Va vol 38 no 9 sep 2010

SEPTEMBER 2010

STRAIGHT & LEVEL GEOFF ROBISON PRESIDENT, VINTAGE AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION

Challenges A i r Ve n t u r e O s h kosh 2010 was an amazing event.

Amazing in so many ways that it’s challenging for me to put it all in words that will allow the reader to fully comprehend what occurred behind the scenes that allowed us to meet all of the challenges put before us.

The leadership is the place to start this dissertation. EAA, as many of you know, has a leadership team made up of key staff personnel, including the president and many others. The primary challenge this team faced in the days leading up to the event was the weather, and the unprecedented wet conditions of the convention grounds.

It quickly became apparent to me that this team was, and continually stayed, focused on the needs of the membership and all of the potential attendees of AirVenture. I never observed any decision-making that wasn’t focused on what was best for the members. At every turn, the organization bit the bullet and made the right decisions.

This is what really made the event the success we were all attempting to obtain, and it all worked out extremely well. So, my personal congratulations go out to Tom Poberezny and EAA’s “A-Team” for your amazing leadership in guiding the organization through what we all observed as being the most challenging AirVenture in our history.

I would be much remiss here if I didn’t also mention that the entire staff of the EAA played a giant part in the success of the event this year.

I personally observed an intense de-

EAA

sire by the staff to engage and be a real part of the reactionary force and see this thing through to the end. Every one of these individuals seemed to step up and play a key role in the execution of the plans that leadership placed on the table before them. So, many thanks to you as well. In my book, you folks walk on water.

I never observed any decision-making that wasn’t focused on what was best for the members.

The Vintage Aircraft Association volunteers are not only amazing, but also a resilient bunch of dedicated individuals. We again experienced an unbelievable increase in the roster of Vintage volunteers during the 2010 event. Last year we finished the convention with just more than 500 volunteers; this year we saw an increase of 20 percent in personnel signing up to volunteer in our area.

I really attribute this phenomenon to those members who don’t normally volunteer with us every year who observed the challenges we were facing when they arrived on the grounds, and I believe a good number of them made a conscious

decision to engage themselves and become a part of the force for good that dealt with these never-beforeseen circumstances.

In the days immediately prior to the start of AirVenture 2010, the soggy, waterlogged grounds limited us to about 20 percent of our Vintage aircraft parking area. When you are confronted with such a limitation, your normal planning goes out the window, and you come up with a new plan, right then, right there!

On the weekend just prior to the start we found ourselves lining each side of the Papa Taxiway (that’s the taxiway that runs parallel to the entire VAA flightline) with vintage aircraft. This long line of aircraft started at the south end of Papa and extended all the way north through most of the Homebuilt area. By parking them along the taxiway, we could accommodate the early-bird arrivals. Then, as the grounds improved we could fill the Vintage camping/showplane display area. By parking them in sequence of arrival from south to north, and getting each pilot’s local contact information, we could accommodate them on a first-come, first-served basis. Now it’s one thing to handle all of these aircraft upon arrival, but another to park them all for the second time since they arrived.

When all was said and done on Tuesday morning, we had parked hundreds of aircraft twice. No small task for sure. But the really amazing thing that was observed throughout these early days of the event was the resilience and overall poscontinued on page 38

A I R P L A N E Vol. 38, No. 9

2010

SEPTEMB E R

CONTENTS IFC Straight & Level Challenges

by Geoff Robison

2

News

4

EAA AirVenture Oshkosh Vintage Awards

6

The Deatons’ Beautiful Family Bonanza

6

Creating a Grand Champion, one step at a time

by Sparky Barnes Sargent

16

The Resurrection of Waco NC15705 An expert craftsman breathes life into a long-stored antique

by Remo Galeazzi

23

Light Plane Heritage The Ludington Lizette

by Jack McRae

26

The Holmes Northrup Airplane An EAA chapter president visits a sport aviation treasure

by David Nixon

30

The Vintage Mechanic Assembly, rigging, control surface checks, and inspections

by Robert G. Lock

34

Conquer your fears

by Steve Krog, CFI

36

Mystery Plane

by H.G. Frautschy

39

16

The Vintage Instructor

Classified Ads

COVERS FRONT COVER: Jeff and Suzette Deaton enjoy their “going places” machine, a 1954 Beechcraft Bonanza. Jeff has steadily restored and upgraded the Bonanza to the point that it has won numerous awards at fly-ins during the past few years. Read more about it in Sparky Barnes Sargent’s ar ticle beginning on page 6.

BACK COVER: Jim Smith, now deceased, restored this snazzy blue Waco YQC-6, now owned

by Chris Galloway. Jimmy Rollison is the pilot in this photo taken over California by James Dunn. Jim’s friend Remo Galeazzi wrote about the process of the restoration in an ar ticle that star ts on page 16.

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 Colleen Walsh

Publication Advertising: Manager/Domestic, Sue Anderson Tel: 920-426-6127 Email: sanderson@eaa.org Fax: 920-426-4828 Senior Business Relations Mgr, Trevor Janz Tel: 920-426-6809 Email: tjanz@eaa.org 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

New EAA President Rod Hightower Above: Tom Poberezny introduces new EAA President Rod Hightower on opening day.

Rod Hightower—EAA Lifetime 357443; a longtime EAA, Vintage Aircraft Association, and Warbirds of America member; pilot; aviation enthusiast; and businessman, was named EAA’s third president on July 23, 2010. Hightower is the first president from outside the Poberezny family in the 57-year history of EAA. His appointment will take effect September 7.

“I’m honored to be selected as the next leader of such a passionate group of aviation enthusiasts as EAA members, since I’ve long been a part of the organization for more than 20 years,” Hightower said after his introduction by Tom Poberezny. “There is much work ahead, but I am eager to start.”

Poberezny, who succeeded his father and EAA founder, Paul, as EAA president in 1989, will continue an active role as EAA chairman and EAA AirVenture Oshkosh chairman.

Hightower’s duties will include directing EAA’s day-to-day operations and member-focused programs. “My training wheels are firmly attached for a while, but

2 SEPTEMBER 2010

job one is for you to get to know me and for me to get to know you.” He also said it was a priority to preserve EAA’s culture and protect the brand.

Meanwhile, Poberezny will use his years of experience and the relationships that he has developed to foster and grow EAA’s business partnerships, philanthropy, and the organization’s endowment.

Growing aviation and EAA i s H i g h t o w e r ’s m a i n p r i o r i t y.

“When you are exposed to aviation early in your life, there is information to suggest that you’re more than likely to stay involved in aviation,” he said. “So I think that the outreach programs, such as the Young Eagles, the SportAir Workshops, the Air Academy— those models that engage people at an early age—that interest can last a lifetime.”

During more than 25 years of business management and leadership experience, Hightower has led domestic and international business operations with as many as 2,300 employees and annual revenues of up to $470 million at companies including Square D Corporation, York, and Public Safety Equipment Corporation.

New EAA President Rod Hightower spent seven years restoring his Boeing Stearman PT-17 biplane.

A pilot and restorer Hightower, who said, “I haven’t been in an airplane I didn’t like,” holds a commercial certificate, and multiengine and instrument ratings. He previously owned and flew a Cessna P210 for business—“The closest thing to a time machine we know of,” Hightower said.

In the late 1980s he acquired a basket-case Boeing Stearman PT-17 biplane, spent seven years restoring it, and has been flying the airplane since July 1997—most recently based out of Creve Coeur Airport near St. Louis, Missouri.

Hightower expects to relocate the Stearman to Oshkosh sometime in the next year.

“The project was a success thanks in very large part to a large number of EAA members who shared their technical expertise, skill level, and good old-fashioned mentoring,” Hightower said. He’s provided more than 30 Young Eagles flights in the Stearman and flies the airplane about 75 hours per year.

He also serves as a director of the National Stearman Foundation and helps organize the annual Stearman National Fly-In in Galesburg, Illinois.

As Promised: Streamlined eAPIS

AirVenture 2010 by the Numbers Despite torrential rains that saturated the convention grounds, extraordinary efforts by EAA staff and volunteers allowed AirVenture 2010 to go on and draw an estimated 535,000 people and more than 10,000 airplanes to Wittman Regional Airport.

Attendance was 7 percent below the blockbuster event in 2009, which was expected. The weather probably contributed to the lower attendance figure, EAA Chairman Tom Poberezny said.

More AirVenture numbers:

• 2,380

showplanes, including 1,106 homebuilt aircraft, 635

vintage airplanes, 374 warbirds, 115 ultralights, 120 seaplanes, and 30 rotorcraft.

• 777 commercial exhibitors, up from 750 in 2009.

• 2,167 international visitors registered from 66 nations,

with

Canada (586 visitors), Australia (350), and Brazil (221) the top three nations.

• Campers

in the aircraft and drive-in area estimated at more

than 36,000.

• 979 media representatives from six continents.

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency followed up quickly on a promise made by Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano during AirVenture 2010. Effective immediately, pilots flying into or out of the United States can access a streamlined, user-friendly Electronic Advance Passenger Information System (eAPIS) process.

The new eAPIS allows users to save up to five recently submitted manifests for a period of 30 days, and recreational/general-aviation users can save up to 10 manifests indefinitely. Users can then use previous submissions as templates for creating new manifests and flight routes.

This action demonstrates the positive impact EAA and other associations have working collaboratively with government agencies like the CBP. In fact, many of the streamlined procedures were developed from EAA member comments made to CBP eAPIS experts in the Federal Pavilion during the past two AirVentures.

If you plan to make bordercrossing flights over the next few months, please let EAA know how the system worked for you, and offer suggestions for making the eAPIS system work even better. Send your comments to govt@eaa.org.

What Our Members Are Restoring

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

N For more information, you can also e-mail us at vintageaircraft@eaa.org or call us at 9204 426-4825.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 3

Vintage Awards This list of EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2010 award winners judged by the VAA volunteer judging corps highlights the outstanding work done by individual craftsmen and women across the country and abroad who took the time and made the effort to bring their aircraft to Oshkosh. Our thanks to each of the more than 635 showplane pilots who flew their aircraft to Wittman Field for their fellow VAA members and the public to enjoy.

ANTIQUE AWARDS (THROUGH AUGUST 1945)

Antique Grand Champion—Gold Lindy Gene Engelskirger, Hinckley, Ohio 1941 Waco UPF-7, NC32032 Antique Reserve Grand Champion—Silver Lindy Presley Melton, North Little Rock, Arkansas 1943 Howard Aircraft DGA-15P, N9125H Silver Age (1928-1936) Champion—Bronze Lindy H. Blazer, Leawood, Kansas 1936 Monocoupe 90A, N15429 Bronze Age (1937-1941) Champion—Bronze Lindy L.J. Nalbone, Faribault, Minnesota 1941 Waco ZPF-7, NC173E

Bronze Age (1937-1941) Outstanding Closed Cockpit Monoplane—Small Plaque Steve Kretsinger, Eugene, Oregon 1937 Piper J-2, N19252 Bronze Age (1937-1941) Outstanding Closed Cockpit Biplane—Small Plaque Ben Redman, Faribault, Minnesota 1940 Waco EGC-8, N2279 Bronze Age (1937-1941) Outstanding Open Cockpit Biplane— Small Plaque William McCormick, Faribault, Minnesota 1941 Waco UPF-7, N32133

CLASSIC AWARDS (SEPTEMBER 1945 THROUGH 1955)

World War II Era (1942-1945) Champion—Bronze Lindy Kirk Erickson, Warroad, Minnesota 1941 Boeing B75N1, N60955

Grand Champion—Gold Lindy Ryan Johnson, Dodgeville, Wisconsin 1948 Piper PA-15, N4469H

Transport Category Champion—Bronze Lindy Pole Pass Airways, Seattle, Washington 1929 Hamilton Metalplane H47, N879H

Reserve Grand Champion—Silver Lindy Sean Soare, Loves Park, Illinois 1946 Funk B85C, N81142

World War II Military Trainer/Liaison Aircraft Champion— Bronze Lindy Larry Boehme, Fort Riley, Kansas 1943 Stinson V77, N9178H

Best Custom—Bronze Lindy George Willford, Waterville, Ohio 1953 Cessna 170B, N3098A

Replica Aircraft Champion—Bronze Lindy Brad Poling, Jeff Paulson, Jim Teel, Scappoose, Oregon Stinson O, NC12817 Customized Aircraft Champion—Bronze Lindy Jim Head, Galena, Ohio 1943 Boeing A75L3, N450BB

Best Custom Runner-Up—Large Plaque Kevin Bower, Oldenburg, Indiana 1946 Aeronca 7AC, N84149 Class I (0—80 hp)—Bronze Lindy Timothy Cannady, Justin, Texas 1946 Aeronca 7AC, N31346

Bronze Age (1937-1941) Runner-Up—Large Plaque Terry Chastain, Pacific, Missouri 1937 Waco YKS-7, N17457

Class II (81—150 hp)—Bronze Lindy Richard Poppe, Waterloo, Iowa 1947 Cessna 140, N4062N

Replica Aircraft Runner-Up—Large Plaque Thomas Wathen, Riverside, California 1934 Caudron C.460, N6989

Class III (151—235 hp)—Bronze Lindy Gary Whittaker, Kingsport, Tennessee 1955 Beech F35, N4282B

4 SEPTEMBER 2010

Class IV (236—up hp)—Bronze Lindy Todd Hitchcock, Star, Idaho 1949 Cessna 195, N3898V Outstanding Aeronca Champ—Small Plaque Danny Harris, Eddyville, Kentucky 1946 Aeronca 7AC, N450AC Outstanding Beech—Small Plaque Larry Leyda, Coffeyville, Kansas 1952 Beech B35, N5175C

CONTEMPORARY AWARDS (1956—1970)

Outstanding Customized—Bronze Lindy Lee Hussey, Martinsville, Virginia 1964 Piper Comanche PA-24, N8455P Class I Single Engine (0—160 hp)—Large Plaque Kevin Weidner, Bunker Hill, Illinois 1959 Piper PA-22-160, N9438D Class II Single Engine (161—230 hp)—Large Plaque Rick Sullivan, El Cajon, California 1963 Piper Cherokee, N63BA

Outstanding Cessna 120/140—Small Plaque Joseph Prato, Livonia, New York 1946 Cessna 140, N76867

Class III Single Engine (231—up hp)—Large Plaque Kenneth Berger, Monroe, Washington 1970 Helio H-295, N6471V

Outstanding Cessna 170/180—Small Plaque Bruce Rhymes, Susanville, California 1954 Cessna 170B, N2865C

The Dean Richardson Memorial Award—Large Plaque Robert Koshar, Watervliet, Michigan 1966 Cessna 172G, N3626L

Outstanding Cessna 190/195—Small Plaque Jerry Shull, Carmel Valley, California 1950 Cessna 195, N369JJ

Outstanding Beech Single Engine Outstanding In Type—Small Plaque Mark Petersen, Poplar Grove, Illinois 1964 Beech S35, N8610Q

Outstanding Ercoupe—Small Plaque S.R. Wooten, Conyers, Georgia 1946 Ercoupe 415-C, N99984

Outstanding Cessna 170/172/175 Outstanding In Type—Small Plaque Floyd Stallings, Vine Grove, Kentucky 1967 Cessna 172H, N8804Z

Outstanding Luscombe—Small Plaque James M. Pratt III, Hoffman Estates, Illinois 1946 Luscombe 8A, N1318K

Outstanding Cessna 180/182/210 Outstanding In Type—Small Plaque Jerry Glatczak, Schofield, Wisconsin 1963 Cessna 182F, N288LT

Outstanding Piper J-3—Small Plaque Mark Hopp, Middleton, Wisconsin 1946 Piper J3C-65, N98394 Outstanding Piper Other—Small Plaque Alan Frazier, Grand Forks, North Dakota 1947 Piper PA-12, N775PA Outstanding Stinson—Small Plaque Robert Potter, Sussex, New Jersey Stinson 108-3, N702C standing Swift—Small Plaque Stephen Wilson, Granbury, Texas 1948 Temco GC-1B, N3876K Outstanding Limited Production—Small Plaque Clu Colvin, Big Cabin, Oklahoma 1947 Consolidated Vultee L-13, N2538B Preservation—Small Plaque John Maxfield, Northville, Michigan 1948 Funk B85C, N1654N

Outstanding Champion Outstanding In Type—Small Plaque David Momquist, Tulsa, Oklahoma 1966 Champion 7GCBC, N9658S Outstanding Mooney Outstanding In Type—Small Plaque Garnet McClure, White Oak, Texas 1962 Mooney M20C, N6255U Outstanding Piper PA-22 Tri-Pacer Outstanding In Type—Small Plaque Robert Reckert, Ellington, Connecticut 1957 Piper PA-22-150, N7603D Outstanding Piper PA-24 Comanche Outstanding In Type—Small Plaque Vegas Viper, Henderson, Nevada 1964 Piper PA-24-250, N8351P Outstanding Piper PA-28 Cherokee Outstanding In Type—Small Plaque Michael Decker, Bangor, Pennsylvania 1967 Piper PA-28-180, N5200L

Custom Class A (0—80 hp)—Small Plaque Brett Lovett, Liberty, Missouri 1948 Piper PA-17, N4821H

Outstanding Piper PA-23 Apache-Aztec Outstanding In Type—Small Plaque Arthur Rosenberg, Jenkintown, Pennsylvania 1965 Piper PA-23-250, N5930Y

Custom Class C (151—235 hp)—Small Plaque Craig Ryan, Corona Del Mar, California 1952 Cessna 170B, N8250A

Outstanding Limited Production Outstanding In Type—Small Plaque Brian West, Miami, Florida 1958 Douglas DC-7B, N836D

Custom Class D (236—up hp)—Small Plaque Robert Kosztyo, Apalachin, New York 1950 Navion A, N5168K

Preservation Award Outstanding In Type—Small Plaque Richard Jones, Mukilteo, Washington 1958 Beech J35, N8370D

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 5

The Deatons’ Beautiful Family

Bonanza Creating a Grand Champion, one step at a time

by Sparky Barnes Sargent JIM KOEPNICK

6 SEPTEMBER 2010

I

f you were at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh this past summer and ambled through the vintage field, you may have noticed a beautifully restored 1954 Bonanza E35 nestled next to a friendly bivouac of enthusiastic aviators. Owners Jeff and Suzette Deaton kept N3214C’s cowling and door propped open so that passersby felt welcome to peer inside the immaculate engine room and plush, wellappointed cabin. After all, N3214C is a two-time Grand Champion winner at national fly-ins (see sidebar for list of awards). The Deaton family, of Morehead City in coastal North Carolina, are frequent fliers in their Bonanza, and Oshkosh is just one of their destinations.

As a youngster in southern Illinois, Jeff loved going over to the local airport to watch the airplanes land. “My dad worked for Ozark Air Lines, and I was just fascinated by airplanes,” he recalls with a smile.

“I started flying with my dad when I was 15, soloed a Cessna 150 in my 20s, and then joined the Marine Corps. My first of many jobs in the Marine Corps was a plane captain on A-4s and Harriers, and one of my many responsibilities was to make sure the airplane was safe to fly—so that has carried over into my own flying during and long after retiring from the Marine Corps.”

Suzette, a reading specialist teacher who teaches K-5 reading remediation, is a willing passenger in the Bonanza. “As for learning how to fly, that’s on my list. Right now, he says I know just enough to be dangerous,” she shares, laughing and adding, “Even though I don’t fly, I am such an aviation enthusiast, and I support Jeff 100 percent. I don’t want to know how much it costs, though—when people ask me how much it cost to restore it, I just say, ‘Beachfront property!’ But the airplane takes me to the beaches—and many other places!”

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 7

JIM KOEPNICK

The Bonanza has clean, sleek lines—and completely restored retractable gear.

Adopting Charlie When the Deatons adopted N3214C in the late 1990s, they didn’t really think of it as a restoration project. It was a bit bedraggled appearancewise, but it didn’t seem to have any visible corrosion or major structural items that needed repair. “I went through the logbooks, so I got the general idea that it’s rough-looking, but there was a good foundation under there,” recalls Jeff. “The guy had flown it 12 hours in the previous six years, and there was a lot of haggling over the price—finally he came down, and I bought it. It wasn’t really flyable at the time; I couldn’t get the gear up, and the radios only worked intermittently—it took six weeks just to get it safe to fly. Then after that, as we flew it on short trips, all the little demons and gremlins we didn’t know about started rearing their heads.”

Committed to the concept of continually improving the airplane as needed, Jeff diligently and carefully guided its restoration, accom-

8 SEPTEMBER 2010

plishing much of the work himself.

Throughout those nine years, he continued flying the Bonanza, setting aside time primarily during the winters to tackle those gremlins one by one. “Usually I’d down the airplane in late November, until around April,” shares Jeff. “I would spend all that time doing my major projects and then bring it back up and fly in the spring. And maybe I’d do one medium-size project in the summer.”

Along the way, one incidental item became the source of N3214C’s nickname. It was a special-order prop cover with the plane’s registration number. Jeff had placed the order over the phone, and after annunciating “C,” which wasn’t clearly understood, casually stated it again as “you know, ‘C,’ as in ‘Charlie Girl.’” Lo and behold, when he received the finished cover, it had been embroidered with “Charlie Girl” instead of “C.” Jeff removed the stitching for “Girl,” but left “Charlie” intact, and the name stuck.

Twins!

During those nine years, the Deatons welcomed two more into their family. No, not airplanes, but twin baby boys who made their premature arrival on May 30, 2001.

Blake and Shane were born at 24 weeks, and each weighed less than 2 pounds. Since Suzette and the babies were in a hospital nearly two hours’ drive away from home, Charlie quickly fulfilled the role of commuter plane. “I’d been up at the hospital in Greenville for three days, and I’d just gone home and had five hours of sleep when they called and said, ‘We need you up here fast.’ So the fastest way for me was the Bonanza; I got up there in about 18 minutes, but I had already missed the birth of the babies. I continued using the plane as a way to go back and forth from Greenville, so I did that through the end of September.”

After both twins had made the transition home for about a month, Jeff and Suzette took them flying— more from necessity than a desire

SPARKY BARNES SARGENT PHOTOS

to introduce them to aviation at such a tender age. “At that time, they were having checkups at Duke Eye Center every six months,” explains Suzette. They had to have eye exams under anesthesia, because when babies are born at 24 weeks, they have something called retinopathy of prematurity, where the retina detaches. So we had all those trips to do, which would have been three hours away by car. Blake’s retinas are fine now after surgery, but Shane has had 11 eye operations, and the retinas are still detached.

So he has to see a retina specialist in Detroit once a year, and if Jeff is not able to fly to Detroit, Miracle Flights for Kids will fly both Shane and I there.”

In between all of the medical appointments early on, Jeff continued to work on improving various aspects of the Bonanza, and safety was foremost in his mind.

“Now, I’m not only flying my wife in there, but also my babies,” says Jeff, “so it becomes even more important to make sure it’s safe, and Suzette was real good about supporting the work on Charlie.

Jeff spent numerous hours detailing the engine compartment.

Competitive Spirit It just so happened that one afternoon in 2001 there was a fly-in at Michael J. Smith Airport in Beaufort, where N3214C was based. Jeff, back from a morning flight, was persuaded to register his airplane for judging. He did so, rather hesitantly, and went home to do some yard work. Later that afternoon, he and Suzette went to the airport and discovered that their Bonanza had been selected as Grand Champion.

Jeff, a former football player, felt his old competitive spirit awaken.

A few months later, he flew to another local fly-in in New Bern, where the Bonanza won again. Inspired by these awards, Jeff asked if the airplane might qualify to win an award at a national fly-in. The answer was a resounding no, but Jeff took that as constructive criticism. “I took the advice of tech experts in the American Bonanza

Close-up view of the old “towel bar” antenna and stinger tail mod, which is designed to give the plane a longer look.

Society and read the articles of others who had completed projects in order to acquire the knowledge to push forward on this endeavor,” says Jeff. “I took two years of really fine-tuning, tweaking, building, and replacing components, redid the interior, and just went through the entire airplane. I took what Beechcraft gave us and polished out some of the areas that I thought would enhance it. I haven’t [personally] done all the work on it, but I’ve been involved in 95 percent of it. If I haven’t been turning a wrench, I’ve been right

there quarterbacking the situation, or being a part of it and learning as I’ve gone along.”

Mix of Original and Mods Jeff strived to maintain the Bonanza’s originality to some degree, while incorporating functional modifications and technological advances. Charlie still has a Continental E225 engine, generator, its original propeller, art deco instrument panel (repainted with new avionics), windows, the two-piece windshield, and its “piano key” switches along the bottom panel.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 9

JEFF DEATON PHOTOS

This is how the landing gear looked right after Jeff “adopted” the Bonanza.

SPARKY BARNES SARGENT

Now that’s a clean nose gear well.

Close-up view of the new Whelen LED strobe on the fuselage, which draws less than an amp.

10 SEPTEMBER 2010

A nice and clean wheel well.

One of the first improvements he made was the paint scheme. Suzette wasn’t fond of the original Bonanza scheme of polished aluminum with orange trim, so Jeff decided he’d like to paint it white with blue and gold trim. Suzette designed the paint scheme by looking at numerous photos of other airplanes and then coloring in an outline of a Bonanza with color pencils representing various schemes. When they settled upon one they really liked, Jeff turned to Brian Strong at Blue Sky Aviation for the initial paint job.

When it came time to revitalize the cabin interior, Jeff did the hands-on prep work of stripping the panel and painting the interior.

Then he turned to Dennis Wolter at Air Mod in Batavia, Ohio. Jeff discussed several items that he wanted to modify, including replacing the

bench seat with individually adjustable seats, to allow him more legroom and a comfortable viewing distance from the panel while flying instrument flight rules (IFR).

And he wanted plush, leather upholstery in the cabin, along with shoulder harnesses for safety’s sake.

“I told him I wanted it to be gorgeous,” says Jeff, smiling, “and that I wanted to take what Beechcraft gave us and very tastefully complement it. He did a phenomenal job.”

The old electrical wiring system—which had evolved over the years into a veritable rat’s nest of bad wires—was completely replaced. New avionics were installed

by Bill Betts and crew of Sparkchasers Aircraft Services Inc. of Smithfield, North Carolina (see sidebar for equipment list), and the battery box was moved forward of the fire-

SPARKY BARNES SARGENT

wall to accommodate the new radios. Jeff puts his instrument rating to good use with all of the crosscountry flying that he does, so new avionics were important to him. “I fly hard IFR, minimum approaches, and I work it when I fly it,” he explains. “It is a nice-looking plane, but it does get flown!”

Other easily visible mods include the paint scheme, stinger tail, and V-35 ventilation system (since N3214C is based in a hot, humid coastal environment). MetCo-Aire Hoerner wingtips have also been installed, along with Whelen LED strobes. “In the cockpit, the PS Engineering 8000B audio panel powers the certified PS Engineering PAV80 DVD system that is custom mounted in the rear headrests, which is great on all the long trips we make,” says Jeff. “We also have a screen that deploys from the front glove box for the front passenger. Combine that with satellite weather and XM radio, and Charlie is very well-equipped to also entertain its flight crew.”

In 2007, Jeff tackled the landing gear. “We took the entire gear system out, replaced the struts, stripped paint, primed, and repainted all of the gear components and the entire belly of the airplane,” he says. “In my line of business with yacht restoration, I’ve done a lot of painting over the years, and I used a HVLP system to paint this. Another project was doing a top overhaul on the engine, and I literally spent years doing an extraordinary amount of detailing work.”

Just one glance in the engine room reveals the results of that detailing—such as the polished baffling and firewall. The old baffling was in pretty sad shape, so Jeff ordered a new FAA/PMA baffling kit from Structural Repair Specialists LLC in Minnesota and used the old pieces as templates when it came time to fit and trim.

Throughout those years of hard work, Jeff remained open to suggestions about improving his Bonanza. In addition to help from his

The well-appointed cabin.

“… I wanted to take what Beechcraft gave us and very tastefully complement it.”

—Jeff Deaton type club’s technical counselors, he also paid close attention to several other folks who were knowledgeable about vintage aircraft. “H.G. Frautschy, Steve Bender, and the late Dean Richardson took the time to help me—I think they saw that I had dogged determination, and a lot of heart,” recalls Jeff. “They took the time to give me pointers to make the plane safe and better— not just to win awards. They really helped and encouraged me—and now it’s my turn to give to somebody else coming up.”

Family Bonanza Now that the twins, Blake and Shane, are beyond the threshold

of constant medical attention, the family flies Charlie on a regular basis up and down the East Coast visiting family, as well as on vacation trips to the Bahamas and to national fly-ins. “We love going to the shows,” says Jeff, smiling, “and this [aviation] fraternity that we’re in is just a wonderful organization to be a part of. I can’t tell you how many people have come up that say, ‘I used to have one of those when I was 19 years old,’ and they’ll get teary and weepy. I think it’s just like opening a time capsule for them. The thing that makes me feel the best is that I’ve never heard somebody say, ‘Gosh, you really took it too far; I wish

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 11

you’d kept it original.’”

Jeff enjoys “putting Blake up in the cockpit with me, and pointing out things to him so he’ll know the instruments. I hope Blake can fly one day; I do try to involve him as much as possible, because I want him to be a part of it.” After all, Charlie isn’t just an airplane to the Deatons; it’s a member of their family. This 1954 Bonanza is richly entwined with their family’s history, and because of that, N3214C’s presentation book can’t help but resemble a family photo album.

12 SEPTEMBER 2010

Thanks to Charlie, 8-year-old Blake is already enamored with flying. “I want to be a pilot,” he says, “and fly a warplane—like a Harrier—or fly an aerobatic plane. I like coming to Oshkosh, and this year, I got to go in the Lancaster—it was pretty awesome!” His brother, Shane, wasn’t with the family during AirVenture, and Suzette explains, “He is so visually impaired and dealing with possible autism, it’s very difficult…that’s why he is not able to be here at the show with us—but he does travel with us

on many other trips that we know he would enjoy.”

Suzette emphasizes that Charlie is a family plane. “The kids go flying with us. I have parents that live in West Virginia, so we fly there to visit, and Jeff’s mother lives in Illinois, so we fly there, too. The airplane just allows us to go places quicker, and Shane isn’t able to sit in a car for 10 hours—so the plane has been a lifesaver, because it allows him the comfort to get there faster. Restoring it really has been a labor of love, and we’re hoping to

N3214C Awards Grand Champion, Contemporary—VAA Chapter 3, May 2001 Grand Champion—EAA Chapter 1171, October 2001 Best Custom Classic over 165 hp—Sun ’n Fun Fly-In at Lakeland, Florida, 2004 Best Custom Classic—Burlington VAA Chapter 3, May 2004 Outstanding Beechcraft—AirVenture Oshkosh 2004 Outstanding Classic—Sun ’n Fun 2005 Best in Show—Burlington VAA Chapter 3, May 2005 Outstanding Custom Class C—AirVenture Oshkosh 2006 Best Custom Classic—Sun ’n Fun Fly-In at Lakeland, Florida, 2006 Best Custom Classic Runner-Up—AirVenture Oshkosh 2006 Grand Champion Custom Classic—Sun ’n Fun Fly-In at Lakeland, Florida, 2007 Charles Lindbergh Award Winner Best Custom Classic—AirVenture 2007 Featured in the EAA movie Spirit of Aviation narrated by Harrison Ford—2008

N3214C Equipment

JIM KOEPNICK

pass this down to Blake one day. No matter if we get another airplane— we’ll always keep Charlie.”

The Deatons are quite pleased with Charlie as their family flier— it can carry 725 pounds with full fuel (56 gallons). It cruises at 155 knots with a fuel burn of around 9.8 gph, giving it a range of four hours and 45 minutes. Yet Charlie is more than just a mode of quick family transportation, an excellent IFR-cross country machine, and an award-winning showplane. It’s also a form of community outreach. “I

PS Engineering PMA 8000B audio panel w/cell phone and MP3 interface Garmin GNS 530W (WAAS certified) NSD-360 HSI King KX 155 including second G/S Garmin GTX 330 transponder with traffic S-TEC 30 autopilot with/alt and GPS JPI EDM-700 engine monitor with fuel flow Digital voice recorder and air traffic control playback PS Engineering PAV80 DVD system with two DVDs mounted in rear headrest and one deploying from glove box. AM, FM, XM, MP3, CD, DVD capable. Each seat can have independent entertainment option Garmin 696 hard wired to panel and 530 with XM weather, traffic, and terrain Bose X headsets BAS three-point harnesses for front seats Custom glare shield with selectable red/white lighting with dimmer by Air Mod PAI-700 vertical card compass VINTAGE AIRPLANE 13

SPARKY BARNES SARGENT PHOTOS

Suzette and Jeff Deaton with their son Blake at AirVenture.

used to fly a lot of Young Eagles, and I’ve probably flown about 500 people in Charlie. We used to have an airport appreciation day, and I’d fly seven or eight hours, taking 50 to 60 people flying in a day.”

Encircle the Family The advantages of owning and restoring a vintage airplane and using it as a family traveling machine are numerous, and the Deatons both offer some suggestions about how to accomplish that. “I would say, from my perspective, that you don’t have to start big. If you can find an airplane that has the potential—you’ve got to be willing to put in the work, of course—you don’t have to throw your wallet at it immediately. It is affordable to buy an airplane,” declares Suzette, adding passionately, “and I would especially encourage someone to buy an older airplane and restore it, because [otherwise] these airplanes are going to end up abandoned in a field someplace— and then the future generations are not going to see what a 1954 airplane could look like.”

“I just think they built things better back then. Technology and avionics are better these days, but

14 SEPTEMBER 2010

Blake, with his autographed Team Oracle cap perched atop his head, shows one of his favorite toys.

“…I would especially encourage someone to buy an older airplane and restore it, because [otherwise] these airplanes are going to end up abandoned in a field someplace… .”

—Suzette Deaton these airplanes were built with craftsmanship and attention to detail. You can’t polish plastic, but you can make this airplane look like a gem, if you put a lot of love and sweat into it,” explains Jeff.

“You need to make sure and do your research on what you’re going to buy, and know that you don’t have to fix it all at once. I did it as I could afford it; I never borrowed any money. Get your family involved; take them on a nice trip or do something that shows useful-

ness of the airplane. If you do those things, I think it encircles your family in the whole process. Don’t just keep it in the hangar, where all you see is money going out and not much return for it. I always say it’s like a bank—you get out of it what you put into it; it’s a relationship and takes a lot of love. For me, I get out with interest.” Indeed; Charlie continually pays the Deaton family back with dividends they would hardly have imagined the day they first adopted it.

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The Resurrection of

An expert craftsman breathes life into a long-stored antique BY

16 SEPTEMBER 2010

REMO GALEAZZI

Waco NC15705

JAMES DUNN

H

e watched the elegant blue Waco as it taxied to the end of the runway. The pilot had carefully wended his way downwind, finally turning to face the wind so that he could perform his run-up. He saw that the pilot was ready to move again. As the pilot positioned the

craft on the centerline, the sun glinted off of its beautifully proportioned surfaces. Tears welled in his eyes as he heard the crescendo roar of the engine and saw the craft moving with increasing speed as the tail rose. And then, in a final farewell, it leapt into the air. He watched through blurred eyes until the Waco became but

a speck in the sky, finally completely disappearing.

He walked back to the hangar and sat in his favorite chair, contemplating the emptiness of the place and the emptiness that he felt within himself. Only an hour ago, the hangar had been filled with the stately presence of the Custom Cabin Waco YQC-6.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 17

JIM SMITH PHOTOS

The sub-panel of the instrument panel holds the instruments and the lamps used to illuminate the panel. The beautiful burl walnut top panel is mounted on top of it after the instruments were installed.

It had been such a great part of his life. He had labored on it for so many years that it was almost surreal not to see it resting where it had always been resting for so long.

For years everyone had known that Jim Smith was restoring a Waco up there at the Healdsburg airport. Interested people showed up from all over to view the excellent workmanship and marvel at the monumental task that it was for one man to tackle such a large and complicated restoration. He thought of how he was going to miss those visits, the impromptu lunches, and even the inevitable frustrations when things didn’t go right. As he mused over all of these past experi-

ences, he began thinking of how it all started so long ago.

Waco YQC-6, NC15705 All antique aircraft have histories that one could write books about, and this Waco is no exception. NC15705 was the first YQC-6 to come off the assembly line in 1936, as proved by the serial number on the drawings acquired from the Smithsonian archives. And it was the only one to have its decorative stripe done in this particular fashion. Delivered first to Dan Wallace, Carpinteria, California, with the list price of $7,295 for the airplane that year.

In 1942 after going through the hands of several owners, it was

The wiring was installed precisely as the original was done. Also, you can see the friction tape method used to secure the wood stringers to the steel tube fuselage.

18 SEPTEMBER 2010

A set of new-old-stock flare tubes and control panel were donated to the project by one of the Healdsburg airport folks. Long since illegal to use, the flares were not installed, but the tubes are one of the many original touches added to the restoration by Jim Smith. impressed into military service to perform coastal patrol duties, carry bombs on an improvised bomb rack, and search for submarines off the East Coast. The logbook shows every entry while it performed these duties. According to Navy records, it executed more missions than any other civil aircraft.

After the war, it returned to civil use and was eventually owned by U.S. Air Force Maj. Joseph Rutan.

Rutan then sold the Waco in May 1959 to Robert E. and Anne B. Gardyne, which is where the story actually begins.

Bob and Anne Gardyne flew the Waco to all of the early West Coast fly-ins and to the early Antique

Jim Smith carefully fits one of the side panels to the YQC-6. The firewall “dishpan� on the left is one large spun piece of aluminum.

JIM SMITH PHOTOS

A complete new horizontal stabilizer was constructed by Jim Smith.

Airplane Association (AAA) aviation events, becoming well-known enough to have been pictured in many magazines. The logs showed that throughout the years the Waco had many of its parts repaired or replaced, so Bob decided that the old trooper needed some TLC and dismantled it in 1962, preparing it for restoration. Not long afterward, Anne became ill, requiring constant care. Bob found that because of his wife’s illness and the need to care for his four children, he could not work full time at his engineering job. He opted instead to do consulting work, which enabled him to make his own hours.

In the meantime, the Waco restoration had become a low priority and was set aside. It remained stored for several years when, tragically, Gaardyne’s wife passed away and the burden of raising his family rested fully on his shoulders. Anne was not only Bob’s beloved wife, she was also a pilot and his flying companion. With having to cope with his tragic loss, restoring the Waco was no longer a primary concern.

The Waco languished for many more years, exactly as Bob had originally stored it. Bob himself suffered through some medical problems of his own, fought his way through two open-heart surgeries and eventually lost his medical certificate, which precluded his ever flying the Waco again. Bob later met and mar-

The Waco’s intricate structure gives it great lines, but it can intimidate even the most expert shop. Jim Smith was able to rely on his years of expert craftsmanship to methodically get through the restoration process.

ried a wonderful lady, Marie, who has been his helpmate and loving companion for more than 20 years.

Jim Smith, Restorer, Pilot For those who have followed sport aviation events throughout the years, they may know of Jim Smith. He has been written about and mentioned in many aviationoriented periodicals. Smith is an exacting and meticulous craftsman who has the innate ability to figure out and fix anything mechanical.

After eight and a half years of hard work, he completed the finest Marquart MA-5 Charger ever built. He took so many first places and grand championships at West Coast fly-ins in 1981-1982 that the other entrants groaned when they saw him arrive.

He flew it to Oshkosh in 1982, and the biplane was proclaimed the Custom Built Grand Champion.

Smith had flown his Charger for several years when he started to get the itch to start another airplane.

This time he wanted to completely restore a 1930s vintage aircraft.

His requirements were that it had to possess a beauty of line, be impressive in stature, have a round engine, and be fairly unique. His intention from the start was that if he found one that met his criteria, he would restore it just as it had emerged from the factory, inside and out. This, he realized, was a set of conditions that just might come

to naught, but he looked at ads, followed some leads to dead ends, until entirely by accident he heard through the antiquers’ grapevine that a certain Waco was for sale across the bay and seemed to fit his requirements.

He contacted the owner, Bob Gardyne, and arrangements were made to see the Waco in El Cerrito, where the Waco was stored. Gardyne knew of Smith’s reputation.

Smith had rummaged through the boxes and crates, to Gardyne’s delight, and there was a quick meeting of the minds. That was the beginning of a long and arduous restoration for Smith, and a long, heartfelt friendship among Gardyne, Smith, and me.

The Waco’s Restoration The Waco, at first, seemed to be a fairly straightforward restoration.

But as more and more fabric was removed, and the actual condition of the airframe was revealed, it became obvious to Smith that this was to be a complete and total rebuild. All of the wood on the fuselage needed to be replaced, including fabricating a new door, new formers and stringers, and baggage compartment. He determined that a completely new empennage would have to be constructed, and although the wing spars were in good shape, all of the ribs would have to be repaired or replaced.

An interesting event happened

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 19

JAMES DUNN

when Smith began the reconstruction of the wings. He had intended to take each panel, separately, to his home garage so that he could work on them at his convenience.

The lower wings on the Custom Wacos are less than half of the area of the upper wings, so by definition the YQC-6 is a true sesquiplane.

He felt he would start on one of the lower panels because they should prove to be the easiest.

Smith completely dismantled the first wing he chose to work on, including the rather complex metal fittings, thinking that when he uncovered the opposite panel he would simply use that wing to copy the assembly. When the first panel was ready for the hardware, he brought the other surface home and removed the fabric exposing the inner structure. His eyes almost fell out of their sockets, for what he saw was a totally different set of fittings, and a similar, but not matching, structure. This development was totally unexpected, and took some fancy sleuthing to figure out what needed to take place.

According to the logbook, Smith found that the left wing panel was replaced in 1942. Evidently, while performing its coastal patrol duties, someone had ground-looped the Waco, damaging the panel to the extent that it had to be totally replaced. The only answer to the riddle of the dissimilar configuration is that they must have taken a stan-

20 SEPTEMBER 2010

dard cabin Waco lower panel, shortened it, and matched it as well as they could with the Custom wing.

When Smith placed the wings face-to-face, they didn’t even match in planform. No doubt when both panels were on the airplane it just simply wasn’t discernable. The airfoil on most of the ribs didn’t even match. But for all of those years that the airplane flew since the repair, no one noticed the difference.

It must have flown quite well. This added to the difficulty of the restoration, but now the panels are alike in all of their curvaceous splendor.

Early on, Smith applied to the Smithsonian Institution for copies of the original Waco YQC-6 plans. He was informed that years before a request had been made for the prints, and the person handling the request had sent the original plans instead of copies. The prints were only returned in part, so Smith was only able to acquire what they had on hand. Fortunately, the prints that he received were among the most critical that he needed, and amazingly, they bore his Waco’s serial number.

These drawings were essential because they enabled Smith to re-create the baggage compartment exactly to factory specs, since it had been changed extensively throughout the years. Being a perfectionist, Smith pestered the Smithsonian until it gave him the address of the company that manufactured the wiring for its own antique restorations.

He ordered the wiring as it was originally made for the Waco, keeping faith with his promise to make the restoration as original as possible. He milled all of the woodwork because all of it needed replacing.

As most antiquers know, the Waco Custom has a wood coving over the longerons that imparts the sensuous curvy look that is so important to the Waco. When Smith took his problem to several woodworking shops and learned what they wanted per foot for the coving, he went back to the hangar, machined a tool, and made his own.

Smith also noticed there was a slight sag in the coving behind the top wing root. Every time he walked by he made a remark about that sag. After a few days of this, it was inevitable that some kind of eruption was in the offing. It came in the form of a big swipe with a razor blade. All of the fabric was removed and he was soon hard at work building a substructure under the coving where the sagging occurred. Now, the Waco sits resplendent, its top longeron coving curving in perfect symmetry all the way to the wing fairing.

As an aside, it might be of interest to antique buffs to know that the stringers of these beautiful Wacos, as they came from the factory, were affixed to the frame with friction tape, then shellacked. That presented a problem because friction tape has been long gone from

hardware store shelves, and most clerks, when asked, don’t even know what it is.

Smith had just about given up the search when he decided to try an old hardware store in a nearby town. The old-timer that waited on him said he wasn’t sure about the tape, but he’d go upstairs and take a look. When he returned he was holding a dusty cardboard box chock-full of rolls of friction tape, and they appeared to be in fine shape. Elated, Smith asked how much. The fellow thought for a second, then just handed him the box, saying to simply go ahead and take it because it wouldn’t sell anyway.

Another little anecdote that really boggles the mind is when Smith began looking for a set of parachute flares and canisters that were originally mounted on the Waco. This was a really tough one because they were all discarded when they became illegal to use years ago. Smith received leads that led to all parts of the world, making phone calls to England, South Africa, and even Australia, with negative results.

One day, after he resolved to proceed without the flares, Smith casually mentioned the problem with the flares while he chatted with his neighbor who owned the hangar across the way. The fellow walked away and told Smith he would return in a little while. He did indeed return, and he carried a large carton that he handed to Smith. Smith, not having an inkling of what the box contained, opened it, and stared in disbelief. The box contained three new flare canisters, complete with flares and parachutes, and to top it all off, included the red panel with the flare controls that one would mount on the instrument panel. Everything was in pristine condition, just as they had been manufactured and placed in the box all of those many years ago. The generous donor told Smith that it would be his donation to a perfect restoration.

Bit by Bit The top wings were a monumen-

tal task because of their size. The fuel tanks had to be redone, refitted, and replumbed. The vacuum-operated speed brakes on the lower surfaces were remade from scratch, and the entire operating mechanism was rebuilt. The retractable landing lights became a problem because one of them had a broken gear, and the parts, originally built by Grimes, were no longer available. Luckily, after a long search, Smith found a gear shop that could order a stock gear in the correct diameter with the correct type and number of teeth. But it was too wide, so Smith machined it to the correct width, and it now works to perfection.

In his zeal to keep the craft as authentic as possible, Smith even made two new sets of rudder pedals to match the original factory drawings. The old Johnson bar was retained for authenticity but now operates the parking brake. He made a new instrument panel that was exactly as the original drawings depicted, sent the instruments in to be overhauled, and now each sports the Waco logo. He felt he would be unable to do the quality of wood graining that this restoration required, so

he sent the panel and window trims to a specialist in Washington, who turned them into a work of art.

By tearing down the old seat fabric layer-by-layer, he discovered the original color and material that was used on the original interior. The seats, side panels, and upper lining are now in the original two-tone gray mohair, and the result is rich and tasteful.

When one examines the cabin area, hoping to find modern radio and navigating equipment with which to fly in today’s environment, one would initially be disappointed.

Upon closer examination one would find that Smith has cleverly hidden the radios in the upper left wing root, a neat little door camouflaging their existence. The antennas needed are also hidden within the wings, so that the Waco appears to have just rolled off the line of a 1936-era factory. The stabilizer is all wood, and Smith fabricated a completely new unit, using the original metal fittings. A new vertical stabilizer was also fabricated, including the beautiful plywood fairing that blends into the fuselage.

Metal Smithing As one peruses a Custom Cabin

SPECS The type cer tificate number for the YQC-6 was issued March 2, 1936, and amended to include the ZQC-6 and AQC-6. Eighty-eight of the various Jacobs-powered C-6s were manufactured by the Waco Aircraft Company.

The specifications and per formance data for the Waco YQC-6 is as follows.

Length overall 26 feet 8 inches Height overall 8 feet 8 inches Wingspan, upper 35 feet Wingspan, lower 24 feet 6 inches Total wing area 244 square feet Empty weight 2,050 pounds Gross weight 3,500 pounds Maximum speed 159 mph Cruising speed at 1900 rpm 140 mph Price at the factory in 1936 $7,295 VINTAGE AIRPLANE 21

Waco, it becomes apparent that every junction, save perhaps a couple, has a beautifully formed metal fairing. This fact presented Smith with one of the most challenging aspects of the perfect restoration. All of the original fairings were damaged in one way or another. Some had been torn, some drilled and redrilled in an effort to keep them together, and some bent beyond redemption.

A few, with a lot of work, could possibly be reused, but most weren’t even useful as patterns.

Smith had done some metal forming, but nothing this extensive or exacting. His first efforts were with the side panels directly to the rear of the cowl. He soon found, after hours of fruitless labor, that an English wheel was a must if he was to finish the myriad of other fairings within the following century.

True to the Smith tradition, he built his own English wheel, complete with the various sizes of rollers that he anticipated needing. It looks better than a piece of production machinery and would grace anyone’s workshop. While he was at it, he fashioned a planishing hammer and other gadgets to hasten the work a little. It was a tough job to form the various fairings as they were needed, welding the many components, and fitting them neatly and precisely to the airframe. Anyone examining the finished fairings as mounted on this Waco would find it hard to nitpick.

A little Detour Along the Way Since Smith was now retired, and the Waco was shaping up well, he decided that for a change of pace, he would go in with a friend of his on the restoration of a Funk Bee, especially since he was made an offer he couldn’t refuse. It was an easy task for him, compared to the Waco, and he was able to sail through the work quickly, turning out a better-thannew Funk in short order.

All throughout the restoration, Smith, who is an EAA technical advisor, was available to people needing help or advice at any time. It

22 SEPTEMBER 2010

was not unusual to have two or more people drop by the hangar daily, wanting some help in doing this or that. Smith would patiently describe a procedure, or follow them to their hangars, spending time with each, demonstrating and advising.

Finishing the Waco The Waco, in line with its heritage, was finished with several coats of clear dope, carefully sanded; many coats of aluminum dope, also sanded; and many coats of colored dope, again, finished to perfection.

The metal work was done in enamel.

It was determined that the Waco came out of the factory originally painted Insignia blue in its entirety with a single unique stripe on the fuselage and wheelpants (unique because it seems that it was the only one painted in this fashion at the factory). The stripes and numbers on the wings and tail were, and are, cream, with red pin striping.

Three years before completion, after hearing complaints from other Waco owners, Smith decided to change the brakes and wheels from the original systems. Airplanes in those days were designed to fly from big square dirt fields, the pilot always being able to point the nose into the wind when landing or taking off. Today’s narrow paved runways, sometimes crosswind, present a different set of dynamics, so a smooth, positive braking action is a necessity. He therefore opted for the supplemental type certificated Redline hydraulic units. They were installed in 2005 and proved later to need but a small change to the inner wheelpant fairings.

When the Waco was purchased from Bob Gardyne, it came with a couple of run-out Jacobs engines, but Smith opted to order a new Jacobs R-755 B2 from Jacobs Engine Service in Payson, Arizona. (Jacobs is now owned by Pete Jones’ Air Repair of Cleveland, Missouri.)

The engine, with the exception of using modern hoses and plumbing, was installed as it was in 1936.

The propeller was sent in to be overhauled to new condition and boasts sparkling new Hamilton Standard decals proudly displayed on the blades.

Almost Done

By July 2006, after so many years the Waco was finally nearing completion, needing only the restoration of the wheelpants and its attendant fairings to return the singular beauty to its former glory.

But the restoration came to a halt when Smith had to undergo heart surgery. It was to be a long recuperative struggle, and with the complications of emphysema, his health deteriorated to the point where the completion of his precious Waco seemed impossible.

Time passed, and his health improved so slowly that he felt the most reasonable alternative was to sell the project as it sat. A year passed, and even though his health didn’t seem to be improving, the Waco beckoned. He decided that even though he could devote only a short time every day to the work, he would drive up to the hangar and give it a try. He tackled the wheelpants first, and when after a great deal of effort they were done, he started on the inner fairings, a complicated blending of curves that really tested his mettle. But he did it, and after he installed the final components, he could only sit back and marvel at the beautiful combinations of curves that had been bestowed on this most exquisite Waco. He had fi nally conquered it!

Because of his various health impediments, Smith realized any aspirations he might have had of flying his Waco were also gone. The only option was to see that it went to someone who would truly appreciate this special airplane. Word that the Waco might be up for sale soon spread rapidly throughout the antique community, because Smith’s expertise was well known.

The call that he received from continued on page 38

Light Plane Heritage published in EAA Experimenter April 1990

The Sport Farman as flown by Ludington Exhibition Company.

THE LUDINGTON LIZETTE

BY JACK

n 1926 privately owned sport airplanes were very rare and usually were from World War I surplus stock of Jennys and Standards, which were large airplanes of limited performance and expensive to operate.

At this time there appeared an open-cockpit side-by-side twoseater parasol monoplane with a metal monocoque fuselage. It was powered with a three-cylinder Anzani 35-hp engine. This was the Ludington Lizette, designed and built by the Ludington Exhibition

I

MCRAE

Company of Philadelphia.

The Ludington Exhibition Company had been organized in 1922 by C. Townsend Ludington, a 26-year-old aviation enthusiast, and Wallace Kellett, the American representative of the French Farman Company. In 1923 they imported a 50-hp Sport Farman biplane for the purpose of operating charter flights and giving flying instruction while promoting the sale of Farman airplanes. The Farman was flown for several years, including cross-country flights to the Na-

tional Air Races in 1923 and 1924.

However, they felt the need for an airplane of advanced design with better cross-country performance and durability than the Farman, so the design of the Lizette was started in late 1923, using a smaller engine and a higher wing loading than the Farman. The enthusiastic help of Dayton T. Brown and Roy G. Miller, engineers at the nearby Naval Aircraft Factory, was obtained.

Throughout the design of the Lizette, the highest standards of strength and materials were main-

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

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 23

The Ludington Exhibition Company had been organized in 1922 by C. Townsend Ludington, a 26-year-old aviation enthusiast, and Wallace Kellett, the American representative of the French Farman Company. tained. The basic concept was Ludington’s, the design work was done

by Brown and Miller, with practical suggestions from Robert P. Hewitt, the company pilot.

After the configuration was determined, a wind tunnel model was made and tested for drag and stability and control at the New York University wind tunnel. The lift/drag ratio of 8.9 was considerably higher than for most airplanes at that time. A large amount of aluminum alloy was used in the construction. The fuselage, of smooth skin monocoque design, was unusual because most metal airplanes then used a corrugated skin to provide stiffness, and little information existed for smoothskin design. An agreement was made with the Naval Aircraft Factory, with permission of the Secretary of the Navy, to use facilities for construction and static testing at no expense to the government.

The fuselage was basically of rectangular cross section with rounded corners of large radius to prevent buckling. This simplified construction, since the flat top, bottom, and sides could be cut from sheet aluminum, and only the corner pieces had to be formed.

Wind tunnel tests had shown that this shape had a drag coefficient very close to that of a circular or elliptical section. Bulkheads were located where needed, and longerons were added around the

24 SEPTEMBER 2010

The Ludington Lizette was powered by a 35-hp Anzani engine. cockpit cutout. Fittings and reinforcements took the concentrated loads. Static tests showed the fuselage structure to have strength above the design load factor.

The wing was of more conventional wood construction with two box spars and wire drag bracing.

The leading edge was covered with plywood to the top of the front spar. Aerodynamic twist was built into the wing by using varying airfoil sections of carefully chosen characteristics. The inner portion airfoil was the U.S.A. No. 1, tapering to a Sloane racing section at the tip with a curved trailing edge shape for the outer half of the panel. The ailerons were designed to reduce adverse yaw effects.

The landing gear was of the split-axle type using rubber in compression for shock absorption.

The tail surfaces had no fixed fin or stabilizer but were aerodynamically balanced, and an adjustable bungee on the control stick provided trim change.

A three-cylinder Anzani engine of 35 hp was used, which gave a top speed of 94 mph and a cruising speed of 85 mph. The landing speed was reported to be 50 mph.

Rate of climb was better than that of the Farman, although the climb

angle was flatter.

The Lizette was first flown in 1926 and for several years following and was found to be pleasant and easy to fly. Because of its lower drag and more efficient wing design, the Lizette took off in about the same distance as the Sport Farman. Maneuverability at the approach speed was considerably better, and the side-by-side seating was a desirable feature.

Ludington had hoped to use a 50-hp engine eventually, but since this engine never became available, the possibility was considered of installing two Wright Morehouse engines in the nose “rather like the head of a hammerhead shark.� This scheme was never completed as it appeared to introduce too many complications. It was also considered producing the Lizette in quantity, but the estimated selling price of $4,000 was too high to be competitive with the OX-5-powered Travel Air, Waco, and Laird threeplace biplanes selling for $2,500 to $3,500 that were beginning to become available.

Ludington became a dealer for Waco airplanes in 1926, and he and Wallace Kellett continued on to long, successful careers in the avia-

tion business. Ludington was cofounder of Jacobs Aircraft Engine Company in 1929. In 1930 Ludington and his brother Nicholas started the Ludington Air Lines, which provided the first scheduled service between New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C., with flights every hour on the hour. By 1933 Ludington Air Lines was merged with Eastern Air Transport, which later became Eastern Air Lines. Ludington was one of the original founders of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) from which he retired in 1959.

Wallace Kellett, co-founder of the Ludington Exhibition Company, organized the Kellett Autogiro Corporation in 1929, which built Autogiros in the 1930s and helicopters in the 1940s. In 1945 the company was taken over by Howard Hughes and became the nucleus of Hughes Helicopters Inc. In 1939 Kellett became the first president of Republic Aviation Corporation, which had been formed after the reorganization of the Seversky Aircraft Corporation.

References: AOPA Pilot magazine, July 1960, March 1968. The Aircraft Year Book, 1927. Taschenbuch der Luftflotten, 1928.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 25

Don (left) and Dale Holmes and their heavily modified Northrup glider, the Holmes Northrup.

COURTESY OREGON AVIATION HISTORICAL SOCIETY

The Holmes Northrup Airplane An EAA chapter president visits a sport aviation treasure BY

DAVID NIXON

EAA 0398688, VAA 720260 I am a dyed-in-the-wool airplane nut. I have read and reread my dad’s 50-year-old issues of Sport Aviation many times. I grew up in and around aviation, listening to stories of airplanes in barns and the like. I can’t help but slow down when I drive around hangars, old barns, and out buildings. You never know what you are going to find or when you will find it. Becoming the 2008 president of EAA Chapter 1345, the Bend High Desert Flyers, presented such a moment. I was doing a phone survey of the chapter membership activity and intro-

26 SEPTEMBER 2010

ducing myself to everyone on the roster, which naturally led to airplane and project talk.

One member in particular, Gerald Holmes, and I were having a conversation about his projects. He told me he had an “RV-4 project and the remains of my dad’s and uncle’s homebuilt that was powered by a Long engine.” As he was talking, in my mind I heard the sound of a needle being dragged across a record (scrreeeeecch!). I asked, “Do you mean a Long Harlequin, a Les Long Harlequin, the two-cylinder-holy-grail-of-home-

building engine?”

“Yes,” he said matter-of-factly.

He proceeded to tell me the story of his father, Don Holmes, and uncle, Dale Holmes, who were part of the “Beaverton Outlaws.” Don and Dale Holmes built and flew their own airplane in 1929. It was flown and modified continuously until 1937 when it was dismantled. Gerald was surprised that I knew about the Harlequin, and we talked about the 1933 Flying and Glider Manual (republished

by EAA) and its contents, including Les Long, his Longster airplane, and the plans for the engine.

DAVID NIXON COURTESY GERA LD HOLMES

The certificate of registration and identification mark authorization for the Holmes.

We m a d e a r r a n g e m e n t s f o r me to visit this important part of sport aviation and Oregon’s aviation history. Gerald filled me in on the airplane’s history. The airplane was built from plans as a primary, single-seat Northrup Glider. It was built in a shed on their farm in Middleton, Oregon. It was launched by a crew pulling a bungee cord, then by auto tow.

The Holmes brothers experimented with design and modifications, usually after a hard landing.

They modified it over time to have an enclosed fuselage, they added 6 feet to the wingspan, experimented with three different tail designs, added landing gear, and eventually mounted a B-87, 30-hp Long Harlequin engine purchased from Les Long of Cornelius, Oregon. Don and Dale built their own propellers to a high finish, beginning with a double-bit ax to rough it out and finishing it with a draw knife and planers. They added copper leading edges and cloth reinforcements to the blade tips as well. They machined a Model T rear wheel hub for a propeller hub.

These modifications led to the final model—the Holmes Northrup airplane. It was licensed by the state of Oregon and given an Oregon Airplane license plate, number 13. The Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) registered it as number 10675.

The airplane was regular visitor to grass strips around Aurora, Newberg, Sherwood, Middleton, and Hillsboro, Oregon. For a time

Don and Dale built their own propellers to a high finish, beginning with a double-bit ax to rough it out and finishing it with a draw knife and planers. in the mid-1930s, it was based at Bernard’s Airport. Gerald told me some of their flying stories. The most amazing one was when one of the brothers got caught on top of the Willamette Valley clouds and ended high up near the slopes of Mt. Hood. There were no bad crackups or accidents.

It was flown regularly for an eight-year period—quite an

achievement for two men who never held pilot certificates! It was dismantled for safety reasons in 1937. When the airplane was dismantled, the wing spars became part of their new boat project, the flying and landing wires became clothesline, and the landing gear went on their homebuilt wheelbarrow. The engine, prop, and miscellaneous pieces were put in storage.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 27

DAVID NIXON COURTESY GERALD HOLMES

The Long B-87 engine was created by pioneering lightplane builder Les Long.

One of the remaining pieces of the Holmes Northrup is the instrument panel. The oil pressure and tachometer on the top are not real; they’re just decals! The real tachometer features a hand-drawn face, and on the opposite side of the panel is an oil pressure gauge.

COURTESY OREGON AVIATION HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Another view of the Holmes.

Gerald learned of the family’s’ aviation history while growing up listening to the stories and meeting other pioneers of our modern EAA movement like Les Long, George Bogardus, and Myron Buswell. He eventually collected as many of the remains of the old airplanes as he could find. That included the engine, propeller, instrument panel, two ribs, various fittings, etc. He talked with his dad, Don, and uncle, Dale, about the ship. Gerald collected the family photos of Don and Dale during their flying days for reference.

Seeing the picture collection, then looking at the parts that survived is amazing.

The “instrument” panel for the ship is very interesting. The ta-

28 SEPTEMBER 2010

chometer was homemade, it had a duel magneto switch modified for a single magneto, and the throttle is a push/pull cable similar to a choke cable coming out from the panel. It did not have an airspeed indicator, but a decal representing one! Gerald collected the original 12-inch wire wheels after their second life of service to a wheelbarrow.

The engine is a beautiful piece of machinery. I am amazed at the inventiveness and ingenuity of Les Long in his design. He cleverly used off-the-shelf Harley-Davidson “74” cylinders, Continental Star connecting rods, Willys-Six wrist pins, Dow aluminum pistons, etc. to assemble an engine at low cost. That is not unlike the VW and Half VW

conversions of today.

Not ones to stop experimenting, the Holmes brothers also modified their engine when the crank broke. They turned their own replacement crankshaft out of a billet steel blank purchased from Les Long. Don and Dale modified the crank to accommodate better bearings, as well as modifying the crankcase as Les Long had done.

The engine bears the scars of construction, use, and repair.

With the assistance of his Uncle Dale, Gerald has since reconstructed the ribs and fuselage. He plans to rebuild the airplane to nonflying status as a tribute to Don and Dale Holmes.

It was a great experience to see and learn about the Holmes family and their historic Oregon homebuilt aircraft. I am proud to think of the part Oregon played in the early movement of, and continues to play in, EAA. After this experience I guess, as an EAAer, I can now safely add the local EAA chapter as a place to find an “old airplane in a barn,” hiding in plain sight.

I would like to thank Gerald Holmes for his help in writing this article.

Bibliography: 1933 Flying Manual.“The Long Harlequin Motor Plans.” p. 58-74. Prepared by P.H. Poberezny and S.H. Schmid. EAA Publications

Pearl is a family friendly film that tells the true story of Pearl Carter Scott, a fearless young girl whose interest in flight is ignited by her close relationship with aviator Wiley Post.

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Vintage Mechanic

THE

BY ROBERT G. LOCK

Assembly, rigging, control surface checks, and inspections n this issue we will discuss rigging of control sur- the aircraft’s attitude. When checking the rudder it will faces in detail, checking control surfaces for condi- be necessary to level the aircraft laterally, which can be tion and operation, and tips on inspecting control accomplished with the ship sitting in the three-point attitude. Just place a spirit level across the longerons systems. So let’s begin.

Aircraft control systems are actuated by either cable and adjust the landing gear (sometimes by letting air or push-pull tubes and are connected to the rudder out of one tire) until the bubble is centered. pedals and stick or wheel mechanism in the pilot’s cockpit. Most rudder systems are cable-driven, while CHECKING THE RUDDER TRAVEL: aileron and elevator systems can be either cable or The rudder should move a prescribed number of depush-pull tube control. The rigging of both cable and grees or inches on either side of neutral, and positive push-pull systems is similar. Once a system is properly stops should limit travel so the surface will not contact rigged, it should provide years of trouble-free service; the elevator. Some stops are adjustable, and some are the only problems we are likely to encounter are wear not. The easiest way to check rudder travel is to level and degradation of cables due to corrosion or friction the aircraft laterally (wingtip to wingtip); there is no on a pulley or fairlead. need to level the ship longitudinally. Tape a plumb bob Aircraft control surface deflection is measured from to the center of the rudder trailing edge and allow the the streamline or neutral position, and travel is given point of the plumb bob to drop just above the hangar in degrees or inches of travel. The use of an inclinom- floor. Mark that point with a piece of chalk. Have aneter can be used to check aileron and elevator deflec- other person move the rudder pedal to one extreme, tion UP or DOWN from the neutral point. A plumb and mark that location on the floor. Then do the same bob and chalk can be used to check rudder deflection to the other extreme. Measure the travel with a proLEFT and RIGHT of the neutral point.

A digital inclinometer works best for measuring angular deflection of flight controls; these units can be purchased commercially, but if you don’t want to spend money on this type of unit, a simple inclinometer can be made in the shop. Figure 1 shows a simple control surface inclinometer I had my students at Reedley College make when I instructed there.

When checking ailerons or elevators it is not necessary to level the aircraft, as an incliA simple control surface inclinometer you can make. nometer will compensate for

I

30 SEPTEMBER 2010

tractor if given in degrees, with a ruler if given in inches. The travel should not exceed the factory specifications. There are occasions when the right travel is slightly more than the left travel for proper spin recovery. If the factory says do it that way, then that’s the way it should be done.

Note that if the vertical fin is offset to compensate for engine torque effect, the rudder should still be streamlined with the fin and not the longitudinal axis of the aircraft. Figure 2 shows checking rudder travel.

the two pieces at the elevator trailing edge; then insert small wood wedges to bring the trailing edge of the elevator to center between parallel wood stringers.

That is the neutral position. Figure 3 shows the process that can be used for rudder and elevators.

Locate the centerline by using padded wood to block the rudder half the distance between the straightedges.

There normally is more UP travel than DOWN travel because the ship is already noseheavy. In any case the travel is always measured from the neutral point of the elevators. Control cable tension should always be checked with the elevators clamped in the neutral position. Otherwise one cable will always have more tension than the other cable depending on whether the control stick is forward or aft.

Remove the control stick lock and continue inspecting cables, pulleys, rod ends, and bearings; if it moves, look at it!

CHECKING AILERON TRAVEL: Most ailerons are rigged with a small amount of droop, so they will streamline in flight. The amount of droop depends on the amount of looseness designed in to the system, but up to about 1/4 inch is normal. To check aileron travel, it will be necessary to remove the droop from the ailerons. Do this by using four pieces of softwood that measure around 1/2 inch thick by 4 inches wide, long enough to bridge the gap between the aileron and wing plus a couple of inches on each side. Glue a soft padding to one side of each piece of wood, and then streamline the ailerons by clamping the wood blocks across the trailing edge of the aileron and wing. Set the inclinometer to zero, remove the wood blocks from both sides and check UP and DOWN extremes. Keep in mind that most old airplanes may have “aileron differential,” which means the UP travel is more than the DOWN travel. Both ailerons should have the same travel within 1 degree. There should be positive stops in the aileron system, and if they are adjustable, small compensations can be made.

Also remember that cable tension should be checked with the surface in the neutral position, so while the ailerons are clamped in neutral, this would be a good time to check tension. If the tension is loose, increase by tightening ALL turnbuckles in the system equally.

That way the travel will not change, but the tension will increase. Usually about half a turn of each turnbuckle is all that is needed. If the tension is quite loose, check the system for worn parts, such as pulleys and/or bearings.

CHECKING ELEVATOR TRIM TAB TRAVEL: Trim tabs always move opposite the elevator travel, and care must be exercised upon initial rigging to make sure they move in the correct direction. When the trailing edge of the tab moves UP, the elevator

CHECKING ELEVATOR TRAVEL: Determining exactly where neutral is located on the elevators can present a problem on some aircraft. Unless there are manufacturer’s instructions, you must assume it is in line with the horizontal stabilizer. To find neutral on a symmetrical stabilizer that has flat surfaces top and bottom, use two straight pieces of 2-by-2-inch soft pine, padded on one side with felt or soft carpet. Clamp the wood on the top and bottom of the horizontal stabilizer, so the pieces are parallel. Measure the distance between

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 31

Checking rudder travel.

Centering the rudder or elevator during rigging checks. moves DOWN and the nose moves DOWN. When the trailing edge of the tab moves DOWN, the elevator moves UP and the nose moves UP. With elevator trim tabs it is common for the DOWN travel to be more than the UP travel. For instance, the Stearman tab travel is 15 degrees UP and 15 degrees DOWN. The Aeronca 7AC is 20 degrees UP and 34.5 degrees DOWN. Cable tension should again be checked with the tab set in the neutral position.

CHECKING ADJUSTABLE INCIDENCE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER: Some aircraft, like the Travel Air, Command-Aire, Waco UPF-7, New Standard D-25, and others have variable incidence horizontal stabilizers that provide for longitudinal trim of the aircraft. Here it is important to know the nose DOWN and nose UP angle of incidence of the stabilizer that, in some cases, may be difficult to locate. If the horizontal stabilizer has a travel of -7 degrees to +2 degrees, then one would level the longitudinal axis of the aircraft. Zero degrees would be parallel to the axis, and -7 degrees would have the leading edge of the top surface 7 degrees below the horizontal plane, and +2 degrees above the horizontal plane. The -7 degrees would represent full nose UP trim, and the +2 degrees would represent full nose DOWN trim. Note: The numbers I have selected here do not represent any particular aircraft; I use them to illustrate how a movable horizontal stabilizer would be checked for correct rigging.

INSPECTION OF CONTROL SYSTEM: Inspection of the control system should be a methodical check of each part of the system. I tend to start at the origin of control surface movement, which is inside the cockpit. Center the stick in the cockpit; this can be easily done by measuring from

32 SEPTEMBER 2010

a fixed point, perhaps the upper longerons, to determine where exact center is located. Place the control stick at that point and clamp (or use a bungee cord) it in place. Check the position of the ailerons; they should droop slightly, the same amount on each wing trailing edge. With the stick fixed, move the aileron trailing edges UP and DOWN to check for looseness or slop in the system. There will always be some but not an excessive amount. Always remember that cable tension should be checked with the surface clamped in the neutral position. On older aircraft, cable tension is light, perhaps 15 to 25 pounds. If tension is too loose, control movement is sloppy; if tension is too much, control surface movement is stiff and heavy.

Remove the control stick lock and continue inspecting cables, pulleys, rod ends, and bearings; if it moves, look at it! Also remember that cables normally fray where they lay on a pulley or fairlead. When inspecting the New Standard D-25s, I loosen aileron cables every 100 hours, pull the cables away from fairleads, and run a rag along the cable to detect any fraying. And believe me, I’ve found some frayed cables!

Do not be lulled to sleep by just checking the cables between pulleys and fairleads. You won’t find any damage there except perhaps corrosion. The damage could be hidden by the pulley or fairlead.

Move the controls to see if they touch the positive stops and that all pulleys rotate as cables move. This job usually takes two people—one to move the surface and one to inspect the cables and pulleys.

Hold each control surface at the trailing edge and pull fore and aft, looking for any looseness in the attach fittings. If there is looseness, find out why and fix it. All bolts that attach control surfaces to primary structure should be fastened with castle nuts and safetied with cotter pins. Locknuts should not be used (unless specifi ed by the manufacturer), because the bolt is subject to rotation. Check the fabric covering for condition. There should be no cracks in the fi nish or filler coats that expose fabric weave to sunlight. If there are, fix them.

In conclusion, you are checking all moving parts for security and condition and for proper operation. During restoration, it is always a good idea to do some subassembly to check for rigging of the moveable stabilizer, elevators, and rudder. It is also a good opportunity to write rigging notes, so the ship can easily be rigged when completed. During this phase the tail wheel steering system can also easily be rigged, because it is difficult once the ship is covered with fabric.

Control systems on the older aircraft are relatively simple in design, but they require close inspection and regular maintenance to keep in good shape.

Pearl is a family friendly film that tells the true story of Pearl Carter Scott, a fearless young girl whose interest in flight is ignited by her close relationship with aviator Wiley Post.

To sign up for DVD release information visit

wWw.pearlthemovie.net

Vintage Instructor THE

BY Steve Krog, CFI

Conquer your fears ll of us who fly, or once flew, regularly have dealt with fear. Fear of the unknown when first learning to fly, fear of the weather closing in around us as we tried to stretch a fl ight to destination, or fear of landing at the destination because of wind and weather.

Fear is defined as the feeling one has when danger or trouble is near, or a feeling of being uneasy.

Most of the flight experiences that create a bit of fear are learning experiences and teach each of us a good lesson. How many times during your flying career have you quietly said to yourself, “I’ll never do that again!”? You learned from that experience.

I had an experience like that on my second flight lesson; it’s an experience that occurred 40 years ago but is still vividly imprinted on my mind to this day. With no ground instruction prior to the lesson, or flight demonstration by the instructor once in the air, my instructor asked me to perform a power-off stall. I applied carburetor heat and reduced power as directed, and then I began applying back pressure on the yoke.

The stall warning light began to flicker, followed by some buffeting. With me still applying back pressure, the airplane pitched nose down.

Instantly fear took over.

My instincts told me to pull even harder on the yoke; after all, the book I had been given to read stated: When the nose of the aircraft is pointed downward, gently apply back pressure to raise the nose.

I pulled with every bit of strength I had, but the airplane continued in a nose-down attitude. Then the airplane decided to roll sharply to the left.

Again, I recalled what the book stated: Gently ap-

A

ply opposite aileron to lift the down wing to a level attitude. I had the yoke turned hard to the right, all the way to the control stop. The airplane was now not only pointed downward but also turning sharply to the left, and the world below was spinning rapidly, reaching up to smack my little Cherokee 140. I was sure that I was going to meet my maker in the next few seconds.

Finally, after a four-turn spin, my instructor took the controls, applied the correct input, and soon resumed straight and level flight. I was panic-stricken. This was only my second lesson and the fourth time I had even been flying in an airplane in my life.

Recognizing my mental state, the instructor finally did the correct thing and flew the airplane back to the airport. Not once during the return flight, nor after we were on the ground, did he explain to me what had happened. He just marked my flight log with “Unsatisfactory” for performing stalls.

That evening, still shaken by what had happened, I decided that flying was obviously not for me. I’d be better off—and live a longer life—if I took up canoeing.

Several days passed, and the fear of that fl ight was still stuck firmly in my gut; I couldn’t shake it.

Another several days passed, and another instructor called me. I told him what had happened and that I no longer wanted to fl y. It took a calm voice and a lot of understanding, but he finally convinced me to give it another try—but not with the fi rst instructor. I proceeded with my fl ight lessons and gradually overcame my fear of stalls, thanks to the second instructor; however, the idea of doing spins terrified me!

The fear of spins continued to gnaw away at me.

Most of the flight experiences that create a bit of fear are learning experiences and teach each of us a good lesson.

34 SEPTEMBER 2010

I read all about spins in different flight manuals and convinced myself that tomorrow I’d try doing a spin. The next day that knot in my stomach instantly grew to boulder size, and I talked myself out of doing a spin. Tomorrow will be a better day for doing a spin or two, right?

I finally sought out a friend who was comfortable with spinning an airplane and asked if I could ride along. He showed me how to do a spin, and we did about a half dozen spin entries and recoveries. I was still quite uncomfortable, but at least I now knew a little more about them. Back in my own plane, I’d climb to a safe altitude, preparing to try a spin, but every time I’d set up to do one, my stomach knot would again grow to boulder size.

Finally, I decided to meet this fear head-on and contacted a flight instructor who was familiar with teaching spins, and I bought an hour of dual instruction. We did one- and two-turn spins for the entire hour. Then I rented his airplane and did an hour of solo spins! My stomach-demon finally met his match and was gone. Spins became nothing more than another maneuver, much like power-off and power-on stalls. This instructor had taken the time to explain every control movement to me, and he talked me through the first four or five spins. It was a simple cure to a condition I acquired on my second flight lesson; something I’d allowed to fester for several years.

I recently had the opportunity to speak at a flight safety seminar about transitioning from tricycle to conventional (or tailwheel) aircraft. At the conclusion of the talk, I asked a simple question of the approximate 150 people attending the seminar: “How many of you have encountered a situation while flying that continues to gnaw at the pit of your stomach long after the flight was concluded?”

Initially no one raised a hand. Pilots are all macho types, right? But slowly hands began to rise until nearly half of the attendees were showing hands.

Then I asked, “How many of you have sought the counsel of another pilot or instructor to talk about and deal with that fear-causing experience?” All the hands came down.

Looking back on my second flight experience and the fear encountered, I’ve often wondered how many hundreds, if not thousands, of other potential pilots have dealt with a similar situation and just walked away from the pleasure and satisfaction of learning to fly. I’ve met many of these individuals at various social gatherings, and they have shared with me their experience after learning that I have been an active flight instructor for more than 38 years. What a shame it is to have denied these many people the opportunity to experience the pleasures of fl ying a small airplane and seeing the world from above.

When I decided to pursue being a certificated flight instructor, I made a vow to myself that I continue to uphold on every dual flight to this day.

That vow is to never scare a student pilot. Nor do I try to scare a seasoned pilot when giving them a flight review.

A little fear or anxiety, if properly channeled, can be a good thing. Fear can enhance a pilot’s sight, sound, and motor skills. I would much rather work with a student who has some apprehension than one who is fearless. Overcoming the anxiety of doing a stall, for example, can easily be conquered, provided it is thoroughly explained and followed by a step-by-step demonstration, then practiced over and over. Apprehension is defeated, and the student has acquired an increased level of skill and understanding.

Because of my earlier fear of spins, I teach spins to every student with whom I fly. Taught as just another maneuver, students young and old begin to look at spins as something other than a flight condition causing stomach-knot fear. By the time the stall/spin segment of fl ight training is concluded, students will ask if they can do a spin or two when I send them out for solo practice. That request always brings a smile to my face.

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VINTAGE AIRPLANE 35

by H.G. FRAUTSCHY

MYSTERY PLANE This month’s Mystery Plane comes from a small collection of photos sent to us by Duffy Thompson of Lakeland, Florida.

It’s a foreign design, but the photo was taken on the eastern seaboard of the United States.

Send your answer to EAA, Vintage Airplane, P.O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086. Your answer needs to be in no later than October 15 for inclusion

in the December 2010 issue of Vintage 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.

JUNE’S MYSTERY ANSWER ur June 2010 Mystery Plane came to us from Louis King of Houston, Texas. Our first answer came from Robert Brown of Marietta, Georgia.

The June Mystery Plane is easy, Pop Johnson’s Regent Rocket, but identifying when the photo was taken is tough. When compared with the photo

O

36 SEPTEMBER 2010

released when the first flight was announced in 1951, gear doors and an ADF loop have been added and the striping behind the rocket image on the cowl seems to be darker. The background is also different. The Regent was built at the Rusk County Airport in Henderson, Texas, but Johnson later moved to Pearland, Edinburg, and

McAllen, all in Texas. His last effort was building a factory in Lafayette, Louisiana, to build an updated version of the Regent as the Johnson 260 and a twin-engine version as the Johnson 450. I don’t know whether the prototype got to Lafayette; an unfinished fuselage wound up in the possession of Mr. Ferguson, the FBO at McAllen, so

it is possible that the Regent Aircraft assets may have all been lost to creditors in McAllen. The prototype Regent wound up in the possession of an Illinois crop duster named Carroll who lost it in a fire after a forced landing in New Mexico circa 1960. An unfinished Regent was last seen in Minnesota but has disappeared since the death of the owner, “Navion Mike� Nalick.

Roger Baker of Carlsbad, California, sent us this from a website he ran across, probably at www.

ProbertEncyclopaedia.com: The Regent Rocket was an American five-seater cabin monoplane of the 1950s built in two models: the Regent Rocket 260 powered by a 260hp Lycoming GSO-435-C2 six-cylinder horizontally opposed air-cooled engine providing a top speed of 320 kmh, and the Regent Rocket 400 powered by a 400-hp Lycoming GO-580-D eightcylinder horizontally opposed aircooled engine providing a top speed of 352 kmh. The Regent Rocket was a low-wing cantilever monoplane of metal construction, identical in both models except for the engine.

Other correct answers were received from Doug Rounds, Zebulon, Georgia; Wayne Muxlow, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Orval Fairbairn, Port Orange, Florida (Orval owns one of the remaining Johnson Rockets); and Wes Smith of Springfield, Illinois.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 37

The Resurrection of Waco NC15705 continued from page 22 Chris Galloway and Jim Rollison intrigued. If Galloway decided to purchase the Waco after inspecting the sum total of all of his years of work, it seemed to Smith that it would be a sale brokered in heaven. Galloway is one of those people that have a complete and total appreciation of the wonderful aircraft of the 1930s. Rollison, who was going to help Galloway detail the Waco and check him out in it, seemed the perfect way for the airplane to start a new life.

Rollison, airline pilot, lover of antique aircraft, and owner of several rare antiques, including the only 450-hp Laird Speedwing and a Ryan STM, is known for having more energy than any three people, the ability to fix anything aeronautical, and fly anything that has the slightest semblance of wings.

When they both examined the Waco, Galloway became the new owner. Rollison spent several days going over the systems, making adjustments, and finally proclaimed the Waco was ready to fly to its new home, joining the other aircraft in Galloway’s stable at the Yolo County airport.

As Smith closed up the hangar

38 SEPTEMBER 2010

doors that day after Rollison flew the Waco to its new nest, it wasn’t with a sense of loss. Rather, it made him feel proud that he was the instrument that had given this great aircraft a new life, and he was happy and content with the knowledge that the new owner would cherish it until another generation would come along to venerate this unique beauty of the 1930s.

When Rollison flew the Waco to its home field in Yolo County, he later reported that shortly after takeoff, the cylinder head temperature and oil pressure moved up to the redline.

Soon after, however, both instruments slowly moved back into the green, and the flight to the Waco’s home field was uneventful and all systems worked perfectly. Rollison was delighted to find that the controls were smooth, quite sensitive for a large cabin airplane, and that the craft literally flung itself into the air after a short run of perhaps a couple of hundred feet, with its initial light load.

The Waco is starting a brand new life, and will bring much pleasure to Galloway and to the myriad spectators who will be able to savor its classic beauty wherever it is flown.

STRAIGHT & LEVEL continued from IFC itive attitude of the membership who brought their aircraft to AirVenture. This was a really amazing reaction to watch develop. And to think that a huge number of these folks knew of the challenges before they launched for Oshkosh, and they still made the decision to come in spite of these challenges.

They understood the challenges and rolled with the revised plan, and nearly everyone did it with a positive spirit and a smile on their face.

The attitude of all of our volunteers was particularly heartwarming to me. These folks have impressed me for many years now, but this event saw their mettle tested to the maximum, and they met all the challenges head on and accomplished what seemed impossible a few days before, when ankle-deep water was literally running at speed down a few of the paved areas.

I remember sharing with the leadership of the Vintage Parking & Flightline Safety group that had I gazed into a crystal ball two weeks prior to this event and saw what was headed toward us, I would have had to seriously question the division’s ability to prevail over all of these obstacles. I can now easily say that I will never again question their ability to prevail over such ominous circumstances. You folks are nothing short of amazing to me.

Job well done!

I can only hope that these few short words will prove to be sufficient in thanking you all for your individual efforts in making the 2010 event the absolute success it was. I hope to see you all again next year!

VAA is about participation: Be a member! Be a volunteer! Be there!

Come share the passion! See you at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh July 25July 31, 2011.

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 (920-426-4828) or e-mail (classads@eaa.org) using credit card payment (all cards accepted). Include name on card, complete address, type of card, card number, and expiration date. Make checks payable to 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 1-800-6457739. We also do Custom T-shirts and Caps for Clubs.

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 web-based tool for planning your local trips to a fly-in. We invite you to access the EAA online Calendar of Events at http://www.eaa. org/calendar/

Upcom ing M ajor Fly-Ins Mid-Eastern Regional Fly-In Grimes Field Airport (I74), Urbana, Ohio September 11-12, 2010 www.MERFI.com

Virginia Regional Festival of Flight Suffolk Executive Airport (SFQ), Suffolk, Virginia April 30-May 1, 2011 www.VirginiaFlyIn.org

COPPERSTATE Fly-In Casa Grande Municipal Airport (CGZ), Casa Grande, Arizona October 21-23, 2010 www.COPPERSTATE.org

Golden West Regional Fly-In and Air Show Yuba County Airport (MYV), Marysville, California June 10-12, 2011 www.GoldenWestFlyIn.org

Southeast Regional Fly-In Middleton Field Airport (GZH), Evergreen, Alabama October 22-24, 2010 www.SERFI.org U.S. Sport Aviation Expo Sebring Regional Airport (SEF), Sebring, Florida January 20-23, 2011 www.Sport-Aviation-Expo.com Sun ’n Fun Fly-In Lakeland Linder Regional Airport (LAL), Lakeland, Florida March 29-April 3, 2011 www.Sun-N-Fun.org AERO Friedrichshafen Messe Friedrichshafen, Friedrichshafen, Germany April 13-16, 2011 www.AERO-Friedrichshafen.com/ html/en

Arlington Fly-In Arlington Municipal Airport (AWO), Arlington, Washington July 6-10, 2011 www.ArlingtonFlyIn.org EAA AirVenture Oshkosh Wittman Regional Airport (OSH), Oshkosh, Wisconsin July 25-31, 2011 www.AirVenture.org Colorado Sport International Air Show and Rocky Mountain Regional Fly-In Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (BJC), Denver, Colorado August 27-28, 2011 www.COSportAviation.org

www.aerolist.org, Aviations’ Leading 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.StinsonL-5Stuff.com REAL ESTATE NC GSO-Int Area Airstrip. T-hangars, land and lots. Attn: Fed-Ex pilots call cell: 336-707-8076.

Possible partnership and owner financing. www. steelefield.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.

VINTAGE AIRPLANE 39

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 916-952-9449 antiquer@inreach.com

Jeannie Hill P.O. Box 328 Harvard, IL 60033-0328 815-943-7205

Jerry Brown 4605 Hickory Wood Row Greenwood, IN 46143 317-422-9366 lbrown4906@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 Phil Coulson 28415 Springbrook Dr. Lawton, MI 49065 269-624-6490 rcoulson516@cs.com

Espie “Butch” Joyce 704 N. Regional Rd. Greensboro, NC 27409 336-668-3650 windsock@aol.com Steve Krog 1002 Heather Ln. Hartford, WI 53027 262-966-7627 sskrog@aol.com Robert D. “Bob” Lumley 1265 South 124th St. Brookfield, WI 53005 262-782-2633 lumper@execpc.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.

40 SEPTEMBER 2010

Thank You from Ford and EAA Together We Care!

The partnership between EAA and Ford spans more than a decade and continues to grow. The cornerstone of our relationship is our mutual goal of providing value to you … the EAA member.

EAA is pleased that Ford enhanced the AirVenture experience with the opening day Chicago concert, the nightly Fly-In Movie Theater, and the Living Legends Autograph Sessions at Ford Hangar. Members could also enjoy cars from all eras in the Cruisin’ Legends display, the “hands free” Active Park Assist demo, the latest in automotive technology, and riding in a Model T, Fusion Hybrid and Taurus SHO. The culmination this year was the national unveiling of the 2011 Explorer (AirVenture style) via Erickson Air-Crane helicopter.

It was a fantastic AirVenture 2010! We look forward to our relationship continuing to provide more value for you next year.

Edsel B. Ford II Board Director, Ford Motor Co.

VEHICLE

PURCHASE

PLAN

Tom Poberezny President, EAA

EAA members who are considering a new vehicle can save with Ford’s Partner Recognition Program. For more details, refer to www.eaa.org/ford.

Waco YQC-6