for the sake of comfort on long cross­ countries, so Hedgecock opted for a padded gray leather seat, which nicely

coordinated with the soft gray fabric side panels and headliner. Fortunately, the SM-2's three original wicker seats required only minor repairs and a fresh coat of black paint.

In the Sky

After finishing the final assembly, including installation of the 12S-hp Warner, which he'd bought from Jen­ kins, he had NC6871 flying by spring of 2004. But after flying it briefly around the local area, he discovered a problem that had to be addressed. "I had bought a Curtiss-Reed prop from Jenkins-he'd had it for his Airmaster-and quickly discovered that I had to have it changed to a finer pitch to match the slower speed of the Stinson," explains Hedge­ cock. After that, I felt comfortable fly­ ing it farther than 30 miles from home, so I flew it to the Blakesburg and Brod­ >­ head fly-ins for its first trips in the fall of ~ 2004. It won the Sweepstakes Award at ~ Blakesburg, and Best Silver Age Antique ~ at Burlington, North Carolina. I've ~ brought it to Sun 'n Fun since 2005, Il. With the woodwork completed, the and the first year it was awarded An­ wings were ready for leading- and tique Reserve Grand Champion." trailing-edge installation. II

When Hedgecock removed the fabric, he discovered that birds and mice had moved inside the Stinson's wings. 18

NOVEMBER 2007

When it comes to flying the 1928 SM-2, Hedgecock describes its flight controls as being livery, very stiff­ it's a lot stiffer than [the big red 1929 SM-2AA). That's because you've got pushrods that go out and turn the bell crank, with all kinds of linkages and changes in direction from the stick

The fuselage was pretty much intact when Hedgecock bought it.

A new instrument panel, per the original drawing, was made during the restoration.

There's plenty of room below the aft wicker seats to stow baggage.

The elegant gold logo was reproduced from a photograph of the original.

itself before you get out there to the aileron. All those linkages have a little bit of play, so it accumulates all the way out there and you might have a whole inch of play in the stick before anything ever happens." The elevator and in-flight adjust­ able stabilizer are also operated by push-pull tubes. "Aerodynamically, it's a real doc­ ile airplane to fly. The rudder is cable­ operated but it's an unbalanced rud­ der-so you push right rudder and take your foot off, thinking it will come back-but it doesn't. So then you've got to push left rudder to get it back to neu­ tral, and you've got to give it a whole lot of rudder to coordinate the turns and counteract the adverse yaw. And they're hard rudders-not soft at all; you'll think the controls are locked. In the 1929 Stin­ son, the rudder is balanced so it's a little bit more responsive, and yaw-wise, it's got pretty good control." Hedgecock cruises at 85 mph, and with a total of 40 gallons of gas in two wing tanks, it burns 8 gph, giving him a five-hour range. NC6871 can comfort­ ably accommodate three passengers, and "does a good job getting off the ground because of its high-lift wing-

but it climbs real slow. Really, I can't tell a difference whether I'm in there by myself or whether I've got three more people in there with me."

On the Ground As with many 1920s airplanes, the brakes are just not efficient enough to be of much use during taxi operations in strong crosswind conditions. Hedgecock has figured out that "the only way you can taxi in a crosswind is to rev the en­ gine up real high, and use the opposite rudder to help pull the tail back in line­ but then you're taxiing too fast, so it's a bad deal. And of course, the tailwheel is not steerable-it's swiveling around back there and just following what happens up front. You don't have any control over it," he says with hearty mirth. Those who have carefully watched the regal 1928 SM-2 in flight have no doubt noticed a short section of black rope streaming out behind the tail­ wheel, and perhaps they've wondered why it's there. It's an old tradition that started in the 1960s when Jenkins owned the airplane, and Hedgecock enjoys keeping that tradition alive. Besides, it does a bit more than give people something to talk about-it ac­ tually serves a functional purpose as a sort of portable tow bar. So if you have some strong-armed people pushing the airplane backward into a tie-down spot, somebody else can simply grab the rope and steer it into place.

Savoring Two Stinsons NC8471 shares a hangar with its younger brother, NC6871, on Hedge­ cock's private Antique Acres airfield, and nowadays he tries to give each one an equal amount of airtime. Throughout the decades, he's logged 800 hours in NC8471, and since 2004, 100 hours in NC6871. Hedgecock's devotion to the care of his 1928 and 1929 Stinsons ably reflects his passion for the simplicity of aviating in the early days. So remem­ ber, whenever you see these two strik­ ing monoplanes from yesteryear at fly­ ins, you can be assured that somewhere close by, you'll find their loving caretaker with his friendly smile and easygoing, gentle manners. Oh, and did we mention NC8471's trademark bottle of Tabasco sauce strapped to the aft seat in its time­ worn leather pouch, or NC6871's pet spi­ der that can be coaxed down from its pitot tube perch? Next time you see Hedgecock on the flightline, just ask. ~ VINTAGE AIRPLANE

19

1914 Curtiss America is re-created by the Glenn Curtiss Museum BY JIM POHL AND TRAFFORD DOHERTY, CURTISS MUSEUM PHOTOS CURTISS MUSEUM/ED VOUGHT

he Annual Curtiss Seaplane Homecoming was held in Hammondsport, New York, on Keuka Lake, Sept 14-16, 2007. The highlight of this three-day event was planned to be a feature flight of a reproduction of the Cur­ tiss 1914 flying boat America. In 1914, the America was the world's first mul­ tiengine flying boat. Powered by Cur­ tiss water-cooled, overhead-valve V-8 engines, it was designed to be capable of trans-Atlantic flight. For the past three years, the Cur­ tiss Restoration Shop, located right 20 NOVEMBER 2007

on the museum's premises, has been building a flying reproduction of the America. Two OXX-6 100-hp Curtiss V-8 engines were sent out for profes­ sional reconditioning to power this flying boat. Additionally, the engines were modified so that one would ro­ tate counter-clockwise, providing for counter-rotating props. The 72-foot wingspan reproduc­ tion of America was completed by the museum's Restoration Shop crew in early September 2007. Escorted by county sheriff's personnel, the plane was transported by trailer to the boat launch at Hammondsport's

Depot Park. There the America was reassembled, launched, and towed several hundred feet down the shore­ line to a special site where it would receive final preparation for flight. The museum greatly appreciated the generous help received from Mer­ cury Aircraft for personnel, the use of trucks, and the construction of this setup area. The first taxi tests , done on Sep­ tember 8, pointed out the need for additional adjustments. Balance is­ sues were addressed by redistributing weight here and there, and additional taxi tests were then done with slightly

In the Curtiss Museum shop, the finishing touches are made to the en­ gine installation on the America.

better results. One major complica­ tion the Am erica project faced was that the two special lOO-hp OXX-6 engines sent out for major overhaul had not been finished. The crew was then obliged to pull two stan­ dard 90-hp OX-S engines from the museum collection and ready them for use on the America. While suit­ able for early water trials, a combi­ nation of mechanical problems with the engines meant there wasn't quite enough power for a successful flight from the surface of Lake Keuka . Needless to say, the proud staff Careful attention was paid to natural and manmade obstacles as the big biplane was towed. The wings were brought to the lake on separate trailers.

The fuselage with the wing center section in place is towed through Hammondsport on the way to Depot Park.

Thanks to the folks at Mercury Aircraft and their loan of personnel, trucks, and construction of the set-up area on the shoreline, the mating of the wings to the fuselage went off smoothly.

Re-enacting the christening of the America are pilot Jim Poel, copilot Lee Sackett, Orin Baisch (as Glenn Curtiss), and Lovada Poel (as Katherine Masson).

22

NOVEMBER 2007

Because the special 100-hp OXX-6 engines were not overhauled in time for the christening ceremony, a pair of OX-S engines were installed. While adequate for taxing water trials, a series of mechanical prob足 lems, along with the lower horsepower of the en足 gines, prevented a test flight.

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Launching day! and volunteers of the Curtiss Mu­ seum and Curtiss Restoration Shop, many of whom had clocked hun­ dreds of hours building the America, were disappointed when the flying boat was simply not ready to fly. Despite this setback, the museum put on a very entertaining Annual Seaplane Homecoming event with a variety of special activities, which kept the air of excitement for visi­ tors and guests. Strikingly beautiful with its crimson paint and impres­ sive size, it was thrilling to see the America on the water. Activities in­ cluded the starting of America's en­ gines, taxing along the waterfront to provide photo opportunities, the christening ceremony, an impressive seaplane fly-over, seaplane rides, and the "Dining with Glenn" dinner. Echoing Glenn Curtiss' spirit of in­ vention, experimentation, and inno­ vation, the Restoration Shop crew will focus on improvements to the America during the next year, with hope that it will fly in September 2008. If you'd like to visit the Curtiss Museum, it is located at 8419 State Route 54, Hammondsport, New York. Call 607-569-2160 for more informa­ tion, or visit its website at: www.Glen­ nHCurtissMuseum.org. ......

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1940 Howard DGA-15P

BY MARK LIPTRAP

Where did Howard N5432N come from? We are glad you asked . Howard N5432N was originally completed on August 31, 1940, at the Howard Air­ craft Co. in Chicago, Illinois. One of 40 original DGA-15Ps, it came off the line as No . 19 and was built on the lineage of the racing version DGA-6 flown by Benny Howard. The DGA-6 championed both the Bendix and Thompson Cup races of 1935. N5432N was originally purchased and registered on September I, 1940, by Elizabeth Haskell Fleitas and was known as NCIOOY. A growling Pratt & Whitney R-985 engine boasting 450 hp powered the aircraft. In keeping with the bright colors that heralded 24

NOVEMBER 2007

the end of the Depression, the Howard was decked out in vivid navy blue. Fleitas, a prominent socialite, was well-known for her philanthropic endeavors, dinner parties, and her love of racehorses. She came from an established Wilmington, Dela­ ware, family; her grandfather was the vice president of DuPont Cor­ poration, High Explosives Division, during World War I. Her brother, Al Haskell, had been the mayor of Wilmington during the early 1960s. He also purchased a Navy surplus Howard in 1946. Although not a pilot herself, at the age of 25 she became the proud owner of NCIOOY for the official sum of $10. However, the known retail

price at the time was $16,500. To uti­ lize the aircraft, Fleitas hired a Du­ Pont pilot, Johnny Mac Morgan, for her transportation needs. During her two years of owner­ ship, she had a couple of enlighten­ ing events that shaped her attitude toward flying. On a dark and stormy night while attempting to land at Du­ Pont Field, a go-around was initiated. Morgan continued to circle the field Above: Logan Coombs has been taking great photos of airplanes since the 1940s, and here's an­ other one. He snapped this winter scene of Mark Liptrap's Howard at Executive Aviation in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, a few years ago.

while Fleitas completed her emergency preparations. She wriggled out of her girdle so as to be free to run in the event of a crash landing. Although she was prepared for a quick exit, the aircraft was landed successfully. Later, a forced landing on a road in the country resulted in Fleitas respectfully and permanently grounding herself. She did not fly again until the advances of the jet age were well-established. In 1942, NClOOY's plans were interrupted. The Depart­ ment of the Navy ordered approximately 500 models of the DGA-15s, which were known as GH-l, GH-2, GH-3, or NH-1. NClOOY was sold on February 20, 1942, to the De­ fense Supply Corporation for $20,560. It became reclassi­ fied as a civilian model GH-l transport with Navy Bureau No. 9769. Proud and steadfast, NCI00Y entered service at the Brooklyn NAS, New York, on March 31, 1942. From there it was ordered to Glenn Martin Field in Baltimore. It worked for the inspector of naval aircraft (INA) shut­ tling engineers, inspectors, and administrators working on the production of the Martin Torpedo Bombers (TBM Avenger). After one year on station it was then transferred to Norfolk NAS, Virginia, working for the commander in chief, U.S. Atlantic Fleet (CINCLANT) for six months. The bulk of its flying during this period was conducted to Glenn Martin, Norfolk, Richmond, Anacostia" with other excursions to Winston-Salem, Hagerstown, and Raleigh. In January 1944 it was transferred to Manteo NAS, North Carolina. Manteo was a fighter base conducting training for pilots on Grumman Hellcats, Wildcats, and Corsairs. For this assignment, it was in a logistics-and­ supply role working for the Naval Outfitting Program (NOP). Its flight activity jumped to five flights a day among Manteo; Hampton Roads (Oceana), Virginia; Quantico, Virginia; Camp Davis, North Carolina; and New River, North Carolina. Over the next six months it would be moved to several bases, such as Hampton Roads; Atlanta; Franklin, Virginia; and eventually the Norfolk NAS, with the airplane being placed in a replace­ ment pool shortly after the war. The Navy maintenance history was extensive and in­ cluded two engine changes, one as a result of a nose-over accident during landing at Norfolk on October 23, 1943. This included a new cowling, brakes, and wheel fairings. The aircraft was down for maintenance until November 20, 1943, upon completion of the 30-hour inspection. Later, in October 1944, the Navy accomplished a major overhaul that included the engine change along with an oil cooler change. In March 1945 a modified tail wheel was installed. The modified oil cooler and tail wheel assembly resulted in the aircraft gross weight being increased from 4,350 to 4,500 pounds. After a flawless performance in the duties for its coun­ try, NCI00Y received a complete overhaul and was dis­ charged from the Navy on February 17, 1947. It was given the new name of N5432N and sold to Lucille Hagen of Minneapolis, Minnesota, for $1,561. Hagen was the sec­

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retary of Jack Lysdale, owner of Lys­ dale Flying Service located at Victory Airport in Minneapolis. Lysdale com­ pleted other work, such as the instal­ lation of a new windshield, battery, tail step, tail brace wires, seat up­ holstery, fuel tank fittings, and a re­ painted nose cowl, and he patched a hole in the top of the fuselage . Less than a year later, the plane, now known as N5432N was sold to Conti­ nental Air Services at Holman Field in St. Paul, Minnesota, for $1 and other considerations. Over the next seven years, N5432N would be sold six times. First was to J.R. James of Moline, Illi­ nois, followed by McFarland Motors of Cincinnati, Ohio, where the flare tubes were removed and new radios installed. In October 1950, Thomas Warner of Cincinnati purchased it and accomplished a complete en­ gine change from a model AN-12 to an AN-3 and new fabric covering. In March 1953, N5432N was purchased by the Tap Cartridge Company of Cin­

cinnati and then sold in August 1954 to Case Construction Company of Mt. Airy, Maryland. InJuly 1955 it was sold to another woman owner (her third), Elizabeth Miller of Cleveland, Ohio, again for $1 and other considerations.

Over the next seven years 1 NS432N would be sold six times. In 1962, H.H. Hill of Connellsville, Pennsylvania, removed the now old Narco radios and installed new Narco units. In 1976, it was completely re­ covered and given a new stabilizer mechanism, new tires , new direc­ tional gyro, and a new heading gyro. Morton Lester of Martinsville, Vir­ ginia, bought it in 1978 and further completed the restoration. This resto­

ration included new radios and new paint, this time in "Howard" red and black trim. Lester, an owner of 25 air­ craft, and participating director of Ex­ perimental Aircraft Association, was extremely proud of N5432N. You might say it had become a member of the fam­ ily, such as a treasured golden retriever. Lester reluctantly sold N5432N to Mark Liptrap on August 28, 2000, just three days before its 60 th birthday. In the following October, it was flown back to Minneapolis for maintenance. En route it became momentarily dis­ oriented and strangely wandered north, following a river, which re­ sulted in a landing at Lunken Airport, Cincinnati. This stop was for radio maintenance at Hangar 2, which just happened to be its previous home in 1952. In Minneapolis it was given ex­ tensive maintenance involving flight instruments, flight controls, and landing gear rebuild. The Howard's home today is at Felts Field in Spo­ kane, Washington. ......

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Emergency repair completed-the cowling inspection door duct-taped for the return flight back to Olympia.

tube and inside of the tire with duct tape, returning the tire to a nice dough­ nut shape. Upon landing in Anchorage there was no damage to the aluminum wheel, and I was able to simply replace the tire and tube. Other repairs included taping up a broken window latch, taping the door to the fuselage by reaching out the window when the door latch broke. In winter, I've used duct tape to close off air vents and cover up the engine oil pan cooling vent and when the tem­ peratures are way below zero, I place the duct tape over part of the cooling air inlets in the engine cowling. I have used duct tape on the lower rudder skin to stop vibration cracks from enlarging until they could be stop-drilled or repaired. I have used duct tape to repair rips in vinyl seats and upholstery. Once on a flight from Sterling to Anchorage, Alaska, I made an emergency landing at the South GasIine airstrip on the Kenai Peninsula to tape up an engine cowling inspec­ tion door when it popped open.

The pilot's friend BY IRVEN

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or even 50 years old. Re­ cently several aviation mag­ azines have carried articles about the aging private airplane fleet. The Federal Aviation Agency (FAA), as well as all of us old aircraft owners, are concerned about safety and the cost to keep these old airplanes flying. My Cessna 170B, N3428C, Serial Number 26471, rolled out of the Wich­ ita, Kansas, factory on September 10, 1954, so my airplane is 53 years old. Over the years owners, including me, have spent thousands of dollars to keep it flying and in an airworthy condition to pass its annual inspections. With its lmron paint job and a new engine, it still looks and flies great. In 35 years of flying in bush Alaska, I 28

NOVEMBER 2007

PALMER JR. have had to make several emergency re­ pairs out in the bush, far away from help of any kind. You fix it or you are stuck out there. And one of the very best items to carry in your survival kit for temporary repairs is a large roll of duct tape. Some of the duct tape repairs that I made on my Cessna in those years of Alaskan flying include the follow­ ing: Upon landing one time near the Cinder River northeast of Port Heiden on the Alaska Peninsula in rough vol­ canic terrain on a moose hunt, the tail wheel tire blew out upon striking a jag­ ged rock. I could have just flown home to Anchorage after the moose hunt, but landing on the asphalt runway would surely have broken the alumi­ num wheel. So, I took the wheel apart, completely packed the tube and tire with sand, and covered the holes in the

" 1101.1. (II: l)m:T T;\I'I: II~ VOim SlJIl\fI\fi\l.I(n Is l:ssl:~n'U\I. In winter when switching from wheel to hydraulic wheel skis, I used duct tape to tape the hydraulic lines to the gear legs to reduce drag. In summer when operating off sandy beaches and river gravel bars, I used duct tape to cover the leading edge of the horizontal stabilizer to protect the paint and prevent sand­ blasting of the aluminum. Most recently I made an emer­ gency repair to the left engine inspec­ tion door. After preflighting my Cessna at the Olympia, Washington, airport where it is tied down, I received clear­ ance to taxi to Runway 26 for a west departure. Getting takeoff clearance, I flew west toward my destination at Westport, Washington-some 49 nau­ tica l miles distant near the Pacific Ocean. After 12 minutes or approxi­ mately 17 miles en route, and after fly­ ing over the Black Hills of Capitol State

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Forest. I heard this very loud banging allowing you to fly the airplane. In the case of a small bird strike, noise. It was somewhat familiar, as a year before I had heard a similar noise. you could make an emergency cracked The left engine inspection door had windshield repair in flight. In addition, duct tape can be used flown open and was banging against the for lots of other emergency repairs to engine cowling. The Elma, Washing­ ton, airport lay ahead about 4 miles, so make your life easier when on camp­ I put the airplane into a slip to stop the ing, fishing, hunting, or boating ad­ banging during the descent and landed ventures. You can patch tears in your at Elma on a 2,300-foot asphalt strip. I jeans, parka, rain gear, tents, backpacks, found the front Hartwell H-SOOO door hip boots, and plastic boat windows. latch spring had broken, allowing air pressure from inside the cowl to push J\IJ\SIU\~\! IJlJSlt PIUIT 1.I~\\n:s open the door. Out came the duct tape, limvlI: WlTltOlJ'!' AIlotl. 01: I)m:'!' and I taped up the entire edge of the 1';\1'1: IN lilS i=l.UilH IJAII door to the cowling, took off, and re­ turned to Olympia, Washington. Once more, duct tape had come to the rescue. That's why a big roll of duct tape is right on top of the stuff in my survival kit. I now fly an aluminum airplane. In years past, however, I owned a Piper PA-12, a fabric-covered aircraft that I used to fly out in the Alaskan bush on fishing and hunting trips. Some of those off-airport landing strips were rough-rocky and brush covered. I had to make duct tape repairs to keep rib­ stitch tape from flapping in the breeze or to make a temporary patch repair to a hole in the skin caused by a stick or branch punching a hole in the fabric. The author with his flight bag and Aside from making repairs, duct a roll of duct tape. tape could save your life in other ways. If your airplane is brand new, then Imagine an emergency scenario where perhaps, just perhaps, you don't need a you are sitting next to a pilot who suf­ roll of duct tape in your airplane. But if fers a heart attack. you fly an older model, and I suspect that One FAA instructor at a safety meet­ readers of Vintage Airplane fly older air­ ing I attended in Soldotna, Alaska, sug­ gested using a person's belt, or other planes like I do, then keep in mind that rope, or whatever might be handy in all those little springs, pins, bolts, latches, such a case to hold the person back skins, roilers, clevises, etc., are subject away from the yoke. If you had a roll of to rust, corrosion, vibration, wear, and duct tape available, you could quickly metal fatigue. A roil of duct tape in your tape the person to the seat back, thus kit just may help you get home. ......

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VINTAGE AIRPLANE

29

BY DOUG STEWART

Tailwheellandings: wheel or three point? I have heard it said that"Arguing with a pilot is a lot like wrestling with a pig in the mud... after a while you begin to think the pig likes it." And when two pilots start arguing with each other, it can start to rival the WWE. That's par­ ticularly true when the subject happens to be that of wheel landings versus three-point landings. I have been present at gatherings of tailwheel pilots where the subject has led to what would be best described as an "animated debate." There are some pilots who adamantly and vociferously (with much chest-thumping and hand gestures) stand by the position that a wheel landing is the only way to land a conventional-geared (aka tailwheel) airplane. Fortunately there are other pilots who are of a much more moderate po­ sition relative to "landing stance," and understand that both the wheel landing and the three-point landing have their validity and conditions in which one might be preferable to the other. One such pilot recently wrote me a letter about the subject. In it, he said: "I have been flying for over 52 years .... When I retired I bought a Boeing PT-17 which I am enjoying immensely. During the preceding few years I have encoun­ tered quite a few pilots who insist that the only acceptable landing in the Stearman, or any other taildragger for that matter, is a three-point landing. Their argument is that the transition from tail high to the runway is dangerous. From talking to pilots who have gotten a tailwheel endorsement, only one was taught wheel landings. "I have told them that wheel landings were required on my flight instructor checkride, taught during primary in Army flight training, and pOinted out articles in myoid flight instructor handbook describing the technique. It is not a landing intended to replace conventional landings but is a good tool to have in your toolbox when conditions war­ rant it. 95% of my landings are three points, but every so of­ ten in gusty winds I revert to a wheel landing. "If I am chasing windmills, then thank you for at least tak­ ing the time to listen, but if I am making a valid pOint, could I talk you into writing a future article addressing wheel landings and their place in flying a conventional-geared airplane?" Well, I don't know what is more fun : chasing windmills or wrestling with pigs in the mud. But the writer of the let­ ter certainly brings up some valid points. To begin with, we 30

NOVEMBER 2007

c

both agree that whereas we might prefer one landing style to the other, there are definitely times when one might be preferable over the other. I, too, find that the vast majority of my landings in my PA-12 are three-pOint, but if the wind conditions warrant it, I will land on the main(s) only in a wheel landing. Let us all please note, however, that there are certain air­ craft that, either by manufacturer stipulation or by design limit, should be landed only one way. For example, the folks who make the Maule recommend that you not only land from a three-point attitude, but also take off from one. And I'm willing to bet that there are only a handful of readers who have ever witnessed a DC-3 or Beech 18 land in any­ thing other than a wheel landing. I think that the vast majority of pilots flying the lighter aircraft such as the Cubs and Champs will prefer the three­ point landing, whereas those flying heavier aircraft such as Cessna 180s or 195s will land on the wheels most of the time. But as the writer of the letter points out, we need to be conversant in both types of landings. It made me wince to read his statement that only one of the pilots holding a tailwheel endorsement, out of all he had spoken with, had been taught wheel landings. In fact the regulations quite plainly state in part 61.31 (i) (the regula­ tion governing additional training for the various endorse­ ments) that the training for a tailwheel endorsement must include wheel landings, unless the manufacturer has recom­ mended against such landings. So I guess that means that all the other tailwheel pilots known by the letter's author had some rather negligent instructors. Admittedly, learning as well as teaching-how to make successful, safe wheel landings can be quite frustrating. There are some pilots who have the hardest time getting the eye-hand-foot coordination together. It is all rooted in a good sense of perception and timing, and there will prob­ ably be many go-a rounds logged before most pilots learn the requisite skills. As I have written in a previous article, all landings (regard­ less of whether they will be in a nosedragger or tailwheel air­ plane, on the wheels or three-point) are a five-stage event: 1) the glide, on speed and on target; 2) breaking the glide; 3) dissipating the energy; 4) the touchdown; and 5) the rollout.

If we are planning on landing on the "wheels" this doesn't change, but there are a few modifications. In stage one, the glide, we will carry just a wee bit more speed (2-5 knots for most of our smaller, lighter airplanes). Stage two remains the same for, regardless of airplane, if we don't break the glide we'll probably break the airplane. The important thing here is to be sure that you don't flare too early, for if you are too high now it can have a drastic effect upon the next stage. The third stage, dissipating the energy, is where things be­ gin to change. In this stage, we have to allow the aircraft to continue in a slow descent to the runway; however, we are not going to be slowly pulling back on the stick, or yoke, all the way to a full stall landing. Some pi­ lots choose to carry a little bit of power in this stage (more so in the heavier airplanes), somewhat akin to the way a floatplane pilot might fly a glassy-wa­ ter landing, but I typically have power off in my Super Cruiser. I maintain a slightly tail-low attitude as the aircraft slowly settles to the runway. The fourth stage, the touchdown, is where so many pilots get into trouble. We have to be prepared to come for­ ward with the stick/yoke in a smooth, coordinated fashion to keep the tail from settling just as the main wheels touch the runway. Knowing when this is about to happen is a matter of percep­

tion and timing as well as experience. If we bring the stick

forward either too soon or too late, we will get into a porpoise

that would have those sea mammals staring in awe.

The typical scenario for a pilot learning a wheel landing goes as follows: The first two stages go pretty much as they should, but now, as the airplane diSSipates the energy, the pilot gets a little bit behind, and the airplane touches down on the mains just a microsecond before the pilot expects it to. The next thing to happen is that the tail comes down (the normal reaction of the airframe as the mains touch; the inertia of the airframe present in the downward motion will cause the airframe to pivot around the main gear, moving the tail down), but since the airplane is still at flying speed, the increase in angle of attack as the tail comes down has the airplane headed for the skies in a bounce. Of course, just about this time, the pilot, who is be­ hind the aircraft, now excitedly brings the stick forward, slamming the aircraft back onto the runway, and the cycle begins again, only this time with much more intensity. (Dolphins and orcas now join the awestruck audience.) Most pilots manage to realize the gravity (pun intended) of the situation and apply full power in a go-around before things get completely out of control, and then the aircraft still has all its parts. So on the next approach the aspiring tailwheel student is determined to .n ot be behind the aircraft. The first two stages are impeccable. Even the third stage is going well-that is,

until the pilot, not wanting to be behind the airplane again, brings the controls forward, but, unfortunately, just a split second too soon. With the main wheels still just a little too high above the runway, the pilot is not ready to continue holding the forward pressure, and as he or she relaxes con­ trol pressure, the airplane's tail continues its downward arc, and again, since the aircraft hasn't reached stalling speed, the porpoise is once again experienced. As I said earlier, it's a matter of timing and perception. Once learned, it will be easy to bring the controls forward just as the main wheels touch down, looking for the same attitude as was had in the tail-high takeoff. Many pilots are worried that they'll strike the propeller in this attitude, but there are only a handful of aircraft in which this might be the case, andifthatisso, then the manufacturer has probably recom­ mended against wheel landings. As all tailwheel pilots know, though, the fun is just about to start, for "it's never over 'til it's over." We now have to deal with the final stage of the land­ ing, the rollout. In this stage in a wheel landing, we have to slowly come for­ ward with the stick as control effec­ tiveness diminishes, to keep the tail up in the air. If we just quickly bring the stick back after touching down, we'll still have too much energy, and the air­ plane will lift back up into the air, al­ beit briefly, and then stall, slamming back down onto the runway. We have to keep bringing the controls forward until they are all the way forward. Then, as the tail settles to the run­ way, we bring the controls all the way back to keep the tail wheel firmly planted on the runway. The only problem here is that just as the elevator was losing its effectiveness, so were the ailerons and rudder. Thus, if there is any crosswind, the need to keep increasing aileron into the wind remains (just as in any other crosswind landing). We will also find that the rudder deflections necessary to keep the airplane going straight will start to get bigger and bigger as we slow down. It's even possible that in some aircraft the lack of rud­ der effectiveness just prior to the tail coming down will be such that it might even require a little "stab" of brake to keep things tracking straight. So as we see, there is quite a bit going on in a wheel land­ ing. For some pilots it's second nature, but for other pilots it might never have been mastered. If you fall in the latter group, it certainly would behoove you to find a competent instructor and go out and learn the technique. Thus, whether you prefer three-point landings or wheel landings, either way you'll be ready when blue skies and tail winds beckon.

If we bring the stick forward either too soon or too late, we will get into a porpoise that would have those sea mammals staring in awe.

Doug Stewart is the 2004 National CFI of the Year, a NAFI Ma ster Instructor, and a designated pilot examiner. He oper­ ates DSFI Inc. (www.DSFlight.com) based at the Columbia County Airport (lBi) . ~ VINTAGE AIRPLANE

31

Back to Basics A newcomer fulfills his other dream BY MIKE RENCAVAGE

It's 3 o'clock in the afternoon, and the windsock lay still in the middle of the field. The crisp blue sky is dotted with but a few cumulus clouds that are dissipating with time. I start up the walk toward the door of the flight school and watch as a bright red Waco cabin biplane taxies away, its radial engine resounding off the walls of a nearby hangar. As I come to the end of the walk, off in the distance a Great Lakes is just coming to life. The sun glistens off the fabric of the white wings with their bright blue trim. The pilot applies the throttle, and I watch as he passes, wearing his flying hel­ met and goggles, waving as though he were waving across time. Off to my left I see the bright yellow Cub polished to perfection with its classic black lightning bolt down each side. The scene is reminiscent of the by­ gone days of aviation a few decades prior. But it is not the 1940s; it is pres­ ent-day Blairstown, New Jersey, IN7 as designated on the sectional chart. I've come here with the intent of learning to fly a tailwheel airplane, 32

NOVEMBER 2007

more specifically the venerable Piper ]-3 Cub. The legendary trainer of the past. I have heard time and again of the joys of flight in the Cub, with the window open and the door slung down. The fun of flying low and slow. It was just over four years ago that I sold my Cherokee 140, resigned from my job, and spent practically all my life savings in pursuit of my dream of becoming an airline pilot. After 10 months and several thou­ sand dollars, I had completed all of my ratings. With a bit of experi­ ence, [ applied to an airline and now spend my days and nights flying pas­ sengers throughout the northeastern United States. The truth of the matter is, that in the pursuit of a profession that allows me to fly nearly a thousand hours a year, [ have lost some of the elements that make flying so enjoyable. Gone for me are the days of going to the local airport and strapping into an aircraft just for the fun of it. Blasting off to practice stalls and steep turns, chandelles, and lazy-eights. Tilting

and twisting the world to my liking. [ believe it was Richard Bach who said, "Airline pilots spend half their time on autopilot and the other half trying to fly like one. Please don't get me wrong, [ feel that a career as an airline pilot is a great way to make a living. I would prefer my profession to any other that [ can possibly imagine. It is worth tenfold the money and sacrifices it took to get this far. My recent long­ ing to return to flying for fun is some­ thing that [ wish to add to my life, as airline flying is not the one and only type of flying [ wish to do. Today I've put aside my uniform and flight bag, packed away my cur­ rent copy of the contract, and set out on a quest to be introduced to grass­ roots aviation. I say introduced be­ cause, as is the case with many of us who have been trained in recent years, [ have not one single hour of tailwheel time in my logbook. I'm thinking of the fun of taking on a new challenge as my instructor arrives. Upon her arrival, she takes me out II

to the Cub and shows me around. The Cub is not at all like the Chero­ kees and Cessnas at countless flight schools across the country. As we walk around, I can't help but ad­ mire the simplicity of the Cub's de­ sign. The fuel gauge is nothing more than a wire and float assembly-the wire poking through the top of the cap. The more wire that is exposed, the more fuel you have. The landing suspension is made of interwound bungee cords. There is no starter, no radio, no navigation lights. Stick, rudder, power, and carburetor heat are the sum of the controls at my dis­ posal. There are a few instruments on the panel, not that they'll be all that visible with the instructor in the front seat. It 's quite different than anything I have ever flown. Antoine de Saint-Exupery once wrote, "You know you've achieved perfection in design, not when you have noth­ ing more to add, but when you have nothing more to take away." Follow­ ing that line of thinking, this must be a near-perfect airplane. After the preflight, we're ready to get going. I sit in the rear seat, as it is the only seat to be used for solo flight later on, due to the aircraft's center of gravity. Kim calls out, "Brakes on." I depress the heel brakes very firmly. "Mags off!" I confirm the switch posi­ tion above my left arm and respond. She pulls the propeller through a few times. "Mags on!" I turn the magneto switch to "both, " and with one final pull from Kim, the 65-hp Continental engine has sprung to life. Kim jumps in and I begin to taxi, making the gentle S-turns necessary to see any­ thing in front of me when this air­ plane is on the ground. Holding the stick all the way back to keep the tail wheel pinned down, we zigzag our way back to the beginning of Runway 25 on the grass. We reach the end and complete the run-up. Oil pressure and oil temperature checked, I slowly add power and a little right rudder while easing the stick to the neutral posi­ tion. In seconds the tail is flying, and we rumble along on the main wheels until the stick feels alive. Gentle back pressure, a little more rudder, and

we're airborne. The airplane takes off in a remark­ ably short distance and, aside from the lack of forward visibility, it is immediately comfortable. There is no time required for the transition from yoke to stick. It's as though this is how airplanes were meant to be flown; right hand on the stick, left hand on the power.

Today I've put aside my uniform and flight bag, packed away my current copy of the contract, and set out on a quest to be introduced to grassroots aviation. Everything falls into place and we climb out in a gentle peaceful climb to altitude that is so slow it affords a spectacular view of the landscape be­ low. The wind in my face, I gaze out the open door at the emerald fields of summer, the slow-moving crystal creeks, and the waters of the Dela­ ware River as they pass. This area of New Jersey is rolling hills and lakes and streams. Farmers' fields and the Delaware Water Gap provide the view that pours through the open

window and door and return me to the joy of flying. No controllers, no one to please but myself as I get comfortable with the airplane. We practice some slow flight, and I see that with a lit­ tle power this airplane will fly at 35 mph and not stall. I try a few steep turns for fun, and a then a stall. Kim teaches me how to feel the airplane as she hides the instruments from me, and we do a few more maneuvers. The airplane is responsive enough to the control inputs, yet very stable. It's truly a joy to fly. It does require more rudder atten­ tion than I'm used to, but I get the hang of it. Kim comments, "Not too bad for an airline/Cherokee guy." As we return to the field at full cruise, we see an indicated 65 mph, and I think about all those students on their long cross-countries.. .and I do mean long. Speed is not the issue today.. .fun is. And the fun meter is on the redline in this little classic airplane. We scan the skies and notice the towplane is using Runway 7. By now the winds have gone calm, and we enter the pattern behind him. No pumps, no landing light, no mixture control. Fuel is on the only tank we've got. Oh, well, the seat belt's secure. "Before-landing checklist complete," I call out. Abeam the numbers the car­ buretor heat goes on, and the throt­ tle comes back to about 1500 rpm as we glide through the remainder of downwind base and final. Alignment looks good and I'm instructed to start the flare a bit higher than I would have thought. Ease back, ease back and ...we' re rumbling across the grass again, the stick pinned full back. I'm looking out the side of the airplane for alignment and gently jockeying the rudder to attempt to keep the air­ plane straight. We come to a stop in no time, without even touching the brakes. We back taxi again on the grass and spend the remainder of the hour on takeoffs and landings. With a grin from ear to ear, I re­ turn to the fixed based operator and settle my bill. I have found , once again, the meaning of flying purely for fun . ~ VINTAGE AIRPLANE

33

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3S

BY H.G. FRAUTSCHY

THIS MONTH'S MYSTERY PLANE COMES TO US FROM THE

EAA

LIBRARY'S RADTKE 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 December 10 for inclusion in the February 2007 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. II

AUGUST'S MYSTER Y A NSWER

Our August Mystery Plane came to us from the collection of Ed Beatty of Ruskin, Florida. liThe August 2007 Mystery Plane seems to be the Butler Yellow Jacket. The aircraft was built in 1930 as serial number 1 with identification number 393Y. The Butler Company was located at 325 S. Broadway in Butler, Indiana. The designers were Thomas B. Baker and William Hankey. The first flight was on March 17, 1930, at Bryan, Ohio, by a pilot named Hodgson. The engine was a Velie M-5 of about 60 hp. Mr. Baker used it in his duties as an aide to the 36 NOVEMBER 2007

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governor of Kentucky. Subsequently, Aerofiles.com reports the Yellow Jacket was sold in 1932 to D.C. Flower of Waco Aircraft Company for autopilot-development, and that it was dismantled in 1936. liThe last several issues have been very interesting, and I have enjoyed them." Jack Erickson, State College, Pennsylvania Other correct answers were received from Wayne Muxlow, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Wesley R. Smith, Springfield, Illinois; and Thomas Lymburn, Princeton, Minnesota ........

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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 (i.e., 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 (c/assads@eaa.orl5l 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 .

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37

Books of Interest to Vintage Members

BY H.G. FRAUTSCH Y

( : II R I ~ I) t\ \' I' Y

Vintage Flyers II, by Eric Presten. One of the most impressive series of books on civilian aircraft in modern times are the two volumes (so far!) produced by Eric Presten. Presten's a bloodhound on the trail of every new restoration here in the states and abroad, when possible. Each summer he and his family of two rambunctious boys, Curtis and Ben, and his wife, the ever patient Deborah, pile into their van and head off across the country on an extended trip that will take them from one aeronautical treasure to the next. One memorable year, the family showed up all over the country in their Piper Clipper, packed to the gills and equipped with a set of amphibious floats. For a man who loves to shoot and write about aircraft, it was the perfect setup. Like his previous ef­ fort, Vintage Flyers Guidebook, each of the 550 airplanes is profiled in this 478­ page hardbound book covered in out­ standing color photos and described by the author/photographer. You can order a copy of the book directly from Presten via eBay at www.Motors.eBay.com. The book, which retails for $84.95, plus $5 for shipping, is available only through the author.

days of home defense during World War I in England as the island nation learns that the English Channel is no longer the barrier to attack that it once was. The Zeppelin menace has the public in an uproar, and the Royal Fly­ ing Corps struggles to counteract the attacks with inadequate aircraft and new techniques. Once again, Davey weaves a strong tale interspersed with historical figures and terrific dialogue that will keep you flipping pages long after your bedtime. Turner's Defense is available at www.Turn erLogs.com as well as other retailers.

Turner's Defense, by Chris Davey.

SO Aircraft That Changed the World,

If you enjoy historical fiction , Chris

by Ron Dick and Dan Patterson. Pub­ lished by Boston Mills Press, this com­ pendium of the authors' list of the most influential aircraft is the fifth of the five­ volume Aviation Century series. The ti­ tle is a bit of a misnomer: the book isn't limited to just SO individual aircraft. For a number of the subjects, a manufacturer gets the nod, as in the case of Burt Ru­

Davey has been busy creating the third in his series of Will Turner stories, Turner's Defense. After learning to fly (along with a few other adventures!) in The Aviator's Apprentice, and going to war in Turner's Flight Davey's pro­ tagonist, American Will Turner, takes us on a journey through the distressed 38

NOVEMBER 2007

tan's amazing series of aircraft at Scaled Composites, or the Boeing jetliners. I can sympathize with their conundrum. After all, can any of us really pick "Just one Waco?" In this regard, Dick and Pat­ terson enter into a bit of literary subter­ fuge that I think works very well; each of the SO chosen are given a well-writ­ ten four-page spread, liberally illustrated with historical photos and Patterson's outstanding color photographs. 50 Air­ craft That Changed the World lists for $39.95 and is available from book retail­ ers and online booksellers.

Surplus WWII U.S. Aircraft, by William T. Larkins. Two of my aviation history heroes are the late Peter Bow­ ers and William T. Larkins. I'll freely admit that Mr. Larkins' book on the Ford Tri-Motor had me turning page after page with the thought "Would you look at that!" nearly coming out of my mouth at every page turn. Well, he's done it again. Surplus WWII U.S. Aircraft is a terrific history of the im­ mediate post-World War II period, and once again Larkins ' amazing photo collection is used to show the scope of the huge effort put into scrapping and selling the aircraft now surplus to the war effort's needs. There's plenty for the civilian aircraft enthusiast, too; an entire chapter of the book is dedicated to those aircraft produced during the war years that were also eligible for

an FAA type certificate. The beautiful photo of Taylorcraft L-2M, NCS7724, is worth the price of the book alone. Beautifully lit, the air-to-air shot shows the photographic talent Larkins has shared with us for decades. When needed, the book also relies on the tal­ ents of other photographer/historians who had the foresight to shoot first and catalog later, greats such as the aforementioned Bowers, along with John Larkins, Logan Coombs, Board­ man Reed, Robert Taylor, Michael O'Leary, and others. Issued in per­ fect-bound paperback edition, Surplus WWII U.S. Aircraft contains more than 300 photographs and is completed by the addition of well-written and con­ cisely composed text. Just what you'd expect from the founder of the Ameri­ can Aviation Historical Society!

Self-Published and On-Demand Works Donna and Phil Michmerhuizen have created a paperback book detailing their 3,000 journeys around the coun­ try flying their J and H-2 Taylor Cubs, a Piper J-3, and Phil's "big airplane," his Waco UPF-7. They've been from the Artic Circle to Leadville, Colorado, and many places in between. An enjoy­ able trip with them as you read along while they've enjoyed the freedom of the skies, 3,000 Hours of Flying Fun is available directly from Donna and Phil Michmerhuizen. Drop them an SASE at 8900 South Clearwater Drive, Zeeland, MI 49464 for ordering information.

so immensely they never saw them­ selves as poor. Much of the story revolves around the Waterman Air­ port, which started as the first stop and weather station for the airmail

route west from Chicago. John grew up among many of the famous pilots of the Golden Age of Aviation, from Wayne King and Amelia Earhart to Duane Cole, the entire experience taking place at the airport as his sec­ ond home. Mr. Eakle went on to fly 108 mis­ sions over Burma in P-47s, and af­ ter the war he became a teacher and family man. The book is well-writ­ ten and great at giving those of us who didn't grow up during that era a solid feel for what it was like to live, work, and play during the first half of the previous century. The book is available from Trafford Publish­ ing, www. Trafford. com or 888-232­ 4444. You can also e-mail Trafford at sales@trafford.com. ~

The Boom in Self-Publishing If I may, I'd like to make an observation regarding the current trend in life stories and self-publishing. Given the relatively small following of a family his­ tory or similar publication, self-publishing is often the only way to get the book printed and bound. Like any other business, the level of quality and services available to the author vary widely, and that variation is certainly seen in some of the books we've seen. I'd suggest that significant time be spent in choosing the company that will publish your work. In many cases, you'll only have one shot to get it right, and nothing is more embarrassing than a poorly edited or badly printed book. On occasion, we receive self-published works that are rather difficult to read, simply because they were so poorly executed. That's a shame, because so many of the stories they have to tell are really quite interesting. I suggest, at the very least, that you do your best to find a publishing house that can offer solid editing services. Try to steer away from your sister's best friend's cousin. Your line of thinking may go along with the thought that since she has an English de­

The Eakle Family of Progress Corner, by John A. Eakle (1923-2003) , pub­ lished on demand in cooperation with Trafford Publishing. Jack Bennett, a VAA member, sent us this synopsis of this family and their adventures as they grew up in the 1920s and '30s. A great read, describing the life accomplishments of one successful midwestern family as they worked and enjoyed the years from WW-I through the Cold War, largely at "Progress Corner," the site of the Waterman, Illinois Airport. John Eakle, the oldest son, describes grow­ ing up in the most industrious fam­ ily you can imagine, enjoying life

gree, she must be a good editor, right? Probably not. Copy-editing is a special skill that is learned within the discipline of language. A good copy editor is worth the extra time and expense involved-trust me! Another area that should get more attention is the art direction and layout of the book. Trafford Publishing, mentioned in the previous review, is to be com­ mended for the work done by its acquisitions editor, Heather Marks, who also handled the design and production of The Eakle Family of Progress Corner. Marks did a very smooth and professional job of the book's layout, effectively dealing with those photos that didn't lend themselves to being reproduced very large, and setting up a page design that was readable and entertaining. I'd encourage any of you who have a story to tell to investigate the concept of self-publishing, and its even newer cousin, on-demand publishing. Who knows­ maybe you'll become famous! VINTAGE AIRPLANE

39

VINTAGE

AIRCRAFT

ASSOCIATION

OFFICERS President

Vi ce~ Pres i de nt

Geoff Rob ison

Geo rge Daubner

1521 E. M acGregor Dr. New Haven, IN 46774 260-493-4724 cllie(7025@aol.com

244 8 Lough Lane Hartford , WI 53027 262-673-5885 vQa{1yboy(g.711S1I.com

Treasu rer

Secretary

Steve Nesse

Cha rles W. Harris

2009 Highland Ave. Albert Lea, MN 56007 507-373-1 674 shlfs@deskmedia,coln

721 5 East 46th St. Tulsa, OK 7414 7 918-622-8400 cwh @hvsu.com

DIRECTORS Steve Bender 85 Brush Hill Road Sherborn, MA 0 1770 508-653-7557

sst JO@comcast.llet David Ben nett

Jea nn ie Hill P.O. Box 328 Harvard , IL 60033-0328 8 15-943-7205 dinghao@'owc. net

anliquer@;llreacl, ,(olt1

Espie " Butch" joyce 704 N. Regional Rd. Greensboro, NC 27409 336-668-3650 w;m/sock@aol .cOlll

j ohn Berendt 7645 Echo Poin t Rd. Cannon Falls, MN 55009 507-263 -24 14 mjbf,IIId@rco1l neCf.colll

Steve Krog 1002 Hea ther Ln . Hartford, WI 53027 262-966-7627 sskrog@aol.com

Dave Clark 635 Vestal Lane Plainfield, IN 46 168 3 17-839-4500 davecpd@;quest.1let

Robert D. " Bob" Lumley 1265 South 124th St. Brookfield, WI 53005 262-782-2633 Jumper@execpc.com

j ohn S. Copeland

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

375 Ki lldeer Ct Lincoln, CA 95648 9 16-645-8370

l A Deacon Street Northborough, M A 0 1532 508-393-4 775 copeland l @ju11o.com

ge" emorris@Clwrter.net

Phil Coulson 2841 5 Springbrook Dr. Lawton, MI 49065 269-624-6490 rcoulso"S 16@Cs.com

Dea n Richa rdson 1429 Ki ngs Lynn Rd Stoughton, WI 53589 608-877-8485

Dale A. Gustafson 7724 Shady Hills Dr. Indianapolis, IN 46278 3 17-293-44 30

S. H. "Wes" Schmid 2359 Lefeber Avenue Wauwatosa, WI 53 2 13 414 -77 1-1 545

daJefa ye@msll.com

sllscllmid@mi lwpc.com

dar@aprilaire.com

DIRECTORS

EMERITUS

Ro bert C. Brauer 9345 S. Hoyne Chicago, IL 60620 773 -779-2 105 pllOtopiloc@aol.co,,,

Ro nald C. Fritz 15401 Sparta Ave. Kent City, M I 49330 616-678-50 12 rFritz@paciJwaY1Jet. com

Gene Chase 2 159 Carlton Rd. Oshkosh, WI 54904 920-231-5002 GRCHA@ClmrCer. " et E.E. " Buck " Hil bert

8102 Leech Rd. Union, IL 60 180 8 15-923-459 1

Membershi:R Services Directory

ENJOY THE MANY BENEFITS OF EAA AND EAA's VINTAGE AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION

~

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

Phone (920) 426-4800

Fax (920) 426-4873

Web Sites: www.vintageaircra{t.org, www.airventl.lre.org, www.eaa.org/memberbenefits

E-Mail : vintageaircra{t@eaa.org EAA and Division Membership Services Flying Start Program . ... . . . .... . 920-426-6847 Library Services/Research .. . ..... 920-426-4848 800-843-3612 ... , .. .. . .. .. FAX 920-426-6761 (8:00 AM-7:00 PM Medical Questions. . ....... . .. . . 920-426-6112 Monday-Friday Technical Counselors . .......... 920-426-6864 oNew/renew memberships: EAA, Divisions Young Eagles . . ..... .......... .877-806-8902 (Vintage Aircraft Association, lAC, Warbirds), National Association of Flight Instructors Benefits (NAFI) AUA Vintage Insurance Plan . .. .. 800-727-3823 oAddress changes

EAA Ai rcraft Insurance Plan . .. .. 866-647-4322 oMerchandise sales

Term Life and Accidental ........ 800-241-6103 oGift memberships

Death Insurance (Harvey Watt & Company) EAA Platinum VISA Card . .800-853-55 76 ext. 8884 Programs and Activities EAA Aircraft Financing Plan . . . . 866-808-6040 EAA AirVenture Fax-On-Demand Directory EAA Enterprise Rent-A-Car Program ...... . .... ... . . . ............ 732-885-6711 . . . ... . . . . . ... . . . . . .. . . . .. 877-GA1 -ERAC Auto Fuel STCs .... ..... .... . .. 920-426-4843 Editorial. ... . . . . . ..... . .... .. . 920-426-4825 Build/restore information . . . . . . . . 920-426-4821 VAA Office .. .. ... . . , ...... FAX 920-426-6865 Chapters: locating/organizing .... 920-426-4876 Education . . . . ... . . .... ........ 888-322-3229 ° EAA Air Academy EAA Aviation Foundation ° EAA Scholarships Artifact Donations . . ........... 920-426-4877 Flight Advisors infonnation ...... 920-426-6864 Financial Support .... . . . . .. . . . 800-236-1025 Flight Instructor information .... . 920-426-6801

CSn

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION EAA Membership in the Experimental Aircraft Association , Inc. is $40 for o ne yea r, includ­ ing 12 iss ues of SPORT AVIATION. Fa mil y membership i5 an addition al $10 annu ally. Ju ni or Membership (und er 19 years o f age) is ava il able at $23 annually. All maj or credit cards accepted for membership. (Add $16 for Foreign Postage.)

EAA SPORT PILOT C urre nt EAA m e mb ers ma y add EAA SPORT PILOT m agazine fo r an additio n al $20 per yea r. EAA M e mb e r s hip a nd EAA SPORT PILOT maga zin e is ava ilable fo r $40 p e r yea r (SPORT AVIATION magazine n o t in­ cluded). (Add $16 for Foreign Postage,)

VINTAGE AIRCRAFf ASSOCIATION C urre nt EAA m e mbe rs may jo in th e Vintage Aircraft Assoc iation and receive VINTAGE AIRPLANE m agazine fo r an ad­ ditio n al $36 per year. EAA Membershi p, VINTAGE AIRPLANE magazine and one year membership in th e EAA Vintage Aircraft Association is available for $46 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not in­ cluded). (Add $7 for Foreign Postage,)

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C urrent EAA m embe rs m ay jo in th e Inte rna tiona l Aeroba ti c C lub, In c. Divi­ sio n a nd receive SPORT AEROBATICS magazine for an additio nal $45 p er year. EAA Me mbe rship, SPORT AEROBAT­ ICS m agazine and o n e yea r membership in the lAC Div ision is ava ilable fo r $55 p e r yea r (SPORT AVIATION m aga z in e n o t includ e d ) . (Add $18 for Foreign Postage.)

WARBIRDS Current EAA m embers m ay join the EAA Warbirds o f America Division and receive WARBIRDS magazine for an addition al $45 per year. EAA Me mbe rship , WARBIRDS m aga ­ z in e a nd o n e year m e mb ers h i p in th e Wa rbird s Divisio n is ava il able for $55 per year (SPORT AVIATION m agazine n o t in­ cluded). (Add $7 for Foreign Postage,)

FOREIGN MEMBERSHIPS Please submit yo ur re mitta nce w ith a ch ec k or draft draw n o n a United Stat es bank payable in United States dollars. Ad d required Foreign Postage am o unt for each m embership.

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Membership dues to EM and its divisions are not tax deductible as charitable contributions Copyright ©2oo7 by the EM Vintage Aircraft Association, All righls reserved . VINTAGE AIRPlANE (USPS 062-750; ISSN 0091 -6943) is published and owned exclusively by the EM Vinlage Aircraft Associalion of the Experimental Aircraft Associalion and is published monthly at EM Avia­ tion Center, 3000 Poberezny Rd., PO Box 3088, Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54903-3086, e-mal: vint39eaircraft@eaa.org. Membership to Vintage Aircraft Association, which includes 12 issues of VinIage Airplane magazine, is $36 per year lor EM members and $46 for non-EM members. Pe<iodicals Postage paKl at Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901 and at addilional maling offICeS. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Vintage Airplane, PO Box 3088, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3088. PM 40032445 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to World Dislribution Selvices, Station A, PO Box 54, Windsor, ON N9A 6J5, e-mail: cpcreturns@Wdsmal.com. FOR­ EIGN AND M'O ADDRESSES - Please allow alleasl two months for delivery 01 VINTAGE AIRPLANE 10 foreign and M'O addresses via surface mail. ADVER11SING - Vintage Aircraft Association does nol guarantee or endorse any product offered through the advertising. We invite constructive criticism and welcome any report of inferior merchandise obtained through our advertising so that corrective measures can be taken. EDITORIAL POUCY: Members are encouraged 10 subm~ slories and pholographs. Policy opinions expressed in articles are solely \hose of the authors. Responsibility lor accuracy in reporting rests entirely with the conIributor. No remuneration is made. Mate<ial should be sent 10: Edilor, VINTAGE AIRPlANE, PO Box 3088, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086. Phone 92()-426-4800. EM® and EM SPORT AViATION®, the EM Logo® and Aeronautica 1M are rf9istered lrademar1<s, trademar1<s, and service rnar1<s of the Experimental Aircraft Association, Inc. The use of these tradernar1<s and """,ice rnar1<s without the permission of the Experimental Aircraft Association, Inc. is strictly prohib~ ed.

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NOVEMBER 2007

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X-PLAN VEHICLE PRICING

ENJOY THE PRIVILEGE OF PARTNERSHIP EAA Members considering the purchase or lease of a new Volvo vehicle should be sure to take advantage of the Ford Partner Recognition Program. Your mem­ bership benefits qualify you for X-Plan pricing, which could save you as much as $1,000 on a 2008 Volvo C30:

With $1,000 in savings on a new Volvo C30, you could pay for: • Aviation Insurance • Annuallnspection • and your EAA Membership! • Based on comparison of 2008 Volvo C30 $25,700 MSRP versus $24,677 X-Plan price.

The New Volvo C30: Legendary Safety in aSmall Car The all-new VolvoC30, with its sporty design, four individual seats, and unique glass tailgate aims to give adynamic group of customers "a Volvo of their own." And while style and performance are important to the C30 buyer, safety remains atop priority. The newC30 offers the safety features of aVolvo alongwith a powerful turbocharged T5 engine, and a high level of comfort and flexibility in the interior. And, with Volvo's new Custom Build ordering process, drivers can custom-order their C30 to their liking making it the smallest and most expressive car in Volvo's model range.

EXCLUSIVE PRICING, EXCEPTIONALLY SIMPLE!

Ford Motor Company, in association with EAA, is proud to offer members the opportunity to save on the purchase or lease of vehicles from Ford Motor Company's family of brands- Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Mazda, Volvo, Land Rover and Jaguar. Get your personal identification number (PIN) and learn about the great value of Partner Recognition/X-Plan pricing from the EM website (www.eaa.org) by clicking on the EAAlFord Program logo.You must be an EM Member for at least one year to be eligible.This offer is available to residents of the United States and Canada.

Certain restrictions apply. Available at participating dealers. Please refer to www.eaa.org or call 800-843-3612.

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