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VOL. 3 t, No. 7
JULY 2003
2
VAA NEWSIH.G. Frautschy
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FRIENDS OF THE RED BARN
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JOHN MILLER RECALLS A LITTLE ANECDOTE THAT MIGHT WELL HAVE BEEN A BIG ONE/John Miller
6 MYSTERY PLANE 8 THE GOLIATH OF THE AIRWAYS THE CONSOLIDATED xc-99, DOUBLE DECK VERSION OF THE SIX ENGINE B-36lRichard c. Hill
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12 WHY KNOT? KEEPING YOUR RESTORATION IN ONE PIECE DURING THE "BIG BLOW"/H.G. Frautschy 16 SOMETIMES "FREE" WOULD STILL BE TOO MUCH BRINGING A REARWIN SKYRANGER BACK FROM THE DEAD/Budd Davisson 20 TAILWHEEL TRAINING FOR NEWBIES TAILWHEEL TRANSITION TRAINING-PART I/Donovan Hammer 22 THE VINTAGE INSTRUCTOR GBR TO OSH PRECISION LANDINGS EVERY TIMEIDoug Stewart
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24 PASS IT TO BUCK 25 CALENDAR 27 NEW MEMBERS 28 CLASSIFIED ADS
16 FRONT COVER: You don't see them very often, so make sure you Publisher Editor-in-Chief Executive Editor News Editor Photography Staff Advertising Coordinator Advertising/Editorial Assistant Copy Editing
TOM POBEREZNY scon SPANGLER MIKE DIFRISCO RIC REYNOLDS JIM KOEPNICK LEEANN ABRAMS TRISHA LUNDQUIST JULIE RUSSO ISABELLE WISKE COLLEEN WALSH KATHLEEN WITMAN
VINTAGE AIRPLANE
Executive Director, Editor VAA Administrative Assistant Contributing Editors Graphic Designer
HENRY G. FRAUTSCHY THERESA BOOKS JOHN UNDERWOOD BUDD DAVISSON OLIVIA L. PHILLIP
spend a few moments when you see a Rearwin Skyranger on the flight line . Doug Clukey and Karl Johnson, both of Winter Haven, Florida, re足 stored this nice example . EAA photo by LeeAnn Abrams, EAA photo plane flown by Walt Dorlac.
BACK COVER: Jonathan Franks' oil painting entitled First Impressions won an Excellence ribbon from the jury during the 2003 EAA Sport Avi足 ation Art Competition. He created the painting after recalling a conversation with an old friend who mentioned that he had rebuilt a Waco 10, learned to fly it, and then barnstormed around the country足 side giving people their first impressions of flight. Jonathan felt an impressionistic style would lend itself well to the subject. We agree! Jonathan can be reached at 11803 Oakcroft Dr., Houston, TX 77070, 281-655-5685, e-mail: Gub709@aol.Gom.
STRAIGHT Be LEVEL BY ESPIE "BUTCH" JOYCE PRESIDENT, VINTAGE ASSOCIATION
EAA AirVenture 2003 It's July, and that means in just a few short weeks we'll be enjoying the sights and sounds of the Vintage area during EAA AirVenture 2003. For many of you, it will be "old hat," a great event you've enjoyed for many years. For others, it may be their first time. In either case, we're here to help. Experienced attendees to our annual pilgrimage to the EAA con vention know the lay of the land pretty well, and are more than willing to help new visitors learn where they can attend a forum, try their hand at welding, and see various types of air craft. No matter what your convention experience level is, you can always find something of interest at the VAA Red Barn, which is located at the north end of the Vintage parking area. In one-half of this great old building is the VAA Red Barn store, where you can buy VAA logo mer chandise, including jackets, T-shirts, sweaters, and other apparel. We also have great aviation and fly-in related items. As a VAA member, you're enti tled to a 10 percent discount on your purchase-just show your VAA card when you bring your purchases to the cash register. The north half of the VAA Red Barn is filled with volunteers willing to help you with information about the convention site and various vintage activities during the week. We also have a DTN weather computer sys tem in place for the latest on the weather conditions in the area. If you flew your airplane into EAA AirVen ture, you can pick up your EAA AirVenture participant's mug, and also your VAA participation plaque. VAA members get their plaques free otherwise, there's a $10 charge. Now that you've got all that done, how about taking a rest in the shade
on the porch of the VAA Red Barn? You can enjoy some lemonade and fresh popcorn for a donation, and then people and plane watch until you get the urge to check out the flight line, or head off to the type club or workshop tent. This will be my 30th year as a vol unteer in the Vintage area. I've seen a lot of changes in the area that have benefited the membership. Before the VAA Red Barn had its porch added, we used to watch the air show sitting on a log that had been rolled up against the east wall of the barn. You can still see those logs arranged under the trees on the corner in front of the VAA Red Barn. And that's the work of a band of dedicated vo lunteers who often show up to start working on the convention grounds in the VAA area not too long after the last snowflake melts (there's no truth to the rumor that happens during the month of June in Wisconsin!). They're working both before, during, and after the convention to give the membership and general public an experience they'll enjoy. Why not join in on the fun? Add your name to our list of volunteers by stopping at the Volunteer Booth in front of the VAA Red Barn. The projects and services that you enjoy are also the product of those of you who are kind enough to support the VAA Friends of the Red Barn cam paign. In an effort to offset the expenses of convention outside of the regu lar membership dues, we've been using the funding from the VAA Friends of the Red Barn campaign to refurbish and maintain the VAA Red Barn and other structures we use dur ing the convention, and to support the programs and services we offer during the event. I'd personally like to thank each of you who partici
pated in the campaign this year. You can see the list of those generous con tributors on page 4. It seems like it was just a few years ago that we ran the Vintage area with about 25 volunteers. Of course, that was back in the early 1970s, and now, with nearly 2 miles of flight line to adm inister plus the other pro grams and services that members have requested , we have some 60 chairmen and 450 volunteers to thank for their efforts to put on our part of what has become the world's largest sport aviation gathering. We en joy great support from EAA Con vention Headquarters, and without its help, we couldn 't do the total job of flight line safety and host the vari ous groups like the type clubs, OX-5 Pioneers, and others. Sometimes we get an inkling of airplanes that are planning to fly in if you're still on the fence about attending, would a pair of Sikorsky amphibians tempt you? We've been told we may indeed have both an S 38 and a newly restored S-39 on display, along with a dozen other air craft that will take part in the National Air Tour, sponsored by the Aviation Foundation of America. Coupled with the 100th anniversary of powered flight, how could you not come to EAA AirVenture? Many of you who have overnight accommodations off the EAA grounds have asked for a procedure that would allow you to depart with your air plane from EAA AirVenture in the continued on the page 26 VINTAGE AIRPLANE
VAA NE
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EAA AIRVENTURE NOTES
BREAKFAST AND A BRIEFING
The VAA Tall Pines Cafe will be in operation again this year, pro viding a fly-in style pancake breakfast during EAA AirVenture. With the cooperation of the folks in the Ultralight area, we've relo cated the cafe just a few hundred feet to the north of the old loca tion, on the north side of the ultralight runway along the main north/south convention road. An added bonus this year will be the addition of an FAA Flight Service Station (FSS) trailer. At the trailer, which will be north of the VAA Tall Pines Cafe, you'll be able to check the weather for your flight and obtain a full briefing from FSS specialists without having to trek up to the FAA Building near the control tower. We'll see you there each morning for "breakfast and a briefing. " PRINTED EAA AIRVENTURE NOTAMS AVAILABLE
The printed notice to airmen (NOTAM) for EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2003 is now available from EAA Membership Services at 800-JOIN EAA (800-564-6322) . The NOTAM describes arrival and departure flight procedures in effect from July 26 through August 5, including procedures for the many types of aircraft that fly to Oshkosh for the event, as well as aircraft that land at nearby airports. NOTAM book lets are also available online through www.airventure.org. ANNUAL EAA LIBRARY SALE
The EAA Library will hold its an nual book and magazine sale during EAA AirVenture. A fine collection of early aviation magazines from the 1920s through the 1940s is available along with an excellent selection of hardcover and paper2
JULY 2003
back books, including some Jane's and Aircraft Yearbook s. There are also vintage photographs, aircraft manuals, and other miscellaneous items, as well as original manufac turer brochures for a wide variety of aircraft. The library is on the lower level of th e EAA AirVenture Mu seum and will be open during EAA AirVenture from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. ARE You A FRIEND OF THE VAA RED BARN? If so, be sure to check in at the
information desk at the VAA Red Barn. There, we'll issue you a spe cial name badge. We can also point out the location for the Ford Tri Motor rides. If you have any questions, feel free to ask for Theresa Books, the VAA adminis trative assistant. If you need to reach her in advance of your ar rival, you can call her at EAA headquarters, 920-426-6110. VAA MESSAGE CENTER If you would like to leave a mes
sage for people you know who frequent the VAA Red Barn, stop by the information desk. You can write them a message in our "notebook on a string," and we'll post their name on the marker board so they'll know there's a message wait ing for them . Sure, cellular phones and walkie-talkies are great, but sometimes nothing works better than a hand-scribbled note! VAA PICNIC
Tickets for the Wednesday, July 30, annual VAA picnic held at the Nature Center will be availab le for sale at the VAA Red Barn for $8. Tickets must be purchased in ad vance so we know how much food to order. Tickets will be on sale at the VAA Red Barn prior to the start of EAA AirVenture. The delicious home-cooked meal, including both
DESIGNATED SMOKING AR EAS NEAR FLIGHT LINE Smoking on the flight line at EAA Air Venture is prohibited because it's a hazard to all aircraft. "One of the most persistent complaints among our volunteers is dealing with smokers who, unthinking, smoke around aircraft," said Operation P.O.P. Chairperson Noel Marshall. To allevi ate this, Operation Protect Our Planes (p.O.P.) has created several desig nated smoking areas with butt cans along the flight line, but away from air craft and refueling operations. Designated smoking areas will be south of the ultralight runway; near the Hangar Cafe ; near the Warbird area (northeast corner of Audrey Lane and Eide Avenue); the Wear house flag pole area; the shade pavilion north of the control tower; and near the Ultralight Barn. Loca tions will be indicated on EM's free convention ground map. The admis sion wristband will also instruct visitors that smoking is allowed only in designated smoking areas.
beef and chicken, will be served af ter 5:30 p.m. Trams will begin leaving the VAA Red Barn around 5 p.m. and will make return trips af ter the picnic. Type clubs may hold their annual banquets during the picnic. Call Jeannie Hill (815/943 7205), and she will reserve seating so your type club can sit together. SHAWANO FLy-OUT
The annual fly-out to Shawano is Saturday, August 2. The sign-up sheet will be at the desk at the VAA Red Barn, and the briefing will be at 7 a.m. the morning of the fly out. This year the meal will be provided at the Shawano airport, so we won 't need to leave the air
n a spectacularly bright, blue Tuesday morning, EAA Founder and Chairman of the Board Paul Poberezny relived a bit of his youth on June 17, 2003, when he flew a reproduction of his first airplane, a Waco Primary Glider. The glider was built over the past couple of years, and was one of the projects seen in the EAA work shops during EAA AirVenture. Paul's first flight in the glider was shorter than he would have liked, but his pleasure in flying the glider was apparent. Congratulations, Paul.
O
field. We're hoping to have a good turnout this year to make up for the weather cancellation last year. The community of Shawano is a big supporter of VAA and puts forth a lot of effort to sponsor this event. It does a great job, and we hope you'll help us thank Shawano by joining us. VAA RED BARN STORE The VAA Red Barn Store, chock full of VAA logo merchandise and other great gear, will be open all week long. Show your VAA mem bership card (or your receipt showing you joined VAA at the convention), and you'll receive a 10 percent discount. On Thursday, July 31, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. there will be a spe cial VAA Members-Only Sale. Bring your VAA card, and you'll receive an additional discount on spe cially priced merchandise. See you there!
CD
WRITER As more of us use digital pho tography to capture our memories of special events, we're caught by one fact of life-those little Com pact Flash or Smart Media cards don't always hold all the pictures we'd like to take. We're going to
help you with this dilemma byof fering to download your images and burn them to a compact disc (CD), all for a nominal fee. Bring your digital camera to the VAA Red Barn, and see how easy it is to sa vor your stay in Oshkosh. OTHER EA A AIRVENTURElVAA H IGHLIGHTS Tony's Red Carpet Express will be coordinated through the VAA Red Barn. To schedule your trans portation needs, simply contact us at the desk. VAA Red Barn headquarters is also the VAA media headquarters. If you have any questions con cerning special displays or events, ask at the desk. The Pioneer Airport video pro grams will be available for viewing at the VAA Red Barn throughout the convention. Come and enjoy the history we've captured in those early videos. The DTN weather system will be available throughout the day. For pilots who register their air craft, your complimentary VAA participation plaque and mug will be distributed at the VAA Red Barn. The new computer system that allows us to distribute the plaques and mugs more effiCiently also af
fords us a convenient method of locating members who have regis tered with us during EAA AirVenture. So, if you need to find someone, chances are we can help you do so in record time. The VAA Red Barn is also the VAA Hospitality-Information Cen ter. Please stop in to say hello, enjoy a cup of coffee or a lemon ade, and "set a spell" on the porch. We look forward to seeing all of you and value your input. Let us know how we can make your con vention stay more pleasant and enjoyable. OTHER THINGS YOU'LL FIND N EAR THE VAA RED B ARN • Membership & Chapter
Information Booth
• Volunteer Booth • Metal Shaping Tent • Type Club Tent .....
VAA VOLUNTEER INFORMATION FOR EAA AlRVENTURE 2003 The following committees will use volunteer help: PAST GRAND CHAMPIONS Steve Krog 262-966-7627 sskrog@aol.com
SECURITY and FLIGHT LINE Geoff Robison 260-493-4724 chief7025@aol.com TYPECLUBHQ Roger Gomoll 507-288-2810 rgomoll@hotrnail.com VAAPARKING George Daubner 262-673-5885 vaaflyboy@aol.com OTHER CONTACTS Teresa Lautenschlager, Operation Protect Our Planes tlautenschlager@eaa.org
Anna Osborn, Volunteer Center annajohn@ktc.com Butch Joyce, President 336-393-0344 windsock@aol.com H.G. Frautschy, Executive Director 920-426-4825 hgfrautschy@eaa.org VINTAGE AIRPLANE
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Our thanks to those listed for your generous support of the Vintage Aircraft Association's activities and programs during EM AirVenture Oshkosh. Any contributions received after June 17 for the 2003 campaign will be listed in the August issue.
Gold Level Ted Beckwith, Jr. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Tullahoma, TN
Brent Blue/Aeromedix.com, LLC - - - - - - - - - - Jackson, WY
John W. Cronin - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Denver, CO
Jesus Delgado - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Austin, TX
Richard G. Giannotti - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Brookhaven, NY
Charles W. Harris - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Tulsa, OK
Espie "Butch" Joyce - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Greensboro, NC
Norma Joyce - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Greensboro, NC
Robert D. Lumley - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Brookfield, WI
Helen A. Mahurin - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Kansas City, MO
William T. McSwain - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Randolph, NJ
Richard and Sue Packer - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Radnor, OH
Steve H. Parker - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Odessa, TX
John "Skip" Rawson - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Rocky Hill, NJ
Ray Scholler - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Random Lake, WI
W. Ben Scott - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Reno, NV John R. Turgyan- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - New Egypt, NJ Thomas W. Wathen - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Santa Barbara, CA D. Russell Williams, Jr.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Issaquah , WA Capt. James B. Zazas - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Carthage, NC VAA Chapter 10 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Claremore, OK Microsoft Matching Gift Program
Silver Level Raymond B. Bottom, Jr.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Hampton, VA Robert W. Colston - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Piedmont, OK Doug Ferguson - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - New Market, NH James c. Gorman - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Mansfield, OH Joe A. Koller - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - North Lake, WI Robert R. May - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Uniontown, OH John B. Morrison - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Collierville, TN
Bronze Level Jaime P. Alexander - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Council Bluffs, IA
Lt. Col. C. H. Armstrong - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Rawlings, MD
Noble L. Bair - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Wichita, KS
Tom Baker - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Effingham, IL
Lawrence A. Bartell - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Waukesha, WI
Gerald T. Bean- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Springfield, VA
David A. Belcher - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Abington, MA
Raymond G. Bertles - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Yardley, PA
Kent Blankenburg - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Groveland, CA
Sandy Blankenburg - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Groveland, CA
Chris R. Bron - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Springfield, IL
Steve Buss - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Oshkosh, WI
Hubert R. Cates - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Tullula, IL
George]. Ceshker - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Fort Worth, TX
John W. Chapman- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Washington, PA
David A. Clark - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Plainfield, IN
Geoffrey E. Clark - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Portsmouth , NH
John D. Cooke - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Galena, IL
John S. "Jack" Copeland - - - - - - - - - - - Northborough, MA
John M. Corradi - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Rixeyville, VA
Don M. Curtes - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Menomonee Falls, WI
Max and Rene Davis - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Waconia, MN
Martin A. Ditmore - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Las Cruces, NM
Harvey L. Dodson - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - San Gabriel, CA
Bruce W. Fall - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Lompoc, CA
C.A. Fielding - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Oliver, BC Canada David G. Flinn - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Lansing, NY Henry P. Fodor - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Norton, OH Kenneth E. Fosdick - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Plymouth, MA H.G. Frautschy- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Oshkosh, WI Bruce E. Graham - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Cashmere, WA Malvern J. Gross, Jr.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Eastsound, WA 4
JULY 2003
William W. Halverson - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Henderson, NV Jack Harrington - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Placitas, NM Barry Holtz - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Fairport, NJ Daniel Hooven - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Calistoga, CA James W. Huff - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Denton, TX J.D . Huss - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Albuquerque, NM Randal G. Hytry - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Wausau, WI Peter N. Jansen, Jr. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Seattle, WA Fred C. Kagel - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Fraser, MI Jack]. Kopf - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Alameda, CA Richard H. Korber - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Jacksboro, TN Dr. Thomas E. Lester - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Knoxville, TN Stan D. Lindholm - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Westlake, OH Mark Liptrap - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Spokane, WA Warren F. Love - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Linesville, PA C. R. Luigs - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Bandera, TX Thomas H. Lymburn - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Princeton, MN Roy A. McGalliard - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Morganton, NC Paul E. Morse - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Zephyrhills, FL Roscoe Morton - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Frostproof, FL Jim S. Moss - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Buckley, WA Earl H. Nicholas - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Barrington, IL George A. Northam- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Elmhurst, IL Roger Orr - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Santa Paula, CA Anna and John Osborn- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Kerrville, TX Steven W. Oxman - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Riva, MD Preston S. Parish - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Kalamazoo, MI John M. Patterson - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Lexington, KY Guido F. Perla - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Vashon, WA Dwain Pittenger- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Hereford, TX Tim and Liz Popp - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Lawton, MI Lloyd J. Probst - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Montgomery, AL Michael K. Pulaski - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Houston, PA Robert M. Puryear - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Trinity Center, CA Roy R. Reed - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Pontiac, IL Milton Ruesch - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Medford, WI John E. Schneider - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Lincolnwood, IL Colin A. Smith - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Henderson, NV Seymour Subitzky - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Reston, VA Don Toeppen - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Sun City West, AZ Barry Triplett - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Hope, RI Harris C. True- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Cincinnati, OH Robert O. Tyler - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Great Falls, VA Kelly and Edna Viets- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Scranton, KS Tom P. Vukonich - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Southfield, MI Bob and Pat Wagner- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - West Milton, OH Raymond S. Wagner - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Cincinnati, OH Donald L. Weaver - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - El Centro, CA Alan Williams - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Bossier City, LA Howard G. Wilson- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Los Angeles, CA James A. Young- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Santa Cruz, CA
Other Contributors Richard B. Anderson - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Hailey, ID
Jesse W. Black, III - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Maplewood, MN
Larry N. Collins- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Lake City, MI
Jack R. Dugan - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Ellensburg, WA
JosephJ. Gmitter- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Forest Lake, MN
Brian Knock - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Ashford, Kent, England
Louis Paul Solomos, Jr. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Saint Helen, MI
Charles and Cynthia Starr - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Niceville, FL
George J. Suter - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - San Francisco, CA
Fred W. Walatka - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Anchorage, AK
Duane Wething - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Detroit Lakes, MN
Bruce and Pamela Wolfe - - - - - - - - - - - Downers Grove, IL
tory, One evening as the sun was setting at the end of a pleas ant, sunny day, we were tying down ou r planes for the night. A strange air plane appeared, one of the new Travelair Model 6000 cabin monoplanes, a six place airplane of the very latest type. Another one like it was al ready based on the field, but all the others were open-cockpit bi planes, so we open-cockpit pilots were all surprised to see another duplicate Model 6000 arrive. The plane then circled the field and made an approach to land southwest over the high locust trees; the plane was too high and too fast. Just before touching down in the swampy area at the end of the grass field, the pilot finally added power and pulled up to go around, and I really mean he pulled up! Our hearts were in our throats as the plane made a steep, mush ing climb-out turn to the left with the wings waving in a near stall. It was frightening to watch. The plane finally got around for an other approach and proceeded to make an exact repeat performance . We wanted to call the fire depart-
The pilot said that he had just bought the plane at Wichita and was not familiar with it. one was at home. The pilot made a third attempt, almost as bad but showing signs of improvement. The sun had set. On the fourth at tempt the plane touched down tail high and braked to a stop barely short of the marsh. Phew! It taxied back to the tie-down
'. ,,...,....... If';tnlnSiportation was avail able; the pilot was going to a hotel, and the lady was going to her home a few miles away. The pilot said that he had just bought the plane at Wi chita and was not familiar with it, which was abun dantly obvious. He had picked up the lady passenger along the way, at St. Louis I think, to give her a ride home. I volunteered to take the lady home in my Model T Ford . On the way she told me all about what a wonderful flight she had in the wonderful plane with that wonderful pilot and how she was so enthusiastic about flying, this being, I believe, her first experi ence. I did not think it wise to mention to her that it might well have been her last one, too. The next day the pilot took off alone for a destination in Vir ginia. A day later we read in the paper that he had crashed and burned in an attempt to land at his destination-no accurate de tails. Now for the rest of the story ... I took the lady passenger, whose name was Eleanor, to her home in Hyde Park. She was the wife of the gover nor of New York, Franklin Delano Roosevelt! ...... VINTAGE AIRPLANE
5
BY
H .G .
FRAUTSCHY
THIS MONTH'S MYSTERY PLANE COMES FROM EARL PITTMAN OF GAINESVILLE ,
GEORGIA. WE HAVE NO ILLUSIONS ABOUT THIS ONE-IT'S A TOUGHIE, BUT
EARL AND I HOPE THAT ONE OF OUR READERS WILL RECOGNIZE IT AND BE
ABLE TO FILL IN SOME OF THE DETAILS REGARDING ITS HISTORY.
S END YOUR ANSWER TO:
EAA , VIN
TAGE A IRPLANE, P.O. Box OSHKOSH,
3086,
WI 54 90 3-3086. YOUR AN
SWER NEEDS TO BE IN NO LATER THAN A UGUST
10, 2003, FOR INCLUSION IN
THE OCTOBER
2003 ISSUE OF V INTAGE
A IRPLANE. YOU CAN ALSO SEND YOUR RESPONSE V IA E-MAIL. SEND YOUR ANSWER TO
vintage@eaa.org . B E SURE TO INCLUDE BOTH YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS (ESPECIALLY YOUR CITY AND STATE!) IN THE BODY OF YOUR NOTE AND PUT "( MONTH) MYS TERY PLANE" IN THE SUBJECT LINE.
First, a bit of housekeeping. Wayne VanValkenburgh asked if we have a policy regarding the origin of Mystery Plane subjects. While the vast majority of VAA Mystery Planes do come from the United States, we occasionally use some foreign subjects, particularly it they were imported into the
United States . We agree with Wayne that it would be fairer to all concerned if we let the membership know when a for eign aircraft is bei ng used, so we'll do so in the future. If no mention is made as to the Mystery Plane's nationality, you can safely assume it comes from the United States.
APRIL'S MYSTERY
ANSWER
April's Mystery Plane came to us via e mail from Lynn Sheren: "I came across this old photo in some photographs that belonged to my uncle. I am guessing that he was on a fishing trip in Canada, year un known. I was wondering if you could identify the type of plane this is in the photograph. We were able to quickly answer the e-mail, thanks to the documentation of the DH.61 in a number of books. Many of you recognized it as well. Here are some of the notes we received. liThe April Mystery Plane is a British II
6
JULY 2003
de Havilland DH.61 Giant Moth. Specifi cally, it is one of two examples fitted with a 525-hp Pratt & Whitney Hornet engine. All-wood construction, fabric covered, span 52 feet, length 38 feet 10 inches, All Up Weight 7,000 pounds, ac commodation for six to eight passengers in the enclosed cabin, single-place open cockpit at the rear, offset to port side for improved view around the nose. liThe DH.61 was designed and first flew in 1927 from the de Havilland Air craft Co. aerodrome at Stag Lane, Edgeware-at that time open country side north of London but now part of
the subtopian (sic) urban sprawl against an Australian requirement to service various air routes, initially be tween Adelaide and Broken Hill. "Nine-examples were built, powered by 500-hp Bristol Jupiter or Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar engines. Two examples, G-CAJT (constructor's #328) and G CAPG (#329) were fitted with floats and exported to Canada to transport fire fighters and equipment to the vicinity of forest fires. A third example for the Canadian market, G-CARD (#336)-the final DH.61 built-was never certifi cated, and some parts may have been
BRITISH DE HAVILLAND
DH 61 GIANT MOTH
Another view of one of the Giant Moths, courtesy of the Canada Aviation Museum, Ottawa.
used in the construction, in 1932, of a 10th locally built ex· ample, #DHC.141 (CF·OAK), fitted with the Hornet, that came to grief in 1936. "Subsequently, CAPG was also re-engined with a Hornet, continuing until withdrawn from use in 1941./1 Mike Vaisey Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England "Three of these aircraft operated in Canada starting in the late 1920s. Two were operated on floats by the Ontario Provincial Air Service (OPAS) out of their main base at Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, at the east end of Lake Superior. CF-OAK, Serial No. 141, was supplied with a P&W R1690 Hornet. It crashed in 1935. I know where the wreck is. I believe that the subject photo is of G-CAPG, Serial No. 329. It was operated by the OPAS from 1928 to 1941 and originally came with a Bristol Jupiter XI engine. It was later re-engined with the P&W Hornet in 1934. I am of the opinion that the photo shows the Bristol]upiter engine./I Gerry Norberg Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Other details came from Thomas Lymburn, including the fact that the Canadian Giant Moths were mounted on a pair of Fairchild floats . Thomas also wrote: "One of the [British] Jaguar-engined Giant Moths (G-AAEV) was used by Sir Alan Cobham as 'Youth of Britain' for giving school children air plane rides. According to A.J. Jackson's DeHavilland Aircraft since 1909, about 10,000 school kids were given rides. Sounds like an early version of the Young Eagles program!/I We'd also like to acknowledge the editorial contribu tion made by Renald Fortier, of the Canada Aviation Museum in Ottawa, for the use of the photo he forwarded on behalf of the museum. Other correct answers were received from the following: Jim Strothers, Rancho Palos Verdes, California; Wayne Van-
Lynn Sheren sent us this photo of the Canadian DH.S1 Giant Moth as it rested on a Canadian lake. Built in 1928 in the United Kingdom, it was brought to Canada , originally with a pair of Shorts brothers floats. Once here , and while serving with the Ontario Provincial Air Service, it was refitted with a Pratt & Whitney Hornet en gine and remounted on a pair of Fairchild floats. It was withdrawn from use in February 1941.
Valkenburgh, Jasper, Georgia; Ralph Riedesel, Paton, Iowa; Cody Mccormick, Phoenix, Arizona; Theodore Wales, West wood, Massachusetts; Charles Schultz, Louisville, Kentucky; Dan Cullman, Jent, Washington; Russ Brown, Lyndhurst, Ohio; Wayne Muxlow, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Tom Balden hofer, Waveland, Mississippi; and Milt Voigt. ~
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VINTAGE AIRPLANE
7
The Goliath of the
Air
way s
The Consolidated XC-99, double deck version of the six engine B-36 RICHARD n the early stages of World War II, the U.S. Air Corps was inter ested in procuring monster-sized transport aircraft to move sup plies all over the world. The Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Com pany was involved with plans for building an intercontinental bomber. It would be a simple con version to make a transport from the bomber by doubling its capac ity. Pan American World Airways was concerned with extending civilian air service after the war and was seeking a similar version for airline service. Consolidated was given a con tract to build a prototype. That plane was put into extended experimental service with the Strategic Air Com mand (SAC). It had been retired for many years when we made a trip to San Antonio, Texas, in 1984. We met with friends Mike and Julie Elle good, of Phoenix, Arizona, and joined them on a visit with the XC 99 . Here is what we found, along with some photos that were taken during our exploration of the plane. At the time of our visit the plane was under the care of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and parked within a
I
8
JULY 2003
C.
"DICK" HILL
fenced area outside the confines of Kelly Air Force Base (AFB). We drove to the northwest corner of the base to find the plane. A man with a pickup truck was in attendance, and a small donation was requested for visiting it. The big transport had been flown by the SAC while owned by the Air Force, but it had been declared sur plus for military needs. It seemed quite lonely as it was off by itself, away from all the air base activity. The huge wingtip extended almost to the fence line and loomed over us as we approached. It had spent its entire life Sitting outside, so it was not a pristine show plane. An accumulation of dirt and grime covered the surfaces. To make stands for it, huge holes, the size of a pickup truck standing on end, had been dug. Then forms were built for pads to hold the giant plane. They were buried so that only a few inches protruded above the sod. The plane was pushed into place with the landing gear on the pads and then secured to the ground by several heavy cables. To protect the tires, stee l blocks had been placed under the struts and the under-in
flated tires were just barely resting on the concrete. That almost forsaken fenced lot was its home for many years and where uncounted numbers of inter ested people visited it. The development of the plane be gan during World War II while the United States was involved in a world wide military exercise that de manded long haul transportation. At that time there was no real esti mate of the tim e span that the hostilities would encompass. The Air Corps needed many large transport aircraft capable of hauling heavy loads over extended routes. This in dividually huge transport was one of several designs that were under con sideration by the military. Some of the other designs were the Lockheed Constitution, the Douglas C-124, the Martin Mars, and the Hughes Flying Boat. The XC-99 was based on the de sign for the Consolidated B-36, a six engine intercontinental bomber; only this was to be a double-deck example. At that time the airlines were looking forward to doing civilian business after the cessation of hostil ities. Pan Am was an established flag
(Left) Based on the huge B-36 bomber, the only example built of the XC-99 transport sits on the edge of Kelly AFB in San Antonio, Texas .
carrier for the United States and flew extended airline routes all over the world. They also were searching for such a plane. Neither the bomber nor the trans port version was completed or flown before the end of the big war, but the bomber version was to become known as the Peacemaker and it presided over the Cold War. The first flight of a B-36 was made on August 8, 1946. The design was to hold court all over the free world during that time and was used to keep a close eye on the Communist nations. The several squadrons of B 36s were an impressive presence, one that was noted and envied by every other nation. And inciden tally, the Peacemaker never fired a shot or dropped a bomb in anger. As the Jet Age arrived, one of the B-36 frames was converted to use eight of the]-5 7 jet engines. Known as the XB-60, it was commissioned by Convair in March 1951. The XB 60 did not pass beyond the prototype stage because the Boeing B-52 was chosen to fill the strategic bomber position. The XC-99 was first flown on April 18, 1952. The design was also halted at the prototype stage. After being superseded by the all-jet air craft, it, along with the remaining B-36s, was decommissioned. The B 36s were ferried for storage at Davis-Monthan AFB near Tucson, Arizona, while the XC-99 was to sit alone in Texas. Before the retirement program had begun, an early model of the B 36 was relegated to the United States Air Force Museum at Wright Field near Dayton, Ohio. All of the im provements, including the addition of the four jet engines and other up dates to the original design had been installed on this plane. The proto type had first been flown with huge tires, 9 feet in diameter. They were set aside, and one remains on dis-
Equally impressive in the air, the XC-99 Goliath hauled mammoth cargos that included as many as 42 of the Wright R-2000 engines used to power the Douglas C-S4. The airplane was flown in support of Air Force operations from the Canadian DEW line to cargo and troop transport all over the world.
play inside the museum. After the large single tires and the original landing gear were removed, the series was converted and flown with the four-wheel, "truck-type" landing gear. The purpose of the conversion was to spread the landing gear's footprint, to lower the impact weight on the early runways and taxiways. The four-wheel truck was to become the standard for heavy transport aircraft. (At least it was the standard un til the Boeing 777 came along with a three-axle, six wheel articulated landing gear truck. That thing is even equipped for steering along with the nose wheel of the plane!) The original prototype B 36 had a bullet-shaped cockpi t section, similar to the B-29 . It was replaced on this B-36, and the first of the well-known globe type en closures was installed. Several other updates and changes were made during its operating career. While the new United States Air Force Museum building was being built,
Each airplane had two "Scanner" crewmem bers responsibile for monitoring the engine's performance and advising the pilots of the airplane's position on taxiways and ramps , since they could not see the wingtips or land ing gear from the cockpit. This is the view out the left-side cabin scanner position. Re member, those big propellers are pushers!
Mike Ellegood gives us some perspective as to the size of the Goliath-that door on the side of the fuselage looks like at small hatch compared to the rest of the airframe. VINTAGE AIRPLANE
9
Congress demanded that the proto type B-36 be destroyed because, lilt could carry an atomic bomb./I By that time, almost any plane cou ld carry an A-bomb. It was not that the p lane was unwanted, almost every museum petitioned for it. But the answer was,"No./I At any rate the plane was scrapped, but the United States Air Force Mu seum had already planned to get rid of it. A production version of the 8-36 was ferried in from the bone yard and hidden while making plans for t he new museum. That plane was in stalled in the museum while the building was erected around it and the prototype was demolished. Jeannie and I just happened to be at the museum while the destruction was taking place, and we were as tounded that such a thing would happen. The sight was one to bring tears to your eyes, much like having to watch buzzards destroy a beached whale. Two large Caterpillar tractors were used to render it into piles of scrap. A steel cable was wrapped around the fuselage or a wing and tied into a sim ple knot. The ends of the cable were each hooked to a Caterpillar tractor. As they moved apart, the noose was tightened, and the section was crimped and sheared off, falling to the ground and looking like a huge sausage link. The parts were still held to the main frame by its entrails. A few flashes from the cutting torch sliced the remaining wires and control ca bles, separating the pieces. During the span of years that it had been on outside display, it had deteri orated a lot. The accumulation of debris and guano was about a foot deep all through the plane. While watching it being destroyed, I leaned over and picked up a length of control cable that was hooked to a section of bicycle chain. It now hangs on our barn wall. When the B-36 was replaced by the jet-powered B-47s and B-52s, the Peacemakers were parked to be scrapped. 10
JULY 2003
Very few have survived and most of the few that still exist are in muse ums scattered around the nation. (They are located in the United States Air Force Museum and at the Stratigic
Pan American planned an initial pur chase of 15 Goliaths when first proposed , but none were ever built for the civilian airline. This illustra tion from a brochure shows what Pan Am had planned in 1942.
Air & Space Museum in Omaha, Ne braska.) One B-36 was disp layed for many years at Chanute Field, Rantoul, Illinois. It was disassembled and moved for display at March Field Air Museum in Riverside, California. The last production example was disassembled and stored near the Consolidated factory site near Dallas, Texas, where they were built. It has been reported to be partially reassem bled for display near there once again. When the factory at the airport closed, the 8-36 was still in one piece and volunteers had prepared some of the engines for a ferry flight. But once again clearance could not be obtained and the field closed before the flight could be made. Including that plane and the XC-99, five airframes still exist. But what of the double-deck ver sion, the XC-99? Only one was built, at a cost of almost $11 million. The plane was the equivalent of a B 36 with another fuselage stacked on top. A cargo deck separated it into two floors and slab sides filled out the shape. Six Pratt Whitney R-4360, four bank, radial engines (3,500 hp)
powered the XC-99, the same as the B-36. Each of the engines turned a 19 foot diameter Curtiss Electric propeller. With the engines of the se ries mounted backwards on the wing, the propellers were pushers. They were also reversible to aid in stopping this huge aircraft. Most of the equip ment was identical to the B-36 and made a simple but expensive conver sion from a bomber to a formidable transport. The inception and utiliza tion of the B-36 and the XC-99 encompassed the era from the begin ning of World War II until they were declared surplus from military needs in 1957. Their engines developed power that was the equivalent of 353 average automobiles of the day. The blue prints for these planes would cover an area of sixteen acres. The electrical system was equal to that in a city of five thousand people. Its heating/air conditioning unit would take care of a 40-room apartment house. (It was ca pable of operating with outside air temperature range of higher than 100°F to minus 60°F.) It was computed that installing jet pods on the XC-99, similar to those on the late model B-36s, would im prove the performance enough to permit an increase of payload from 70,000 pounds to 100,000 pounds. But it was never taken out of serv ice for that conversion due to the necessity of servicing the world domi nating B-36 fleet. The XC-99 was flown as a freighter throughout the Korean War, hauling en gines and cargo all over the world. The Goliath's first flight was made on No vember 24, 1947, with the basic crew of pilot, co-pilot, two engineers, navigator, radioman, and two scanners. The scanners rode in hatches on the top and sides of the fuselage be cause the flight crew could not see the wing tips or accurately tell where the nose wheel was during tight turns on the narrow taxiways of the day. Another important task for them was the monitoring of the en gines and the operation of the landing gear and flaps. It could fly with 60 to 100 percent
more cargo than contemporary trans ports and was able to haul 400 combat equipped troops or 300 litter patients, but it was principally used for express cargo. It was built at the Consolidated factory in Fort Worth, along with the line of B-36s, and operated there for the first 15 months after it became op erational. It first landed at Kelly on July 8, 1949, for a modification of the engine nacelles. The first cargo opera tion into Kelly was on July 14, 1950. It was flown during this time by one of two command pilots, Col. Fredrick Bell and Col. c.w. Tucker. Most of the flying of the XC-99 was done from Kelly Field at San AntoniO, Texas. The primary schedule for it was two trips weekly from Kelly to McAllen AFB in California. Other flights were made to McChord AFB in Washington, Ramey AFB in Puerto Rico, and Rhein Main AFB in Germany, by way of Bermuda and the Azores. It was flown to Keflavik, Iceland, from Dover, Delaware, in support of the DEW line (a Distant Early Warn ing radar network that was built across northern Canada for detecting Russ ian missiles launched during the Cold War.) Pilots for that operation were Major Claire Potter and Capt. Jim Douglas. The XC-99 was also present for military events at Wright-Patter son AFB at Dayton, Ohio, Tinker AFB, at Oklahoma City, and Boling AFB near Washington, D.C. In all, the XC-99 logged landings at 27 different airports, none with spe cial preparations. It could operate from any field that was capable of servicing a Douglas C-54. (Note that the Douglas C-54 was the prime sup ply aircraft for the Berlin and the Korean War airlifts. In October 1950 the XC-99 carried 42 of the Wright R 2000 engines to the Douglas C-54 overhaul depot at McChord AFB in Washington. Twenty-seven were on the lower deck and fifteen on the up per deck. The pilot was Col. Tucker.) The plane had sleeping quarters for eleven crewmen, a galley with two hot plates, dining table, and chairs. There was ample food storage, hot and cold running water and an elec
tric incinerator type toilet. It was also equipped with an elec tric hoist that was rail mounted in the top deck. There were two hatches in the belly that were used for loading cargo. Both were similar to a set of bomb bay doors; one was located aft of the nose wheel compartment and the other in front of the tailskid. The winch could be moved to either end of the plane and lift cargo to either deck through these openings. Records show that the plane flew 7,434 .5 hours with minimum ex pense for maintanence. This equals 59 trips to the moon or 1,486,000 miles. It established records proving that it could easily carry 60 to 80 tons on long haul routes. It operated at rate of 13 .12 cents per ton mile, direct maintanence was 2.32 cents per ton mile, and the operational cost was 26 cents per ton mile. Those records would have been hard for trucks or trains to meet. (And inci dentally, for the trucking enthusiasts, the truck uses 11 times more fuel per ton-mile than the train.) With the exception of routine maintenance and IRAN operations (Inspection Repair As Necessary), the plane was in continuous service throughout its operational life from its first flight in 1947 until its last flight on March 19, 1957, soon after the grounding of the B-36s. After the retirement of the XC-99, the fenced lot that was located off the base at the Northwest corner of Kelley Field, was to be its home for all those many years. It had originally been do nated to the Veterans of Foreign Wars as a museum but they had the usual problems with fundraising and volun teers. Several claims to ownership were made, but the United States Air Force Museum eventually reclaimed it. The Goliath still stands as a monu ment to American engineering. We were told that the United States Air Force Museum has started a fundrais ing program for the restoration of the XC-99 to its former pristene condition. In the event that you are visiting the San Antonio area, stop at Kelly to see the plane. Access can be gained from the maintenance operation 10
cated on the eastern side of the base. An update on Goliath Another trip was made to San An tonio in April 2002, and we were able to view the XC-99 through the cy clone fence that surrounds Kelley Field. The plane has deteriorated con Siderably in the last few years and is currently making a lonely vigil on an otherwise abandoned ramp . We had insufficient time to obtain clearance to get inside the fence, but the wors-' ening condition of the plane was obvious even from a distance. Had we been able to get to the plane, it would not have been possible to enter it be cause no provisions have currently been made for visiting. During our visit in 1994, the cock pit window area was covered with aluminum sheeting. Currently, the covers have been removed and the cockpit exposed to the elements. The exterior seems to have the remains of its original paint scheme. It had been sprayed with some sort of primer or brassy looking finish that has been partially washed off by the rain and sands of time. Portions of the old SAC markings are still visible near the cockpit. Some time after having been relo cated to the airbase and during this period of neglect, it was parked near a maintenance area on the field where a careless machine operator smashed the nose radar dome. The ragged re mains of the fiberglass still adorn the airplane's nose. The combination of rain and bird activity through all of the open hatches and windows must have the floors in quite a condition. All this and there is no way to esti mate the overall effects of corrosion. The propellers are rusted in place and one can figure that the engines have rusted and also have become seized . The rudder has suffered damage to its cover and a servo tab has been torn from it. A tow bar was left in place on the nose wheel, possibly with the in tention of some future relocation. It will take a Herculean effort to make Goliath a proper item for mu seum viewing. We await further developments. ...... VINTAGE AIRPLANE
11
Keeping Your Restora
n in One Piece During the "Big Blow."
H.G. FRAUTSCHY
After reading last month's arti cle on portable tied owns, you've got your new set made up and ready to go. Before you pound the pins into the ground at your next fly-in, do you know what knot works the best? How about the rope? What kind? How thick should it be? Knots have been around for cen turies, holding the lines fast on Roman royal barges and the many frigates and sloops plying the oceans, and securing countless booms and derricks used in con struction since the Egyptians were raising obelisks and pyramids . We can distill the knowledge gained from the trial and error of knot making over the past few millen nia, and we can learn a lot from our sailing brethren . Let's start with rope. Until the 1950s, rope was made up of natural fiber, usually hemp or cotton. It worked well, but was prone to rot and deterioration when exposed to the elements. Al most all rope in use today for aircraft tiedowns is made of syn thetic fibers. Dacron, nylon, and polypropylene are common syn thetics in use today. A quick word about polypropy lene. First off, it's cheap, and that's why you see it used on the ramps of FBOs for their transient tiedowns. It's pretty easy to spot it's often a sun-faded yellow color, and the fuzzy, frayed appearance from laying on a sun baked ramp for a few years tells you it's not very strong at that pOint. There are a few problems with this particular rope. First, its strength deteriorates quickly when exposed to the sun. 12
JULY 2003
It frays easily, and because its sur
face is so slippery, it can be difficult to get a knot to hold well once tied. Because of its inflexibility, it's hard to tie a good knot with polypropylene. About the only time it does hold a knot well is when it becomes so frayed and fuzzy that its strength is just about nil. In boating catalogs its use is not recommended for anchor, dock mooring, or towlines. In gen eral, it's best to avoid using inexpensive polypropylene rope for aircraft tiedowns.
Almost all • use rope In today for aircraft tiedowns is made of synthetic fibers. So what rope should you use for tiedowns? Double-braided, low stretch Dacron polyester rope works very well. Double braid is not as stretchy as three-strand rope, a desirable characteristic for tying an airplane to a secure tiedown. Keeping the amount of give in tiedown rope to a mini mum will help prevent unintended damage to the airframe. If the air plane is tied down tightly to the ground, the possibility of damage
due to jerking at the ropes by an airplane being buffeted by high winds will be minimized. The only downside to double braided rope made from nylon or polyester is its slipperiness . You'll need more loops in an adjustable knot to provide enough friction to keep the knot from slipping if the airplane should start to jerk the lines in a windstorm. Even though it's made from the same material, a three-strand polyester line will sometimes hold a friction knot a bit tighter. Its knobby texture has more gripping power. If you choose to use a three-strand line, be sure to check its stretch rating. To prevent the rope from jerking the airplane during a windstorm, buy rope that is rated for low or moderate stretch. Anything over 3 percent is too high. How thick should your rope be? In general, I buy rope with a rated tensile strength of at least three times the maximum gross weight of the airplane. FAA Advisory Cir cular AC20-35 C states that the tiedown rope for a single engine airplane should be rated at no less than 3,000 pounds. For twins, the weight quoted in the Advisory Cir cular is at least 4,000 pounds and higher for larger aircraft. For instance, the 7/16-inch dou ble-braided Dacron polyester rope I use for the tiedowns for a 2,050 pound airplane is rated with a tensile breaking strength of 7,400 pounds. (A similarly sized three strand twisted polypropylene rope is rated at only 3,000 pounds when new.) Even a 3/8-inch double braided rope is rated at between 4,200 and 5,500 pounds (depend
ing on the manufacturer); plenty for a properly tied down 1,200 pound Cub, Taylorcraft, or Champ. Some folks prefer a thicker line sim ply because it can be easier to undo a knot in lI2-inch or I-inch line. When you buy your rope, have the retailer cut it to length. They often have heat-sealing machines on hand that will fuse the rope's end fibers, preventing the annoy ing unraveled ends that look so untidy. A one-inch long piece of heat-shrink tubing over the end also goes a long way to keep a set of tiedown ropes in good shape. If you're really getting into this rope thing, buy a book on nautical knot tying, and learn how to finish the ends of the rope with whipping. You can use waxed rib lacing cord for this process. An excellent reference book on nautical rope tying is the Brion Toss' book Knots for Boaters, pub lished by Hearst Books. It's one of the books in the "Chapman Nauti cal" series. I've come to rely on my copy for just about every knot need. Most of what you read here is based on Brion's excellent de scriptions of knots and their uses. Now that you've gone out and bought a few feet of good quality rope, what knots do you use? Try these old standards for air plane tiedowns. Because of the slickness of the synthetic fibers, some knots that held well in manila rope have been modified in recent times to bind the knot and make it hold fast. Let's start with the end of the rope secured to the tiedown plate. If you go with the hole in the plate, a simple overhand knot on the backside will secure it. It should work well, as long as the hole in the plate is a snug fit, with no burrs that could cut the line. Tightly wrap a short length of tape around the end of the rope to thread it through the properly sized hole. Be sure the end of the rope has a solid knot. It's okay to have a little extra rope on the free end of the knot. It sure would be
embarrassing to spend all this time securing the upper end, only to have the lower end pu ll ed u p through the tiedown plate! If you go with the U-bo lt , or your tiedown set has a loop to se cure each tiedown rope, then a fancier knot is in order. If you plan on always keeping your rope se cured to your tied own se t , then you need not worry about a knot that binds so tightly that it cannot easily be undone. First, a couple of quick definitions: In our case, the standing line is the piece of rope that will go up to the airplane's tiedown ring. The free end of the rope is the shorter piece you'll use to tie to knot.
Take the free end of the rope and wrap it around the two other sec tions of rope. Two or three wraps are adequate. It doesn't matter which di rection the wraps lay. Add more wraps if you 're looking to intimidate those who don't take "Please Do Not Touch " signs seriously.
A SHORT HANGMAN'S NOOSE
Since we're learning about knots, why not use something that is good looking as well as func tional? A short hangman's noose works very we ll in this situation. It's a clean looking, sec u re kno t that doesn't let go when jostled . Remember how to do it? Here's a quick refresher:
Just before you come to the end of the rope, pass it through the loop opposite the tiedown ring. Then hold the knot in the palm of one hand and keep the free end in the loop with your thumb, while gently pulling on the loop on the oppo site end (the end with the tiedown ring) to draw the opposite loop tight around the free end of the rope.
First, loop the rope through the ground mounted tiedown ring, and lay it out in an exaggerated "N" shape.
Then grasp the three sections of rope just below the loop around the tiedown .
The noose is now free to slide down the rope and make the adjustable loop tight around the tiedown ring. VINTAGE AIRPLANE
13
One of the easiest knots to remember Is a half hitch. Variations on the half hitch can be used to make more secure adjustable knots. Because modern Dacron polyester rope Is slicker than Its natural fiber predecessors, a midshipman's hitch (Boy Scouts call this one a Tautllne hitch) works well. Here's how you tie It:
First, pass the line through the tiedown set's ring; the free end wraps around the standing line inside the loop twice.
Then wrap the free end around the standing line out足 side of the loop once and passed it between the beginning loop and the loop you just made on the sec足 tion of rope outside of the loop (that's a half-hitch, by the way). Pull the free end of the rope to snug up the half hitch to the loop.
Pull the standing line light, so the loop tightens on the tiedown ring. Make it as tight as possible, so when the upper line is secured the entire tiedown remains tight, with very little or no slack. Since synthetic rope doesn't shrink when wet, there is no need to add an inch or so of slack, as some older manuals suggest. For a camel hitch, just pass the free end inside the loop three times instead of two, and after pulling the half-hitch tight on the tiedown loop, add one more half hitch with the free end of the rope . It's a tad more secure. The bowline hitch works well in this application as well.
Now for the upper end of the rope. Before securing rope to the wing tledown fittings, a couple of fitting notes are In order. If your wing has a tledown ring or hoop welded to the wing strut fitting, use the ring to guide the tledown rope around the upper end of the wing strut, Instead of relying on the ring to take the entire load. Take a look at the illustration In last month's article on tiedowns to refresh your memory. If you have wing tledowns that are screwed Into the wing or are part of a metal strap wrapped around the strut, like the F. Atlee Dodge (www.fadodge.com. 907-344-1755) PMA'd Installation for the Piper Super Cub, then attaching the rope to the ring will work fine. The hitch knot works well here. A double half hitch Is great In this application, since It allows you to slip the knot along the standing line to make the line tight, and It can then be secured with a pair of half hitches. Here's how: Pass the free end of the line through the ring. If it passes around the strut, loop it around the strut and then pass it back through the ring. It you're tying directly to the ring, pass the free end through the ring twice. This will add more friction, so the line will resist coming loose .
Make a simple loop, with the free end of the rope passing in front of the standing line.
Pass the end of the rope through the loop twice, and then let it drop while keeping a bit of tension on it so the loops don't get too loose.
Take the free end and wrap it around the standing line, below the double loop you made in the previous step. Pass the free end through the loop, and draw it tight.
Do it one more time (again, that's a half足 hitch) and pull it tight. If you find the knot will not remain tight, add a few more half hitches below the knot to add some friction. Add one more wrap within the loop (see photo 10) for added friction in the knot.
While pulling on the standing line, pull down on the entire knot to tighten the tiedown.
There are plenty of websites with knotty subjects. Here's one I found particularly interesting: www.layhands.com/knots/ and its subsequent page, www.layhands.com/knots/Knots_Hitches.htm. You may choose to use the adjustable grip knot described on the site for the upper end of the tiedown. I like it because when the line is loaded up, it imparts a solid dogleg kink in the line, but only if the knot is properly drawn (tightened) up after it is made. Abit of experimentation will demonstrate how to make it work well for you. I'm sure there are Rlen~ of other knots people prefer to use so if you've got a favorite knot that works well, Rlease share it with us. 14
JULY 2003
oug Clukey and Karl John son, both of Winter Haven, Florida, a suburb of Sun 'n Fun, are enjoying their re tirement. Both of them, however, wonder how they ever found time to work. Individually, they 've restored or rebuilt some thing like a dozen airplanes between them. They both have their horror stories, so they knew, or thought they knew, what they were getting into with their Rearwin Skyranger. Doug says, "I once rebuilt a Tay lorcraft that had been on floats since it came out of the factory. Someone had crashed it, and naturally, th e floats were the first things to hit the ground. I rebuilt the airplane fairly quickly, but the floats took forever. I'll never rebuild another set of floats . Never! They take too much out of you."
D
16
JULY 2003
Karl doesn't have quite the same terrible tale, but he certainly can tell his own I-wish-I-hadn't-built that story. "When the Quicky II came out, I built one with a Revmaster VW and actually flew it for quite a while. Unfortunately, my wife had heard all the wild stories everyone was telling about the Quicky, but I somehow convinced her to ignore them . Then she went for a ride with me, and that was the end of that. She put her foot down; I sold the engine and still have the airframe, which would make an interesting looking beer cooler." When the two joined forces in Winter Haven, they started looking around for little airplanes to rebuild. They didn't have to look long before they found some projects, which in cluded a Cessna 120 and a Super
Cub. These airplanes, along with several others that came into their workshop, were diligently worked on and, in a reasonable length of time, took to the air. Then they found the Rearwin. "The airplane hadn't flown since 1970 and had been tied down at an airport just south of Lakeland since then. A few years back someone bought it, took its wings off, then apparently had an attack of com mon sense. Something that we didn't have, because we bought it. He gave us a hell of a price, but knowing what we know now, if he'd given it to us , it would still have been too much," Doug says. Karl says, "On the hour trip to our shop, the wings simply fell apart. What wasn't already broken was rot ten. What wasn't rotten had come unglued, and what couldn't rot had
much of his professional life build was a Model 180F. There were also ing power plants. At home, however, 175 and 180 model Skyrangers, both he was rebuilding airplanes, includ Continental powered, and a 190F. ing a LeBlond-powered Porterfield After the war, Commonwealth went and the Taylorcraft on floats. on to build quite a number of its Karl Johnson was born in Penn 185 models, which depended on the sylvania and started learning to fly Continental C-85 for power. in 1948. He was a machine shop su Even though the duo 's Rearwin pervisor and in his 4,200-hour flying was built in 1941, it didn't take ad career has owned a number of air vantage of the stamped aluminum planes, including three Bonanzas. rib technology, which so many of its Neither Clukey nor Johnson peer group featured. With the excep were amateurs when it came to re tion of the fittings and compression bui lding airplanes, but with the struts and tip bows, the wings were Rearwin, it looked as if they had all wood. In this case, most of the met their match. wood was in the process of return "The more we looked at it, the ing to its primary elements, taking more we found wrong," Doug says. many of the steel parts with it. "Of course, we shouldn't have ex Doug says, "We didn't even have pected anything else of an airplane a good wing to use for a pattern, al that had sat outdoors in Florida though we did have one pair of without moving for nearly 30 years." spars that were good enough to lo The object of what they realized cate the bolt holes. For the ribs, might be misplaced affection was however, we had an accurate draw the 52nd Skyranger built by Rearwin ing from Commonwealth. Aircraft and Engines Inc. in 1941. "The ribs are sort of unusual be This made it one of the last of the cause they are all the same until type to be built by Rearwin before you get out to the tip ribs, but you 15 :r the company was taken over by make them all full length and then CL ~ Commonwealth Aircraft in October cut the back off, where applicable, ~ of the next year. It's interesting that and use the cutoffs to build the « j'§ of the 82 Skyrangers Rearwin built, ailerons. The last couple of ribs are ~ 25 were shipped to Iran. Not too a different size, so we had to do ~~~~--~~----------------~ ~ many lightplanes were shipped from what we could to get patterns off rusted. When we peeled the fabric the states to the Middle East. Techni the pieces of the originals along off, we realized that we should have cally, because their airplane was with a little eyeballing." used the wings to roast marshmal powered by an 80-hp Franklin, it Karl says, "The ribs took forever, lows. They were a mess, but the metal parts in and the rest of the air the wing weren't far be plane wasn't much hind. We were able to better." use about half of them, The Cl u key/Johnson but had to make the rest. partnership isn't a couple The aileron hinges, for of guys who discovered instance, were barely aviation after they re good for patterns, so we tired . All retirement did welded up new ones. The was give them more time tip bows are also steel to do what they'd been and were rusted through doing their entire lives. in a few spots, but we Doug Clukey, a na tive of welded up the holes and Maine, started learning bent the tubes back to to fly in the '60s and has the right curve and used logged more than 5,000 the originals." hours in little airplanes "When it came time since then. A project to cover the airplane," manager for a large en Doug says, "we knew we ergy company, he spent The resurrectors of the Rearwin , Doug Clukey and Karl Johnson. were in the home stretch (f)
VINTAGE AIRPLANE
17
with all the nasty stuff behind us. We used 102 Ceconite to cover it and finished that with Superflite's System II topped with urethane. The paint scheme and colors are as original as we could get them from brochures and pictures." The wing struts were also trash. They weren't sealed struts, so nature did what nature does and kept run ning water through them long enough so that their only value was in giving the right length measure ment. "When we welded up the new ones we made sure they were tightly sealed. We don't want to have to go through this again," says Karl. "Most of the sheet metal was re ally beat up," Doug explains. "We didn't want to replace any more than was absolutely necessary, how ever, so Karl spent weeks pressing the cowling parts back into shape. We were able to use the original grill parts, which amazingly enough were not only there but not in bad shape. We just cleaned them up and ~ painted them with chrome paint,
a
il: rather than having them plated . ~ You have to look closely to tell it is ~
~ jfi LiS
~
The multifunction tachometer dominates the left side of the instrument panel in the Rearwin. All engine conditions are indicated within the dial of the tachometer. Oil temperature and pressure, fuel quantity and pressure, and an ammeter to monitor the electrical system. 18
JULY 2003
n't chrome." As with all airplanes of its age, the cockpit and interior had been badly treated by not only the weather and generations of field mice but also past owners, and it re quired many weeks to rectify their actions. liThe panel was one big series of extra holes and patches. There just wasn't anything there to save," Doug says. "SO we made up a wood pattern and formed a new one out of soft alu minum. The airplane was pretty ad vanced for its time as it had a radio and electri cal system, so we made the panel to mount the right instruments and switches. We really lucked out with that big tachometer because we have a guy
right on the field at Winter Haven who works on them and made ours run beau tifully." One of the features that people often comment on is the wood-grained panel, which is a treatment that was correct to the airplane. Doug says, "We have done that on a number of other air planes, and it's really pretty easy once you figure it out. We use an antique wood graining kit that's Rearwin 's Skyranger was one of the last of the prewar cabin monoplanes built. Quite ad commonly available. vanced for its day, it featured a full electrical system , with this one equipped with a radio. The first time or two, Oddly enough the original Shinn engine, Doug chimes in, "We make however, you have to be willing to strip the part and start over if it isn't 6C5 wheels weren't corro ded so it sound as if there wasn't a single right because it's easy to mak e it badly that they couldn't be saved, good part with this airplane when although the matching mechanical we bought it. That's not entirely look wrong." The interior fabric had either brakes required many hours of true. We got one good part. The disappeared or turned into some cleaning and refitting to make them prop. It's not only the original type thing organic neither was anxious work right. that was used on the airplane, but it to touch, so everything had to be Quite often, when an airplane was in beautiful shape." uses a less-than-common engine, replaced. He looked at the prop, and some Doug continued: "We purchased like the 80-hp Franklin in the Rear one asked how many laminations it the headliner from Aircraft Spruce, win, it turns into a scavenger hunt has because it is obvious it has more and it fit fine. We weren't looking trying to find enough parts to get than the average. He walked over forward to making that. The rest of it running. The Winter Haven duo, and painstakingly walked his the interior came from Airtex. They however, found that lady luck had thumbnail across the hub and anfabricated the baggage compartment decided she'd given them enough nounced, "It has 34 laminations panels to our dimensions, which heartburn and would let the en- about an eighth of an inch thick, also saved a lot of work. gine be one of the easier parts of and there isn't a sign of delamina "We would have liked to stay with the project. tion anywhere." the original fabric, but it wasn't "Two engines came with the air The prop is 70 inches in diameter, available in a flame-retardant mate frame," says Karl, "but neither one and its 54-inch pitch lets the little rial, but Airtex came close, and they of them was rebuildable. Between Franklin turn up 2150 rpm static. stitched the door and sidewall pan the two of them, however, not only So, now that they have the ragged els exactly to the original design. did we get enough parts to build one Rearwin back in the air and looking The seat back and bottom, however, good engine, but it really only took good, what's ahead for the now are probably not original, as we did minor new parts, like rings and tired dynamic duo? n't have anything to copy. valves, to get it ready to fly. The ex Doug says, "Well, one thing is "The windshield came from L.P. haust system, however, was a sure, we won't be doing another Aero Plastics, and they had both the different story. Both of them were a Rearwin if it's in that kind of condi one- and two-piece versions," Karl mess, but we were able to stick tion. Right now we have a Fairchild says. "Commonwealth [Aircraft] enough parts together to make a 24R that just needs covering and re used the single piece, and most Rear pattern. Then we took it down to assembly. I love covering airplanes, wins have been converted, but we AeroSpace Welding in Fort Laud so we're going to look at this one as wanted the two-piece unit because erdale, who made us a completely if it's a vacation, after the Rearwin." that's what this airplane had when it new system." Like we said, free is sometimes came out of the factory." While Karl was talking about the still too expensive. ........ VINTAGE AIRPLANE
19
Tailwheel Training for Newbies
(Tailwheel transition training- Part 1)
DONOVAN HAMMER
Introduction The reasons for pursuing a tailwheel endorsement can vary widely. Some valid reasons might be plans for the restoration or purchase of a classic air plane, the building of a homebuilt sport plane, or maybe to just take on a new challenge. Whatever the reason, the proper edu cation and preparation will go a long way in protecting that all-too precious classic or homebuilt airplane. The topic of tail wheel flying is far too extensive to be dealt with in a short article such as this. So, the focus here will be to touch on a very brief overview of taildragger basics as well as to highlight some of the things to look for in this type of training. The tricycle airplane has been very successful in relegating the taildragger to the fringe of our aviation-oriented universe. Nonetheless, the tricycle airplane can probably be given the credit for making the modern fixed base operator (FBO) feasible because of the aircraft's tolerance to a broad range of piloting experience and proficiency. The tailwheel airplane, on the other hand, is less tolerant of the occasional, inexperienced, or inadequately trained pilot. The scarcity of tailwheel airplanes at our FBOs may be some of the strongest evidence of this fact. The sometimes-maligned taildragger has acquired a reputation that is not entirely undeserved, but si multaneously, it has been overly demonized as well. It is easy for the active and properly trained pi lot to develop a strong and 20
JULY 2003
long-lasting love affair with the taildragger.
The tailwheel
airplane, on the
other hand, is less
tolerant of
the occasional,
inexperienced, or
inadequately
trained pilot.
Tailwheel Basics The main difference between taildraggers and their tricycle brethren can be distilled down to the position of the main landing gear. A tailwheel airplane pushes its main gear out ahead of the cen ter of gravity (CG). On the other hand, the tricycle airplane drags its main gear behind the CG. The dynamics about the vertical
(yaw) axis will be discussed first. Consider the mental image of an airplane during landing that travels along a centerline directed north (that is, 360 degrees). By def inition, both the centerline of travel and the yaw axis pass through the airplane's CG. Now visualize that the airplane is not aligned with the centerline of travel in that its nose is pOinted 10 degrees to the left (that is, 350 degrees) . (see left) Upon touchdown in this situation, the main gear will not be aligned with the direction of travel and will want to roll in a direction 10 degrees left of the centerline. For the tail dragger, the main gear will be ahead of the CG and to the left of the centerline of travel. The main gear will want to go to the left while momentum carries the airplane's CG along the centerline of travel. This pulls the front half of the airplane to the left and ro tates the airplane counterclockwise away from the direction of travel. Now the main gear is even more unaligned, and the rotational forces are even greater. If left unchecked in the early stages, this action will cause loss of directional control and can potentially degen erate into a ground loop. Of course, the best technique is to land with the airplane properly aligned with the direction of travel in the first place. When a tricycle airplane is placed in the situation above , at touchdown, its main gear will be behind the CG and to the right of the centerline of travel. As before, the main gear wants to go to the left while momentum carries the airplane's CG along the
centerline of travel. However, this time around it is the back half of the airplane that is pulled to the left, and it is now pulled toward the centerline. This action rotates the airplane clockwise and brings it back into alignment with the di rection of travel. Directional control is maintained automati cally by the design of the tricycle landing gear and in spite of the pi lot's inattentiveness to alignment. This is a good time to switch the discussion to the dynamics associ ated with the pitch axis. Consider what happens during a landing as an airplane descends toward the runway. As an airplane of either configuration contacts the runway, the main gear's vertical descent is halted, but momentum causes the rest of the airplane to continue its downward mo tion. This results in the main gear pushing up on the fuse lage at its mounting point. For the case of the tricycle gear airplane, this mounting point is behind the CG, and at the moment of contact, when the motion at the CG is still down ward, the fuselage just above the main gear remains relatively fixed. This creates a rotation that lowers the nose of the airplane, which de creases the wing's angle of attack. This in turn decreases the lift pro duced by the wing and reinforces the downward motion to help hold the airplane on the ground. This is considered a stable con dition and makes the pilot look good. On the other hand, what happens to the taildragger is quite the opposite. The main gear on the taildragger is mounted ahead of the CG; therefore, as the main gear contacts the runway, it pushes the nose up. (see illustration at right) This action increases the wing's angle of attack, resulting in increased lift that tends to oppose the desired motion and can actu ally send the airplane back into the air. The later situation is known as a bounce-although this term is somewhat misleading-
and it does little to enhance the pilot's image. In summary, we have described the two banes of taildraggers, which are the loss of directional control and the bounce. But, be fore I conclude this section, I should point out that some things will counter the instabilities of the taildragger's landing gear configu ration. The horizontal and vertical stabilizers certainly offer some help as long as sufficient airspeed exists. That little wheel in the back, which gives the tailwheel airplane its descriptive name, also provides a means to maintain di rectional control. Ultimately, however, it is the pilot and the use
t of proper technique that tames the taildragger. The tailwheel pilot must pay strict attention to con trol of airspeed, attitude, flare, and alignment. Additionally, the tail wheel pilot must also plan ahead on each landing to consider any potential problems and then pre determine the appropriate escape plan if something does go wrong. I am not implying that these pi loting techniques do not apply to tricycle airplanes, because they most emphatically do. But unfortunately, the favorable char acteristics of the tricycle gear have left many pilots blissfully ignorant and complacent toward landing hazards. Too often a successful landing in a tricycle airplane is more due to the design and ruggedness of the landing gear than to the training and technique of the pilot.
Flight Training The first step to take toward the tailwheel transition is selecting an
instructor and a training program. Too often tailwheel training is treated as simply an airplane checkout. Perhaps, in reality tail wheel flying bears more resemblance to flying gliders or, say, floatplanes than to flying that "Wichita Ironclad./I Certainly one would expect glider and floatplane transition courses to have some substance to them. Why should the tailwheel transition be any dif ferent? The ideal flight instructor should have significant experience in tailwheel airplanes and should fly taildraggers on a regular basis. Also, the instructor should be able to present a detailed syllabus. This indicates to the student that the certificated flight instruc tor (CFI) has a good understanding of the training issues and will ensure that all topic areas are covered prop erly. Be sure that the training process includes some ground instruction. The airplane makes a poor classroom, and a CFI that skips ground instruction denies the student the critical knowledge-based fundamentals that are needed. Finally, select a good textbook because it offers a rich source of information and can be cheaper than paying an instruc tor to cover the same material. An example of a tailwheel tran sition syllabus might look like the following. It is a modified version of one proposed by Harvey Plourde, the author of a time proven text entitled The Complete Taildragger Pilot. The syllabus not only covers the obvious subject ar eas, but also makes an effort to emphasize some topics that may be incorrectly perceived as trivial, such as brake usage or taxiing. The flight instruction portion is divided into five blocks: (1) Aircraft familiarization, taxiing basics, basic air work, demon stration of takeoffs and three-point landings. (2) Normal takeoffs, normal three continued on the page 32 VINTAGE AIRPLANE
21
THE VINTAGE INSTRUCTOR /:~'>o."
-------------------------------------------------------------------
GBR to OSH
Precision landings every time
DOUG STEWART
"Rid
and Cream Tail dragger, turn right. Now. Cleared to land unway one eight right, cross two seven at 1,800 feet." Rolling into the turn I looked forward to getting on the ground. It had been 12 flight hours ago that my son and I had left Massa chusetts bound for Oshkosh. Holding outside of Ripon for close to an hour in temperatures higher than 9S D F, while a humongous gag gle of Mooneys landed, had not done much for increasing my sharpness. I was limper than the wet dishrag I'd left hanging on the kitchen sink so many hours ago in the pre-dawn darkness before leav ing for EAA AirVenture 2002. But I couldn ' t relax yet. As I rolled out of the turn I noticed a blue Cessna 140 passing inside and below me. "First taildragger land at the second intersection; second taildragger land at the first inter section," the tower controller said. Oshkosh arrivals always hold some excitement, and this certainly was living up to expectations, and then some. "Dad, look out! On your right! At 2:30, same altitude," my son shouted over the intercom. There on my right, passing me at my altitude, was a Cessna Cardi nal. Its maroon and white might have been mistaken for red and cream, but the little wheel was in the wrong place for a taildragger. If ever a precision spot landing would count, this was it. I knew 22
JULY 2003
NAFI MASTER I NST RUCTOR
that the Cardinal would be unable to land at the first intersection based on its speed and altitude. For a moment my concern was for the poor soul in the Cessna 140. If the 140 pilot put it on the second in ters ection, the Cardinal might easily nail it from behind before all was said and done . That was not my immediate p roblem; landing on the first intersection was. Kicking my PA-12 into a forward slip, I was on target and on speed. All that was left to do now was to keep my aim point from moving up or down in the front window, keep the airspeed where it should be, kick out of the slip at the right time, and nail the spot landing. I don 't think my hands were sweat ing just from the intense heat. I had had to wipe them numerous times during that interminable hold back at Ripon. No time to wipe them now. I had to keep one hand on the throttle and one on the stick. We touched down right at the intersection, and quickly cleared the runway. Who knew what might be on our tail? As we turned into our parking space close to Vintage headquarters, the Cessna 140 and Cardinal had yet to show up from the southern reaches of Runway 18. There are many times that a pre cision landing might be required, not just for a famous Oshkosh ar rival. Certainly they are needed when landing on a short runway. And if the only landing area in a powe r failure happens to be a 1,000-foot-wid e parking lot bounded on one side by a building and by a busy highway on the other, then the spot has to be where we land, not what is left af ter all the debris has been removed. How can we obtain this kind of precision? Only by practice, prac tice , and more practice . I remember seeing a sign in my son's school music practice room. It said: "Practice makes better!" Sage advice. If we seek perfection, we might be frustrated if it is not
Hea.yUU..UgbtfUgbt acti.ity a! or bel••
1.300' MSL
If ever a precision spot landing would count, this was it. I knew that the Cardinal would be unable to land at the first intersection based on its speed and altitude. achieved, and then lapse into com placency, accepting a landing anywhere in the first half of the runway as good enough. It would be better if we made every landing an opportunity to practice spot landing skills. Strive to improve your skills at every opportunity. For those of us who fly from
short fields, spot landings are of ten imperative for the good health of plane and pilot alike. But if you operate from an airport with long runways, it is easy to fall into the trap of accepting less than spot landings. This should be unac ceptable. Make it a personal rule that every landing be a spot land ing. If the runway is 9,000 feet long, do not accept any landing in the first 4,000 feet as good . It isn't! If you wish to land long, let the tower know, and then land at the spot that you have chosen. Make that spot landing your per sonal minimum. Some of you might be asking yourselves, "How does one achieve this type of precision?" The answer is simple. Be on target. Be on speed. It has worked for me in every type of aircraft I have flown . Whether a )-3 Cub, a Malibu Mi rage, or a Navajo, if I am on target and on speed I will touch down just beyond my aim point. What do I mean by on target? Choose an aim point just short of your cho sen touchdown point . If the aim point is not moving in the win dow, then you are on targ et (on the glideslope leading to your touchdown point) . Now be sure that your airspeed is proper, re membering that wind, weight, and density altitude all have an effect in determining the proper speed. It will work every time. Guaranteed! Practice this at every opportu nity, which means every landing you do . Then when you hear the tower controller say, "Red, Blue, and White Skyhawk cleared to land runway two seven, land on the orange dot! " you can rock your wings in affirmation, knowing that you have the skill to land with precision. As you touch down on that orange dot you are allowed to smile, knowing that you are more than a good pilot ... you're a great pilot. By the way, if you are at EAA Air Venture 2003, pleas e stop at the NAFI tent and say hello. I'll be there all week. I hope to see you ! ...... VINTAGE AIRPLAN E
23
PASS
IT TO BUCK
BY E.E. "BUCK" HILBERT, EAA #21 VAA #5 P.O. Box 424, UNION, IL 60180
Spring has sprung
fter a long winter, the Fleet emerged from the hangar, started on the first blade, and renewed my fervor for flying a vintage airplane. Feeling the wind in my face (windchill notwithstanding) was a distinct pleasure. I did some air work, freshened up my coordina tion, and then shot four landings. I bounced the first one, so that counted for two. Then I hopped out (yes, I can still hop, even at my age) and turned it over to son number three, Lee. It was a pleasure to lis ten to the Warner engine as he took off and climbed out. It actu ally sounds like a big radial. It's amazing how something as basic as the sound of a radial can renew one's joy to be alive. Then as I was lying in bed this morning, I began to ponder this thought: the advances in technol ogy and the demands of everyday living have somehow bypassed the fun flying that is so enjoyable. There are two homebuilts in progress in my area; there are more, but these two are close at hand, and each of these builders seems bent upon destroying the fun of flight. One is tinkering with an au topilot that goes with his full panel and the rest of his electronic marvels for navigation and instru ment flying, while the other, already flying, is cursing out his
A
24
JULY 2003
.. . some 15 miles southwest of here, a powered parachute group seems to have all the fun in the world. electric trim because he can't seem to keep it working. This guy is also having trouble with his con stant-speed prop governor, and has experienced some fuel injec tion problems. On the other hand, some 15
miles southwest of here, a powered parachute group seems to have all the fun in the world. I feel our vintage airplanes are the best solution. They were equipped with wings and an en gine, and were meant to fly. They weren't built to carry a ton of air borne electronics that require constant attention and distract from the fun of flying. Sure, vintage airplanes require constant attention; they aren't flown by push buttons and need to be constantly nourished, petted, and loved, but that's what it's all about. It's fun to pull the prop through while you savor the thought of getting into the air. Do ing the dawn patrol, or just boring holes in the blue. "Terrorizing" the neighbors from 400 feet, waving at the girl sunbathing in her yard, or just looking at the scenery with no destination or pressure to get somewhere. No radio, no radar advisories just sheer pleasure and enjoyment. The thrill of a perfectly coordi nated turn, the grass kissing the tires as you grease it on, the burst of power as you do a bounce and go. It all adds up to the kind of fly ing I've enjoyed since my first flight, and I'm going to keep it that way! How about you? Over to you,
FLY-IN CALENDAR
The following list of coming events is fur nished to our readers as a matter ofinformation only and does not constitute approval, sponsor ship, involvement, control or direction of any event (fly-in, seminars, fly market, etc.) listed. To submit an event, please lo g on to www.eaa.org/events/events.asp. Only if Inter net access is unavailable should you send the information via mail to:, Att: Vintage
Airplane, P.O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903 3086. Information should be received four months prior to the event date. JULY 12-Toughkenamon, PA-EAA Ch. 240 Fly-In/Drive-In Pancake Breakfast & Lunch, New Garden Airport (N57). 8a.m.-2p.m. Young Eagles Flights. Info: 215-761-3191 or EAA240.org JULY 12-Gainesville, GA-EAA Ch. 611 35th Annual Cracker Fly-In (GVL), 7:30 Pancake Breakfast. Judging in 9 cate gories, awards, rides, food & drinks. All day fun for the family. Info: 770-531 0291 or www.eaa611.com JULY l7-20-Dayton, OH-Vectren Day ton Air Show, Dayton Int'l airport. Info: 937-898-5901 or www.daytonairshow.com JULY 19-Zanesville, OH-EAA Ch. 425 Pancake Breakfast Fly-In/Drive-In, Parr Airport, 8am-2pm. Lunch also avail able. Info: 740-454-0003 AUGUST I-Oshkosh, WI-Bellanca Champion Club Banquet, 6 pm at Hilton Gardens. Tickets available in late April, $27 including dinner. Info: 518-731-6800 or www.bellanca-championclub.com AUGUST I -Oshkosh, WI-Annual Moth Club Dinner at Pioneer Inn. Bar opens at 6:30 pm, dinner at 7:30 pm. All enthusiasts welcome! Directions distributed during the Forum or via email on request. Moth Forum in Pavilion #3, 8:30-9:45 am, Friday, Aug. 1. RSVP to: Steve Betzler, sbetzler@em pirelevel.com or fax: 262-538-0715 . AUGUST S-IO-Alliance, OH-5th An nual Ohio Aeronca Aviators Fly-In, Alliance Barber Airport (2D1) Info: Brian 216-932-3475, bwmatzllac@yahoo.com, or www.oaafly-in.com AUGUST 9-Toughkenamon, PA-EAA Ch. 240 Fly-ln!Drive-ln Pancake Break fast & Lunch, New Garden Airport (N57) . 8a.m.-2p.m. Young Eagles Flights. Info: 215-761-3191 or EAA240.org AUGUST IO-Queen City, MO-15th Annual Watermelon Fly-In & BBQ Ap plegate Airport, 2pm-dark. Info: 660-766-2644 AUGUST 16-Cadillac, MI-EAA Ch.
678 Fly-ln!Drive-ln Breakfast, Wex
ford Cty Airport. 7:30-11 a.m. Info:
231-779-8113
AUGUST 17-Brookfield, WI-VAA Ch. 11, 19th Annual Vintage Aircraft Dis play and Ice Cream Social, Capitol Airport. Noon-5. Info: George 414-962 2428 or Capitol Airport 262-781-8132 AUGUST 22-23-Coffeyvil\e, KS-Funk Aircraft Owners Association 26th Annual Fly-In and Reunion. Info: 302-674-5350 AUGUST 22-24-Sussex, NJ-Sussex Airshow. Experimentals, ultralights, classics, warbirds, top performers, celebrate the history of flight. Info: 973 875-0783 or www.sussexairshowinc.com AUGUST 29-3I-Saranac Lake, NY-Cen tennial of Flight Celebration Air Show.
www.saranaclake.com/airport.shtrnl AUGUST 30-Zanesville, OH-EAA Ch. 425 Pancake Breakfast Fly-In/Drive-In, Riverside Airport, 8am-2pm. Lunch also available. Info: 740-454-0003 AUGUST 30-Prosser, WA-EAA Ch. 391 20th Annual Labor Day Weekend Prosser Fly-In. Info: 509-735-1664 AUGUST 30--Marion, IN--13th Annual Fly/In Cruise/In Pancake Breakfast. Marion Municipal Airport (MZZ). Features Antique, ClassiC, Homebuilt, and Warbird aircraft, as well as vin tage vehicles. Info: Ray 765-664-2588 or www.FlyIn Cnliseln. com AUGUST 30-SEPTEMBER I -C leve land, OH-Cleveland Nat'l Air Show. Info: 216-781-0747 or
www.clevelandairshow.com SEPTEMBER 13-14-Rock Falls, IL North Central EAA "Old Fashioned" Fly-In, Whiteside County Airport (SQI). Forums, workshops, fly-market, camping, air rally, awards, food & ex hibitors, Sunday pancake breakfast. Info: 630-543-6743 or www.nceaa.org SEPTEMBER 13-14-Bayport, NY-40th Annual Fly-In of the Antique Airplane Club of Greater New York, Brookhaven Calabro Airport. Display of vintage and homebuilt aircraft, awards, flea market, hangar party. Info: 631-589-0374 SEPTEMBER 19-20-BartlesvilIe, OK 47th Annual Tulsa Regional Fly-In. Info: Charlie Harris 918-665-0755, Fax 918-665-0039, www.tulsaflyin.com SEPTEMBER 2I-Simsbury, CT-An nual Simsbury Connecticut Fly-In. We especially welcome antique and vintage a/c, along w/ homebuilts and Warbirds. Trophies awarded for best of type. Event also features flybys by Navy F-18 jets, a Canadair business jet, parachute jump ing, over 125 beautiful antique cars, and more. No advance registration, no admis sion fee for aircraft flying to the event. Info: Bill Thomas 860-693-4550 or
wdthomas@snet.net. SEPTEMBER 26-28-Pottstown, PA Bellanca-Champion Club East Coast Fly-In at Pottstown Municipal Airport (N47). Info: 518-731-6800 or
www.bellanca-championclub.com SEPTEMBER 27-Hanover, IN-Annual Wood, Fabric, & Tailwheels Fly-In, Lee Bottom Flying Field. Relaxed atmos phere, legendary "Cajun Avgas" (15 Bean Chili). May arrive the night before to share fireside flying stories and enjoy Dawn Patrol. Rain date 9/28/03. Info: 812-866-3211 or If/tsOldIIIFlyIt@msn.com
EAA FLY·IN SCHEDULE 2003 • Nortbwest EM Fly-/n
July 9-13, Arlington, WA (AWO)
www.nweaa.org • EM AlrVenture Oshkosh July 29-August 4, Oshkosh, WI (OSH)
www.airventure.org • EM Mld-Eastem FIy-ln August 22-24, Marion, OH (MNN) 440-352-1781
• Virginia State EM Fly-In September 20-21, Petersburg, VA (PTB)
www.vaeaa.org • EM Southeast RegIonal FIy-ln October 3-5, Evergreen, AL (GZH)
www.serfi·org EM FIy-ln October 9-12, Phoenix, AZ (A39)
• Copperstate
www.copperstate.org
tmt l TlI11
a;zM""'ifj;",vu>'W~
EAA's Countdown to Kitty Hawk Touring Pavilion presented by Ford Motor Company
Key Venues in 2003 •July 4-20 - Inventing Flight Celebration, Dayton,OH •July 29-Aug. 4 - EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, Oshkosh, WI • August 23-September 2 - Museum of Flight, Seattle, WA • December 13-17 - First Flight Centennial Celebration, Kitty Hawk, NC SEPTEMBER 27-Richmond, VA-8th Annual Wings and Wheels, Hummel Air Field (W-7S), Topping, VA. An tique, ClassiC, Ultralight, and Experimental Aircraft fly-in, and a British, European, American and Ex otic car show. 8:00 am-4:00 pm. Spectator parking fee of $5 per auto will go to the Hartfield Volunteer Fire Department. General admission is free. Arts and Crafts vendors, Stear man rides, food, and much, much more. Info: 804-758-2753 or
info@Wingsandwheels.!ls. SEPTEMBER 27-28-Midland, TX Fina-CAF AIRSHO 2003, Midland Int'l Airport. Info: 915-563-1000,
www.airsho.org SEPTEMBER 28-Ghent, NY-EAA Ch. 146 Fall Fly-In Pancake Breakfast, Klinekill Airport (NY1), Route 21B. 8:30-noon. (Gas available at Colum bia County Airport, IB1.) 518-758-6355, web: www.eaa146.org OCTOBER 4-S-Rutland, VT-13th An nual Leafpeepers Fly-In Breakfast, Rutland State Airport. Info: 802-235
2808, vt(lyer@vermontei.net OCTOBER IS-I9-Tullahoma, TN Beech Party 2003 "A Celebration" Tullahoma Regional Airport. Safety & Formation Flying School 10/17/03. Awards, BBQ, kids hayride, ladies fashion show, pilots maintenance/safety seminars and much more. Info: 931-455-1974 or
www.staggerwing.com OCTOBER 2S-26-Royal Newcastle Aero Club, Maitland, New South Wales-The Great Tiger Moth Air Race 2003. Info: 02-9328-2480 e mail: (iona.c. consulting@bigpond.com VINTAGE AIRPLANE
25
STRAIGHT & LEVEL continued from page 1
morning, without having to pay ad足 mission for the entire day. There is a procedure in place to accomplish this. Here's all you have to do: On the day yo u 're goi n g to de 足 part, check in at any admissions gate and explain to the person there that you are departin g and need to get to your ai rcraft t o do so. They then will fill out a slip to get you on to the flight line without any charge. Then you'll be able to get to your airplane, get a pre-flight brief足 ing, and depart. Later, if you decide to stay the day, you'll be asked to purchase a daily wristband. For a complete rundown on the highlights and changes in the Vin足 tage area, be sure to read this month's "News" colu mn, starting on page 2. Be su re to note the change regarding the VAA Tall Pines Cafe, and we'll see you there in the morning! Remember, we are better together. Join us and have it all. .......
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JULY 2003
Griffin (Atlanta). GA TIGWELDING
Sept 12-14. 2003 Corona. CA RVASSEMBLY
"-...McFa,lane McFarlane Aviation, Inc.
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1-800-WORKSHOP 1-800-967-5746 sportair@eaa.org
Sept 20-21 .2003 Denver. CO SHEET METAL BASICS COMPOSITE CONSTRUCTION FABRIC COVERING ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS & AVIONICS INTRO TO AIRCRAFT BUILDING
Visit www.sportair.com
Sept 26-2B. 2003 Griffin (Atlanta). GA for a complete listing of workshops.
RV ASSEMBLY
NEW M EMBE RS
Larry D. Strilchuk ........... Clyde, AB, Canada
Ross H. Banner ... North Vancouver, BC, Canada
Arthur T. Culver ........ Vancouver, BC, Canada
Bill Johnson .... ..... ..... Ripley, ON, Canada
Ron Miller. ............ North Bay, Or , Canada
Lloyd Richards ....... ... Timmins, ON, Canada
Tony Ellis...... ... Fareham Hampshire, England
Michele Delso!. ... . . Jouars-Pontchartrain, France
Geoffrey Lloyd ..... Worcestershire, Great Britain
Warren Denholm Beachlands, Auckland, New Zealand
Imeh Charles .............. Lagos State, Nigeria
Geoffrey M. New ..... Richmond North Yorks, UK
Gregory L. Garrett ............... Daleville, AL
Tim Huffaker. ...... . .......... Huntsville, AL
Thomas H. McGatha ........... . ... Centre, AL
James L. Ray ...... .... .. . . . ... Huntsville, AL
William R. Otto, Jr. ............... Conway, AR
Thomas Morris ..... ... . ......... Coming, AR
David Prussner. .. . . .. . ... .... .. Maumelle, AR
Darren J. Adams ... ..... .. . ....... Amado, AZ
Gary Moseley ................. . Chandler, AZ
Ben Recker. ...... . .... . . . ... Queen Creek, AZ
Mike Wyatt ..................... Pinetop, AZ
Brad K. Baum ........ ......... Escondido, CA
Gerald Bradley .............. Santa Barbara, CA
John P. Brown. . . . . . . . . . . San Gabriel, CA
Howard Buck. . . ... Apple Valley, CA
Stephen Dukker . . . . ......... San FranCisco, CA
Bart Gray . .... ........... Mountain View, CA
Van Ingle................... .. . Ca rlsbad, CA
Edward Johnson .... ... .......... . Ukiah, CA
William K. Knight ........ ... .. Santa Rosa, CA
Mark Lightsey ................... . Hemet, CA
Erik Nielsen .................... Torrence, CA
Alex Soffici. ..... . . ... ...... Santa Barbara, CA
Dean Stoker ................ Walnut Creek, CA
Barry Q. Weber ................ Livermore, CA
Fred J. Willert . ... .... ......... San Diego, CA
Gregory Cox ............ Colorado Springs, CO
Steve Wyman ... . ..... . .......... Aurora, CO
Richard B. Arnold .......... Fort Lauderdale, FL
John F. Bennett ............... Jacksonville, FL
Charles M. Burke.... ... .......... Sarasota, FL
Paul F. Claerbout. .............. Wellington, FL
C. A. Ekblad ... ........ .. . New Port Richey, FL
Anthony Ferri ... . ...... ... ... Lake Worth, FL
joseph A. Flora .............. Winter Haven, FL
Elizabeth S. Flower. .. ....... .... Bradenton, FL
Kevin T. Hanna ................ Gainesville, FL
john Hascard ................... Wabasso, FL
Tom Hurley ...................... St Pete, FL
Christopher A. Kelley ... ... ... N. Fort Myers, FL
Frank E. Little ................. Fort Myers, FL
Tim Preston ................ ... Tangerine, FL
Barry Victor Royer .... .. . ... ... Center Hill, FL
Lucian D. Smith, jr. ... ... ... ...... Deltona, FL
William F. Stinson ...... ......... Pensacola, FL
Tom B. Waid ...... ........ Cape Canaveral, FL
Rick Wasserman ........... .... ... Parrish, FL Tim Baily ................. Peachtree City, GA Abdu l Waajid Luqman ......... . Ellenwood, GA Jimmy D. Payne ................. Newnan, GA Guy C. Steele........ . . ... Stone Mountain, GA jack Threlkeld, jr. ................. Senoia, GA john Poulter ... .... .. . . . ... .... . . Senoia, GA Elmer L. Marting ..... . .. ... . .. .. . Monona, IA Richard M. Mascari .... .. . .... .. . Iowa City, IA Nick W. McIntyre ................ Waukon, IA Brett Alan Willie ...... .. ... ... ... Decorah, IA jon C. Hall .... .. ............ Soda Springs, ID Gregory Farley. . . . . . . . . . .. Coal Valley, IL joseph R. Forbes . . . . . . . . . . . . Plato Center, IL james Michael Heidebrink .... . Bloomington, IL Frank Iacovelli ........... Arlington Heights, IL john E. Marsh .......... .. ... Wonder Lake, IL j. Michael Loomis ............. Fort Wayne, IN David Seest .... ...... .. ... .... Columbus, IN Robert W. Thaxton .. .. ..... ........ SCipiO, IN Ronald D. Simmons .. .. . .... . Prairie Village, KS Randall K. Smith .. ................ Ingalls, KS Kenneth Oder, MD ... .... .. ... Taylorsville, KY William Poynter .. .... .... ...... Louisville, KY Ken neth S. Rice .... .... ....... Henderson, KY H. E. Brodnax .......... ... ...... Monroe, LA Bert Moore .... .. .. .... . . . .... Shreveport, LA Stephen Stewart ....... .. . . .. .. Hammond, LA Stephen M. Chapman ............. Boston, MA Richa rd S. Hogan ............. . LeXington, MA Dennis PuIs .......... .. .. . .. . Forest Hill, MD Oscar Azevedo .. ... . .. . ..... ... Dowagiac, MI Thomas H. Cook .......... . Harbor Springs, MI Harold "Dutch" Duringer. . .... .. .. Paw Paw, MI james Laing ................ ... Vicksburg, MI james D. McDaniel . ... . ... . .... Ortonville, MI Louis Paul Solomos, jr. ..... .. ... . . St Helen, MI David A. Symanow. . . . . . ... Plymouth, MI Larry Cincoski ....... .. ..... Apple Valley, MN Donald B. Eide. . . . . . . . . . . . . Webster, MN Kevin Graham .......... ...... Prior Lake, M Barbara Howell ............. . ... Webster, MN Kathryn Howell .......... .. ..... Webster, MN Meaghan I. Howell ... .. ......... Webster, MN Dennis Hoyne. . . . . . . . . . . . . St FranCiS, MN Timothy P. Lynch . .. ...... .. . Coon Rapids MN B. Michael Manthei .... ... .. North St. Paul, MN john P. Mertesdorf ... .... ..... . .. Nicollet, MN Robert F. Meyer. ....... ... ... ... Brainerd, MN john Overton ............... Minnetonka, MN Hans Donald Rosacker ....... New Brighton, MN Chris S. Williams . . . .. . .. Apple Valley, MN james A. Blackwell ............. Tylertown, MS Paul S. Fritts ............. . . ... LeXington, NC Keith Lineback ....... .. . ... . .... Hickory, NC Gil Long. . .... .. . .... . ... . . . Raleigh, NC Donald Trivette ......... . . ..... LeXington, NC Thomas A. Whisnant ......... Gra nite Falls, NC
Dennis Mee...................... Exeter, NH Dean D. Betz ....... ....... .... jersey City, Nj Lorenz P. Moore... .. ...... .. .... Belvidere, Nj Louis H. Okrent . ... . ..... .. ..... Flanders, NJ joyce A. Hanmer ..... . ... . ... ... Santa Fe, NM Steve Hill .... . .............. . ... Tijeras, NM Robert E. McGuire ... . ............. Arrey, NM Walter Denvin...... .. . . ... ..... . Sayville, NY George E. Mitchell ............ . . . Bayport, NY William F. Natale ..... . .. .. Saratoga Springs, NY Mitchell Cary. .. .... ....... Yellow Springs, OH Wilbur C. Graff. ... ........... Wadsworth, OH Donald H. Cowdrey . .... ... ...... .. Tulsa, OK Robert S. Sherman .. ... ..... . . . .. Edmond, OK james Schwarz . .. .. .... ...... ... Portland, OR james A. Smith . . . ...... ....... Pendleton, OR jake W. Haupt .. .. ..... .... . .. . Lehighton, PA Thomas Johnston .. .... ........ Camp Hill, PA Dale Suiters ........ ..... . . . ...... Wood, PA Dennis J. Hedden .... .. .. ..... ... johnston, RI William E. O'Neel ..... ... . ... . W Kingston, RI Lee jamison ........ . .. ... .... Charleston, SC William N. Rowzee.. .... ... .... .. Brandon, SD Gary Baglien . .... ... .. . . ... ..... Loudon, TN Ronald K. Pickett ............... Nashville, TN jack M. Bailey ............... New Waverly, TX jim Belcher ......... . . ... .... . Greenville, TX George W. Denby.... . . . ...... .. Arlington, TX Lionel E. Fram . . . . . . . . . .... Kerrville, TX Vernon L. Hatch... . .. ....... .... Kerrville, TX Floyd Holder .. .. ..... . .. .. . .... . Boerne, TX Floyd Holder .. .... .. .... . . .. .... Boerne, TX Daniel johnson .. . . ......... .... Houston, TX Gene Kasson .. ...... .... .... ... Ft Worth, TX R. Scott Kucel. .... . ... ...... .. . . . Rhome, TX
Marshall Reece ... . . .. .. ....... Fort Worth, TX
james L. Riggs . .... . .......... Fort Worth, TX
Rich Schwartz .................... Spring, TX
Beth Schneider .. ... ...... .. .... Park City, UT
Richard L. Conn .... .... .. .. ..... . Fairfax, VA
David Conn .......... .. ........ Bumpuss, VA
David U. Fretwell . . ..... . . ..... Great Falls, VA
Martyn King ......... ..... ...... Purcille, VA
S. H. Preston, 1II .... .. .. .. . . .... . Tazewell, VA Robert Seymour .. ..... ..... .... Randolph, VT Marvin E. Besch, jr. ............. Redmond, WA Erik Kvam . .... ........... Camano Island, WA Stephen McBee ......... ...... Bellingham, WA Loyd L. Pierson ...... .. .. ..... ..... Brier, WA Wade M. Roberts .... ....... . .. Steilacoom, WA john A. Cahoon .... . . .. ...... . .. Hudson, WI Ronald D. Gerdes .. . ... . ... Black River Falls, WI Robert J. Gross . ... ........... Fond du Lac, WI Frederick J. Keip . ..... ...... .. . Franksville, WI joel M. Tastad ....... .... . . .... Hager City, WI Bud Waspi ............ ....... Twin Lakes, WI Bob Yokley........ .. ............ Baxter, WV
.......
VINTAGE AIRPLANE
27
Radial Exhaust Systems Inc. Jumping Branch, WV 25969
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-TIle use of Docron or similar modern moterials os asubstilu1e for (oHon is a dead giveaway 10 Ihe knowing eye.They simply do nOllook righl on vinlage oirero": from Robert Mikesh, former rurolor of Ihe Nolionol Air ond Spore Museum, in his book RestOring Museum Aircraff.
VlliTAGE. AE.I<O fAP.>I<IC./. LTD '" PURVEYORS '" Don't compromise your restoration with modem coverings ... finish the job correctly with authentic fabrics. (erlifkaled Grade Acallan
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Fabric lOpes: frayed, slraighl, pinked and early American pinked
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VINTAGE
TRADER
Something to buy, sell or trade?
28
JULY 2003
Exclusive Southern Estate - Beautiful (circa 1930) private airport where history and quality combine in a wide, 3,000 foot put ting green runway with good approaches, an architecturally detailed, 80x60 foot, best quality, executive hangar with 1200 feet of attached offices, two additional alu minum hangars and a modern 10,000 gallon fuel farm, all set on 39 manicured , very private, acres. The home, 4500 plus square feet, situated on 18 landscaped acres, is complemented by a tennis court, accented by towering pines, all overlook ing a well stocked 18 acre lake. This estate is unsurpassed in its class and unique at tributes that include an early nineteenth century log cabin. Combine these qualities located near Cambrian Ridge, a world class Robert Trent golf course south of Montgomery, Alabama, and you have a periect setting for the aircraft owner who demands the best. For information con tact: George Turnipseed, Broker, email : turnipseed@bel/south.net Phone: 334 221-1555, Fax:334-358-2322
Classified Word Ads: $5.50 per 10 words, 180 words maximum, with boldface lead-in on first line. Classified Display Ads: One column wide (2. 167 inches) by 1, 2, or 3 inches high at $20 per inch. Black and white only, and no frequency discounts. Advertising Closing Dates: 10th of sec ond month prior to desired issue date (Le., January 10 is the closing date for the March issue) . VAA reserves the right to reject any advertising in conflict with its policies. Rates cover one insertion per issue. Classified ads are not accepted via phone. Payment must accompany order. Word ads may be sent via fax (920-426-4828) or e-mail (classads@eaa.org) using credit card payment (all cards accepted). Include name on card, complete address, type of card, card number, and expiration date. Make checks payable to EM. Address advertising correspondence to EAA Publications Classified Ad Manager, THREE UNIQUE AIRCRAFT. 1. Only exist P.O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086. ing Tom Cassutt-built Formula One , raced 1959 by Tom, 1960 by undersigned. BABBITT BEARING SERVICE - rod bearings, Modified 1964. Dismantled, complete, has main bearings , bushings, master rods , C-85. Offers? 2. Percival EP.9, 1958, one valves, piston rings Call us Toll Free of two remaining, was British warbird 1/800/233-6934, e-mail ramremfg@aol.com 1958-61. High-wing STOl, 6 seats, Ly Web site www.ramengine.com VINTAGE coming GO-480, 270 hp, Hartzell CS . ENGINE MACHINE WORKS, N. 604 FREYA Experimental/Exhibition . Sport Aviation ST., SPOKANE, WA 99202. article Dec. 2002. Awarded "Most Unique" Contemporary 2002 Oshkosh. Airplane T-Shirts
See 2003 Oshkosh. $82,000.3. Wittman Tailwind W-8 project, two-thirds com 150 Different Airplanes Available
WE PROBABLY HAVE YOUR AIRPLANE!
plete, many components welded by Steve, www.airplanetshirts.com has C-90. Offers? In WI. Jan Christie, 608 526-6171 or 920-563-4659. 1-800-645-7739 THERE'S JUST NOTHING LIKE IT
ON THE WEB!!
www.aviation-giftshop.com A Web Site With The Pilot In Mind (and those who love airplanes) For sale, reluctantly: Warner 145 & 165 en gines. 1 each, new OH and low time. No tire kickers , please. Two Curtiss Reed props to go with above engines. 1966 Hel ton lark 95 , Serial #8. Very rare, PQ-8 certified Target Drone derivative. Tri-gear Culver Cadet. See Juptner's Vol. 8-170. Total time A&E 845 hrs. I just have too many toys and I'm not getting any younger. Find my name in the Officers & Directors listing of Vintage and e-mail or call evenings. E. E. "Buck" Hilbert Flying wires available. 1994 pricing. Visit www.flyingwires.com or call 800-517-9278. For Sale -1939 Spartan Executive, 3500TT, 10SMOH. 214-354-6418.
Pure cotton machine and hand sewing thread
Vintage Aero Fobrics, Ltd. 316 Creekwood Dr., Bardstown, KY 40004 tel: 502·349·1429 fax: 502·349·1428 website: www.avcloth.com ' Originol Nieuport 28 restored by Vintage Avionon Services·
crate in a barn for over 80 years. Pictures are available via e-mail. Best Reasonable offer will be accepted! Call 610-861-4406, ask for Chuck.
For Sale-One pair of ORIGINAL Curtiss Jenny (IN-4) wheels. Nice original condi tion. These wheels were stored in wooden
ATTENTION SZEKELY FLYERS: Ed Ham merle has recently completed a major overhaul of a Szekely for a Curtiss Wright Jr. and has created many custom tools and techniques to overhaul this unique en gine. All new valves, value guides, pistons, rings and re-machining of the case to ac cept a thrust bearing for pusher designs are available. Hourly service @ $60/hr. or total overhaul for $10,000+- cash only. Contact Ed Hammerle at 315-858-1492 or POBox 91, Schuyuler lake, NY 13457
Your Fuel Stop
t*'
~D
OSHKOSH
~
• Fuel Discounts to Flyers Oshkosh Bound • Mechanic on Duty & Aircraft Washing • Aviation Museum on Field • Restaurants & Hotels Nearby • EAA Breakfast on Saturdays • Free Refreshments
IMAGE AIR 800-232-4360 KBMI Bloomington Illinois Freq 122.95 N40° 28.7' W88°55.0' 211 nautical miles to KOSH
Membership Services VINTAGE
AIRCRAFT ENJOY THE MANY BENEFITS OF EAA AND THE EAA VINTAGE AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION ASSOCIATION
Directory'
EAA Aviation Center, PO Box 3086, Oshkosh WI 54903-3086
OFFICERS President Espie ' Butch' j oyce 704 N. Regional Rd. Greensboro, NC 27425 336·668·3650 windsock@aol.com Secretary
Steve Nesse 2009 Highland Ave. Albert Lea, MN 56007 507·373· 1674
stnes@deskmedia.com
Vice-President
George Daubner 2448 Lough Lane Hartford, WI 53027 262·673·5885
vaaflyboy@msn.com Treasurer Ch arles W. Harris 7215 East 46th SI. Tulsa, OK 7414 7 918·622·8400 cwh@hvsu.com
DIRECTORS Steve Bender 85 Brush Hill Road
Sherborn, MA 01 770
508·653·7557
Dale A. Gustafson 7724 Shady Hills Dr. Indianapolis, IN 46278 317·293·4430
sst I ()()@worldnet.att.net
dalefa ye@msn.com
David Bennett
P.O. Box 11 88
Roseville, CA 95678
916-645·6926
Jeannie Hill P.O. Box 328
Harvard, lL 60033-0328
815·943·7205
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Tailwheel Training
continued from page 20
pOint landings, bounce avoid ance/recovery. (3) Light wind crosswind takeoffs
and three-point landings.
(4) Wheel landings and more
bounce avoidance/recovery.
(5) Moderate wind crosswind take offs and landings (both three-point and wheel landings). The ground school portion is di vided into the following 10 topics: (1) Aircraft familiarization. (2) Left turn "torque" sources and their control. (3) Taxiing techniques. (4) Use of, and considerations for, wheel brakes.
(5) Normal takeoffs and landings. (6) Wheel landings. (7) Crosswind takeoffs and land ings. (8) Cause and recovery from bounce (jounce). (9) Different types of tailwheels (for example, free-castering, steerable, locking, etc.) (10) Guidelines to predicting air craft behavior based on configuration characteristics. I have covered a lot of ground here, an adequate dosage for a first exposure. It is my hope that I have given aspiring taildragger pilots something to think about as well as a starting point to launch their
new endeavor.
Don Hammer CFI-ASE, CFI-I, CFI-G 503-627-4666 (day) 503-692-3471 (night) donovanh@tek.com
Don Hammer provides tail wheel training through the FBO at McMinnville, Oregon. If you're in terested in tailwheel training and this syllabus, he invites you to contact him by phone or e-mail. Don has authored additional ar ticles amplifying on wheel landings and crosswind technique. These will appear in the comiJ? months.
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