STOL Aircraft Magazine 3rd Quarter 2017 by STOL Aircraft Magazine

THIRD QUARTER | 2017

Supporting Backcountry Pilots for 3 years!

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Q3 2017 |

STOL

AIRCRAFT MAGAZINE

Q3 | 2017 Volume III | Number 3

09 PRESS RELEASE Longer Life, Lighter Tire

13 SUPERCUB.ORG’S ANNUAL ALASKA GATHERING

11 10MM FOLLOW UP DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH

18 2017 VALDEZ FLY-IN RESULTS

DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH

HONDO SOUTH TEXAS REGIONAL AIRPORT

THE NORTHWEST AVIATION CONFERENCE

DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH

MOTORIZED TAILWHEEL TOW BAR FRANK P. SPERANDEO III

SKWENTNA ALASKA STOL COMPETITION DOUG TURNBULL

40 TOP IT OFF AT HOME DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH

42 KERN VALLEY BACKCOUNTRY FLY-IN SCOTT BOLING

48 JOHNSON CREEK FAIR WELL CHRIS HARE

52 CHECKLIST Do I Need One? CHANCE STERLING w w w. S T O L A i r c r a f t M a g a z i n e . c o m

DEPARTMENTS www.STOLAircraftMagazine.com PUBLISHING

Publication Printers

CEO

Sheila Smith

EDITOR IN CHIEF Dennis “Shooter” Smith

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

03 FROM THE COCKPIT Message from the Editor

DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH

04 AIRMAIL Letters to the Editor

06 ASSET PROTECTION Aircraft Insurance and the Basicmed Rule SCOTT “SKY” SMITH

10 BUSH PROTECTION The Ruger/Turnbull Mark IV Pistol

DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH

12 THE DUKE SPEAKS If You Are Blue, I Am Too DUKE SMITH

14 2017 VALDEZ FLY-IN REVIEW

20 MEDICAL TIPS The Art of Improvisation in Medical Emergencies

RANDLE CORFMAN, MD, PHD

22 STOL STOPS Bunker Hill, Nevada 10,400’

05 CALENDAR OF EVENTS

KEVIN QUINN

26 STOL STOPS An Amateur’s Perspective 5th Annual Lone Star Maule Round Up, Llano, Texas KATHRYN SMALL

30 STOL PERFORMANCE Vortex Generators, Minimal Cost, Maximum Performance for Your Aircraft DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH

36 SO YOU WANT TO BUILD A STOL Part Eleven: Correct Tools

ADVERTISING INDEX

STOL

DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH

56 SOUTHWESTERN REGION Backcountry Get-A-Way Adventures RICK BOSSHARDT

62 BOOK REVIEW Flight to Success Be the Captain of Your Life by Karlene Petitt, MBA, MHS, Ph.D. Candidate DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH

GLOW OF A FIRE

DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH

64 THE EMPENNAGE Our Parting Shot ON THE COVER Frank Knapp World Champion

DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH

INSIDE BACK COVER People & Planes of STOL

Airframes Alaska...51 Avemco Insurance...Inside Front Cover Bearhawk...27 CubCrafters...17 Custom Aircraft...29 EarthX...41 Husky Aviat Aircraft Inc...08 Micro AeroDynamics Inc...08 Q3 2017 |

54 WHAT OUR READERS ARE FLYING

DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH

JOE PRAX

AIRCRAFT MAGAZINE

R & M Steel...13 SkySmith Insurance...29 SunCountry Cubs...61 Texas STOL Round Up...Back Cover Texas STOL Round Up Play and Win...63 Turnbull Restoration...49 Univair...39

Chance Sterling Chris Hare Dennis “Shooter” Smith Doug Turnbull Duke Smith Frank P. Sperandeo III Joe Prax

Kathryn Small Kevin Quinn Randle Corfman, MD, PhD Rick Bosshardt Scott Boling Scott “Sky” Smith

ART DIRECTOR Jackie McMillen

GRAPHIC DESIGN Courtney Smith PRODUCTION Innovative Solutions Group PHOTOGRAPHERS Dennis “Shooter” Smith Sheila Smith

WEB DESIGN

Jim Rittinghouse

ADVERTISING

Advertising Manager Sheila Smith 713-299-2062 sss@stolaircraftmagazine.com Dennis ”Shooter” Smith 713-816-0927 shooter@stolaircraftmagazine.com

MAILING ADDRESS: 13121 Louetta Road, Ste 1370 Cypress, Texas 77429

PHYSICAL ADDRESS: 32106 Windrose Lane Waller Texas 77484

SUBSCRIPTIONS Kaitlin Smith

BACK ISSUES To purchase back issues please visit: www.STOLAircraftMagazine.com RETAIL SALES To sell STOL Aircraft Magazine at your establishment contact Dennis Smith at 713-816-0927

SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES

To change your address, order new subscriptions or report a problem with your current subscription, please email STOL Aircraft Magazine at sss@STOLAircraftMagazine.com Printed in The United States of America

From The Cockpit |

BY DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH

his, the third quarter issue of 2017 closes our third year of publication. We are extremely pleased with our direction and acceptance in the aviation community.

STOL Aircraft Magazine found a quick niche it the written word environment. Our subscription base expanded rapidly to twenty-five countries on five continents. Many individuals commented to us on the need for “our” type of magazine. Others, the perpetual negative group, stated that we would never make it. We were fortunate to pick the right group to contact and write about. With so much information on line, today magazines, as well as newspapers, are having a hard time maintaining a place in the media world. I follow many on line groups, threads and information sites related to backcountry, STOL and big tire airplanes. These include our own Facebook page, taildragger or other “type” aircraft sites, Alaska activity, lady taildragger pilots, bush pilot activity, planes with big tires, ultralight and LSA aircraft. There is a tremendous amount of information both good and bad out there. One of the major issues I deal with on our Facebook page is the condemnation and negativity directed not only to me as the editor but to our fellow pilots as well. Today it seems that many individuals are in a constant state of aggression. I am not the only person maintaining a site that has dealt with this. One of my aviation friends who maintains one of the largest information threads deals with the negativity on a daily basis. He too has recently written about it. Many individuals seek information from websites, threads and posts on the Internet. Questions are asked by novices and experts alike as, contrary to the belief of some, we all don’t know everything. Many times, the response these individuals receive for asking a simple question is a blasting of wise cracks and derogatory banter. They are called stupid and chastised for their question. I always question the responder’s intelligence. Stupid is the inability to learn. Lack of knowledge is not stupid. The question was asked to acquire knowledge. Their lack of knowledge may come from lack of experience. In aviation, if we are lucky, we live long enough by surviving our mistakes, to gain knowledge. Comedian Ron White sums it up quite well by stating “You can’t fix stupid.” You can fix inexperience and lack of knowledge. Next time you are on our Facebook page or another site, take the time to help a fellow less experienced, pilot. Humbly share your vast knowledge and expertise that you have gained by overcoming the odds to become the “Sky God” that you may hold yourself to be. Place that ego aside and convey information that will help your brothers in flight to be all they can be. Be less confrontational. We are all working on the same goal to

become skilled pilots with knowledge that will keep us, our passengers and those below us alive. Enjoy the flight. Our time here is limited. Thank all of you who have supported STOL by subscribing and contributing articles and photos during the past three years. We would not be here without you. Fly smart, stay ahead of the airplane and weather, use a check list and most important, terminate your flight with a safe landing.

Dennis “Shooter” Smith Editor-in-Chief STOL Aircraft Magazine shooter@STOLAircraftMagazine.com 713-816-0927

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STOL DEPARTMENT

Airmail

Gary Lee submitted these fine photos of his beautiful PA-12. Hello shooter. Sign me up! Love the magazine... including tips on survival tools, handguns etc. What a surprise to find a real propeller head publication.

Thank you! Great content! -Gil.

Tailwinds, - R Kerr

I received the gift of your magazine from Doug and Kathleen Sapp and what a great magazine

Please change my mailing address so that your beautiful magazine will not be stuffed into my mailbox. By the way, you produce an outstanding magazine! Thanks for all the hard work that goes into the publication.

-Jason D.

- Thomas C., Fort Collins, CO

Photo by Andrew Kudlacek 4

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STOL

AIRCRAFT MAGAZINE

STOL DEPARTMENT

Calendar of Events

COMING EVENTS

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

NEW HOLSTEIN FLY-IN JULY 21-26, 2017 NEW HOLSTEIN, WI

Attend Steve Johnson’s six day annual event held on the grass runway at the New Holstein Airport across the lake from Oshkosh. Food, fun, friends and flying. Sunday attend the STOL take off and landing exhibition. A bar-b-que dinner will be held Tuesday afternoon. Registration is required. See supercub.org/New Holstein for more information.

EAA AIRVENTURE/OSHKOSH JULY 24-30, 2017 OSHKOSH, WI

See Paul Poberensky’s legacy in all it’s mega glory. The grand daddy of all fly-ins and aviations largest US event. Check out the STOL events to be held at the ultralight grass airstrip. See EAA.org for more information.

4TH ANNUAL TEXAS STOL ROUND-UP

SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 1, 2017 HONDO, TEXAS

Attend Texas’s largest STOL event. This year the event moves Hondo Texas at the SW Regional Airport (KHDO) two miles north west of Hondo and 38 miles west of San Antonio. Multiple long runways, a huge ramp, fuel services and a new terminal building. Come and enjoy the competition, comradery, food and fun. The new early fall date should provide for good weather.

July 21-26, 2017

17th Annual New Holstein Fly-in New Holstein Airport New Holstein, Wisconsin A STOL Aircraft Magazine favorite event

July 24-30, 2017 EAA Airventure Oshkosh, WI www.EAA.org

August 4-6, 2017

September 22-24, 2017 Fall Colors Fly-in Side Lake, MN

September 29-October 1, 2017 4rd Annual Texas STOL Round-Up Hondo Municipal Airport Hondo, Texas Info www.texasstolroundup.org A STOL Aircraft Magazine sponsored event

Maine Bushwackers Burning Cub Fly-in Exeter, ME

October 5-9, 2017

August 26-27, 2017

October 13-15, 2017

September 6-10, 2017

October 19-22, 2017

Bowman Field Fly-in Livermore Falls, ME ( B10 ) Triple Tree Aerodrome Fly-in Woodruff, SC ( SC00 )

September 14-17, 2017 Black Hills Fly-in Belle Fourche, SD ( EFC )

September 15-17, 2017 Almost Fall Fly-in Jonesborough, TN

Wentworth Aerodrome Fly-in, The WAD Thomasville Georgia 50th Fly-in (TV) High Sierra Fly-in and STOL Drag Race Dead Cow Lake Bed, Nevada A STOL Aircraft Magazine sponsored event

December 17, 2017

113th Anniversary of First Human Manned Heavier than Air Flight Kitty Hawk, North Carolina

KEEPING UP WITH YOUR SUBSCRIPTION

DON’T LET IT RUN OUT! STOL Aircraft Magazine is published four times per year. Mail dates are March 15th, June 15th, September 15th and December 15th. Subscriptions run for one or two years, depending on the requested length of your subscription, from the date that we receive your subscription. Your subscription termination date is located on the mailing label of each issue. If you have provided us with your e-mail address, we will send you a reminder that your subscription is about to end. If you have not provided an e-mail address we will send you a post card reminder. STOL Aircraft Magazine adheres to strict confidentiality standards. We will not sell or release your e-mail address or any other information that you provide to us. We hate junk mail as much as you do. We hope that you enjoy reading STOL and that you will refer us to a friend or advertiser.

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STOL DEPARTMENT

Asset Protection |

BY SCOTT “SKY” SMITH

AIRCRAFT INSURANCE AND THE BASICMED RULE T here are a few things that have been happening in the aviation insurance world that I thought I could touch on. Maybe the biggest thing that happened was the passage and signing of the BasicMed rule. As many of you may know the rule went into effect on May 1st, 2017 and will allow pilots to fly with reduced FAA medical certification requirements. I would assume many of you know the basics. Fly an aircraft, single or twin, up to 6,000 pounds, maximum of six seats, IFR, and nighttime. I’m not here to tell you the details or the rules, but what I can discuss is what your aircraft insurance policy is going to do in relationship to the BasicMed ruling. If you thought about BasicMed I bet you thought about what happens to aircraft insurance your coverage?

I think BasicMed comes in because people really wanted to fly their aircraft without the FAA medical requirements being too time consuming, complicated or demanding. Most of the pilots that I talked to didn’t have a really big issue with a “medical” but it was the associated restrictions that were present and the lengthy and costly solutions that were stopping them from getting (and keeping) a medical which in turn is stopping them from flying. Each medical issue, doctors visit or new prescription made the regular flight physical process almost overwhelming and always more expensive. Through the years, many of my customers talked about selling their aircraft and buying something different and flying under the Sport category, but in the end, the Sport category just

doesn’t meet the needs of everyone. About the Sport category, many people can fly their STOL aircraft as Sport, but it does have a number of restrictions that might not be suitable. The good news, now we have the BasicMed. But this also has a few people concerned about the aviation insurance ramifications. What about a pilot flying a six seat, twin engine aircraft in IFR conditions at night without a medical? How safe can that be? Well, probably as safe as it was with a medical. Is there a risk? Sure, is it higher than before when the pilot had a 3rd class medical, probably not much? Honestly, I haven’t done any scientific research to get to that answer, but I did ask a number of the underwriters at different aviation insurance companies

what they thought of the BasicMed and what it would do to their aircraft insurance policy. As an underwriter, you probably wouldn’t make any changes to the pilot flying a Cessna 140 or Piper Cub. My thought is that the underwriter would probably target the upper end aircraft on the BasicMed list. More speed, more passengers, and more loss potential. At least that would be an assumption, although we all know what that means. And actually, at this time most of my contacts in the industry said they were all prepared for the changes with just a few minor changes in the policy language. Those were simple changes in how they referred to the FAA medical in the pilot section of the policy. It is important to note that most aviation policies (and most car policies) will still pay a claim even if you break the rules. I am definitely not saying go break the rules, but if for some reason your medical ran

out while you were on a flying trip and you had a loss, the claims department might still pay the claim. There might be push back if the loss was because of the medical, but that could be difficult to prove. So what I’m saying? Think of it like a car insurance policy, just because you had an accident and were charged with a DUI, doesn’t mean the claim isn’t paid. But it also doesn’t mean you don’t go to jail or have your license revoked and your insurance canceled. Breaking the rules does have its consequences. In my discussions with my sources, they did mention there probably will not be any real changes to the policy to start. It seems that the claim departments haven’t seen much of a relationship between losses and having a 3rd class medical. Which in a quick summary means of all the losses in the aviation insurance, there are very few that are related to medical issues. Again, this is just an underwriter’s observations so it’s

not some specific scientific quantifiable comment. But in the grand scheme of things, I think that does sound good for the whole no medical situation. Not surprisingly, many of the aviation insurance companies had the language already in their policies for a very long time; it goes something like this “as required by the FAA”. This is a simple way to handle the changes made by the FAA. Basically, if the FAA requires a medical for the situation you are in, then you need a medical. But again if you do not meet the FAA requirements; such as not having a current medical or a current flight review etc., will not necessarily stop a claim from being paid. It can, but it will depend on the individual situation. So are you one of those aircraft owners that haven’t been flying waiting for the new medical rules? Well with BasicMed starting May 1st and now the insurance issue settled its time to go get that plane w w w. S T O L A i r c r a f t M a g a z i n e . c o m

STOL DEPARTMENT

Asset Protection |

BY SCOTT “SKY” SMITH

out of the hangar dusted off aired up and ready to go…almost. There are a few more things to consider. While even though there are no changes to or additional restrictions on the use of the aircraft (off airport landings etc) there are a few things to consider. One insurance underwriter said they will still require a medical if you are over 70

years old. Another company said they may consider surcharging the premium on higher performance, complex or six seat aircraft. And one company mentioned they will follow what the market does and make changes as needed. Of course, that is exactly what I would expect all the companies to do. If there are losses and issues related to the BasicMed things will change.

But things have already started to change with a few companies but not related to the BasicMed. Recently there has been an increase in the premium on tail wheel aircraft. Apparently the loss ratio has been increasing so a few of the companies have been increasing their rates in the 10 – 25 percent range. Tailwheel hours are the key. The more hours you can fly the better and the higher performance tailwheel you fly, the more hours the underwriters will want. Some of the aviation underwriters are restricting who they transition into tail wheel aircraft, one requires at least 200 hours total time and 25 hours in a tailwheel before they will quote. That means renting a tailwheel if you can find one to rent. But then again other companies will put a low total time pilot into a tail wheel as a transition aircraft, but it depends on the type of aircraft. Buying a J3 Cub or Cessna 140, not an issue, but buying a new Husky it will be more difficult. And in the end, it all comes down to the money. The more expensive or higher performance the plane is the more dual the underwriter will require and often the higher the premium. And if the premium is pretty reasonable, the dual requirements might make the total insurance “package” more expensive. So whether you are flying as a Sport pilot, or under the BasicMed rules, the insurance requirements for a tailwheel aircraft will probably not change. Scott “Sky” Smith

Sky owns SkySmith Insurance in Ankeny IA. He can help you with insurance for all your toys. Contact him at 515-289-1439

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STOL

AIRCRAFT MAGAZINE

LONGER LIFE, LIGHTER TIRE: INTRODUCING THE REDESIGNED AIRSTREAK FROM ALASKAN BUSHWHEELS

hugiak, Alaska - Airframes Alaska is proud to announce the latest improvement to the Alaskan Bushwheels line of backcountry flying tires: The Airstreak 2.0. The redesigned Airstreak tire features 20% thicker tread yet weighs one pound less per tire than the original. “Our goal with this update was to get more life out of our Airstreaks without adding weight,” explains Heather Montgomery, Airframes Alaska CEO. To accomplish this, engineers utilized weight-saving techniques developed for the Ultralight Alaskan Bushwheel (for experimental aircraft with a 1,320-pound gross weight). “The changes we made to the original Airstreak were minimal, but enough to boost tread substantially without adding weight. That we ultimately ended up losing weight was a great bonus,” says Montgomery.

Airstreaks come in two sizes, 26” and 29”. The 26” Airstreak 2.0 weighs 20 pounds. The 29” Airstreak 2.0 weighs 25 pounds. Both fit a standard six-inch wheel. For years Airstreak tires have made safer off-airport excursions possible for pilots flying 1,700-pound gross weight airplanes. They perform the same as Alaskan Bushwheels, letting pilots run at low PSI and absorbing significantly more energy on landing than standard airplane tires. “Even with thicker tread, these tires are really built for the backcountry,” Montgomery says. “But for the majority of pilots operating both on pavement and off-airport, with proper use and care we expect to see Airstreak 2.0s take longer to show standard wear.” The Airstreak line of Alaskan Bushwheels is FAA TSO approved with STCs available for airplanes under 1,700 pounds gross weight. Common aircraft include certified planes like

Champs, J-3s, and Taylorcrafts as well as Carbon Cubs, Kitfoxes and other light sport experimentals. Visit www.airframesalaska.com for the complete Alaskan Bushwheels Approved Model List. Airframes Alaska is taking pre orders now with Airstreak 2.0s scheduled to ship mid-June. Airframes Alaska LLC is an aviation fabrication and FAA/PMA certified parts manufacturer of fuselages, landing gear, lift struts, wheels and brakes, and more essential parts that support bush flying around the world. In 2014 Airframes Alaska purchased Alaskan Bushwheels and brought the venerable business from Oregon back home to the Last Frontier. Today every single Bushwheel is built by hand in Chugiak, AK. For more information, please call Airframes Alaska at 907-331-4480.

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STOL DEPARTMENT

Bush Protection |

BY DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH

THE RUGER/TURNBULL MARK IV PISTOL

ow do you improve on one of the most popular rimfire handguns in the world? Give it to PA-12 owner/ pilot Doug Turnbull of Turnbull Restorations and Manufacturing and let him do his magic. Turnbull Restoration has recently taken the extremely popular Ruger Mark IV semi-automatic .22 rimfire target pistol and applied their superb finish coat to the barrel to produce a visually unique and striking firearm. The Ruger/Turnbull pistol is reliable, accurate and with Doug’s enhancement, a work of art.

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STOL

AIRCRAFT MAGAZINE

For plinking, small game hunting, and fun, inexpensive target shooting, you can’t beat the Turnbull enhanced Ruger Mark IV. My copy of the pistol shot an off the bench group of .25 inch at 25 yards. Unsupported off hand shooting resulted in a group of 1 inch with Federal ammunition. The pistol produces little recoil, minimal report and is great fun to shoot. Contact Turnbull Restoration at 585-412-2190 or info@turnbullmfg.com to get yours today! Hurry, this beautiful limited production pistol is selling fast.

10 MM FOLLOW-UP The last issue I wrote of the many assets for the backcountry of the 10 MM in a semi-automatic pistol format. Since that article was published, I have learned of and become familiar with Kimberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new Camp Guard 10 semi-automatic pistol. This pistol is a perfect companion for the backcountry pilot in areas where pistol carry is legal.

The Kimber Camp Guard was designed in collaboration with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation for use in the backcountry. The weapon is a comfortable-to-carry pistol at 38 unloaded ounces with a capacity of nine rounds (8 plus 1). The Camp Guard comes formatted with all the features that one would desire for a defense pistol. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stainless steel silver matte frame is accented by a stainless black matte finish slide complimented by custom RMEF Rosewood grips. It is available in a full size frame with a five inch barrel.

This pistol is a perfect companion for the backcountry pilot...

The Camp Guard 10 carries adequate stopping power for the largest of predators. Contact you local dealer or see more at www. KimberAmerican.com.

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STOL DEPARTMENT

The Duke Speaks |

BY DUKE “THE YELLOW LAB” SMITH

at pressure altitude up to 12500 msl without oxygen. Pilots require constant use of supplemental oxygen at pressure altitude above 14500 msl and passengers require its use above 15,000 feet.

ow and slow is the mantra for most STOL type aircraft. It is not common for us to fly along at high altitudes unless we are looking for favorable winds to speed us to our destination. In many locations both in the lower 48, Canada and Alaska you can find many high areas when looking for that perfect backcountry strip and camp ground.

Oxygen is, well oxygen. It is not air. It is a component of air. Air contains 20.95% oxygen. All oxygen is not alike. For a flight, you must use aviation oxygen. It is dry and does not contain moisture that could freeze at altitude and jam up the flow of oxygen. This dryness can cause drying of your sinuses and contribute to dehydration increasing fatigue and potential for Deep Vein Thrombosis. Medical oxygen has moisture added to reduce sinus drying an dehydration. It is also inspected for aromatics oils.

The occasional short trip into the high wild blue does not create a problem for most of us who are young, health and not taking medication. Short term trips into thinner air can rapidly impair those who are medically susceptible to low oxygen environments,

If your flying above those high peaks of the Rockies or glacier landing at Denali you might need supplemental oxygen. As the title of this article states, “If you are blue, I am too!” Don’t forget about your pet in the rear seat. Your dog or cat is just as susceptible to oxygen deprivation (hypoxia) as you are. They maybe more susceptible if they are older or ill.

Federal Air Regulation 91.211, Supplemental Oxygen, spells it out for us. You may fly up to 30 minutes

When the brain is deprived of oxygen even for a short time, permanent damage may occur. Oxygen deficiency may lead

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AIRCRAFT MAGAZINE

to anemia in the organs which can cause heart failure. Hypoxemia occurs when blood is not oxygenated sufficiently. Symptoms in dogs include coughing, difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, panting, rapid breathing, open mouth breathing, discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes, salivation and collapse. Four Paws Aviation in conjunction with Mountain High Oxygen Systems have created a unique oxygen delivery system for dogs and cats. It includes an inverted cone (Elizabethan collar) placed over the animals head and the end sealed with a cap. The unit is connected to an oxygen delivery system to keep your pet healthy, well oxygenated and alert. While not the most stylish or flattering item to wear, it is quite functional. More information available at www.4pawsaviation.com, or by calling 574-269-6300. Duke Smith is a one year old yellow Labrador Retriever. He is working on his Bachelor Degree in duck and goose retrieval with a minor in crane and dove fetching. Upon graduation, he will pursue his Masters in UKC Hunting field trials.

SUPERCUB.ORG’S ANNUAL ALASKA GATHERING BY DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH

teve Johnson of Supercub.org held his annual dinner party in Anchorage during the weekend of the Alaska Airman’s Convention. The Saturday night event is a welcome gathering spot for old and new friends. As usual, attendance was high and spirits of attendees were higher. Food, beverage, conversation, laughter and the telling of new and old stories and probably a few lies were the norms for the evening. A hearty Alaskan “THANK YOU” is given to the sponsors of the annual affair and to Steve Johnson for his efforts in organizing the event.

This year sponsors included: A.E.R.O. Alaska Above Alaska Aviation APS Brakes CubCrafters STOL Aircraft Magazine Superflite Univair

No w

i n Ou r 4 8 t h Ye a r o f Bu s i n e s s !

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VALD 2 0 1 7

F L Y - I N B Y J O E

R E V I E W P R A X

pproximately 200 airplanes and more than 2,500 hundred people descended on Pioneer Field in Valdez for the 14th Valdez Fly In and Air Show. The 2017 event featured spectacular STOL flying, aerobatics by Scott Sexton and Gary Ward, a demonstration of a WWII era C-46 cargo plane and a world record in the world famous STOL contest. Frank Knapp of Palmer took advantage of perfect conditions for a STOL flying to set a new world record. Saturday of the contest featured cool temperatures and consistent 13-15 kt westerly sea breeze right down the runway. On his second attempt, Knapp made a 14’7” take off and an equally impressive 10’5” landing, both records and for a combined score of 25 feet! The crowd cheered as his plane landed just past the line and the video shows the wheels only making one revolution before coming to a stop. Knapp’s yellow light sport Lil’ Cub started life as a J-3 and that Frank and his Wife Kris built and then rebuilt with numerous modifications. This year the plane featured a 180hp Lycoming 0-320 and special flaps that Knapp designed. Just as important as the plane is the amount of practice Knapp put in, he was at Valdez two weeks early making numerous hops down the runway. 14

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DEZ Caption Frank Knapp nails the landing. Photo by Justin Prax. w w w. S T O L A i r c r a f t M a g a z i n e . c o m

2017 Valdez Fly In Review | All classes witnessed impressive flying. In the Bush Class, the top five planes were only separated by nine total feet in the semi-final. This year the top five planes flew in a final heat where Chris Wyekoff of Wasilla had a take off of 59’ and a landing of 80’ for a total score of 139’ for the win. Wyekoff won a set of 31” Alaskan Bushwheels from Airframes Alaska for his excellent flying. Tm Hudzinski of Wasilla won the Alternate Bush class in his Backcountry SQ-2 with a take off of 47’ and a landing of 28’. Tom’s performance earned him a set of Acme Aero Fab Bush Shocks. The heavy Touring Class was won by perennial contestant Wes Erb of Big Lake in his Cessna 180 with a take off of 90’ and a landing of 135’ for a total score of only 225’ for the Sky Wagon. Erb’s efforts won him a Spidertracks tracking unit. Mark Hasner of Fairbanks took home a Tanis

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AIRCRAFT MAGAZINE

BY JOE PRAX

Engine heater for winning the Light Touring Class in his Cessna 170B with a take off of 75’ and landing of 83’ for a combined score of 158’. These numbers would have made him competitive in the Bush Class! The crowd favorite was Lydia Jacobs of Corinth Maine in her Cessna 150. Nineteen year old Jacobs sold most of her belongings, including her car for the gas money needed to fly to Alaska to start her career in aviation. She loaded the remainder of her belongings into her 150 and spent almost 60 hours flying to Alaska. Jacobs had always wanted to compete in Valdez and hopes to be a professional bush pilot. Lydia’s take off of 126’ feet and 151’ landing showed her ability to get all the performance of her 150 that she could. While Jacobs was flying the crowd donated money to offset her gas bill for the trip north. Lydia collected over $800 and the award for the longest traveled contestant.

While the STOL competition is the signature event for Valdez competitors also participated in a flour bombing competition and a balloon bust event as well. There were numerous demonstrations including Paul Claus demonstrating his mastery of the Turbine Otter with a take off under 100’ and several demonstrations by Everts Air Fuel in their 1945 C-46 Hot Stuff. The 35,000 pound freighter had an approximately 500’ take off as the rumble of the twin radial engines drowned out all other sound. Scott Sexton performed aerobatics in his Citabria as well as lead a missing man formation for long time Fly In participant and supporter Marc Paine who died in an accident at an air show last summer. Gary Ward flew his MX-2 up from Georgia for the chance to perform in Valdez and amazed the crowd. Ward had never seen such a spectacular venue for aerobatics and used the mountain behind the airport as a canvas for his aerial artistry. The sounds of his plane

reverberated as he climbed up one ridge and down the next. The reach of the Valdez Fly In was demonstrated when the Facebook Live streaming started of the contest. Over 20,000 people watched literally from around the world with visitors from every continent and enthusiastic comments about the performances. Interest has continued with video of Frank Knappâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s performance with more than 1 million views. While the flying provides the entertainment, having a chance to meet and socialize with fellow pilots is what keeps many coming back. Pilots camped with their planes and more who drove in surrounded the airfield as well. Pilots lingered and swapped stories and tips as well. Event organizers are already working on the 2018 event. For more information on the event visit ValdezFlyIn.com or contact Fly In President Joe Prax at jprax@alaska.net.

w w w. S T O L A i r c r a f t M a g a z i n e . c o m

2 0 1 7

VALDEZ R E S U L T S

H E A V Y “N” Number

Aircraft

Color

STOL Mods

Pilot Name - city

2743X

Cessna 180 A

Red

Wing X

3934D

Cessna 182A

Silver

4810

Cessna 180

No Paint

9751B

Cessna 180A

Orange, Green, White

Horton STOL Cuff

C L A S S

1st Set

2nd Set

T/O

Land

1st Score

Wes Erb - Big Lake

135

225

113

130

243

225

Matt Voit - Peters Creek

120

#####

110

133

243

James Spikes - Wasilla

125

122

247

107

153

260

247

Kevin Doyle - Soldotna

115

132

247

T/O

Land

2nd Score

Best

4776B

Cessna 180

White/Blue

Chris Larsen - Fairbanks

130

177

307

113

166

279

1926Q

Cessna 185

Maroon

Sportsman

Rudi Von Imhof - Anchorage

160

228

388

155

160

315

4634A

Cessna 180

R/W

Bushwheels

Lance Brunner - Anchorage

141

252

393

115

215

330

1959B

Beaver

Beige

VG’s

Fritz Reinbold - Anchorage

147

251

398

120

237

357

1575

Cessna 185

Blue/White

Tim Bloom - Chugiak

175

272

447

124

240

364

L I G H T

T O U R I N G

“N” Number

Aircraft

Color

STOL Mods

Pilot Name - city

2235D

Cessna 170 B

White/ Orange

Sportsman

6901A

Cessna 172

Green/ White

2711C

Cessna 170B

8603B

Cessna 172

2nd Set

Land

1st Score

T/O

Land

2nd Score

Best

Mark Hazner - Fairbanks

158

147

Stock Wing

Steve Spence - Anchorage

102

173

157

Blue/White

Sportsman

Shawn Holly - Soldotna

116

112

228

159

White/ Green

STOL Kit

Ben Brown - Kasilof

121

#####

170

Sportsman

419A

Cessna 170B

Silver

Cessna 170B

Tan/Brown

4396B

Cessna 170B

White/Blue

22867

Cessna 150

White

3857R

Cessna 172

Beige/Blue

6523T

Beech Musketeeer

Beige/ Copper

2885C

Cessna 170B

Black/Blue/ White

STOL

1st Set T/O

170JL

Q3 2017 |

C L A S S

Titan Horton

Sportsman

AIRCRAFT MAGAZINE

Paul Keech - Fairbanks

158

245

171

Terry Godes - Soldotna

108

126

234

110

205

David Stoots - Fairbanks

136

216

162

240

216

Lydia Jacobs - Corinth Maine

126

151

277

715

185

360

277

Mike Mitchell - Old Forge NY

162

143

305

143

164

307

305

Caleb Newville - Anchorage

177

187

364

127

217

344

Udo Cassee - Anchorage

127

#####

117

#####

B U S H “N” Number

C L A S S 1st Score

2nd Set

Color

STOL Mods

1018E

Piper PA-18

White/Black

Airmen’s Club

Brian Turner - Wasilla

135

1127A

Piper PA-18

Red/White

Dennis Serie - Chugiak

140

Certified 4 Place

1169A

Piper PA-18

The Hulk

89ZW

Piper PA-18

Black/Orange

2402P

Piper PA-18

Red/White

3037

Piper PA-18

Green/White

4272Z

Piper PA-18

White/Blue

39AH

Aviate Husky

13911

Pilot Name - city

1st Set

Aircraft

VG’s

T/O

Land

T/O

2nd Score

Best

152

135

#####

140

Land

Kirk Ellis - Nabesna

155

141

Chris Wyekoff - Wasilla

105

173

143

Kevin Doyle - Kenai

160

144

Jacob Williams - Anchorage

112

161

115

160

Additions

Wrangel Jensen - Anchorage

109

169

100

177

169

Blue/White

VG’s

Rich Harris - Juneau

106

187

Piper PA-18

White/Red

Charlie Center Cuff

Jordan Starr - Eagle River

131

207

127

200

7667H

Piper PA-12

Red/White

Flaps, VG’s

Paul Krogstad - Juneau

102

130

232

212

202

29561

Aviat Husky

White/Red

Adam St. Onge - Sterling

120

207

187

140

207

902C

Husky

Red

Ed White - Eagle River

106

149

255

165

260

255

40558

Piper PA-18

White/Red

Vance Johnson - Eagle River

101

172

273

#####

273

42792

Piper PA-18

White/Red

Jared Hudson - Anchorage

103

227

330

109

230

339

330

7862P

Piper PA-18

Red

10842

Piper PA-18

White/Red

5371Z

Piper PA-18

Red/White

160 hp/Bore Prop

T O P “N” Number

Joey Schoolcraft - Moose Pass

#####

Doug Cranor - Valdez

#####

Andy Wakeman - Kenai

250

#####

299

#####

Best

VG’s Borer Prop

Aircraft

Color

89ZW

Piper PA-18

Black Orange

4018E

Piper PA-18

White/Black

Airmen’s Club

B U S H

STOL Mods

Pilot Name - city

C L A S S 1st Set T/O

Land

1st Score

2nd Set T/O

Land

2nd Score 0

139

147

Chris Wyekoff - Wasilla

139

Brian Turner - Wasilla

#####

2402P

Piper PA-18

Red/White

VG’s

Kevin Doyle - Kenai

135

191

148

1127A

Piper PA-18

Red/White

VG’s

Dennis Serie - Chugiak

110

175

120

190

175

1169A

Piper PA-18

The Hulk

Certified 4 Place

Kirk Ellis - Nabesna

113

178

142

218

178

2nd Score

Best

L I G H T “N” Number

Aircraft

Color

STOL Mods

S P O R T

Pilot Name - city

1st Set T/O

Land

1st Score

2nd Set T/O

Land

85CX

Lil’ Cub

Yellow/Black

Slats, Flaps

Frank Knapp - Palmer

13’8”

30’8”

14’7”

10’5”

C IEAP

ASAP

Green/White

VG’s

Daniel Reynolds - Dawson

121

#####

121

C ICJO

Birdman

White/Blue

VG’s

Spencer Wallace - Dawson City

151

168

151

24550

Piper J-f

Tan

29” Bushwheels

Vince Ferenczy - Anchorage

116

213

118

#####

213

70604

Piper J-3

Beige/Blue

Wing tip extension

Vince Ferenczy - Anchorage

141

153

294

162

#####

294

4204Q

Zlin

Silver

Shock Cub

Gary Green - McCarthy

#####

A L T E R N A T E

B U S H

C L A S S

“N” Number

Aircraft

Color

STOL Mods

Pilot Name - city

484WT

SQ2

Black/Silver

Slats, TKS Suspension

Tom Hudzinski - Wasilla

556TA

Carbon Cub

Green

Stock

4816B

Ron Kuzina

Bw/White

Keller Flaps VG’s

( E X P E R I M E N T A L ) 1st Set

2nd Set

T/O

Land

1st Score

T/O

Land

2nd Score

Best

#####

Toby Ashley - Meridian ID

#####

Ron Kizina - Wasilla

139

150

139

35ES

Piper

White

Beringer Gear

Lukas Stutzer

121

173

104

157

907AB

SQ12

Black/Silver

Everything

Jon Bush - Anchorage

#####

STOL DEPARTMENT

Medical Tips |

BY RANDLE CORFMAN, MD, PhD.

THE ART OF IMPROVISATION

IN MEDICAL EMERGENCIES

mprovisation is a word that has taken on greater meaning as I have grown up and aged. It was not a part of our vocabulary on our family farm in Kansas, and it wasn’t until I became involved in our high school’s annual play that I first came to appreciate what improvisation was. I remember getting the lead role in “Harvey”, playing Elwood P. Dowd, the man who was able to see an invisible rabbit, and I found myself spending hours memorizing my lines. As we rehearsed the play our director/teacher worked to loosen us up a bit, to stray from the lines when it felt comfortable, to make things up in order to make the play flow. We were encouraged to make things up as we went along, to play it by ear. We found a new freedom in being encouraged to do this, and as we became more comfortable with the script we also became more skilled in the art of improvisation. One of the things I have come to enjoy and appreciate in aviation is the unique ability of many builders of experimental aircraft to improvise. If something just doesn’t seem to work the builder often makes a modification that improves the aircraft design, or so he/she hopes! This reminded me of times on the farm, when we found that good ole baling wire, or baling twine, could be used to fix about anything. We could use it to attach barbed wire fence to the wooden posts, we could use it to hold up a muffler that had been rattled one too many times by going down a country road a bit too fast. My grandpa and my dad always

Q3 2017 |

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AIRCRAFT MAGAZINE

had some baling wire in the back of the pickup truck, and always carried a pair of pliers in their hip pocket so that they could make quick work of repairs that needed to be made “in the field”. I also recall one of my grandpa’s always carrying a pocket knife in one of their front pockets. He showed me how to safely use a pocket knife. How to whittle a piece of wood and I recall him making sure I knew how to properly hold the knife. He also showed me how to properly sharpen it. “A dull knife is more dangerous than a sharp one!” He showed me some of the many uses of a simple pocket knife, and he always carried one in one of his pockets. In the last 20 years, one of the items that I have come to appreciate is the myriad uses of duct tape. A good roll of duct tape is something that I carry in my car, in my airplane, something that I have in my garage and workshop. I have become sort of a duct tape snob in more recent years, after discovering Gorilla tape, but any type of duct tape will do for most things. The ability to improvise in medicine, the ability to “think outside the box”, is critically important in the operating theater. Sure we, as surgeons, study anatomy until we can virtually identify structures with our eyes closed. We learn what is connected to what, we learn where the “alligators” live (structures that can easily be damaged, but which are repaired with more difficulty), and

we learn how use the scalpel, how to use the Kelly clamp. That is all nice and straight forward when the anatomy is pristine and like it looks in anatomy textbooks, but it can be distorted by disease or by variations in anatomical development. That is precisely when it may be necessary to improvise when performing a specific surgical procedure, when it is necessary to use a surgical instrument in a different way. Improvisation is of critical importance in dealing with medical emergencies in the backcountry, when we find

ourselves facing a medical problem that might require tools/instruments that we simply don’t bring with us. This is true for even the most skilled surgeon, and it is even of greater importance for those who have limited medical training. I would like to walk through some items with which you might be able to improvise to deal with a medical emergency when you have just made a forced landing and have an injured passenger, or if your buddy has suffered an injury around the camp.

his MFT, open it, and use the knife to amputate his arm so that he could try to walk to be rescued. Make sure that you sharpen that knife on a regular basis...a dull knife is of little use.

One of the items you should have on your person is a good multifunction tool (MFT), one that you know how to operate. This does not need to be one of those Swiss Army Knives that has 30+ functions. Rather, it needs to be one that has some basic functions that allows you to cut, to grasp, to pry. I think it needs to be one that you may be able to operate with one hand. Remember Aaron Ralston, the young man who found himself fighting for his like when his right, dominant, arm became entrapped under a boulder in a canyon. He had to be able to reach

Duct tape is a gift from the Improvisation Gods. Use it to: hold a bandage in place; secure an injured limb to a splint; immobilize a victim’s head to a board/ ski/snowshoe as a precaution in possible cervical spine injury; fashion sunglasses with a small hole in front of the eye to prevent snow blindness; use as a giant band aid to approximate edges of a large laceration; etc. I like to make smaller rolls of duct tape, rolling them around a small bottle of ibuprofen. This permits you to include a substantial length in one relatively small roll. I put 2 or 3 of these in my vest, with items inside the pill bottles that can vary...put meds you need (thyroid, blood pressure meds, etc) inside for emergency use.

You can use the knife to cut clothing to gain access to a wound; heat it to sterilize it before making an incision and drain an abscess; use it to perform an emergency tracheotomy; cut a tee shirt in strips to make a dressing; etc.

A tee shirt can be: cut in a circular fashion to make a long “Ace” bandage; pinned in a fashion to act as a sling; use as a head covering in a hot climate; used as a sponge to help cleanse a wound; etc. A simple safety pin has innumerable uses, such as: securing a tee shirt to fashion as a sling; secure the tip of an unconscious victim’s tongue to his lower lip to maintain an open airway; repair eyeglasses if the screw falls out; attach a note to an unconscious victim with critical information for rescuers; etc. A handkerchief, with printed types of knots, can be used to: serve as a tourniquet; serve as a bandana to keep the sun from harming your head; use as a guide for how to tie a bowline knot (in case you have forgotten); use as a bandage; etc.

A Sam’s Splint can be: wrapped and shaped to immobilize a victim’s head until the cervical spine is cleared; folded longitudinally to add strength in splinting a long extremity; cut into smaller pieces to splint fingers; x-rayed without needing to remove the splint; etc. Now for some trash talk. As in garbage bags. Put two or three of those really large size, 3 mil, thick, black garbage bags in your survival vest. I have written previously of the myriad uses of these, and won’t bore you with a rehash of those. Just Do It! These few items can be used to treat: fractured fingers; fractured arms; fractured legs; suspected cervical spine injuries; small and large lacerations; major bleeding; the compromised upper airway; snow blindness; dislocated shoulders; tracheotomy; amputation; lancing of an abscess; providing information for rescuers; etc. How much do these things weigh? Ounces. They can all be easily carried in a survival vest, where you can get to them quite easily, even if you have to execute an emergent egress from your aircraft. Don’t have them stowed in a backpack in the back of your super cub. Keep them right there with you. Should you be faced with a serious medical emergency, collect your thoughts, analyze your situation, inventory your resources and above all stay calm. Your passengers will be looking to you for reassurance and for guidance. Be ready to improvise!

Randle Corfman, MD, PHD is a reproductive specialist in MN. He holds commercial, instrument, S/MEL and SES ratings. He has special interest in wilderness and survival training and flies a C-210 and PA-18. w w w. S T O L A i r c r a f t M a g a z i n e . c o m

STOL DEPARTMENT

STOL STOPS |

BY KEVIN QUINN

BUNKER HILL, NEVADA

10,400â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

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AIRCRAFT MAGAZINE

ave you ever spent anytime on on Youtube searching for the ultimate STOL / Backcountry place to land? Several years back I watched a Youtube video of of this crazy fella landing his Super Cub on a really high ridge line out in the middle of nowhere Nevada. The wind was blowing, snow was still on the ground and it looked as though he was landing on top of the world. You can see the video under “Super Cub landing on windy Mt. top”. It now has nearly a million views. When the pilot hops out, I realize its my good buddy and legendary Flying Cowboy, Joe Pops Dory. I have had the opportunity to fly with Joe quite a bit at various fly ins, Idaho, STOL contests and across the country Low and Slow to Oshkosh, to participate in the STOL Demo there. Pops holds an annual fly-in out of his hangar in Austin during the fall each year with the town Lions Club serving us breakfast. We put on a STOL demo, play bowling with airplanes, do a flour bomb drop contest etc. Its an all round really great time. Of course, the lies that are told around the big fire each night is the best part. Pops generally breaks out his small guitar and sings, “Put a Catto on her Nose”, “Don’t worry be happy” and others that he has made into classics. They are all on the internet.

w w w. S T O L A i r c r a f t M a g a z i n e . c o m

STOL DEPARTMENT

STOL STOPS |

BY KEVIN QUINN On this one day, in particular, we woke up early ready to fly high! Pops and I had spoken the night prior about all of the various opportunities to land in the surrounding mountains. Really high mountains. We spoke of the Wilderness boundaries around and how we did not want to go there for obvious reasons, we discussed the need to get up early for the density altitude (it was going to be 90 degrees today at 6000â&#x20AC;&#x2122;) and how

Q3 2017 |

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AIRCRAFT MAGAZINE

the winds generally pick up in the high mountains around mid morning. We took off around 0530-0600 and headed east into the hills. We landed at several spots working our way along a nice ridge line as we were slowly gaining elevation. Honestly, I think Pops was testing me out and giving me a chance to warm up to my new surroundings. Long story short here, now 5 or 6 landings in

at around 7500-8000”, I found myself following him higher and higher. As we crested the 10,000’ ridge line he said over the radio “this is that spot I landed thats on the internet up high with the snow on the ground”. I said, “Oh, I know that one!” Eagerly awaiting to see what it really looked like and watch the approach that Pops liked, it all started to make sense. The adrenalin felt at bay and I continuously thought, “That will make a great photo” Now I just had to land there. Im not interested in landing somewhere if the little voice in my head tells me differently. It wasn’t doing that today. I felt really good about it after looking at it. Landing on high peaks is an art all to itself. So many things go into it. Density altitude, the winds, the surrounding terrain, whats the actual landing look like on final approach, how am I going to depart once on the ground, is there a go around, where am I going to park, can I turn around and so much more. We circled the peak to assess the winds and how it felt. Winds were already picking up from the west at about 1520mph. The way the landing sits, it is just protected on the east side of the ridge allowing a “tunnel of sorts” to fly through and land uphill at about a 15% grade or so. Too far left and your left wing is in the updraft. Too far right and your right wing is in the down draft. You must nail your spot landing as you fly into the protected wind tunnel and then add power as you land uphill to the top. The uphill itself adds another element to the landing as you need to

power up as you approach, touchdown, and then power up to the top of the ridge to park. There really is no “go around” once you commit, however, one could argue that, maybe. I watched Pops approach as I circled above taking in as much as I could. High mountain top landings are something we do here in western NV often so I was no stranger to what it was we were doing but again, a new spot, new terrain, and unfamiliar country. I watched closely. Pops made his final approach and landed. To my surprise, as he touched down he caught his left wing tip and ended up “putting his Catto on its nose”. Pops called over the radio and said all was good but I needed to be wary of the wind. The reality was that the slats on his wing created a stall on the left wing as he got slow and the uprising terrain off his left caught it. Thats another story. I made my approach just as I had watched him. I now knew I needed to land. Pops told me not to worry and he could walk down. My thoughts were, not a chance. That would take a long time and I felt good about where it was I was going. Pops said over the radio, “gosh darn it, don’t come in here and do what I just did”. “That’s not how its supposed to be done”. I actually ended up making one more approach and then came in for final. The terrain grew quickly in my windscreen and we had others circling above watching us. I was now committed. The wind was blowing the temps were rising and we stayed on course. Slowly adding power as i came

up the mountain in front of me and then touching down just beyond Pops and his bird. I was on the ground. I added power to the top of the ridge and shut down. Climbing out of my bird, adrenalin pumping with all that was going on and the fact I had just landed my bird at over 10,000’ in a new spot. LIFE was very present at this moment. We had a good look over the cub and to our surprise, there was no damage. We walked around, took some photos of the spot we had just landed and then said in sequence, “ I think I have had about enough for one day and the winds are starting to pick up”. What a great day its been. We both thought Pops was lucky. We positioned our birds into the hang glider launch point discussed the departure, knowing that we really just needed to add power and “send it” downhill into the valley below. Straight forward wright? To this day this departure is one of my more memorable hands down. Full power, hold the breaks and then let her go, release and commit. Bouncing down the very steep mountain side, the take off roll felt like forever given the DA and temps now but we were both airborne in about 50-75’. 20 minutes later we were both drinking a cold beer at the hangar. We had a full day. Bunker Hill is a place I will always remember and very much look forward to going back. If you plan on flying in the high country make certain you take your precautions. There is a lot that goes into these type of landings. Make certain to get some first hand knowledge prior to going anywhere like this. This one, Bunker Hill is at the top of the list for difficulty. Joe Pops Dory is one of the best pilots I know out there. No question. Stuff happens to the best of them.

Kevin Quinn

w w w. S T O L A i r c r a f t M a g a z i n e . c o m

STOL DEPARTMENT

STOL STOPS |

BY KATHRYN SMALL

AN AMATEUR’S PERSPECTIVE 5TH ANNUAL LONE STAR MAULE ROUNDUP, LLANO, TEXAS

y husband, Lance is a pilot and “well seasoned” at flying. I have only been in a small airplane once and that was a lifetime ago. The first time I flew with Lance, I was nervous, mortified and overwhelmed at the controls. Over the years he has owned several Maules. A recent trip to Llano for the Annual Lone Star Maule Round-up was our second fly-in so the nerves are calming down, little by little. These new experiences have also opened doors to learn new things. The pilot’s

Q3 2017 |

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AIRCRAFT MAGAZINE

phonetic alphabet, trim, flaps, just to mention a few. The next few years should give me plenty of time to learn as I’m not on a specific schedule. For our Llano trip, we left on Friday, May 5, 2017, from Waller, Texas, Skydive Houston Airport (37XA) heading for Llano, Texas (KAQO (http://www. airnav.com/airport/KAQO)). The skies were blue and temperatures cool. The time line was to be in Llano to go with the early birds arriving for some good ol’ Texas BBQ at Cooper’s. If you haven’t been to Coopers, it is worth the flight. The jalapeño mac and cheese was off the chart good as was the peach and apple cobbler. We arrived early and there was a line when we left. As the day progressed more planes arrived with friends we had previously met and new friends to meet. At the end of the day, a total of 22 planes (18 Maule’s, a DHC-2, C-150, Piper Pacer, Super Cub) and about 40 friends were gathered for an exciting weekend of flying and fellowship. The folks at Llano were so kind and gracious. I’m sure you, as pilots, are accustomed to the camaraderie when you fly into small airports. I have been so impressed with this kinship among you. The limo, a 5-ton Army vehicle arrived at our campsite for dinner in town at a very small Mexican restaurant. Our group filled the dining room if that gives you any indication of the size of the facility. The food was good in a warm, friendly atmosphere. After a fine dinner, we were back to the campsite at the airport for the evening in preparation for a busy day of flying and new adventures on Saturday.

Saturday morning was an early rise to be in the air by 0700. We headed to Fredericksburg (T82 (http://www. airnav.com/airport/T82)) for breakfast at the Airport Diner. The briefing for our day was at the Hangar Hotel Gazebo prior to departing Fredericksburg. We were divided into three groups for departures and landings. Departing Fredericksburg, we flew over Enchanted Rock (http://tpwd.texas.gov/stateparks/enchanged-rock/park_history) heading toward Sandy Creek for a touch and go. The touch and go, for several of us, was a true landing, get out and be amazed that we actually landed on a sand bar. Tres Clinton, Flight Instructor ProMark Aviation Services, Burnet, TX (http://www.promarkaviation. net) was our flight leader in his Super Cub. The sand was not hard but very dry and rather deep. Needless to say, rather it was nerve-racking for this amateur. Having big tires really benefited us according to the guys. We had the pleasure of watching our group “fly-by” before heading back to the skies. The next fly-over was Packsaddle Mountain (https://www.101highlandlakes. com/news/battle-of-packsaddlemountain-in-llano-county-tookplace-in-1873) and then a full stop at Sunrise Beach (2KL (http://www.airnav. com/airport/2KL)). The community of Sunrise Beach welcomed us with friendly smiles and handshakes before a quick departure for Granite Shoals (32TE (http://www.airnav.com/ airport/32TE)). Departing Granite Shoals for Kingsland Estates (TS18 (http://www.airnav.com/airport/ TS18)) and a full stop. Leaving there

we flew the Llano River for a flyover Falkenstein Castle (http://www. falkensteincastle.com) and continued to Burnet (KBMQ (http://www.airnav. com/airport/KBMQ)) for fuel before heading to HR Ranch for lunch catered by Bill’s Burger Mobile (https://www. facebook.com/billsonwheelz/?ref=br_ rs) and some shooting. Releases were signed by all shooting participants and everyone adhered to the strict, safety guidelines. The last surprise was when an anvil was stacked on another and loaded with gun powder in between with a fuse. Most everyone placed a marker in a spot thought to be the landing spot after detonation. The anvil rose to about 75-80 feet then landed. Susan Seaman had marked the winning spot. This sport should only be conducted by an expert! A unique event that you will only find in Texas!

river back to Llano. Lots of boaters were on the river. They were given a visual treat watching almost 20 airplanes fly by. Saturday evening was at the Llano hangar for pizza and raffles. Many thanks to all of the generous donors to the 5th Annual Lone Star Maule Roundup. Entertainment was around a

bonfire with music and song from our own group. The talent within this group is amazing. After all of our excitement, I was exhausted and I wasn’t doing the flying. This amateur is looking forward to the next Lone Star Maule Roundup. For information: www. LoneStarMaules.com.

A final briefing was held for the remainder of the afternoon prior to departing for a fly-over at Delterick Ranch (TE95 (http://www.airnav. com/airport/TE95)). We continued to Stiletto Airpark (https://www.facebook. com/StilettoAirpark2016/ (http:// www.airnav.com/airport/XS79)) then heading NE of Lampasas to Hal Harton’s Ranch for a very quick stop. Leaving the Harton’s ranch we followed the Colorado

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HONDO SOUTH TEXAS REGIONAL AIRPORT BY DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH

ondo Army Airfield recently celebrated it’s 75th Diamond Jubilee Anniversary. The airfield, KHDO, is now known as South Texas Regional Airport. It was for many years an Army Air Corp and Air Force training base. The event was attended by Colonel Richard Cole, the last surviving member of the World War II, Doolittle Raid.

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Hondo is the new home of “The Texas STOL Round-up” to be held September 29, 30 and October 1, 2017. The event includes a STOL competition including an obstacle clearance STOL landing and short takeoff, and landing events for experimental, certified and LSA aircraft. For more information see www. texasstolroundup.org.

Russell Armstrong and Colonel Cole

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STOL DEPARTMENT

STOL Performance |

BY DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH

Images From MicroVortex Generators.

VORTEX GENERATORS

MINIMAL COST,

MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE

FOR YOUR AIRCRAFT or separation. Lift is a result of pressure differences created by the passing of this airflow. Lift is dependent on flow, the angle of attack, airfoil shape, air density, and airspeed.

ortex generators or VG’s as they are commonly known are an aerodynamic devise which delays separation of airflow from the wing of your aircraft and or control surfaces. Aircraft flight is based on known principles. Lift, drag, thrust and weight (gravity) all contribute to flight. Lift is generated by airflow over the surface of the aircraft, more specifically its wings and control surfaces. Lift can be explained mathematically and by the principles of Bernoulli and Newton. For maximum lift to be generated air must pass over the airfoil without interruption 30

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The installation of the small generator “vanes” to your wings (airfoil) will create a vortex that will remove some part of the slow moving boundary layer of the air in contact with the airfoil surface delaying flow separation and stall. The use of VG’s improves the effectiveness of the wings and their control surfaces. VG’s can decrease stall onset, lower stall speeds, reduce take off and landing speed and improve slow flight characteristics. VG’s are easily installed in one day by one or two people. The vanes are installed by bonding them to the wing surface with a liquid bonding adhesive. A template is provided for their placement. Extra

vanes are provided for replacement of lost or damaged units. VG’s are a very effective, minimal cost, negligible weight addition to the performance of your aircraft. Piper J-3 through PA-18, Maule, Aviat Husky, CubCrafter aircraft and other VG kits are available for less than $700.00. Editors Note: I installed Micro Vortex generators on my Cessna 180 seventeen years ago during a frame up overhaul. They were installed while the aircraft was stripped for painting. I have never had a loss of any of the wing or horizontal stabilizer vanes. Several have been bent due to rocks and debris striking them. They were easily bent back to shape. During my first flight after installation of the VG’s the aircraft jumped off of the ground well before it’s “normal” departure time. I have been impressed with the overall increase in performance in all flight modes from the addition of the VG’s to my aircraft.

THE NORTHWEST AVIATION CONFERENCE BY DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH

he Northwest Aviation Conference was recently held in Puyallup Washington. The annual event brought out hundreds of vendors presenting the latest technology in aviation products. Numerous seminars were presented during the event including excellent information on backcountry survival. STOL Aircraft Magazine attended for the first time. Record level attendance was recorded despite chilly temperatures and rain. We were informed that the chill and rain are the norms for coastal Washington.

Sheila Smith at the STOL booth. w w w. S T O L A i r c r a f t M a g a z i n e . c o m

FRANK KNAPP WORLD CHAMPION BY DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH

The little yellow bird has now come full circle.

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Deon Mitton Photography

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Deon Mitton Photography

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The tape tells the story.

hampions are made not born. Dedication, perseverance, patience, courage, and sacrifice are all terms associated with becoming a champion. Frank Knapp and Kris his loving, understanding partner and wife of thirty-six years are a champion team. Both Frank and Kris are Palmer Alaska born and raised. Flying came naturally to Frank. His father owned a body shop near the Palmer airport. He was an avid hunter, outdoorsman and bush pilot. Frank cherishes the memories of the fun times he had flying with his Dad in the bush of Alaska hunting moose. He recalls the Palmer Airport, now paved, as a gravel strip. Frank’s father flew J-3’s and J-5’s moulding Frank’s love of the J-3. In 2012 Frank decided to build an ultimate STOL aircraft. With his stock C-85 powered J-3 he was capable of making 60 feet landings, but he knew he could land shorter. Frank kept in mind, for his new build, the advice of his father to “keep in light.” He purchased a 1939 J-3 powered by a C-85 and started making major modifications. The engine was built and tweaked by engine guru Richard Walker of Custom Aircraft in Palmer, Alaska. The airframe and engine build up resulted in a champions win in 2013 at Valdez. On December 17, 2013, tragedy struck. Frank and Kris’s hanger at their home in Palmer caught fire and burned. With it went several aircraft and Frank’s “Lil’ Cub.” The aircraft was destroyed. Being of the champion spirit that they are, Frank and Kris took this set back in stride. They rapidly repaired the hanger and started a rebuild of a new, better performing Lil’ Cub. During January and April of 2014, Frank and Kris worked at a feverish pace to rise as the Phoenix from the ashes. A new aircraft was born from those ashes and first flew on Frank’s birthday April 17, 2014. The new, better, stronger Lil’ Cub with Frank at the stick won Valdez in 2014

and 15. 2016 was a year of change for the little yellow Cub. Valdez was missed this year due to modifications being made to the airframe and engine. Valdez 2017 debuted the latest version of the super Lil’ Cub. The original airframe and engine started at a weight of 685 pounds. Frank has done everything he can think of to keep the airframe light. The aft section of the fuselage is not covered with fabric. The tail, elevator, rudder, ailerons, wings and cockpit are covered with yellow Oratex with no paint. The small front seat, floorboards, wing leading edge, slats and wing fuel tank cover are all carbon fiber made by Randy Apling’s Carbon Concepts in Wasilla, Alaska. Custom flaps were made by Carbon Concepts and added to the wings. Frank designed shortened ailerons to assist the custom curved flaps in directing air down to increase performance at slow speed in ground effect. The flaps are of carbon fiber. Aileron travel was increased to 40 degrees and they were shortened allowing for greater flap width. Frank states that he has enough spare prototype and unused carbon parts in the rear of his hanger to start his own carbon fiber business. Wing incidence is 6-7 degrees. The forward section of the airframe was modified. The in cockpit twelve gallon fuel tank was removed and the instrument panel was moved forward and lowered three inches. The firewall was moved aft five inches to offset CG changes with the new larger engine. A flat lexan windscreen was made to replace the original screen. These changes significantly increased forward visability. Cockpit side glass is .060. Frank has played with several fuel tank designs and placement. He previously had an aft mounted twenty two gallon tank. It has now been removed and replaced with a single seven gallon wing tank. Lil’ Cub stands on three inch extended and three forward gear. It has 26

inch Airstreak rubber and a Matco tailwheel. Landing shock is absorbed by a TK-1 suspension. Power is supplied by a Custom Aircraft built 0-320 by Richard Walker. The engine has no oil cooler, no alternator, and no starter. It pushes 10:1 pistons and dynos at 180 hp. The engine spins a Catto 86X36 prop. When quizzed about instruments Frank laughs. The panel holds an oil pressure and temperature gauge, a single cylinder CHT and an electric tach. He recently installed a lithium battery operated 3 1/8 inch hole mounted radio. The battery is charged from an external power source when ground bound. Navigation away from home is made by a handheld GPS. The aircraft has taken on a new shape and dimension. It now weighs 800 pounds. With Frank’s bodyweight of 170 pounds ( he lost 12 pounds for the Valdez competition ) and fuel, Lil”Cub stands at the ready line at 1040 pounds. Frank states the aircraft is passenger capable and has adequate gross weight capacities to haul all he needs to carry. The most significant performance enhancements, in Frank’s opinion, are the carbon fiber curved and extended length flaps and the TK-1 suspension. The little yellow bird has now come full circle. Frank has won his class in the 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2017 Valdez competition. He won over all champion in 2013, 2014 and 2017. 2017 was a particularly sweet win as Frank set a new world record. Please see Joe Prax article on page 14 and the full Valdez winners line up on page 18 of this issue. Congratulations to Frank for his many accomplishments and wins. Compliments and praise are due to Kris for her dedication and support. We, the STOL community, look to the next chapter of Lil”Cub, the little plane that could. w w w. S T O L A i r c r a f t M a g a z i n e . c o m

PA RT

E L E V E N :

C OR R E C T

TO OL S

BY DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH

y schedule has been extremely busy lately with everything except building time for the Cub. My two jobs, my wife’s health problems, my health problems, building a new house and doing annuals on the other three aircraft have made spare time scarce. Having never received all of my factory parts for my project, I have resolved myself after two and a half years of waiting, to move forward without them. Fortunately, I have met several other individuals who are building the same type aircraft. Misery loves company and we have shared ideas. The second copy of the airframe that I am also building will fly soon. I look forward to not only seeing it fly but seeing how it was finished. Kevin Quinn, who owns the

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first completed aircraft of this type, is very pleased with the performance of his airplane.

access system for easy maintenance may be added to my project. These ideas came from Jay Pratt’s Northstar.

I am now finishing off the firewall aft section of my project. The tail is on and all control surfaces are working. I have installed the latest version of Dan Dufault/Airframes Alaska’s T-3 tailwheel suspension. It is a dual shock system with anodized finish. Those individuals that I know or who I have spoken to that are flying the system are extremely pleased with it.

The ease of building any project either airplane, car, motorcycle or other is tool dependent. My old Daddy aways states “use the right tool for the proper job.” I fully agree with Dad and add “for a much easier less time consuming job.”

I have been looking at several Super Cub style aircraft in recent weeks and acquired a few new convenience items to add to my airframe. A floor hole cup holder for the pilot and a boot cowl

I have been making quite a few parts from sheet aluminum recently. Mostly window trim and interior parts. Many of them were made with the use of air driven hand shears. I found that my hands aren’t as steady as they once were and perfectly straight cuts were difficult to make. Once cut I would have to belt sand or trim them with a router to make

the cuts smooth and straight. This was very time consuming and got old real quick. I finally broke down and bought a 52 inch foot shear ($1029.00) and a 48 pan brake ($429.00) from Northern Tool. Unloading the 1000 pound floor foot shear off of a low boy trailer by hand was interesting. It required two old guys and one young individual to man handle it off the trailer and into the shop. Once it was in the shop and assembled project items moved much quicker. I have now been able to make all my window trim, instrument panel, and other metal parts. The shear cuts them fast, smooth and straight. The pan brake is wonderful. I have a 10 foot industrial brake in my hanger. It’s great for heavy big parts such as spars but is too big for the smaller items. The 48 inch brake is perfect for most aircraft size items. Other tools that I have found very convenient for sheet metal work are a small floor stand belt sander ($100.00200 Sears or Northern), a drill press $100-500.00 (Sears, Home Depot or Northern, “unibits” for making round holes as opposed to fluted bits that make an elliptical hole and a squeeze riveter. The belter sander is great for smoothing and rounding edges. The drill press makes for rapid boring of multiple holes in items such as door hinges and the rivet squeezer makes short work of multiple in line rivets as opposed to driving and bucking them. There are many other tools that are necessary to get the job done efficiently in a home shop. A battery operated variable speed hand drill and a Dremel variable hi speed tool are worth their weight in gold. I have found the “Dremel” or rotary hand tool to be one of the most useful tools in my shop. It cuts, sands, deburrs, bores holes and is great for working in small areas. It’s hi rpm speed with a thin cut off wheel works well to cut fuel and brake lines. No shop is complete without an air compressor. You will find with compressors that bigger is better. The w w w. S T O L A i r c r a f t M a g a z i n e . c o m

So You Want to Build A STOL |

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BY DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH

more air capacity and cubic feet per minute (cfm) that it can produce, the better off you are. Work capacity is based on air pressure and quantity produced. Larger air tools require more air pressure and capacity of stored air to run them. Blasting jobs, sand, media or bead, go much easier with more air volume and pressure, generally speaking. Tanks of 30 to 60 gallon with two to five horse power work well. A dual stage pump is nice but costs a bit more. Good compressors can cost from $100.00 for a small capacity “pancake” style to over $2000.00 for a sixty gallon two stage. They can be found at Home Depot, Lowes, Northern Tool, Sears or many other tool sales sources.

There are numerous other tools that make for a complete home shop. Acquiring them over time helps to take the bite out of the cost. I try to buy medium quality for the lessor used tools and the jobs that don’t require exact tolerances. Medium to high quality for the more commonly used tools and hiquality for those tools used on a frequent basis or that require exact tolerance. My tools range from Snap-on at the high end to Craftsman in the medium-high range and a multitude of others at the medium level. I shy away from low price, low quality tools as they usually don’t work well or last very long. I do frequently purchase low quality one use throw away items such as cheap paint

brushes for quick jobs that don’t require quality finish. There is something to say for that old diddy, “you get what you pay for.” I have found that the words of a WW II veteran, aviator, aircraft, and auto mechanic with 95 years experience ( my Dad) are very true, “use the proper tool for the proper job.” Keep your project moving forward by doing something on it each day. Baby steps will get you there, it will just take a little longer.

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TOP IT OFF -

AT HOME BY DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH

LET’S FACE IT. Firing up the ole engine of your mighty steed, taxing to the fuel pump, shutting down the engine, fueling and restarting to taxi out for take-off is a pain. It’s much worse if it is cold, raining, snowing and the wind is blowing. It’s even worse when you have to go through the same shut down, start up procedure when you return home.

ou can eliminate these problems by maintaining your personal fuel storage and pumping system. There are a few considerations before you start buying and wrenching together parts. Having fuel in or outside your hanger must meet airport, state and local standards. Check with your airport manager, unless you own your lot and hanger, to determine if fuel is allowed on the field. If you own the land, check your deed restrictions. Let the airport manager know it is for personal use and will not be sold. Some airports will not allow your personal storage and use as it takes away sales from them. My hanger has an apartment and is considered a residence in an airpark. Airport management objected but had no authority. I now store up to 1000 gallons under a shed outside with a pump inside my hanger. I asked many of my neighbors who have their individual systems who felt that out of sight was out of mind and did not ask. Check with your hanger insurance company. They may have specific standards such as a double wall tank or an over flow/leak catch resevoir. I have used three different systems for storage: System one consisted of a single axle trailer with a metal mesh floor. The axle rating is 2500 pounds. A 300 gallon single wall fuel storage tank was mounted to the trailer. I installed a GPIM-180S-ML 12 volt fuel pump acquired 40

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from Tractor Suppy. The unit pumps 18 GPM. It comes equipped with a 1 inch 12 foot delivery hose, delivery nozzle and a spin on filter. It has a 12-2 power cord to which I installed alligator clips. I purchased a deep cycle 12 volt battery from Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Reilly auto parts, made a frame to attach it to the trailer. I installed a 20 foot 3/32 grounding cable with alligator clips on one end and hard bolted to the trailer frame on the other, and I was in business. Once the trailer was licensed, I was able to haul it to the airport for fuel or cheaper yet have fuel delivered directly to my hanger at wholesale pricing.

The work involved in the installation of these fuel delivery systems has been well worth the effort. It is a joy to be able to top off in the hanger or just outside on the ramp at my convenience. The savings in wholesale delivery has, over time, offset the cost of construction.

Sytem two reqired a little more work. It replaced my trailer system that was loaned to a friend on the field. I installed a 12 X 6 foot slab on the side of my hanger and built a permanent shed cover over it. I placed a single wall 1000 gallon tank on the slab and plumbed one inch galvanized pipe into the building. A GPI 12 gpm 115 volt transfer pump was purchased from Tractor Supply and hard wired inside my hanger to an exterior wall. I added a fuel /water separator filter, a Roughneck resettable mechanical flow meter, 30 feet of one inch hose with a dispensing nozzle, a 30 foot ground wire to a 8 foot copper grounding rod driven into the ground with an alligator clip on the other end and I was ready to fuel. System three I installed at my ranch. It is a bit more comprehensive as it includes three single wall 1000 gallon tanks. One each for 87 octane auto fuel, diesel, and Avgas 100 LL. The three tanks were installed on a large thick concrete pad with a shed cover. Individual GPI- 120 volt pumps were hard wired to my hanger. Fuel/water filters were installed as well as fuel flow meters on the diesel and Avgas pumps. Twenty foot hoses with nozzles were installed on the diesel and auto fuel systems and 40 feet of hose on the Avgas tank. Fuel delivery is made at wholesale pricing by a local fuel distributor. The tanks I painted yellow for diesel, red for auto fuel and white for Avgas. My ten year old God son states they are mustard, ketchup, and mayonnaise. w w w. S T O L A i r c r a f t M a g a z i n e . c o m

KERN VALLEY BACKCOUNTRY FLY-IN BY: SCOTT BOLING

ike most aviation enthusiasts, the hustle and bustle of my daily grind always seems to get in the way of flying adventures. Throw into the mix the severe weather we had this last winter, and spring fever hit hard for many of us. A few months ago, I was communicating with several pilots about a fly-in that was being organized to highlight the beauty of the Lake Isabella area, located in California in the southern Sierra Nevadas. A gentleman named Anthony Longobardo was leading the charge of putting together the 1st Annual Kern Valley Backcountry Fly-In. This seemed to be exactly what we were after, so without hesitation, we started making plans. I asked my oldest son if he’d like to go since I knew my wife would forego the trek. It turned out he wouldn’t be able to pull away from college, so I asked my next oldest. He, of course, didn’t hesitate and seemed to be already packed before I even finished asking.

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The morning finally arrived to begin our journey. The planned route would take us 579 nautical miles from our home state of Idaho, southwest through Nevada. It actually took us over seven hours to complete due to stronger than expected headwinds. When we finally landed Thursday afternoon, we were greeted with gorgeous California type weather. We were also greeted by a a very nice gentleman on a lawnmower that was just finishing up the designated camping area off Runway 17. Turns out, he’s the airport manager of Kern Valley and would play a huge role in helping to keep the event on schedule. We had shown up a day early since we didn’t know how the weather would hold up. Once we unpacked and set up camp, we headed into the town of Kernville, which is only about 2 1/2 miles up the road. There we found many great places to eat with a wide variety of foods.

The next morning we were given an amazing California sunrise and another beautiful day. We watched the planes arrive every so often, as if they were on a designated time schedule. Still to this day, nothing captures my interest more than a small plane coming in to land. We initially were going to fly out and explore the area while we waited for others, but each arrival created another opportunity for great conversation. Like with most Fly-in’s, simple introductions led into more interesting topics. Before too long, it was as if we were among friends we hadn’t seen in a long while. Once evening fell, they chartered us into town for dinner. We divided up into groups and hit several promising hot spots. There was chatter about the weather turning the next day, so we weren’t sure what to expect. The winds were suppose to continue building up speed throughout the day, followed by rain on Sunday. Perhaps that’s why there were some who decided to skip the travels, but it was still nice to see twentyfive to thirty aircraft tied down at the field. There were also many families that drove in to enjoy the festivities and the camaraderie a fly in offers. Saturday morning, we woke to the sweet sound of a Cessna 120 lifting off at 6:00 am. The local pilot jokingly mentioned that he was only checking the weather, but we all knew he was politely telling everyone to get out of bed. Still, there’s no better alarm clock. We ventured out in waves just before breakfast, depending on speed, strips of interest,

and the direction folks wanted to take. Several of us ended up flying out to Death Valley National Park to Panamint Springs for breakfast. We then divided back up and hit select strips on the way back. Kern Valley doesn’t offer fuel, so we found ourselves climbing up and over the ridge towards Lone Pine to top off. We landed with the wind blowing 28 mph. The weather they called for was finally arriving. Over the next few hours, the small groups of planes started to make their way back into Kern Valley. There was a STOL Evaluation scheduled for Saturday afternoon, but it was cancelled due to high winds. We made our way back into Kernville and were treated to a classic car show put on by the local rotary club. It doesn’t matter if you’re a plane or car junky, the two seem to go hand in hand. There were amazing representations of many of the great classics from almost every era. Top it off with a classic burger, fries and shake lunch from the local diner and the day was turning into another successful venture. All of Anthony’s hard work was paying off. Unfortunately, Anthony had been severely injured a couple weeks before and didn’t get the chance to fully reap the rewards of all his hard work. It was nice to see him in attendance for most of the Fly-In. Later that night, they had to move the Tri-Tip BBQ dinner into one of the main hangars since the winds hadn’t yet let up. They had a guest speaker from the local military base that came in to discuss operating in a MOA and Restricted

areas from a GA pilot perspective. He did a great job explaining the basic procedures and answering questions from the group. He even helped many of us understand where we fit in from a military perspective and what exactly gets communicated to those military aircraft in the air. He did a great job and we all appreciated his time. All-in-all, it was a wonderful night that concluded with a huge raffle of donations from local businesses, aviation companies, and even the Recreational Aviation Foundation (RAF). The coveted prize everyone was eyeing was a set of 31” Alaskan Bushwheels donated by Airframe Alaska. Once the festivities concluded, several planes headed back out before dusk to hit just a few more strips, while the rest enjoyed a group bonfire. I took advantage of the opportunity to hit one more hot shower just before dark. The RAF made a substantial donation to help supply the Kern Valley Airport with shower facilities. However, the local building codes didn’t allow for a permanent structure, so they came up with an amazing “somewhat mobile” alternative that worked beautifully. Thank you RAF and all those who put in countless hours to get everything completed before we arrived. By Sunday morning, several planes had left early in preparation for the coming rain showers. However, Kern Valley was probably the only area that didn’t receive rain. We slowly packed up and headed back over to the Kern Valley Airport Diner for one last breakfast before heading home. As we left, I took a moment to reflect over the last several days. Sure the weather could have been a little better, but like all good aviators, we simply made the most of the opportunity. I enjoyed the memories I made with my son and the many new relationships that were formed. I look forward to coming back next year and meeting friends that are able to journey back out. w w w. S T O L A i r c r a f t M a g a z i n e . c o m

MOTORIZED TAILWHEEL TOW BAR BY: FRANK P. SPERANDEO III

he saying that appears in the dialogue “Republic”, by the ancient Greek philosopher Plato, “Necessity is the mother of invention” is defined as a need or problem that encourages creative efforts to meet the need or solve the problem. The creative light bulb attacked me once again, in the dark shadows of slumber at 3:00 AM, to design a motorized tailwheel tow bar for my airplane, “Pearl”. The key element of creating this mechanical contraption, is alleviating lower back pain, and stretched muscles that ache from non-use when manually tugging an aircraft loaded with 280

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pounds of fuel, in and out of a hanger, - notwithstanding the fact of hanger door/floor tracks that present an additional obstacle to be dealt with. The first question was to find off the shelf items that meet the mechanical truism of form/function and not break the bank. It was decided that a trip to Harbor Freight was an ideal place to shop for the key item to propel this tow bar. Space was the main factor of installing the parts on the shank of the tow bar. Strolling down on the aisle at the ubiquitous Harbor Freight store, I spotted a shelf stacked with those 12 volts, ATV Utility Winches, with a 2500

LB capacity. This was the proverbial AhHa moment! This winch has the exact mechanical attributes to make this a viable safe transport tool for towing light tailwheel aircraft in and out of hangers. This unit has planetary gears, rotates at 32 rpm which will fulfill the requirement of a normal walking pace when a cogged, timing belt to two, steel shafted cogged gears are utilized. The winch comes with an independent remote to control off, on, and forward/rear motion. The knob that extends from the spool side can be pulled out and twisted, to put the tow bar in neutral, for normal towing.

ADDITIONAL TECHNICAL DATA AND TIPS There are many tailwheel manual tow bars available for conversion to this motorized configuration. The winch power until incorporates an aluminum spool with the cable-discard the cable. Basic metal machining is needed to be performed to the spool such as removing the 3 ½” dia. outer flange to the spool shaft. The metal cogged gear that should be installed is 3 ½” dia. x 1” width. This gear is custom bored to fit the spool shaft and secured to the shaft with dogged eared socket set screws, qty. two, 90 degrees apart. Also, a 2 ½” steel cogged is needed to be affixed to the tow bar wheel shaft. A good machinist will be a great source of help. You can get a slower or faster pace on the motorized tow bar by installing a smaller/bigger diameter cogged driven gear on the tow bar wheel shaft. The wheel diameter on the tow bar that is on this unit is 6” diameter- it makes a difference on the calculated pace. It would be advantageous to use roller, not ball bearings, to aid in the assembling and affixing the wheel to the smaller cogged gear. Another term that can be used in implementing this formula is SFM (surface feet per minute). See the Belt Driven Formula reference

www.culvemotor.com/EngineeringFormulas/Pulley-and-RPM-Calculator. html.

If you are a constant tinkerer, this is a challenging project to undertake without breaking the bank.

A 12-volt small Odyssey battery is used to power the winch unit. These batteries are used in most experimental aircraft and have a useful performance life of 9-12 years. Use 3/32” aluminum plate for the construction platform to mount the winch parts is bolted to the tow bar shank.

COST OF PARTS •

Odyssey battery – dry cell- pt. #YB16L-B, 230CCA- $110.00

•

Motorized Winch – Harbor Freight, 2500 lb capacity - $50.00

•

Type H timing gears – 3 ½” dia., 2 ½” dia. x 1” (1 ea.) Part #P22H100MPB and # P16H100MPB respectively - $60.00 tot. Maurey Mfg. Co. – 800-284-2161

•

Timing Belt-Jason Industrial Inc. 973-227-4904 1” wide x approx. 36” long (TBD) Pitch code “H” - $15.00 1” wide x approx. 36” long (TBD) Pitch code “H” - $15.00

Frank Sperandeo III is the winer of Pear Mods LLC and has been active in manufacturing/ modification of aircraft parts as add-ons, focusing on drag reduction. His manufacturing career began as a machinist Apprentice with Koppers Company – currently spanning 60 years as a certificated Master Machinist. Products that were produced were Pratt & Whitney aviation piston rings for type engines: R-1820, R-2800, & the R-4360. His engineering career encompassed design and manufacturing products for Westinghouse Electric Corp. for projects such as APQ-10 radar system (F-4 Phantom), the AWAC Radar system, the MARK 45 Torpedo, the Stinger Missile project and the Mark1 Abrams Tank project. Frank has been an Engineering Research Instructor with the University of Arkansas developing equipment for the Super Conductivity project and the Material Substrate Laser/ Deposition project in vacuum chambers. Presently, Frank is an A&P, IA, DAR, and DER performing FAA Airworthiness inspections involving Experimental Aircraft. He is a member of EAA, a Technical Councilor, Flight Councilor and a Young Eagle Pilot. Also, Frank is a member of the Short Wing Piper Club serving as a Technical Councilor and past President. Email: www.miss_pearl@ cox.net. Email: www.miss_pearl@cox.net w w w. S T O L A i r c r a f t M a g a z i n e . c o m

SKWENTNA ALASKA STOL COMPETITION BY DOUG TURNBULL

Skwentna STOL experience was just that, a TRUE experience! Having flown to Alaska from Upstate New York, taking 55 hours to travel just to get to Anchorage, I was ready to see some local sights. After joining Cory Kittle for some local “flight-seeing” in the Knick Glacier area, I then traveled to the Iditarod checkpoint, Skwentna. This little town is about 70 miles from Anchorage, in the foothills of Mt. McKinley. With a population of 37 (in 2010), the only way in is by air, river, or waiting for the river to freeze over so one can drive in.

“The rule was that on the landing, you have to cross the line, but not touch the ground before the line, or you are disqualified.” I landed in Skwentna on a Thursday afternoon and rolled into the parking area. I settled in next to Frank Knapp, and his wife, and their experimental aircraft. They were there to compete in the STOL competition and try out some new modifications to Frank’s plane. I went to the Roadhouse to meet Mark Torkelson & Cindi Herman, who run the place. I got settled into my room, ate, and relaxed for a bit. As the sun

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was setting, I got a ride to my plane to check it out, and see what Frank and his wife were doing. Frank was tuning his plane, doing some test runs with very short take-off and landings. It was unbelievable how short the distance was that he was completing them in! Up and down he would go, over and over. It was quite a show to watch what he and his plane could do! There was NO wind, and he was SHORT!

Planes started coming in the next morning (Friday). Everybody was busy getting registered at the Roadhouse, eating, and preparing their planes for the competitions later on that day. Denny Serie and his wife showed up. I had met Denny a couple of years earlier, and he was pushing me to sign up for the competition. I told him that my plane wasn’t set up for this. It was heavy with lots of gas, and a full belly pod on it. I had it set up for travel, not for competition. He told me that anyone could compete and that I should just sign up and go out there and have fun.

Denny prevailed, and I signed up for the Bush class. I now needed to get the plane ready! It was time to start emptying it out. Out came the tent, sleeping bags, boots, tie downs, extra ropes, fuel bags, chairs, tools and anything else that I figured could be removed. There was a pile next to my plane, and it was about as light as I could make it, other than the 25 gallons of fuel in it. I adjusted the weight that I had in it to set up the plane so that I could get on the brakes and hopefully, the tail would stay down (and it wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t feel too nose-heavy). Now I was SET! Cory Kittle was there taking photos of the event for Shooter. To be honest, I was glad that he wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t competing. His PA18 is a rocket, and he can really drive his plane well! That 0-360 and the Catto prop make his plane move! After the safety meeting, we were sent to our planes to get into position for our first of two runs. We started the first run at a line on the ground. The rule was that on the landing, you have to cross the line, but not touch the ground before the line, or you are disqualified. I was number 2, after Denny. There were three others in line behind me. Denny lined up and off he went in just 175 feet. Not bad effort since there was no wind to assist in the take off. I lined up after the dust had settled. I checked the mags, carb heat off, one notch of flaps down so that I could get to the flap handle without reaching it later. I checked gas on both, brakes locked, full throttle and the engine came up to full static speed. I released the brakes, and OFF I GO! As the speed quickly rose to what, I knew, was a speed that I had practiced before, I grabbed the flap handle and pulled it full-on. At the same time, I pulled the stick into my lap to get off the ground. I was off in 250 feet, with no wind! Not bad! Takeoff was about normal for my plane (which sports a 0-360 and 8242 Borer prop) determined from the times that I had practiced at home on the strip behind my house. w w w. S T O L A i r c r a f t M a g a z i n e . c o m

Skwentna Alaska STOL competition |

BY DOUG TURNBULL Now, for the landing. Per the rules, you could not touch the ground before the line, or the attempt would be disqualified. Denny had landed and stopped, and I heard over the radio that he was DQ’d on his landing. So I knew that he was short of the line and that I needed to make sure that I wasn’t, or I too would be disqualified. As I was coming in, I pulled the first notch of flaps at 70 MPH, slowing it down. I then pulled the second notch at 60, checked the carb heat, nose up, 50 MPH and third notch pulled, slowing it down even more. I had to add power, pulled the nose up, my speed decreased to 45 then 40. There was no wind. I added power and again pulled the nose up for controlled flight. I watched the line, staying just off the ground by inches, milking it along. Once again, I pulled the nose up. It was now seat-of-thepants flying as the indicated airspeed was below 30-35 MPH. As I crossed the line, I cut the power and down I dropped. I applied full brakes, being careful not to put it up on it’s nose. I heard over the radio that my landing was 275 feet. I had crossed the line and stopped without issue! Not bad for a rookie from upstate New York! Everybody else landed, but all were DQ’d because they had touched down short of the line. I had Round 1 in the bag. I couldn’t believe I was the only one that was not disqualified! After everybody had landed, I heard Denny calling out to them that “we can’t let some New Yorker come up here and kick our butts. Let’s get our crap together in the next round.” We back-taxied for the second round. The minimal wind had swapped ends just in the little time that we were out there. We now had a tailwind of about 3 MPH. The tailwind made the take offs about 30% longer and also affected the landings. This time we all came in legal, crossing the line before touching

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down. All of the distances were longer, but Denny beat me out due to his first takeoff was 175 feet. His combined takeoff and landing were shorter than my shortest attempts. I was pleased with the distance that I had with both of my runs. I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think I would be in the running with my setup. But, I had done some practicing back home, and I knew how my plane would perform. I showed the boys of Alaska that this New Yorker could keep up with them here in their country! My trip to Alaska was a trip of a lifetime. I hope to make the trip again in 2018. Doug Turnbull

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JOHNSON CREEK FAIR WELL BY CHRIS HARE

eriodic reflection on our flying experiences necessitates one to take a step back, reflect, re-evaluate and savor the events of the past flying season. Reflection includes giving thanks and recognition to those that facilitated in making those memories possible. Idaho boasts world class back country flying at all skill levels, from wide open and easy to quite technical extreme STOL offerings. The State Government, with its pro aviation disposition has several selected turf airfields, upon which it maintains fly-in only camping facilities, all FREE of charge. Many of our readers that have flown into the Idaho back country strips have without a doubt visited Johnson Creek (FAA ID. 3U2), Idahoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Crown Jewel of flyin camping airfields. Johnson Creek provides a beautiful 3400 foot long regularly irrigated and manicured turf strip. It is located in a very picturesque valley at just under 5,000 feet MSL, deep in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness Area, complete with a scenic river flowing through it. Johnson Creek offers comfort amenities to include:

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clean hot showers and toilets, 2 crew vans (for a minimal charge) free WiFi and webcam (Google search: Yellow Pine webcam to see live images) unlimited pre-cut fire wood, fresh morning hot coffee, mountain bikes and more! There is even a chest freezer to trade out frozen water bottles with to keep your own ice chest supplies cool! All these niceties and upkeep don’t happen by themselves. That brings us around to the thanks and recognition piece of this story. These select backcountry camping airfields are cared for and maintained by state appointed and modestly paid “Camp Hosts”. Summer of 2016 marks the 5th season that Johnson Creek Camp Hosts Phil and Roxi Pryor have not only faithfully taken on the Camp Host job, but they have taken it to a new level. This industrious couple works tirelessly from morning till night, seeing that the entire operation runs flawlessly. They are always on task, weather its mowing the runway, moving irrigation, or making sure the place is neat and tidy. Their efforts and dedication have certainly been enjoyed by all Johnson Creek

visitors. Sadly, 2016 marked the last season that Phil and Roxi will be serving as camp hosts. They have set their sights to other retirement activities, including three classic car restoration projects and several planned motor home trips. The next Johnson Creek Camp Hosts will have a great operation to take over and big shoes to fill to surpass those of Phil and Roxi. STOL Aircraft Magazine recognizes the outstanding efforts of Phil and Roxi Pryor, and want to express our thanks and well wishes to them, and their future endeavors. God Speed. Chris Hare

is a STOL Aircraft Magazine contributing writer. ATP, A&P, International 777 Pilot and STOL enthusiast, with a 180 HP Glastar Tail Dragger and 80% through building a Just Aircraft Super STOL, [so, only 80% to go!] Based outside of Houston TX, Flying Hare STOL-port (34XS) Owner, Manager and greens keeper. Enjoys Summer trips to Back Country Idaho and points afar....

CHECKLIST DO I NEED ONE? BY CHANCE STERLING

ost of us STOL type pilots fly fairly simple aircraft. We have one carbureted, or fuel injected fan spinning out front, fixed gear, glass VFR or IFR panel or VFR steam gauge panel and maybe a constant speed prop. The constant speed prop adds one lever. The fuel injection can eliminate one. (carb heat).

Simple, non-complex aircraft can lull you into thinking that things don’t have to be looked at quite as hard. Hey, it’s a basic aircraft. Three tires, two wings, one prop. Kick the tires, light the fires and let’s go, right? Well, not really. That might work for a flight or two, but you are asking for trouble. Even the most basic of aircraft, let’s say a J-3, is composed of multiple systems. I know it has five gauges and three things to pull and push. (Throttle, carb heat, and fuel on/off. Four if you count the primer) The walk around is simple and so is the flying. Pull the stick back to go up, pull harder and longer to go down or push to go down. Things remain basic until we find that we missed something on the pre-flight walk around and then we have a problem. This normally occurs once we are off the ground. When things break or quit working while we are in the air, our perspective changes rapidly. What do I do now, becomes a major question? What’s 52

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is best glide speed? Can I slip to make that field with full flap’s? In what order do I turn things off? Should I turn things off? Why didn’t I look at that part before I took off? All are good questions. It’s just the wrong time to be asking them. Your POH (pilot operations handbook) contains a preflight checklist. You should use it. A systems check of the aircraft before the flight is critical to safe flight. Checking control surfaces, nuts, bolts, safety wires and integrity of the aircraft structure before you takeoff is a good thing. Are all of its parts in the right place and being held on sufficiently for flight? Does the aircraft have sufficient fuel with a reserve for the intended flight? Does the engine have oil? Are there birds or critters living somewhere in the aircraft? So your pre-flight exterior exam reveals that it is OK to start her up. Did you just land 15 minutes ago or is this a cold start? The starting sequence can be quite different. Here in Texas after 15 minutes on a 120 degree ramp your engines going to be smoking hot. A fuel injected engine start may

be problematic. Do you know the correct sequence for making that hot start? If you are in Alaska, it may be a very cold start. Did you preheat? I preheat if the temperature is below 50 degrees. It makes for a quick start and warm cabin not to mention the decreased wear on the engine components. Are all of you gauges, switches, and bells working? Do you use the same sequence to check them every time? A checklist would help. Distractions occur easily and frequently. A nervous passenger, unsecured or improperly secured load or something on the ramp near the aircraft may attract your attention. These simple distractions can draw your attention from the serious matters at hand. A checklist will keep you on track. Checklists should, at least, cover exterior aircraft inspection including tail assembly, tailwheel, fuselage, wings, flaps ailerons, main gear and brakes, windows, doors, engine, fuel oil and prop. Interior inspection, seats, seat belts and shoulder harnesses, gauges, switches, breakers, fuel gauges and selection level, avionics, compass, control cables, yoke or stick movement, rudder pedal movement and the condition of the pilot. Pre-start, starting procedure, taxi, pre-take-off and take off checks should be included. Performance numbers should be on the list and readily at hand. Vx, Vy, Vso are important numbers to know as you take off. Cruise numbers for best performance and fuel burn are critical to efficient, safe flight. Pre-destination arrival checks should be complete before entering the pattern. Do you have ATIS, local frequencies, and weather? How long is this runway? You should have known that one before

you took off if this is your intended destination. I like a sterile cockpit when landing. I inform my passengers not to speak once I am in the pattern unless they see something that is critical to safe flight. You know, something like, “there is fuel pouring from the left wing, we are on fire, or did you see that big power line out in front of us?” These are useful items, distracting conversation about what shoes I will wear tonight are not. Remember GUMPS? Gas, undercarriage, mixture and props? It’s a quick mental check before landing. Where are your flaps? Any and all of these items are helpful to the pilot. They are more helpful and quite necessary if you are stressed or tired. Being rushed, long VFR flights, IFR flight, encountered weather in flight, pending or post competition and altered diet and sleep patterns from travel can significantly impact your thinking process. Dehydration from dry climate or altitude flying can alter your cognitive state. When your brain starts to break down due to the one or the many factors listed above a checklist will save your bacon. If your aircraft did not come with one, check your POH. Make one. Add to it the little things that are important to you. Most critical, USE IT! A checklist in the pocket of your aircraft is like your blood pressure medication sitting on your bathroom sink counter. It doesn’t work if you don’t take it! Save yourself and your friends, make and use a checklist. Be sure to include a list of survival gear for each flight into the backcountry on the list. Fly safe, have fun, and above all come home. Chance Sterling is an international man of mystery. He has extensive flight experience both fixed wing and helicopter and an expert rating in all aspects of firearms.

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ay Pratt is an RV wizard. He specializes in construction and builder assistance of the RV series aircraft. To date, he has built 46 of them and is probably bucking rivets as you read this. The RV is a superb aircraft and has a wide go fast, go slow envelope, but it is not a STOL backcountry aircraft. Fortunately, Jay has great rag and tube construction skills in addition to his sheet metal expertise. Those skills and the desire to fly a hi-performance STOL airplane led him to the unique Morgan Williams designed Northstar aircraft kit distributed by Custom Flight Limited in Canada. The Northstar designed is based on the original Piper Cub. Morgan Williams realized the exceptional quality of the Cub but was also aware of it short comings. His design made numerous performance, safety and serviceability modifications to the original design. Increased bracing strengthened

the fuselage and cockpit increasing durability and crash protection. To aid in inspection and repair access a removable boot cowl, swing out engine mount and a large tail section inspection panel was added. A fold down instrument panel eases service of avionics. Float fittings and dual access doors make float operations simple. Jay’s Northstar is powered by a 0-360 solid crank 180 HP engine that spins a Catto 84 X 44 prop. It has a light

weight starter and Vetterman exhaust. With a mild fuel burn, the two twenty six gallon tanks provide for good cross country range. Each of Jay’s aircraft are given names. For his Northtstar he chose “Shooter.” I think it’s a terrific name! For more information on the Northstar see www.customflightltd.com.

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STOL DEPARTMENT

Southwestern Region |

BY RICK BOSSHARDT

BACK COUNTRY G E T - A - W A Y

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A D V E N T U R E S

e all know the benefits of having a Backcountry plane: Being able to fly to remote locations, seeing stunning and awe inspiring scenery from the air, and being able to land at those remote strips and explore the surrounding terrain. Gorgeous sunsets and starry nights with a warm campfire and good friends, sharing a laugh and of course aviation tall tales; that’s what we all love and dream of doing while planning our next flights.

But another equally intriguing benefit of flying into the back country is to have a mission or a planned exciting destination that appeals to many and brings a group of pilots in for a fun weekend together.

nickname as stuck! This semi-annual Fly-In always attracts good numbers (see my 3Q 2015 article in STOL Aircraft Magazine titled Pleasant Valley, its “other” name).

Such was a recent weekend excursion with the Arizona Pilots Association to “Young International” (24AZ). There is no known reason why this strip has the word “International” associated with it, but it has a nice ring to it, and the

What makes this Fly-In so special each time is the hugely warm and generous welcome that the local residents in Young, AZ give us each time we come up. From leaving several trucks at the strip to let us use to get around town,

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Southwestern Region |

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BY RICK BOSSHARDT

to organizing a Port-a-Potty on site, to organizing a breakfast at the local winery and a gathering at the famous “Antlers Restaurant” with their Saturday Prime Rib special and huge and delicious deserts; it is truly heart warming and appreciated by the pilot community. This particular Fly-In had an even more fantastic event tied to it! All 20 pilots and their significant others, plus a few of the local residents acting as tour guides, went to town and toured the local Museum to learn the history of this fascinating town. One of the most eye opening pieces of history that we learned about, was the bitter and deadly “Tewksbury and Graham War”, which was essentially a feud between two families in the last 1880’s. Over FIFTY people were shot during this feud, which began as a simple argument over cattle and poaching, and actually was more deadly and more macabre than the famous “Hatfield’s and McCoy Feud” that we all have heard about. We toured the cemetery behind the museum and church and could see the graves of many of the victims.

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STOL DEPARTMENT

Southwestern Region |

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BY RICK BOSSHARDT

We then caravaned out in 6 trucks about 22 miles through the Tonto National Forest (the strip is also owned by the Tonto National Forest) to the privately held 212 acre ranch called the “Q Ranch”. What a fabulous place to visit! The ranch is nestled in a large Ponderosa Pine and Oak stand in a picturesque valley. Originally homesteaded in 1894 by Colonel Jesse Ellison and his family, this ranch is the site of the third largest Native American Western Pueblo complex in the Americas. This 220-room apartment like complex made out of sandstone, with a huge circular meeting area in the middle, is still only partly excavated and analyzed by local archaeologists. The Q Ranch hosts numerous study events throughout the year supervised by the Arizona Archaeological Society, with the student, amateur, and professional archaeologists participating. Under their supervision one can actually get in and get your hands dirty, uncovering pottery, tools, and rooms in the massive complex.

There are also residential workshops on pottery specifically, where you can help restore and learn about the fascinating history of these artifacts.

The main event each summer is called the Pleasant Valley Days and the Q Ranch features prominently in these celebrations as well.

The best part about the Q Ranch is that it is a thriving and active Bed & Breakfast. What a great get-a-way destination! Flying into the “Young International” airstrip, the owners will come out and bring you in with their four wheel trucks, or you can drive yourself to Young, AZ and head 22 miles east. Fun for the whole family, there are many activities to partake in besides the Archaeological Programs. The family cemetery has some interesting history, with some members being shot by Apache’s and others succumbing to TB; surefire fodder for a late night story telling session around the campfire! Nature lovers will delight in the various Birds, Butterflies, Dragonflies and Damselflies around the ranch, and many families book the ranch for private parties like birthdays and anniversaries.

Whether you are intrigued by exploring old ruins and helping excavate, sort and analyze, or just hanging out in a beautiful ranch setting and relaxing in the Arizona sun, the Q Ranch is a great flying destination in Central Arizona. What a wonderful use of our Backcountry Planes, combining our love of flying with the passion of exploration! For more information on the Q Ranch, and its owner and our host Jonathan Rodgers, please go to www.qranch.com. You wont be disappointed! Rick Bosshardt

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

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STOL DEPARTMENT

BOOK REVIEW BY DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH FLIGHT TO SUCCESS BE THE CAPTAIN OF YOUR LIFE BY KARLENE PETITT, MBA, MHS, PH.D. CANDIDATE

THE GLOW OF A FIRE BY DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH

I sat in a camp chair and stared at the fire, a late evening activity of which I’ll never tire. The dancing flames that light the night, a comforting end to my long day’s flight. It’s what we do those of us who fly, we search for solitude from our perch in the sky. We find our camp nestled among the trees, to breathe in the air of the fresh mountain breeze. We hunt and fish to our heart’s content, flown in like angels, we are God sent. The logs crack and pop to kindle my desire, tonight I find peace in the glow of a fire. I met Karlene Petitt, a type A-plus personality individual with a big bright smile, at the 2017 NW Aviation Conference in Puyallup WA. She is the author of numerous motivational books including Flight For Control, Flight For Safety, Flight For Survival, Flight for Sanity and I am Awesome. As a woman working as a pilot in the male dominated occupation of commercial aviation, ( she is type rated in the A330, B747400, B747-200, B767, B737and B727 ) a mother of three daughters, grandmother to seven, wife of 21-years, holder of two master’s degrees and a Ph.D. candidate, she has experienced some adversity. In this, her most recent book, Flight to Success, Karlene utilizes personal anecdotes, comedy, and opinion to assist the reader to be all they can be. While not a book about flying, she relies heavily on flight and aviation based reference to convey her life experience and obstacles that may have distracted and limited some individuals. An interesting thought provoking read with a positive guide to success outcome.

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STOL DEPARTMENT

The Empennage |

BY DENNIS “SHOOTER” SMITH

OUR PARTING SHOT

Image submitted by Mark Burg have received several calls lately about the quality and integrity of kit plane manufacturers. I have written about this topic previously but I feel, due to the recent calls and comments, that it needs to be addressed again.

First and foremost, all kit manufacturers are different. One may not be as ethical as the next. Most of the calls I have received were from disgruntled individuals who felt that they had been “ripped off ” for one reason or another. The most common complaint was that they had paid their money and could not get their parts. I have empathy for them all as I have experienced the same problem. Most of us in aviation tend to be optimists. We wouldn’t get in a flying contraption and fly to altitudes higher than we want to fall if we weren’t. Individuals who dream and build airplanes are optimists. They think that everyone will love and purchase their aircraft design. Unfortunately, these creative optimists may not, or do not, have the capital to start, run and maintain an aviation manufacturing facility. Many don’t know the first thing about running a business. And that my friends is the root of the problem. Many a great aircraft design was run into the 64

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ground for lack of funding and business knowledge. Many a well intending designer has taken money from excited builders who never see all or in some cases any of their parts. If you choose to be one of us that has the burning desire to build and fly your own aircraft, do your homework. Unless you have a deep pocket and are an experienced builder, buy a “kit” that is COMPLETE. There are few of them. Many “kit” manufacturers will sell you parts. A complete welded fuselage with tail feathers installed looks like an aircraft. Add assembled wings with flaps, ailerons, struts and bolt it together on gear and it looks like a finished airplane without cover. Looks can be deceiving. It does make a good demo model, but a tremendous amount of parts remain that need to be added to make it fly. Prices of kit vary greatly. One popular kit is priced at $42,500.00 without options. Another at $66,050.00. Both of these kits are very short of being a “complete kit.” Thousands of dollars in parts are needed to have a finished aircraft. Neither comes with a build manual. You are on your own to figure out what additional parts are

needed and where they go. The prices sure are tempting. One of, if not the most comprehensive kits available has a “complete” price with a new engine and instruments for $122,000.00. Wow, you may say. That’s two or three times more than the other ‘kits.” Don’t be fooled! This is a “complete kit” versus a “starter kit.” Every nut, bolt, screw and washer is included in a “complete kit.” The kit comes with a comprehensive build manual and excellent factory support. All you need to provide is labor and paint to finish this aircraft. Interior, lights, tires, wires, fabric and everything else is delivered to your door in one BIG box. Open the box, check your inventory and get started building. If a part was missing on inventory, call the factory and they will send a new part. It’s that simple. 800 to 1000 hours of your time is required by the average builder. Things will go quicker if you are experienced. Remember the shiny glow of a cheap price fades rapidly as frustration and builder’s apathy sets in. Do your homework. Talk to actual builders of the kit. Most will send you running in the right direction. Good luck and happy building.

PEOPLE, PETS

& PLANES OF STOL Image submitted by Mark Burg

Rick Krizavich and his CubCrafters 180 HP aircraft Lance Small and his Maule.

Landing on the Llano river bar. Submitted by Lance Small.

Photo by Andrew Kudlacek

Wayne Keegstraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, of Michigan, clipped wing cub is almost ready to fly.

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

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