AUGUST 2010
STRAIGHT & LEVEL GEOFF ROBISON PRESIDENT, VINTAGE AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION
Keeping abreast of issues tay tuned for more coverage on EAA Oshkosh AirVenture 2010 in the October Vintage Airplane magazine. Heads up everyone: EAA is asking the membership to stand down on reacting to the FCC’s controversial announcement on June 15. As many of you are already aware, the FCC has a planned change to 47 CFR Part 87 to prohibit the certification, manufacture, importation, sale, or use of any 121.5 ELT (emergency locator transmitter) devices. (With the exception of the Breitling Emergency watch with ELT). This of course is in direct conflict with FAA Rule 14 CFR Part 91.207, which requires you to have an operational ELT on board your U.S.registered civil aircraft regardless of the operating frequency of 121.5 or the updated 406 MHz. Although this new FCC ruling was written to take effect 60 days after publication, EAA is busy working with other aviation associations to remedy these conflicting rules. As of July 13, the proposed regulation had not been published in the Federal Register, so the 60-day clock had not begun. Because of the attention brought to bear on this proposed rule change by industry and government agencies like the FAA and the U.S. Small Business Administration, publication has been delayed as the FCC re-evaluates the situation. In an attempt to better educate myself on the latest developments with a non-leaded alternative to 100LL, I have managed to learn a little about this important issue and how the industry continues to struggle to find that ever elusive silver bullet to resolve this matter. Nearly all of you know
S
that the EPA continues to push hard on the fuel industry for a resolution to the formulation of a non-leaded fuel that will perform satisfactorily with our piston-powered aircraft. In addition, aviation is soon to be the only user of the lead additive, thus making aviation subject to financial and supply interruptions. There is only one producer of the additive left in the world. All it would take is one industrial accident at that plant and there would be no 100LL available. While most of our lower- and middle-horsepower vintage aircraft would actually be better off with one of the currently available specifications for unleaded aviation fuels, our friends with high-horsepower engines would be put in a difficult position, with derated engines or worse. It appears that the struggle continues. Along the way I have become aware of a number of relevant factors that I was totally ignorant of that you may find interesting. We are all aware of the issues surrounding the need to find an alternative fuel for our vintage flying machines, but I was totally rolled back on my heels when I learned that 100LL makes up only 1/10 of 1 percent of all the refined fuels in this nation. So you can easily imagine why the need for the fuel industry to heavily invest in a solution isn’t high on its radar. The EPA has actually been successfully sued by environmentalists who continue to demand that the EPA enforce the rules and get the lead out of aviation fuels. The FAA has only recently engaged itself in the fray, and it has gotten busy with evaluating the hundreds of alternative blends formulated to address all of the technical
and complicated issues at hand. The goal is to find a common standard fuel that will service the entire fleet without any compromise to performance or engine life. That’s a huge goal, and it’s not likely to be developed overnight, or any time soon for that matter. The industry has never had to reverse engineer a safe alternative fuel for the existing fleet, and it has indeed proven to be an elusive task. Then, mix in the fact that there remains only one manufacturer of tetraethyl lead fuel additive left in the world, serving only 1/10 of 1 percent of all blended fuels in this country, and you begin to realize the need to move forward with this initiative. Let’s all hope for the best. I like to think that we have not yet found that chemical engineer with the talent to see this issue resolved. Industry leaders are now lamenting the fact that “leadership by the FAA is vital at this juncture in order to remove any unnecessary or outdated hurdles,” and “Such hurdles could delay the development and delivery of new products and should be removed if they provide no safety benefit.” For more on this subject, I’d suggest reading the Advocacy Update on page 10 of the August issue of EAA Sport Aviation; EAA has long been active in the research related to fuels, and it intends to continue to be proactive in helping the industry find a solution that works. We’ll continue to monitor both these situations along with our friends at EAA, and we’ll keep you posted.
A I R P L A N E Vol. 38, No. 7
2010
A U G U S T
CONTENTS IFC Straight & Level Keeping abreast of issues by Geoff Robison
2
News
4
Aeromail
6
The Sensuously Svelte Ryan SCW The Larson family’s flying legacy by Sparky Barnes Sargent
15
6
How to Tie the Seine Knot! Don’t let that pesky little knot drive you insane by Bob Whittier
18
Life and the Zen of the Stinson How an airplane weaves its way into many lives by Budd Davisson
26
Light Plane Heritage The Allen A-4 Lightplane by Jack McRae
29
The Vintage Mechanic Structural alignment by Robert G. Lock
34
The Vintage Instructor The lost art of slips by Steve Krog, CFI
36
Mystery Plane
18
BONNIE KRATZ
by H.G. Frautschy
39
Classified Ads
40
A Different Perspective The right seat by S. Michelle Souder
COVERS FRONT COVER: With the translucent turquoise waters of the Gulf of Mexico below, father/son team Brad and Glenn Larson cruise along in Brad’s 1938 Ryan SCW, which he purchased in 1952. Read Sparky Barnes Sargent’s stor y star ting on page 6. EAA photo by Chris Miller, photo plane flown by Bruce Moore. BACK COVER: The Stinson 108 series has been a favorite of generations of pilots since their production in the 1940s. Each seems to weave in and out of people’s lives as the airplanes move from caretaker to caretaker. NC6865M is one of those aircraft, and in Budd Davisson’s ar ticle star ting on page 18 you can read more on its journey and the people who have come along for the ride. EAA photo by Jim Koepnick, photo plane flown by Bruce Moore.
STAFF EAA Publisher Director of EAA Publications Executive Director/Editor Production/Special Project Photography Copy Editor
Tom Poberezny Mary Jones H.G. Frautschy Kathleen Witman Jim Koepnick Bonnie Kratz Colleen Walsh
Publication Advertising: Manager/Domestic, Sue Anderson Tel: 920-426-6127 Email: sanderson@eaa.org Fax: 920-426-4828 Manager/European-Asian, Willi Tacke Phone: +49(0)1716980871 Email: willi@flying-pages.com Fax: +49(0)8841 / 496012
Coordinator/Classified, Lesley Poberezny Tel: 920-426-6563 Email: classads@eaa.org
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 1
VAA NEWS
JAY TOLBERT
Arlington Fly-In
Vintage Aircraft Online Last year we launched the online publication Vintage Aircraft Online, and it immediately became popular with thousands of our members and enthusiasts. Like Vintage Airplane magazine, there’s always a need for interesting material to share with the membership. If you have something you’d like to contribute, please drop us a line via e-mail at vintageaircraft@ eaa.org. Perhaps you have a batch of 10-15 photos of a fly-in, a project or how-to that would be great to share in a slideshow, or a few pictures and a write-up about your local vintage aircraft–oriented event. If you think it would be of interest, send it along!
Visitors to the Arlington Fly-In got a real treat Thursday, July 8, as a Boeing 787 Dreamliner made a fly-by to provide an exciting opening to the afternoon air show. The airplane, still undergoing test flights, made two low passes before the cheering crowd. The fly-in star ted Wednesday, July 7, and unlike some past years, Mother Nature was extremely cooperative. “We’re having a wonder ful run of incredible weather,” said fly-in Executive Director Barbara Tolber t. The fly-in, which ran through Sunday, July 11, featured ever ything from hot-air balloons and radiocontrolled aircraft to the most modern naval jets. One of the newest attractions on the Arlington landscape is the Antique Airplane Barnstormers Barn in the Vintage Aircraft area. EAA Manager of Field Relations Ron Wagner described the project as one highlighting the ingenuity of EAAers through and through. “One person cut down the trees from his land, and a portable milling machine was brought in to cut the boards. Then they were dried with fans. Volunteers put it together in four different sections. Since it’s located on airport property, the sections make it easier to move before and after the event. It’s really neat—all built by volunteers at little cost to the fly-in.” The Barnstormers Barn Red Barn is a part of the newly renovated Vintage Aircraft area, which by all accounts was very well received. Vintage Day was Friday, July 9, where in addition to historic aircraft, there were vintage cars and livinghistory re-enactors in period costume. Featured inside the barn were items from the Skagit Aero Education Museum of Concrete, Washington. For more information on the fly-in and the Barnstormer’s Red Barn project, visit the Arlington Fly-In’s website at www.ArlingtonFlyIn.org.
Honoring EAA’s 2010 Vintage Aircraft Association Hall of Fame Inductee: Morton Lester EAA will welcome and honor five new members to its Halls of Fame on October 29, 2010. All EAA members are invited to attend the induction ceremony and dinner that evening in the EAA AirVenture Museum. For tickets, please call 800-236-1025. The inductees in the following areas are: Ultralights, John Ballantyne; International Aerobatic
2 AUGUST 2010
JOHN EASTEP
Club, Jimmy Franklin; Warbirds of America, Harold D. “Hal� Weekley; and Homebuilders, Dean Wilson. These inductees capture the spirit of EAA and its community. VAA’s inductee is Morton Lester (VAA 14) of Martinsville, Virginia. Morton learned to fly from his father, the owner of his homet o w n ’s f i r s t airport. Over the years, he Morton Lester owned many aircraft, ranging from modern Bonanzas to vintage Wacos. Morton also restored many prototypes and one-of-a-kind racing aircraft that he later donated to museums, including the Crosby CR-4 and the Keith Rider Jackrabbit. Instrumental in the creation of the Virginia Aviation Museum, Morton was an early member of EAA/VAA Chapter 3 and has served as its president several times. He also served on the board of directors for what is now the Vintage Aircraft Association, as well as the board of directors of the EAA Aviation Foundation.
Enroll in an EAA Webinar! Join the thousands of people who have participated in free EAA webinars (web-based seminars). All you need is a computer and a broadband Internet connection to receive live streaming interactive multimedia programs at home. Upcoming episodes include “Airpark Living—Dream or Disaster?� with Ben Sclair, August 26; and “Building the Buttercup,� with Earl Luce, September 14. (All start at 7 p.m. Central and last about an hour.) Sign up for these and other webinars at www. EAA.org/webinars. And view previous webinars on the EAA video player, www.EAA.org/video—just click on the “Webinars� tab.
Nominat ions
C A L L F OR V I N TA G E A I R C R A F T A S S O C I AT IO N
.OMINATE YOUR FAVORITE AVIATOR FOR THE %!! 6INTAGE !IRCRAFT !SSOCIATION (ALL OF &AME ! GREAT HONOR COULD BE BESTOWED UPON THAT MAN OR WOMAN WORKING NEXT TO YOU ON YOUR AIRPLANE SITTING NEXT TO YOU IN THE CHAP TER MEETING OR WALKING NEXT TO YOU AT %!! !IR6ENTURE /SHKOSH 4HINK ABOUT THE PEOPLE IN YOUR CIRCLE OF AVIATION FRIENDS THE MECHAN IC PHOTOGRAPHER OR PILOT WHO HAS SHARED IN NUMERABLE TIPS WITH YOU AND WITH MANY OTH ERS 4HEY COULD BE THE NEXT 6!! (ALL OF &AME INDUCTEEˆBUT ONLY IF THEY ARE NOMINATED 4HE PERSON YOU NOMINATE CAN BE A CITIZEN OF ANY COUNTRY AND MAY BE LIVING OR DECEASED HIS OR HER INVOLVEMENT IN VINTAGE AVIATION
MUST HAVE OCCURRED BETWEEN AND THE PRESENT DAY (IS OR HER CONTRIBUTION CAN BE IN THE AREAS OF mYING DESIGN MECHANICAL OR AERODYNAMIC DEVELOPMENTS ADMINISTRATION WRITING SOME OTHER VITAL AND RELEVANT lELD OR ANY COMBINATION OF lELDS THAT SUPPORT AVIA TION 4HE PERSON YOU NOMINATE MUST BE OR HAVE BEEN A MEMBER OF THE 6INTAGE !IRCRAFT !SSOCIATION AND PREFERENCE IS GIVEN TO THOSE WHOSE ACTIONS HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE 6!! IN SOME WAY PERHAPS AS A VOLUNTEER A RESTORER WHO SHARES HIS EXPERTISE WITH OTHERS A WRITER A PHOTOGRAPHER OR A PILOT SHARING STORIES PRE SERVING AVIATION HISTORY AND ENCOURAGING NEW PILOTS AND ENTHUSIASTS
To nominate someone is easy. It just takes a little time and a little reminiscing on your part. s 4HINK OF A PERSON THINK OF HIS OR HER CONTRIBUTIONS TO VINTAGE AVIATION s 7RITE THOSE CONTRIBUTIONS IN THE VARIOUS CATEGORIES OF THE NOMINATION FORM s 7RITE A SIMPLE LETTER HIGHLIGHTING THESE ATTRIBUTES AND CONTRIBUTIONS -AKE COPIES OF NEWSPAPER OR MAGAZINE ARTICLES THAT MAY SUBSTANTIATE YOUR VIEW s )F YOU CAN HAVE ANOTHER PERSON COMPLETE A FORM OR WRITE A LETTER ABOUT THIS PERSON CONlRMING WHY THE PERSON IS A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR INDUCTION Mail nominating materials to: 6!! (ALL OF &AME %!! 6INTAGE !IRCRAFT !SSOCIATION 0 / "OX /SHKOSH 7) Remember, your “contemporary� may be a candidate; nominate someone today! &IND THE NOMINATION FORM AT www.VintageAircraft.org OR CALL THE 6!! OFlCE FOR A COPY OR ON YOUR OWN SHEET OF PAPER SIMPLY INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION s $ATE SUBMITTED s .AME OF PERSON NOMINATED s !DDRESS AND PHONE NUMBER OF NOMINEE s % MAIL ADDRESS OF NOMINEE s $ATE OF BIRTH OF NOMINEE )F DECEASED DATE OF DEATH s .AME AND RELATIONSHIP OF NOMINEE S CLOSEST LIVING RELATIVE s !DDRESS AND PHONE OF NOMINEE S CLOSEST LIVING RELATIVE s 6!! AND %!! NUMBER IF KNOWN .OMINEE MUST HAVE BEEN OR IS A 6!! MEMBER s 4IME SPAN DATES OF THE NOMINEE S CONTRIBUTIONS TO VINTAGE AVIATION -UST BE BETWEEN TO PRESENT DAY s !REA S OF CONTRIBUTIONS TO AVIATION s $ESCRIBE THE EVENT S OR NATURE OF ACTIVITIES THE NOMINEE HAS UNDERTAKEN IN AVIATION TO BE WORTHY OF INDUCTION INTO THE 6!! (ALL OF &AME s $ESCRIBE ACHIEVEMENTS THE NOMINEE HAS MADE IN OTHER RELATED lELDS IN AVIATION s (AS THE NOMINEE ALREADY BEEN HONORED FOR HIS OR HER INVOLVEMENT IN AVIATION AND OR THE CONTRIBUTION YOU ARE STATING IN THIS PETITION )F YES PLEASE EXPLAIN THE NATURE OF THE HONOR AND OR AWARD THE NOMINEE HAS RECEIVED s !NY ADDITIONAL SUPPORTING INFORMATION s 3UBMITTER S ADDRESS AND PHONE NUMBER PLUS E MAIL ADDRESS s )NCLUDE ANY SUPPORTING MATERIAL WITH YOUR PETITION
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 3
Regards, Jim Gorman Mansfield, Ohio
AEROMAIL Send your comments and questions to: VAA, Letters to the Editor P.O. Box 3086 Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086 Or you can e-mail them to: vintageaircraft@eaa.org
Douglas DC-2 I was reading through the April issue of Vintage Airplane (another excellent issue), and the insert on page 3 regarding the Douglas DC-2 joining the Oshkosh DC-3 celebration caught my eye. It has also prompted this letter. While Clay Lacy is an aviation luminary and has made significant contributions to the aviation industry over the years, I wish to take exception to the statement that he “was the driving force behind the airplane’s restoration.” I’ve enclosed an article that appeared in the AAHS Journal, Vol. 52, No. 4, Winter 2007, detailing the history of this aircraft. The real credit for the rescue and restoration of this aircraft should go to the volunteers of the Douglas Historical Foundation and many retired McDonnell Douglas employees that brought a derelict airframe back to airworthy condition. Mr. Lacy was never a member of the Douglas Historical Foundation, nor a contributor to that group to my knowledge or that of former members I have queried. I have no knowledge as to the identity of the businessman who purchased the aircraft from the Santa Monica Museum of Flying after its closure and who donated it to the Museum of Flight. I know that Mr. Lacy was responsible for the “refurbishment,” which fundamentally involved installing certified airworthy engines and performing an airworthy flight inspection. The purpose of this note is to call
4 AUGUST 2010
attention to those unnamed and unsung volunteers of the Douglas Historical Foundation that restored this aircraft. Without their efforts, Mr. Lacy would not have the opportunity of bringing the last airworthy DC-2 to Oshkosh this summer. Keep up the great work on Vintage Airplane. Regards, Hayden Hamilton AAHS Managing Editor, VAA 714656 We appreciate Hayden taking the time to set the record straight on Captain Lacy’s level of involvement in the DC-2; we look forward to publishing more on this remarkable restoration in a future issue of Vintage Airplane. —H.G. Frautschy
Horsa, Not a Waco
I don’t want to be picky, but that is a Horsa glider, not a CG-4 [on page 20 of the June issue]. I remember towing both, and the Horsa was about all a C-47 could handle when loaded!
Jim’s right; I misidentified it when writing the caption—the fault is entirely my own, not author Henry Holden’s. Jim Gorman flew the C-47 during his military service during World War II, and later he became very active in the preservation of the Beech Staggerwing series of aircraft. He and his wife, Marge, have been active pilots for more than 65 years, and they were recently presented with Wright Brothers Master Pilot awards by the FAA.—H.G. Frautschy
Emma Browning Mrs. Emma Browning, former owner and operator of Browning Aerial Service on Robert Mueller Airport in Austin, Texas, passed away at the age of 99-1/2. Born on October 26, 1910, in Eastland, Texas, she took her first plane ride in 1929. In 1930, she met and later married Robert M. Browning, an original barnstormer. She obtained her pilot’s certificate in 1939. Together they moved to Austin and opened a school to train military pilots. An original founding member of NATA (National Air Transportation Association), she operated an FBO business for over 60 years, serving airline, business, and private aircraft. Mrs. Browning was inducted into the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame in 2005. Emma met and knew Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart. Amelia spent the night in the Browning home when her Autogiro broke down. When Lindbergh’s plane broke, he asked to borrow a plane from the Brownings. Mrs. Browning replied, “Charlie, we don’t loan airplanes; we rent airplanes.” A mentor to many, she will be truly missed. Mike Fooshee, Capt., Southwest Airlines (Retired)
The stamp and two photos by Lassi Tolvanen of the former Finnish Airlines DC-3/C-47.
Finnish DC-3 Much has been written about the DC-3, and the series article of Mr. Holden in your magazine was very welcome. The June issue arrived only yesterday in this corner of the world, but already the two fi rst parts led me into temptation to brag about the plane we are flying here in Finland. It must be—it is—the most beautiful example fl ying in Europe! Picture proof enclosed! Our ship is s/n 6346 of a batch of 17 ordered by Pan Am. It went, however, straight to military services as a C-52C and served eventually in the European theater of operations. After the war it was bought by AERO Oy—later Finnair—and flew there until 1966. It then flew for 16 years in the Finnish air force before being purchased by Airveteran Oy in 1986.
Being a retired airline pilot, I have flown it since then as a hobby. We operate it on club basis, i.e., membership in the club being a requisite to board the plane. Our purpose is to keep the plane in airworthy condition as a piece of Finland’s aviation his-
tory and to honor those who have fl own and maintained it since its birth in 1942. Sincerely, Kari I. Heikkala VAA 20948 P.S. It is our plane on the stamp!
Flight Comes
ALIVE!
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 5
the
Sensuously Ryan SCW CHRIS MILLER
6 AUGUST 2010
Svelte The Larson family’s flying legacy
BY
SPARKY BARNES SARGENT
The svelte silhouette of the 1938 Ryan SC-W145’s streamlined fuselage, accentuated by its shapely rudder and finely tapered wings, is a distinctive example of aircraft artistry from the late 1930s. Viewed from virtually any vantage point, this Warner-powered Ryan Sport Coupe is one magnificent flying machine. It’s no
surprise that Brad Larson, an EAA member since 1965, has been caretaker for NC18912 (s/n 206) for 58 years now, and counting. He personally completed its 10-year restoration in 1962, when he was 47 years old. He’s 95 now and still enjoys flying it with his son, Glenn—especially to a fly-in, where other folks can enjoy it as well.
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 7
NC18912 was originally equipped with a wooden Hartzell propeller and a 145-hp Warner. It now has a 165-hp Warner and an Ole Fahlin propeller. CHRIS MILLER
Ryan Aeronautical Company The Sport Coupe, or SC, was conceived by T. Claude Ryan, founder of Ryan Aeronautical Company at Lindbergh Field in San Diego, California. By the late 1930s, the company was already known for its tandem-seat, open-cockpit, Menasco-powered Ryan ST (Sport Trainer) and Ryan STA (Aerobatic). In early 1937, Approved Type Certificate (ATC) No. 651 was issued for Ryan’s SC-150 prototype (NX17372, s/n 201), as powered by a 150-hp Menasco. But after flight tests, the Menasco was removed and a seven-cylinder 145-hp Warner Su-
8 AUGUST 2010
per Scarab was installed. Thus the prototype became an SC-W145 (NC17372) under ATC No. 658 on October 31, 1937. (This airplane is now on display at Pioneer Airport at the EAA AirVenture Museum.) The SC-W was revolutionary in the era of primarily tube-and-fabric construction methods and easily attracted ardent admirers due to its striking appearance, precision allmetal construction, and overall responsive performance. A full-page ad in the March 1938 issue of Aero Digest proclaimed the Sport Coupe’s popularity at the trade show in Chicago: “Crowds and More Crowds
Hailed this New Era Cabin Plane! . . . Ryan S-C was a whole show in itself. The air-wise flocked to the only new design in production that was shown. With its sleek modern metal construction, with vision never before obtained in a cabin plane, the new three-place Ryan S-C ‘stole the show’ at Chicago. Beautiful to look at, beautiful to handle, all agreed that the S-C combines more advanced features than any other plane in its field.” The ad further heralded the features of the airplane by stating: “Like modern airliners, built for comfort, security and performance, the S-C com-
CHRIS MILLER H.G. FRAUTSCHY
Brad Larson and his son, Glenn, with Brad’s favorite airplane.
Brad Larson (left) and David Russell Williams stand in front of Brad’s Ryan when the two SCW owners visited the Grass Roots Fly-In in 2008. bines the advantages of low wing design and metal construction. … Its maneuverability is amazing; its response to the controls uncanny. Professional and amateur pilots alike pronounce it the easiest ship to fly in America. Inherent stability permits protracted flying with hands or feet off the controls.” The SC-W featured side-by-side adjustable seating in the front, with a third seat in the back. Pilot and passengers entered the soundproofed cabin from the wing walk. After effortlessly sliding the canopy aft along its ball-bearing tracks, they easily lowered themselves into the SC-W’s neatly appointed cabin, with its soft leather seats and individual
heat and ventilation ducts. If additional fresh air was desired, the canopy could be opened during flight. Yet only 12 Ryan SC-Ws were produced before World War II began in 1941. The company abruptly switched its focus from the lightplane and sportsman market to producing military primary trainers (PT series). After the war, Ryan purchased the rights to North American Aviation’s Navion, re-entering the lightplane market. Of the dozen SC-Ws manufactured, nine are currently listed on the FAA Registry.
Specifications and Construction The SC-W’s monocoque fuselage is composed of formed bulkheads
and heavy aluminum sheet. The distinctive cantilever wings span 37 feet 6 inches. Aircraft historian and author Joseph Juptner describes the wing construction as being “… a type of monospar wing wherein the single hollow spar beam formed the first third of the wing’s front edge as a monocoque all-metal box; the wing ribs cantilevered from the spar’s rear face to the trailing edge. The forward third of the wing was covered with “Alclad” (24ST) metal sheet, and the rear 2/3 portion was covered in fabric.” (U.S. Civil Aircraft, Volume 7) The chord at the wing root measures 99 inches, which dramatically tapers down to only 26 inches at the wingtip. The detachable, rounded wingtips are also made of aluminum. The fabric-covered ailerons have a static and dynamic counter balance, and the rudder, elevators, vertical stabilizer, and strut-braced horizontal stabilizers are also fabric-covered. The airframe measures 25 feet 5 inches from nose to tail, and stands 7 feet tall on its widely spaced main gear (97-inch tread). As powered by the 145-hp Warner, its empty weight is 1,345 pounds, and its gross weight is 2,150 pounds. With a fuel burn of 9.5 gph and a capacity of 37 gallons, the Ryan SC-W145 offers a range of around 450 miles, while cruising in the neighborhood of 135 to 140 mph. Its maximum speed is 150 mph. One particularly unusual feature of the SC-W is its perforated center-section belly flap (air brake) with a total area of about 5 square feet. The air brake can be extended 35 degrees while flying 108 mph or less; landing speed with the air brake extended is 45 mph—otherwise, it’s 55 mph, and air-oil shock struts facilitate soft landings.
Lifetime of Flying When he was young, Brad Larson’s interest in aviation was sparked by a friend’s Jenny. He embraced his first airplane restoration while still in his teens; in 1931 he bought a 1925 Henderson-powered Dormoy
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 9
(designed and built by Etienne Dormoy, who also built the 1924 Dormoy Bathtub). Brad recalls that the 1925 model was an improved version with fabric covering, and it had placed second and third in the 1925 National Air Races. Naturally, Brad was excited to have the opportunity to restore the airplane, and after covering the fuselage and wings, he installed a low-powered Indian motorcycle engine on it, instead of the costlier 20-hp Henderson engine. It was perhaps his first practical lesson about horsepower and airplanes; the small Indian simply didn’t generate enough power to even lift the ship off the ground. In 1932-1933, Brad learned to fly in a 1931 tandem-seat, open-cockpit, pusher airplane that few today have seen aloft. “Three of us bought a Curtiss Junior, and I learned to fly in that,” Brad recalls. “I flew an Aeronca C-3 quite a bit, and had a couple of Cubs.” Although he has logged numerous hours in several aircraft logbooks, he has never to-
Glenn shows how to activate… …the perforated drag flap mounted below the cockpit.
PHOTOS CHRIS MILLER
CHRIS MILLER
10 AUGUST 2010
PHOTOS CHRIS MILLER
The cockpit of the Ryan is best described as “well-loved” and careworn. While not a showplane, its worn instrument panel paint highlights the fact the Ryan has never been a hangar queen. Over the decades Brad Larson has flown the aircraft from coast-to-coast on numerous occasions. taled his hours of lightplane flying. He later began his aviation career as an aircraft mechanic. He would go on to become a pilot for Northwest Airlines, and eventually he started training other pilots and giving them their six-month check flights and type ratings. The latter was a challenging yet rewarding role that he fulfilled for 15 years. Throughout his career, Brad’s interest in lightplanes never wavered— he’s owned a variety of airplanes, including a Taylorcraft on floats, a
couple of Bonanzas, and another Curtiss Junior, and he still owns an award-winning Cessna Airmaster on floats. When asked what his favorite airplane is, he flashes a handsome, knowing smile and happily responds, “The Ryan SC-W.” NC18912 was featured on the cover of the March 1975 issue of Air Progress, in which Budd Davisson’s corresponding pilot report was published. Davisson was impressed with the airplane’s 800 fpm climb, the impressive deceleration obtained by
merely half-deployment of the perforated belly flap, and the aircraft’s excellent visibility. Additionally, he wrote, “The long-span ailerons give a quick response, but the same large ailerons that give quick roll rates also
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 11
make stick forces on the heavy side. But the airplane is nimble.” (The entire pilot report is available at www. Airbum.com.)
Photo of NC18912, with its bomb attached during its anti-submarine patrol days.
Young Brad Larson, with his 1925 Dormoy—he’s re-covered the fuselage, installed the Indian motorcycle engine, and is ready to attach the wing. 12 AUGUST 2010
PHOTOS COURTESY BRAD LARSON
Bombs Away! This particular Ryan has some interesting history. “During World War II, our plane was used as an antisubmarine dive bomber from the eastern United States’ coastal waters down to the Florida coast. The doctor who owned the SC-W at that time had named it Honey Child, and he loaned it to the Civil Air Patrol,” shares Glenn. More detail about this facet of the Ryan’s history is revealed by the aircraft records, which include the Supplement to Aircraft Operation Record (Form 309), dated September 12, 1941. This form states that Ryan SC-W-145 (s/n 206), with Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) identification mark NC18912, was authorized for the following additional operation: “May carry specified bomb load, only under direct orders of the proper military authorities. Operation Limitation – No persons other than bona fide members of the crew may be carried with bomb installed.” The new weight schedule of the airplane accounted for the bomb shackle and installation weight of 8 pounds and the 100-pound weight of the bomb. This confidential paperwork was signed by G.G. McElravy, senior aircraft inspector, and dated May 28, 1942. The following year, a CAA Repair and Alteration Form showed that thencurrent owner Robert Silverman of Pennsylvania had the bomb shackle and release removed from the aircraft as of September 1, 1943. Glenn also shares that NC18912 “was once flown by Gen. Jimmy Doolittle, and this airplane was featured in the Hollywood movie Wake Island as a Japanese Zero.” [This 1942 Paramount Pictures’ movie received four Oscar nominations.] “Plus, the airplane is fully aerobatic—there used to be a guy (‘Dee’ Barnard) from Michigan who did air shows in another SC-W (NC18914) back in the 1960s.”
Chain of Ownership Ryan Aeronautical Company’s chief engineer, Millard C. Boyd, signed the Manufacturer’s Affidavit of Conformity for s/n 206, SCW145 on April 12, 1938. Two days later, the airplane was sold to its first owner—Warner Aircraft Corporation of Detroit, Michigan. In September 1940, Richard Booth Wallace of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, sold it for $2,500 to Herman Neuweiler of Allentown, Pennsylvania. Neuweiler sold it for $3,500 in January 1942, and Robert Silverman of Philadelphia became the new owner. Other owners included William Cherney and Dupree Wooten of Chicago, Rex Short of Michigan, and Gordon Haase of Appleton, Wisconsin. Haase sold it to Fliteways in September 1948, and it sold it the following month to Paper Cities Flying Service, also of Wisconsin. In April 1949, Northern School of Aviation of Marquette, Michigan, bought NC18912. It sold it in October 1951 to the Marshfield Aero Club of Wisconsin. The following July, the Ryan SC-W changed hands yet again— this time, it went to Brad Larson of Minnesota. The SC-W hadn’t been advertised; in fact, it had been disassembled and was collecting dust in storage. “I found it back in a hangar,” recounts Brad, “when I was trying to sell my civilian Howard—NC22424, the Shell Oil Howard—to a fellow for around $2,300. I saw this airplane all in parts in the back, and said, ‘What’s that?’ He told me, ‘That’s a little Ryan Sport Coupe model.’ I said, ‘Throw all that junk in with it, and it’s a deal.’ I had never flown a Ryan SC-W before, but I did have a ride in one.”
Restoration Delighted with his find, Brad set about the process of personally restoring it during the next 10 years. Prior to the Ryan project, he had already restored a few airplanes, including the early Dormoy, a Piper Cub, and a Rearwin Cloudster. Glenn was a young child at the
The following is an enlightening firsthand accountt of the manufacturing techniques used for the Ryan SC models, as published in the December 15, 1937, issue of The Sportsman Pilot: The appearance of the new metal Ryan Warner- and Menasco-powered cabin planes (SC-145W and SC-150 respectively) has created added interest in the pioneering metalworking practices developed by T. roducClaude Ryan in the interests of mass production of aircraft. Describing the processes worked out, William Wagner, of Ryan Aeronautical Company, reports that in making … “The new S-C cabin plane, a full-scale plaster model was constructed in great detail following completion of the wooden ‘mock-up.’ After designers and engineers were satisfied that desired results would be obtained, individual plaster of Paris molds of the contours were taken from the original mock-up. “These were developed into zinc dies which were poured into sand molds whose shapes were reproductions of the various sections of the mock-up. These dies are carefully cast and require but little polishing and grinding to give the precision contour required. The punch, or upper portion of the die, was then cast in lead on top of the zinc die. With the die in place and hammer working, it has been possible to stamp into the desired forms uniform metal sheets with precision on a quantity basis. “Before assembly, all sheets are finished and all holes drilled for rivets by the use of Ryan ‘nesting’ type steel templates. These master templates eliminate all layout work on individual parts, several hundred being used with one for practically every part in the plane. “When all parts are thus stamped by precision metal dies and completely finished to the same degree of accuracy, all units fit together and assembly becomes an exact and rapid operation. So accurately do the component parts coincide that there are but ten principal points which must be determined by jigging—the three wing fittings at both wing roots and the four engine mount fittings. “With the exception of the engine installation and associated equipment, there is no structural difference between the Menasco- and Warner-powered Ryan S-C models. Thus, both in-line and radial engine proponents have available the same production airplane. “Ryan is tooled and in production at present in moderate volume, and when a market of large volume is developed the company is ready to turn out planes on a quantity basis.” VINTAGE AIRPLANE 13
Sixteen-year-old Brad Larson (right) and his best friend, Karl Jessup, with the Dormoy prior to restoration. time, and he remembers watching the Ryan take shape under his father’s skillful hands. “It was like a playground to me, and I used to sit inside it. I was the only kid in town with a real airplane in the basement,” Glenn says, laughing. “Later on, I did all the riveting in the back of the tail, because I was the smallest and could get back in there. My dad restored the Ryan to enjoy and fly anywhere; not to put in a museum.” After the aircraft had been stripped of its wing and tail fabric, and all the metal parts were cleaned, Brad inspected the components and found them to be in good condition and ready for covering and assembly. He re-covered the control surfaces, and the wings were re-covered with Grade A cotton and butyrate dope, installed all new modern hardware and new Plexiglas windows, replaced the electrical wiring, and reupholstered the cabin interior. New tires and tubes were installed, the gas and oil tanks were in good condition, and the twopiece engine cowling was repaired. Instead of going with the original 145-hp Warner, he opted to install a 165-hp Warner—a similar instal-
14 AUGUST 2010
lation had been previously accomplished for Ryan s/n 208, and that paperwork facilitated the required field approval for Brad’s installation. He overhauled the engine himself, and reflects that “all kinds of parts were available at that time.” He doesn’t recall encountering any major challenges along the way and completed the restoration in 1962. A couple of years later, he modified the instrument panel to accommodate a new radio installation and converted the tail wheel to make it full-swiveling and steerable. Since NC18912’s restoration was completed, the airplane has been flown fairly regularly and has always been hangared.
Larson’s Legacy The Larson family has logged around 1,800 hours on the SC-W since the early 1960s, and the airplane has endeared itself to these aviators. After all, Glenn explains, “It’s the first plane I ever flew! He got me so I could do the basics in this; then I went to Nelson-Ryan Flight Service in Minneapolis and learned to fly. The SC-W has basically been our family airplane, and
my older brother, Paul, also enjoys flying it with my dad. All three of us fly—or have flown—for Northwest Airlines. My dad went from the Gullwing Stinson to the 747, and I haven’t retired yet. We’d all fly the Ryan to Rockford or Oshkosh, and to the Antique Airplane Association fly-in in Ottumwa, Iowa. My dad used to live in Santa Paula, California—where he rebuilt the Cessna Airmaster—and we’ve flown all over the country.” Glenn chuckles and shares that his most memorable—but not his most pleasant—flight in the Ryan took place in December 2009. “I left Flying Cloud Airport in Minneapolis when it was 5 degrees below zero, to bring it to Florida. They had a big snowstorm up there, and I pushed it out of the hangar and immediately all the windows frosted up. I took a credit card and a rag and cleaned the windows— I had no heat in the airplane and didn’t warm up until I got down as far as Nashville!” Brad patiently and painstakingly hand polished the Ryan before he and Glenn flew it over to Sun ’n Fun from Sarasota. While the Larsons have attended the fly-in numerous times, this was their first time being there with an older restoration. “People still like to look at it,” says Glenn, smiling. “And we don’t judge the plane by whether it has the correct head on the screw or the right nut; we look at the grass that’s trampled down around the airplane, from where people have walked all around it, looking at it!” Brad chimes in, “That’s the way to hand out the awards!” The judges were among those who trampled a well-worn grass outline around the 1938 Ryan SC-W this spring; the Larsons were presented with a well-deserved Bronze Age Preservation Award for their efforts in maintaining the airplane all these years. Thanks to the Larson family’s flying legacy, we can all enjoy savoring the distinctive silhouette of this sensuously svelte Ryan SC-W.
How to
Tie the Seine Knot! Don’t let that pesky little knot drive you insane BY
BOB WHITTIER
You may have heard an exasperated military man exclaim, “There are three ways to do a thing—the right way, the wrong way, and the Army way!” And there must be truth in it, if the seine knot is any example. For as long as there have been civil aviation regulations, the seine knot has been specified by the government for securing the loops of cord that lace wing fabric to the ribs and keep it from fluttering and lifting from the ribs. The FAA specified it, and before it the CAA specified it, and long before it, the early Bureau of Air Commerce specified it. The seine knot goes way back. Refer now to Figure 1, which is taken from a government manual. Looks pretty simple, does it not? That’s what everyone thinks. Well, make up a small dummy wing or take a control surface. Give this, along with a rib-stitching needle and cord, to some chap who has never done rib stitching, and ask him to teach himself to tie the seine knot. After trying and trying to do the seine knot from this illustration, the fellow may no longer be sane! I tried this myself. I put these items into the hands of pilots who can remember the valve tappet clearance of the OX-5; they had forgotten just how the seine knot goes, and this diagram got them all
JIM KOEPNICK
published in EAA Sport Aviation August 1966
Figure 1. Official diagram of how to tie the seine knot.
confused. I even tried it on an FAA man, and he could not follow it! So for the sake of EAA members working on their projects in places from Medford, Massachusetts, to Medford, Oregon, I wished to secure for publication a set of stepby-step pictures showing exactly how to do this knot. A letter to the maintenance branch of the FAA in Washington brought the reply that no, it had nothing like this available; it had never had anyone complain that the standard seine knot drawing was hard to follow. Of course any grassroots mechanic could have told the FAA that the reason was most mechanics learned to tie the knot from other mechanics, and anyway, a lot of them have their own pet knots. So, I went to the library and looked into every book I could find on knots, seamanship, and fishing. Not one of them mentioned the seine knot. I wrote to leading cordage manufacturers, and would you believe it, their knot experts had never heard of it either! The only thing left to do was to go to the wonderful aeronautical library at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and look through aviation mechanical books going back through the years. It quickly became apparent that each and every such book back to World War I reprinted essentially the same
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 15
diagram as in Figure 1! Obviously, each author had merely taken it for granted that the knot was easy to tie as sketched and reprinted the old drawing perfunctorily. I suspect now that this evasive seine knot might have originated among the fishermen of the French coast; then some early aviation pioneer found
Figure 2. After being pushed down through the covering on one side of the rib and pulled up on the other side, the needle is passed under the section of cord lying along the rib.
Figure 3: All the lacing cord on the free end is pulled through (coiled here for photographic clarity), and the cord at the needle is pulled taut, snugging the loop that has been made around the rib.
16 AUGUST 2010
it was ideal for lacing fabric to the ribs of Bleriots and Voisins, and it came to the United States prior to World War I along with the linen then used for aircraft covering. The Army then may have adopted it as standard and started it on its way. This is only conjecture of course, but it’s a logical theory.
At any rate, the time-honored drawing in Figure 1 contains two things that are most confusing and omits one thing that is vital, which is why persons who have never been shown how to tie the seine knot can find it frustrating. First, this diagram shows the knot being tied from the top down,
Figure 4: The needle is run under the cord that lies along the rib between the two knots, then over and under again.
Figure 5: One picture’s worth 1,000 words. The needle now goes under the loop around the rib. Note carefully, near the point of the needle, how the needle goes over the cord lying on the surface.
that is, working from the top. But a right-handed person doing rib stitching in the normal way would find it more natural to work “up.”
Figure 6: Begin to tighten the knot. It closes down into a layout resembling a figure-eight.
Figure 9: The seine knot is snugged tight, and the needle is going down to the next knot. The reason for using the seine knot is that it holds tension (Figure 7) around the rib, while your free hand is used to lock the knot tight. Also, each knot is locked, so if vibration breaks one loop around the rib, the other loops will not loosen up.
Second, there is a vital pulling motion about two-thirds of the way through that is not shown at all. Third, the sketch shows how the cord goes, which really isn’t so easy to interpret when you are trying to figure out how the needle goes to make the cord go that way! Therefore I made up a dummy wing and for the sake of photographic clarity, made an oversized needle from a dowel and threaded heavy black cord into its drilled eye. Beginning with Figure 2, the captions explain how to do it. Good luck!
Figure 7: Again, one picture’s worth 1,000 words. The part of the loop that goes around the rib as shown here is pulled tight, quite firmly and smartly. Put your thumb on the snugged knot as shown by dotted lines in Figure 1 to hold the loop tight.
Figure 8: With your free hand, pull the free end of the cord forward smartly to close up and lock the knot. For photographic clarity, the model’s hands are posed as shown—in practice the left thumb would be holding down the loop and the right hand would be pulling to tighten.
“Stop worrying, Fred! I had the map printed on Poly-Fiber. What could possibly go wrong?”
OK, we’re not saying that really happened or that it would have changed history... but it makes you wonder. On the other hand, you never have to wonder whether you’ll get a beautiful long-lasting covering job using Poly-Fiber. We’ve made the instructions very clear and downright fun, and the process is practically foolproof. You’ll never get lost on your way to a spectacular Poly-Fiber finish.
★Friendliest manual around ★Toll-free technical support
polyfiber.com information@polyfiber.com
800-362-3490 VINTAGE AIRPLANE 17
of the Stinson How an airplane weaves its way into many lives
BY
JIM KOEPNICK
18 AUGUST 2010
BUDD DAVISSON
“When the owner saw me doing my best to look at the airplane, he said, ‘If you boys put this airplane
ife has a way of changing, both as fate smiles and frowns upon us and as we progress through the various stations of the birth-to-death journey. For most of us, however, one thing remains constant: the airplane. It was there at the beginning and is usually there at the end. It often, however, isn’t the same airplane, if nothing else because our tastes and situations change. Sometimes, however, the same airplane affects many lives. Such is the case with 108-3 Stinson N6865M. It is an example of an airplane that drifted through several lives, enhancing both along the way and forging a relationship between people, in this case the restorers, father and son Tom and Bill Scott, and the current owner, Jim Gibson. “I first heard about the airplane from someone at work,” remembers Bill Scott, who now lives in Spring Hill, Florida, with his wife of 26 years, Michelle. “At the time I was working for Piedmont twisting wrenches, and Dad was looking for a four-place airplane to restore.” Bill is a second-generation aviator and airplane restorer. “Dad was a commercial pilot and flew cargo all over the world, including Alaska and Vietnam. He flew a little of everything, from C46s to Argosys to DC-8s. He was gone a lot, but when he came back from Vietnam in ’68 we moved into a new house in Miami with a shop, and he bought a Cessna 140 to re-
L
store for my older brother. From that point on, we always had an airplane of some kind in the shop.” Since he was brought up with his hands constantly working on aircraft, it was a natural path for him to follow. “My high school had a vocational program where I could spend half-days attending George T. Baker Aviation School. By the time I was graduated, I had my airframe ticket. I earned my powerplant ticket by attending night school.” The yen for Stinsons struck early in Bill’s life and had a unique kind of luck attached to it. “I was still in high school, and one weekend my flight instructor and I were driving around looking at various airplane projects that others were working on. One was in a transmission shop, and I spied a Stinson 10A in the rafters. Now bear in mind, I was only 16 years old at the time. Still, when the owner saw me doing my best to look at the airplane, he said, ‘If you boys put this airplane together and get it flying, I’ll give it to you.’” Bill immediately scurried home and brought the news to his father to see if it was something they could do. He said if it had a clean title, it was a go. “The next morning, a Sunday, we went back down to the transmission shop and banged on the door, not knowing if the owner was there or not. When he saw us at the door, he said, ‘I know what you want, my airplane,’ so we got the
JIM KOEPNICK
together and get it flying, I’ll give it to you.’”
Jim Gibson, the owner of Stinson N6865M, restored by the father/ son team of Tom and Bill Scott. airplane down and took it home.” Airplanes in the Scott household are family affairs, so young Bill had plenty of knowledgeable hands to help him. Bill says, “The airplane had some ground loop damage and a wornout 90 Franklin, but Dad and my older brother helped me out all along the way.” That was the first in a long line of airplanes that Bill Scott and his family would restore. They worked as a team, but a few years later, when Bill moved out of state, he would work alone. “We did many types of airplanes. In fact, in ’89, we did a ’46 Bellanca Cruisair that Jack Cox did an article on for Sport Aviation. Initially we weren’t restoring them to sell, but sooner or later, either someone just had to have them or our situation would change, making the sale of
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 19
JIM KOEPNICK
an airplane the sensible thing to do. That’s exactly what happened to the 108-3. I didn’t build it to sell. It just worked out that way.” When Bill heard about the old 108, it was described as being disassembled and in storage at a private airfield. It was an airplane-in-a-barn story that proved to be true. “When we first saw the airplane,” Bill says, “the initial impression was that it was pretty complete and not in bad shape at all. Someone had started to restore it, which turned out not to be a good thing because they were just trying to get it flying, not truly restoring it. At the time Bill looked at the airplane, 1997, Stinsons were still in the process of coming out of the “used airplane” category and into the more treasured “vintage airplane” arena. A decade before that, hundreds of them were taken apart, the unairworthy stuff fixed, and then tossed back out the door to continue flying. They weren’t necessarily pretty, but they were safe. This is seldom done anymore. The trail that N6865M took is indicative of that.
20 AUGUST 2010
“First of all, when we did an inventory, we found some parts missing, including the spinner, but lots of other parts were there, but we weren’t willing to put them back on the airplane, even though it looked as if the previous owner was going to. Although the bottom cowl was good, which isn’t usually the case, most of the rest of the cowl, including the nose bowl, was either missing or in need of severe restoration. “The instrument panel had been heavily modified, and the entire airplane was loaded with old wiring that had to go. The fuselage tubing hadn’t been sand blasted and repainted, so it looked pretty sorry, plus, when they covered the wings, they used straight-edged tapes. The bottom line was that we wound up taking it completely apart, right down to the last nut and bolt. So much stuff had been skipped that there was no logical way you could do it one piece at a time.” Once the airplane was apart, Bill did what generations of restorers have done: He took each individual piece and made that into a restoration project all its own. Given the
amount of wood in the interior that gave the Stinson Station Wagon its name, this alone involved some rather unusual work. “The rear interior side panels and bulkhead were there, but barely. They had started rotting from the back where, among other things, insulation had held moisture against them. These panels were steam formed and fitted in a specific way to make sure they give plenty of shoulder room and curve around the seats right. These looked okay from the front, but if you touched them, they would crumble. They weren’t even strong enough to make patterns from. So, we first fiberglassed the back of them to give them additional strength. In effect, we were making a female mold using the original parts. Then we pulled the decorative strips off the front and re-veneered the panels so they looked exactly as they had originally, but with the ’glass on the back they were much stronger and more stable.” The aluminum on the airplane was a mixed bag. The often beatup tail surface metal was actually
JIM KOEPNICK PHOTOS
Tidy needlework is evident in the zipper installation in the headliner’s access hole for the elevator trim mechanism.
A completely custom panel was created for Jim’s Stinson 108. Modern radios are so small, they hardly take up much panel space. The properly restored round-top control wheels replaced a pair of control yokes that had been chopped off in the center to create a sort-of ram’s horn appearance.
in excellent shape, but the boot cowl and cowling required some beating on to get it looking new again. “The nose section took a fair amount of planishing hammer work with a weld here and there to make it look the way it should. Wherever possible, I tried to use the original pieces, but in some cases, they just weren’t salvageable, so we made new parts. “When I first looked at the wheelpants, I assumed they were fiberglass because they were so thick. Then I looked at the inside and realized they were the original aluminum pants, but they had so much Bondo on them that you couldn’t tell, plus they had been modified for Cleveland brakes. It took almost as much
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21
JIM KOEPNICK
work to get all the Bondo off as it did to hammer the pants back straight, but the trim strips were missing; however, I had another pair of pants that were essentially junk, but the trim strips could be cleaned up and re-used.” A lot of airplanes like Stinsons have been subjected to a lot of what we’d term “butchery” as generations of radios required increasingly obtrusive holes. So, the panels are always a challenge, and some decisions have to be made. “First of all, we were building this airplane to use, not to show, so although we like original panels and interiors, the truth was that we couldn’t afford to go that route. Plus going the completely original route wouldn’t let us use the airplane the way we wanted to. So, we smoothed and filled and generally made the panel look professional, but we had no intentions of making it look original. “The same thing holds for upholstery and interior. It’s ‘about original’ in that we mimicked the original style but in wool and Naugahyde.” Some of the indignities vintage
22 AUGUST 2010
airplanes are subjected to over their lives are beyond understanding, and one of them often has to do with the control wheels. “Someone had cut the tops off of the wheels. I guess they were trying to make them look more modern or something, sort of a ‘ram’s horn’ look, but we couldn’t leave them that way. So, we kept our eyes open until a pair of restorable ones surfaced, and we made them look original.” Once the basics were done, Bill went through the airplane and brought everything up to their standards, which include new windows, pulleys, cables, and practically all the hardware in the airframe. He says, “The engine was a fairly good, mid-time 165-hp Franklin, but it had been overhauled 30 years ago, so we stripped it down and made sure everything was right before completing a major overhaul.” “We covered it with Stits and painted it NASCAR red, which, coincidentally enough, is a color we use a lot,” he says, smiling. “My brother’s company had a lot of surplus red, which we bought. So for quite a while we painted everything that
color, including the family Dodge, which was passed down through each of my older siblings until it eventually got handed down to me. However, we used the last on this airplane, so I guess our next airplane will be blue or something!” They finished the airplane in 2000, and Jim Gibson saw it at the Wings and Things Fly-In that year in Lakeland. At the time he was looking for a four-place airplane, but the airplane wasn’t for sale. Jim came into aviation as a young man, but the career path that took him toward his Stinson was such that it was anything but predictable. “I got a degree in geology, but there weren’t any jobs available, so I applied to Allison Engine, even though I knew very little about engines. At that time they were looking for inspectors to work on the big turbines which were being used on Electras and in VTOL projects. Even though I didn’t have a clue what I was doing, they hired and trained me to inspect turbines and decide what was or wasn’t a good part. “The company was dependent on government contracts, and
Joe Shepherd Fayetteville, Georgia Owner of a 1936 Lockheed 12A and a Cessna 195
Joe piloted his beautiful Lockheed 12A in filming the movie Amelia in 2009. Director Mira Nair and actress Hilary Swank both left their signatures on the door – what a perfect souvenir. AUA has been very helpful meeting my Lockheed 12A’s insurance needs. The entire staff has been friendly and prompt with all of my requests. — Joe Shepherd AUA is Vintage Aircraft Association approved. To become a member of VAA call 800-843-3612.
Aviation insurance with the EAA Vintage Program offers: Lower premiums with payment options Q Additional coverages On-line quote request available Q AUA is licensed in all states
Flexibility on the use of your aircraft
Q
The best is affordable. Give AUA a call – it’s FREE!
Experienced agents
Q
Remember, We’re Better Together!
800-727-3823 Fly with the pros… fly with AUA Inc. www.auaonline.com
JIM KOEPNICK
when they ran out, I was laid off, and a friend suggested I sell insurance. I started doing that and slowly that mutated into financial planning, and before long I had my own office and that’s what I did most of my working life.” Although he had learned to fly in the mid ’50s, he stopped flying when he got married in ’63 (he and Kathy have been married 44 years). “Although I wasn’t always flying, I had always wanted my own runway, and that was what was in the back of my mind when I found a farm outside of Terre Haute, Indiana, and bought it along with a friend, Dr. Deward ‘Pete’ Peterson.” In many situations putting a runway on a farm means nothing more than moving a few fences and cutting some alfalfa, but Jim’s runway was significantly different. “I can’t explain why,” he says, “but when my partner and I decided to build a runway on the farm, we wanted it to be the best turf airstrip in Indiana. We spent the money required to clear trees and level the land, which meant clearing and leveling a 250-foot by
24 AUGUST 2010
2,400-foot strip of land by moving a lot of dirt, bulldozing off humps, and filling low areas. We also had to bridge a small creek with a 3by 300-foot sewer pipe. The whole runway was shaped with a slight crown in the center, which allows water to drain quickly. Finally, we planted tall fescue grass, which is well suited to Indiana weather and forms a dense turf. The airstrip appears on the St. Louis sectional as ‘Aero Plaines-PVT.’ We did that in the early ’80s, and we still have it. It’ll go to the grandkids.” You can’t have a runway without an airplane, so Jim and his partner bought a restored L-16 Aeronca, which they flew for several years and loved. Jim Gibson and Bill Scott had crossed paths many times and knew each other from being volunteers at Sun ’n Fun. In fact, Bill is proud of the fact that he and his family have been attending the event since the very first days, when it was just a local fly-in. Because of that, Jim was continuously asking Bill if the Stinson was for sale yet. “Then, one day I asked him if it
was for sale, and he said it was.” At that point the little red airplane went to live with Jim Gibson, but as is often the case, situations change and little airplanes move on to enhance others’ lives. Jim explains, “I’ve enjoyed the airplane for nearly four years, but because of my age I’m giving the whole LSA thing serious consideration. Although I believe I can still pass the upcoming physical, the FAA has made noises about requiring additional tests the next time around because of a comment my AME made in my paperwork. So, rather than failing an exam, I may just skip it. I hate to sell the Stinson, but I’ll find a little T-craft or, better yet, an Ercoupe and keep on flying.” You can’t keep a good pilot down, and the same thing goes for a good airplane. As N6865M changes hands again, even more lives are going to be touched and improved. In the meantime, Tom and Bill Scott are restoring yet another airplane and Jim Gibson is searching for the perfect airplane. After all, they can’t take away his runway.
Light Plane Heritage published in EAA Experimenter March 1990
The Allen A-4 lightplane. The junior aviator is unidentified.
THE ALLEN A-4 BY JACK
he Allen A-4 lightplane was designed and built for the purpose of competing in the lightplane events at the 1924 National Air Races to be held in Dayton, Ohio, in October. Its designer was Edmund T. (Eddie) Allen, 28, an MIT engineering graduate who had learned to fly in the U.S. Army Flight Schools in 1917. In 1924 he was employed as a test pilot for the U.S. Army Air Corps and stationed in Washington, D.C. At this time he also wrote a column for Aviation magazine titled “Light Planes and Gliders,” where in addition to reporting on sport-
T
LIGHTPLANE
MCRAE
flying activities in the United States and Europe, during the summer of 1924 he gave a detailed description of the design and construction of his A-4 lightplane. Allen explained that the basic design features decided upon were (1) fuel economy, (2) ease of handling in the air and on landing, (3) climb, (4) speed, and (5) simplicity of construction with limited shop facilities. The engine chosen was the Harley-Davidson Sport model. This was a two-cylinder horizontally opposed motorcycle engine of only 37 cubic inches displacement, and which had a rating of 7-1/2
hp and 3200 rpm. The engine was modified considerably and was to prove to be the biggest obstacle to the success of the airplane. Allen put much effort into picking what he considered the most efficient design configuration. He decided on a shoulder-wing monoplane with a high-aspect-ratio tapered wing, strut-braced at about the one-third span point. The Gottingen 398 airfoil was used because of its good maximum lift. Detailed weight-and-balance and performance calculations were made. The design gross weight was 380 pounds with a 125-pound pilot, which al-
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 series, we plan on publishing those LPH articles that would be of interest to VAA members. Enjoy!—HGF
26 AUGUST 2010
lowed for a minimum rate of climb of 200 feet/minute. The fuselage was of wood construction, had a rectangular cross section, and was unusually long to give good control with small tail surfaces. The four spruce longerons tapered from 3/4 inch square at the firewall to 1/2 inch square at the tail. Diagonal members of the Warren truss were 3/4 inch square, glued and nailed with plywood gussets of 1/16-inch mahogany. Torsional stiffness was increased by using a 3/4-inch-square diagonal across each station. The structural weight of the fuselage was stated to be 25 pounds. The cockpit floor was 1/4-inch fir plywood with the pilot seated directly on the floorboard, with his feet raised to the rudder bar, which was slightly higher than his hips. The wing was of all-wood construction, fabric-covered. Two parallel spars per panel were used with upper and lower cap strips providing equal strength for a positive or negative load factor of 8.0. A box section spar resulted with a small interior bulkhead at each rib station. The weight of four spars was 21 pounds. One-half of the ribs were plywood with extra compression members at the top and bottom of the spars in addition to rib cap strips. Alternate ribs were of a novel construction to save weight. They were made with a paper web “of a tough manila K&E stock and take great shearing stress.� Cap strips of wood were glued and nailed on each side of the web, and there were vertical members at intervals and at the intersection of the wing spar through the web. Allen stated that a rib of this type of 48-inch chord, weighing 1.5 ounces, carried a uniformly varying load of 100 pounds without failure. Double drag bracing was used to
provide torsional strength and consisted on 1-inch by 3/32-inch spruce diagonals crossing alternate ribs at both upper and lower surfaces of the spars. All joints were glued and nailed, thus eliminating all fittings except those for the strut attachments and spar roots. The leading edge was a large strip of spruce intended to allow for rough handling on the ground. The wingtips were of oak bent in the form of an ellipse. The wings and fuselage were covered with singe-ply balloon cloth weighing
2 ounces per square yard. The lift struts were of 3/4-inch-diameter steel tubing and sloped from the spars to a single fitting at the lower longeron, forming a vee. The landing gear axle consisted of 1.125-inch-diameter by 18-gauge steel tube, heat-treated to 140,000 psi tensile strength. The axle was attached to three smaller tubes, of which the upper one passed through the fuselage above the lower longerons and was fastened to the longerons with a shock cord. A drag strut on each side was attached to the
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27
fuselage at the lift strut fitting. The wheels were the same 20x2-inch size used on the Smith Motor Wheel. The tail surfaces were single-piece, all-movable rudder and elevator of wood construction, fabric-covered. The conversion of the Harley-Davidson motorcycle engine for aircraft use required many changes and provided the most problems. In order to increase the propeller efficiency Allen decide to attach the propeller shaft to an idler gear that ran at a ratio of 26 to 58 with the crankshaft and thus reduced the propeller rpm. A set of bearings was added to take thrust and lateral load. The gear case part of the crankcase was removed, saving 18 pounds, and this was closed by welding a piece of aluminum over the opening. The cast iron
intake and exhaust manifold that weighed 12 pounds was replaced with a steel tube manifold. The carburetor was moved from above the engine to a location below the crankcase to reduce the chance of fire and to improve the gravity feed for the fueled system. Ground tests on the engine in this condition showed that it developed 11.2 hp at 3680 rpm or 1650 propeller rpm. A new Zenith carburetor replaced the motorcycle unit, new valve guides and springs were installed, and the timing was modified for the higher engine speed. The airplane was taken to the Naval Air Station at Anacostia for its first test flights and apparently created somewhat of a sensation because of its small size. The first flight
Allen A-4 Specifications Engine Harley-Davidson 2 cylinders, 37 cubic inches Wingspan 27 feet Length 18 feet, 9 inches Wing area 76 square feet Maximum speed 68 mph (calculated) Rate of climb 200 fpm minimum Design gross weight 380 pounds Estimated Weight Distribution Fuselage, including seat and 33 pounds controls 65 pounds Engine Propeller 5 pounds Gas tank and lines 10 pounds Wing 64 pounds Spars 30 pounds Ribs and bracing 10 pounds Covering 20 pounds Ailerons and fittings 4 pounds Landing gear 18 pounds Weight empty 217 pounds Pilot 125 pounds Fuel 30 pounds Gross weight 372 pounds 28 AUGUST 2010
was made September 14, 1924, and showed that the little ship was stable and controllable. After a series of successful flights it was decided to try a new propeller with higher pitch and narrower blade sections to increase the efficiency and improve the rate of climb. However, continuous problems with the engine prevented Allen from competing in the lightplane events at the National Air Races. In his column in Aviation magazine for October 13, reporting on the races, he lamented, “The A-4 sits in Washington waiting for new pistons after but 58 minutes in the air.” He complained that he and other lightplane builders using motorcycle engines could get no cooperation from the engine manufacturers. In 1925 Allen became an air mail pilot for the U.S. Post Office Department and was stationed in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Apparently he did not take the A-4 with him, because in an advertisement in Aviation for October 12, 1925, he offered it for sale, “No reasonable offer rejected, can be examined at Washington.” It was stated that 46 flights had been made and that it had climbed 2,000 feet. Evidently there were no takers, and it was advertised again in the September 6, 1926, issue for $50 FOB Washington, D.C. It was mentioned that 48 flights had been made at Bolling Field, and it was described as “A real light plane.” Eddie Allen stayed with the Air Mail Service until 1929, and during the 1929-39 period he became one of the best-known engineering test pilots in the United States, doing test flying for nearly every major aircraft and engine manufacturer. In 1939 he became director of flight test and aerodynamics at Boeing. Allen was killed in the crash of a Boeing B-29 while on a test flight near Seattle on February 18, 1943. The New York Times described him as “A noted test pilot, combining the rare qualities of daredevil and scientist.” References: Aviation magazine, issues from 1924, 1925, and 1926. The New York Times, February 19, 1943. Taschenbuch der Luftflotten, 1924.
Vintage Mechanic
THE
BY ROBERT G. LOCK
Structural alignment This issue will discuss structural alignment of fixed-wing aircraft and slant it toward the older biplanes where one can do much in the way of rigging for stability. However, it won’t discuss assembly and rigging; that’s for another column or two. Here I would like to discuss some basics of alignment checks that are made at the beginning and during restoration. Good flight characteristics begin with good structural alignment of subassemblies: wing, empennage, engine, and landing gear alignment, also a symmetry check. WING ALIGNMENT (Figure 1): This begins when the wings are assembled or, if the wings have not been disassembled, before applying the fabric covering. Here you will need a set of trammel points in order to assure the bays of each wing are square. On the lower surface of the wings there should be
FIGURE 1 Boeing PT-13/-17/-18 Handbook
a small center point marked in the spars. These center points are the centerline of the compression member and the centerline of the spars. Wings are separated into bays, which is a Pratt truss consisting of the front and rear spar, two compression members, and two drag wires (actually a drag and anti-drag wire). Start at the root of the wing, place the trammel points diagonally across the spars and adjust wires until the distance between points is identical. Snug the wires by tightening each wire the same amount. Go to the next bay and repeat the process until you have trammed all bays. Then go back and recheck the tram of each bay; you may have to make some minor adjustments. Be sure to loosen and tighten the brace wires the same number of turns. Repeat the process at each bay. Return to the root bay
and recheck for a third time. You probably won’t need to make any adjustments. Now it’s time to tension the wires. I always like to tram with the wire tension snug but not tight. It’s easier that way. You can tension the wires by tightening each wire the same amount; the tram won’t change but the tension will increase. The wires need to be tight, but not too tight. It depends on how structurally sound the wing design is. Not much was recorded for the old airplanes, so I use the chart for the Boeing Stearman biplane. They set the wire tension for a 3/16inch diameter tie rod from 200 pounds minimum to 400 pounds maximum. If you have a wire tensiometer, use it. If not, strum the wires and listen for a low to medium bass sound. If the wires touch where they cross at the midbay point, provide an anti-chafe means, such as Tefl on rings; then tie the wires together with rib lacing cord. Tramming of the wings is important to the final rigging process and should be completed before the wings are covered. ANGLE OF INCIDENCE CHECK (Figure 2): Check the angle of incidence by assembling the airplane before covering with fabric. Angle of incidence at the root of the lower wing is fixed and cannot be changed after assembly. The angle of incidence is that angle between
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 29
FIGURE 2
the chord line of the wing and the longitudinal axis of the airplane. Depending on the airplane, it will be from 0 to +3 degrees. Decalage is the difference between angles of incidence of the wings of a biplane. If the upper wings have more incidence than the lower wings, then the decalage is positive. If the lower wings have more incidence than the upper wings, then the decalage is negative. Figure 2 shows the angle of incidence of the wings of a biplane. When the ailerons are on the upper wing only, then the upper wing will have less angle of incidence than the lower wings, so the lower wings will commence to stall before the upper wings. If the ailerons are on the lower wings, then the opposite is true. On most of the older airfoils the angle of incidence can be measured by placing a straight edge from leading edge to trailing edge on the bottom surface of the wing. And with the fuselage leveled longitudinally, you can read the angle with a protractor. Read the same angle for both the left and right wings. I also measured the angle of incidence (on
FIGURE 3 30 AUGUST 2010
my Command-Aire) before the wings were covered by placing a straight piece of wood between the spars and reading the angle with a protractor. If you don’t read the same angle, fix it before covering or you will have a lousy-flying airplane when you’re finished. Check the angles of incidence for both upper and lower wings at the root. (Figure 3.) The angles should be exactly the same for both left and right wing roots. If they are not the same, fix the problem before proceeding with the restoration process. I installed a set of newly fabricated 4412 high-lift wings on an ag Stearman biplane many years ago. I could not rig the airplane for level flight; the airplane always wanted to roll to the right and was airspeed sensitive. After much frustrating time spent trying to remedy the problem, I looked closely at the center section. Someone had repaired the center section by replacing the front spar; however, the attach fi ttings were not properly located on the spar. The result was that one upper wing had more angle of incidence than the other
wing. There was absolutely no way to rig the airplane to fly properly, so I had to replace the entire center section. EMPENNAGE ALIGNMENT: Angle of incidence setting of horizontal stabilizer. The horizontal stabilizer provides longitudinal stability for the aircraft during flight, so again the setting is critical. Some horizontal stabs are fixed and some are adjustable. Many fi xed horizontal stabilizers have a negative angle of incidence; that is, the leading edge is lower than the trailing edge. This is to provide for positive longitudinal stability, as the lifting force on most all horizontal stabilizers is down. With the fuselage leveled longitudinally, place a straight edge across the stabilizer and read the setting with a protractor. If the stabilizer is adjustable, check the incidence at both extremes using a straight edge and protractor. Hopefully there is manufacturer’s data to tell you what the setting should be and where the neutral setting is located. Many aircraft with propellers that turn to the right (as viewed from the pilot’s seat) have the vertical stabilizer offset to the left slightly to counteract effects of engine torque. If the vertical stabilizer is not adjustable, don’t worry about it. You’ll need to rig the airplane for yaw problems with a tab on the rudder. ENGINE ALIGNMENT (Figure 4): An important factor when studying engine alignment is the thrust line. The factory determined where the thrust line would be located on the fuselage structure, so it’s best to consult drawings (if you can find them). Many early aircraft have been modified over the years to a more reliable engine. And if the modifier didn’t pay attention, the thrust line could have been inadvertently moved when a new mount was fabricated. The thrust
FIGURE 4 line would be described as a continuation of the engine crankshaft centerline. It may or may not be the fuselage longitudinal axis. Some engines have a small amount of right side thrust to counteract torque effect. And a few aircraft were designed with a small amount of down thrust. Again, check the drawings.
FUSELAGE FRAME (Figure 4). Tie rods in a Pratt-type frame should be adjusted carefully to assure proper alignment of attaching surfaces. Here, trammel points are punched into the fuselage longerons at each station (cluster). The fuselage is aligned by loosening and tightening the wires in each bay until the fuselage is straight.
LANDING GEAR ALIGNMENT (Figures 5, 6 and 7): Two factors are important in correct landing gear alignment. They are toe-in and camber. Illustrations below show how to place the aircraft on grease plates to allow the gear to walk out to its position when loaded. Gear alignment checks should be made with the aircraft at gross weight and in the threepoint attitude. I s et my lan din g ge ars w it h no toe-in or toe-out; however, a small amount of toe-in, maybe up to 1/8 inch, can be used. A small amount of toe-in will relax tension on shock cords when the aircraft taxies. Toe-out would cause the landing gear to walk out, thus further loading the shock cords. I also like to set a small amount of positive camber. On many ships, once the landing gear is welded in place it is impossible to change the toe-in/toe-out condition.
FIGURE 5
FIGURE 6 VINTAGE AIRPLANE 31
FIGURE 7
Illustrations used here are removed from a Cessna L-19 maintenance manual and are typical for aircraft with a spring steel gear. If no data on landing gear alignment for a particular model aircraft can be located, I use the above data as a guide to setting landing gear alignment. Typical toe-in for the L-19 is from 0 to 1/16 inch (0.06 inch). Typical camber setting is from 0 to 1 degree (1/8 inch or 0.125 inch). These dimensions would be similar to most aircraft. I do not set my landing gears with toe-out or negative camber. I am aware that some folks like a small amount of toe-out in their landing gears. However, with a rubber shock
FIGURE 8 32 AUGUST 2010
cord gear, the tow-out will make the gear spread out, thus stressing shock cords when the ship is in motion on the ground. Gear alignment is most important if the aircraft is to display good ground-handling qualities. When I fabricated the landing gear for my Command-Aire, I spent much time aligning the landing gear. My landing gear had too much camber, so I eliminated the problem by cutting two shims from heavy-wall PVC pipe, splitting one side and sliding it in place above the shock portion of the gear. A hose clamp assured the shim would stay in place. After the shock cords were covered with a leather boot, the shims
and clamps were invisible. Another check that should be made is tail wheel alignment. With the rudder pedals in neutral, lift the aft fuselage up so the tail wheel no longer touches the ground. Note the position of the tail wheel. It should be in the neutral position. Then move the rudder pedals and note if tail wheel steering is positive. The tail wheel should move to correspond with rudder deflection. Finally, hold the rudder in the neutral position and try to move the tail wheel left and right. There should be movement resistance. If the tail wheel moves without rudder movement, investigate why this is happening and fix the prob-
lem. Positive tail wheel steering is an important factor to control the airplane on the ground. Some aircraft are designed with a locking tail wheel; the New Standard D-25 I fly is that way. On this aircraft, a symmetry check of the tail wheel is made to assure the tail wheel tracks straight when locked for takeoff and landing. I’ve only flown a couple airplanes that had no steering and no locking device on the tail wheel. The Precissi Travel Air and Kermit Week’s Ford Tri-Motor are two examples. Here you must rely totally on good brakes to keep the aircraft tracking straight down the runway. Too much toe-in will cause excessive tire wear, particularly if the aircraft is operated from hard-surface runways. Excessive positive camber will cause heavy wear on the tires on the outer half of tread. If the aircraft is equipped with a shock cord—type landing gear, as the cords wear, the wheel camber will go to the negative, and the top of the wheels will move toward the fuselage. We don’t want this as it decreases prop-to-ground clearance. If this happens, tighten or replace the shock cords. Landing gear alignment is always done with the airplane at gross weight and in the normal taxi position. I used to adjust the wheel alignment every 100 hours on Cessna L-19 airplanes when I was in the Army. I always put two people in the airplane to get it as close to gross weight as possible. So one should use this same technique when setting gear alignment on old aircraft. SYMMETRY CHECK: The sketch in Figure 8 shows a symmetry check on an Aeronca L-16. You can accomplish this on any airplane—simply use a measuring tape and compare dimensions of hard points of the airplane. Compare a dimension on the right side of the airplane to the same measurement on left side of airplane. Dimensions should be close to the same, perhaps within 1/4 to 1/2 inch of each other, again depending on the type of airplane. If the airplane does strange things on the ground and is a handful to control, perhaps the problem is in landing gear alignment. Measure from a fixed point on the landing gear, say the axle to a fixed point on the tail post. The farther apart the measurements are, the worse the ground handling of the airplane. CONCLUSION: Most all of the alignment checks should be made as the airplane is being restored or repaired, because it is impossible to change some alignments after the aircraft is assembled. Normally the alignments that can be altered are those used during the rigging process. Good alignment of primary structure is important to the flying qualities and ground handling of the airplane, so pay attention to the details. Paying attention to details will produce the best flying aircraft after a long and expensive restoration process. Now go out and have fun flying that old airplane!
AERO CLASSIC “COLLECTOR SERIES”
Vintage Tires New USA Production Show off your pride and joy with a fresh set of Vintage Rubber. These newly minted tires are FAA-TSO’d and speed rated to 120 MPH. Some things are better left the way they were, and in the 40’s and 50’s, these tires were perfectly in tune to the exciting times in aviation. Not only do these tires set your vintage plane apart from the rest, but also look exceptional on all General Aviation aircraft. Deep 8/32nd tread depth offers above average tread life and UV treated rubber resists aging. First impressions last a lifetime, so put these jewels on and bring back the good times..… New General Aviation Sizes Available:
500 x 5, 600 x 6, 700 x 8
Desser has the largest stock and selection of Vintage and Warbird tires in the world. Contact us with your requirements. Telephone: 800-247-8473 or 323-721-4900 FAX: 323-721-7888 6900 Acco St., Montebello, CA 90640 3400 Chelsea Ave, Memphis, TN 38106 In Support Of Aviation Since 1920….
www.desser.com
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 33
Vintage Instructor THE
BY Steve Krog, CFI
The lost art of slips
W
hile recently attending the 25th Annual Sentimental Journey Fly-In held at Piper Memorial Airport in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, my friend Mark Stewart and I were watching airplanes and their pilots hopping rides and demonstrating their piloting techniques doing takeoffs, landings, and flybys. Most every airplane, when on the approach to land, employed a forward slip to achieve a touchdown on the numbers and make the first turn-off comfortably and safely. Mark turned to me and commented, “The slip really is a lost art and a maneuver many pilots really don’t understand or use today.” I agreed. The slip, when implemented correctly, is a useful and safe tool for pilots young and old, provided it is practiced with some regularity. But with the introduction of flaps it has become a lost art, even though pilots flying flap-equipped airplanes should understand the slip and be able to perform it when needed. Ask yourself these questions: “When was the last time I performed a slip, and how often have I practiced slips?” When conducting flight reviews I frequently ask the individual to demonstrate a 50-foot obstacle short-field landing using a slip. The pilot will often look at me and state, “I haven’t done a slip in a long time!” “Sure you have,” I’ll reply, “you just didn’t realize it. How do you set up your approach for a crosswind landing? Each time you make
34 AUGUST 2010
a crosswind landing, you’re executing a side slip.” There are two types of slips: the forward slip and the side slip. In the simplest of definitions, the forward slip is used to lose altitude, while the side slip is used for runway alignment. Let’s take a look at their respective similarities and differences. The forward slip is often em-
“When was the last time I performed a slip, and how often have I practiced slips? ployed when a pilot has set up for the final approach to land and has excess altitude, when making obstacle landings (especially at short fields), or when making a spot landing. A forward slip allows for the aircraft to maintain a straight-line track over or on the runway centerline while on approach. However, when maintaining the track, the nose of the airplane is not aligned with the runway and needs to be realigned before landing. The side slip is often employed when making a crosswind landing or to align the airplane with the runway centerline. The nose of the airplane (longitudinal axis) remains aligned with the runway centerline.
How to Practice Forward Slips The next time you make a pleasure flight, climb to an altitude of about 2,500 feet above ground level (AGL). Level off and align your airplane with a straight road that is also aligned with the surface wind. If the wind is generally from the south, fly south over a north/ south road. Reduce the power to the setting used on final approach to land and establish the final approach glide speed. Apply left aileron, lowering the left wing about 10-15 degrees (similar to a shallow bank turn). The airplane will want to turn left. Now apply opposite, or right, rudder using just enough rudder that the airplane continues to track in a straight line over the road. The airspeed will give you erratic readings whenever doing slips, so it is more important to focus on maintaining the correct descent or glide attitude. You may need to apply very slight forward pressure on the stick or yoke to do so. Continue the descent and track for 1,000 feet of descent; then return to cruise flight by slowly taking your foot off the right rudder and bringing the left wing back to a level-flight attitude. If you haven’t done a slip in a while, setting up for and holding the forward-slip attitude will feel awkward at first, as will the return to level flight. A few repetitions will significantly increase your comfort and coordination. Now try executing the forward slip with the right wing down and
applying left rudder. Hold your descent attitude and track over the road for 1,000 feet and then return to level-cruise flight. A forward slip to the right will often feel more awkward than the forward slip to the left. Try practicing the forward slip from a safe altitude a few more times, increasing the wing-down angle a little more each time. You’ll soon find that you will reach a point where you run out of rudder and cannot hold the straight line track. Now you know how far you can go with the slip in your airplane and still have full directional control. Congratulations! You’ve just acted as a “test pilot” and found the limits of your airplane in a slip. If your aircraft is equipped with a vertical speed indicator (VSI), note the rate of descent while holding the plane in the forward slip. Compare it to the normal rate of descent used when flying your final approach. Once comfortable entering and exiting the forward slip, you’re ready to give it a try in the traffic pattern. Fly a normal pattern, but intentionally maintain some excess altitude. If you normally turn final at approximately 500 feet above the ground, maintain altitude and turn final at 800 feet above the ground. Once established on final approach with power reduced and normal glide attitude established, enter into a forward slip to eliminate the excess altitude. Do not hold the airplane in the forward slip all the way to your normal level-off altitude. Rather, discontinue the slip at about 50 feet above the ground, giving you plenty of time to focus on and establish the proper landing attitude.
How to Practice Side Slips As mentioned earlier, the side slip is generally used for a crosswind landing. Even though you’ve
been making crosswind landings for a long time, you may want to practice the side slip. Again, climb to an altitude about 2,500 feet above the ground. Level off and align your airplane with a straight road that is perpendicular to the surface wind. If the wind is generally from the south, fly over an east/west road. Reduce the power to the power setting used on final approach to land. Establish final-approach glide speed. If the wind is from the left, apply
left aileron, lowering the left wing about 10-15 degrees (similar to a shallow bank turn). The airplane will want to turn left. Now apply just enough opposite, or right, rudder so that the nose of the airplane—or longitudinal axis—remains aligned with the road. Add a little power, perhaps 100 rpm. The airspeed will give you erratic readings whenever doing slips, so focus on maintaining the correct descent or glide attitude. You may need to apply very slight forward pressure on the stick or yoke to do so. Continue the descent for 1,000 feet, maintaining alignment with the road; then return to cruise flight by slowly taking your foot off the right rudder and bringing the left wing back to level flight. Turn the airplane 180 degrees and again align it with the road. This time the crosswind is from the right. Lower the right wing 10-15 degrees and apply just enough left
rudder to maintain alignment with the road. Add 100 rpm and continue with the side slip for 1,000 feet of descent. Then level off and resume cruise flight. If you’ve allowed the airplane to drift away due to the wind, add a bit more wing-down aileron, causing the airplane to move back to the road. Once over and aligned with the road, adjust the amount of aileron and rudder to remain over the road. After trying the side slip both left and right several times and reaching your comfort level, it’s time to give it a try in the traffi c pattern. If you are truly landing with a crosswind, some level of the side slip will need to be maintained throughout the approach and landing. In a tailwheel airplane the main gear wheel most into the wind will touch down fi rst, followed by the other main gear. This is necessary to maintain airplane alignment with the runway centerline. Then the tail wheel will touch down. From this point forward, follow through with the normal crosswind landing inputs. The slip is one of the basic maneuvers that, when understood and practiced, will give the pilot an added tool for safely putting the airplane exactly where he or she wants on the approach to land. A slip can be put in, taken out, or adjusted as needed to modify the rate of descent or runway alignment (when landing with a crosswind).
Note:
The descriptions for establishing and practicing forward and side slips described in this article generally apply to fixed-gear aircraft with no flaps. However, slips can be used in most flap-equipped aircraft. Consult the pilot’s operating handbook for flap-equipped aircraft before practicing slips, as they may recommend not doing slips when flaps are extended beyond the halfflap setting.
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 35
by H.G. FRAUTSCHY
MYSTERY PLANE This month’s Mystery Plane comes 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 20 for inclusion
in the November 2010 issue o f V i n t a g e Airplane. You can also send your response via e-mail. Send your answer to mysteryplane@eaa.org.
Be sure to include your name plus your city and state in the body of your note and put “(Month) Mystery Plane” in the subject line.
M AY ’ S M Y S T E R Y A N S W E R The May Mystery Plane came to us from the EAA Archives. Here’s the scoop on that snappy-looking large biplane:
36 AUGUST 2010
The May 2010 Mystery Plane seems to be the International F-18 Air Coach, c/n 12 with registration 3266, designed by Edwin M. Fisk with
his characteristic octagonal wooden fuselage with the pilot in the rear open cockpit, but with four passengers in the enclosed cabin. The F-18 was
completed in early 1929 with a 220-hp Wright J-5 (R-790) and received Group 2 Approval as No. 2-15 on March 1, 1929. It is, apparently, this specific aircraft because your photo seems to have been taken at the same time, but from a different angle and without the tripod at the tail, as it is in the photo in Juptner’s U.S. Civil Aircraft, Vol. 9 for Group 2-15. Aerofiles.com aided me greatly as well. The International Aircraft Corp. of Ancor, Ohio, built this aircraft as a follow-on to their open-front-cockpit (for two) F-17W (same Wright engine) under ATC 154 in 5/29 and the openfront-cockpit F-17H (Hispano-Suiza liquid-cooled V-8 of 150-180 hp) under ATC 155 in 5/29. All F-17 and F-18 aircraft had open rear cockpits. International was founded in about 1927 in Long Beach, California, and by 1930 was in Jackson, Michigan, where it went out of business. Jack Erickson, State College, Pennsylvania Other correct answers were received from Sharon Rajnus, Malin, Oregon; Wayne Muxlow, M i n n e a p o l i s , M i n n e s o t a ; We s Smith, Springfield, Illinois; and Doug Rounds, Zebulon, Georgia, who points out that information on the F-18 can be found in numerous places including T-Hangar Tales by Joe Juptner and Juptner’s U.S. Civil Aircraft, Vol. 2, ATC 154, and it’s described in the 1928 edition of Jane’s All the World’s Aircraft. Thomas Lymburn of Princeton, Minnesota, pointed out that the earlier three-seat F-17 Sportsman was built in quantity (at least 176 of them were constructed), and they even appeared in a few movies, including 1925’s The Air Mail with Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Billie Dove, and the 1926 film Corporal Kate. The last movie also features a Thomas-Morse Scout and a J-1 Standard. Also, kudos to one of my fellow modeling enthusiasts, Russ Brown of Lyndhurst, Ohio, for correctly identifying the Scroggs Dart from the April issue.
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 37
VINTAGE AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION OFFICERS President Geoff Robison 1521 E. MacGregor Dr. New Haven, IN 46774 260-493-4724 chief7025@aol.com
Vice-President George Daubner N57W34837 Pondview Ln Oconomowoc, WI 53066 262-560-1949 gdaubner@eaa.org
Secretary Steve Nesse 2009 Highland Ave. Albert Lea, MN 56007 507-373-1674 stnes2009@live.com
Treasurer Dan Knutson 106 Tena Marie Circle Lodi, WI 53555 608-592-7224 lodicub@charter.net
DIRECTORS
Steve Bender 85 Brush Hill Road Sherborn, MA 01770 508-653-7557 sst10@comcast.net
Dale A. Gustafson 7724 Shady Hills Dr. Indianapolis, IN 46278 317-293-4430 dalefaye@msn.com
David Bennett 375 Killdeer Ct Lincoln, CA 95648 916-645-8370 antiquer@inreach.com
Jeannie Hill P.O. Box 328 Harvard, IL 60033-0328 815-943-7205 Espie “Butch” Joyce 704 N. Regional Rd. Greensboro, NC 27409 336-668-3650 windsock@aol.com
Jerry Brown 4605 Hickory Wood Row Greenwood, IN 46143 317-422-9366 lbrown4906@aol.com
Steve Krog 1002 Heather Ln. Hartford, WI 53027 262-966-7627 sskrog@aol.com
Dave Clark 635 Vestal Lane Plainfield, IN 46168 317-839-4500 davecpd@att.net John S. Copeland 1A Deacon Street Northborough, MA 01532 508-393-4775 copeland1@juno.com
Robert D. “Bob” Lumley 1265 South 124th St. Brookfield, WI 53005 262-782-2633 lumper@execpc.com
Phil Coulson 28415 Springbrook Dr. Lawton, MI 49065 269-624-6490 rcoulson516@cs.com
S.H. “Wes” Schmid 2359 Lefeber Avenue Wauwatosa, WI 53213 414-771-1545 shschmid@gmail.com
DIRECTORS EMERITUS Robert C. Brauer 9345 S. Hoyne Chicago, IL 60643 773-779-2105 photopilot@aol.com
Charlie Harris PO Box 470350 Tulsa, OK 74147 918-622-8400 cwh@hvsu.com
Gene Chase 2159 Carlton Rd. Oshkosh, WI 54904 920-231-5002 GRCHA@charter.net
E.E. “Buck” Hilbert 8102 Leech Rd. Union, IL 60180 815-923-4591 buck7ac@gmail.com
Ronald C. Fritz 15401 Sparta Ave. Kent City, MI 49330 616-678-5012 rFritz@pathwaynet.com
Gene Morris 5936 Steve Court Roanoke, TX 76262 817-491-9110 genemorris@charter.net
John Turgyan PO Box 219 New Egypt, NJ 08533 609-758-2910 jrturgyan4@aol.com
TM
Membership Services Directory Enjoy the many benefits of EAA and EAA’s Vintage Aircraft Association
TM
EAA Aviation Center, PO Box 3086, Oshkosh WI 54903-3086 Phone (920) 426-4800
Fax (920) 426-4873
Web Sites: www.vintageaircraft.org, www.airventure.org, www.eaa.org/memberbenefits E-Mail: vintageaircraft@eaa.org
EAA and Division Membership Services (8:00 AM–6:00 PM Monday–Friday CST) membership@eaa.org 800-564-6322 FAX 920-426-4873 www.eaa.org/memberbenefits •New/renew memberships •Address changes •Merchandise sales •Gift memberships EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 888-322-4636 www.airventure.org Sport Pilot/Light-Sport Aircraft Hotline 877-359-1232 www.sportpilot.org Programs and Activities Auto Fuel STCs 920-426-4843 EAA Air Academy 920-426-6880 www.airacademy.org EAA Scholarships 920-426-6823 Flight Instructor information 920-426-6801 www.eaa.org/nafi Library Services/Research 920-426-4848 Benefits AUA Vintage Insurance Plan 800-727-3823 www.auaonline.com EAA Aircraft Insurance Plan 866-647-4322 www.eaa.org/memberbenefits EAA VISA Card 800-853-5576 ext. 8884 EAA Hertz Rent-A-Car Program 800-654-2200 www.eaa.org/hertz Editorial 920-426-4825 www.vintageaircraft.org VAA Office FAX 920-426-6579
airventure@eaa.org sportpilot@eaa.org dwalker@eaa.or airacademy@eaa.org scholarships@eaa.org tdeimer@eaa.org slurvey@eaa.org
membership@eaa.org membership@eaa.org vintage@eaa.org tbooks@eaa.org
EAA Members Information Line 888-EAA-INFO (322-4636) Use this toll-free number for: information about AirVenture Oshkosh; aeromedical and technical aviation questions; chapters; and Young Eagles. Please have your membership number ready when calling. Office hours are 8:15 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (Monday - Friday, CST)
MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION EAA Membership in the Experimental Aircraft Association, Inc. is $40 for one year, including 12 issues of SPORT AVIATION. Family membership is an additional $10 annually. All major credit cards accepted for membership. (Add $16 for International Postage.)
FOREIGN MEMBERSHIPS Please submit your remittance with a check or draft drawn on a United States bank payable in United States dollars. Add required Foreign Postage amount for each membership.
VINTAGE AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION Current EAA members may join the Vintage Aircraft Association and receive VINTAGE AIRPLANE magazine for an additional $36 per year. EAA Membership, VINTAGE AIRPLANE magazine and one year membership in the EAA Vintage Aircraft Association is available for $46 per
year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included). (Add $7 for International Postage.)
WARBIRDS Current EAA members may join the EAA Warbirds of America Division and receive WARBIRDS magazine for an additional $45 per year. EAA Membership, WARBIRDS magazine and one year membership in the Warbirds Division is available for $55 per year (SPORT OficAVIATION magazine not included). (Add $7 for International Postage.)
IAC
Current EAA members may join the International Aerobatic Club, Inc. Division and receive SPORT AEROBATICS magazine for an additional $45 per year. EAA Membership, SPORT AEROBATICS magazine and one year membership in the IAC Division is available for $55 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included). (Add $15 for Foreign Postage.)
Membership dues to EAA and its divisions are not tax deductible as charitable contributions
Copyright ©2010 by the EAA Vintage Aircraft Association, All rights reserved. VINTAGE AIRPLANE (USPS 062-750; ISSN 0091-6943) is published and owned exclusively by the EAA Vintage Aircraft Association of the Experimental Aircraft Association and is published monthly at EAA Aviation Center, 3000 Poberezny Rd., PO Box 3086, 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 EAA members and $46 for non-EAA members. Periodicals Postage paid at Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901 and 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, ON N9A 6J5. FOREIGN AND APO ADDRESSES — Please allow at least two months for delivery of VINTAGE AIRPLANE to foreign and APO addresses via surface mail. ADVERTISING — Vintage Aircraft Association does not guarantee or endorse any product offered through the advertising. We invite constructive criticism and welcome any report of inferior merchandise obtained through our advertising so that corrective measures can be taken. EDITORIAL POLICY: Members are encouraged to submit stories and photographs. Policy opinions expressed in articles are solely those of the authors. Responsibility for accuracy in reporting rests entirely with the contributor. No remuneration is made. Material should be sent to: Editor, VINTAGE AIRPLANE, PO Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086. Phone 920-426-4800. EAA® and EAA SPORT AVIATION®, the EAA 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 of the Experimental Aircraft Association, Inc. is strictly prohibited.
38 AUGUST 2010
VINTAGE TRADER S o m e t h i n g t o b u y, s e l l , o r t r a d e ?
Classified Word Ads: $5.50 per 10 words, 180 words maximum, with boldface lead-in on first line. Classified Display Ads: One column wide (2.167 inches) by 1, 2, or 3 inches high at $20 per inch. Black and white only, and no frequency discounts. Adver tising Closing Dates: 10th of second month prior to desired issue date (i.e., Januar y 10 is the closing date for the March issue). VAA reser ves the right to reject any adver tising in conflict with its policies. Rates cover one inser tion per issue. Classified ads are not accepted via phone. Payment must accompany order. Word ads may be sent via fax (920-426-6845) or e-mail (classads@eaa.org) using credit card payment (all cards accepted). Include name on card, complete address, type of card, card number, and expiration date. Make checks payable to EAA. Address advertising correspondence to EAA Publications Classified Ad Manager, P.O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086.
MISCELLANEOUS Flying wires available. 1994 pricing. Visit www. flyingwires.com or call 800-517-9278. AIRPLANE T-SHIRTS 150 different airplanes available. WE PROBABLY HAVE YOUR AIRPLANE! www.airplanetshirts.com or call 1-800-645-7739. We also do Custom T-shirts and Caps for Clubs. w w w. a e r o l i s t . o r g , A v i a t i o n s ’ L e a d i n g Marketplace. Are you tired of hauling to EAA every year? Storage units available for rent as low as $50/ month less than 1 mile from EAA grounds. Call Todd @ (920)850-0502. Looking for Stinson L-5, Lycoming O-435, or other aircraft parts? Check www.StinsonL5Stuff.com
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. Biplane Builder Ltd. Restoration, fabric, paint, fabrications, paperwork with 53 completed projects, Wacos, Moth’s, Champs, Pitts etc. Test flights and delivery. Indiana 812-343-8879 mike@ biplanebuilder.com, www.biplanebuilder.com.
EAA Calendar of Aviation Events Is Now Online EAA’s online Calendar of Events is the “go-to” spot on the Web to list and find aviation events in your area. The user-friendly, searchable format makes it the perfect webbased tool for planning your local trips to a fly-in. In EAA’s online Calendar of Events, you can search for events at any given time within a certain 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.org/ calendar/
Upcom ing M ajor Fly-Ins Colorado Sport International Air Show and Rocky Mountain Regional Fly-In Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (BJC) Denver, Colorado August 28-29 2010 www.COSportAviation.org Mid-Eastern Regional Fly-In Grimes Field Airport (I74), Urbana, Ohio September 11-12, 2010 www.MERFI.info Copperstate Fly-In Casa Grande Municipal Airport (CGZ) Casa Grande, Arizona October 21-23, 2010 www.COPPERSTATE.org Southeast Regional Fly-In Middleton Field Airport (GZH) Evergreen, Alabama October 22-24, 2010 www.SERFI.org For details on hundreds of upcoming aviation happenings, including EAA chapter fly-ins, Young Eagles rallies, and other local aviation events, visit the EAA Calendar of Events located at www.eaa.org/calendar.
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 39
A Different Perspective The right seat BY
W
hich seat in an aircraft is the right seat? There’s the nonstandard pilot in command (PIC) seat, which can be on the right side, the front, or back, depending on the airframe. There’s also the “right” seat where “right” denotes correct, appropriate, or good. Sometimes the right seat can be the wrong seat. Ask any instructor, and she will tell you there have
S. MICHELLE SOUDER
ple refuse to get back into a little airplane because their first experiences had them scared out of their wits? Doesn’t that defeat the purpose of introducing someone to flight? Of course the right seat can be the “right” seat for business or travel purposes; a good flight in the right seat could add another aviator to the field. One of my favorite spots is in the right seat beside my airplane’s former owner. In the “right” seat
Sometimes the left seat is the “right” seat. been times when the right seat was not a good place to be with a particular student. Sometimes, too, a person just isn’t comfortable (or is downright frightened) with the way the PIC is operating the aircraft. The right seat can be the wrong seat—especially for someone who hasn’t flown before if the pilot wants to impress the passenger with their ability and the airplane’s capabilities. Stalls or aerobatics (with certain exceptions) are generally not good ideas for first flights. How many peo-
40 AUGUST 2010
I can completely relax and let my soul be nourished as life’s problems are revealed in the smaller perspective only seen from the air. In the beginning, it was this soul-refilling joy that led me to become a pilot and later the owner of the airplane. It still gives me a thrill. Sometimes the left seat is the “right” seat. Sometimes a particular certification determines who has the responsibility for the flight. Sometimes the passengers are not pilots. Were it not for the left seat
being the “right” seat, there would be no first flights or Young Eagles flights. Sometimes the left seat is the “right” seat to spend time with nonpilot friends or family for trips or sightseeing flights. Sometimes it’s the “right” seat to help someone in need—like the treatment trips provided by Angel Flight or trips to take supplies for disaster relief. Sometimes—maybe most importantly—the left seat is the “right” seat to help a fellow pilot get her feet off the ground when she is not airworthy as a pilot—when she is exhausted (mentally or physically), stressed, having medical issues, or just needs to get away from life for a while. Sometimes getting that different perspective from the right seat—even without words—makes all the difference in the world. The left seat, in this case, is very “right.” Which seat is the “right” seat? It may change each time you fly. Regardless of which aircraft position your seat is, I hope you get some time in the “right” seat very soon. Michelle Souder bases her 1949 tailwheel Piper at 8W2 in Virginia. The “happy little airplane” gets taken on “sanity” flights in the Shenandoah Valley as often as possible. She resides in West Virginia and spends her quality hangar time with a group of folks who enjoy airplanes for the pure joy of flight and appreciate that the third wheel really belongs on the aft end of the airplane.
Drive Green. Ford continues to cut its global water use and improve its energy efďŹ ciency to decrease its environmental footprint, while leveraging its
Drive Green.
organizational resources around the globe to help bring vehicles that consumers want to market faster.
Enjoy the privilege of partnership EAA Members who are considering the purchase or lease of a new Ford Motor Company vehicle should be sure to take advantage of the opportunity to save with the Ford Partner Recognition Program. Get your personal identiďŹ cation number (PIN) and learn about the
All New 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid The most fuel efďŹ cient luxury car in America
great value of Partner Recognition/X-Plan at www.fordpartner.com. Certain restrictions apply. Available
s (YBRID EFl CIENCY MEETS ,INCOLN LUXURY s 0ROJECTED CITY HWY COMBINED MPG
at participating dealers. Please refer
s MILES ON A SINGLE TANK OF FUEL
to www.eaa.org.
s LITER !TKINSON CYCLE ) HYBRID ENGINE NAMED ONE OF 7ARD S h "EST %NGINESv s (AND CRAFTED ECO CONSCIOUS "RIDGE OF 7EIR LEATHER s /LIVE !SH WOOD TRIM FROM SUSTAINABLY SOURCED FORESTS s !RRIVING &ALL
VEHICLE PURCHASE PLAN