VA-Vol-37-No-8-Aug-2009 by EAA Vintage Aircraft Association

GEO FF ROBI SON PRES I DENT, VI NTAG E AI RC RAFT ASSOCI ATION

Oshkosh 2009 is now in the history books t's nearly mid-July here in the Midwest, and my trip to Oshkosh is now only days away. All early indicators for EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2009 being successful are very positive at this point. This year's event clearly has the potential to be EAA's finest convention yet. I hope everyone who had the opportunity to join us in Osh kosh this year had a wonderful experience. And for those of you who followed the show on EAA's AirVenture website from afar, I'm sure you were wishing you cou ld have been there. I cannot remem ber a year when we had so many newly restored aircraft come out of restoration with plans to ar rive in Oshkosh. Then add to the formula that these aircraft and their custodians will arrive to the splendor of a totally new atmo sphere in the middle of Wiscon sin. It's going to be a special event for 2009. I look forward to the ex perience, and I hope I get the op portunity to see you all there . By now many of you have had the opportunity to see the Vin tage Aircraft Association's newest member benefit, Vintage Aircraft Online. This new electronic news letter gives us another way to communicate with the member ship. Coupled with EAA's new avi ation community website, www. Oshkosh365.org, we're working to enhance the world of recreationa l aviation. Many thanks to the staff at EAA for providing us the infra

structure and expertise to de li ver such a product to the member ship. (Th is is no sma ll task!) From the vintage perspective, this elec tronic news letter is intended to accomp lish a couple of things.

This new electronic newsletter gives us another way to communicate with the membership. The primary intent is to keep the membership better informed about the latest and greatest in information and deve lopments within the "vintage movement." Secondarily, Vintage Aircraft On line will prove to be yet another vehicle to keep the membership abreast of recent issues and devel opments in t h e daily activities of your organization. I also want to recognize our ex ecutive director and editor, H.G. Frautschy, for his efforts in this re gard. It is no small task to develop feature materia ls and then get them professionally edited and formatted . H.G . has always prided himself in developing quality ma terial for the magaZine, and now

we've handed him yet another cha llenge that I know you will find not only interesting, but also profess iona ll y presented and of h igh quality. Thanks, H! If you have not had the plea sure of perusing the new vintage e-newsletter, you can find it at http://w ww. ea a. 0 rg/v i ntagea ircraft/ issues/

The Yin tage Hangar is now complete as I write this month's column. It stands as testament to the Spirit of EAA and its vol unteers, as well as to those who gave generous ly of their dollars to support this sometimes seemingly mountainous effort. I have stood in front of this structure in com plete awe as to what has been ac complished in such a short time . Anyone can throw large sums of money at a project , but often times all you get is a shell. Albeit a nice she ll , but nonetheless, a shell. Then you have to muster your people to assist in the finish work. It is with great pride that I can now report that more than 2,000 hours of volunteer labor was poured into this project by more than 60 of our key volunteers who put the finish ing touches on this beautiful addition to the Vintage area. This association is forever in your debt. Each of you has dis played the true Spirit of EAA. One of the key volunteers to these efforts I speak of was our own VAA Director Bob Lumley. When this project was but a mere continued on page 38

VOL. 37, NO.8

2009

AUGUST

CONTENTS I Fe

Straight & Level Oshkosh 2009 is now in the history books by Geoff Robison

News

Bring on the Clown: Kent Pietsch

and His Cadet Court Jester

by Budd Davisson

The Finest of Them All-The Fairchild Parasol

After 14 years, Charlie Bell fulfills his flights of fancy

by Sparky Barnes Sargent

Light Plane Heritage

The search for perfection

by George A. Hardie, Jr.

Care and Maintenance of Wooden Propellers

Tips on propellers from one of the U.K.'s leading

lightplane designers

by Arthur w.].G. Ord-Hurne

The Vintage Mechanic

My thoughts on radial engines

by Robert G. Lock

The Vintage Instructor Flight review by Doug Stewart

Mystery Plane by H.G. Frautschy

Classified Ads

STAFF EAA Publisher Tom Poberezny Director of EAA Publications Mary jones Executive Director/Editor H.G. Frautschy Production/Special Project Kathleen Witman Photography jim Koepnick Bonnie Kratz Advertising Coordinator Sue Anderson Classified Ad Coordinator Lesley Poberezny Copy Editor Colleen Walsh Director of Advertising Katrina Bradshaw Display Advertising Representatives: Specialized Publications Co. U.S. Eastern Time Zone-Northeast: Ken Ross 609-822-3750 Fax: 609-957-5650 kr40@comcast.llet

COVERS FRONT COVER: Kent Pietsch 's comedy and dead-stick airshow routines have long been recognized and some of the best airwork in the business. A 1942 Interstate Ca足 det has proven to be the nearly perfect air show airplane for his act. Read more about Kent and his Interstate in Budd Davisson's story beginning on page 6. EAA photo by DeKevin Thornton. BACK COVER: One of the prettiest of the high-wing parasol monoplanes, this is Charlie Bell's restoration of a Wright Gipsy powered example. Read more about it in Sparky Barnes Sargent's article starting on page 12. Photo by EAA's chief photogra足 pher, Jim Koepnick.

U.S. Eastern Time Zone-Southeast: Chester Baumgartner 727-532-4640 Fax: 727-532-4630 cballml11 @mindspring.com

U.S. Central Time Zone: Gary Worden 800-444-9932 Fax: 816-741-6458 gary,worden@Spc-l1Iag.col1l

U.S. Mountain and Pacific Time Zones: john Gibson 916-784-9593 Fax: 510-217-3796 johngibson@spc-mag.col1l

Europe: Willi Tacke Phone: +49(0)1716980871 Fax: +49(0)8841 / 496012 willi@(lying-pages.col1l

VINTAGE AIRPLANE

FAA Issues New Advisory Circular for Vintage Aircraft The FAA has issued new Advisory Circular, AC 23-27, Parts and Mate rials Substitution for Vintage Aircraft, dated May 18, 2009. The AC, cre ated by the FAA's Small Airplane Di rectorate in Kansas City, Missouri, was a joint effort by the FAA in consultation with industry repre sentatives including EAA and EAA's Vintage Aircraft Association. The publication gives guidance to both owner/restorers and FAA aviation safety inspectors when col lecting information needed for an FAA approval when parts or materi als used in the original construction of the type-certificated airplane are no longer available, or newer, more appropriate materials are now com mon and would be more appropri ate to be used when repairing or replacing components. The advisory circular details the level of information needed to doc ument a part or material substitu tion, and while it is not intended as a IIhow to" manual, it does give specific examples of the types of changes that can be made with a simple logbook entry. Examples shown in appendix 1 include the use of ANSI specifications for bear ing substitutions, or the use of gen erator or alternator belts made to an SAE specification . In appendix 2, clear guidance is also given regarding the substitu tion of 4130 steel instead of older, milder steel specifications in both non-structura l and structural ap plications. Of course, structural modifications or repairs are still considered major repairs requiring FAA approval, typically done via an FAA Form 337. Only gliders, or fixed-wing air craft powered by reciprocating engine(s) which are unpressurized and have a certificated weight of 12,500 pounds or less, and which were certificated before January I, 2

AUGUST 2009

1980 (and follow-on type certifi cated models of the same aircraft) as well as those certificated under Group 2 Memos, (and ATC aircraft certificated by the Department of Commerce) are eligi ble for parts and material su bs t itutions using AC 23-27 as approved data. Also, the change cannot cause a percepti ble change to the certification basis for that particular airplane. If you have suggestions regard ing the incorporation of other parts and material substitutions, send them to (please copy t h e Vintage Aircraft Association at vintageaircra(t@ eaa.org): FAA Small Airplane Directorate Attn: ACE-100/AC23-27 comments 910 Locust Kansas City, MO 64106-2641 DHs Inspector General: GA Operations Pose No Homeland Security Threat General aviation (GA) operations do not present a serious homeland security vulnerability requiring the Transportation Security Adminis tration (TSA) to increase regulatory oversight of the industry, according to a report released by the Depart ment of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General (OIG) in June. The report, IITSA's Role in Gen eral Aviation Security," was drafted at the request of Representative Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas), chair woman of the Subcom mittee on Transportation Security and Infra structure Protection, House Com mittee on Homeland Security. According to the OIG, the study objectives were to identify TSA se curity requirements for GA airports; threats to GA; measu res already taken to secure GA; steps nonfed eral stakeholders have taken to en hance the security of GA; and any lIincidents of concern" with secu rity at GA airports. The OIG visited a number of large and small, public and privately

owned GA facilities in metropoli tan areas where people could be per ceived to be at risk in the event of a terrorist attack launched from the airports. IIWe determined that gen eral aviation presents only limited and mostly hypothetical threats to security," the OIG stated. "We also determined that the steps general aviation airport owners and manag ers have taken to enhance security are positive and effective ... cou pled with voluntary measures taken by the owners and operators of air craft based at general aviation sites." The report goes on to state that significant regu lation of the indus try would require considerable fed eral funding and that no additional regulation is being recommended at this time. "This report confirms what EAA has been telling Congress and gov ernment agencies concerned with aviation security for years," stated Doug Macnair, EAA vice president of government relations. IIOur po sition, which is based on known facts and other government and in dustry studies, has always been that general aviation does not pose a se rious homeland security threat that would require any additional regu lation of the industry, that there are no indications of plots to use GA aircraft in an attack, and that vol untary measures, implemented by the community to address the most significant potential vulnerabilities, have been efficient and effective. "The study just released by the DHS inspector general is yet an other credible voice adding to the preponderance of evidence that general aviation does not pose a significant security threat and that heavy-handed regulation of the GA community is unwarranted," stated Macnair. "We are sharing this study with members of the newly formed House General Aviation Caucus in an effort to continue to build a bet ter understanding of general avia

tion from a security standpoint on the Hill and help dispe l the stub born perception by some in Con gress that GA poses an undue risk to homeland security." While GA has once again been shown not to be a significant secu rity risk, all pilots and aircraft own ers should continue to be aware of the potential for misuse of GA aircraft and remain vigilant for un usual or suspicious activity at air ports and report anything ou t of the ordinary to the Airport Watch reporting facility at 866-427-3287. General aviation accounts for 77 percent of all domestic flights and includes air cargo transport, emer gency medical flight operations, flight school training, and corpo rate and private aviation.

EAA Halls of Fame Celebration Set EAA will again honor and recog nize a group of individuals for their accomplishments and contribu tions to aviation during the annual EAA Halls of Fame ceremony set for October 16, 2009, at the EAA Air Venture Museum in Oshkosh. Open to the public, the dinner and award ceremony offers a who's who of aviation notables . While the National Association of Flight Instructors, Warbirds of America, and International Aerobatic Club have not yet announced their in ductees, the following honorees have been confirmed: Homebuilt Hall of Fam e Lance Neibauer Ultralight Hall of Fam e Roy Pinner Vintage Hall of Fame Steve Pitcairn For more information about the halls of fame ceremony, visit www. EAA.org/halioffame.

Biplane Expo's Grand Finale Something about biplanes catches our fancy. Maybe it's be cause they represent our aviation heritage and aviators of the past who flew them. Many of these planes exude the brute force of ra-

EAA's Ford Tri-Motor Stars With Depp EAA p lanes, staff part of Public Enemies The major motion picture Public Enemies opened in theaters around the country July 1, and EAAers were finally able to see the organization's 1929 Ford Tri-Motor and parts of Pioneer Airport on the silver screen . EAA staffer Zachary Baughman was one of the first to see the film and gave it abig "thumbs up" .. .. Director Michael Mann'snew film, Public Enemies, revolves around the final year of Depression-era bank robber John Dillinger's life. Throughout the film Dillinger, captured flawlessly by actor Johnny Depp, plays acat and mouse game with Melvin Purvis, portrayed solidly by actor Christian Bale. Mann has captured the look and feel of the 1930s perfectly with beautiful cinematography, well -designed costumes and sets, and a great musical score. Scenes filmed in EAA's hometown, Oshkosh, playa large part in the movie-EAA's own Pioneer Airport plays asmall part, as does the Museum's 1929 Ford Tri-Motor, which can be seen about an hour into the 143-minute film . If you look closely at the Tri-Motor, you will be able to see EAA's own director of aircraft operations, Sean Elliott, looking out of the copilot's window. The film flows at a methodical pace interspersed with intense action and hot lead from Dill inger'sTommy gun. If you've had your fill of transforming cars, mutant superheroes, and killer robots from the future, then this nicely done period piece with good, solid acting is just for you (and any thing with a Ford Tri-Motor in it has to be good)!

dial engines and the presence of large stature, while others are di minutive and perform maneuvers with the flick of a wrist. Whatever trips your trigger, the fascination with biplanes has been epitomized for the past 23 years at Bartlesville, Oklahoma, during the National Bi plane Association's (NBA) annual Biplane Expo. However, the Biplane Expo held June 4-6 was different. Earlier this year, the NBA board of directors de cided, for numerous reasons, that 2009 would be the last Biplane Expo in Bartlesville. When Char lie Harris, NBA chairman and presi dent, announced the decision to end the Expos, he said, "This will be a grand finale, not a somber event." They asked Dick Rutan to

be the honored guest for the event and got ready for the final goodbye. And a grand finale it was! When asked about the good fortune of having great weather, Harris said, "I talked a little with the Almighty, and he said not to worry." By Satur day morning Harris estimated about 120 biplanes were on the field, and more than 150 other planes had ar rived to join in the festivities . (A temporary control tower was es tablished to handle the air traffic.) Hundreds of people listened to Ru tan's program, and the Friday eve ning dinner was oversold. Biplanes of all types attended: antiques, classics, homebuilts, and one-of-kind stacked-wing won ders that made the green, closely trimmed grass look like a multicolVINTAGE AIRPLANE

ored field. Pilots flew their biplanes from the four corners of the coun try to attend the finale. Both fly in and drive-in spectators had the chance to take a biplane ride. The event was packed with educational forums, but it was not unusual to see a biplane owner simply taking a traditional afternoon nap under the shade of his lower wing. Over these past 23 years, some 2,500 bipes and 7,000 other aircraft have drawn approximately 75,000 fans to the Biplane Expo. The NBA was formed as a nonprofit organiza tion in 1987 to educate the general public on the history and devel opment of biplane aircraft and to promote their preservation. Their mission continues, and member ship is open to anyone interested in biplanes and in preserving them. To view a photo gallery of im ages from the final expo, visit www. EAA.org/Photos and click "Biplane Expo Finale."

Tax Relief in Florida In 2008, the Florida Department of Revenue began collecting a 6 percent tax on any airplane-in cluding those from out of state that has been purchased within six months of being flown into Florida for any of a variety of purposes. EAA and the Aircraft Owner and Pilots Association have been urging for clarity on the guidelines and limi tations of the current law. That ad vocacy has now shown results; new out-of-state aircraft owners no longer need to pay tax for short-term recre ational visits. The Florida Department of Revenue clarified the use-tax law, stating, "a brief, recreational use of property in Florida will not, by itself, subject an aircraft owner to use tax." General aviation attracts mil lions of visitors to Florida annually and accounts for more than $2.3 billion in revenue. The highly an ticipated clarification gives relief to new out-of-state aircraft owners who may participate in aviation events like the U.S. Sport Aviation Expo, Sun 'n Fun Fly-in and other EAA chapter events. ....... 4

AUGUST 2009

CALL FOR VAA

HALL OF FAME

NOMINATIONS

Nominate your favorite aviator for the EAA Vintage Aircraft Association Hall of Fame. A huge honor could be bestowed upon that man or woman working next to you on your airplane, sitting next to you in the chapter meeting, or walking next to you at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. Think about the people in your circle of aviation friends: the mechanic, photographer, or pilot who has shared innumerable tips with you and with many others. They could be the next VAA Hall of Fame in ductees-but only if they are nominated. The person you nominate can be a citizen of any country and may be living or deceased, and his or her involvement in vintage aviation must have occurred between 1950 and the present day. His or her contribution could be in the areas of flying, design, mechanical or aerody namic developments, administration, writing, some other vital and relevant field, or any combination of fields that support aviation. The person you nomi nate must be or have been a member of the Vintage Aircraft Association, and pref erence is given to those whose actions have contributed to the VAA in some way, perhaps as a volunteer, a restorer who shares his expertise with others, a writer, a photographer, or a pilot sharing stories, preserving aviation history, and encour aging new pilots and enthusiasts. To nominate someone is easy. It just takes a little time and a little reminisc ing on your part. •Think of a person; think of his or her contributions. • Write those contributions in the various categories of the form. •Write a simple letter highlighting these attributes and contributions. Make copies of newspaper or magazine arti cles that may substantiate your view. • If you can, have another person complete a form or write a letter about this person, confirming why the person

is a good candidate for induction. Mail the form to: VAA Hall of Fame Charles W. Harris, Chairman 7215 East 46th St. Tulsa, OK 74147 Remember, your "contemporary" may be a candidate; nominate someone today! Find the nomination form at www. VintageAircraft.org, call the VAA office for a copy (920-426-6110), or on your own sheet of paper, simply include the follow ing information: •Date submitted. •Name of person nominated. •Address and phone number of nominee. •Date of birth of nominee. If deceased, date of death. • Name and relationship of nominee's clos est living relative. • Address and phone of nominee's closest living relative. •E-mail address of nominee. •Time span (dates) of the nominee's con tributions to aviation. (Must be between 1950 to present day.) •VAA and EAA number, if known. (Nominee must have been or is aVAA member.) •Area(s) of contributions to aviation. • Describe the event(s) or nature of activi ties the nominee has undertaken in avia tion to be worthy of induction into the VAA Hall of Fame. • Describe achievements the nominee has made in other related fields in aviation. •Has the nominee already been honored for his or her involvement in aviation and/ or the contribution you are stating in this petition? If yes, please explain the nature of the honor and/or award the nominee has received. •Any additional supporting information. •Submitter's address and phone number, plus e-mail address. .Include any supporting material with your petition.

VAA and EAA Launch New

Online Initiatives

If you're a VAA member and have given us a valid e-mail address when you signed up or renewed your membership, then you received the inaugural issue of Vintage Air . - - - - - - - - - - - - _. - - - - - - - craft Online, the VAA's new monthly elec

tronic newsletter. If you've not seen it yet, feel free to view it online at www.EAA.org/vintageaircraft/issues.

This new member benefit is in addition to our monthly magazine, and it gives us another way we can share in formation among one another, and gives you an opportunity to visit with fellow members. We'll be able to share more about the aircraft of yesteryear and the great people who enjoy them using the multimedia resources of EAA and the Internet. Vintage Airplane magazine will continue to be your printed member benefit, bringing you the full-color glory of the great airplanes of yesteryear. Vintage Aircraft Online is intended to be an interactive newsletter in the sense that we not only encourage your input, but also need the collective brainpower of all of you out there to keep us posted on the latest happenings in the world of vintage aircraft. We'll be reading what you post within Oshkosh365, and of course we'll gather input from various sources, but the best and most informed group of reporters within aviation is you! Drop us an e-mail at vintageaircraft@eaa.org and let us know how we're doing and what you'd like to see; most importantly, feel free to contribute material you think would be of interest to your fellow VAA members. H.G. Frautschy

Editor, Vintage Aircraft Online

Editor, Vintage Airplane magazine

Executive Director, VAA

EAA's Oshkosh365

Is Now Live

Withthe introduction of Oshkosh365, EAA's online community, w~'lI be able to bring together thousands of enthusiasts who restore, fly, and just plain enjoy great old airplanes. EAA members are aviation's most passionate community of enthu "iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii~' rM siasts. We dedicate ourselves to actively partici

pating and sharing our common love of aviation with each other through chapter meetings, at regional fly-ins, and of

course, one week a year, during EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. But wouldn't it be nice to stay connected with the people you

meet in Oshkosh, your fellow chapter members, and the aviation community at large on a daily basis?

Enter Oshkosh365. It's EAA's newest way to share your passion for flight, and it has changed the way we provide news and information to the aviation community. Oshkosh365 is a free online social network available to anyone with a computer and Internet access. "When people come to Oshkosh, they interact and share knowledge and inspiration, and we believe that spirit shouldn't go away when those thousands of people leave Oshkosh," said Adam Smith, EAA vice president of membership. "We're trying to capture what happens at AirVenture one week each year and continue that magic 365 days a year." With Oshkosh365 you can search for people, post pictures of your favorite aircraft, share knowledge and information through message boards, join special-interest groups, start your own group, e-mail others, search for an aircraft, build a network of your friends, follow your favorite aviation blogs and podcasts, access detailed local weather reports, and flip through the pages of the digital edition of BAA Sport Aviation. For more on Oshkosh365 and to sign up, visit the website at www.Oshkosh365.orgor see the article in the August issue of EAA Sport Aviation magazine. You can start sharing your passion for flight at Oshkosh365 today. Signing up is free and effortless, and you can start participating right away!

OSHKOSH

VINTAGE AIRPLANE

600Z

.lSn~n'v'

by Budd Davisson

no!" the an nouncer cries over the PA sys tem: "Not only does he not know how to fly, but . . . look! He's lost an aileron! This is very, very serious. He's up there in a 60-year-old airplane and has had a control failure. How can he possibly survive?" You can almost hear him wringing his hands. "Ladies and gentlemen, this is Captain Pietsch speaking. We're at our cruising altitude, the seat belt light is off, and you're free to get up and move about the aircraft." You know the rest of the spiel. You've heard it a thousand times. What you may not know, however, is that until he took early retirement, the court jester and the Airbus cap tain were one and the same. When he wasn't flying the high-altitude jetways in an Airbus, he was either en route to an air show at 100 mph or performing in one. To say Kent

Pietsch was leading an aeronautical double life is putting it mildly. As the demands of both careers built, push came to shove and Kent had a serious decision to make . "I was flying about 21 air shows a year all over the western half of the U.S., and I'm strictly a one-man operation," he says. "l have to ferry my own airplane, do my mainte nance, my scheduling, my advertis ing, and marketing, and it finally got to where I just couldn't get ev erything done. So, four years short of normal retirement, I opted out of the airline. Flying air shows was, and is, just too much fun." For those who have never seen Kent's show, it is the Flying Farmer routine with a twist. Partially into dipping and skidding his way through the air show box, an aileron mysteriously departs the airplane and flutters to the ground amid his trionics from the announcer and "oohs" and "aahs" from the crowd. VINTAGE AIRPLANE

of many aviators-model airplanes, working at the airport from junior high on, the usual stuff-there is a basic, underlying difference in Kent's upbringing that left him no choice but to be doing what he's doing. Yes, he worked at the airport, but it was at his dad's fixed base operation and Mooney dealership in Minot, North Dakota, a business that has been in operation for nearly 40 years (www.Pietsch Aircraft.com). "It's easy to be the air port kid when your family has an operation on the air port," Kent says. "I would haunt the place and even tually soloed a Mooney on my 16th birthday. Having a family in which aviation is the central theme is one thing, but the direction his dad went with his personal aviation meant that Kent was going to get a really early introduction into the air show business and sport aviation. Kent's father and friends , who included Jim McDon ald, Jim Bergo, Gary John son, and many others , built what was to be the first customer-built Stolp Starduster Too in five and a half months during 1967. "My dad was really into aer obatics, so he started flying the Starduster in air shows around the area , and ac tually flew in the air show at the EAA convention in Rockford that year. (Editor's Note: pre-Oshkosh for you young'uns.) I couldn't wait until I had my own aerobatic airplane. In fact, in archi tecture class in high school, I drew up a mid-wing, elliptical planform, aerobatic special. One of the char ter/flight instructor/spray pilots I was friends with decided to build it for real, but got as far as some mi nor tubing components before de II

Later, during another flight in the same show, Pietsch the clown puts on his serious pilot hat and lands his airplane on a moving truck in the crowd-pleasing "world's shortest runway" scenario. Pietsch's show is unique in many ways, but certainly one of the more notable factors is that he isn't flying the traditional air show clown, the 8

AUGUST 2009

Piper Cub. Instead, he's flying a 1942 Interstate Cadet, which, for many in the crowd, is the first they've seen. Better yet, he has the perfect spon sor for his whimsical air show act: Jelly Belly Candy Company. Kent and his Cadet go back a long way together, but Kent and aviation go back even further. Although his childhood is almost a carbon-copy

ciding to build a clipped Cub with T-craft wings instead. "My dad was also a Citabria dealer, so I started doing aerobat ics almost as soon as I started fly ing and in '69 started giving a little aerobatic dual in a 7KCAB Citabria, plus I went along and helped at air shows. During that time I was lucky enough to meet ait show greats such as Harold Krier, Frank Price, Bill Barber, Art Scholl, Bob Lyjack, Danny Clisham, and many others. Needless to say, I wanted to be fly ing in that arena, and my family put me in the right place." It seems the family that "ac ros" together stays together, be cause Kent's father, Alfred, and his brother Gary started doing a dual Starduster/Citabria act. "Then Dad and my other brother, Warren, were doing a dual act, including head-to-head inverted ribbon cuts. I started do ing a comedy act and left the aero batics to them. That's when I got my first Interstate, which I bought from my uncle Leonard, my dad's

brother, who happens to be dat ing my mom now./I Kent affection ately refers to Leonard as "Uncle Daddy./I Kent's father and his un cle's wife are both deceased. "He had the airplane tied down on the line at our airport, and I got to looking at it while the clipped Cub was going together. Here was a tandem Cub-like airp lan e that already had a 23012 airfoil like the T-craft and was basically really strong. So, I bought it and started using it for my comedy act. "It was actually a pretty tired old airplane. The structure looked okay, and the engine ran well, but the cover was heading south, so I flew it in shows for a couple of years, then put it down for a rebuild. "When we opened it up, we found that the tubing was surpris ingly good, considering it had [sat] out for a lot of years. The same couldn't be said about the wings. The spars were fine, a lth ough they needed a complete refinish ing, but the ribs were in need of rebuilding. They are made of riv

eted hat-sections and, besides being cracked and bent, were a real p'ain to work on. So, I started looking for replacement ribs. The Artic Tern, a bush version of the Cadet, used the same ribs and someone had the STC for using them in Cadets, but I couldn't track it down and wound up rebuilding the originals. "I started dropping the aileron in 1974. It is made of foam and Mo nokote model airplane covering, and it's fixed in a level position. I pull a cable, which pulls the pins, and it's gone. It's so light that it hardly ever gets damaged when it hits the ground. With only the one aileron still working, the roll rate is still much better than you'd expect, but I have to remember that I don't have the usual amount of roll rate when I'm flying the routine./I Inasmuch as his Cadet is a certifi cated airplane, he can't fly around dropping ailerons off without some considerations to the legalities in volved. And therein is the seed to a certification drama that took more than a little persistence and creativVINTAGE AIRPLANE

ity to work out. This was especially true when he built up a second air plane so he could station airplanes around the country, to cut down on long cross-countries. liThe problems involved in get ting to the shows far outweigh the problems and risks of actually fly ing the shows. Since I'm always VFR and not moving very fast, it's a major problem making sure I'll be there when the announcer starts his pitch. The pressure to get there is enormous." With two airplanes, Kent can spot one in each part of the country he'll be flying that year. Still, I wind up flying some really long legs," he says. "This past year, for instance, I'd routinely fly legs like California to Wichita, then back to California the next week. Having two airplanes makes this easier, but getting both airplanes certified was harder than I'd expected. "On the first airplane, in 1973, the FSDO had a problem letting me dual-certify it. I wanted it in restricted exhibition when flying shows, but normal category when flying it cross-country. The local GADO said dropping the aileron was out of the question, and it had to go restricted or experimental only, but I knew it was possible be cause it had been done before. That being the case, I let it be known that I was going to be talking to my sen ator about it, and they somehow came up with a method whereby an A&P-me-simply makes a log book entry before and after each show, changing the category. liThe real problem came when I wanted to do the same thing to the second airplane. That's when they put their foot down and said the airplane had to be in Experimen tal category if I was going to rig it to drop an aileron. They dug their heels in and said they'd let me have one airplane like that, but not two. So, I went FSDO shopping. lilt didn't take too much digging to come up with a FSDO inspector who knew how to make things hap pen, while still keeping everything legal and above-board. He pOinted II

out a box on the application form labeled 'Other' that gave an offi cial, and recognized, solu tion for guys like me who had a problem that couldn't be easily fit into the other pigeon holes. So, then I had two airplanes in the same dual cat egories and life was good. "I started landing the Cadet on top of a moving RV at Abbots ford, British Columbia, Canada. It was sort of a rushed decision, and I wanted to get it going in time for the show. I bought a '79 Ford RVon Monday, and Les Knight, owner of K-Line Trailers [a worldwide business from Abbotsford] spent Tuesday and Wednesday building a rack and land ing platform on the top. Jim Franklin made the first landing on it-a long, but good, story. Then, I made three or four practice landings and then did the show that weekend. "The Cadet works out really well for the car-top landings. It's a little better than a Cub because it has a better roll rate so I can do aerobat ics between each landing attempt. The problem with the In terstate is the door, and I only have 8 inches on each side of the platform to see. The Cub has a big door and the pilot sits further back in the airplane for a good view of the tire, when you're right there a foot or so over the plat form and trying to nail it on. "The Interstate is also really good for my dead-stick act. I start at 6,000 feet and do aerobatics all the way to the ground, and coast to a stop with the spinner in the announcer's hand . It's really pre dictable in the glide and isn't af fected by thermals quite as much as the Cub is." The universal appeal of old air planes doing unique things, and es pecially Kent's special brand of aerial buffoonery, became evident when he was asked to do shows in the United Arab Emirates. This required ship ping not only the airplane, but also his "world's shortest runway" truck. No small task, especially given the compressed time frames. "It was obvious I wasn't going to be able to get the disassembled air

plane and the RV in the same con tainer. Doing it in two containers was prohibitively expensive, so at the last minute I bought a '99 Chevy Silverado at the Spokane auto auc tion. Rick Davis from Everett, Wash ington, and I had two weeks to get the airplane and the truck on the boat." Once again, Kent's friend Les Knight jumped in and built the rack in two days. Kent continues: "Then Rick, Bud Granley, Charlie Wright, and I shoehorned it-and the air plane-into the container. It was so tight that I flipped the rack around on the truck and put the tail of the airplane up in the bed. We had about an inch to spare but we made it on the boat. "When we got to the Emirates, it was another 'rush, rush, rush' deal, and we barely got the last screw in the airplane in time to fly the man datory practice. It's a testament to

the simplicity and durability of the Cadet and the number of times I've taken it apart that we were able to get it all done in time and still have zero mechanical glitches. "I can't imagine doing anything else with my life," he says. "I've been doing this now for over 34 years and 400 shows, and I still love it. I love flying the little airplane, and I'm surrounded by great people. The air show people and the audiences are absolutely the best. I'm having a ball and intend on continuing to do this as long as anyone is willing to stand and watch." At the rate he's going, he'll have to find another Cadet as a spare, while he rebuilds one. Af ter all, a man can never have too many Interstates. P.S. Kent says he has yet another Interstate in pieces at his home, so he must agree. ~

The Interstate Cadet: The What? Considering that an Interstate Cadet bears more than a passing Similarity to most other tandem two-place aircraft of the 194Os, the truth is that it's anything but a warmed-over Cub, even though the construction methods are identical. The basic fuselage structure benefitted from the decade that passed after the Cub's design, and the landing gear is a compression spring/oleo system that allows its rebound characteristics to be damped, so it's ideally suited to rough field work. The airfoil is a semi-symmetrical 23012, which helps contribute to the air plane's relatively high speed (for the power) of 1OO-plus mph. Interstate Manufacturing Company (EI Segundo, California) built approxi mately 320 Interstate Cadets in 1941 and 1942. The airplane was originally powered by an A-50 Continental but, as with all other airplanes of the period, quickly adapted the 6S-hp Continental A-65. In recent times, the type certificate was resurrected, along with the tooling, by Arctic Aircraft. It was slightly upgraded and equipped with an 0-320 of 160 hp, eventually evolving into the Arctic Tern as a highly modified and modern ized bush bird. Capacity:

2 (1 pilot, 1 passenger)

Engine:

Continental A-50 (S-1), Continental A-65 (S-1A)

Wingspan:

35 feet, 6 inches

Length:

Cruise:

23 feet, 5.5 Inches 98 mph

Fuel capadty:

15 gallons

Range:

380 miles

Payload:

480 pounds

Maximum Takeoff Weight:

1,200-1,250 pounds

VINTAGE AIRPLANE

BY SPARKY BARNES SARGENT

eventy-six years after roll ing off the production line in Hagerstown, Maryland, NC9479 ambled down the runway and gently levitated into the air, slowly lift ing free of its lingering shadow on the ground. Its silver wings, buffed to a luminous luster, glinted in the Florida sun, and its fuselage glowed cherry red, warmly ensconcing its

12 AUGUST 2009

pilot-restorer. The ancient Wright Gipsy performed flawlessly, ignit ing fuel and air into 90 reliable horses. After 14 years of restora tion, Charlie Bell had successfully breathed new life into his 1933 Fairchild 22-C7D.

Taking to the Sky Though Charlie didn't grow up with airplanes, he did hear

his father's tales of flying an OX5-powered Jenny, and his older brother flew a B-17 during World War II, later becoming an Air Force pilot. Quite naturally, Charlie's in terest in aviation was piqued, yet his own pathway to the sky was delayed until he was married and in his mid-30s. Finally, he was able to start taking flying lessons at the Sheboygan airport in Wisconsin

in 1966. About the same time, his wife, Donna, decided to overcome her fear of flying. "I went out to the airport by my self and took a lesson," says Donna, smiling, "and then went home and said, 'Guess what I did-I took a fly ing lesson, and spent my weekly waitress' check to do it!' I kept tak ing lessons, and I started to learn to like it. And he was happy I did it, be cause it put us together in a hobby." They both soloed a Piper Cher okee and took their checkrides in the Piper Tri-Pacer that he rebuilt. Charlie joined EAA (49475) and started attending the fly-in while it was in Rockford. Donna currently flies a converted Piper Pacer that her husband restored, and when asked how she helped him with the Fairchild 22 restoration, she laughs and says, "Money!"

The Antique Bug

"Even on the ground [the Model 22-C7D] seemed to radiate a feeling of friendliness, and in the air its manner was completely charming." - Aviation historian Joseph Juptner

Charlie has restored a variety of airplanes through the years, and he became smitten with antiques when he purchased a partially re stored Fairchild 24W in 1980. He finished NC77655 in a couple of years' time and first flew it on Janu ary I, 1983 . When the Bells took it to EAA Oshkosh that summer, Donna fortuitously saw to it that it was registered for judging. It was selected as Grand Champion. The following year, Charlie himself be came a judge for antique airplanes at Oshkosh, and only recently re tired from that role. He discovered the Fairchild 22 project by word of mouth in 1986. It apparently had not flown since 1945, yet it was still a viable proj ect, and even had logbooks dating back as far as 1936. It was a rare find, and soon he and his child hood friend Ed Wegner drove down to Cassidy Aero just northwest of Chicago and hauled it back to She boygan. At that point, the Fairchild components were carefully tucked away in storage-with the excep tion of a few small parts that Char lie worked on intermittently. For the most part, the project remained VINTAGE AIRPLANE

Donna and Charlie Bell.

One beautiful wooden wing!

Charlie Bell made the all-new cowling for the Fairchild.

Note the wooden vertical stabilizer.

dormant until 1994, when the Bells moved to Woods and Lakes Airpark in Florida.

Fairchild Parasol

The Fairchild 22 is taking shape nicely. 14 AUGUST 2009

To restore the open-cockpit, parasol monoplane, Charlie had to learn more about it . NC9479 was manufactured in 1933 by Kreider Reisner Aircraft Company, which was a division of the Fairchild Avia tion Corporation in Hagerstown, Maryland. The headline on a 1930s company sa les brochure boasted: "Fairchild's advanced engineer ing endows a famous design with matchless performance and ef ficiency." The brochure also em phasized the value, quality, and

utility of "the famous Fairchild fleet." Both students and sports man pilots enjoyed the 22's doc ile flying characteristics and gentle aerobatic capabilities. Fairchild 22s were built under a succession of approved type certificates (ATCs) from about 1930 to 1935, and they were powered by a variety of en gines (see sidebar). With a wingspan of 32 feet 10 inches, the fabric-covered Fairch ild 22-C7D stood 7 feet 10 inches tall and measured 21 feet 8 inches from prop to tailskid. It had a gross weight of 1,550 pounds and an empty weight of 992 pounds, with a fuel capacity of 21 gallons and 2.4 gallons of oil. Its robust fuselage was built from round and square steel tubing, faired to a slender pro file by wooden stringers and form ers. The wings were constructed of spruce spars and truss-type ribs, and the full-span, interchangeable strip ailerons were built of steel tubing as well as the tail group. An inter esting note on the type certificate data sheet states that the Fairchild 22 had "either the two piece wing or continuous spar type." Another noteworthy feature is the convexly cambered rib at the outboard wing strut attachments. Aviation historianJosephJuptner (U.S. Civil Aircraft, Vol. 6) wrote of the Fairchild 22-C7D: "Even on the ground it seemed to radiate a feel ing of friendliness, and in the air

its manner was completely charm ing." It cruised about 95 mph for a range of 350 miles, and its 42 mph landings were cushioned by Fairch ild spring-oil shock absorbers. Its flight and engine controls glided smoothly over ball bearings, its rudder was balanced, and trim con trol was provided by an adjustable horizontal stabilizer. Built under ATC No. 503 (April 1933), the 22-C7D was powered by a four-cylinder, upright, air-cooled Wright Gipsy L-320. The inline Gipsy, a "greaser" engine with ex posed rocker arms, developed 90 hp at 1950 rpm, and a hand starter was standard equipment at the time. A 1929 advertisement touted Wright Aeronautical Corporation's vision and engineering skills: "In decid ing to manufacture the famous 'Gipsy' engine in America, Wright is again looking ahead and taking into consideration the next great development in aviation .. . the era of the small motored, but fast 'sports plane' ... the run-about of the air lanes. In securing the rights to manufacture the 'Gipsy,' Wright has acquired the world's best small engine ... an engine with a bril liant history as its birthright. The first engines of the type were manu factured by the de Havilland Com pany in England early in 1927. There followed a series of triumphs that attracted world wide attention ... A 'Gipsy' won the great English

air classic-the 1100 mile race for the King's cup ... Another estab lished a new class record by climb ing 20,000 feet in 70 minutes ... Still another broke the world's light plane record by remaining aloft for 24 hours."

The Restoration The smoothly cowled Gipsy per fectly complemented the Fairchild 22's aesthetically pleasing profile of parasol wings perched atop a tandem fuselage, gracefully stream lined all the way to its statuesque rudder. The 22-C7D turned heads in its heyday, and Charlie wanted it to do the same after a personal, hands-on restoration. Following are the highlights of how he accom plished just that. Just before moving to Ockla waha, Florida, Charlie heard from his good friend Ed, who had pre viously helped him gather up the Fairchild project . " Ed was recov ering from an operation," recalls Charlie, "and he called me and said, 'Charlie, I need something to do; can I rebuild your wings?' It took me two seconds to say, 'Yes!' In short order, he had the wings in his shop." That was the jump-start Char lie needed. After moving south, he worked on the 22 at a steady but leisurely pace from 1994 to 2008, fitting it in between various other projects. Ed built new wing ribs but VINTAGE AIRPLANE

retained the original wing spars, which were in very good condi tion, along with the metal ailerons and tail feathers. The steel tubing fuselage was, according to Charlie, in "real good shape. I had it sand blasted, and primed and painted it. It only needed very minor welding repair-there was no rust or pitting. It was in beautiful shape."

Gipsy Power Charlie was fortunate enough to obtain a Wright Gipsy manual, 16 AUGUST 2009

which helped considerably with the engine work. He says his friend Bob Hitchcock of Citra, Florida, "is a round-engine 220 Continental man, and I did all assembly under his watchful eye. I had two engines and used one for parts; it took us two years to complete this engine. I also built the exhaust system." The American-built Gipsy is a mirror image of the British-built de Havilland Gipsy, according to Charlie, who explains, "The man ual tells you not to interchange the

parts, because they won't fit." Then, removing a panel from the neatly contoured engine cowling to reveal an immacu lately painted engine and engine room, he further describes the Gipsy: "This engine feeds oil to the main bearing with an out side line. It's got two Scintilla magnetos, and they are intercon nected with the throttle-the timing varies with the throttle position. That's very unusual. With full advance on the throt tle, you have full advance on the timing, which is 35 degrees be fore top dead center. With the throttle pulled all the way back, the timing is back to zero." The Gipsy needed a wood prop, and Charlie located a pro peller, previously owned by Joe Araldi, now deceased, inside a restaurant at the Lakeland air port. He took it over to Jim Kim ball, who was able to use it as a pattern to make a new one. Since the Fairchild 22 has no electrical system, Charlie hand-props it. There is an impulse coupling on the right mag, which helps a bit, but sometimes the Gipsy extracts its toll in perspiration before it settles into a steady rhythm. Charlie typically has a neighbor climb in the rear cockpit to con trol the throttle and stand on the brakes while he's on the busi ness end of the engine. They also tie the tail down and chock it. Pleased with the engine, Charlie says it "runs surprisingly good! But getting out with the airplane, since it has to be hand-propped, you almost need two people."

Hands-On Labor Charlie used to own an auto motive mechanic repair shop and also did body work, and those skills helped him with various aspects of the Fairchild 22 project. He did all the sheet metal work himself and made the windshield frames, en gine cowlings, and headrests. He even learned to make five-tuck splice cables (15 of them) and two

Fairchild 225 and

Their Powerplant5*

Prototype Kreider-Reisner Fairchild

22-Genet 80 hp, five cylinder, radial

Fairchild 22 C7:

ATC #408 (March 1931)-Michigan

Rover 75 hp, four cylinder, inverted

inline

endless trim cables. Charlie retained the original instrument panel in set (in which the instruments are displayed) but fabricated its new perimeter panel. The original alu minum nosebowl was dinged and dented, but he patiently brought it back into form by hand. When he formed the cowlings, Charlie paid special attention to a couple of details in particular. One was the large, concave contour on each side of the fuselage, located over the fuselage fuel tank. He made an oak former, then clamped the sheet metal on top of it, and worked the metal until it con formed smoothly to that concave shape. And he took the time to fin ish the edges of the cowlings, in stead of leaving them plain. "All of the edges on the engine cowlings are wrapped over against them selves, and I made those here," says Charlie, gesturing to a bench in his hangar shop. Elaborating on the te dious process, he laughs and says, "Oh, it was a son of a gun! I actu ally did it with two pieces of 3/4 inch plywood. I started forming the edge around the plywood and then did it by hand the rest of the way. I just kept working it and hammer ing it until it was smooth." When it came time for covering the airframe, Charlie says he "used Ceconite, instead of cotton, with Randolph dope on the fabric and lacquer on the sheet metal. I used a high-volume, low-pressure paint system. I believe I have the origi nal colors that this airplane used to have, because when I disassembled

and stripped the parts, this is what we came up with. And the interior is pretty close to original colors." Throughout the project, Char lie restored components as closely back to original as he could. "The only change I made was to add a tail wheel and horn for steer ing, but it can easily be changed back to a skid. I built the left-hand gear; it was broken due to an ac cident in 1945," he says. "I think they were doing some instructing yet for Civilian Pilot Training, and it looks like they were running this thing about six to eight hours a day. Those old engines weren't going to take that, and one day it blew a piston, landed, and broke this gear off."

Fairchild 22 C7A, C7AM, C7AS:

ATe #438 (July 1931 )-American Cirrus

Hi-Drive Mark 11195 hp, four cylinder,

inverted inline

Fairchild 22 C7B:

ATe #483 (May 1932)-Menasco C-4 Pi

rate 125 hp, four cylinder, inverted in

line (fuel capacity for the C7B increased

from 21 to 30 gallons)

Fairchild C7C:

De Havilland Gipsy III inverted inline

Fairchild C7D:

ATe #503 (April 1933)-Wright Gipsy 90

hp, four cylinder, upright inline

Fairchild C7E:

ATe #515 (September 1933)-Warner

Scarab 125 hp, seven cylinder, radial

(fuel capacity for the C7E was increased

to 30 gallons, and the fuselage was con

toured to mate with the round engine)

Attic Treasure Speaking of landing gear, Char lie has a wonderful little story to share about the wheels. "These are Warner straight-axle, magnesium wheels, which are very rare to come by," he explains. "The ones that were with this airplane were junk the backing plates and mechanical brakes were in sad shape." After locating a second set of wheels that were found to be cracked, and spending hours at tempting to rebuild them to airwor thy condition, Charlie was in for a delightful surprise. "Somebody had called my late friend Dick Gates and told him that they were tearing down a house in the City of Sheboy gan, and there were airplane parts up in the attic," he recalls with a big smile. "Lo and behold! Guess

Fairchild C7F:

ATC #517 (September 1933)-Warner

Super Scarab 145 hp, seven cylinder,

radial (fuel capacity for the C7F was

increased to 30 gallons, a bumped

cowling was added, and the fuse

lage was contoured to mate with the

round engine)

Fairchild C7G:

ATC #564 (April 1935)-Warner Super

Scarab 145 hp, seven cylinder, radial

(fuel capacity for the C7G was increased

to 60 gallons, and the fuselage was con

toured to mate with the round engine)

*Compiled from the following sources:

Type Certificate Data Sheets, Juptner's U.S. Civil Aircraft series, and Bill Han nan's Scrapbook of Scale, 3-Views and Nostalgia, Vol. 2. VINTAGE AIRPLANE

what was up there? Two sealed boxes of brand new wheels-they were new old stock. What a find! Everything was there-two com plete wheels with bearings, back ing plates , shoes, washers , and even hubcaps. The only thing that wasn't on them was the tires. That was just amazing, after all of the work and hunting that I did, to find them just a mile away."

Finished and Flying Through his years of judging antiques, Charlie acquired some knowledge about the historical ac curacy of certain details of which many folks aren't even aware. For

AUGUST 2009

instance, he knew that instru ment markings (such as green and white arcs) have not always been required, and that an aircraft's air worthiness certificate was issued on a temporary basis up until the mid 1950s, after which the certificate became a permanent issue. Fortunately, he dealt with an FAA inspector who surprisingly had that knowledge. "I waited almost a year for Al Kimball to inspect it, and he gave it a permanent airwor thiness certificate because it didn 't have one previously. He was a nice guy," reflects Charlie, "and it was a real pleasure to have him inspect it. The other part about this plane is it

doesn't have a weight-and-balance envelope. It just states that max gross is 1,550 pounds, and you can have 34 pounds of baggage." On January 27, 2009, some 63 years after it last flew, NC9479 climbed back into the sky. "The first flight was great," Charlie smiles broadly, "and the Gipsy performed well. The 22 is super light on the controls, because it's all ball-bearing controls. I was surprised by the full span ailerons; the control input isn't quite as touchy as I thought it would be. During my first land ing, I gave it tail trim-it's up and down, and has no indicator on it until I thought it felt about right. Of course, I'm coming in over the trees, and then I pulled a little bit more trim, and wow! It started to porpoise on me. Well, I got down on the ground, and I really was feel ing like I was way too light on the controls, so I punched the power and got out. I came around the sec ond time, and I trimmed it more forward. Then I had a real nice landing for the first one, and that felt good. I landed right next to the paved runway on the grass . The gear is soft and straight, and the brakes are sufficient. It's been cold and windy this winter in Florida, so I want to get out of the cockpit be fore too long. So I've really only got about five hours on it so far." Finally, after 14 years of perse verance, patience, and tedious la bor, Charlie has fulfilled his flights of fancy in the Fairchild 22-C7D. He'll continue flying it when the weather is fine. As for its future, he says, "I'm going to sell it. I really think it needs to go in a museum I mean it's one of the last ones left." Indeed, there are only five Fairch ild 22-C7Ds currently listed on the FAA Registry. Of those, only two have Wright Gipsy engines. And though NC9479 mayJind a mu seum home sometime soon, in the meantime it certainly is a treat to hear that Wright Gipsy singing its 90-horse song and to see the lovely Fairchild parasol ascending to its ultimate home in the sky. ......

John Parish Sr. ,-' Tullahoma, TN

• Founder and chairman of the board of Beechcraft Heritage Museum; president for 20 years • Past board member EAA Aviation Foundation and EAA Aviation Assoc. for over 30 years

• Commercia/' instrument, mu/ti engine land and sea; 5,000+ hrs • Three sons also pilots and satisfied clients of AUA

"AUA is responsive, professional, competent, competitive and friendly. Plus it is nice to do business with good friends who are also avid sport aviation enthusiasts a valued long-term experience."

- John Parish, Sr.

Tk,(f 421-41 AUA;s Vintage Aircraft Association approved. To become a member of VAA call 800·843·36J2.

Aviation insurance with the EAA Vintage Program offers: lower premiums with payment options - Additional coverages - Flexibility on the use of your aircraft - Experienced agents On-line quote request _a~aila~ - AUA is licensed in all states

Light Plane Heritage ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN

EAA Experimenter JULY

1987

-; .

,). ~

Personal flying as created by a mid-19th century artist.

The search for perfection

BY GEORGE

he history of aviation is a fascinating subject for study. It's a continuing account of the aspirations and frustra tions of thousands of dissatisfied in dividuals, all searching for the perfect machine to carry man through the air with the ease and freedom of the birds. For centuries men looked to the skies to free them from the plod ding existence they were bound to on earth. Sometimes we forget that this freedom finally was obtained a little more than an average lifetime ago. December 17, 2009, will mark the 106th anniversary of the first powered flight of the Wright broth ers, an event that went unnoticed at

HARDIE, JR.

the time but astounded the world af ter they made their first public flights five year later. From the beginning the popular concept of man-flight was usually centered on a machine to carry a sin gle individual. Note the details of the "flying machine" as conceived by an imaginative artist of a century ago in the accompanying illustration. Per sonal flying has been the ambition of everyone who desired to learn to fly. Remember the thrill of your first solo? At last you were no longer earth bound and were free to soar above into the blue in a machine respond ing to your will. Little airplanes have held a fascina

tion for pilots since the earliest days. The diminutive Demoiselle built by Alberto Santos-Dumont in 1908 in spired many a would-be flier to get into aviation. Other small machines appeared as aviation developed, but the pressures of the first World War turned designers to the use of more power rather than aerodynamic re finement as a means to improve the performance of their aircraft. The lit tle airplanes seemed to be forgotten. All this was changed, however, when war-trained pilots returned to civilian life and looked around for an aircraft for their personal use. The surplus war machines, while cheap to buy, were expensive to operate. In

Editor's Note: The Light Plane Heritage series in EAA's Experimenter magazine often touched on aircraft and concepts related to vintage aircraft and their history. Since many of our members have not had the opportunity to read this se ries, we plan on publishing those LPH articles that would be of interest to VAA members. Enjoy!-HGF ·20

AUGUST 2009

~~ \

.............

Details From Lympne (1) Gloucester Gannet, interplane strut termi nal. (2) RAE. Hurricane, nose and undercar riage. (3) Avro biplane, center section struts. (4) Avro biplane, Douglas engine and chain-drive arrangement. (5 and 6) Gannet, wing-folding and locking gear. (7) Gannet, nose and un dercarriage. (8) Ponce let, celluloid fairing to aileron gap. (9) Handley Page pilot's office with lid off. (10) Poncelet, ai leron control.

""';1... I

-'-'t

l.Z~ . >t

~& '(~ ~ ~ -'

..:- 1/ -

, " Germany particularly, the restrictions on powered aircraft forced the devel opment of the glider as a means to get into the air. The results of glider meetings held at the Wasserkuppe in the Rh6n mountains of Bavaria be ginning in 1920 revived interest in personal flight. At a meeting in the summer of 1922, a total of 53 enthu siasts competed, and a remarkable endurance record of three hours, 10 minutes was established. The English, too, encouraged by the German experience and the work of the French, had turned to gliding as an outlet for an interest in flying. In October 1922 a contest was held at Itford Hill near Newhaven for a prize of $5,000 offered by the London Daily Mail newspaper for the longest glide of more than 30 minutes dura tion, with the landing not more than 800 yards from the starting point. The rules stipulated that a qualifying flight had to be made between sunrise and sunset on one of the days of the contest period. The only restriction was that no lifting gas was to be used to assist in keeping the machine air borne, but the pilot was allowed to employ any personal motive power he could devise, exclusive of a fueled engine. The contest attracted a total

of 35 entries and aroused much pop ular interest . Many of the entrants failed to meet the deadline, but a re spectable number managed to get into the air. The prize was won by the French pilot Maneyrol, who set a new endurance record of three hours, 21 minutes in his Peyret glider. The natural next step was to add power to these light machines-thus the birth of the "motorglider." Stimu lated by popular interest, the Duke of Sutherland, recently appOinted Under Secretary of State for Air, announced in April 1923 that he was offering a prize of $2,500 for a competition be tween low-powered airplanes of Brit ish manufacture, the contest to be conducted under rules drawn up by the Royal Aero Club. Again the Daily Mail provided additional incentive by offering a prize of $5,000 for the same competition, open to anyone in the world. Thus the stage was set for the first light airplane contest that was to influence greatly the development of personal private aircraft. The rules were definite in their re strictions. Engines of more than 750 cc were not allowed. Emphasis was to be on low fuel consumption. The pilot covering the greatest distance around a triangular course on a gal-

Ion (British Imperial) of fuel was to be declared the winner of both prizes. A reserve was allowed to enable the pilot to return to his starting point. Included was a transport test, which consisted of a demonstration of pre paring the aircraft for towing on the road, with a width not to exceed 7 feet 6 inches in towable condition. To enlarge the scope of the contest other prizes were added to the list. The Ab dulla Company offered $2,500 for the highest speed over two laps of the course with no fuel restriction. A total of $1,500 was offered by two associa tions for the greatest number of cir cuits around the 12-l/4-mile course completed during the contest, a mini mum distance of 400 miles being re quired to qualify, and no alterations to either aircraft or engine allowed during the contest. A prize of $1,000 was offered for the highest altitude obtained, and a landing competition offered a prize of $500. These were restricted to British machines and pi lots. The enlarged prize list assured the success of the contest and aroused wide interest. The competition dates of October 8-13, 1923, were established, and the site chosen was the airfield at Lympne (pronounced to rhyme with "slim") VINTAGE AIRPLANE

ILIGHT PLANE HERITAGE I ~

- - I'EET - -

AVRO.

D.H.53.

AVRO.

A.N.E.C.

VIICIKIER§.

POHCELET. -GANNET"

15 [" :ZYRi:T .

HAHDLEY PA«I.E.

13 HANDLEY PAGE.

HANDA§YDE.

Side elevation views, to same scale, of English light planes at Lympne meeting. 22 AUGUST 2009

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More Details From Lympne-(l) D.H.53, nose, cockpit, and wing-bracing. (2) D.H.53, undercarriage. (3) Peyret, engine cowl ing with air-scoop, and undercarriage. Note petrol tank in front of pilot. (4) Poncelet, petrol tank as fairing for pilot's head. (5) Poncelet, engine cowling showing cooling air intake and outlet. (6) Gnosspelius Gull, airscrew shaft and chain-drive. (7) Peyret, fabric and elastic-band fairing of aileron gap. (8) Parnall Pixie, cockpit, wing-bracing, and engine cowling.

in Kent. The Royal Aero Club offi cially named the contest The Motor Glider Competition, which brought forth strong critiCism, especially from the caustic e.G. Grey, editor of The Aeroplane, the aeronautical weekly. He contended that when a motor is put into a glider it ceases to be a glider and becomes an ordinary air plane. It is significant that when the 1924 contest was held it was called The Light Aeroplane Competitions. Of the 28 entries, 21 appeared at Lympne to compete. Of these, 18 were British, two were from Belgium, and one from France. It is interesting to note that three of the British en trants had been designed and flown before the contest was announced, an indication of the growing interest in a type that later became known as ultralight airplanes. The first of these was the Wren, designed and built by the English Electric Company as

an experiment in flying with very low power. In April 1923, it dem onstrated its ability to fly with only 3-1/2 hp. Two of the type were built especially for the competition, Nos. 3 and 4, with a slight modification of the original design. The second design was the Gnosspelius Gull, designed and built at the famous Short Brothers factory by Maj. O.T. Gnosspelius, a pioneer designer of seaplanes. It first flew on May 26, 1923, and made flights at Lympne before the competition. The third design, known as the A.N.E.e., was that of WS. Shackleton, built at the Air Navigation and Engineering Com pany. It was originally designed as a light training and sport aircraft to be powered with the Bristol Cherub engine. However, a Black burne motorcycle engine was sub stituted in the competition because

the Cherub exceeded the capacity specified in the rules. Duplicates of both of these designs were also en tered in the contest. A detailed description of each of the airplanes entered is beyond the scope of this article. An examination of the sketches reprinted from the British magazine The Aeroplane will give some idea of the variety of types entered. Designers were limited to some difficult choices. The require ments of a machine for the economy contest, for example, were in con flict with those for the speed contest, so the builder was faced with a chal lenge to his skills. A table of specifica tions shows the chief characteristics of the entrants, revealing the various approaches made by the designers to the problems posed by the rules of the competition. An interesting entry was the Par naIl Pixie, designed by Harold BoVINTAGE AIRPLANE

I Avro, Type 560

138

285

471

3.41

17 & 18

I A.N .E.C

145

289

465

3.21

3& 4

I E.E.C "Wren"

232

408

142

402

500

3.52

103

283

460

4.47

8& 12

120

310

490

4.08

200

395

575

2.88

214

160

135

2&19

Pamall "Pixie I"

Pamall "Pixie II"

R.A.E. "HUI

520

6.5

Handley-Page

168

480

2.86

157

430

2.74

1 17

I 500

I 8.06

I Handley-Page

Monop!. Tractor Monopl.

I 698 c.c. Blackbume

las of George Parnall & Company, of Bristol. It was a low-wing mono plane designed for the economy contest, using wings of large area and powered with a Douglas engine of 500 cc, entered as Pixie II . The same machine, with wings of smaller area and powered with a Douglas of 750 cc, was entered as Pixie II for the speed contest, which it won with a speed of 76.5 mph. The two grand prizes for greatest distance flown on 1 gallon of gaso line were divided between Flight Lt. W.H. Longton, who flew the English Electric Company Wren No.4, and ].H. James, who flew the A.N.E.C. monoplane No 17. Each attained a mileage of 87.5 miles per gallon! This astounding figure no doubt was the result of some skilled piloting, for the rolling countryside along the course provided many updrafts for soaring flight. Even this figure could have been bettered in ideal conditions, for on a favorable day 24

AUGUST 2009

Tractor Monop!.

100

I 62

before the contest the A.N.E.C. had turned in an unbelievable 127 miles per gallon over a measured course at Brooklands. This was true economy! The two prizes for greatest total mileage flown were awarded to Bert Hinkler. He flew 80 laps of the course in the Avro monoplane for a total of 1,000 miles. The prize for greatest height went to Maurice Piercey, who took the A.N.E.C. monoplane to 14,400 feet. The prize originally intended for a landing competition, which could not be held because of weather conditions, was awarded as consolation to Capt. Hammersley, who took the Avro bi plane to 13,850 feet in altitude. Overall the 1923 competition can be regarded as a complete success. In spite of typically disagreeable Eng lish weather, the low-powered light airplane came into its own by dem onstrating conclusively that it could perform reliably and safely in ad verse conditions. The aviation world was stimulated by this remarkable

exhibition of ingenuity and perse verance by the deSigners, builders, and pilots in overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles to achieve these creditable performances. Even 50 years later these records remain worthy of challenge. It is interesting to note the Ameri can reaction to this event. Lester D. Gardner, the distinguished editor of Aviation magazine, wrote, "We be lieve that this meeting has proved beyond doubt that the light plane is here to stay and that its usefulness is beyond any question. Light planes can be used for private touring, as they have a low landing speed, their operation is not difficult or danger ous, and their upkeep is inexpen sive ... if the British can build light planes capable of the excellent per formance shown at Lympne, we certainly can do at least as well ... what we need now is encourage ment that will bring forth some American light planes./I ......

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Care and

Maintenance

of Wooden Propellers Tips on propellers

from one of the

U.K.'s leading

ligh tplane designers

BY ARTHUR

W.J.G.

ORD-HuME

"Your propeller is vital! If you have ever been stranded miles from home because you have accidentally damaged your prop ... you know what I'm getting at." wooden propeller is a beautiful thing to behold, a fascinating thing to make, and represents the vital link between a sta tionary, lifeless airplane and a sleek, fast-moving machine. Without the propeller, all is useless. Although the prop is of such enormous value as regards service (and initial cost), many private fliers sadly neglect this vital part and know it purely as the bit to be avoided when the engine is running or the thing they strike their heads on in the han gar when it is dark. Oddly enough, these people usually are only too keen to hang an old prop on the wall for spectators to admire. When hand-swinging an engine, the pro peller comes in for much abuse

that should righ tl y be directed elsewhere. On an airplane with a starter, even this albeit dubious per sonal contact is lost. Your propeller is vital! If you have ever been stranded miles from home because yo u have ac Cidentally broken or damaged your prop, had it come loose in flight, or stripped the leading edge in a hailstorm, you know what I'm get ting at and you need read no fur ther. You have obvious ly learned your lesson! A wooden propeller has three main enemies when it is being used-grass, stones, and hail. Each of these can cause damage-some times severe damage-to a light plane propeller. Each can thus cost you a new fan, a long delay

FIRST PUBLI SHED DECE M BER 16 , 1986, IN

AUGUST 2009

far from home, and possibly, as a result of indirect causes such as a forced landing in rough terrain, your airplane. Taxiing through long grass, the prop cuts into the weeds. Each blade of grass, each heavy grass head offers resistance to the passage of the prop. In the same way as a soft wax candy can be fired through a thick wood door or a straw driven through a telegraph pole by a hur ricane, the grass virtually bombards the tips of the propeller blades. The varnish is rapidly worn off, leav ing the bare and vulnerable wood denuded of its hard varnish sheath. Many airplanes are started and run up on hard stand or wasteland. Any small stones, nuts and bolts, or similar loose material can easily

Light Plane World

be sucked up by the propeller vor tex. If the prop blade has a metal sheath, the object, acting as a mis sile, can severely damage the cov ering, loosening and distorting it and putting the whole fan out of aerodynamic balance. This can set up vibration that in time might shatter the prop, crack the engine mount, or damage the motor itself. If the blade is not sheathed, the ob ject will bite deeply into the wood, splintering it locally. Your propeller blade is virtually a little wing. Any irregularities in the leading edge are detrimental to efficiency and will set up turbulence and shock waves around the area of damage. The third evil is hail. A flight through a storm can finish an un sheathed prop very quickly. The damage will be noticed by a gradual slowing down of speed and chang ing engine noise as the engine has to work harder to drive the dirty" blade through the air. A sheathed prop will survive-a fabric-covered propeller may sustain damage to the varnish but little else. The droplets of ice act as shot-blast; remember that the tip speed of the blade is not very far short of the speed of sound. Commercial wood propel lers invariably have a protective sheath that can take the form of a metal-capped leading edge, fabric covering, or a process whereby a moldable plastic finish is applied and bonded to the wood. Addition ally, large commercial wood props are made either of very hard, dura ble wood or compressed wood that is so tough a blow from a hammer will not dent it. The whole point is that an unsheathed propeller must be carefully maintained. A damaged prop cuts your speed, diminishes your airplane's performance, and increases your takeoff distance. How can the amateur preserve his wooden prop? The points are simple and easy to follow. Three rules are: 1) Never run up the engine on loose earth, broken-surface con crete, wasteland, or sand. Try always II

to run up on a clear asphalt surface or, just as good, short grass. As a corollary to this, avoid stand ing in line with a propeller whilst the engine is being run in case anything should be thrown out by the blades. A small pebble could blind a person 20 yards from a run ning prop. 2) Where pos sible, avoid pro longed taxiing through long grass. If you do have to, take it slowly and try not to gun the throttle too much. 3) If you meet hail on flight, throttle back as much as you can and try to get out of it-hail will fetch the finish off a metal-skinned wing leading edge at speed as we ll as stripping the prop. For general pro peller maintenance and in addition to the points in CAA Technical Manual No. 101, there are five points to watch: 1) Inspect your prop after every flight through hail or heavy rain. Make good any chipped varnish. If the wood itself is showing or has become roughened by hail, let it dry out naturally, sand it smooth, and give it at least three coats of clear seaplane varnish. 2) Clear your prop between each flight. This makes for best efficiency, and defects are detected easily. 3) If you have damaged the lead ing edge of a blade by picking up an object in the prop vortex that has done more than just bruise the blade, repair it before attempting to fly again. If in doubt, have an en gineer look at it. A little wariness

costs nothing and could save the insurance company from having to payout to your wife. 4) Don't fly with an unsheathed bare wood propeller. Save yourself work and cover it with fiberglass at the next check. S) Check the security of the hub nuts at every engine inspection. Ad ditionally, after fixing a new prop, check the nuts after your first trip. If you fly from a very damp climate into a very hot area, your prop will contract and could work loose. Al ways use a torque wrench on hub nuts-even if it is only a spanner, a lever, and a spring balance-to avoid crushing the wood . Over tightening effectively shears the wood fibers and materially reduces the strength of your prop. l ...... VINTAGE AIRPLANE

BY ROB ERT G. LOCK

My thoughts on radial engines s an FAA airframe and powerplant mechanic, I have been around single-row radial engines such as the Wright J-6-7 (R-760), Continental W-670 (R-670), Pratt & Whitney R-985, and Ly coming R-680 for many years. I will attempt to pass along some of my experiences, most recently main taining and operating three Wright R-760-8 and two Continental W-670 engines. Many older single-row radial engines were certifi cated on 73-octane fuel. They were low-compression engines and operated at low rpm, and manifold pres sure was not boosted. When 73-octane fuel was no longer available, the next higher grade, 80/87, was used. This fuel worked well with low-compression en gines, but has become another good product that has been added to the "disappeared" list. So now opera tors must decide whether to use 100LL or auto fuel. During the late 1980s and into the early 1990s I had the opportunity to operate a Wright R-760 installed in my 1929 Command-Aire biplane on 80/87, both leaded regular and unleaded regular automotive fuel. I found the leaded automotive fuel to be a suitable replacement for the more expensive grade 80/87, but when leaded fuel became extinct, I switched to un leaded auto fuel. I found it to be a dirty-burning fuel that sooted up the exhaust collector of my Wright and sent exhaust residue down the side of the fuselage. So I immediately quit using unleaded fuel and switched completely to lOOLL. That engine now has about 400 hours since major overhaul (SMOH), but I haven't flown the Command-A ire much in the past six years. Now I am flying behind a Wright on an everyday ba sis. My son, Rob, owns two 1929 New Standard D-25 biplanes equipped with the Wright R-760-8. There are two of only seven that are airworthy. Which leads us to a discussion of low-lead avgas and the radial engine. Having spent time maintaining Wright and Continen tal radial engines that total 5,OOO-plus hours of opera

28 AUGUST 2009

tion, the following are some tips I've learned to keep the engine operational as the hours SMOH build. After more than eight years, the two Wright powered New Standard D-25s have more than 4,000 hours of operation. I have done much of the mainte nance on the airframe and powerplant and can report the following information. First, the engines now operate about 250 hours per year and are installed in ships used specifically for giving rides; therefore, I use full power for takeoff, climb at 1750-1800 rpm to 1,000-1,500 feet above the ground, cruise at 1650-1725 rpm, gradually reduce power, and land. Each flight is actually in the air for slightly more than 15 minutes. There are, of course, ferry flights where the engine runs constantly at 1700 1750 rpm. That's the type of operation the engines have endured. And they are operated specifically on lOO-octane low-lead aircraft fuel. The engines have regular 25-hour inspections, which includes oil change, screen inspections, and spark plug maintenance, plus a generous inspection of the engine compartment and a solvent wash-down. At the even inspections (50- and 100-hour), I inspect and gap the spark plugs, then rotate their installation from the front bank to the rear, being sure to place spark plugs from lower cylinders into top cylinders. This automatically cleans the plugs because rear plugs tend to run hotter, will erode quicker, and tend to acquire chemical deposits. I attribute this routine to getting 700 hours of foul-free spark plug operation. New plugs were installed at this point. So, if you don't change plugs from front to rear, I suggest you institute this procedure. It really works! We rarely have a magneto drop due to a fouled spark plug caused by chemical de posits from lOOLL fuel. I was conducting a cylinder leakage test each 100 hours of operation, but when an engine reaches about 75 percent of the service life, I do the check every 50

The Wright R-760 engine also has no lower rocker drains, so all rocker arms below the horizontal will not drain back to the sump to be scavenged into the oil tank. hours just to keep tabs on cylinder leakage. With the engine warm and at 80 psi of air pressure, a cylinder normally will hold 72 to 78 psi. When cylinder leak age drops below 70 psi, I "stake" the exhaust valve (if that is leaking) by removing the rocker cover to tap the valve with a wood block and hammer. Avgas of 100LL puts an unbelievable amount of chemical de posits into the combustion chamber, on the piston top, and around the exhaust valve that sometimes causes the valve not to seat properly. You can usually hear where air is escaping around the rings or around the exhaust valve seat. It's when you have leakage at both locations that things get interesting. At the 600-hour SMOH mark of operation, one en gine began acting a little strange. Since I have flown behind Wright engines for more than 1,500 hours, they "talk" to me. I thought I could hear a cylinder either not firing or running a little rough on takeoff power, but the engine seemed to develop power and performance seemed otherwise normal. The problem was intermittent, which made troubleshooting even more difficult. I leakage-checked the cylinders, and everything was normal. However, the problem per sisted. Finally I caught the culprit! It was the number four cylinder; the leakage check showed that at 80 psi it was holding only 10 psi. I removed the cylinder and piston, but there appeared no obvious damage other

than blowby around the rings because the ring gaps were almost lined up. I re-staggered the ring gaps and replaced the cylinder and continued on. At the 910-hour SMOH mark the number five cylin der decided to do the same thing. At 80 psi the cylin der would hold only 50 pSi, which would slowly drop to 44 psi and stabilize. So I removed the cylinder, and it appeared exactly as the number four did 300 hours earlier. There was blowby around the rings (which could be heard coming out of the crankcase breather) and a lot of chemical buildup from the low-lead fuel. I inspected the piston and cylinder, roughed the walls with a hone, and reinstalled the cylinder with new seals and gaskets. That was 20 operation hours ago, and a leakage check shows at 80 psi the cylinder holds 76 psi. For the present, problem solved! The number five cylinder can cause other problems. Overnight, oil will seep around the suction inlet check valve in the oil pump, and since it's located directly above that cylinder, oil will flood the combustion cham ber and fill the intake pipe causing "hydraulic lock." I always drain any oil from the number five induction pipe by removing a lI8-inch pipe plug before pulling the prop through at least 14 blades. I also make sure that the number five piston is at top dead center on the firing stroke when I leave the engine overnight. I line up the num ber one propeller blade with the centerline of the numVINTAGE AIRPLANE

A New Standard D-25A with nicely spun Townend cowl surrounding the Wright R-760-8 engine. Arrival at the Reedley, California, airport in 1989 after 31 -112 hours of flying. That's my oldest grandson, Joshua Lee, coming up to greet me with a welcome balloon. He is a young man now! ber five cylinder on the compression stroke. It works! The cylinder problems we've experienced on the Wrights have been on number four and number five , the two lower cylinders. All the other cylinders are still the original overhauled parts and have 930 total hours of operating time. Wright R-760s have always had an oil control problem with the lower cylinders, and this could be the root cause. The Wright R-760 engine also has no lower rocker drains, so all rocker arms below the horizontal will not drain back to the sump to be scavenged into the oil tank. During engine operation, condensation forms in the oil tank and works its way to the lower parts of the engine. This water from condensation will eventu ally seek the lowest level and form sludge in the rocker bosses of cylinders number four and number five and in the lowest rocker bosses of cylinders number three and number six. I remove the rocker covers to drain this static oil every 50 hours of engine operation. The new silicone rocker cover gaskets make this job easy but messy. A valve clearance of 0.010 inch cold should be set 30 AUGUST 2009

and checked on the 100-hour inspection. I rarely find that the clearance has gotten out of limit, but I do oc casionally have to readjust the clearance on one or two valves. I rotate the engine through three com plete firing revolutions and check the clearance on each cylinder. If the spark plugs are removed, turning the engine through three rotations is relatively easy. Here again, the silicone valve cover gaskets make this task easy but messy. Re-torque the rocker cover retain ing nuts to about 20-25 inch-pounds, no more. After a flight around the patch, the leaking covers will be readily seen. I carry a 7/16-inch socket and ratchet in my pocket, and after the flight I "snug" the nuts until the cover quits leaking. Engine power output and gauge readings plus listen ing to the engine are helpful to long life. We have been using AeroShell SAE 120 (60 weight) oil here in Florida, even in the winter. Oil pressure is a constant 70 psi, while I occasionally see the operating temperature at 65°C to 80°C. AeroShell tech reps have told me that I can operate the oil to slightly more than 100°C (213°F) with no breakdown of the oil. The oil should run hot to

help boil off water accumulations caused by condensa tion. The Wright is red lined at 88°C inlet oil tempera ture. I set operating oil pressure at mid range, 68-70 psi (the Wright oil pressure is 50-80 psi). It has been cold (!) here in Florida, and the temperature gauge reads below 30°C when I start the engine. So I warm the oil for 15 minutes before taking off. My primary concern in operating this engine has been the use of lOOLL fuel. The aromatics used to boost octane rating and whatever chemical is used to replace the lead cause a large buildup of deposits in the com bustion chamber, on the piston top, and on the valve stems and seats. There are chemical deposits showing up on the leading edge of the right lower wing just behind exhaust tail pipe that no cleaner will remove. These deposits appear as small black specks that you can feel when running your hands over them. Your fingernail will flake them off. This chemical buildup is also inside the exhaust system and appears as a light tan to a yellow color. I've seen it in this engine and inside exhaust systems of opposed engines. I have a series of colored photographs taken of a Lycoming 0-320 in New Hampshire that was operated on lOOLL fuel. The chemical buildup is very heavy. So we can ex pect changes in radial engine operation and even over haul life if this fuel is used on a regular basis. I have used no fuel/oil additives; however, I did use some Marvel Mystery Oil in the fuel for a time . We cannot operate the engine on automotive fuel because the airplane is flown commercially. However, if I could use auto fuel, I'd try to use a mixture of 75 percent auto and 25 percent lOOLL. I'll bet the engine would LOVE it! (Editor'S Note: We concur here at EAA. The 75/25 mix seems to have just the right amount of lead for valve lubrication, while minimizing the deposits and staining mentioned by Bob.-HGF) So, it is my belief that if one stays on top of engine operation and does regular maintenance along with good preventive maintenance measures, engine life should be enhanced. I am absolutely "sold" on Aero Shell ashless dispersant oil, with changes every 25 hours (with no filter system installed). In fact, Aero Shell is now an official sponsor of Rob's barnstorming business, Waldo Wright's Flying Service. Cylinder leakage checks on a regular basis, spark plug gapping and reversing every 50 hours, and per haps oil analysis will keep that radial engine oper ational for a long time. I pay close attention to oil consumption. This engine has used 4 quarts of oil over a IS-hour span of operation. However, oil consump tion increases as operating times go above the 600 hour mark. I'm sure that prolonged engine life is due to the improvements in lubricating oil. And a good understanding of how best to operate and maintain the engine over a long period of time will always pay dividends in the end. The overhaul manual for a particular engine will

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normally contain sections on troubleshooting and inspec tions, including daily, 25-hour, and 50-hour checks, which can be easily added to the 100-hour and annual inspection checklist. Something that is intrigu ing to me was overall engine expansion when operating temperature has been reached. For a period of time we ran a Townend ring cowl on the New Standard D-25A, but it soon cracked around the at tachment points. I also no ticed that the cowl was very tight when the engine was hot, so I loosened the attach ment clamps until there was a small amount of looseness with the engine at tempera ture. When the engine cooled there was quite a bit of clear ance between the cowl and engine. This eliminated the cracking problem. To my amazement, the Wright Whirlwind engine must have grown at least 1/2 inch or more in diameter when it came up to temperature! Now, on the pre flight inspection I can shake the cowl, but when the engine is hot there is no movement. Amazing! In 1928, Fred Weick (pronounced Wyck), an engi neer from the National Advisory Committee for Aero nautics (NACA), led the development of what was to become known as the NACA low-drag engine cowl ing. Weick had access to the NACA Propeller Research Wind Tunnel at Langley, Virginia. Weick and his team won the 1929 Collier Trophy, the first of five Collier awards for NACA. Their wind tunnel experiments led to many discoveries as to how to fair in an engine and how to control cooling of the engine. But I don't recall reading anything about cowling fit to the engine when at operating temperature. Oh, well, book this one to experience and a little trial and error! There is something to be said about looking over an exposed or cowled engine on final approach to landing. It is much easier to see without the cowling around the cylinders, as the photographs show. Ring cowls, commonly called Townend cowls, only covered the circumference around the cylin ders. In many cases the engine did not cool as ef ficiently as if it were completely exposed to the air. The cylinder heads ran cool enough, but oil temper ature would rise to near or above redline. The Wright engine oil temperature in my Command-Aire always ran very hot, particularly in hot summers in central California, sometimes approaching 94°C. The final answer was to install a small oil cooler in the system,

which lowered the oil inlet temperature to a respectable 82°C. The tech reps at Aero Shell told me that an inlet oil temperature of at least 80°C was needed to boil off water 1 condensation from the oil system. And it in fact does that! The Wright R-760 en gine installation is very reli able, and I am not afraid to take the ship on a coast-to coast cross-county flight. I would have to say it was a successful flight with 19 fuel stops and seven days and six nights of travel. Consider ing the airplane had only 15 hours of flight time and the pilot had the same number in type, I encountered just two problems. First, the base seal on the number one cylinder decided to leak (badly), and second, the throttle control broke on takeoff from the Blythe, California, airport, resulting in some anxious moments, as the engine was turning only 1200 rpm. But that problem was overcome, and the trip contin ued as if nothing had happened. But enough of the flying stories; back to the subject at hand. The Wright cylinder base seals are a constant prob lem with leakage as engine time builds. It seems at about the 600-hour mark oil will begin seeping around the cylinder base area of cylinders number one, num ber two, and number seven. The solution is to loosen each cylinder and raise it off the power case about 1-2 inches (do not remove the cylinder completely). Us ing gasoline on a rag, wipe all metal-to-metal surfaces clean and pay particular attention to the O-ring area. Apply a small amount of high-temperature sealant to the chamfer on the power case and the O-ring on the cylinder base. Do not get the sealant on the metal-to metal surfaces, or the base nut torque will be compro mised. Slide the cylinder back down, install the base nuts, and torque. The base nuts on the Wright engine were originally safetied using 0.041-inch safety wire, that too must be completed. that must be completed. Then install the intake pipe and push rod housing with new gaskets and seals. Finish by installing the rocker arms and check the clearance to 0.010 inch. You should be good for many more hours of operation. So, as the owner, operator, and mechanic of a single row radial engine, my best advice is to read and under stand how the engine operates and pay attention to its idiosyncracies. If you do, it will last for many years between expensive overhauls. Good luck and happy flying.

My primary concern in

operating this engine has

been the use of OOLL fuel.

The aromatics used to boost

octane rating and whatever

chemical is used to replace

the lead cause alarge buildup

of deposits in the combustion

chamber, the piston top, and on

the valve stems and seats.

AUGUST 2009

.......

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2860 N. Sheridan Road, Tulsa, OK 74115 Phone: 918-836-6872 Fax: 918-836-4419

BY DOUG STEWART

Flight review After clearing the runway and crossing the hold-short line, my cli ent cleaned up the flaps, opened the cowl flaps, and switched the tran sponder to standby. Looking at me with a question in her eyes as to what was next, I said that I felt I was done and that we should taxi back to my office. Silence ensued as we taxied, save for the throaty rumble of the big Continental hanging on the front of my client's 1962 Cessna 205. As we came to a stop in front of the office I told her to shut down. Again those questioning eyes of hers scanned mine. We had only been flying for about 45 minutes, whereas most of our previous ses sions were closer to two hours. To be honest, I was delighting in what was to come, especially in light of the fact that I could tell that my cli ent really didn't know. We had been flying together for several months, although between weather problems and the challenges of a busy schedule it hadn't always been on a regular basis. That, com bined with the fact that she based her airplane about 65 miles away and had to rely on her husband to fly her up for the training, made it difficult at times to keep the training consistent. Sometimes there would be a two- or three-week gap between sessions, and sometimes those gaps would result in a slight retrograde of the training, but all in all we had been making steady progress. "Well, there's no sense in dragging this out any further," I said with a big grin on my face. You're probably thinking I was getting ready to solo 34

AUGUST 2009

her. In a sense I was, for she would be taking to the skies alone in her Super Skylane (the name Cessna gave the C-205, a precursor to the Centurion, but with fixed gear and struts) as soon as I got out of the airplane. I was sign ing off her flight review, after she had taken a lO-year hiatus from flying. She had originally soloed this air plane as a student pilot back in 1963. She and her husband bought the air plane brand new from the factory, and she had learned to fly and got her private pilot certificate in that very same airplane. In fact, she confided to me that much of her initial training had been conducted with her three children piled in the back. It is diffi cult to fathom that a young woman had learned to fly in such a heavy and powerful airplane, but the fact of the matter is that she has never flown any other airplane. She then went on to gain her in strument rating and commercial cer tificate, and was soon entering races with some of her friends from the Connecticut chapter of the Ninety Nines International Organiza tion of Women Pilots, of which she was a founding charter member. In fact, when I visited her house I was amazed to see the mantle of her fire place lined with trophies, and she proudly confessed that there were many more trophies stored away in the attic. Looking at the trophies I re alized that she had flown her airplane in virtually every state in the country. Then, around 10 years ago, a combination of factors caused her to stop flying. Her love and pas sion for aviation, however, did not

~,leave her. She still remained very active with the Ninety-Nines and never missed her annual trip to the Sun 'n Fun Fly-In. I would often see her, together with her husband, in attendance at many of the safety seminars that I present. At the con clusion of one of these seminars, she approached me and asked me if I would be willing to fly with her, and provide her with some training. I was reluctant at first, so I dragged my feet. For starters, her mobility was somewhat hampered by arthritis, and I really wasn't sure if she would be able to pass a third-class medical exam. But whether or not she could pass a medical exam shouldn 't be reason for me to not get started fly ing with her. I knew that this was not going to be a simple and quick pro cess, but the persistence and enthusi asm that this wonderful octogenarian woman possessed was incredible mo tivation for me. How could I refuse to conduct a flight review with her? I knew that this was not going to be a typical flight review, which by regulation is only one hour of flight training and one hour of ground training and must include "a review of the current general operating and flight rules of Part 91" of the FARs, as well as "a review of those maneuvers and procedures that, at the discretion of the person giving the review, are necessary for the pilot to demonstrate the safe exercise of the privileges of the pilot certificate." This was going to take many hours. When one is in her 80s and hasn't flown in 10 years, the accumulation of "rust" can be quite excessive.

We began with the basics, just the four fundamentals: straight and level, climbs, descents, and turns. Not only was it a process of removing oxida tion, but of removing the anxieties that had accumulated after years of being away from the controls of the airplane. Since she held a commercial certificate, I wasn't easy on her, and told her that we would strive to fly to commercial standards. I was a hard taskmaster, but she was eagerly up to the challenge. It took some time, but there was consistent progress. As we progressed, we added in slow flight and a variety of stalls, both power on and off, in different configurations-in turning flight as well as straight ahead. Once she was proficient and comfortable with these, it was time to start with our pattern work. This is where the real challenge came. The Cessna 205 is not a light air plane, and if you don't use trim to help in managing stick force, it can be a difficult airplane to flare and land especially when you are a woman in your early 80s and not in the best physical condition. She claimed that her primary instructor had never told her about using trim to help in the flare. Giving her the benefit of the doubt, I figured that in her younger years her physical strength matched her intense determination. But now that she no longer had the strength, without using trim, the landings were rather elusive. There were a couple of other prob lems as well. One was her determi nation, which seemed to prevent her from making the go-around decision in a timely manner. I told her that there was no way I would ever sign her off until she proved to me that she had the ability to activate a go around when needed, on her own, and without my prompting. As an aside, I have never forgotten the words of my aviation safety guru when he said, "The go-around is the least-used and most under-practiced maneuver we have in flying." My years of observation both from inside as well as outside the cockpit can tes tify to the truth of those words.

The other problem was her anxi ety. On the days when things weren't going well, my challenge was to get her to relax. Of course if one isn't us ing trim properly to alleviate con trol pressure, it doesn't take much to create a "death grip" on the con trols, and there isn't a pilot alive who can fly well unless she is relaxed as she manipulates the controls. Thus it was not uncommon for me to be saying, "Sit back, relax, and enjoy the flight," as we descended on final ap proach. Upon saying this, I would see the whiteness leave her knuckles, see her shoulders loosen up, and see her sit back in her seat.

I knew that this was not going to be asimple and quick process, but the persistence and enthusiasm that this wonderful octogenarian woman possessed was incredible motivation for me. The flight training for this flight re view went well beyond the one hour reqUired, and just as the flight por tion took longer, so did our period of ground training. Not only did we spend time reviewing all the perti nent areas of FAR Part 91 (currency, airspace, minimum safe altitudes, rights of way, temporary flight restric tions, and the like), I also felt it was important for us to have a thorough discussion of hazardous attitudes and their effect on making proper go or no-go decisions. As she had been able to obtain her third-class medical certificate during our process of flight training, dur ing the ground training we discussed her responsibilities in determining her "fitness for flight" not only be fore, but also during, her flight activi ties. We had a dialogue about the I'M SAFE checklist and the importance of proper hydration, diet, and exer

cise, relative to flight. At the conclu sion of these discussions I felt that she was truly prepared to make good, safe aeronautical decisions. So now, after shutting down the engine and saying there was no sense in dragging this out any further, I told her that as far as I was concerned I was ready to sign off her flight re view. As an incredulous smile spread across her face she asked, "Well then, could I take her around the patch a few times?" "Of course," I said. "There's noth ing to stop you, now that you have completed your flight review. But don 't forget to stay relaxed, and if there is any doubt as to the surety of a safe landing, don't hesitate to go around." With those words I undid my seat belt and got out of the airplane. I shut the door, and without looking back, walked away toward my of fice. She had the engine started and was taxiing toward the runway be fore I reached my door. Entering the office I grabbed my handheld radio (just in case) and went back out to watch her do three good, safe take offs and landings. After the third landing she taxied back up to the ramp in front of my of fice and shut down the engine. There was silence as she sat there, looking straight ahead. Respecting her space, I waited to approach. When at last she slid her seat back and opened the door, I rushed up to the airplane. We both had tears of joy in our eyes as we high-fived each other. This woman has been such an in spiration to me. I can only hope that when I am 82 years old I will have the same motivation, enthusiasm, cour age, and determination that she ex hibits. May we all have that in our "vintage" years so that we can share in the joys and gifts of flight when beckoned aloft by ... blue skies and tail winds!

Doug Stewart is the 2004 National CFI ofthe Yem; a Master Instructor, and a designated pilot examiner. He operates DSFI Inc. (www.dsflight.com) based at the Columbia County Airport (1Bl).~ VINTAGE AIRPLANE

BY H.G. FRAUTSCHY

THIS MONTH'S MYSTERY PLANE COMES TO US FROM THE

EAA

ARCHIVES.

Send your answer to EAA, Vintage Airplane, P.O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086. Your answer needs to be in no later than September 15 for inclusion in the November 2009 issue of Vintage Airplane. You can also send your response via e-mail. Send your answer to mysteryplane@eaa.org. Be sure to in足 clude your name plus your city and state in the body of your note and put II(Month) Mystery Plane" in the subject line.

MAY ' S MYSTERY ANSWER Our May Mystery Plane came to us from VAA member Brian Baker. We received plenty of responses from Luscombe enthusiasts who

recognized one of the last gasps of the LuscombeSilvaire company. Her e's a re-sponse from someone intimately familiar with

the Luscombe: The Mystery Plan e was pretty easy this month-you have a pic足 ture of the experimental Luscombe

Ed Warnock of Garden Valley, California, sent us a photo of the remains of one of the non-flying prototypes. Ed pointed out there are several pictures of the non-flying prototype(s) and a brief mention of the Luscombe 8G in John C. Swick's book Luscombe's Golden Age, published by Wind Canyon Books, and in his previous book, The Luscombe Story, published by Sunshine House Inc. 36

AUGUST 2009

Model SG on the ramp at Colorado fly on several occasions, and one of College, Pennsylvania; George Springs, Colorado, circa 1959-60. fered comments that the flight char Buttles, Placerville, California; This airplane was an outgrowth of acteristics were slightly more stable Dwayne Green, Santa Rosa, Cali the pilot preference for nose wheels than the regular SF due to the dorsal fornia; William Stavana, Cortland, that began with the tricycle gear de fIn and nose wheel. I have concluded Ohio; John Baker, Macon, Geor velopment in the late '40s and '50s. that no one wanted to admit illegal gia; John Lewis, Cascade, Virginia; The Silvaire Aircraft and Uranium "test flights," but that the airplane Brian Frazier, Madison, Mississippi; Mining Company Inc. owned the had probably proven its mettle dur Frank Pavliga, Randolph, Ohio; Luscombe type certifIcate in the late ing some operations that were, say, Chuck Forrester, Fairfield, Pennsyl '50s and began a construction proj "very high speed taxi," where flight vania; William D. (Dan) Barger, Del ect on the SG which was to be certi controls were used to maintain di Rio, Texas; Dale P. Jewett, Hutchin fIed and introduced in late 1959 or rectional control. Maybe one of your son, Kansas; Wayne Muxlow, Min 1960, except the factory was shut readers has better information or ex neapolis, Minnesota; Tom Moquin, down in 1960 due to the poor condi perience related to the project. Hampshire, Illinois; Bill Truax, tion ofengineering drawings and old The SG fuselage and its unique Loveland, Colorado; Ben Bailey, tooling that made it cost-prohibitive structure was donated to the Lus Altus, Oklahoma; David Hanna, to deliver new airplanes on a limited combe Foundation about 1995, and Tonasket, Washington; Roger Rit production basis. many pictures of structure and con ter, Wimberley, Texas; Pete Wiggin, The Luscombe SG was marshaled fIguration taken for a future restora Evansville, Indiana; Pat Quinn, by Ralph Swaisgood and a team of tion plan that was never completed. Santa Paula, California; Glenn Kin Doug Combs other Luscombe-Silvaire employ neber, Spring Grove, Minnesota; Luscombe Endowment (www. Pat and Jim Sowell, Statesboro, ees, along with a 150-horse version of the airplane. Shop foreman Roy Luscombe.org) Georgia; Dale Cunningham, Rock Treadwell took many pictures of the Gilbert, Arizona ville, Indiana; Ronald Carson, San airplane, the best of which are on Antonio, Texas; and James T. Rog pages 223, 224, and 225 of John Other correct answers were re ers, Peter Havriluk, Nick Warner, Swick's book Luscombe's Golden ceived from Jack Erickson, State and Ed Cook. ....... Age, a book still in print and avail able from the Luscombe Endowment at 4S0-650-0SS3. The SG used standard empennage parts from the SF, and wings/struts from the SF, and an essentially sim ilar fuselage. However, the lower .--................. -.....-.......

structure from the firewall to the rear door post was beefed up con "It's all right! There's siderably with heavy bulkheads and the Pol~-Fiber stamp! castings to take the relocated loads Go ahead and give'er caused by moving the modifIed Sil the gun!" flex gear and oleo arrangement to ward the rear, and to add structure for mounting the nose wheel under the engine at the firewall. The SG was to adopt a control wheel like the You don't have to be a Ercoupe and C-150, and used a sim ma~ician to put the ilar chain-to-cable arrangement as tou~hest, easiest-to-repair fabric coveri~ on your pride was the typical practice for controls. and joy. Just follow the clear detailed instructions in our In investigating Luscombe his entertain~ manual. Before you can say "Hocus-pocus!" tory related to the Fort Collins, Col you'll have a ~or~eous coverin~ job that you can show orado, operation, I spoke to many off and bra~ about for years to come. You don't need persons involved with the project. a m~ic wand - all you need is Poly-fiber! The airplane was never inspected , , . or certifIed for flight by the FAA, so *FriendIiest manual around r~"1 polyfiber,com -- . *Toll-free technical support all of those involved were careful " .,') , ~. '.J: information@ to state that it was a "non-flying" polyfiber.com Aircraft Coatings prototype. However, two persons as serted categorically that they saw it

HARRY HOUDINI LEn

NOTHING TO CHANCE.

And the rest is history.

(

)' ,

80C>J61-J490

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name on card, complete address, type of card, card number, and expiration date. Make checks payable to EAA. Address advertising corres pondence to EAA Publ ications Classified Ad Manager, P.O. Box 3086, Oshkosh , WI 54903-3086 .

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fantasy to many of us, Bob stepped to the front of the line and wanted to assist us with the planning, development, and site review, all the way through to the blueprints. Although this project would never have come out of the planning stages without our treasured benefactors, what Bob was offering was just as critically important to seeing this project through to completion. In fact, from the standpoint of value, what Bob put on the table in a sense makes him one of our treasured benefactors as well. Many thanks to you, Bob, and by the way, congratulations on being recognized at EAA AirVenture by EAA President Tom Poberezny for your longtime support of EAA. Bob received the highly coveted President's Award, which recognizes those individuals who display the true Spirit of EAA on a continual basis. You are truly deserving of this prestigious award, Bob, and you have the congratulations of all your friends and contemporaries at the VAA. As always, please do us all the favor of inviting a friend to join the VAA and help keep us the strong 38

AUGUST 2009

this. Contact Dan at he/spersew@ao/.com for free information e-package, details, photos, overview and ordering info

SERVICES Always Flying Aircraft Restoration, LLC: Annual Inspections, Airframe recovering, fabric repairs and complete restorations. Wayne A. Forshey A&P & I.A. 740-472-1481. Ohio and bordering states

association we have all enjoyed for so many years . EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2010, The World's Great est Aviation Celebration, is July 26 through August 1,2010. VAA is about participation: Be a member! Be a vol unteer! Be there! Let's all pull in the same direction for the good of aviation. Remember, we are better together. Join us and have it all.

EM Calendar of Aviation [vents Is Now Online EAA's online Calendar of Events is the "go-to' spot on the Web to list and find aviation events inyour area. The user-friendly, searchable format makes it the perfect web-based tool for planning your local trips to afty-in. In EAA's online Calendar of Events, you can search for events at any given time within acertain radius of any airport by entering the identifier or a ZIP code, and you can further define your search to look for just the types of events you'd like to attend. We invite you to access the EAA online Calendar of Events at http://www.eaa.orgjcalendar/

Upcoming Major Fly-Ins Colorado Sport International Air Show and Rocky Mountain Regional Fly-In Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (BJC), Denver, Colorado August 22-23, 2009

WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE RESTORING Are you nearing completion of a restoration? Or is it done and you're busy flying and showing it off? If so, we'd like to hear from you. Send us a 4-by-6-inch print from a commercial source (no home printers, please- those prints just don't scan well) or a 4-by-6-inch, 300-dpi digital photo_ A JPG from your 2.5-megapixel (or higher) digital camera is fine. You can burn photos to a CD, or if you're on a high-speed Internet connection, you can e-mail them along with a text-only or Word document describing your airplane. (If your e-mail progra m asks if you'd like to make the photos smaller, say no.) For more tips on creating photos we can publish , visit VAA's website at www.vintageaircraftorg. Check the News page for a hyperlink to Want To Send Us A Photograph?

For more Information, you can also e-mail us at vlntagealrcraft@eaa.org or call us at 920·426·4825.

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Southeast Regional Fly-In Middleton Field Airport (GZH), Evergreen , Alabama October 23-25 , 2009

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Sun 'n Fun Fly-In Lakeland Linder Regional Airport (LAL), Lakeland , Florida 'April 13-18, 2010 www.Sun-N-Fun.org

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Arlington Fly-In Arlington Municipal Airport (AWOl. Arlington, Washington July 7-11 , 2010 www.NWEM.org

EAA AlrVenture Oshkosh Wittman Regional Airport (OSH), Oshkosh , Wisconsin July 26-August 1 , 2010 www.AirVenture.org

For details on hundreds of upcoming aviation happenings, including EM chapter fly-ins, Young Eagles rallies, and other local aviation events, visit the EM Calendar of Events located at www.EAA.org/ca/endar.

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Membershi~ Services Directory VINTAGE

ENJOY THE MANY BENEFITS OF EAA AND AIRCRAFT EAA's VINTAG E AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION ASSOCIATION EAA Aviation Center, PO Box 3086, Oshkosh WI 54903-3086

OFFICERS Vice-President

President Geoff Robison

George Daubner

New Haven, IN 46774

260-493-4724

2448 Lough Lane Hartford, WI 53027 262-673-5885

dlie(7025@aoJ.cOfn

gdaubller@eaa.org

Secretary Steve Nesse

Treasurer Charles W. Harris

1521 E. MacGregor Dr.

2009 Highland Ave. Albert i.ea, MN 56007 507-373-1674

7215 East 46th St. Tulsa, OK 74147 918-622-8400

stnes2009@/ive.com

cwh@hvsu.com

DIRECTORS Steve Bender

85 Brush Hill Road

Sherborn, MA 01770

508-653-7557

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P.O. Box 328

Harvard, II. 60033-0328

815-943-7205

sst IO@(of1lcast.llet

Espie "Butch" joyce

David Bennett 375 Killdeer Ct Lincoln, CA 95648

704 N. Regional Rd. Greensboro, NC 27409

alltiqller@illreac1l.com

wintisock@aol.com

916-645-8370

336·668-3650

Jerry Brown

Dan Knutson

4605 Hickory Wood Row

106 Tena Marie Circle

Greenwood, IN 46143 317-422-9366

Lodi, WI 53555 608-592-7224

lbrowI14906@aoJ.coI1l

lodicubCa)c/larter.llet

Dave Clark

Steve Krog

1002 Heath er Ln.

635 Vestal Lane

Plainfield, IN 46168 317-839-4500

Hartford, WI 53027 262-966-7627

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john S. Copeland

sskrog@aol.colll

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MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

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Curre nt EAA m e m bers may join the Internati onal Aeroba tic C lu b, Inc . D ivi sion a n d receive SPORT A EROBATICS m agazine for a n add itiona l $45 per year. EAA M embershi p, SPORT A EROBAT I CS magazine a nd o n e year members h ip in t h e lAC Divis io n is ava il ab le fo r $55 per year (SPORT AVIA TION magaz in e not incl u ded). (A dd $1 8 for Fore ig n

Postage.)

WARBIRDS Current EAA mem bers may join the EAA Warbirds of America Division and receive WARBIRDS magaZi n e for an additiona l $45 per year. EAA Me m bersh ip, WA RBIRDS maga zine an d one yea r me m be r ship in the Wa rb irds Divis io n is ava il able for $55 per year (SPORT AVIATIO N m agazine not ineluded). (A dd $7 for Foreign Postage.)

FOREIGN MEMBERSHIPS Please su b mit yo u r remi tta n ce w ith a c h eck o r d raft drawn on a Un ited States I bank payab le in United States dolla rs. Add . required Foreign Postage amou n t for each membership.

Membership dues to EAA and its divisions are not tax deductible as charitable contributions

Copyright ©2009 by the EM Vintage Aircraft Association, Allrights reserved. VINTAGE AIRPLANE(USPS 062-750; ISSN 0091-6943) is published and owned exclusively by the EM Vintage Aircraft Association of the Experimental Aircraft Association and is published monthly at EM Aviation Center, 3000 Poberezny Rd., PO Box3086, Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54903-3086, e-mail: vintageaircraft@eaa.org. Membership to Vintage Aircraft Association, which includes 12 issues of Vintage Airplane magazine, is $36 per year for EM members and $46 for non-EM members. Periodicals Postage paid at Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER:Send address changes to Vintage Airplane, PO Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086. PM 40063731 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to Pitney Bowes IMS, Station A, PO Box 54, Windsor, ONN9A 6J5. FOREIGNAND APO ADDRESSES - Please allow at least two months for delivery of VINTAGEAIRPLANE to foreign and APOaddresses via surface mail. ADVERTISING- Vintage Aircraft Association does not gUalantee or endorse any product offered through the advertising. We invite constructive criticism and welcome any report of inferior merchandise obtained through our advertising so that corrective measures can be taken.

EDITORIAL POLICY: Members are encouraged to submit stories and photographs. Policy opinions expressed in articles ale solely those of the authors. Responsibility for accuracy in reporting rests entirely the contributor. No remuneration is made. Materialshould be sent to: Ed~or, VINTAGEAIRPLANE, PO Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086. Phone 920-426-4800. EM® and EM SPORT AVIATION®, the EM Logo® and Aeronautica,. are registered trademarks, trademarks, and service marks of the Experimental Aircraft Association, Inc.The use of these trademarks and service marks without the permission 01the Experimental Aircraft Association, Inc. is strictly prohiMed.

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