VA-Vol-31-No-3-March-2003

MARCH 2003

VOL. 31 , No. 3

2

VAA NEWS / H. G. Frau tsch y

4

JOHN MILLER RECALLS MY TRANSPORT LICENSE TEST/Jo hn Miller

5

6

5

MYSTERY PLANE IN SEARCH OF THE NORGE TELLER, ALASKA'S CLAIM TO FAME Irven

F. Palmer

10 TYPE CLUB NOTES THE TECHNICAL CORNER Ro b ert G. Lock

13 THE VINTAGE INSTRUCTOR ASSUMPTIONS D o u g Stewart

14 WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING

6

16 BOB DALZELL'S GERONIMO Budd Davisso n

21 PASS IT TO BUCK 22 CALENDAR 27 NEW MEMBERS 28 CLASSIFIED ADS 30 VAA MERCHANDISE

Publisher Editor路in路Chief Executive Editor News Editor Photography Staff Advertising Coordinator Advertising/Editorial Assistant Copy Editing VIN T AGE A Uf_PLAtlll;,

Executive Director, Edito r VAA Administrative Assistant Contributing Editors Graphic Designer

TOM POBEREZNY scon SPANGLER MIKE DIFRISCO RIC REYNOLDS JIM KOEPNICK LEEANN ABRAMS TRISHA LUNDQUIST JULIE RUSSO ISABELLE WISKE COLLEEN WALSH KATHLEEN WITMAN -~

----I

HENRY G. FRAUTSCHY THERESA BOOKS JOHN UNDERWOOD BUDD DAVISSON OLIVIA L. PHILLIP

FRONT COVER: "Geronimo!" isn't just for yelling when you jump out the door with your parachute , it's the name of a very successful series of modifications to the venerable Piper Apache. This is an great example flown by Bob Dalzell and his son Nicholas for EAA photographer Jim Koepnick. EAA Cessna 210 photo plane flown

by Bruce Moore .

BACK COVER: "Ground School " is the title of the 2002 Sport Aviation Art Compe颅 tition Merit ribbon winning watercolor by artist Randall Mytar of Sherman Oaks, California. He 's painted and drawn professionall y as an architectural designer and illustrator for the past 32 yea rs, but he's also an avowed airplane enthusiast.

He wrote: "The love of aviation knows no limits when it comes to a person's age or type of aircraft or spacecraft; it's also a love affair that can be passed from father to son and daughter, as captured in this painting." You can reach Randall at 818-789路7719.

STRAIGHT

Be

EVEL

BY ESPIE "BUTCH" JOYCE PRESIDENT, VINTAGE ASSOCIATION

Alittle perspective Each of us in various parts of the United States has to deal with some form of adverse weather. Here in the southeastern United States, it's ice.

During this year, the power compa­ nies have gotten really good at restoring the electrical grid in the southeast, with all the practice Mother Nature has given them.

Ice storms can be really devastat­ ing, and we had a whopper of an ice storm this past week. It turned off the lights and furnaces of more than 250,000 people for three to six days, and created some very real hard­ ships for many people. What's heartening is how people jump in and help each other out during times like this. It reminds me a lot of aviation, where we often see groups of folks pitch in and help out with a common goal in mind.

Even though the drooping branches were glistening with en­ crusted ice just a few days ago, we've already had a temperature of 60°F, and the calendar tells me we're just a few weeks short of Sun 'n Fun. I'm ready! How about you? Norma and I are looking forward to standing in the Florida sunshine and enjoying seeing our many friends from down there and across the United States and abroad. The headquarters for Vintage activities during Sun 'n Fun is the clubhouse for VAA Chapter 1.

Just about any time of the day you will find a group of Vintage friends relaxing on the front porch of the Chapter's clubhouse. When you ar­ rive, you can register your airplane, help a friend join VAA, and then en­ joy some popcorn and lemonade.

The Chapter 1 folks do a great job of making everyone feel at home.

Just to the west of that building is the type club tent. It's a great place to stop and chat with people who

really know your airplane or to find out about one you want to buy.

It's going to be a spectacular start to EAA's Countdown to Kitty Hawk, which is sponsored by Ford Motor Company. The beautiful reproduc­ tion Wright Flyer built by Ken Hyde's Wright Experience will be shown publicly for the first time, and you really have to see it to appreciate not only the great craftsmanship of Ken and his crew's work, but also the work of the Wright brothers.

The cost of fuel has been a subject for some pilots, and there are those who are certain that it will impact the attendance at aviation events across the nation. In some parts of the coun­ try, avgas is at or just below $3.00 per gallon. That can be a pretty bitter pill to swallow when it comes time to pull out the credit card or checkbook and pay the bill. Still, perhaps some per­ spective might help. While I was coming of age in the late 1950s, I was pumping a good deal of avgas at our airport. I was flying, too, so I was painfully aware of how much it cost.

At that time the 80 octane in our tanks was selling for 60 cents a gallon.

At that pOint in time, the average Joe was taking home a weekly paycheck of $50 for 40 hours of work, for a base pay rate of $1.25 per hour. If you do the math, that gallon of avgas was 48 percent of one hour's pay.

Let's apply the same logic to to ­ day's current situation. If a person's taking home $24,950 per year, or $12 per hour (and I dare say that most who are considering flying are mak­ ing substantially more per hour), and we compare $3 per gallon as a per­ centage of the hourly rate, it works out to be about 20 percent of one hour's wages. In other words, when it comes to the hourly cost of fuel for flying, it's cheaper today than it was

in 1958. I'm sure there are plenty of opinions about this particular aspect of flying. There seem to be so many things that demand a dollar or more from us now than there was back then, that for many, it becomes a mat­ ter of priorities.

Enjoying local fly-ins is a great way to enjoy this spring and summer's ac­ tivities. One example is the VAA Chapter 3 event that takes place the first full weekend in May. Folks will start flying in on Friday, May 2. We'll have old movies for everyone to enjoy that night, and then the fly-in will be in full swing on Saturday. We'll park about 200 airplanes on the airport in Burlington, North Carolina. Old friends will see one another, and new friendships will start as folks give buddy rides and hang out around their airplanes. There's no air show, but the fly-by pattern is usually plenty busy. Judging of aircraft begins after lunch, and the awards are given out at the awards banquet Saturday night.

Our speaker this year will be Dolph Overton, a Korean War ace, who will speak about his experiences during this "police action." Sure seemed like a war to those who were there! It should be an entertaining evening, with plenty of good food.

If you'd like more information about the fly-in, contact Eileen Wil­ son at 843/753-7138 or e-mail her at

eiwilson@homeexpressway.net.

Let's all pull together in the same direction for the good of aviation.

Remember, we are better together.

Join us and have it all. ......

VINTAGE AIRPLANE

A NEWS Field Approval Process EAA and VAA continue to ac­ tively work with the FAA Small Aircraft Directorate office to ensure the confusion regarding Form 337 Field Approvals is resolved as soon as possible. We continue to hear from members who are unable to get a local FSDO approval on a 337, regardless of whether or not it is based on a previously approved 337. Under the new system the FSDO is to contact an FAA engineer who will then review your package.

A properly filled out 337 with a copy of a previously filled out 337 forwarded to an FAA ACO (Aircraft Certification Office) is all that is needed. An engineer in the ACO of­ fice will review your paperwork and then return it to the FSDO with a sign-off.

The policy is being reworked into a single "Revision 16" document, which should clarify the issue, but members are encouraged to go to the manager of their local FSDO if they're told a 337 cannot be approved. If the FSDO manager is unable to clarify the procedure for the inspector, please contact EAA Government programs at govt@eaa.org or 920-426-6522.

Wrigbt Flyer Sim Makes First 'Fligbt' Before it welcomes thousands of would-be Orvilles and Wilburs, the Wright Flyer simulator made its first flights in January in its birthplace, the restoration center of the EAA AirVenture Museum.

Powered by Microsoft Flight Sim­ ulator software and built by the restoration center staff, the simu­ lator is an integral part of EAA's Countdown to Kitty Hawk tour­ ing pavilion, presented by the Ford Motor Company.

With hand and hip controls, the simulator is configured just like the 1903 Flyer. The pilot lies prone on the lower wing, with hips in a cradle that controls the wing warp­ ing and rudder, right hand on the throttle, and left hand on the ele2

MARCH 2003

COMPJLED BY RJC REYNOLDS AND HG FRAUTSCHY

vator. Th ese simulator controls are an e la b o ra t e joys ti c k, said Mi­ crosoft Fli g ht Simulato r's Bruce Williams after m aking several test fligh ts and a few last adjustments.

The Flyer is includ ed in th e n ew Microsoft Flight Simulator: A Century of Flight, w hi ch w ill be in stores th is July.

Th e Wright Flyer simulator will only be ava ilable at EAA's Co unt­ down to Kitty Hawk. (For complete tour in fo rmation, visit www. count­ downtokittyhaw k. com.) " What 's u n iq ue abo ut EAA-a nd we h ave part n erships with a number of or­ ganizat ions i n th e w o rld of aviat ion," Willi am s said, "is that EAA is t he only o n e with access to aircraft, the skills, and the people to re-create this sort of experience."

Bellanca-Champion Club Announces Its Fly-In Schedule Sun 'n Fun 2003 April 2-8: We'll be at the Vintage Aircraft Type Club Tent d u ri n g th e eve nt , manned by Club represe nt a ti ves and vo lu nteers welco min g, assist­ ing, and c h a tt i n g with o u r members, g u ests, an d visi t o r s.

Items of interes t an d som e of our publications will be on display.

Two presentatio ns are scheduled on Thursday, April 3: At 12:00 p.m. we present Aeron ca legend and au­ thor Charlie Lash er, wh o will speak on Aero n cas (a lso a ppli es t o Citabrias) in Forum Tent 2. At 1:00 p.m. in Foru m Tent 2, Cl ub Tech­ nica l Ad v isor To m Witm e r o f Witmer's Aircraft Service will speak on t he Be ll a n ca a n d C h a mpi o n li nes of a ircraft. Technical qu es­ tions are we lco me from the fl oor at both presentations.

EAA's Timeless Voices at Sun 'n Fun Aviation history is more than arti­ facts; it's about the people who make the artifacts significant. The EM Air­ Venture Museum is preserving these stories through Timeless Voices of Aviation, and www.timelessvoices.org tells how to videotape the story of anyone involved in aviation's first century and share it with future gen­ erations. Besides all the deta i ls about how to participate, it includes selected videotaped inter views al­ ready conducted.

Timeless Voices headquarters will be in the "Greatest Aviators " section of EAA ' s Countdown to Kitty Hawk pavilion. If you have a story to tell, you can schedule a Sun 'n Fun interview by contacting Mary McKeown at 920-426­ 6880 or timelessvoices@eaa.org.

Forum : Learn how to set up and conduct a Timeless Voices interview at " EAA's Timeless Voices of Aviation­ How To Get Involved," on Thursday, April 3, at 1 p.m. in Sun 'n Fun Forum Tent 4. Visitors can also meet project staff and pick up project kits.

CURTISS-WRIGHT PROP DECALS

Fe ll o w VAA m emb er Sylva in Melancon is looking for a pair of decals for his 104-inch-long Cur­ tis s-Wright metal prop. It was made in 1937, and h e's been told it wa s used on a Canadian Pacific Airwa ys airplane in th e e arl y 1940s, but h e wa s unable to sup­ ply u s with any furth er detail s. If th e d ecal is unavailabl e, even a cop y of th e artwork would b e h e lpful. You can e-m ail him at Sm elancon @airtran sat.co m or phon e in Canada at 4 50 -4 76­ 1011, ext. 2428.

EAA AirVenture Workshops Seek Volunteers Homebuilding is at the core of the Experimental Aircraft Association, and EM AirVenture Oshkosh 's hands-on workshops provide a great way for beginners to get started. EM is looking for volunteers to introduce people to these skills. If you have expertise in working with compOSites, sheet metal, woodworking, weld­ ing, or fabric covering , we have just the spot for you. Contact Workshop Chairman Willard Jeffreys at willardcjeff@aol.com or 256-446-5668.

VAA's "Friends of The Red Barn" VAA 2003 Co nvention Fu nd Raising Program The Vintage Aircraft Association is a major partici­ pant in the World's Largest Ann ual Sport Aviation Event - EAA AirVenture Oshkosh! The Vintage Divi­ sion hosts and parks over 2,000 vintage airplanes each year from the Red Barn area of Wittman Field south to the perimeter of the airport.

The financial su pport for the various activities in connection with the weeklong event in t he VAA Red Barn area has been principally derived from the Vin­ tage Aircraft Association's genera l income fu nd.

Starting in 2002, the Vintage Board elected to more properly underwrite the annual Vintage Red Barn area Convention activities from a year ly special conven­ tion support fund. This effort is the VAA's "Friends of the Red Barn" program.

This fundraising program is an annual affair, begin­ ning each year on July 1 and end ing June 30 of the following year. This year's campaign is well underway, with contributions already arriving here at VAA HQ. Our thanks to those of you who have already sent in your 2003 contributions.

You can join in as well. There will be three levels of gifts and gift recognition: Vintage Gold Level - $600.00 and above gift Vintage Silver Level - $300.00 gift Vintage Bronze Level - $100.00 gift Each contribution at one of these leve ls en t itles you to a Certificate of Appreciation from the Division.

Your name will be listed as a contributor in Vintage

Airplane magazine, and on a special display at the VAA Red Barn. You will also be presented with a special name badge recognizing your level of participation.

During AirVenture, you'll have access to the Red Bam Volunteer Center, a nice place to cool off.

Gold Level contributors will also receive a pair of certificates each good for a flight on their choice of EAA's Ford Trimotor or New Standard Biplane, re­ deemable during AirVenture or during the summe r flying season at Pioneer Airport. Silver Level contribu­ tors will receive one certificate for a flight on their choice of one of the two planes.

This is a grand opportunity for all Vintage members to join together as key financial supporters of the Vin­ tage Division . It will be a truly rewarding experience for each of us as individuals to be part of supporting the finest gathering of Antique, Classic, and Contem­ porary airplanes in the world.

Won 't you please join those of us who recognize th e tremendously valuable key role the Vintage Aircraft Asso­ ciation has played in preserving the great grass roots and general aviation airplanes of the last 100 years? Your participation in EAA's Vintage Aircraft Association Friends of the VAA Red Barn will help insure the very finest in AirVenture Oshkosh Vintage Red Barn programs For those of you who wish to contribute, we've included a copy of the contribution form . Feel free to copy it and mail it to VAA headquarters with your donation. Thank you.

- --~--- - ----- - --- - - - --------- - ----------- - ---- - ----- - -- -- -- ---- - - - -- - - - ---- ------- - ------------ - --- - - - -----

2003 VAA Friends of the Red Barn Name______________________________________________ EAA#_______________VAA # ______________ Address,___________________________________________________________________________________ City/Sta te/Zip,______________________________________________________________________________ Phon e_____________________________________ E-Mail _________________________________________ Please choose your level of participation: _

Vintage Gold Level Friend - $600.00

_

Vintage Silver Level Friend - $300.00

_

Vintage Bronze Level Friend - $100.00

o Paym e nt Enclo sed

o Please C harge my credit card (below)

C redit Card Number _____________________ Expiration Date ___________ Signature______________________________

Mail your contribution to:

EAA VINTAGE AIRCRAFT ASSOC. PO Box 3086 OSHKOSH , WI 54903-3086

*00 you or your spouse work for a matching gift co mpan y? If so, thi s gift may qu ali fy for a matching do na tion. Please as k your Human Re­

sources department for the appropriate form.

Name o f Compa n y __________________________

The Vintage Aircraft Associati on is a non-profit educa tional organi zation under IRS SOI c3 rul es. Under Federal Law, the dedu ction from Federal In ­

come tax for charitable contributions is limited to the amount by which any money (and the value of any p ro perty other than money) contributed

exceeds the va lue of the goods or services provided in exchange for the contribution. An appropriate receipt acknowledging your gift will be se nt to

you for IRS gift reporting reasons.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE

3

pleasant en­ countErsthro.ugh the 1930s with George Ream, the early Department of Commerce in­ spector at old Roosevelt Field.

He was quite a character, and I had many contacts with him, especially when getting planes inspeCted, which in those days was done by a Department of Commerce inspector. The first time was in early 1928 when I flew to Roosevelt to take the test for my transport license, equivalent to today's commer­ cial certificate. This was to be my first pilot license under the new 1927 regulations.

I had an early morning ap­ pOintment for the test and took off from Poughkeepsie's old air­ port (long gone now) in my OX-S powered IN-4 Canuck in beauti­ ful calm weather. The direct course took me across Long Is­ land Sound, qUite a broad area.

Over the water I encountered some rather rough clear air tur­ bulence, and then the airplane seemed to stand almost still in an extremely strong head wind, the weather still clear. The waves on the water showed white caps blown by a very strong south wind. I reduced altitude to get a little less head wind and finally arrived over Roosevelt. When I got directly over the field at about 500 feet and reduced power a little, the airplane stood fully stationary in the strong but smooth wind. All I had to do to land was throttle back a Ii ttle more to make a perfectly vertical 4

MARCH 2003

descent and landing, after I had to hold the power on and the tail up to prevent having the plane rolled over by the wind.

Several men came out and held the wingtips so that I could turn the plane to a crosswind position to keep it from being blown away. A Jenny does not have brakes, and the way to "lock" the controls is to put a tightened seat belt over the stick. The rudder re­ mains free.

George Ream, whom I had

"'\'ou 'mean

to tell me

that you

came here

in this wind

expecting

to take a

flight test?"

never met up to that U(Jlt;,1~ out of the little office and "You mean to tell me that you came here in this wind expecting to take a flight test?" When I af­ firmed that I did, that I had an appointment, and that there was NO wind at Poughkeepsie, he said, "Okay, we'll go," and he got aboard. With the help of the men holding the wings, we turned into the wind and lifted off.

There was no interphone, so no communication between us, and :no airspeed indicator. I just made a few 45-degree turns and did the required spins with the wind drifting us clear across the field each time. Then I made another vertical descent and, knowing that the landing had to be made within 200 feet after crossing the fence, landed about one fuselage length windward of it at zero ground speed. The men on the ground held the wings again.

George said, "That's enough.

Come into the office." He made out the transport license, and I had a good tail wind across the water and made it home in record time.

That's how simple it was in those days, no written exam, just a few oral questions. The li­ cense number issued was 5945, and it is now on my ATP certifi­ cate. Today, I would not even think of flying across Long Is­ land Sound behind an old OX-5 90-hp engine! .......

BY

A few of our mem bers were able to identify the pretty cabin biplane that served as our December Mys­ tery Plane. Here's one answer: "The December Mystery Plane is the one and only Mode l E Cabin Bird that was bu il t . It was built in 1931, and had experimental registra­ tion number X8SSW. It was built by the Bird Aircraft Corp. in Glendale, Long Island, New York. This com­ pany was the successor to the Br u nner- Winkle Aircraft Corp. , wh ich originally designed and mar­ keted the Bird line of biplanes.

"The Cabin Bird was int rod uced to the public at the 1931 National Aircraft Show that was held at De­ troit City Airport in Detroit , Michigan, on April 11 to 19,1931. It was a hit at the sh ow. The plane was powered with a 12S-hp Kinner BS engine, was described as a five-place plane with capability for big pay­ loads, and was advertised at a price of $4,995.

H.G.

FRAUTSCHY

DECEMBER'S MYSTERY PLANE

Our thanks to Dick and Jeannie Hill, who shared this photo from their collec­ tion of Bird Aircraft Co. materials. This version is not retouched, unlike the December issue 's photo. You can see they added a square window in the cabin during the retouching, along with a D window. The actual registration number is also shown in this version of the shot. There are a few more de­ tails coming to light concerning the Bird Model E, which will be included in the forthcoming book, History of the Bird Aircraft by Richard C. Hill.

"The Cabin Bird had a very short life. It was an entrant in the 1931 Na­ tional Air Tour competition for the Edsel B. Ford Reliability Trophy (com­ monly known as the Ford Air Tour).

On July 4, 1931, the Ford Air Tour de­ parted Dearborn, Michigan. The

THIS MONTH' S MVSTERV PLANE COMES FROM THE COLLECTION OF ALFRED FOX JR. OF GRAV , LOUISIANA.

SEND YOUR ANSWER TO : EAA , VIN­ TAGE AIRPLANE , P.O. Box 3086 , OSHKOSH, WI 54903 -3086 . YOUR AN­ SWER NEEDS TO BE IN NO LATER THAN APRIL 15, 2003 , FOR INCLUSION IN THE JUNE 2003 ISSUE OF VINTAGE AIRPLANE. YOU CAN ALSO SEND YOUR RESPONSE

VIA E-MAIL. SEND YOUR ANSWER TO vin­

tage@eaa.org.

BE SURE TO INCLUDE BOTH YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS (ESPECIALLY YOUR CITY AND STATE!) IN THE BODY OF YOUR NOTE AND PUT " (MONTH) MYSTERY PLANE" IN THE SUBJECT LINE.

Cabin Bird was flown by Leonard Flo from Dearborn. The tour spent the first night in Le Roy, New York. On July 5, the tour went to Binghamton, New York. On July 6, the Cabin Bird suffered an engine failure near Ceres, New York (on the New York/Pennsyl­ vania border about 20 miles east of Bradford, Pennsylvania). This resulted in the Cabin Bird being out of the tour for good.

"Although Bird Aircraft Corp. ad­ vertised the Cabin Bird until late in 1931, I cannot find any indication of further activity. The Bird Aircraft Corp. went out of business in late 1932."-Lynn Towns, Holt, Michigan Other answers were received from: Jack Erickson, State College, Pennsylvania; Robert Thomas, Clyde, Michigan; Joel Fairfax, Madi­ son, Connecticut; Ralph Roberts, Saginaw, Michigan; John Rowles, Be­ midji, Minnesota ; Russ Brown, Lyndhurst, Ohio; Thomas Lymburn, Princeton, Minnesota. .....

V INTAGE AIRPLANE

5

The semi-rigid dirigible Norge as it appeared just prior to its arrival at the Artic Circle.

In Search of the

Norge

Teller, Alaska's Claim to Fame IRVEN

F. PALMER

As a member of the EAA Vintage Aircraft Association I tried for years to keep my airplane in its original configuration. My reasoning was simple. Since Cessna's design team worked for years developing its four­ place, economical-to-operate, all -metal, easy-to-fly, low-mainte­ nance, good-performance personal transportation aircraft, why should I try to change anything? Living in Alaska, though , did require a few modifications, such as steel axles to safely use skis in the winter.

I purchased N342SC in 1975. It had rolled out of the Wichita factory

in 1954; a beautiful Cessna 170B, Se­ rial No. 26471, that had incorporated all of the refinements to the original 170 design.

The original Continental 145-hp engine had been replaced back in 1967 with a new Continental 0­ 300A 145-hp engine. I had acquired the aircraft with about 250 hours on that engine, and I put another 1,400 hours on it before I decided to have it overhauled or replaced. The time between overhau ls (TBO) was listed as l,SOO hours, but I decided to do something before things started to go bad.

My Cessna 180, Charlie, just before my departure. All this camping and survival gear had to fit inside the cabin. Although it only weighed 160 pounds , it was rather bulky.

6

MARCH 2003

The Norge as it deflates after arriv­ ing in Teller, Alaska, at 7:30 a.m. on May 14, 1926.

I looked at various options. A few people I knew owned Cessna 170s.

One had replaced his engine with a 160-hp Lycoming, another with a lS0-hp Lycoming, and still another with a new lS0-hp Continental with fuel injection. All of these conver­ sions gave their owners a little higher cruise speed and better take­ off performance , while the gross weight and useful load remained nearly the same. The downside was that all of those engines burned a lot more fuel. So unless an auxiliary fuel tank is installed, which usually de­ creases the baggage area, the range goes down as the fuel cost increases as you arrive at your destination a little sooner.

In addition, the installation of these engines requires major and costly changes to the airplane. For instance, an auxiliary fuel tank, new

Teller, Alaska , the landing spot for the first transpolar flight.

engine mounts, relocation of the battery, alteration of the engine cowling, installation of propeller controls, purchase of a constant speed prop, installation of manifold pressure gauge, and more. All of these things cost money, and the re­ sult is only a marginal increase in performance at certain weight and balance configurations.

So, I made the decision to keep my Continental 0-300A and have it overhauled. After this work was done by Alaskan Aircraft Engines in Anchorage, Alaska, and after the break-in period, I wanted to go on a long trip to see how the airplane performed with its new engine.

During the 27 years I have owned N3428C I have flown it to nearly all parts of Alaska, either on work as­ signments or on fun trips that have included hunting, fishing, and prospecting. The one area of the state that I had not ventured into was the extreme northwestern part, so I began planning a trip to tryout my new engine.

Nearly all of us have been on many of the so-called $100 ham­ burger outings, where we fly out to some destination for lunch and re­ turn home the same day. It's just an excuse to go fly on a pretty day. Up here in Alaska many of our destina­ tions are hundreds of miles apart, and overnight camp-outs are com­ monly associated with weekend trips.

This is especially true in the winter, where the small number of daylight hours makes planning critical.

One village in northwest Alaska has held my interest for quite some time as a destination I needed to visit. That village is Teller, Alaska, lo­ cated about 55 miles northwest of Nome. Since I know that all of you members of Vintage Aircraft Associa­ tion enjoy vintage and classic aircraft and the history of early aviation, or you probably wouldn't even be read­ ing this magazine, you can appreciate my interest in Teller, Alaska, which has a unique aviation history.

You see, this little Eskimo village of Teller, situated near Port Clarence

on the Bering Sea gained national staked their claim to reaching the recognition in aviation circles back North Pole by air on May 9, 1926. in 1926 as the landing site of the The first flight to the North Pole very first transpolar flight from Eu­ would not be theirs to grasp, but the rope to Alaska by the dirigible Norge. crew of the Norge would be the first The Norwegian ex­ plorer Roald Amundsen wanted to be the first to fly to the North Pole and then on to Alaska. He and Lincoln Ellsworth, a wealthy pilot and ex­ plorer, tried in it 1925 using a pair of Dornier Wal seaplanes, but failed in the attempt and had to return to their base.

Deciding that a dirigible was more likely to suc­ ceed on such a flight, Ten-year-old Janelle Menadelook stands by the con­ Amundsen made a spe­ crete block that used to serve as the monument at cial purchase deal with the spot where the Norge landed. A bronze plaque the Italian government, which was approved used to be mounted on the base, but it has been missing for some time.

by Mussolini on two conditions: that the Italian Col. Umberto Nobile, designer of the air­ ship, be appOinted commander, with five other Italians forming a part of the crew, and that Italy would repur­ chase the ship, then called N-l, if it survived the ex­ pedition in good Later, the bronze plaque used to be on display here at condition. the Teller Trading Co. store, but it's no longer there.

Later, Ellsworth eventually contributed more than to attempt a transpolar flight. Like $100,000 to the enterprise, covering most dirigibles, the Norge was large, nearly one third of the cost. The as the following statistics show: deal was made, and the airship was stripped and renamed the Norge Length: .. . . . .. . . 348 feet and flown to Spitsbergen, a Norwe­ Height: .. . . . .. . . 79 feet gian-held island, in preparation for Power: .... . .. . . Three 230-hp engines the transpolar flight. There was com­ Maximum speed: .. 71 mph petition when they got to Load, including crew, fuel, and ballast: Spitsbergen. Cmdr. Richard By rd . . ....... . . ... 11 tons and his crew arrived April 29, with Hydrogen gas: . . .. 670,980 cubic feet their Fokker tri-motor, the Josephine Ford, tied down fast to the deck of With Amundsen in command of the steamer Chantier. Byrd and his the expedition and with Nobile at the pilot, Floyd Bennett, took off and helm, and carrying a crew of eight VINTAGE AIRPLANE

7

The Norge's landing spot is now oc­ cupied by fishing boats , a snow machine, and a dog sled.

Are these pieces of the Norge? I don 't know, but if they are, they are a sad reminder of a once large air­ ship that weigh ed ton s and made history when it landed at this small Eskimo village.

Norwegians, one American, one Swede, and six Italians, the Norge lifted off of Spitsbergen, Norway, at Kings Bay on May II, 1926, and headed for the North Pole, with a planned destination of Nome, Alaska.

Navigation was difficult in those days before LORAN and GPS, as a magnetic compass is not reliable at high latitudes. Perhaps celestial navi­ gation was the key to their success.

After an exhausting three-day flight, and with the airship heavy with ice and difficult to control in a brisk wind, Amundsen and Nobile decided to land at the sma ll Eskimo village of Teller rather than the target destina­ tion of Nome. Thus, Teller was destined to become famous in early aviation circles. The transpolar flight had covered 3,180 miles and had taken 70 hours, 40 minutes, giving th e airship an average groundspeed of 45 mph.

Th e flight was not without con­ trov e rsy. Lat e r, signs of a strong 8

MARCH 2003

disagreement between Amundsen and Nobile became known, particu­ larly after President Coolidge and Italian dictator Benito Mussolini feted Nobile as a great hero. Amund­ sen had felt that credit for the planning and execution of the flight belonged to him, Ell sworth, and his crew, and that Nob il e had been no more than a hired pilot and engi­ neer. No sign of this rift appears in the book First Crossing of the Polar Sea by Amundsen a n d Ellsworth, published by Doubleday, Doran & Co. in 1928. Yet in his other book, My Life as an Explorer, he spent nearly 100 pages discrediting Nobile.

Still, inJune 1928, Amundsen chose honor above his hard fee lin gs and joined a rescue operation to retrieve Nobile and the crew of the airship Italia. After departing Tromso in a search plane, Amundsen was never heard from again. He and his plane's crew disappeared without a trace.

Nobile, after a tumultuous career punctuated by persecution by the Italian Fascists, immigrated to the United States, where he died in 1978.

After landing in Telier, the crew de­ cided not to proceed any farther even though a big celebration awaited in Nome . The unceleb rated crew set about dismantling the airship. Nobile wanted the engines returned to Italy, so they were crated and shipped out.

The rest of the airship was also taken apart, but here the differing accounts become confusing.

Some old-timers had stories about vi ll agers carting off pieces of th e Norge. Was the Norge fabric used for wall coverings or insulation, was some of the aluminum frame made into tools, and were other pieces of the airship u sed in other ways? If this is the case, then the whole air­ ship was not returned to Ital y. I don't know if Italy repurchased the dismantled pieces or even if any pieces except the engines ever got back to Italy.

Teller seemed like a great destina­ tion to give my new engine a workout, so I decided to fly up there and talk to any folks who may have

remembered or been told about the Norge. I wanted to get my hands on a piece of the airship or at least stand where the historic flight had landed.

On September 20, 2002, I got a good weather report on local news, and Duat.com confirmed a nice, sunny high-pressure weather win­ dow of abo ut five days. I sorted all my camping and surviva l gear and loaded N3428C, Char lie, and took off at 10:47 a .m. From my home base at Sold ot na, Alaska, I climbed steadily westward, crossing Cook In­ let and the Alaska Range throu gh Rainy Pass at 6,500 feet with a good tail wind and a groundspeed of 125 mph . Mount McKinley and the other peaks, partially covered with new snow, provided spectacu lar scenery. I landed at McGrath and again at Unalakleet t o gas up and found fuel cost $3.45 per gallon, so I had an instant clue that this trip was going to cost me. I continued flying to the north and northeast around Norton Sound. My groundspeed dropped to abo ut 60 mph as I bucked about a 30-knot easterly flow. Once aro und the Sound, I could then run west again, and the groundspeed picked up to 115 mph.

I flew on into Nome, arriving at 6:25 p.m. I gassed up at th e Bering Air terminal and pitched my tent beside the airplane for the night.

The next morning I awoke to a 24°F temperature and lots of frost on the tent and the airplane. I turned Charlie around so its tail pOinted east and exposed the top surface of the wing and tail surfaces to the rising sun. I had a bite of breakfast, and by the time I had repacked the sleeping bag and tent, the sun had melted all the frost off the wing and tail. I was off the ground by 10:20 a.m. and 50 minutes later overflew Teller to view the spot where Norge had landed. Of course in May 1926, the water in Port Clarence and the adjacent lagoon would have still been frozen. I landed at the Teller Airport, which must be at least 2 or 3 miles from the village. I was contemplating my long walk into town when a pickup truck pulled

I wa lk ed around the vi llage, knocked on a few doors, and t a lk ed to a lot of people. Most of th e youn g people I met had never h eard of the Norge, and those that had only knew about the concrete block over b y the The author inside of an Eskimo sod house in Point beac h that used to Hope, Alaska. This may very well be one of the last be th e monum ent. surviving sod houses in all of Alaska. The interior One middl e-aged framework is made with bowhead whalebones. It is man said he remem­ amazing what we pilots can see on our journeys bered people talking about the Norge, around this amazing state. and that there used to a stop. I told the driver that I'd like to be pieces in the local landfill. Since a rid e to the vi ll age, and he said, there has been 76 years of junk piled "Hop in." On the drive into town I on top of anything put there in 1926, told him my mission. He told me it seemed hopeless to me that th ere that there aren't any really o ld peo­ would be anythin g vis ibl e. Another ple in the village that wou ld have man sa id his uncl e had some odd pieces of alu minum in his shop tha t seen the Norge, that the on ly person who did see it that he knew abo ut might have come from the Norge. We was living in Seattle, and her name went to a small shed used as a work­ was Ethyl Vogen. It is rumored the shop, and he rummaged around and Mrs. Vogen made a bl o u se from a fo und a co upl e o f pi eces, and said piece of the Norge's rubberized silk there a re more but h e didn ' t know gasbag. She wou ld be in her 90s if where. I looked at the pieces and took a photo . I h el d th em in my hand . I she was still alive. could not tell what they were. Since I My new friend drove me to town, and we stopped near the beach. He had never seen any part of a dirigible, pOinted to a large block of concrete. I couldn 't know if they were a part of That is all that's left of th e monu­ the puzzle. My search for the No rge m e nt to commemorate th e Norge ended right there with a couple pieces landing, h e sa id . He told me it used of scrap aluminum .

Since I had come so far, it seemed to occupy a prominent place on the beach, but was pushed out of the like a go lden opportunity to see the way to make a better tie-up spot for most remote part of northwest Alaska. villagers' fishing boats. He pOinted So I flew across the Seward Peninsula to a spot on the concrete and to ld to Ko tzebue, Kivalina, the Red Dog me there used to be a bronze plaque Mine (the largest lea d /z inc min e in o n it that told of the transpolar the wo rld ), and o n to Po int Hop e. flight. The plaque had been removed The highlight of th e region was my a nd placed on a storefront along visit to one of th e last remaining Es­ Main Street. I took a photo of the kimo sod houses, which had its wall concrete monument with Janelle and roo f stru cture made from the Menadelook, 10 years old, standing bones of countless bowhead wha les.

I took a different ro ute returning next to it. I photographed th e o ld sto re on Main Street, too, but the h o m e. From Kotzeb u e I fl e w to plaque was missing, and no o ne Husila, and en ro ute to Galena I flew seemed to know where it was. Ethyl ove r the spectacu lar Nogahabara Vogen's house was also pointed o ut sa nd dunes, a Pleistocen e geo logic to me, but it was vacant. formation that is con tinually being

blown across th e forest ed terrain .

From Ga lena it was on to Nenana, th en so uth through the Alaska Range , o nc e again v ia th e aptly nam ed Windy Pass, and on south through Anchorage to my hom e base at Soldotna. My G PS and LO­ RAN proved extremely valuabl e during those long flights over forest and hills, where the sameness made picking out promine nt landmark checkpoints extremely difficult. The entire trip was flown VFR so I could en joy the scenery.

Aviation in Alaska is the lifeblood of the sta te. With so few roads to supply towns and villages with es­ sential it e ms needed to condu ct daily living, airplanes are essential.

Most sites I landed at on this trip are way too small for commercial airlin­ ers. Small private plan es and loca l fixed-based operators keep these vil­ lages supplied, and th eir citizens in contact with the outside world.

I flew on this trip alone in my small airplane and saw things that the earth­ bound or commercial airline traveler will never see. My new engine ran per­ fectly. Charlie and I flew over some of Alaska's, ma yb e the world's, m os t beautiful vistas. My trip cost me nine tim es a $1 00 a hamburge r, but the memories of my search for the Norge, the surprise of the ancient sod houses, and the warmth of the Northern hos­ pitality were well worth the expense.

For your interested readers I offer the followin g numbers: Food and supplies: . .. ... .... . ... $65 Film and processing: .. ...... . ... $54 Hotel room in Kotzebue: ... .... .. $166 Gasoline: ...... ....... .. . . ... $624 Total: .... . .. . . .. . . .... ... . .. $909 Total flying hours: . . .... 26.9 in five days Total miles flown: ..... . .. . . . .. 1,920 Total fuel used: . ... . .. ... . 203 gallons Average fuel cost: . . ... $3.10 per gallon Average fuel consumption: . . . . .. ..... .. . . 7.58 gallons per hour Average miles per gallon: .. .. .... . 9.41 Average power setting: . ..... 60 percent Average cost per flying hour (fuel ): . $23.19 ~ VINTAGE AIRPLAN E

9

ES

~~

The Technical Corner ROBERT

The Travel Air Log, the newsletter of the

Travel Air Restorers Association.

Repairs, AHerations, Maintenance, Preventive Maintenance We begin this column with a dis­ cussion about maintenance, repairs, and alterations for the antique air­ plane. Let's proceed from the owner's standpoint and talk briefly about pre­ ventive maintenance. Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) 43 Appendix A(c) describes preventive maintenance as that maintenance that can be accom­ plished by the owner, provided it does not involve complex assembly opera­ tions. We will cover just a few; if you're interested consult the FAR. First, the owner can make minor fabric repairs consisting of bonding a patch to small holes. The FAR does not allow patching large holes or do­ ing any kind of rib lacing. Also included is making sheet metal repairs to secondary structures, such as the cowling, fairings, and the like. It does not authorize repairs to primary struc­ tures. The owner can repaint the aircraft, but not balanced control sur­ faces. The owner can replace tires and tubes, replenish fluid in shock struts and brake cylinders, and replace up­ holstery. The owner can replace shock absorbers, pack wheel bearings, and lubricate components as long as no disassembly is required. The owner can replace seat belts, replace light bulbs in landing and navigation lights, and replace and service the bat­ tery. As far as the engine is concerned, the owner can change oil; inspect oil and fuel screens; replace, clean, and 10

MARCH 2003

G. LOCK

gap spark plugs; and replace hoses in fuel and oil systems (excluding hy­ draulic system). Please note that this is only a partial listing.

If the airplane is operated for hire, then the work needs to be supervised by an A&P (airframe and powerplant) mechanic who needs to make an ap­ propriate entry in the logbook.

I'd like to briefly discuss the certifi­ cation of A&P mechanics and why there is a shortage of qualified people.

When I began instructing in the A&P program at Reedley College in 1967, the local FAA mandated that we teach students how to make a five-tuck wo­ ven cable splice, splice a wood wing spar, and weld a cluster out of steel tubing. The FAA's reasoning was that many modified Stearman agricultural aircraft were located in the valley and therefore all mechanics should have these skills. Eventually these skills be­ came even more outdated and were dropped in the level of importance.

Skill levels are dete rmined by the FAA and appear in FAR Part 147. There are now 44 subject areas that all stu ­ dents for the A&P certificate must be exposed to, and there are three levels of exposure. Levell means to be lec­ tured, look at pictures, and maybe touch the item. Level 2 means to have some knowledge that can be repeated.

Level 3 means that an extensive knowledge of the su b ject must be taught. Wood, fabric covering, gas welding, the radial engine, and many other subjects that relate directly to the old airplanes are now Levell.

Therefore, most entry level, or low-ex­ perience, mechanics do not have the skills necessary to inspect, maintain, and repair older aircraft. Owners must either have an experienced me-

chanic/inspector supervise their work and sign off such work in logbooks, or they must have an experienced per­ son do the work. These experienced wood, fabric, stee l tube welders, and radia l engine fo lks are becoming harder and harder to locate . The Travel Air Restorers Association has several experienced mechanics and inspectors within its ranks. But there never seems enough to go around.

To compound t he problem of me­ chanic shortage, general aviation A&P mechanics must endure very low wages to stay in the business. And fixed-base operators don't like to hire newly certificated mechanics because they don't have experience and must be trained. It's a vicious cycle; it was when I started teaching in 1967, and it still is now. Where are we going to find experienced young mechanics to maintain the fleet of aging airplanes?

I'm still looking for that answer!

Before I get too far off the subject of repairs, alterations, and preventive maintenance, we shou ld look at the above issues now. Let me state that an A&P mechanic can perform and return to service minor repairs, minor alter­ ations, and maintenance, including 100-hour inspections. An A&P me­ chanic cannot approve major repairs, major alterations, and annual inspec­ tions. An A&P holding an inspection authorization (JA) can approve the above; however, the only major alter­ ations that can be approved by the IA are those listed in FAA Advisory Circu­ lar (AC) 43-13-2A and some supplemental type certificates (STC).

But this major alteration issue is good for another column devoted to this one subject at a future date.

A simple definition of a major re­

pair is a repair to the aircraft struc­ ture that returns the airplane to conform with its approved type cer­ tificate (ATC), or in rare cases its Group 2 approval.

A simple definition of a major al­ teration is something done to the structure that moves the airplane out­ side of its ATC or Group 2 approval.

Let me list just a few major repairs, as specified by FAR 43 Appendix A(a).

Splicing of structural members-such as spar splices and steel tube splices­ large repairs to stressed sheet metal components, and the replacement of fabric (origina l type only). And there are many more.

Now, here is a very brief list of ma­ jor alterations, as specified by FAR 43 Appendix (b). Electrical system instal­ lations in non-electrical airplanes, radio installations, battery insta lla­ tions, and replacing of synthetic fabric on surfaces originally approved for Grade A cotton fabric. Again, there are many more to list. But, some major alterations can be approved by an A&P who also holds an IA. Other major alterations cannot be approved by the A&PIIA. A few of these alterations are engine and/or prop changes, changes in wheels and brakes, changes in tail wheel installa­ tions, changes in fuel system (addition or subtraction of fuel tanks), installa­ tion of an entire electrical system including battery and charging sys­ tem, and alteration of wing and/or control surface shape.

So what happens (with the FAA) when a person buys an airplane that had been converted to a crop duster/sprayer and wants to return it to "stock" configuration? That's al­ ways a good one to analyze . The A&P/IA can remove modifications to structure and replace components originally used in the airplane-and can ret u rn it to service. However, when all work has been completed, the FAA must do a conformity inspec­ tion to determine if the airplane conforms to its type certificate (TC), and then it will issue a new standard airworthiness certificate. The old air­ worthiness certificate was in the

restricted category and is no longer valid. The point here is that the me­ chanic is modifying existing structure back to standard, not the opposite.

Thus far, in my career as an aircraft mechanic, I've been through six dif­ ferent FAA conformity inspections, the most difficult being on the 1929 Command-Aire because there were no drawings . Fortunately for the Travel Air folks, Phil Wyles has a large collec­ tion of drawings for the purpose of keeping t h ese airp lanes airworthy.

And that is an important factor for fu­ ture dealings with the FAA. More on that later.

THERE ARE NOW

44 SUBJECT AREAS

THAT ALL STUDENTS

FOR THE A&P

CERTIFICATE MUST BE

EXPOSED TO ,

AND THERE ARE

THREE LEVELS

OF EXPOSURE .

Factory draWings continue to be an important item for aging aircraft.

Drawings are needed when the owner finds it necessary to replace a primary structural component, such as wings, control surfaces, fuselage, and landing gear, among others.

How were drawings originally sub­ mitted to the aeronautics branch of the U.S. Department of Commerce, or later the Civil Aeronautics Adminis­ tration (CAA)? The answer lies in Aeronautics Bulletin 7 A dated July 1929. Paragraph 4-PROCEDURE fol­ lowed by department. "The drawings, which the manufacturer is required to furnish in duplicate, are checked for conformity." After the airplane is ap­ proved for manufacture, "One set of drawings is impressed with the seal of the Department of Commerce and re­ turned to the manufacturer to be used in the construction of his airplanes.

The other set is placed in the depart­

ment's files." It is the location of and access to the second set of drawings that is controversia l. Some drawings have been released, either hard copy or microfiche, while some are still in storage. And many drawings were de­ stroyed. Such was the case for the Command-Aire.

Where were (are) the drawings stored?

Originally they were stored in Washington, D.C., in the depart­ ment's files. As the drawing files grew and more aircraft received the coveted ATC, the drawing files were relocated to the old torpedo factory building at Suitland, Maryland. As the files con­ tinued to grow, the FAA re located drawings to the District Office (D.O.) nearest to where the airp lane was manufactured. Some drawings were lost during transfer, and some were destroyed at the D.O. But, many draw­ ings are still being stored at the Federal Records Center in Maryland. I have perused boxes and boxes of original blueprint drawings stored there for years! /t's absolutely amazing what is there. But no one knows exactly what is in each of the boxes. I have a brief transcript of what I saw in 1982, but it's a drop in the bucket of what is ac­ tually there. Perhaps this could be another future column for liThe Tech­ nical Corner."

So draWings are an important item when it comes to repairing a struc­ ture or fabricating new. What if you want to make a new wing structure and no drawings are available. Aha! The wall has been set, and it is a l­ most impossible to obtain draWings from the FAA, although it is the care­ taker of all ATC drawings.

I will say that wood structures are probably the easiest to reproduce from original parts, because aircraft q uality wood" is still "aircraft q uality wood ." Major differences will be in the type of adhesive used to manufac­ ture the part. However, the manufacture of metallic parts pro­ vides another challenge. What type of aluminum is it, was it heat treated or not, and what type of heat treatment did it receive? The same is true with II

VINTAGE AIRPLANE

11

steel tube structure. Was it originally SAE 1020, SAE 1025, or SAE 4130?

What type of filler rod was originally used, was the structure heat treated, and if it was heat treat, what specifica­ tions were followed and what was the final tensile strength of the material?

My point here again is that drawings are most valuable when reproducing parts. Without them it can be very difficult. And these needed drawings are sometimes impossible to obtain or have been destroyed . If the drawings are not available and the owner needs to fabricate a primary structural part for his/her own airplane, then my question is-where is the middle ground? And how can we keep this airplane airworthy?

Alterations are necessary to make an aircraft safe; one doesn't want to build problems that came with the airplane in 1929 back into a restora­ tion completed in 2001. What are some common alterations that one finds when dealing with older air­ craft? The first that jumps out at me is an engine change. Say from an OX­ 5 or Wright J-5 to a Continental W-670 or Lycoming R-680, as is com­ monly found in many Travel Air airplanes. Originally, these conver­ sions were done with field approval from the CAA. Try doing a complete engine change without any type of approved data in today's world. It's near impossible. To remove a Wright R-600 Challenger engine of 185 hp and install a Wright R-760 engine of 240 hp, I had to do a one-time STC! It involved 1-1 /2 years, much paper­ work, and rapidly increased the gray

hair on my head. But 1 finally pre­ vailed and have a one-time STC approval for NC997E only. I cannot do another installation, but I can use my original Form 337 as substantiat­ ing evidence that th e installation might be field approved again. The use of previously approved Form 337s can be another topiC for "The Techni­ cal Co rner" at a future date. Perhaps

ALTERATIONS ARE

NECESSARY TO MAKE

AN AIRCRAFT SAFE;

ONE DOESN 'T WANT

TO BUILD PROBLEMS

THAT CAME WITH THE

AIRPLANE IN 1929

BACK INTO A

RESTORATION

COMPLETED IN 2001.

when the waters are a little less "muddy." There are many changes occurring within the FAA at this time, and the field approval process hap­ pens to be one. So we'll just have to wait and see what happens.

Supplemental type certificates (STC) are just what the term indicates.

A major alteration of the original type certificate (TC). Obtaining an STC takes time, money, and the " know how" to get it through the system.

When I was working on my one-time STC for the Command-Aire, there

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were FAA folks who didn 't know ex­ actly what a Command-Aire was!

They knew what a MOD DC-lO was, or a Boeing 727. In other words, these engineers primarily were assigned ma­ jor modifications to very large transport category aircraft. That's part of the problem! I finally had to hire a designated airworthiness representa­ tive (DAR) to help get the STC application off dead center. All I can say that it was a nightmare! But I, with the help of my DAR, finally prevailed.

And the Command-Aire was licensed standard (NC) in 1989 and has been flying ever since.

Lastly, I'd like to say a few words about maint e nance. I know I am preaching to the choir, but continu­ ous maintenance will keep the older airplane in airworthy condition.

Many owners are not certificated me­ chanics, but it is extremely important to be able to diagnose a problem, or be able to thoroughly describe what the problem is to get it repaired. As I stated earlier, many new mechanics don't have a clue about the older air­ planes. I have instructed my son, Rob, who operates a 1929 New Standard 0­ 25 biplane, how to time a magneto and how to check and reset idle mix­ ture or speed-things that can or will go wrong with a radial engine. Now, Rob cannot do any of these mainte­ nance items because he operates the airplane commerCially. But, he can de­ scribe a problem, diagnose how to fix it, and if it's a magneto, describe how to time it to the engine. It's kind of like when I ferried his Fairchild PT-26 from Kentucky to California, and the tail wheel went flat out on the plains of Nebraska. The yo ung A&P had never seen a tail wheel like this, so I said, "You jack up the tail, I'll disas­ semble the wheel, you fix the tube, I'll reassemble the wheel, and you rein ­ stall it." I did most of the work, and it cost about $45 as I recall, but he was happy, and I was on my way.

Constant maintenance by a me­ chanic and preventive maintenance by the owner will keep our old air­ planes airworthy. Let's fix it before it breaks and be safe! ......

I ,o¥JJ- ASSOcI..-'Q.. q,.

T

-------------------------------------------------•

Assutnptions

DOUG STEWART

NAFI MASTER INSTRUCTOR

It was one of those fall days that we all dream about. The azure sky yielded unlimited visibility. The air was as smooth as glass. Not a ripple.

The cool temperatures and high pressure had every airplane perform­ ing as if the engine had just had a major overhaul. This was the quin­ tessential CAVU (ceiling and visibility unlimited) day. What a day for our local Chapter's fall fly-in breakfast. This would be the day that we obliterated all previous records for attendance.

The light breezes favored landing to the south, meaning that all air­ craft would have an unobstructed approach. They wouldn't have to do that gnarly approach to the north, slipping down over the tall trees at the south end of the runway that prevented a low approach. Nor would they have to float and float . . . and float, as the runway, sloping down­ hill, dropped out beneath them, while correcting for a choppy cross­ wind and wind shear that the trees on the west side of the runway al­ ways crea t ed when the wind was from the northwest. Landings today should be a piece of cake.

Although we had experienced a fair amount of rain prior to this day, the runway turf was dry and firm .

The only areas that were still a little soft were way off to the side. Areas that would be used only for parking aircraft ... if we had a big turnout .

And as the day's weather was shap­ ing up, it appeared as if we might have a better than average turnout. I was nervous.

"Little did I know ... " (as Lloyd Bridges used to say on Sea Hunt [a bit of vintage TV there]) when I volun­ teered, as the Chapter safety officer,

to coordinate the parking and man the multicom frequency that we would smash all previous records for our breakfast fly-ins. In prior fly-ins, the typical aircraft attendance rarely exceeded 40 planes, and the job I vol­ unteered for was easily handled by one person, with some occasional as­ sistance. This time we ended up with more than 80 airplanes flying in. Not on ly would we be running out of eggs and bacon and pancake mix, but we would also be running out of parking spaces for all the aircraft.

Landings today

should be a

piece of cake . • •

Little did I

know . ..

The tone for the excitement of the day was set ea rly on, as a flight of four biplanes arrived. The two Tiger Moths, a Fleet, and a Waco UPF-7 set up to land on Runway Ol. As they were all NORDO (no radio) aircraft, they had not heard me ad­ vising Runway 19 to the Cessna 180 and the Cherokee behind him who were now on the downwind for 19.

The Waco was first, landing straight in, as the remainder of the forma­ tion flew a "military break" and set up to land in sequence.

As the 180 turned final he was set up for a head-on with three biplanes.

I quickly advised a go-around to the Cessna, which thankfully he immedi­ ately initiated, fo ll owed in turn by

the Cherokee. By the time the Cessna was back on fi nal for 19 all the re­ maining biplanes were on the ground, off the runway, and with en­ gines shut down. Maple syrup would soon be dripping off their ch ins.

This turned out to be the only ar­ rival incident of the day. The only problem now was getting airplanes clear of the runway before the fol­ lowing aircraft touched down. (Boy, did I gain an inordinate amount of respect for all those wonderful vol­ unteers at Oshkosh who do this type of thing routinely.) Luckily for me, the airport's resident mechanic, and his teenage sidekick, seeing my work overload, quickly moved to the fore to help me get aircraft moved to safe parking spots.

As the morning wore on, things settled into a routine. It was harried, but it was a routine . Although not every pilot followed instructions, we were able to get them clear of the runway and parked without inci­ dent. The first to have syrup dripping off his chin would soon be the first to depart. Who would want to spend such a glorious day ground­ bound? So now, added to the mix of the arrivals, would be departures.

As I directed a Swift to a parking spot, I couldn't help but admire the Fleet now taxiing to the proper run­ way, its Kinner engine making that wonderful noise that only a Kinner can. There were three more planes in the pattern. And in the back­ gro und , the sound of the Kinner running up . As the next plane landed and was directed to parking, the Fleet taxied into position, while an Aerobat turned final. It would be close ... but as long as the Fleet got continued on page 26 VINTAG E AIRPLANE

13

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING

BY H.G. FRAUTSCHY

MILLER'S TRAVEL AIR Jim Miller, of Spokane, Washington , believes he has the oldest flying Travel Air in existence. Originally built as an OX-5 powered Travel Air 2000, Jim has converted it to a 220-hp Continental-powered Model 4000. The project was not much more than a fuselage frame and a set of new wings built by Brodhead, Wisconsin 's Kent McMakin when Jim purchased it from Kent in 1997.

Jim says that restoring the airplane had a huge learn­ ing curve, and that a few key people helped along the way. Jack Lanning, Harmon Dickerson, and Addison Pem-

berton all lent their expertise. The cockpit has a set of original 4-inch instruments , and under the cowling is an original-looking custom exhaust system welded up by Ra­ dial Exhaust Systems of Jumping Branch, West Virginia.

(See their ad on page 28.)

Jim named the airplane after his wife , Bernadine (he says she must like him, because they're just past the hand-holding stage!). Jim was thrilled when the Travel Air won the Jesse Woods (Best Biplane) trophy at the 2002 Evergreen fly-in.

MONOSKI'S LINDY-WINNING STINSON Michael Monoski and his father, Ed, of Kent, Connecticut , bought this 1947 Stinson Voyager two years ago. Michael is learn­ ing to fly and to date has accumulated about 150 hours in powered aircraft. Next summer he will be 16 years old and will be able to fly the airplane by himself. Michael also flies gliders, and last year, two days after his 14th birthday, he soloed a glider.

At the close of this past school year the Stinson was in a thou­ sand pieces, and at times it did not look as though it would be finished for Oshkosh. Michael worked every day in the shop on re­ finishing parts and reassembly of the aircraft. Finally on July 24 , 2002, the aircraft was finished, and he and his father took off from North Canaan Airport in Connecticut and headed for Oshkosh.

For his efforts Michael brought home a Bronze Lindy award. At this time Michael plans for a career in some aspect of aviation.

14

MARCH 2003

ORIGINAL WRIGHT ENGINE R.W. "Scotty" Markland, the Technical Counselor for EAA Chapter 961, dropped us a note to tell us about this remark­ able project: "In May 2002 the Aeroplane Works, who are mostly EAA mem­ bers , ran up the Franklin Institute ' s original Wright engine , Serial Number 57. This engine is from the original Wright B aircraft, SI N 13. The Wright Co. built it in 1911. The engine had been installed in the aircraft that was flown by Grover Bergdoll , who was trained by the Wright Co. Pilot/ owner Bergdoll was reported to have flown the airplane on 748 flights, over 312 hours during a period of two years.

"The Aeroplane Works of New Carlisle , Ohio, is meticulously restoring the Wr ight B airplane for the Franklin Institute of Philadelphia. Interestingly, visitors who examine the details of the structure and working parts of the engine all seem to have the same comment: 'So that's how they did that! ' " Subsequently, EAA Chapter 610 members and others are constructing an exact replica side-by-side with the original Wright Model B. It will be powered by a modified Ford Model A engine and will have the control system revised to enable it to be more flyable to modern standards. After limited flying, it will be donated to the Greene County Ohio Historical Mu­ seum for display. "

SELIG'S BIG TAIL STINSON From Nick and Suzette Selig, Naperville, Illinois, we have this note: "Here is our 1948 'big tail ' Stinson Flying Station Wagon after a 3 -1 / 2-year-long restoration. We used the more distinctive 1946 paint scheme and restored the instru­ ment panel and interior to original , including a faceplate from a 1948 Hallicrafter low-fre­ quency radio to cover the modern electronics while on the ground. We have owned Five Mike since 1969. Our oldest daughter soloed it on her 16th birthday, and Sue and I have put over 2,500 of its 4,800 total hours on in the Chicago area, with some long cross-countries thrown in, such as our trip to Stinson Field in San Antonio, Texas. We are also the Midwest regional representatives for the International Stinson Club. We joined EAA in 1964 at the Rockford fly-in . I am the Technical Counselor and Flight Advisor for EAA Chapter 15. We volunteer at the Stinson table in the VAA Type Club tent each year during Oshkosh. "

Want to shoot your airplane like one of the pros? Here are a few tips: 1. Shoot your photos ea rly in th e morning or later in the day. Our

favorite times are during th e"golden hour" after sunrise or be­ fore sunset. Avoid midday, as the harsh shadows of the noontime sun can obscure details. Keep the sunlight on the nose and side of the airplane. Facing the sun at about a 45-degree angle seems to work well.

2. Clean the airplane. Even a coating of dust can make it look drab.

3. Put away any accessories such as fueling steps or ladders. Keep the background clean. When you're shooting the airplane, avoid in­ cluding other objects or peopl e. Be mindful o f background landscape items such as airport antennae or control towers-in a photo, they can appear to grow from your airplane. The same holds true for people standing behind the airplane-your fus e­ lage may sprout feet!

4. Keep the horizon level in the viewfinder.

5. Use a sepa rate shot if yo u wan t to highligh t people. If a per­ so n is next to th e airplane, please don't sh ow him o r h er lea ning on the prop.

6. Don't have the engi ne running and no one in the cockpit!

7. Take a numb er of photos, and se nd us a selec ti on of in-focus, properly exposed slides or prints. Send them to:

EAA Vintage Airplane P.O. Box 3086 Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086 If you want to send us a digital photo, e-mail us at villtage@eaa.org for specific directions. A 300 dpi color shot at least 4 inches in size is our standard for "What Our Members Are Restoring."

V INTAGE AI RPLAN E

15

more angular lines of the WOIl1Imlo tell you this Is not

your grandfather's Piper Apache!

a doctor. No, that's not . He's actually an air­ just happens to be a his tastes run to the " '~1I!'A''''' the bright and shiny.

in college, in what was fortuitous events of doctor who owned a took a liking to him. in exchange he'd let had a Champ, which I .a Jungmeister, a Great an RNF Waco, and a on it, it is amazing airplanes, but what a really wide range of the beginning, so I interest in normal and the unusual right ~mtimllly gone to school .,...,"'....... up going to med .Clwlteld, I went to work """_U1J'llIJ'l> his partner M)e!rfect match." no need to own his always had his doctor

friend's to fly, but, still, he wanted one he could call his own, and he didn 't think small.

"My first airplane was a Staggerwing Beech, but it was far from being a pristine airplane. It had gone through a bunch of hands after sit­ ting in a hangar for 17 years. In fact, a pilot in Kodiak, Alaska bought it, stuck the wings back on it, and took it to Alaska without rebuilding . When I bought it, most of the fabric still the original, and it was really getting ),at . So, once we got it home, we started to re­ build it. " It goes without saying that rebuilding a Stag­ gerwing, especially one that went for long periods of time with no TLC, isn't for the faint of heart, and it isn't something that happens quickly.

"It was obvious the Staggerwing was going to be down for a long time, and I still needed something to fly, so on a whim, I bought a 195 Cessna with a 300-hp Jake as a fill-in until the Staggerwing was finished.

"I flew the Staggerwing for a couple of yea rs, and then I had a h eart attack. I'm not certain which scared me more, the danger to my health or the thought that I might never fly again.

Fortunately, it was a mild one, and after jump­ ing through all of the FAA's regulatory hoops I got my medical back.

"By this time I had kids, and I thought I needed to be more practical. As part of my practical mode, I also thought I needed two en­ gines, but still, I liked eclectic airplanes. I needed something that was just a little differ­ ent that didn't cost much to operate.

"It didn't take long to narrow the search down to the Geronimo Apache, and now that I've been flying the airplane for over five years, every single thing I've seen about the airplane just confirms that I made the right decision.

"For one thing, I really like the looks of the airplane. A lot of people mistake it for an Aztec, but then they keep looking at it because some­ thing about it just isn't right for an Aztec. They usually don't realize what the big difference is, but it's the square tail that's the dead giveaway.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE

17

The Geronimo is so heavily modified that it carries a new dataplate for the complete conversion. Originally developed by Seguin Aviation , the 27 STCs needed for the conversion are now held and marketed by Diamond Aire Avia­ tion, Kalispell, Montana.

Geronimo

Apache Facts

Piper's first foray Into the light twin field, via an acquisition from Stinson, the Apache was a stubby lit­ tle contradiction: on the one hand it was the butt of endless jokes ("at least the second engine carries you to the scene of the accident," yuk, yuk), while on the other, it undoubt­ edly generated more multi-engine ratings than any other civilian air­ plane in history. From its serial production in 1954 until •..well until today, the Apache has lived through decades of insults and proven its worth as a trainer and sometimes­ transportation over and over. Though largely eclipsed in the training field

by Seminoles and Senecas, it's not that unusual to see that sweet potato shape out there still droning around the pattern earning its keep.

In the days when the only two light twins available were the Apache and

18

MARCH 2003

the C-310 (If you ignore surplus Bam­ boo Bombers), the two usually weren't mentioned in the same sen­ tence because the only similarity was the number of engines. Where the Cessna was svelte and capa­ ble of quickly disappearing over far horizons, the Apache was none of those. How­ ever, the Apache had traits the 310 couldn't touch. It was the soul of docility, a big, fat puppy of an air­ plane that always treated its pilots right regardless of how numb- or ham­ handed they might be. At the same time it offered a cabin that had to be flown to be believed. It was, and is, huge! It's a true mini-airliner. A very slow mini-airliner.

The Apache ' s big, comfortable cabin was one reason it was so slow­ it had lots of frontal area that wasn't helped by a super blunt schnoz only a mother could love. And then there were those puny little 0-320s: 150 hp a side just wasn't enough. Even when they were upped to 160 hp in 1957 the performance increases were ma.... ginal and largely eaten up by an increase in gross weight.

Okay, so what do we have here?

A big, substantial airframe with high-quality low-speed handling manners and a cabin that made four passengers feel lost. Its neg­

Bob Dalzell pulls a fuel sample from the left engine nacelle. atlves Included engines that were too small, a nose that beat the air Into submission rather than cleav· ing through it, and an airframe that brought new meaning to the word "dowdy" with drag protuber· ances and funky corners. It didn't take a genius to know that those were all fixable problems. If Piper wasn't going to do It, then Seguin Aviation In Seguin, Texas, would.

The power problem could be solved several ways, by far the simplest be­ ing to bolt a couple of 0-360s in place of the 0·320s. That however raised the single engine speed to unaccept· able levels, so a big dorsal was added.

Drag, however, has a funny habit of going up much faster than the speed when power alone is added to an ai.... frame. So, the watermelon nose had to be streamlined, which meant ex· tending it several feet and carefully fairing it into the existing sheet metal. Then the tail was reshaped to give more rudder authority and help the VMC (minimum control speed).

The wingtips, which were as blunt as the rest of the airframe, were reo placed with carefully shaped tip tanks that doubled as Horner tips and con· tributed to the lowered drag. Uttle by little, as Seguin developed the mods and the supplemental type certifi· cates (STCs) to go with them, the airplane took on a different appear· ance and an entirely new personality.

A dowdy little toad had been trans· formed into an airway warrior that was deserving of the name bestowed upon it, Geronimo.

The front office of Bob mini-airliner, neatly laid out with the latest in IFR in­ strumentation, including a set of flight instruments for the co-pilot.

Today the STCs for the Geron­ imo mods, 27 in all, rest with Diamond Aire Aviation (la93 Air­ port Road, Kalispell, MT 59901,406/752·5092, e·mail: geronimo@diamondaire.com, web­ site: www.diamondaire.com).

Diamond Aire is run by CEO John Talmage, who says, "We purchased the tooling and STCs at auction in 1997. Prior to that, everything had been in storage, and the conver· sions were unavailable for nearly nine years. " Talmage estimates 300 to 400 conversions were done by Seguin prior to it selling the material.

One of the things John points out is that the secret is as much in the aerodynamics as the power.

"People think they are going to hang 180 hp engines on it and im· mediately see the 25 mph increase quoted in original Geronimo mate· rial, and that just isn't so. The climb goes up, and the single engine ceiling will be there, but even with the new, longer nose, the speed won't be. In our tests we've found that the really big drag areas are the nacelles. I have a Geronimo 180 with the old cowl· ings, and I 've seen 160 Apaches with the new nacelles that are al· most as fast. " Go to Diamond Aire 's website, www.diamondaire.com. for a com· plete list of the mods that are needed to turn a sweet potato into a rocket ship.

I get asked about the airplane a lot. " Bob's airplane is a "full" Geron­ imo, which means all of the modifications (mods) that can be done , with the exc e ption of the cowlings , have been done. The Geronimo mods can be done in stages (see sidebar), but whoever had Bob's done went all the way, right from the long nose to the squared off wings and tail to n ew cowlings with gear doors plus the 180 Ly­ comings in place of the original 150/160 hp versions.

"I was looking for solid perform­ ance and single engine costs with two engines, and that's what I got. For one thing, at a normal cruise setting I'm burning 19-20 gallons per hour total, and I can get it down from that at altitude. It's not incredibly fast, but its usually truing 178-180 miles per hour, which isn't bad. I always flight plan 150 knots, and I always beat it.

"With four people and all four tanks filled, which total a 108 gallons, the air­ plane has no problem at all climbing 1,200 feet per minute. The useful load is 1,700 pounds, and it gets that

off the ground easily. liThe airplane is a real gentleman on one engine. Because of the big dor­ sal fin, the Single-engine speed is nearly down at stall, but it's really easy to control at all times. Also, if you do lose one, everything happens so slowly that you have all day to figure it out. Now that it has enough power to fly well on one engine, I think it's one of the safest light twins ever built.

In fact, its single engine ceiling is up around 12,000 feet, which is impres­ sive, considering that with the smaller engines and none of the drag mods, it had trouble just staying in the air with one shut down.

"I flew one of the original airplanes and then set mine up with a full copi­ lot panel and arranged the engine instruments across the top, which makes it easy to fly from either seat.

"When it comes to smaller twin­ engine airplanes, it's pretty hard to find anything that has some 'charac­ ter,' but the Geronimo has that. The fact that the airp lane was the third one built in 1957 and is 45 years old doesn't even enter the conversation when it comes to discussing utility.

The airplane couldn't of­ fer more utility or have better han­ dling characteristics if it was built yesterday. So, no, I don't plan on selling it."

That pretty well sums up Bob Dalzell's feeling about the Geronimo Apache, doesn't it? ......

VINTAGE AIRPLANE

19

This is the year to warm-up your passion for aviation in Lakeland, Florida at the 2003 SUN'nFUN Fly-ln.

Debuting at this year's Fly-In will be EMs "Countdown to Kitty Hawk" Pavilion featuring an accurate reproduction of the 1903 Wright Flyer- built to flyabove the sands of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina this December in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Wright Brothers' historic flight.

Be part of this week-long "AeroExpo" starting Wednesday, April 2. Share experiences with thousands of aviation

enthusiasts from around the world. Thrill to the precision and skill of the world's best aerobatic pilots performing st SUN 'NFUN

daily. Gain insight on the latest aviation products from 500 exhibitors. Review mile after mile of restored and revered aircraft. Participate in one or more of 450 educational forums and hands-on workshops. Visit our permanent display in the Florida Air Museum featuring the recent addition of the Howard Hughes Aviation Collection.

Visit the SUN'n FUN web site W\\l\vsun-n-ful1.org for complete information-review progran1 schedule, exhibitor listing and lodging information -or call 1-863-644-2431.

I ,-/-".,.

' ..........

-:--i;...

Fly-In Dates: Wednesday, Apri l 2- Tuesday, April 8, 2003 location: SUN'n FUN Fly-In on Lakeland's Linder Regional Airport, Lakeland, Florida, in Central Florida's Polk County between Tampa and Orlando.

Where passions for aviation are renewed each spring.

........

PASS

CK

IT

BY E.E. " BUCK" HILBERT, EAA #21 VAA #5

P.O. Box 424,

UNION,

IL 60180

Think about it As an old-time CFlI (certificated flight instructor-instrument), with a lot of the old basics in­ grained in me, and with several forced landings to think about, landing an airplane when you ab­ solutely have no choice has become foremost in my mind over the past several months.

I read the ads in publications, and I read ads in our own publica­ tions, for the latest technological advancements-how this radio, and this wing leveler, and this safe flight indicator, and this oil filter, and these anti-collision lights, and this GPS, and all those other gadg­ ets that take your mind and eyes deeper into the cockpit supposedly guarantee to make life easier and safer for the average pilot. I read how this power flow system will increase the horsepower output, how this add-on will bring you safely to earth if your airplane falls apart, and on and on.

I attend sessions, and they are all very much the same-FAR re­ views, safety lessons, how to use the GPS, who can log what time, sport pilot questions, avgas versus autogas. Every subject in the world except what I consider the basic precepts in flying.

I read the accident reports­ gear up, gear failure, loss of control on takeoff and landings, loss of electrical systems, taxi acci­ dents, propping accidents. I read articles about "why I'll never do that again."

You can't look at an "airplane for sale" ad without seeing all

the equipment in the panel and on board. Total time on the air­ frame, engine, and propeller seem insignificant to the radios, electronics, gadgets, and doo­ dads advertised.

All this is building up to one thing. How much good is this stuff going to do you when that engine quits?

When you're in the pattern, you hear all this radio chatter: turning downwind, turning base, turning final, and on and on. En route it's the same thing; people at local air­ ports up and down the state are chattering away. "What's your po­ sition, Booger One, this is Cloud Runner." "Oh, it's you Cloud Run­ ner! I'm 11 and 1/3 miles on the 332 nd radial of whatchamacallit VOR, where are you?" "Right off your right wing, Booger. Try look­ ing out the window!"

What I'm getting at is all these devices that supposedly make fly­ ing easier and safer seem to ignore some of the basic facts of flight.

I'm talking abo ut emergency procedures, and not the kinds that cover radio and electric failure, hy­ draulic failure, burned out light bulbs, and deflated seat cushions .

I'm referring to real problems, like what do you do when the engine quits? Is that GPS, or the autopilot, or that CO detector, or the inflat­ able door seal going to help you?

Sure it is! Just like the guy sit­ ting at the desk up at FAA headquarters who is going to read the report Monday morning and try to hang you for violating the

FARs. No one is going to reach out, take you by the hand, and tell you what to do. It's all up to you and you alone!

Do you prepare yourse lf before every takeoff by rehearsing in your mind what action you'll take if that engine shells out on takeoff? When is the last time you practiced S-turns across a road, or rectangle patterns, or precision spot landings, or any other basic head-out-of-the-cock­ pit maneuvers?

Frankly, those maneuvers should be an every day, every flight exercise. The traffic pattern itself is nothing but a rectangle pattern . S­ turns flying a ground pattern included. The four basics of flight take place in the pattern-the climb, the turn, straight and level, and the glide. Ground reference all the while to place yourself where you want to be. This practice should be ongoing and in prepara­ tion for what could happen.

Learn your airplane. If it's only a partial power failure, can you fly with 1700 rpm? Will it stay in the air? Will it ex tend your glide? Or will you get trapped on that 7­ mile-long final and come up short?

Next time yo u're out boring holes in the blue, exp lore some of these parameters. Get yourself an old ­ time instructor if you are in doubt and think you may need one. Re­ view those basics; they'll give you more confidence in yourself and in your airplane.

What is your best glide speed? continued on page 28 VINTAGE AIRPLANE

21

16-18-Collllllbia, CA-Ga thering of FLY-IN CALENDAR MAYLuscombes 2003. Aircraft judging, spot

The fo llowing list of coming events is furnished to our readers as a matter of info rmation only and does not constitute approval, sponsorship, involvement, con­ trol or direction of any event (fly- in, semina rs, fly market, etc.) listed. To s ubmi t an even t , please log on to www.eaa.org/events/events.asp. Only if In­ ternet access is unavailable should you send the information via mail to:, Att:

Vintage Ahplane, P.O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086. Information should be re­ ceived four months prior to the event date.

MARCH 7-9-Casa Grande, AZ-45th annual Cactus Fly- In at Casa Grande Airport. Info: wwwcactlls{lyil1.org/or call john Engle, 480­ 987-55 16 or Dave Sirota, 520-603-5440.

MARCH 12-13-Rom eoville, IL-29th Annual Ge nera l Aviation Maintenance Seminar. At Lewis Un iversity. Co-sponsored by the [lli­ nois DOl: the FAA and the Professional Aviation Maintenance Association (PAMA).

MARCH 22-Fort Pierce, FL-EAA Ch. 908 Fly­ [n Pancake Breakfast, Ft. Pierce [nt'[ Airport.

Info: Pau!, 772-464-0538 or 772-461-7175.

MARCH 20-23-Cil1cimwti, OH-14th Annual [ntl Women in Aviation Conference. Info: 386-226· 7996.

APRIL 2-8-Lakelal1d, FL-Sun 'n Fun EAA FJy­ [no Info: 863·644-2431, www.s!lI1-I1-fun.org.

APRIL 19-Fort Pierce, FL-EAA Ch. 908 F[y-[n Pancake Breakfast, Ft. Pierce [nt'[ Airport.

Info: Paul, 772-464-0538 or 772-46 1·7175.

APRIL 19-20-Visalia, CA-Ch. 262 Fourth Annual Spring Wing Thing and Visalia Vintage Airshow. Info: 559-625-9889, e-mal RV8TOR200@aol.com APRIL 27-HalfMoon Bay, CA-13th Annua l Pa· cific Coast Dream Machines Show, Half Moon Bay Airport. 10am-4pm. Admission $15 adults, $5 (age 5-14 & 65+), free for kids age 4 and un­ der. Parking included in price of admission.

Info: 650·726-2328, www.miramarevents.colII. APRIL 28-Half Moon Bay, CA-Pacific Coast Dream Machines Fly-[n and Show. Half Moon Bay Airport. 20 miles so uth of San Francisco. IOam-4pm. Displays and rides. Info: 650-726-2328, web: www.nliranzarevents.conl.

MAY 4-Dayloll, OH-EAA Ch. 48 40th Annual F[y-In, Moraine Air Park (1-73).

Info: Dennis 937-878-2647 or Mike 937­ 859·8967, wwweaa48.org.

MAY 4-Rock(ord, IL-EAA Ch. 22 Fly·ln Drive·ln Breakfast, Greater Rfd. Airport, Courtesy Aircraft Hanger. Info: 815·397-4995.

MAY 10- Toughkenamon, PA-EAA Ch. 240 29th annua l EAA Fly- In/Drive-In with Pancake Breakfast & Lunch, 8am-2pm, at New Garden Airport (N57). Workshops, speakers, Young Eagles Fl ights. Free admis· sio n. Info: e-mai l EAA240.org.

MAY 100Sol10llla, CA-Schellville·Sonoma Va lley Aeronautical Aviation Swap Meet. Antique/classic aircraft on display. Info: 707-938-1465, Iltlp:l/ wWw.lwpallet.net!-arbeall/ llsaall/s waplllJlI. MAY 16-18-Kewanee, IL-Midwest Aeronca Fest (and o ld fashioned taildragger) Fly-In, Kewanee Municipal Airport KEZI. Info: 309­ 852-2594, e-mai l: jodydeb@imv.net.

22

MARCH 2003

landi ngs & more. Info: 559·888·2745. Web www. /llscol1lbe-c1a.org.

MAY 18-Romeoville, IL-EAA Ch. 15 32nd Ann ual Fly-In Breakfast, L.ewis University Airport (LOT), 7am-Noon. Info: George 630-243-8213 .

MAY 18-Troy, OH- VAA Ch. ~6 Olel Fash­ ioned Barbeque Fly·ln, WACO Field (I WF), I lam-4pm,Young Eagle Flights. (Rain date for Young Eagle tlights, june 22, Ipm·4pm) Info: 937·335· 1444, e-mail: dickandpatti0.aol.com. or 937·294·1107, e-mai l navion@gelllair.colll.

MAY 16-26--Fayetleville, NC- Festival of Flight 2003. Info www.(eslivaloftligiIt.org.

MAY 24-Fort Pierce, FL-EAA Ch. 908 Fly-In Pancake Breakfast, Ft. Pierce Int 'l Airport.

Info: Paul, 772-464-0538 or AI, 772-461-7175.

MAY 24-Zanesville, OH-EAA Ch. 425 Pancake Breakfast Fly-In/Drive- In, Riverside Airport, 8am-2pm. Lunch also available .

Info: 740-454-0003.

MAY 2S-Portage, WI-EAA Ch. 371 Fly-In Breakfast, 7am-noon. EAA Tri-motor rides.

Info: 608-742-3300.

MAY 31-JUNE I -Gree/leville, TN-EAA Ch. 1355 Annual Fly-In/Cruise-In. Vintage Airplanes, cars, & warbirds. Info: 423-638-4925.

JUNE I -DcKalb, IL-39th Annual EAA Ch. 24 1 Fly-In Breakfast, (DKB). Info: 847-888-2919.

JUNE 6 -7-BartlesvilJe, OK- 17th Annual Biplane Expo. Info: Charlie Harris 918-665­ 0755, Fax 918-665-0039, www.biplal1eexpo.com.

JUNE 6-8-AJliance, OH-Mid-Eastern FU 'K Aircraft O.A. Fly-In, Alliance-Barber Airport, WI. Info: 216-382-4821.

JUNE 7-Danbllry, CT-EAA Ch. 130 Annua l Fly-In, Municipal Airport (DXR) Awards for various categories, food, aero flea-market (bring stuff). Info: 203-799-1273.

JUNE 8-Rock Falls, IL-EAA Ch. 410 2 1st Annual Fly-In/Drive-In Pancake Breakfast, 7am-noon, Whiteside County Airport (SQI) Info: 815-622-3591.

JUNE 13-1S-Gail1esville, TX- Texas VAA Ch. 40th Annual Fly-In, Gainesville Municipal Airpo rt (GLE). Info: 817-468-157 1 J UNE 14-1S-Toledo, OH-EAA Ch. 582 Fly-[n, Metcalf Field (TDZ). Pull-A· Plane contest, Young Eagles, food, aircraft and auto displays. 9am­ 5plll. Info: john 419·666·0503 or mVlv.eaa582.org.

JUNE 14-1S-RIlt/a/1(I, VT-Bth Annual Taild raggers Rendezvous Fly.ln Brea kfast, Rutland State Airport. Info: 802·235-2808, vt(7yer@vennolltel.net.

JUNE IS-Gllent, NY-EAA Ch. 146 SUlllmer Fly-In Pancake Breakfast, Klinekill Airport (NYI), Route 21B. 8:30-noon. (Gas avail­ able at Columbia County Airport, IBI.) 518-758-6355, web: www.caaI46.0I3.

JUNE 19-22-51. LOllis, MO--American Waco Cl ub, Inc. Fly-In, Dauster Flying Field, Creve Coeur. Info: Phil 269-624-6490. Web

AUGUST 22-23-Coffe)'ville, KS-Funk Aircraft Owners Association 26th Annual Fly-In and Reunion. Info: 302·674·5350.

AUGUST 29-31-Saranac Lake, NY-Centennial of Flight Celebration Air Show. www.sarallllclake.colll/a irport.slllJnl. AUGUST 30-Zanesville, OH-EAA Ch. 425 Pancake Breakfast Fly-In/Drive-In, Riverside Airport, 8am-2pm. Lunch also available.

Info: 740-454-0003.

SEPTEMBER 19-20-Bartlesville, OK-47th Annual Tulsa Regional Fly-In. Info: Charlie Harris 918-665-0755, Fax 918-665-0039, www.tlllsa{lyill.com.

SEPTEMBER 21 -Simsbllry, CT-Annua l Fly­ In, Simsbury Airport (4BO), 8am-5pm. Info: Wr/tllOlllas@snet.llet.

SEPTEMBER 27-28-Midland, TX-Fina·CAF AIRS HO 2003, Midland Int'l Airport. Info: 915· 563·1000, www.airsllO.org.

SEPTEMBER 28-GI1mt, NI'-EAA Ch. 146 Fall Fly-In Pancake Breakfast, KJinekill Airport (NY!), Route 21 B. 8:30-noon. (Gas available at Columbia County Airport, 1BI.) 518-758-6355, web: www.eaoI46.org.

OCTOBER 4 -S-Rlltlond, VT-13th Annual l.eafpeepers Fly-In Breakfast, Rutland State Airport. Info: 802·235-2808, v t{l yc rl1!'ven I/Un tel.llet.

OCTOBER lS-19-Tllllalwl/la, TN-Beech Party 2003, sponsored by Staggerwing Museum, Twin Beech 18 Society and Beech Owners Group. Info: 931-455- 1974.

EAA FLY-IN SCHmULE 2003 • Sun 'n Fun £AA F1y·ln

April 2·8, Lakeland, FL (LAL) www.slln-n-fun.org • £AA Southwest Regional Fly-In

May 16-17, New Braunfels, TX (KBAl)

www.swrfi·org • Golden West £AA Regional Fly-In

June 20-22, Marysville, CA (MYV) www.goldellwesif/yin.org • Rocky Mountain £AA Regional Fly-In

June 28-29, Longmont, CO (2V2) www.rmrfi·org • Northwest £AA Fly-In

July 9-13, Arlington, WA (AWO) www.nweaa.org • £AA AirVenture Oshkosh

july 29-August 4, Oshkosh, WI (OSH)

www.airventure.org • £AA Mid-Eastern F1y·ln

August 22-24, Marion, OH (MNN) 440-352-1781 • Virginia State £AA Fly-In

September 20-21, Petersburg, VA (PTB)

www.vaeaa.org • £AA East Coast F1y·ln

September 6-7, Toughkenamon, PA (N57) www.eastcoastflyil1.org • £AA Southeast Regional F1y·ln

October 3·5, Evergreen, At (GZH) www.serfi·org • Copperstate £AA Regional Fly-In October 9·12, Phoenix, Al (A39)

\Vl",w.copperstate.org

www.l1lllericanwl1Coc/IIV. COIJl .

JUNE 21 -Zanesville, OH-EAA C h. 425 Pancake Breakfast Fly-In/ Orive-In, Riverside Airport, 8- ll am. Hog Roast for lunch 11am-2pm. Info: 740-454-0003 .

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THE VINTAGE INSTRUCTOR continued from page 13 going immediately there would be sufficient separation. The Aerobat had already gone around once when the preceding aircraft had not cleared the runway quickly enough, and was now on short final for the second time. And the Fleet still sat there. "What was he waiting for?" I thought to myself.

And then, to the assembled on­ lookers' horror, the Fleet commenced its takeoff roll. As the Aerobat started to flare, the separation between the two aircraft reduced to 15 feet. We all looked on aghast. The Fleet contin­ ued to accelerate ... and the Aerobat to decelerate .. . and the Fleet flew out from beneath the Cessna, avert­ ing disaster by literally 10 feet. As an aviation safety counselor it would be my duty to speak with both pilots.

The pilot of the Aerobat, a fairly new-minted private pilot, said that he "assumed" (we all know how to spell ass-u-me) that the "biplane would

hold in position." (And we all know the problem with assumption.) As he continued his approach the Fleet dis­ appeared beneath his nose. He said he was totally surprised (I could well imagine) as he saw the biplane rise in front of him. My advice to h im was that whenever there is any doubt about the landing, the best course of action is a go-around. It might mean that you miss the last pancake served, but yo u'll be alive to be first in line for the burger.

The pilot of the Fleet has been fly­ ing for years. Perhaps more years than his Fleet has flown. He is a high ly respected icon of knowledge and experience, and rightfully so.

When I spoke with him the next day, he had been unaware of the incident until I told him. He was horrified and mortified with what he had done . He felt he had done a thorough scan of the pattern. But perhaps a belly full of pancakes and an eagerness to get in

the air created a dangerous compla­ cency. After his run-up he had not done a 360-degree turn on the ground prior to taking the runway. And in a biplan e the visibility is certainly re­ stricted enoug h to mandate that clearing turn on the ground. Further­ more, having thousands of h ours in one's logbook d oes not guarantee protection from above. (Or below, for that matter.)

We all learned a great deal that day, two pilots in particular. It doesn't matter if we are the only plane in the pattern, or on arrival to OSH during EAA AirVenture. The cockpit of an aircraft has no room for complacency.

Nor can a pilot ever assume anything.

Obviously, the more crowded the air­ space, the more important this becomes, but it has relevance even if we are operating alone at our own private airstrip. Remembering this and applying it whenever we are in t he cockpit will go a long way in changing us from being just a good pilot ... to being a great pilot. ......

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IT TO BUCK continued from page 21 Where should the base leg be so you can make the field power-off?

Why do they call it the base leg?

Because it's the base for a safe glide to a landing. Every time you come in to land it should be a firm fix­ ture in your mind for making a successful landing. It is also the best base for accomplishing a safe landing in the event that your en­ gine quits. Using a base leg and practicing gro u nd reference ma­ neuvers to place yourself on that base leg is the clue to accomplish­ ing a safe landing.

If the plane has engine fail ure on takeoff, the approved school solution is to land straight ahead, right? Sure, b u t what about ob­ structions and such? Hey, a 4S-degree turn left or right is still straight ahead. Even a 90-degree turn-you can land crosswind; I've seen it done! The main thing here is you rehearse this in your mind just before you tighten your seat belt and open the throttle.

You have a plan; stick to it!

To make a ISO-degree turn takes altitude. That's why the downwind is flown at an alti­ tude that allows you two 90-degree turns with a little fudge factor for alignment after completion of the turns. You can't make it back to the field if you haven't at least downwind altitude! Think about it.

If you are at downwind pattern altitude, then you have time and space to do a ISO-degree turn_ But anything less than that and you're kidding yourself.

Practice those ground reference maneuvers; get your head out of the cockpit! Have a plan in mind before you open the throttle, and with that ... it's over to you.

K

((

~tJ.~

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ORDER ONLINE: Denim Apron

V 00403

$26.00

This denim apron goes well from the cookout, to the.. kitchen, to the shop.

100% cotton. Machine wash and'tlry.

$17.95 $18.95

http://shop.eaa.org

ladies and Men's Stonewashed Denim Shirt

A classic for any season, this denim shirt is great for art.aviation activities.

LADIES' $31.95 MEN's $32.95 SM MD LG XL

Vl1147 V11148 V11149 Vll160

MD LG XL 2X

Vl1161 Vl1162 Vl1163 V11164

$32.95

This ladies' polo shirt made of 100% cotton can be machine washed and dried. It sports an all-navy VAA logo and white stripe collar and cuffs.

MD V11165 LG Vl1166 XL V11167

Denim Golf Shirt $18,95

This 100% cotton golf shirt sports the VAA logo on the sleeve.

SM MD

VI0134 VI0135

LG XL

This short sleeve shirt is a classic for warm weather.

MD LG

V11135 Vll136

XL 2X

V11137 Vlll38

VI0136 VI0137

Men's Burgundy Golf Shirt $18.95

ladies' Yellow Golf Shirt

This comfortable golf shirt is 100% cot­ ton, machine washable. Tone on tone VAA logo on front.

SM MD

30

VI0130 VI0131

MARCH 2003

LG XL

VI0132 VI0133

This golf shirt is 100% cotton with tone on tone VAA logo on chest. It sports a three color collar.

MD LG XL

VI0151 $34.95 VI0153 VU133

2X VUl34 $36.95

This plush jacket will show your USA and VAA pride. Made of 100% acrylic it washes easily.

MD LG

V00913 V00916

XL 2X

V00917 V00929

TELEPHONE ORDER: 800-843-3612 FROM US AND CANADA (ALL OTHERS 920-426-5912)

MAIL ORDER: VINTAGE MERCHANDISE PO BOX 3086 OSHKOSH, WI 54903-3086 ORDER ONLINE:

http://shop.eaa.org

-足 ~

FJagJacket

This jacket is a winner! 0 better way to show your American .de.

MD LG

VOO877 VOO878

XL 2X

V00879 VOO88O

This cast metal pin is about 3" wide.

A great way to show your VAP.. pride.

Travel Mug

VOO342

$12.95

This set of 4 clear glasses with etched design is a classic way to display the VAA logo.

Classic stainless steel mug with plastic handle and cap. Standard base fits most car cup holders.

Mini FanIFlashlight

V40242 ~

SALE $4.95 This clever gadget features both a fan and a flashlight. Batteries included.

Small VAA Logo Pin

VOO258

$3.99

This small metal pin can be displayed on your clothes, then easily removed.

(Tie tack style pin.)

Blue/Gold Marbled Mug

V40240

$5.95

Enjoy your morning coffee with this marbled coffee mug.

VAA Logo Decal

Shiny metallic VAA logo decals are great in showing your VAA pride.

The image is printed on both sides so you can stick the decal on the inside or outside of your window.

Flat VAA Patch

VOO257

$1.99

This VAA logo patch can be ironed on your shirts, coats or other accessories.

3-D VAA Patch

This 3-dimensional patch is well tailored and will look great on your clothing and accessories.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE

31

ORDER ONLINE:

http://shop.eaa.org

ladies' Stone Micro Fiber Jacket $64.95 This classy jacket for women is soft to the touch, water repellen t, and light weight with inside zipper pocket.

SM Vlll68 MD Vl1169

LG XL

Vlll71 Vll172

LG VI0006

XL VI0007

$71.95 $72.95

This classy navy jacket is soft to the to uch , water repellen t, and light weight with inside zippered pocket. Machine wash, gentle cycle.

32

MARCH 2003

V00933

Gold

TELEPHONE ORDER:

VOll04

Burgundy

800-843-3612

FROM US AND CANADA (ALL OTHERS 920路426路5912)

Men's Navy Micro Fiber Jacket MD Vl0005 2X VI0009

Sweatshirt Blankets These blankets are extra soft, S4 in. x 84 in., and machine washable.

MAIL ORDER: VINTAGE MERCHANDISE

PO BOX 3086

OSHKOSH, WI 54903路3086

YISITLANOROYER.COM OR CAlli 800-FINE4WO Tread lightly" O"'e r~\po""bly oHroan 'D1003l,,,d Rom North Amen". IfI~. 2U03 OlSfovOr, MSRP 13l93~. TaX's. !,tie ana reglSl"!IO" fees exira. As ,hoWil 2003 Discomy Sf model MSRP. SJa,995. See ~OUf retailer for price and deta:ls on iimitet! -!erm 5che[iUled

m3111ten3ill.f

THE NEW DISCOVERY.

368 IMPROVEMENTS. 196,949,970 SQUARE MILES TO TEST THEM ON.

The 2003 Land Rover Discovery. Nicely equipped from $34,995.

Whether you count the improvements in Kwangali or English, the result is the same: The 2003 Discovery is a whole new way to see the world. A more powerful 4.6L VB engine. All-new front-end styling. A more refined suspension system. All-new interior color themes. And available satellite navigation and DVD video systems are just a few of the redefined appointments. Plus with the capability to reach the four corners of the earth, you'll appreciate the rest of the improvements - not to mention complimentary scheduled maintenance* - as well.

The most well-traveled vehicles on earth.

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Vehicle Discount