Va vol 42 no 2 mar apr2014

MARCH/APRIL 2014

•Cub Comparison •Meyers 200B •Aeronca 7AC Champ

Dave and Jeanne Allen’s

WACO YKC

Straight & Level

Vintage Airplane STAFF

GEOFF ROBISON

VAA PRESIDENT, EAA 268346, VAA 12606

EAA Publisher . . . . . . . . . Jack J. Pelton,

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Chairman of the Board

Vice Pres., EAA Publications. J. Mac McClellan

2014: A year of real excitement

Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jim Busha

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . jbusha@eaa.org

VAA Executive Administrator. Max Platts

920-426-6110. . . . . . . . . . mplatts@eaa.org

The new year brought us some of the most brutal weather we have experienced here in Indiana over the past 35 years. As I write this column the weatherman is predicting yet another 12 inches of blowing snow for this evening. Again I say, “Oh how I long for the warm breezes blowing through the open hangar door.” Oh well, as they say, “Wish in one hand . . ..” Hopefully that terrorist rodent in Pennsylvania will not see his shadow again this year. Hang in there, folks; it’s got to get better, right?

2014 is truly shaping up to be a very exciting year. The EAA just recently announced that at least a dozen of the Valdez, Alaska, short takeoff and landing (STOL) competition aircraft will be at AirVenture Oshkosh 2014. To me, this display of talent and capable hardware is equal to or greater in entertainment value than any NFL football game. I mean, really, if I only needed one reason to attend Oshkosh 2014, this is it! Yes, I am pumped! The only downside to this news is the fact that I will now need to purchase at least two extra batteries for my Canon HD video-capable camera. This group of aircraft is made up of a mixture of Vintage production aircraft and homebuilts, and we are planning to prominently display these aircraft in the Vintage area during the 2014 event.

EAA continues to monitor and react to the FAA’s overreaching policy of mandating pilots to undergo very expensive sleep apnea testing if your measured body mass index exceeds a specific level. It is projected that as many as 120,000 pilots may be impacted in a very negative way if this policy is mandated. At this particular time our EAA and AOPA advocacy initiatives have managed to get this measure delayed, and the U.S. Congress has introduced bills in the House and Senate (H.R. 3578 and S. 1941) that would require the FAA to follow the standard rulemaking process and provide the aviation community the opportunity to provide feedback and comment on the proposed sleep apnea rules. The FAA has yet to provide any relevant data that would support such a policy. I cannot remember a time when any proposed FAA policy has ever generated the current level of sheer outrage by our local pilot community. As a result, we all need to continue to reach out to our representatives in Congress, especially the GA Caucus, and let them know in no uncertain terms that this proposed policy will have no impact on safety to our GA activities. This initiative is overreaching in nature and is totally unsupported by safety data from the NTSB reports. continued on page 63

Advertising. . . . . . . . . . . Sue Anderson

920-426-6127. . . . . . . . . . sanderson@eaa.org . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Larry Phillip 920-426-6886. . . . . . . . . lphillip@eaa.org

Design. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Livy Trabbold VAA, PO Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903 Website: www.vintageaircraft.org Email: Vintageaircraft@eaa.org

TM

VINTAGE AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION Current EAA members may join the Vintage Aircraft Association and receive VINTAGE AIRPLANE magazine for an additional $42 per year.

EAA Membership, VINTAGE AIRPLANE magazine and one year membership in the EAA Vintage Aircraft Association are available for $52 per year (SPORT AVIATION magazine not included). (Add $7 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.

Membership Service PO Box 3086 Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086 Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM—6:00 PM CST Join/Renew 800-564-6322 membership@eaa.org EAA AirVenture Oshkosh www.airventure.org 888-322-4636

www.vintageaircraft.org

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Vol. 42, No. 2

2014

CONTENTS

MARCH/APRIL 2014 20

Comparing the Classics Setting the baseline . . . the Piper Cub Budd Davisson

26

Dave and Jeanne Allen’s Waco YKC Stately splendor from the golden age Sparky Barnes Sargent

36

Meyers 200B John Lyon’s classic speed demon Budd Davisson

COLUMNS 1

Straight and Level 2014: A year of real excitement Geoff Robison

12 The Vintage Instructor

Observations made by a geezer instructor

Steve Krog, CFI

6

Air Mail

15 Ask the AME

Oxygen in general aviation

John Patterson, M.D., AME

10 How to?

Tram a wing

Robert G. Lock 2

MARCH / APRIL 2014

16 Good Old Days

44

The Other Member of Our Family Part 1, Aeronca 7AC Champ NC1585E Richard “Dick” Pedersen

52

The National Stearman Fly-In A big kid’s Christmas!

Harry G. Ballance Jr.

56

Reminiscing With an Old Friend A classic Stinson 108 stirs up the past Scott Knowlton

COVERS FRONT COVER: Dave and Jeanne Allen are all smiles after winning Grand Champion Antique honors at AirVenture 2013. Mike Steineke photo.

BACK COVER: John Lyons Meyers 200B was photographed by Phil High.

ANY COMMENTS?

Send your thoughts to the Vintage Editor at: jbusha@eaa.org

59

The Vintage Mechanic Aircraft covering, Part 2 Nonstructural aluminum Robert G. Lock

For missing or replacement magazines, or any other membership related questions, please call EAA Member Services at 800-JOIN-EAA (564-6322).

12 What Our Members are Restoring

Beechcraft Musketeer, Model 23

Keith Green 63

Vintage Trader www.vintageaircraft.org

3

Join Friends

of the Red

Barn!

Your support is crucial to the success of VAA’s AirVenture activities and programs VAA members like you are passionate about your affiliation with vintage aviation, and it shows.

You’re the most loyal of all EAA members, renewing your VAA membership each and every year at a rate higher than any other group within the EAA family. We appreciate your dedication! Each year we give you another opportunity to strengthen your bond with the VAA by inviting you to become a Friend of the Red Barn.

This special opportunity helps VAA put together all the components that make the Vintage area of EAA AirVenture a unique and exciting part of the World’s Greatest Aviation Celebration. This special fund was established to cover a significant portion of the VAA’s expenses related to serving VAA members during EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, so that no dues money is used to support the convention activities.

This is a great opportunity for Vintage members to join together as key financial supporters of the Vintage division. It’s a rewarding experience for 4

MARCH / APRIL 2014

each of us as individuals to be a part of supporting the finest gathering of Antique, Classic, and Contemporary airplanes in the world.

At whatever level is comfortable for you, won’t you please join those of us who recognize the tremendously valuable key role the Vintage Aircraft Association has played in preserving the irreplaceable grassroots and general aviation airplanes of the last 100 years? Your participation in EAA’s Vintage Aircraft Association Friends of the Red Barn will help ensure the very finest in EAA AirVenture Oshkosh Vintage programs.

To participate in this year’s campaign, fill out the donation form by visiting our website at www.

VintageAircraft.org/programs/redbarn.html to make an online contribution. And to each and every one of you who has already contributed, or is about to, a heartfelt “thank you” from the officers, directors, staff, and volunteers of the Vintage Aircraft Association!

Nominat ions

C A L L F OR V I N TA G E A I R C R A F T A S S O C I AT ION

Nominate your favorite vintage aviator for the EAA Vintage Aircraft Association Hall of Fame. A great honor could be bestowed upon that man or woman working next to you on your airplane, sitting next to you in the chapter meeting, or walking next to you at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. Think about the people in your circle of aviation friends: the mechanic, historian, photographer, or pilot who has shared innumerable tips with you and with many others. They could be the next VAA Hall of Fame inductee—but only if they are nominated.

The person you nominate can be a citizen of any country and may be living or deceased; his or her involvement in vintage aviation must have occurred between 1950 and

the present day. His or her contribution can be in the areas of flying, design, mechanical or aerodynamic developments, administration, writing, some other vital and relevant field, or any combination of fields that support aviation. The person you nominate must be or have been a member of the Vintage Aircraft Association or the Antique/Classic Division of EAA, and preference is given to those whose actions have contributed to the VAA in some way, perhaps as a volunteer, a restorer who shares his expertise with others, a writer, a photographer, or a pilot sharing stories, preserving aviation history, and encouraging new pilots and enthusiasts.

To nominate someone is easy. It just takes a little time and a little reminiscing on your part.

•Think of a person; think of his or her contributions to vintage aviation.

•Write those contributions in the various categories of the nomination form.

•Write a simple letter highlighting these attributes and contributions. Make copies of newspaper or magazine articles that may substantiate your view.

•If at all possible, have another individual (or more) complete a form or write a letter about this person, confirming why the person is a good candidate for induction.

We would like to take this opportunity to mention that if you have nominated someone for the VAA Hall of Fame; nominations for the honor are kept on file for 3 years, after which the nomination must be resubmitted.

Mail nominating materials to: VAA Hall of Fame, c/o Charles W. Harris, Transportation Leasing Corp.

PO Box 470350

Tulsa, OK 74147 E-mail: cwh@hvsu.com Remember, your “contemporary” may be a candidate; nominate someone today!

Find the nomination form at www.VintageAircraft.org, or call the VAA office for a copy (920-426-6110), or on your own sheet of paper, simply include the following information: •Date submitted.

•Name of person nominated.

•Address and phone number of nominee.

•E-mail address of nominee.

•Date of birth of nominee. If deceased, date of death.

•Name and relationship of nominee’s closest living relative.

•Address and phone of nominee’s closest living relative.

•VAA and EAA number, if known. (Nominee must have been or is a VAA member.)

•Time span (dates) of the nominee’s contributions to vintage aviation.

(Must be between 1950 to present day.)

•Area(s) of contributions to aviation.

•Describe the event(s) or nature of activities the nominee has undertaken in aviation to be worthy of induction into the VAA Hall of Fame.

•Describe achievements the nominee has made in other related fields in aviation.

•Has the nominee already been honored for his or her involvement in aviation and/or the contribution you are stating in this petition? If yes, please explain the nature of the honor and/or award the nominee has received.

•Any additional supporting information.

•Submitter’s address and phone number, plus e-mail address.

•Include any supporting material with your petition.

www.vintageaircraft.org

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Air Mail Stearman spins, sleep apnea, Eignungsfeststellung and more . . .

Steve, I really enjoyed your article on stalls. I am old school and was taught these important items right from the start. My instructor, Dick Burke, made sure I understood what was going on. We only had a Narco Mark 10 for a radio and only used it when returning from practicing. It was after I soloed (1963) that we first flew to PVD where I had to learn to use the radio for real. After 23,550 hours in Cubs, Travel Airs, lots of nosewheel stuff, two Stearmans, actually three. This one belonged to the flight school I was training at. I feel all students should be taught spins and how to recover. I towed banners with the Stearman to help pay for flight lessons, commercial, instrument, multiengine. One day after a banner tow, the chief pilot of the school told me if I wanted, I could gas up the Stearman and go play. Okay, if I wanted? Nah. Of course I took advantage of the opportunity. The guy who restored the Stearman was close by, so I asked him how the Stearman did in a spin. He said, “Ah, don’t worry; it’s just an airplane.” Now, a few days before this I had sent for the tech orders on spin strips and spin technique by Deed Levy who was chief production test pilot for Stearman.

So, I fired up the Stearman and proceeded out to the designated practice area. I warmed up with some steep turns, couple stalls, then did my spin entry. I was over the Scituate Reservoir in Rhode Island. I picked out a small island for a reference point and awaaaay I went. After about five turns I decided it was time to recover. Okay, opposite rudder and forward stick. C’mon Stearman, you’re supposed to quit this. Water is getting closer; I started from 7,500 feet. So, I tried left rudder, nothing; okay, forward stick, not much except the spin appeared to flatten.

Now what? I read somewhere that the old guys would just let go of everything. I had nothing to lose cuz we were gonna make a huge splash pretty soon. So, I just let go of everything; throttle at idle. I’m now at about 1,500 feet and all of a sudden the Stearman quit spinning and went into a shallow glide from which I quite easily recovered. Whew! Time to check my shorts. That was too 6

MARCH / APRIL 2014

close for me. Well, upon calming down, doing couple landings, and refueling, I returned home. I found the tech orders had arrived. Therein was a caution by Deed Levy. He said with a clean wing (no spin strips) a spin of more than three turns is not advisable because the spin may flatten and be UNRECOVERABLE. Here’s the next item on stalls.

I flew for Eastern Air Lines for 23-1/2 years. After the strike I wound up helping start a DC-9 freight operation out here in Michigan, USA Jet Airlines at Willow Run (YIP).

While at Eastern, I bid the new A300 Airbus. Eastern was the first airline to use this great airplane. I lucked out and had a super instructor who happened to have gotten his type rating over in France at the Airbus factory in Toulouse. In the airline industry seniority was your life. The more senior, the better the trips and vacation, etc. A lot of real senior guys bid the A300, which was entirely new in concept from the B-727 and L-1011.

Some of these guys were afraid of the airplane; however, my instructor loved to fly and knew how to teach. At the time there was no flight simulator so all the training was done in the actual airplane. We used Dade Collier training airport, or TNT as it was termed. This one day at our preflight briefing we were told today we’re gonna do stalls and steep turns plus a few approaches and landings. In the A300 B4, there are about a dozen circuit breakers that need to be pulled so as to disarm all the protective devices. There was a stick pusher that actually pushed the yoke forward if the airplane got into an angle of attack that it didn’t like. There was no angle of attack indicator in the panel; however, the magic and mirrors could sense this. Also, the throttles would go forward and hopefully get the dumb guy who entered this area to wake up and fly. This regime was termed “alpha floor” wherein the computers would sense this and start recovering. Okay, we were over the western coast of Florida, all the appropriate breakers were pulled, and my instructor, Hank, says go ahead and stall the airplane. Whoa, I say, you

want a full stall; what about all that disturbed air trying to go through the engines (General Electric CFM56 C4).

Won’t it cause them to also stall and quit? Nope, says Hank, there are variable inlet guide vanes that smooth out the airflow. So, I set about half thrust and let the airplane slow way down (about 220,000 pounds); finally we felt a little burble and a shake or two. Hank says keep on pulling back until it stalls. Finally, with a lot of shaking, buffeting, and rattling, she let go. Hank says keep it straight with the rudder and keep holding back pressure.

That nose dropped, and we lost about 500 feet right now.

Then whilst holding full back stick, the nose came up a bit, more shaking, dropped again; finally after three or four of these excursions the airplane returned to a mushing attitude straight and a bit nose-down. We applied some power, gradually reduced the back pressure, and we were flying again. Wow, amazing.

At USA Jet I became a DC-9 instructor. I always taught stall recovery, especially approaching to land and the departure stall. Stalls were a part of my checkride scenario. Upon reaching age 60, I had to retire, got an instructor job at Kalitta Charters II, teaching the DC-9 and B-727. Again, all the stall series was taught. Couple guys complained about doing stalls. I answered with, Having this tiny bit of knowledge may some day save your back side as well as your airplane.

Thanks for a great article.

Pete Chestnut, VAA 65 Jim I just received the January/February Vintage Airplane and am delighted by the content and coverage of such great airplanes. Keep up doing the great things that you do. I find that Sport Aviation has less and less content that I find captivating these past few years, but Vintage is going the other direction. My older brother and I lusted after a Spartan in the mid ’60s and nearly were able to by one of the “back row derelicts” at one point.

In retrospect, it was probably a good thing we weren’t able to get that or the PT-19 we “discovered” at another date. I’m sure either would have held my interest, and finances, far more easily than college!

I have two (tongue in cheek) comments about this edition’s content that I can’t let pass: 1. In an otherwise interesting and impressive article, “Let the Good Times Roll!” I believe Charles Harris did a great injustice to Bellanca, airplane and man, simply by omission. Giuseppe Bellanca was a famous and brilliant, albeit eccentric, designer that created numerous benchmark (Pacemaker and Skyrocket to name two) aircraft prior to the Depression and WWII. His company,

Bellanca Aircraft Corp. (BAC) was delving into smaller aircraft in the late ’30s with the 14-9 series of Cruisairs and Cruisair Juniors. He jumped right into the market after the war along with every other company with the 14-13 series of Cruisair Seniors that were another outstanding design. They then soldiered on with the line of 14-19 aircraft until the late ’50s when the Bellanca family lost control of the company to their investors.

The aircraft, however, continued to be produced under various names: Northern Aircraft, Downer, Bellanca Aircraft Corporation, and even today as Alexandria Aircraft. The models have morphed from the Cruisemasters of the late ’50s and ’60s to the 260, Viking, and now the Super Viking. Although no aircraft are currently being produced on speculation, rumor has it they will build a brand new Super Viking on order. Quite an impressive survival story for a series of very impressive aircraft.

2. On page 51 in “Walking the Line,” N7632E is identified as a 14-19-3 correctly, but it is a Cruisemaster, the direct successor to the Cruisair.

Guess you can figure out I like Bellancas!

Thanks again.

Scott Thomas EAA 62459, Chapter 1426 VAA 12684, Chapter 3 Response from Charlie Harris I certainly intended no injustice or disrespect to Bellanca or any other low production number aircraft manufacturer; I simply concentrated on the more major/larger aircraft companies.

And yes, I would say Scott likes Bellancas . . . to each his own, and more power to him!

—Charlie John Patterson M.D. AME, I just read your answer to CC, January/February 2014 Vintage Aircraft, on sleep apnea, and it struck a chord.

It was my wife that pointed out to the doctor that I was exhibiting all the symptoms of sleep apnea.

I have a high BMI. I snored a lot and loud.

I stopped breathing several times when asleep.

I would jerk awake.

After eight hours in bed I would still be tired and would need a nap.

After driving for two hours [I] suffered from daytime drowsiness; I would nod off and jerk awake.

My doctor on hearing this set me up for a sleep test.

This consisted of wearing a mask connected to an atwww.vintageaircraft.org

7

home monitor overnight and returning the monitor to respiratory therapy in the morning. The respiratory therapist called that afternoon and informed me that an appointment had been made for me to be fitted with a CPAP machine at 8 a.m. the next day.

The technician who fitted me for the CPAP said I was heading for the Gone West column in the EAA as my oxygen saturation was dangerously low.

The first night with the CPAP I slept 13 hours; my wife woke me thinking something was wrong as she had not known me to sleep so deeply for any length of time.

All this took place in 2002 one month prior to my third-class medical at which I reported this condition as required by FARs to the AME: “medical denied.” The FAA sent me a long list of tests they required and have the results in Oklahoma City within 30 days in order to obtain a special issuance medical.

Now the good part (thanks to my wife), I had been proactive and had done the test. The results of which along with a cover letter from my personal physician stating I was under treatment for sleep apnea were sent to Oklahoma City within the required time limit, and I received a special issuance third-class medical.

As to the cost, as I was proactive in seeking medical attention I was covered under my insurance not only for the tests but my CPAP machine, supplies, and maintenance. If I had requested the tests to satisfy an outside agency such as the FAA, I would not have been covered and the cost would be out of my pocket.

I am currently on my third machine which has a 4 GB chip that I have read at the respiratory clinic, and the printout tells every aspect of my breathing. This printout shows the AME I am under continuing treatment for sleep apnea per FAA, satisfying the requirements for him to issue my medical.

This experience taught me several things, not the least of which is to have a medical advocate authorized to speak on your behalf. Be proactive in addressing medical issues as it may save you time, money, and your life. Keep a log of your health, blood pressure, EKG, blood work along with a copy of any test that might have been performed.

Thank you for your great articles on pilot medical issues. I hope they will produce a better informed, healthier aviation community.

Frank Mitchell VAA 29 EAA 883059 mariafrankmitchell@att.net 8

MARCH / APRIL 2014

Jim, The last issue of Vintage Airplane mentioned tip tanks on the Spartan Executive. I am attaching a photo of the Spartan 12W about 1951 with tip tanks installed. This was

taken by my father, Art Brown, who was a Spartan student with a part-time job working in their shop overhauling Coast Guard B-17s. The 12W had magnesium wing skins which were replaced with aluminum. He also mentioned that Spartan would bring in wrecked Execs for repairs.

Robert Brown Dear Jim, Hope the new year finds you well!

The photograph of Roger Brown’s beautifully restored Howard DGA on the back cover of the January/February 2014 edition of Vintage Airplane captures the fruition of Roger’s superb craftsmanship. Roger is a longtime friend and fellow Stearman pilot, so it was especially nice to see his labor of love prominently depicted in the publication.

Sincerely, Philip Handleman Mr. Busha, In your article on the Super Cub (p. 31 of the September/October 13 Vintage Airplane) you mention a number of uses that it had, among which were “military liaison.”

There was another military use that may not have come to your attention. With the U.S. Air Force pretty much in charge, the PA-18 (called then the L-18, and with USAF markings) was used by the German air force in Germany beginning in 1956 as a “screening” device (VorflugAusbildung, in later years called Eignungsfeststellung or assessment of aptitude) to determine which applicants were suitable to be sent on to America for entry into the regular USAF contract pilot-training programs in T-34s and T-28s, and subsequently USAF schools in T-33s. continued on page 64

How to?

ROBERT G. LOCK

Tram a wing Tramming a wing is essentially squaring wing bays. It is accomplished by alternating the loosening and tightening of internal brace wires called drag and anti-drag wires. It should always be done when constructing new wings and should be

checked when re-covering existing wings. It is not a difficult job and requires a set of trammel points.

Trammel points are simply a length of spruce stock that measures about 1/4 inch by 3/4 inch by 38 inches (or whatever length needed to diagonally bridge the bay). I tram on the bottom side of the wing and start at the root. Small indentations are placed in the spar at the junction of a point where spar centerline intersects with the compression member. A bay is a complete structural component of the wing consisting of the front and rear spar and two compression members. The wires diagonally brace this bay. Most small aircraft wings will have four bays—smaller wings could have three bays, and larger wings could have more than four bays.

Snug the wires but do not tighten to final tension. Set the points to bridge diagonally across the bay in one direction, and then move the trammel 10

MARCH / APRIL 2014

points to bridge the diagonal in the opposite direction. Loosen and tighten brace wires until both points are the same length. Proceed to the next bay and do the same thing, proceeding outboard until all bays have been trammed. Then return to the root and check the tram. You will probably have to make a small adjustment and then proceed outboard to the tip bay. Return to the root and check bays again.

Chances are good that you will not have to make adjustments. Now it is time to check and set wire tensions. If you have a wire tensiometer, set the wires to between 350-450 pounds for most small wings. If you don’t have a tensiometer, tighten the wires until they make a good bass sound. Do not over-tighten the brace wires. Note: Always tighten each wire the same amount so as not to distort the tram that has been set. Tighten each wire the same amount until proper tension has been reached.

After the wing has been trammed, the ribs may be glued in place (if it is wood) or nailed in place (if the ribs are of aluminum). The above wing is from a Hatz biplane that I had just repaired. New aluminum leading edge is being installed and nailed in place.

Right, the Hatz wing completely assembled and ready to cover with fabric. In this photograph, the compression members and brace wires are plainly visible. This wing has three bays.

www.vintageaircraft.org

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The Vintage Instructor STEVE KROG, VAA DIRECTOR AND CFI

BRADY LANE

Observations made by a geezer instructor

I am writing this on the afternoon of New Year’s Eve. The outside temp is 5ºF, with snow in the forecast for the next four to five days along with continued single-digit temps. By the time you read this I hope spring is just days away. The skis are on one Cub, and there is plenty of snow on the ground to do some ski flying. However, I draw the limit at 20ºF. Anything colder is hard on a 75-year-old fabric12

MARCH / APRIL 2014

covered airplane with an exposed engine, and it is especially hard on old flight instructors.

Throughout the past week I’ve had the pleasure of several informal visits by previous students who have moved on with their lives. It is always interesting catching up on what they are now doing, as well as learning of their continued flying experiences.

One of the previous students, who earned his private pilot certificate more than two years ago, decided to pursue a career in aviation after college graduation and enrolled in one of the well-known national flighttraining schools located in the South. He’s making great progress and will have earned his single- and multi-engine commercial, instrument, and complex ratings by late spring of 2014. He hopes to then earn his single- and multi-engine CFI ticket shortly thereafter and begin instructing to build time. His goal is to be hired by the airlines in a year or so.

We enjoyed a lengthy discussion about the different types of flight instructors and the type of training he was receiving. I asked him to compare his advanced training to the type of training he experienced when learning to fly with me. He just chuckled and offered the following comments: “When learning to fly at Hartford, you always made every flight fun. You used to preface each flight with the statement, ‘Today’s flight will be safe, challenging, and fun.’ The flight training I’m now receiving is safe and challenging, but it isn’t any fun!

“You always took time to point out the awe, pleasure, and appreciation of flying an airplane. That is never done in the program in which I’m enrolled.

Everything is strictly checklists and numbers. I know

that aspect is important in the advancement of my ratings, but it would be nice, as well as beneficial, if the instructors also showed appreciation for the fun and privilege of flight.”

Another ex-student who stopped by also related a similar story. In her case she was working on her own to earn advanced ratings. The majority of instruction she had received to date was not positive in her opinion. Rather, she felt as if the instructors were going through the motions, continually on the controls, but never ever expressing any true interest, let alone the pleasure of flight.

I truly enjoy hearing from past students. But I found their shared comments somewhat disheartening. Flying is not a right but rather a privilege!

As such it should always be enjoyable, even if it is a tough and challenging training flight. The sheer pleasure of flight should never be overlooked.

There is nothing more pleasing to the soul in my mind than arriving at the airport just before sunrise on a warm spring morning, opening the hangar door, and pushing my favorite airplane out for a fun flight before the day’s work begins. The meadowlarks are just beginning to sing, and the dew is still on the grass. Cool, fresh damp air abounds, and the winds are nearly calm.

After a good preflight inspection, my faithful J-3 is raring to go. It seems that the Cub has a smile on its face, anxious to get going, much like a good hunting dog. For those of you who have done some pheasant hunting with a well-trained dog, you know what I mean. They can’t wait to get going and perform for their owner. The Cub is no different. It wants to get moving, get in the air, and do what it does best—FLY. After pulling the prop through four blades, the mag

JIM KOEPNICK

BRADY LANE

switch is moved to the ON position, and the throttle is cracked just a fraction of an inch. One more pull on the prop and the small Continental engine barks to life, first sputtering a few seconds before all four cylinders settle into a smooth putt, putt, putt.

After climbing into the seat and securing the seat belt, the Cub starts to creep forward ever slow slightly. The hunting dog instinct has taken over its www.vintageaircraft.org

13

JIM KOEPNICK

soul. A bit of power is added, and we’re headed for the nearest turf runway.

Still covered in the morning dew, the trusty Cub is leaving three small tracks in the wet grass. The Cub door is open and droplets of moisture are kicked up by the right main tire now forming water droplets on the lower portion of the wing struts.

Upon reaching the end of the runway and turning the Cub into the light breeze, I look back and chuckle at the S-turn tracks the Cub has made in the dewcovered grass. If an unknowing police officer were present and looked at the tracks, they may suggest I take a quick breathalyzer test.

The simple pretakeoff checklist is completed, and all systems are normal. After a quick 360-degree turn to check for area traffic, the Cub practically taxis into the takeoff position with little input from me. Just as the sun peeks over the eastern horizon, power is smoothly applied. . . one one-thousand, two onethousand, three one-thousand, and power is set to the max. The Cub, anxious to fly, is already beginning to roll down the runway before reaching full power.

In a matter of seconds the Cub breaks ground, becoming airborne. It seems to literally jump into the air, ready to demonstrate its capabilities. A quick glance over my shoulder and I can see where the prop blast blew the dew off the grass, followed by three, then two tracks in the wet turf, and then nothing.

The remainder of the runway is left undisturbed, awaiting the sun’s rays to evaporate the dew.

The wind entering the cabin via the open door has a bit of a chill but not enough to require even a light jacket. After leveling off, reducing the power setting, and a quick one or two turns on the trim crank, the Cub is ready to do what it does best—fly smoothly 14

MARCH / APRIL 2014

low and slow. A slight turn to the northeast and the Cub and I are ready for a short undisturbed pleasure flight away from nearby farms and country homes.

Deer in the area are openly grazing, and flocks of wild turkeys are busy picking at food. None seem to be the least bit disturbed by the big yellow bird overhead. The sweet smell of a freshly cut alfalfa field permeates the Cub’s open cabin area. Nearby, undistracted, and almost flying in formation with the Cub, a hawk is in a glide, searching for breakfast.

After a 30-minute flight in glass-smooth air, it is time to point the Cub toward the airport. Entering the traffic pattern, nary a soul is to be found. The Cub and I still have the place entirely to ourselves. The little yellow airplane makes a smooth three-point landing and again makes tracks in the dewy grass.

Arriving in front of the hangar, I turn the mag switch OFF, and the small Continental is again silent.

An easy push and the Cub is back in the hangar, but the cylinder eyebrows and cowl opening seem to be giving me a sly smile and I smile back. A quick rubdown is in order, removing bugs as well as oil droplets from the breather relief tube. The Cub just keeps smiling, appreciating the extra attention.

The Cub seems relaxed after a good workout, as am I. What fun and what a privilege it was to share a sunrise flight in my favorite airplane, the little yellow Cub. I’d like to challenge all flight instructors to pause for a moment or two before every flight and reflect on the pleasure to be experienced of the upcoming flight.

Learning comes more quickly and easily if the task to be learned is FUN, as well as safe and challenging!

This is what flying is about, whether business or pleasure. And this is what is most often missed by so many.

Ask the AME JOHN PATTERSON, M.D., AME

Oxygen in general aviation W. C. asks, “Flying to the West Coast is on my bucket list and will be flying at higher than usual altitudes. What about supplemental oxygen?”

FAR 91.211 specifies that supplemental oxygen is required between 12,500 feet MSL and 14,000 feet MSL after 30 minutes of flying time for the pilot and crew. At cabin pressures above 14,000 feet MSL, the pilot and crew must use oxygen continuously, and over 15,000 feet MSL each passenger must have available supplemental oxygen. Part 135, or commercial flights, requires oxygen use after 30 minutes between 10,000 and 12,000 feet MSL and continuously above 12,000 feet.

The air we breathe consists of approximately 78 percent nitrogen and 20 percent oxygen. Most airlines maintain cabin pressures equivalent to 8,000 feet or less. At 18,000 feet MSL there is only half of the available oxygen at sea level.

The FAA has extensively studied the effects of hypoxia on pilots and pilot performance. The first sign of hypoxia varies from person to person, and there often is no warning. The primary response, however, is impaired judgment. There may also be an increase in respiratory rate, headache, lightheadedness or dizziness, tunnel vision, and in some cases euphoria. An FAA-issued pamphlet on hypoxia states, “You may feel great until it is too late.” Vision is very sensitive to lack of oxygen, especially at night; therefore, supplemental oxygen is recommended (though not required) above 6,000 feet MSL at night and 10,000 feet during the day.

Smoking is also an issue as carbon monoxide in the cigarette smoke can displace oxygen from hemoglobin in the blood, forming carboxyhemoglobin. A smoker may have as much as 7 percent carboxyhemoglobin, displacing oxygen to a saturation level of 93 percent. This is the same saturation level expected in a nonsmoker at 8,000 feet. When using supplemental oxygen it is a good idea to use a portable pulse oximeter that is worn on the finger and measures the oxygen saturation in the blood. The goal is to try to keep the saturation greater than 93 percent. These are now relatively affordable and available. Emphysema, which can result from long-term smoking, also impairs the lung from absorbing available oxygen in the air. So those individuals who live well at sea level may not fare so well at higher altitudes.

There are several ways to deliver supplemental oxygen: nasal cannula and oral nasal re-breather masks.

Oxygen for nonpressurized situations is generally delivered through an oxygen tank. The oxygen used for aviation is called gaseous aviation-breathing oxygen.

Neither medical nor industrial grade oxygen is approved, as it does not meet FAA standards. This is controversial as most feel the only difference other than a significant price differential is differing water content.

In summary, there are several situations where supplemental oxygen may be beneficial for the vintage pilot, especially for the pilot going from sea level to mountain or high-altitude situations, and while flying at night.

www.vintageaircraft.org

15

Good Old Days

P A R SC K O O B

From pages of what was . . .

Take a quick look through history by enjoying images pulled from publications past.

AeroDigest, January 1938

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AeroDigest, December 1940

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What would you have found . . .

Sportsman Pilot, April 1937 18

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Sportsman Pilot, November 1938

C

s d A d e fi i s s a l

C

ATTENTION AUTHORS: VAA will be hosting an Author’s Corner (book signings by the author) at the Vintage Red Barn during AirVenture 2014. Signings will be held on Monday, July 28 through Saturday, August 2. There are two slots available each day on these dates. The morning slots will run from 10:0011:30 and the afternoon slots will run from 1:30-3:00.

Authors interested in participating in this event should contact committee chairman Susan Dusenbury at sr6sue@aol.com before April 1, 2014. www.vintageaircraft.org

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Comparing the

BRADY LANE

Classics

Setting the baseline . . . the Piper Cub Budd Davisson

What

we have here is t h e p re s e n t i n g of a series of articles yours truly penned for Sport Aviation a lifetime ago. However the years haven’t changed the facts: classics are still classics, and they are still the entry level for those wanting to get into

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vintage aircraft. You might call the series “Comparing the Classics.”

Or “Classics Explained.” Actually, you can call it anything you want.

We call it an educational reference for those thinking about diving into the wide variety of postwar classics. Since more than 35,000

airplanes were produced in 1946 alone, we certainly have plenty to choose from.

Not so many years ago, evaluating postwar classics would have been unnecessary since every pilot had flown most of them. That’s no longer the case. How many of to-

day’s pilots do you suppose learned in a Cub? Or had a Cessna 120 available to rent for $8.50 an hour?

The goal of this series, which will eventually touch on each and every airplane of the period, is to explain those airplanes in commonsense terms. We aren’t going to get into “stick force per “g” or “spiral divergence” or any of the other 3-D tech-talk we’ve come to associate with well-done pilot evaluations.

We want people to understand how these airplanes compare to airplanes they either have already flown or which are readily available for comparison.

Citabria and C-152 Are the Datum Points Since so many classic aircraft have the little wheel at the back, we selected the Citabria as the base-line airplane for those handling and performance factors having to do with ground handling.

The Citabria is the only tailwheel airplane that is readily available at flight schools, and even it is some-

JIM KOEPNICK

Door open is standard Cub fun mode.

The Continental A-65 made a good plane outstanding.

times hard to find.

We selected the Cessna 152 as the datum for in-the-air comparisons, unless otherwise noted. The comparisons will be in the vein of “. . . during roll-out the airplane tends to wander a little more than a Citabria. . . ” or “. . . the ailerons are a fair amount heavier than a C-152, but the airplane responds to aileron input much more quickly. . . .”

We’ll put these comparisons into a chart, which rates a number of performance and handling factors against the datum aircraft. They will represent zero, and the evaluation aircraft will be rated plus (better, easier, or quicker) or negative (worse, slower, or harder) on a scale of 1 to 5, plus and negative.

The J-3 Cub To kick this thing off, we thought we’d evaluate what used to be the airplane to which all others were compared, the J-3 Cub. There are bound to be a lot of folks out there who are saying,

BRADY LANE

“What? Another Piper Cub pirep?

That’s so basic it’s like explaining dirt. Everyone has flown a Cub!” Only a few years ago that would have been a valid statement but is definitely not the case today. Between the total takeover of the tricycle gear trainer and the exploding prices of Cubs, with very few exceptions if you want to fly a Cub, these days you have to buy one. They have become so popular because of three basic facts: They are very nostalgic, they are lots of fun, they are cute as a bug.

Mechanical Description We’re going to ignore the history of the airplane, because everyone knows it, and get right down to the nuts and bolts.

The fuselage of the Cub is welded steel tubing with the landing gear being a welded “V” with external bungee springing. The wings are attached right in the middle of the cabin where the fuselage truss comes together in an inverted “V.” This means the entire top of the www.vintageaircraft.org

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cabin and the windshield framing is made of light-gauge, bent steel “U” channels, which are often bent and filled with extra screw holes.

As with all aircraft of its type, the fuselage is prone to longeron rust at the tail post from water running to the low point. Remember, these airplanes weren’t always hangar queens, so most have had, or need, repairs in that area.

Another area of corrosion concern is the struts. The original struts were unsealed and could rust internally at the bottom end where moisture collects. That problem, combined with the integrity of the strut forks themselves, is why there’s an inspection AD on them. That’s also why so many people simply buy new, sealed struts 22

MARCH / APRIL 2014

from Univair and be done with it.

The wings used what was to become the standard Piper rib construction in that they never went to stamp metal ribs as did Taylorcraft or Luscombe. Piper ribs are fragile trusses of “T” sections formed by folding extremely thin aluminum into the required “T” cross section. They are strong, but there are a lot of pieces involved and, once broken, require patience to patch in a clean manner.

Wing spars come in two varieties: wood and aluminum. Wood spars are seen in every variation from a single plank, to laminated, to laminated with the individual laminates made up of different length pieces scarfed together.

Properly varnished and cared for,

all variations are fine but need inspection before buying. Beware gray, flaking varnish or dark wood.

This is an indication moisture may have found its way in.

The postwar aluminum spars are modified “H” sections and need only be inspected for corrosion on the top side of the lower caps, which can trap moisture. Also inspect for extraneous screw holes.

The original leading edges were 0.016 soft aluminum and won’t take much abuse before assuming the visual character of a plowed field. When restoring them, most opt for slightly heavier, harder material, which makes a tremendous difference.

Tires and brakes are both strong and weak points for the Cub. The original expander-tube brakes use an inflatable doughnut to force a multitude of small blocks against the drums. As brakes go, they stink. That’s also their strongest point because the airplane needs almost no brake for normal operations, and the original brakes can’t overpower it. The brakes’ biggest problem is that they are very expensive to rebuild. The price of expander tubes and blocks have skyrocketed. So have the original 8.00 by 4 smooth tires. This is one reason so many have gone to Cleveland Wheels and Brakes and 6.00 by 6 tires. That amount of brake, however, is far more than the airplane actually needs. With expander tube brakes, it’s hard to brake it hard enough to pick up the tail. With Clevelands it will go over on its back in a heartbeat.

The usual engine is the Continental A-65, which is probably the most important thing ever to happen to light aviation. This engine made little airplanes practical. If even remotely maintained, it will start and run beautifully. Magneto

The Cub is more than just a pretty face and has probably created more pilots than any other single civilian airplane.

BRADY LANE

coils are just about the only reason the engines won’t start easily. TBO is a little vague, assumed at about 1,200-1,400 hours, but think how long it takes to put 1,000 hours on an airplane like a Cub. The engines are still relatively inexpensive to overhaul mainly because we haven’t yet reached the bottom of the barrel, which was originally filled to overflowing by the military. The bottom of the barrel, however, is beginning to peek through.

The most common conversion to the airplanes is the simple replacement of the A-65 by a C-85.

The additional horsepower makes the airplane into an entirely different animal. It still has its basic pasture goodness but with very spir ited per for mance. Unfortunately, the 85s and C-90s are getting increasingly harder to overhaul. In fact, there is an STC to put the more common O-200 crank into the C-90 case.

From a performance point of view, a metal propeller is preferable because it lets the engine reach peak rpm, but the wooden prop is much prettier. Neither is cheap.

If it’s your first time in a Cub, you’ll think you’re sitting at an impossibly steep tail-down angle. And you are.

Flight Characteristics To fly the airplane, you have to get in it, which in a Cub, isn’t as easy as it sounds. You have to master the entry dance. Right foot in the step, lean far forward over the front seat, left foot past the stick, bring right foot in, lower yourself backward. There, that wasn’t so hard, was it? The canvas sling-back seat is much more comfortable than the front seat. Over-averageheight folks will be folded like a cheap pocketknife in the front seat.

If it’s your first time in a Cub, you’ll think you’re sitting at an impossibly steep tail-down angle. And you are. Few Classics have such a tail-down stance, but the feeling of blindness is largely one of perception. Because the airplane is so narrow, only a small wedge is taken

out of the visual field. Unfortunately, it’s directly in front of you.

Contact! Brakes! Mags hot! A good engine will catch on the first blade. If it’s your first flight, close the door, as it causes some perceptual difficulties because, with it open, you can see so much better out of the right than the left.

The first thing you’ll notice in maneuvering on the ramp is how hard the stupid heel brakes are to get at because they’re snuggled under the seat. That’s good. That way you won’t be tempted to use them on landing where they aren’t needed.

S-turns are absolutely necessary to see ahead, but they also give you rudder practice. For some reason, maybe it’s the light tail, the Cub is quicker to respond to the rudder than most light taildraggers, includwww.vintageaircraft.org

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JIM KOEPNICK

There is no such thing as too much fun, but a Cub on floats is more fun with a C-85.

ing the Citabria. It’s only a minor difference but noticeable. On takeoff and landing it makes it a little easier than some to over-control.

By all means, do a full 360-degree turn to clear the pattern before taxiing onto the runway. The pilot sits so far back in the airplane that his vision is sharply limited by the narrow tunnel of the fuselage and the wings so a full turn is mandatory.

Lined up, suck the stick back and move the throttle smoothly forward. The noise turns into kind of a rattling roar, and the airplane will begin accelerating at about the same rate as a heavily loaded Cessna 152. As soon as the power is full on, ease the stick smoothly forward and bring the tail up. If you’re of average height, you won’t quite be able to see over the nose, but the visibility improves drastically anyway. The good news is that there is so much airplane between you and the outside world, that there is no doubt when the nose tries to move.

The rudder becomes effective as soon as the power is on, and you’ll notice the tail moves each time your foot does. The airplane is very stable directionally. In fact, if there is no crosswind, the tail won’t move sideways on its own. If it is, stop moving your feet for a second to see if it isn’t you causing the movement.

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Even on a calm day, the Cub will fly off the ground long before you can get in serious trouble. If there is just a few knots of wind on the nose, it’ll leave the ground almost as soon as the tail is up. Solo it leaps off.

Dual it takes much longer. The airplane really reacts to extra weight.

A Cub telegraphs everything it does, especially when it is getting too slow to climb. Play with the speed a few knots at a time, while climbing, and you’ll find a point where you can actually feel the drag building, control effectiveness falling off, and the climb slowing as the nose is brought up. Every Cub likes a slightly different climb speed, usually because the airspeed indicators are so far off, so just feel it out.

With one on board, a 65-hp Cub in 75°F air may give as much as 400-500 fpm. Eighty-five hp adds at least another 200 rpm, and a C-90 makes you feel like you have a flyweight tiger by the tail. The increased power is also very noticeable on takeoff acceleration.

As you level off and the speed rockets ahead (read that with a lot of sarcasm), be suspicious of any speed above 80 mph indicated.

Seventy-five mph is a pretty standard Cub cross-country speed.

The controls in a Cub set the standard for most of the long-wing Pip-

ers to follow. There’s a fair amount of system friction because everything is cable- and pulley-operated. These days, unless the airplane has been restored, the friction is almost always aggravated by at least one pulley that isn’t turning. The friction helps build the perception that the aileron forces are heavy, but they really aren’t.

The airplane responds very much in proportion to the amount of stick put into it and will actually roll into a bank much faster than people expect, if they put their shoulder into it. The pressures are much lighter and the response faster than a Citabria, for instance. Compared to a C-152, they are about even, although it’s hard to compare pressures between a stick and a yoke.

Elevator pressures and rates are matched to the ailerons, and you won’t even notice the rudder because it mixes in so naturally. And you will need rudder. The airplane has noticeable adverse yaw, and the pilot who doesn’t coordinate will polish the bottom of his jeans smooth. That’s one of the things that make it such a great trainer Stalls in a Cub can be what you make them. Normally, they are soft and floppy with very little edge to them. Feeling goes out of the controls in such a noticeable fashion, as the stall approaches,

that your hand will tell you something is happening, if nothing else does. If you have the door open, the bottom half will begin to float up as the stall is approached. If you crowd the stick back hard or persist in an exaggerated nose-high attitude, it will pay off, drop the nose, and make you light in the seat.

Coming in to land, power back opposite the end of the runway, you risk a stretched muscle as you lean forward trying to get the carburetor heat on the right side wall by your foot. Crank, crank the elevator trim and the airplane will hold an approach speed of 60 mph by itself.

It can fly the approach much slower, but there’s no reason to.

The Cub is dirtier than most of its contemporaries so its glide slope is a little steeper. It comes down even faster than a Citabria or 152, but at such a slow speed, the pattern is still not super tight or rushed. Also, there is no such thing as “too high” in a Cub, as it is one of the best slipping airplanes ever invented.

A secret for getting consistent, good landings: break the glide just a little higher than you think you need to. If you fly it into ground effect expecting to burn off speed and three-point it, you’ll almost certainly touch the mains before getting the tail down. For some reason, Cubs appear to have less ground effect than many airplanes.

The nice thing about a Cub landing is that it happens at a near walk.

Actual touchdown is around 35 mph, so even if your technique is sloppy, everything is happening so slowly you have all day to set it straight. If you don’t have much tailwheel time, try not to think about it. Get the airplane on more or less straight, and it will roll more or less straight. Start fighting the rudders simply because it’s a taildragger and you think you should be doing something, and it

will do a slow motion dance. Best advice in landing a Cub is to make sure it is straight and not drifting and leave it alone after touchdown.

There’s a reason for the saying “. . . lands easy as a Cub. . . .”

A word about crosswinds and gusts: The airplane is really lightly wing loaded and rides thermals and gusts like a cork. It will, however, handle much more crosswind than most think it will, providing the pilot has a firm hand and a good head. It can, however be overwhelmed. Winds, which are an annoyance in a 152, are a challenge in a Cub. In a pinch, diagonal the runway or turn into the wind at the end of roll-out. Then you have to worry about taxiing.

It’s entirely possible to land in a wind, which is too high to taxi in.

In that case, keep the nose into the wind and wait for help to walk you in. More than one pilot has

had to coast past the hangars at 50 feet with the door open and the throttle back while yelling for help before landing.

One common J-3 variation seen, by the way, is the Reed clipped-wing conversion, which removes 40-1/2 inches from each wing root. To many, this makes a good airplane even better. Besides making it capable of loop, roll, spin, type of aerobatics, with 85 hp, it will cruise at nearly 90 mph, and its entire handling package tightens up, becoming quicker and crisper. It will also handle much more wind with the short wings.

Market forces almost always place a price premium on products that have proven themselves both in aesthetics and use. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the J-3 Cub, as it is easily the most expensive airplane in its category. This is a distinction many believe to be well deserved.

www.vintageaircraft.org

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Dave and Jeanne Allen’s

Waco YKC

Stately splendor from the golden age

PHIL HIGH

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Sparky Barnes Sargent

PHIL HIGH

S

tepping carefully onto the wing and entering the cabin, the plush ambiance of the golden age of aviation enveloped me. Soft gray wool upholstery felt heavenly beneath my fingertips, and nickelplated handles and knobs sparkled like sterling silver as the sunlight streamed into the spacious cabin.

Ensconced in the comfortable seat beside pilot/owner Dave Allen, I quietly absorbed my surroundings and noted the exquisite attention to detail that he and his wife, Jeanne, had invested in this Waco YKC. As Dave engaged the starter and the Jacobs rumbled to life, I was transported to the world of 1934 and the elegant style of executive travel that state officials enjoyed in this very airplane.

Owners

Originally powered by a 225hp, seven-cylinder Jacobs L-4, this Cabin Waco was (and still is) splendidly singular in appearance. Finished in an eye-catching teal color highlighted with cream trim and gold pinstriping, the fuselage displays the hand-painted lettering “Ohio National Guard” and Ohio’s colorful Great Seal. The YKC’s first logbook entry was Paul Thorn-

Jeanne and Dave Allen

bury’s 1.5-hour test flight on November 23, 1934—the day before the Waco Aircraft Company of Troy, Ohio, sold NS14137 (s/n 4223) to the state of Ohio’s Bureau of Aeronautics. Note that the Roman letter “S” is no longer used in registration numbers, but historically speaking, the “S” denoted a state or federal government-owned aircraft “used solely for governmental purposes and belonging to States, Territories, possessions, or political subdivisions thereof,” according to The Amateur Air Pilots Register 1934. The application for identification mark was signed by Capt. Fred L. Smith.

He, along with C.D. Barnhill, both logged time flying the ship for the National Guard during the next five years; their flights were primarily to locations within Ohio and neighboring states.

In October 1939, an application for commercial registration (changing the letter “S” to “C”) was made

by Adjutant Gen. Gilson D. Light, the state director of Selective Service, and the ship was then sold to Aero-Ways Incorporated. This grand biplane last flew in the late 1940s and was eventually purchased in 1971 by Frank J. Obermiyer of Brookfield Aviation in Trumbull, Ohio. Apparently his intentions to

restore it never came to fruition; instead, the Waco ended up in his estate sale some 30 years later.

New Stewards

In 2003, Dave and Jeanne Allen of Elbert, Colorado, heard that there was a virtually complete Cabin Waco YKC project near Cincinnati—with its original upholstery, headliner, side panels, rear seat, and trim. Enticed by opportunity (and a previous flight in Alan Buckner’s 1931 Waco QDC), Dave and Jeanne became willing and capable stewards of the YKC that December. They were no strangers to biplane projects, having completed an open-cockpit antique Straightwing Waco and an experimental Taperwing replica—and the allure of a comfortable enclosed cabin had long attracted Jeanne.

But Dave had previously resisted taking on a Cabin Waco due to the myriad parts involved and the tedious efforts it would require.

Nonetheless, they became committed to restoring the YKC to its original splendor—and they did so with untiring, persistent devotion and utmost attention to detail. Their wonderful Waco made its formal debut at AirVenture 2013, where it received the Antique www.vintageaircraft.org

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COURTESY DAVE AND JEANNE ALLEN

The original Waco YKC project in 2003, as it was when Dave and Jeanne became its new stewards.

Dave applies Poly—Brush while Milli the feline supervises.

Jeanne examines the fit of the wing root fairings.

Waco Hand Hole Assemblies—first step.

Trial assembly of fuselage, empennage, cowling, and gear.

Note the myriad identification tags for routing and installation purposes.

Grand Champion—Gold Lindy award. It was also voted as the Antique Airplane Association and the Airpower Museum’s 2013 Antique Grand Champion.

Dave, an ex-military pilot who holds an ATP with flight instructor ratings, smiles as he declares, 28

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“Aviation is my passion; it’s all I’ve ever wanted to do. My mom has a picture of me when I was 3; I’m holding a couple of boards nailed together, and she said I called it an A-plane. I became the little boy waving at crop dusters, and was flagging for them by age 11. I am

living my dream.”

Jeanne, whose interest in aviation began before she met Dave, holds a glider pilot certificate, and crewed for Dave when he was soaring. He logged more than 2,000 soaring hours and established several records that still stand. Jeanne and

PHIL HIGH

Dave continue to share their mutual enthusiasm for aviation—and that’s part of the secret to this husbandand-wife team’s restoration success.

Teamwork

They worked on their Waco YKC project virtually every day for a decade—sometimes together, and sometimes taking on separate tasks. They also carefully documented each aspect of the project by taking notes, making sketches, and shooting video and still photos—all of which came in handy as their work progressed.

Sharing her insight about working as a team, Jeanne says, “There’s going to be one person who’s the ‘boss’ and the other one is the ‘employee.’ You just have to say, ‘If we’re going to accomplish this project, then somebody is calling the shots.’ So I did things like running errands, researching the airplane’s history, and keeping track of all the book work. That allowed him to think through the process of what needed to come next, so we could

keep moving on the project.”

Jeanne also tackled the “dirty work.” She donned protective garb and stripped and cleaned metal components, then chemically prepped them for Dave to shoot primer on them. She was also able to salvage many of the wood stringers by patiently using sandpaper, steel wool, and Formby’s Conditioning Furniture Refinisher.

Wings, Fuselage, and Gear

Early on, Dave contracted with John and Scott Shue (Aircraft by Shue) in Pennsylvania to build the wing frames; having built Waco wings previously, Dave figured that he’d save nearly two years’ time that way. While the Shue fatherand-son team worked on the wings, Dave worked on fuselage repairs and making new wood formers. He also refurbished and installed the flare tube cover and panel in the fuselage. In the meantime, a new set of ailerons were built by (the late) Tom Flock, who was a well-known Waco restorer.

After the wing frames were completed by the Shues, Dave and Jeanne made the cross-country trek to haul the wings home to Colorado.

Dave made and installed the leading edges and the wingtips that he made from laminated 0.8-mm Finnish plywood. He also installed the overhauled original landing lights and two new 35-gallon fuel tanks that were fabricated by John Murray. (This gives the YKC 65 gallons of usable fuel; originally the tanks were 25 gallons each.) Dave says he decided to make and install aluminum skins over the wing tanks, after heeding Forrest Lovley’s admonition that the fuel tanks would leak in half the time if they were installed with fabric.

Dave also shortened the aft portion of the side stringers in order to www.vintageaircraft.org

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Here you can see the louvers on the belly panel.

SPARKY BARNES SARGENT PHOTOS

Dave and Jeanne’s attention to detail is easily visible inside the luxurious cabin.

Close-up view of the original 8” tail wheel.

allow good access to the tailwheel assembly, and extended the baggage compartment and made a triangular external baggage door for it. Prior to fabric installation, Jeanne brushed two coats of varnish on the wood wings, and Dave followed up with spray coats of epoxy varnish.

With a mind toward safety and reliability, new gear struts were machined by Jon Nace, who also completed the Cleveland wheel and brake conversion. The original Johnson bar was retained but converted to operate only the parking brake. Dave opted to keep the small, original 8-inch tail wheel, which has one solid wheel cover and one split cover to accommodate the valve stem.

Throughout the restoration, Dave and Jeanne worked with a friend who was also restoring the 30

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Dave made these original-style baffles for the Jacobs.

same make and model. “Roger James is a partner in a car restoration business, D&D Classic in Ohio, and we collaborated quite a bit,” says Dave, adding, “He and his wife, Jetta, were most accommodating. We even took the fuselage back to Ohio, so he could reference the original woodwork.”

Using original components as patterns, D&D Classic replicated the wheelpants, dishpan, and cowl. “The fin fairing was original and still in good enough shape to use after I had weeks of training in D&D’s body shop,” shares Dave, “and there were many other original parts, including the wing root fairings, strut cuffs, and the belly doors with the big louvers. I did all the flat sheet metalwork, and Roger figured out from old photographs that the fairings for the

original-style wheelpants were a flat wrap, so I made those as well.”

Fabric and Finish

When it came time for fabric, Jeanne and Dave worked together, from installing the Poly-Fiber fabric and tautening it, to rib stitching and applying finishing tapes. For the inspection access holes, they used the nifty old-style Waco Hand Hole Assemblies and cover plates.

Period advertising described the assemblies as being “used on all Waco air planes manufactured since 1934 . . . this provides the aircraft owner with an inspection opening that is flush with the original cover, and which does not offer drag of any kind.” The assemblies consist of two contoured rings that are crimped together, neatly sandwiching the fabric.

Note the turnbuckles which are used to fasten the cowling together.

Dave and Jeanne carefully replicated the original top coat and trim colors—and even the dimensions and placement of the trim design, by studying an old photo

1934 Waco YKC–Specifications Length 25 feet 4 inches Height 8 feet 6 inches Upper wingspan 33 feet 3 inches Lower wingspan 28 feet 3 inches Chord 57 inches Airfoil Clark Y Weight empty 1,800 pounds Useful load 1,050 pounds Payload with 50 gallons fuel 550 pounds Gross weight 2,850 pounds Max speed 149 mph Cruise 130 mph Landing 50 mph Climb at sea level 850 fpm Ceiling 15,500 feet Gas capacity 50 gallons Oil capacity 4 gallons 480 miles (at 14 gph) Cruising range Price $6,450 Derived from Juptner’s U.S. Civil Aircraft, Vol. 6

of the YKC and the original fuselage sheet metal and covering.

Dave did all the painting with an HVLP system, and used Ranthane for the top coat, which provided

the durability of urethane with the satin luster of dope. Then they tested their personal tenacity by sanding and hand-rubbing the entire airplane. “If there were any or-

SPARKY BARNES SARGENT PHOTOS

This was the original seatbelt with the “Phoenix bird” design.

The handsome window trim and wool upholstery.

The nickel plated handles and fixtures, and the neatly-stitched headliner.

The newly woven seatbelts were patterned after the original ones that came with the project. www.vintageaircraft.org

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PHIL HIGH

MIKE STEINEKE

ange peel or dry areas, we had to sand with 1000 wet or dry grit, and sometimes even 800 grit,” recalls Dave, adding, “then we’d work our way to 2500 grit before we used the rubbing compound.”

Upon examining an original rudder, they could see that the registration number had simply been masked and brushed. While looking for trim paint that could easily be brushed on, they discovered Sign Painters’ 1 Shot enamel.

“We were out at Riverside, California, and met Poly-Fiber specialist Hualdo Mendoza and his brother, and they were a huge help with the finish. We used 1 Shot to brush on all the cream trim, and then we found a wonderful guy, Rick Losh, to do the gold pinstriping and also the Great Seal and hand-lettering.

I provided him with our rendition of the seal, as best we could tell from our research.” (The seal is a rather intricate design, and Dave and Jeanne invoked a bit of artistic license with it—in nearly micro34

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scopic detail. But only those with an eye to the sky and fields may discern their creativity.)

Throughout the project, another member of their family was constantly in the shop, supervising Dave and Jeanne’s progress. One day, feline Milli just couldn’t resist lending her helping (or hindering) paws with the trim. “I had the fuselage on its side with a ladder beside it, and when I went to help a neighbor do something, Milli jumped up on the ladder and then onto the fuselage,” recalls Dave with a wry grin, “and we had cream paw prints down the entire length of the fuselage!”

Interior

Though worn and faded, the original interior provided many clues and patterns. The side wall panels revealed a “feathered wings” stitched pattern, and the seat belts were intact with their original latches and “Phoenix bird” design woven into the strap. But the precise weave and color of the original wool fabric just

wasn’t available. “So we went absolutely crazy,” says Dave with a smile, “and through automotive restoration channels, we located a mill in Philadelphia to weave the fabric.”

The new interior was installed by Joe Smith of D&D Classic of Ohio.

“He’s the best upholstery man in the business,” shares Dave, “and he was able to replicate the piping and wind lace exactly.”

The YKC offers pilot and passengers excellent in-flight visibility, via its five-panel windscreen and side and aft windows. A contoured original panel showcases instruments that were overhauled by Keystone and sports a lustrous faux wood finish. “We used a Grain-IT Technologies kit; they supply the base coat and a gel-type roller, which you roll on an ‘ink pad’ and then onto a wood grain plate,” describes Dave, adding, “after you transfer the wood grain onto the metal panel and let it cure, you clear coat it. It’s not quite as easy as it sounds, but we enjoyed learning a new skill.”

Perhaps the smallest detail of which Dave is proudest is the tiny colorful decal on the ashtray, which resembles perhaps an art deco-style flower or even a stylized propeller. “That is the correct decal,” he smiles, elaborating, “we were searching for a way to replicate it for a long time, and then fellow Waco enthusiast and model builder Tim Sherwood made the decal, and we put it on just before AirVenture.”

Fuel-Injected Jacobs

The heart of this splendid biplane is its powerplant. Instead of installing the original manually greased Jacobs L-4, Dave and Jeanne decided to have Steve Curry of Radial Engines Ltd. in Oklahoma build a 275-hp fuel-injected Jacobs R-755B2M engine, which is the modern updated version of the L-4. Steve, who has been in the business for years, says, “This is the first Cabin Waco that has ever had a fuel-injected Jacobs. Externally, the engine looks very original; it was the first time that I had ever seen those [greaser style] baffles installed on an engine. They were very unusual, and they cool very well. Dave did not need to install an oil cooler, which is a little bit unusual, as tightly as it’s cowled.”

While the fuel-injected Jacobs is STC’d by Radial Engines, there isn’t an airframe STC for the Waco YKC. “So we got DER approval to install the airframe side, just by similarity to other Waco models that did have the STC. We test run the engine here, starting at idle and getting up to full power in 5.5 hours—but you really can’t run the GAMI lean test properly unless you’re flying,” Steve explains, “so during each flight, Dave and Jeanne would do GAMI lean testing. They’ve got a JPI Engine Data Monitor 700-7C, so they’d

just plug a flash drive into it, and it downloaded all the data from the flights. They e-mailed that to us, and we’d analyze the data, which included CHT, EGT, time, rpm, manifold pressure, oil pressure, oil temperature, and outside temperature. Then we would send them some nozzles—it usually takes three or four attempts to get those dialed in just perfectly. A typical Jacobs engine will burn about 14 or 15 gph. On cool days, Dave can lean his back without loss of power to about 9.5 gph, which provides fuel savings and range increase as well.”

Dave spent a year fabricating the original style baffling, and he also devoted quite a bit of time to replicating an original small air box (as opposed to using the commonly available but larger Cessna T-50 air box). To keep the cabin at a comfortable temperature, he made large air vents for ventilation, and successfully blocked excessive heat from the engine room by installing an original-style aluminum firewall on the cabin side, and a stainless steel firewall on the engine side.

This provided ample room for insulation between the two, and a stainless steel plenum at the bottom of the firewall directs heated air down and out through the aftfacing louvers in the belly panel.

Dave says he is “absolutely happy” with the cabin’s comfort and the engine’s performance. “We think we’re going to do an honest 120 mph cruise,” he adds. “We’re at a high density altitude in Colorado—it’s routinely 10,000 feet, and the first flight demonstrated that we needed to switch props and install the Curtis-Reed, which made a tremendous difference.”

If We Can Do This. . .

T ho u g h t he re we re my r i ad hurdles and obstacles that arose

throughout the decade-long restoration, Dave reflects that “the most challenging aspect was the puzzle of assembling the biplane. It’s not a complex airplane, but even though we had the basic airframe, we still had to learn how everything was supposed to come together. For example, both the elevator and the rudder cables cross, and I had to figure out how to route them.”

But overall, he declares adamantly, “If we can do this, anyone can. Simply put: If you want a Waco, you can build a Waco. It takes no special skill or talent or equipment. It really doesn’t; that’s the beautiful thing about Wacos— they have very few castings or forgings. But it does take tenacity and the ability to establish priorities.

You have to have desire and persistence—but don’t try to get your arms around the whole thing at once. Just enjoy and learn whatever process you’re doing at the time. Then move on to the next one. Speaking of the next one—we may be crazy, but we’ve got a Waco RNF project after this.”

Of course, it always helps to have plenty of support and resources during a project of this magnitude. “Our IA, Jamie Treat, was most helpful throughout the restoration. In our opinion, having a good relationship with your IA is critical. So many people have helped us,” shares Dave, “but I give Jeanne all the credit, because none of this would have happened without her.”

Reflecting on their project and flying in general, Jeanne shares with a gracious smile, “The Waco people are so great for helping and encouraging us, and I’m sure other type clubs are the same way. And we’ve had so many adventures through our flying. That’s really what flying does; it gives you another dimension of life.” Well said, Jeanne. www.vintageaircraft.org

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Meyers 200B

John Lyon’s classic speed demon Budd Davisson Meyers 200B, N489C, was born in Tecumseh, Michigan, in a tiny building (10,000 square feet) that seemed more like Geppetto’s workshop, alive with hand-done craftsmanship, than an aircraft factory. It was the fourth production bird to be built, and in fact, its original birth certificate reads 36

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Meyers 200A even though it’s now a 200B. However, what appears to be a glitch in its birth certificate does not mean that it’s an orphan child. Rather, it means that it’s a very lucky child of aviation: Sometime in the 1960s, the owner flew the airplane with the propeller bolts only finger tight. It flew for

almost three hours before winding up on its belly in a field. When returned to those who created it for rebuild, it was upgraded to 200B standards, all of which worked very much to the benefit of John Lyon in Los Angeles, the present owner, who many years later sorted out the paperwork and got

PHIL HIGH

it redesignated as 200B. A Continental IO-520A of 285 hp was installed in place of the original 260-hp IO-470 during the rebuild.

“When I found the airplane at Montgomery Field in San Diego in 1976, it was covered with sheets and was really in excellent condition,” he remembers. “It had been

sitting for a while but needed very little work. That would all come much later, after I’d put quite a bit of time on it. In fact, when I bought it, it had 2,100 hours on it. Now it has over 4,500 hours. So, it hasn’t been a hangar queen.”

Born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma, John says his dad, a WWII

Navy vet, was always starting new businesses, and he moved the family to Ruidoso, New Mexico, to start a café because “. . . it had 26 bars but only one restaurant.” Eventually, they wound up in Los Alamos, New Mexico, where his dad provided security and other services to the AEC during A-bomb tests. www.vintageaircraft.org

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Where possible everything on the airplane was faired for speed.

PHIL HIGH PHOTOS

As originally built in Tecumseh, before being sold to North AmericanRockwell, the Meyers 200 series was mostly a hand built airplane, with limited production tooling, which added to the man hours required to build it.

“When we lived in Tulsa, my granddad would take me to the airport, and we’d sit on the roof terrace of the cafeteria of the Spartan School of Aviation and watch the airliners,” John says. “I was collecting baggage tags at the time. Even then I knew I wanted to fly, but most of the other towns we moved to didn’t have airports. So, I didn’t get back to aviation until much later, when I’d graduated Har-

vard Law School and was in-house counsel for a company in New York City. A friend was taking lessons at the now-gone Ramapo Valley Airport that was a little west and north of the city. One day, he asked me if I wanted to come along. I was just standing around just watching when a guy asked me if I wanted to get a close look at an airplane. Before I knew it, we were racing down the runway, and we were barely in the air before I was totally hooked!

I started taking lessons right then and there.

“I was flying the Meyers out of Van Nuys, when in 1988, I decided it was time for a complete restoration. It was still flying fine, but it was time to look inside of it. I hired mostly freelance mechanics, and we took everything off the airplane that didn’t take a cutting torch to remove. I was pleasantly surprised to find no corrosion at all. In fact, the Meyers guys had shot most of the rivets wet, so they were building it for the long run with safety being first and speed second.

“Every piece of glass had to go, The main and nose gears both use the same size tires making the 200 a little happier on grass fields.

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During the rebuilt process, early in John’s long ownership of the airplane, he upgraded the panel to “…the very latest and greatest 1990 had to offer.”

PHIL HIGH PHOTOS

Lyon now has a home that allows him instant access to Flabob.

The wrap-around windows give fighter-like visibility to the rear.

and the doors needed a lot of work to make them fit better. The main doorframe is fiberglass, and every piece of metal around it is a compound curve.

So, getting the door to fit perfectly takes a lot of work. Meyers’ doors were originally hand formed, so every one is slightly different. We spent a lot of time getting all of that set right.

“There are four fuel tanks in the center section and outer wings that are suspended in straps. They are thin and prone to cracking, so every one of those had to be gone through. The same thing was true of the landing gear. It pivots in Oilite bushings, so every 600 or 700 landings the entire gear has to be re-bushed.

“The elevator trim is a vernier knob on the panel, so a Bowden cable runs all the way to the tail where it drives a screw jack. That has to be watched carefully and lubed at least every five years. That goes for a lot of really early parts, which at this stage of the game are over half a century old. You have to maintain them. This includes things like the hy-

John Lyon and the Flabob Connection As a businessman and lawyer, John moved to Los Angeles, where his circle of flying friends expanded to include, among others, Tom Wathen.

“I checked Tom out in his newly acquired Meyers 200, when both of our Meyers were based at Van Nuys,” says John.

“In fact, Tom generously let me fly his 200 during the six years it took me to rebuild my own airplane.

“Tom and I later worked on setting up his foundation, the Tom Wathen Center, dedicated to providing education through aviation. In 2000 I was helping Tom look for a place where the Tom Wathen Center could do its work. One candidate was Flabob Airport, and I heard some rumors which prompted me to call Tom in France, where he was on his honeymoon.

Tom asked me to go find out what was going on and to take his stepson Doug who was a real estate expert. Doug and I went to Flabob, where we learned that the owners were going to sign sale papers the next morning to sell the airport to developers who would scrape it and build houses. We said that Tom would match the offer and keep it as an airport, and Doug wrote a deposit check. He called Tom at one in the morning (French time) and said, ‘Good news! You now own an airport.’ He also asked Tom to transfer some funds the next morning to cover the rubber deposit check he had written.

“Like so many others, I’ve always considered Flabob to be the pilot’s form of paradise. In fact, I now have a second home adjoining the Flabob Airport, with a hangar in the backyard, where the Meyers lives most of the time. It’s every boy’s dream. Not the one with Gina Lollobrigida in it, the other one with the airplane in the backyard.” www.vintageaircraft.org

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Meyers 200: A History Al Meyers is one of those aviation pioneers who came out of the 1930s that blazed a trail well into the 1950s and beyond. Unfortunately, not many folks know his name today, which is a shame. The three aircraft designs that bear his name are near-cult objects to those who know or own them, because their quality, performance, and reputations put them in a class of their own.

It’s a curious fact that exactly when America was in a well-developed economic tailspin, aviation spawned one entrepreneur after another. It’s often overlooked that names such as Cessna, Beech, Stearman, Mooney, and many others were actually the names of men who left giant aviation concerns to establish aircraft companies of their own, even though the Depression was in full swing. Al Meyers was one of those. After stints with Chance Vought, Glenn Martin, and Stinson Aircraft (all of which also carry the names of their entrepreneurial founders), he set up his own company in Michigan. His specialty was designing aircraft that had a number of unique features, with safety, performance, and reliability being the keynotes throughout.

The first of those aircraft was the OTW biplane of 1939, which supposedly had the honor of being the only Civil Pilot Training aircraft never to kill a student. It is also likely to be the only all-aluminum structure biplane (fabric wings) ever certified.

The war behind him, Meyers’ creative business streak saw him applying what he knew about aluminum fabrication to building boats. Where the anticipated boom in light aircraft had led many aviation companies off on a wild goose chase, which resulted in scores of bankruptcies, Meyers’ boat business flourished. He had tapped into a goal many returning veterans had on their minds: They didn’t want to go flying; they wanted to go fishing.

Meyers’ boating success gave him the financial latitude to get back into designing what he knew and loved best—airplanes. But rather than evolving something out of the OTW, he looked around at the sleek designs other 40

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companies were producing and decided to do them one better. The first of those designs f l e w i n 1 9 4 7, the two-place 125/145 was of limited produc tion (only 22 were built), but they laid the groundwork for his fire-breathing 200 of 1958. Here was an airplane that promised (and delivered) a cruise speed of 200-plus mph, which the competition couldn’t touch. In fact, for the next decade, as the design went through a variety of owners, it became the darling of the racing set and established a number of records, culminating with Don Washburn clocking 239 mph over a 3-kilometer course in a bone-stock 200D, the final production version of the airplane. At the time, it was the fastest normally aspirated, reciprocating aircraft in certified production. Even today there are few that can beat it, and most of those are turbocharged.

A purebred, the Meyers had a serious Achilles heel, nonetheless: It was complicated (read that as “expensive”) to build. The basic structure that made it so strong and has yet to see an AD against it didn’t lend itself to mass production. The cabin and center section from main The chronology of the production breed reads as follows. Note that sources of production numbers vary.

Meyers Production 200 – single prototype with 230-hp O-470 200A – 8 to 11 built, 260-hp Continental IO-470 200B – 13 to 17 built, slight structural improvements, higher-limit speeds 200C – 7 to 9 built, raised roofline and larger windshield 200D – 4 to 8 built, 285-hp Continental IO-520A, flush-riveted wings Aero Commander production 200 – 77 to 83 built (approximately), same as 200D

gear to main gear was 4130 tubing with all the external sheet metal attached to it; so the parts count was high, and it required more handwork than a straight monocoque structure would have needed.

Al Meyers had a dedicated group of craftsmen who literally handbuilt each airplane. They had only temporary, one-piece-at-a-time jigs and tooling, which worked fine for them because they were building to order. When someone wrote a check, they built an airplane. The result of that approach was that every one of the approximately 30 to 40 planes to come out of his little plant was literally custom built with no two exactly the same. However, when North American–Rockwell’s Aero Commander division bought it in 1965, intending to cut costs through mass production, it found it had bit off more than it could chew. Highproduction tooling/jigs didn’t exist, and in the process of building the 77 to 83 aircraft to come off its line, a lot of money was spent trying to tool up to the usual Aero Commander standards. Unfortunately, it just couldn’t get the labor costs down, so it shut the production line down in 1967.

The exact number of Meyers 200s produced is a little fuzzy, but 115 to 130 is close. The number still surviving is also hidden in the haze of history, but most assume something like 100 of the total production still exist, which has to be one of the highest survivor-to-production ratios of any aircraft produced. This is a testimony to the airplane’s tanklike construction and flight characteristics. It’s one of the few production airplanes in history never to have a single airworthiness directive on its structure.

It also formed the basis for the 400hp Intercepter 400, the first certified, pressurized turboprop single-engine aircraft, which sadly never went into full production.

PHIL HIGH

draulic selector valve, landing gear scissors, and anything that moves or rotates.”

Like so many airplanes of the time, there was a rotating beacon mounted on the vertical fin that “. . . was really big! I mean big! So, we got a 337 to put that smaller one on. At the same time, we 337’d a new set of wingtips for it.”

One of the biggest advantages to John’s airplane having spent some time lying on its belly in a cornfield and going back to Meyers to be repaired and upgraded was that its new “B” model status meant it was eligible for installation of an autopilot, so John added a Century III coupled to the new KLN 89B GPS. The real strong suit of the Meyers is, and always has been, the fact that it’s one of the fastest—if not the fastest—normally aspirated single-engine aircraft (civil-

ian) ever built. Certainly, when it was produced, it was the fastest.

At cruise, they claim well over 200 mph (174 knots), but John says, “I generally get about 167 knots (192 mph) at 65 percent and 14.5 gph.

It’ll go a lot faster, but I see no reason to burn that much gas.”

With that kind of speed, when he was rebuilding it, he concentrated on making sure it was not only comfortable but equipped for the A-to-B mission for which the airplane was designed. “ We c o m p l e t e l y r e d i d t h e panel,” he says, “but didn’t get crazy with the layout. It’s pretty much what 200s had in the early ’60s, because the 1958 layout was a little scattered. So, now I’m flying with the very latest and greatest 1990 had to offer. And it all works perfectly! No reason to fix what doesn’t need fixing.” www.vintageaircraft.org

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The fuselage and center section is steel tubing and, as the rudder pedals attest, everything about the Meyers is robust.

Red, Dark Red, and Las Vegas Gold. For this reason, I call the airplane The Red Menace.”

When it comes to flying, John says the ailerons feel a little heavy but that the response is faster than most aircraft of the type. The stability is such that the autopilot is almost never turned on because the airplane will go straight ahead almost indefinitely.

On takeoff, he says, PHIL HIGH PHOTOS “It definitely needs some It only takes a casual glance at right rudder even before leaving the the cockpit to see that the uphol- ground. With a span of only 30 feet stery, although having seen use 6 inches, the wing is shorter than since the rebuild, still looks like some in the category, which is where new. It’s during this examination some of the speed comes from, but that the overall visibility from it gets off fine. However, it wants inside of the airplane is noticed: some speed before it’ll begin really It has complete 360-degree vis- climbing. Still, even though it’s reibility, almost as if it has a bubble ally fast, the stalls are incredibly becanopy but without the sun glar- nign. It doesn’t have a mean bone ing down on you. in its body. Every Meyers 200 had “When we painted the airplane, hand-tuned, individually adjusted we used a late Meyers’ scheme but stall strips. When stalled from any picked cabin Waco colors,” John attitude, so long as the ball is censays. “It is all Fitch paint: Sunproof tered, it will roll wings-level.”

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Since it is such a high-performance airplane, it’s easy to assume that the landings are critical and you’ll be coming down final at fighter speeds. Not so, according to John.

“I fly final at 80 knots with a little power,” he says. “The landing gear is really dirty and can be used as speed brakes because it can be lowered as high as 145 knots. It’s hard to believe how easy it is to slow the airplane down for the approach, considering how fast it is.

And it’s so stable on approach, you feel as if you’re in an airliner.

“I like to see 70 knots over the fence, and it squats onto the mains really easily. Also the fact that the nose tire is the same size as the mains means it’s happier than some high-performance tri-gears on unimproved surfaces.”

The Meyers 200 is one of those machines, not unlike “D” Jaguars or other exotics, that doesn’t appeal to everyone. But those who feel the mechanical arrow through their hearts could have nothing else. So, don’t look for a “for sale” sign on John Lyon’s Meyers 200B anytime soon.

The

Other Member

of

Our Family

Part 1, Aeronca 7AC Champ NC1585E Richard “Dick” Pedersen

I

was just a 9-year-old kid in 1959, helping my dad, Harry Pedersen, rebuild Bonanzas at the Rusk County Airport in Tony, Wisconsin. He had started a Bonanza rebuilding business in 1957 at this small airport that had two sod runways, a gas pump, and a very small building that served as the office for the airport manager, Elmer Wisherd.

My dad had a beautiful blue and white 1949 A-35 Bonanza that he had rebuilt using parts from 11 different wrecked Bonanzas while he

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photos courtesy author

was still living in California and decided to sell it in late 1959 as he was rebuilding another Bonanza for himself at the time. In December of 1959 a farmer from the Withee, Wisconsin, area drove up to Tony with his wife to look at the Bonanza. He had already looked at other planes, but his wife didn’t like any of them. After he looked over the Bonanza he brought his wife into the cold unheated hangar to see the Bonanza, and she took one look at it and told her husband that this was the plane he could buy as she liked the looks of it and

the paint colors.

T he buyer and my dad then began negotiating on the deal.

My dad was a horse trader, so to speak, and this fellow had a 1946 Champ that he wanted to trade as a down payment on the Bonanza.

My dad agreed to trade as he was always trading Luscombes, Cessna 120/140s, Champs, and Chiefs any time he could make a little money on the deal. Being only 9 years old, I couldn’t understand why my dad was so excited about trading off a beautiful Bonanza for a lowly old Champ.

The Champ

NC1585E was a 1946 7AC in original condition with the original fabric on it yet and had only 180 hours’ total time on it when the former owner flew it up to the Rusk County Airport on December 29, 1959, to pick up the Bonanza. The Champ was 13 years old at this point, and as Champs went, it looked like the average Champ to me, and I still had a hard time understanding my dad trading off a beautiful and fast Bonanza with a new leather interior and shiny new paint for such an old and slow rag bag as this Champ. Airplanes that were 13 years old back in 1959 were considered old, and if they had 700 to 800 hours on them they were considered high time. Little did I know back then as a kid that this would be the plane that I would solo in, and close to 50 years later I would be totally restoring it, while still at the Rusk County Airport, owning and running the Bonanza maintenance business myself.

This Champ first took to the air on September 16, 1946, from the Aeronca factory at Middletown, Ohio, with H.J. Rosing at the controls for the 30-minute test flight.

The Champ’s fuselage before the finishing touches.

The Champ’s fuselage painted. www.vintageaircraft.org

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Case, crank and cam.

Case and parts.

Crank and rods.

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On September 20 and 21, 1946, 85E made the ferry flight from Ohio to Wisconsin logging seven hours and 25 minutes. On September 29 the first owner, V.S. Lewandowski, received a checkout flight in his new plane. The Champ appears to have only been annualed every other year until March 16, 1950. That was the last flight before 85E was put into long-term storage, with only 119 hours’ total time.

If I remember the stor y correctly, Mr. L e wandowsk i was an Aeronca dealer and had this Champ and a new Chief that he couldn’t sell so he put them into storage until he could find buyers for them. On July 5, 1957, 85E received its third annual inspection, this time by Don Woods from the CAA GSDO-21 office. 85E was apparently sold to Roland Misfeldt, the farmer from Withee, Wisconsin, at this time. She logged 61 hours from that annual in 1957 until my dad took over ownership on December 29, 1959.

The Champ turned out to be my father’s “hangar queen.” He always had it for sale but kept the price high on it, and when a buyer would come to look at it and seemed really interested the price would go up several hundred dollars. Several hundred dollars back then was like several thousand dollars today. He didn’t fly her all that much, just fun flying and looking for deer in the winter time for the Wisconsin Conservation Department when the deer would yard up due to the deep snow we would get back then. I can remember freezing my butt off in the back seat as my dad would circle the deer yards for what seemed like hours to me. I would climb out after we landed, frozen stiff, with a splitting headache and queasy stomach from the noise, vibrations, and constant circling he would do at low al-

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Engine installation.

Cowling.

titudes. But by the next weekend I would be ready to go again. And once again would arrive back at RCX an hour later frozen and nauseated.

One would think I would have given up on flying after riding in this old Champ so many times, but something was starting to kindle a fire in me about 85E.

Overturned

One May evening in 1962 when

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my dad came home from working at the airport, he had a more serious than normal look on his face.

He said he had some bad news about the airport. The night before there had been some storms that ripped through parts of Rusk County, and the airport was one of the hardest hit areas. A bunch of planes were damaged, and some of the hangars were blown down.

The T-hangar that his Champ was

in was one of the hangars that was down, and the Champ was lying upside down on top of what was left of the hangar.

I had been in school that day and wanted to go out to the airport after supper and see what had happened, but my dad had already flipped the Champ back over onto its landing gear and had moved it into his big Quonset hangar. I knew this was going to be a project my dad would have to rebuild as the Champ wasn’t damaged as badly as one would think. The aft fuselage by the vertical fin was twisted somewhat, the rudder was damaged as well as two wing spars and a bunch of wing ribs. Surprisingly, none of the original windows or the windshield were damaged as the wood prop somehow turned to the vertical position when the Champ was picked up and turned over in the strong winds.

My dad always left the prop in the horizontal position when the Champ was stored, but fortunately it somehow rotated to the vertical position before the plane landed on top of the remains of the hangar, which prevented more damage from happening to the wings, windshield, upper fuselage, and cowling. The prop tip didn’t even get damaged, but there was a bad gouge on the forward side of one of the wood blades.

My dad started the rebuild on 85E al mo s t i mme d i ate l y a nd bought two new wood spars for the right wing from the Champion Aircraft factory in Osceola, Wisconsin, and a section of aft fuselage and a rudder from a damaged Champ in Pipestone, Minnesota. He repaired a bunch of the wing ribs, replaced some leading edge sections, and re-covered the entire plane in Irish linen and butyrate dope.

Not much else exciting hap-

pened with 85E until July 9, 1965.

This was the day of my first dual instruction with Elmer Wisherd as my flight instructor. 85E was never used for pilot training so it was a new experience for both of us, although I’m sure 85E caught on to what we were trying to do faster than I did. My flying lessons were sporadic as I was only 15 at the time and Elmer would work me in between all of his other students, his A&P work, and airport manager duties. He would come over to my dad’s shop and holler in the door, “Has he done enough riveting to earn another hour of dual?”

Of course my dad would always say yes as he wanted to see me continue an active interest in aviation, which by this point in my life I knew what I wanted to do, and it all involved aviation. On February 13, 1966, I had a flying lesson I will never forget.

There wasn’t much snow that winter and the Flambeau River forms a large flowage just off the departure end of Runway 32, and there is a 60-foot bank at the end of 32 that drops down to the flowage. The lack of normal snowfall that winter along with some high winds had swept the entire flowage free of snow, leaving smooth, bare ice on the entire flowage. Elmer and I were departing on 32 on my fourth lesson, and we were almost at the departure end of 32 when Elmer chopped the power and hollered “force landing.” I instinctively dropped the nose somewhat to maintain 60 mph while making a slight turn to the left to better line up with the flowage. I made a halfway decent landing on the glare ice, and I had let the Champ slow down to what would have been a normal taxi speed when Elmer hollered forward to me to try and turn around so we could take off going

the other way. I put the Champ into a gentle left turn and we slid sideways for quite a ways across the ice until Elmer gunned the 65hp Continental several times and got us pointing in the right direction for takeoff. Then we would take off and climb up about 200 feet and chop the power and land again, and shoot touch-and-goes all the way down the flowage until we got close to the other end of the flowage, then Elmer would take over and make a low-level 180 and give the plane back to me for some more touch-and-go practice all the way down the flowage again.

We did this for almost an hour to sharpen up my landing skills, and I was having a blast but the setting sun ended this fun flying all too soon. I had to climb back up to land at RCX as the “official” runway was 60 feet above us.

Solo

On August 3, 1966, I soloed 85E after seven hours of dual instruction. The Champ flew much better without all the extra weight in the back seat and was also much quieter without all the hollering com-

ing from the back seat. I flew 85E solo for a little over a month, and then 85E didn’t get flown much after that as we always had late model Musketeers and Bonanzas to fly after rebuilding them. During this same time period, my father had acquired a large parcel of land in the woods north of Tony, Wisconsin, and he and I built a 3,000foot sod runway and hangared the Champ there for many years.

Also during this time period I had started my own collection of planes so the Champ was now a real hangar queen that didn’t get out much.

Unfortunately for 85E the hangar it sat in for many years was in the woods, and the mice and red squirrels were always a problem. They seemed to like 85E, and no matter what we tried using to keep them out of the wings never seemed to work. The mice would roll the mothballs around in the wings for nightly entertainment, and Decon was like candy to them; in fact, they would even eat the cardboard box that it came in. Mousetraps would have to be tied with wire to something on the outside of the plane; otherwise, they would

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sometimes crawl further into the wing after they sprung the trap, which made retrieval of the trap a problem. The Champ didn’t get annualed on a regular yearly schedule during this period, and whenever I would feel the need to annual it I would have to cut more inspection holes in the wings to remove mouse nests and to check for corrosion and chewing damage. It got to the point that there were more inspection holes in the bottoms of the wings than are now required by AD 00-25-02R1 for the wood spar inspections. The wings looked as if they had been shot with a shotgun several times and patched with metal inspection covers.

On January 30, 1986, the Pedersen family suffered a tremendous loss. Harry Pedersen passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on that cold winter afternoon. Even though I had enough planes of my own at the time, I knew what I had to do to keep 85E in the Pedersen family as my father had wished. I bought 85E from my dad’s estate that year, and I also earned my IA rating that same summer. 85E was out of annual by several years, so later that summer I went through the Champ rather closely to determine just how bad it was internally.

It still had the fabric on it that my dad put on in 1962, and it still tested good as he had used lots of silver and dope when he re-covered it, and it had been hangared all of its life. I replaced the rudder cables, brake cables, air filter, and had Maxwell Prop Shop in Minneapolis 50

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recondition the prop and magnaflux and cad plate the prop bolts.

85E had 609 hours’ total time at this point. My dad never tried for an IA rating so up until now 85E had been annualed by some of the best-known IAs in northern Wisconsin, including Leon Loomis from the Mondovi area, Ken Maxwell from Minneapolis, John Kevari from Ironwood, Michigan, John Hatz from Gleason, Wisconsin, and Elmer Wisherd from Tony.

This was about the only time that 85E would fly outside of the Wisconsin borders; otherwise, it has spent most of its entire life in Rusk County in northern Wisconsin.

Champ Restoration

I didn’t fly 85E very much after purchasing it as I had an RV-3, 1 9 4 9 T- 8 F L u s c o m b e , 1 9 7 0 Mooney M10 Cadet, and a 1980 Varga Kachina that I had either built from scratch or had bought wrecked and rebuilt. After selling my father’s house and land, I was running out of places to keep my planes, so I had to sell a few of them as I needed the hangar space to run my Bonanza business in. On August 31, 1998, I took my last ride in 85E for a while. The Champ had 670 hours’ TT on it at that time, and I had decided that now was the time to totally restore it. I pushed it into the shop and argued with myself if I should just restore the wings now and then a year or two later do the tail feathers and then the fuselage later yet, or just bite the bullet and do a complete

restoration now.

After totally disassembling it, I pulled out my knife and proceeded to cut the fabric off of everything.

Now I was committed. I got a surprise as I was cutting the fabric off one of the ailerons in that it still had Grade A fabric on it, not the Irish linen that my dad had used back in 1962. Was this still the original 1946 fabric, or had my dad simply ran out of Irish linen and used a piece of Grade A? I was quite sure it was still the original fabric.

I knew this would be a long-term project as I wanted to put it all back to original, and I had never tried my hand at fabric work. I had been a sheet metal guy all of my life. Plus I needed to keep the Bonanza business going, and that business was getting harder to keep up with as time passed. Due to the business, I could only work on the Champ project during the winter months when I would take time off to do things that I wanted to do for myself such as restoring/rebuilding rare airplanes and finishing the interior of my new house.

The wood spar damage and the chewed-up rib lacing were the main reasons for starting this restoration project. I started restoring the fuselage first by stripping the fuselage down to the frame, then sandblasting the tubing and epoxy priming with a water-based product that I thought would be safer to use. Little did I know at the time that this would be a mistake and cost me some time in the future. After priming the fuselage tubing I moved on to

the wings as I had hauled them home to my basement workshop. While I was tearing the wings apart there were some rumors starting about a wood spar AD that might be coming out in the future. I found the name of the FAA person responsible for the proposed AD and called him to see what he thought the problem was and what the requirements of the AD would be. I needed new spars, all four of them, as two were the original 1946 spars yet and the other two were the two that my dad had replaced when he rebuilt the Champ. All four spars had chewing damage on them on the bottom edges. They could have possibly been saved by splicing in a new piece, but the splice would have to run almost the entire length of the spars.

I had my mind made up already that I would be buying four new spars, but I was undecided if I wanted to buy four new wood spars or spend even more money and buy the Milman STC’d aluminum spar kit that was available. The wood spars were the reason for the restoration, and with a possible AD coming out on wood spars I finally decided to go the Milman route even though I knew the aluminum spars would add 10 pounds to the empty weight.

After I opened up the box that the spars arrived in and inspected all the pieces that came with the spars, I knew I had made the right choice. The spars were beautifully made and came with all the necessary spacer blocks and hardware required to slide the old wood spars out of the ribs and slide the new aluminum spars into place. Everything you needed to complete the project was there as it was a very well-thought-out kit. I only had one complaint about the kit, and that was with the instruction sheets. I called Milman to complain about the instruction sheet print

being way too small to see and easily read, and the good folks at Milman were already working on making the instruction sheets and drawings to a larger scale. Those of you who are laughing right now, just wait a few more years and you will know what I’m talking about.

I replaced all of the leading edge skins with new ones that I fabricated, rebuilt all the ribs that had some corrosion damage on them from the mice, installed a few new ribs to replace some that had been patched by my dad after the tornado damage but didn’t look real nice, installed new aileron bearings and aileron cables, and rebuilt the ailerons by installing new leading edges and trailing edges to both of them. Before assembling the wings, I etched and epoxy-primed all the pieces using Poly-Fiber primer. Next I sandblasted the fuselage tubing for the second time,

as I had noticed several months after priming it the first time the year before that the white paint on the tubing was taking on a snake skin color with blotches of a darker color starting to appear.

I contacted the water-based paint folks, and they suspected that the tubing was rusting under the primer and wanted me to send them a sample of the paint that was discoloring on the tubing. When I scraped off a sample, I knew right away that they were right. After sandblasting the fuselage again, I epoxy-primed it with Poly-Fiber primer this time, and didn’t have any more problems. Fortunately the rust under the water-based primer was just minor surface rust, and it cleaned up quite easily. Everything I primed from then on, steel or aluminum, was primed with Poly-Fiber products.

See Part 2 in the May/June issue of Vintage Airplane

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The National Stearman Fly-In A big kid’s Christmas!

Harry G. Ballance Jr. photos courtesy author

Different national holidays mean different things to different people. If one were to ask 12 people about Labor Day and what it means to them, one would probably get 12 different answers. To many it might be to celebrate yet another day free from the daily grind of their work. For others, it connotes the close of the boating season, the start of school, and hamburgers on the grill. To be sure, the summer is winding down. However, to a Stearman aficionado, it can only mean one thing: the start of the National Stearman Fly-In at Galesburg, Illinois. This fly-in was started some 43 years ago by Tom Lowe and Jim Leahy and has continued to grow and gather momentum over the 52

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years. One might ask why such an unlikely place as Galesburg to hold a fly-in such as this? I think the only substantive answer is that it was close to where they both lived.

However, the reason it continues to be held there, with attendees from all over the country, as well as several from Canada and Europe, is the spirit of the citizens of Galesburg and the surrounding towns.

This is no ordinary fly-in. At most of the larger fly-ins I attend, once I am safely on the ground, I tie my airplane down and do not plan to fly it again until I am ready to leave. That is certainly not the case here. Every day is filled with carefully planned events, to include seminars, fly-outs to neighbor-

ing communities, and socializing.

Stearman people are, on the whole, pretty accepting. One friend of mine attended several years ago flying a C-182. Nobody thumbed their nose at him because he was not flying a Stearman, and he was included in all of the seminars and social events he desired to attend.

In fact, he enjoyed it so much that he attended the next year, as well, still in the C-182.

This doesn’t all just happen. The citizens of the community are a powerful force all year long to make each fly-in better than the one that was held the previous year. The level of volunteerism among the citizenry is simply something to behold. They run flightline tours,

they make coffee for the attendees, they drive courtesy vans to and from the hotels, and they will graciously do just about anything else that is reasonable. I can recall a situation some years ago where a hapless pilot was stuck with a punctured tailwheel tube. One of the volunteers took the tube into town and had it repaired—to FAA standards, of course. Throughout the year there are several fundraising events in Galesburg that offset some of the costs of the fly-in. Perhaps the largest such event is the annual golf tournament. What this means to the Stearman pilot is that it costs nothing to attend this flyin. In fact, the FBO even gives each Stearman a quantity of free fuel.

When is the last time you ever got paid to attend a fly-in?

There are several of us from the Atlanta area who try and fly up there in a “gaggle.” It is just more fun that way, and there is some safety factor if one of the airplanes has mechanical problems.

Sometimes we take two days to make the trip, and sometimes we can make it in one, if the weather and winds are favorable. It is a long one-day trip, however. We try and arrive on a Saturday or Sunday, even though the event does not really start until a free barbecue—hosted by the citizens of Galesburg—on Monday

evening. This gives us some slack time in the event of bad weather en route. This event only happens once a year, and no Stearman pilot would want to miss a single day of it. As we cross the Ohio River into Illinois, the countryside changes dramatically. The harsh coal strip mines of Kentucky give way to neat farms, organized along the section lines, all displaying various colors of crops, depending whether or not it is corn or soybeans, and whether or not they have been harvested. This is truly some of the most beautiful country I have ever seen. However, just because one is in Illinois, does not mean that one is in Galesburg.

Illinois is a long, skinny state, and there is still a lot of f lying left before we arrive at our ulti-

mate destination. As we approach Galesburg, I get sort of a “giddy with excitement” or anxious feeling in my stomach, even after flying professionally all of my adult life. As we enter the traffic pattern, we are rewarded by a choice of two nicely maintained turf runways. Stearmans, lest the reader forget, do not behave very well on a hard surface runway. After rolling out and taxiing to the parking area, we are rewarded by the sight of row after row of Stearmans. In spite of what Thomas Wolfe said, we are “home” again. There are a couple of events for those who arrive early. Kewanee, Illinois, hosts a fly-out breakfast, while the city of Galesburg holds a Labor Day parade and asks those of us in attendance to fly over. One year the

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Pete Smart, Cal Tax, Jim Ratliff and Harry Ballance refueling in Tullahoma, TN.

briefing included the directive “. . . the citizens of Galesburg like airplane noise, so fly low and make plenty of it.” At the barbecue supper on Monday evening, we see old friends from previous years: Stearman pilots as well as many of the volunteers with whom we have developed a close friendship over the years of having attended this event. Old men and not-soold women brimming with excitement catching up on the events of the past year, like teenagers at a soda fountain after the first day of school.

Tuesday morning most of us arise early, only to hear “Old Bob” Siegfried out on “dawn patrol.” He takes off before dawn, climbs up to an unreasonable altitude considering the temperature and the standard adiabatic lapse rate, and sees 54

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his first sunrise of the day. Then he slips down a couple of thousand feet and sees the second sunrise, finally catching a third one as he lands. It is not every day one can see three sunrises, particularly from an open-cockpit biplane.

Typically, there is no official fly-out on Tuesday, so a lot of the Georgia contingent, with other interlopers, fly to the Amana Colonies in nearby Iowa for lunch. We land on a beautifully manicured, level and wide, turf crop duster strip, owned and maintained by a real nice guy named John Thompson. You just have to experience it to believe it. This is some of the most beautiful real estate in the world. If the winters were not so harsh, I suspect the price of land would be higher than that of Palm Springs. After a walk into town,

shopping for the wives among us as well as those who stayed behind to tend the home fires, and a bountiful midday repast, we all lumber back to our airplanes and head back to Galesburg. Supper that evening is in the nearby town of Monmouth, at a really good restaurant, loaded with airplane paraphernalia, called Cerar’s Barnstormer.

Wednesday holds more seminars, from anything to airplane rigging to basic aerobatics, and then a brief flight to nearby Kewanee for lunch.

In the afternoon there is an aerobatic contest, and then we are left to our own devices to dine at the many restaurants in Galesburg.

Thursday brings another round of seminars, then a lunch trip to Geneseo, Illinois. This, again, is a beautiful grass runway, carved out of a cornfield, complete with corn growing on either side of the runway. A lot of the formation groups are honing their skills for the contest on Saturday, and early lunch arrivals can watch their arrival. You really don’t understand how good corn on the cob can be until you have experienced it fresh from an Illinois cornfield. Another event of interest, in terms of “giving back” to the local community, is visiting the local schools. Typically, multiple teams of two will visit several classrooms and tell the kids about Stearmans, their careers, what led them to become pilots, and answer just about any airplane-related question the kids throw at them. Thursday evening the Stearman Restorers Association hosts a complimentary pizza supper. Friday there are short-field takeoff, flour bombing, and spot landing contests. There is no official fly-out, but a local family that is heavily involved in aviation, the Wolfords, hosts a fly-out to their farm, just a short distance south.

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This really is a runway carved out of a cornfield. It is beyond the power of the written word to describe the Stearmans lined up in neat rows next to various farm buildings and equipment against a background of cornstalks. It is also fun to climb on top of one of the big grain storage bins and watch the arrivals, impromptu aerobatic displays, and departures. Friday night there is another banquet, if you will, in the Jet Air hangar as well as a speaker who is of interest to the Stearman segment of our society.

Saturday, regrettably, is the last day of the fly-in.

Typically there is a dawn patrol to a nearby city, last year Burlington, Iowa. Participants take off at official sunrise and venture to the breakfast destination. After returning, the afternoon is filled with formation contests, all of which are pretty impressive. There is another supper that evening, and most of the participants are rather melancholy that another week of doing what we like best is rapidly drawing to a close.

Sunday morning the NSFI holds a farewell breakfast, again in the Jet Air hangar. Most of the pilots load up, knowing that this will most probably be the only substantive meal they have until their arrival at their home airport. The measure of local support is very gratifying, as a lot of the locals drop by to wish us a safe trip home and thank us for attending their event. We typically try and make the trip to Atlanta in one day, with only two fuel stops, which is doable if there is a slight tailwind. There have been times, however, when the weather precluded our even making it out of the state of Illinois on the first day. Such is the nature of flying the older airplanes. Kids look forward to Christmas. Big kids, like me, look forward to the National Stearman Fly-In. Don’t miss it, even if you have to drive. Only 6 more months to Galesburg!

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Reminiscing

With an Old Friend A classic Stinson 108 stirs up the past Scott Knowlton

T

he nondescript envelope was waiting for me after a four-day weather-filled trip with my airline. Too tired to open the rest of the bills and bank statements that awaited me on my return home late that evening, I busied myself with the routine tasks of putting away my roller bag, overcoat, and hat while nursing a beer. My eye caught the envelope again sporting a United States of America postage stamp; the return address was Atlanta, Georgia. In our age of e-mail, text messaging, and social media this handwritten piece of mail spoke of a different, simpler time—an era when waiting for a response to correspondence was measured in weeks or months rather than mere moments. At the same time as my bed called, my curiosity 56

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photos courtesy author

got the better of me, and I finally plucked the envelope out of the pile and dug into it with my index figure. It was a one-page typewritten letter from a man named Bruce Greenwood stating that at one time he owned a Stinson 108 that he purchased in Tennessee as a young ensign in the Navy. After owning it for four years, life, marriage, and the need for a home got in the way of his airplane dreams, and he reluctantly parted with his beloved bird and moved on to start and raise a family. As often happens in later life, Bruce began to reminisce about his Stinson and wondered what had become of it. Knowing the serial number of the aircraft, Bruce was able in short order to follow the path of serial number 268 built by the Consolidated Vultee Aircraft

Company in the state of Michigan in 1946. The beauty of the Internet led Bruce to me in Canada as the current owner, and his letter was intended to make contact with me in order to find out about his old bird.

Making the link between old school mail and present day communications he included his e-mail address.

I went to bed thinking about Bruce and his letter and marveled at the vast number of lives one old classic airplane can touch. What was going on in the world when Bruce was the caring owner of my Stinson? Were there more small airplanes flying the skies than there are now, airports dotting the countryside, pilots flying for the sake of just being up in the air? As the cost of ownership and operation of an aircraft continues to rise, I could

certainly identify with this man as the notion to sell my airplane to reduce my cost of living had frequently entered my mind. The next morning, prior to getting lost in the business of catching up on things not done from my being away, I made sure to respond to Bruce with a quick e-mail acknowledging his letter and confirming that I was in fact the present owner of the Stinson he once owned and for good measure included a couple of photos. This seemingly simple e-mail to a stranger in another country started a chain of events that would conclude with Bruce and I meeting and he having an opportunity to reunite with his long-lost Stinson.

Bruce quickly responded to my email with his own photos of serial number 268 both before and after he had her restored. As a fire inspector for an insurance company, Bruce often traveled to different parts of the country to do his work and asked me if I might let him see his old airplane. Only a few short weeks went by before Bruce informed me that he had work scheduled in Niagara Falls, less than an hour’s drive from the Grimsby Airpark where I keep the Stinson. Bruce gave me ample notice so that I could ensure my flying roster would not have me scheduled to work, and we agreed to meet on a Wednesday evening in mid June.

With my schedule cleared and weather looking very promising I headed for my field at about 5:30 on that warm, sunny Wednesday evening. A rental car was parked in the airport parking lot, and as I pulled in a gentleman in his mid-60s with a bright grin on his face got out of the car and approached me. “You must be Scott!” he beamed and shook my hand. “You don’t know how excited I am right now!” he exclaimed walking with me toward my hangar. As we talked I began to learn about

Scott Knowlton with former owner, Bruce Greenwood.

Bruce’s fascinating past. He served two tours in Vietnam as an attack reconnaissance officer on Vigilantes aboard the USS Saratoga. Research after my visit with Bruce revealed that the U.S. Navy sustained heavy losses of Vigilantes during the war.

Their mission was to first photograph an enemy area intended for bombing and then return only minutes after the bombing mission was complete to record the results.

Their pattern was well known by the North Vietnamese Army, and as a result a disproportionate number of Vigilante crews either lost their lives or were captured. Bruce downplayed his role in Vietnam and only after a lot of questions and prodding did he reveal that he’d flown 150 missions, many of which took place during the deadly Tet Offensive. What made all of this even more fascinating was finding out that the lion’s share of Bruce’s Stinson flying took place between his two tours in Vietnam. I admit that flying my Stinson has provided me with a great source of therapy to deal with the stress of daily life

and work along with the economic uncertainty of my airline, but how could I compare my trivial worries to what must have been on Bruce’s shoulders while at the controls of the very same airplane?

The sun was sinking toward the west as I opened the hangar doors to shed light on the 66-year-old tube and fabric classic for which I was presently the custodian. Bruce quietly walked around her running his hand down the fuselage, drumming the fabric and judging her gleaming finish. “You sure keep good care of her,” he said—the compliment causing me to beam with pride. We pushed her out onto the tarmac, and Bruce stood silently respecting my preflight routine. We talked for a while about airplanes, ownership costs, and the act of flying purely for the simple joy of being aloft. “I paid $3,500 for that plane in 1969,” Bruce gestured toward my old Stinson, “but of course that’s the same price you would have paid for a new Corvette back then,” he added. I felt a pang of guilt realizing I had been harping over the rising cost of flywww.vintageaircraft.org

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Bruce reflects on past memories with his old classic airplane.

ing just moments before. I suppose it’s easy to believe that flying was cheaper in the “good old days,” yet when Bruce owned my Stinson he didn’t have cellphone data plans, second or third TVs, or the multitude of other consumer distractions competing with his desire to own and fly his idea of a magic carpet.

I offered Bruce the left seat, which he happily clambered into donning the headset that had been resting on the glare shield. He paid full attention as I went through my normal passenger safety briefing—something I was sure he must have done countless times with many passengers in the very same airplane he was now sitting in. I climbed in, started the Franklin engine, and caught a glance of Bruce beside me while taxiing—his warm grin and deep-set crow’s-feet both evidence of a man who was not only clearly delighted in the moment but also very happy during his life.

We took off toward Lake Ontario and headed east along the shoreline with the evening light playing a glorious show along the Niagara 58

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Escarpment and its plentiful vineyards. Clearly enjoying the view and the ride Bruce seemed both ready and eager to take the controls when I offered them to him. I resisted the temptation to give him my routine instruction regarding the necessary rudder input required to keep the ball centered—something I always do to prepare any general aviation pilot to the idiosyncrasies of the Stinson. Bruce took control, gently centering the ball, and settled into a smooth purposeful manipulation of the yoke, rudder, and throttle clearly demonstrating his knowledge and past experience of the airframe we were in. “I love the sound of the old Franklin engine,” he sighed, “and she still flies the same way I remember.” I thought of the many times Bruce must have flown this old classic in the early ’70s and marveled at how 40 years later the machine could still perform in the same familiar way. What machine, other than a classic airplane, can deliver that kind of service?

The sun began to set to the west, and as the light dimmed I had Bruce steer us back toward the airport.

As we joined the circuit I offered him the opportunity of landing his old machine. Graciously, he turned down the offer saying he wanted to end the day on a high note. I resumed control on final approach and endeavored to demonstrate a flawless three-point landing. If you want to get a healthy debate going, have a group of tailwheel pilots compare the merits of three-point versus wheel landings. I have always been a strong proponent in the classic three-point landing with both my students as well as myself. Perhaps it was the awe I had for my passenger or the bright setting sun, but regardless of excuses I unceremoniously thumped the poor old bird onto the tarmac. Bruce smiled at my poor performance and slyly

commented, “I’ve always been partial to wheel landings myself.” That’s okay, Bruce, I thought, I won’t hold that against you.

After putting the Stinson to bed and bidding farewell to a very satisfied passenger and fellow aviator, I reflected on the encounter I had with the fine gentleman who used to be the keeper of my Stinson. Little separated the two of us in the enjoyment we derived from being at the controls of an old rag and tube airplane. At the same time the lives we lived during our respective care and feedings of one particular Stinson were so radically different. Here I was fighting the good fight in my own mind as I paid my bills, raised my family, and attempted to maintain a reasonable work/life balance while flying a roster typical of most airline pilots.

The Stinson, I felt, was my escape from the stresses of life—an elixir to calm my spirits and worries. Bruce, in comparison, flew the Stinson in between bouts of high stress combat. I imagine during these flights his thoughts would not have strayed far from the friends he’d lost or the unknowns facing him on his next tour of duty. That chance letter I received from Bruce only a few short weeks ago led me on a remarkable path of discovery of a man who gave yeoman service to his country. I felt honoured to reintroduce Bruce to his old airplane, but in doing so I feel I became a richer person for it. Not only did I have a renewed sense of attachment to my venerable old taildragger and the rich history she carried with her, my perspective of the many great things I am blessed with in my life I normally take for granted changed after hearing Bruce’s story.

I hope to be lucky enough to be the custodian of Stinson number 268 for many more years to come and in doing so look forward to meeting the people like Bruce she seems to bring into my life.

The Vintage Mechanic ROBERT G. LOCK

Aircraft covering, Part 2 Nonstructural aluminum

To press on with our discussion of continued airworthiness of aircraft structures, we will concentrate on nonstructural aluminum. This material would be used on various secondary structures that are nonload-carrying, such as engine and cockpit cowling, nonstressed panels, fairings, fuel and oil tanks, wheel fairings, and such.

Essentially, nonstructural aluminum is not heattreatable but can be hardened by hammering, drawing, or bending. There are two types of aluminum that come immediately to mind: alloy 3003 (3S) and 5052 (52S).

Alloy 3003 is pure aluminum alloyed with manganese, and 5052 is pure aluminum alloyed with magnesium. Of the two described above, alloy 5052 has the most strength; therefore, it is popular for use in cockpit cowling and fuel and oil lines. Both are weldable with either gas or TIG processes and are easily handworked by hammering or bending.

When describing the working ability of these two metals, there are three terms that stand out.

1) Ductility, which means the material is flexible.

2) Malleable, which means the material is capable of being extended by hammering or rolling.

3) Fusibility, which means the ability to become liquid with heat for the welding process to take place.

Remember, heat-treatable alloys are NOT WELDABLE (except for alloy 6061, which is both weldable

and heat-treatable).

The initial condition of aluminum is important if cold-working is necessary. The wrought alloys are coded with the letter “O,” which means annealed or in the “dead soft” condition. In the case of nonstructural aluminum, you will see a code of 3003-O or 5052-O. To form fuel and oil lines the tube material should be in the “O” (annealed) condition and preferably alloy 5052.

As the metal is cold-worked, such as hammering or rolling (English wheel), the slip planes along grain lines move and the material begins to harden.

Have you ever bent a mild steel clothes hanger until it breaks? Initially the slip planes move, but as they harden, adjacent slip planes move and, eventually, in the area of the bend, two things happen. One, the bend area gets hard and brittle; two, the bend area gets warm due to the movement of the slip planes, and it will eventually fail.

The amount of cold-working in nonheat-treatable alloys will determine eventual hardness. For alloy 3003, full-hard is designated as H18, with H12 being one-quarter hard, H14 being half-hard, and H16 being three-quarters hard. For alloy 5052, one-quarter hard is designated H32, one-half hard is H34, threequarters hard is H36, and full-hard is H38.

The particular reason to have some knowledge of hardness range is to know how much cold-working the material will take before it cracks. Obviously H38 will not take much cold-working, while H34 can take www.vintageaircraft.org

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Illustration 1 is taken from the Standard Aircraft Handbook, page 72, and it describes tempers of nonheat-treatable alloys.

quite a bit. I have fabricated cockpit metal and fuel and oil tanks from 5052-H34 aluminum.

When cold-working 3003 or 5052, the material may become brittle from hammering or rolling. The brittle area will turn to a dull gray color, which indicates that the slip planes have been used and the metal is no longer ductile and malleable. The area may be softened by the annealing process, which for us “old-timers” was known as “torch annealing.” There is nothing finer than to watch an expert work and form aluminum into complex shapes. There are only a few individuals left in the industry who are capable of this craft. When I lived in Reedley, in my back yard was the prototype Beech 18, the very first twinengine aircraft built by Walter Beech. I remember inspecting the fairings and admiring the work as they were hand-formed by craftsmen at the factory. You could still see the hammer marks in these fairings after the many years of service.

From the Standard Aircraft Handbook, typical annealing procedures for wrought aluminum alloys are 60

MARCH / APRIL 2014

also shown (Illustration 1). An old trick to anneal nonstructural aluminum is to use an I need your “Woe Is I” book! oxygen-acetylene gas torch. Light the torch with acetylene gas only. Pass the torch over the area to be annealed until black soot covers the surface. Now adjust a soft neutral flame and pass the torch over the sooted area. As the aluminum comes up to annealing temperature, the soot will be burned off the surface. Do not concentrate the heat in one location, rather keep moving the torch. Concentrated heat from the torch will melt the aluminum. Torch flame temperature is about 6,000°F at the cone, and melting temperature of aluminum is about 1,200°F. As one can see, it would not take long to melt the aluminum. Once the soot has been burned off, more cold-working can take place.

When riveting repairs are made to nonstructural aluminum, the 1100 pure aluminum rivet (coded “A”) is used. Never use structural rivets to make repairs to nonstructural components. “A” rivets are coded with no marks on the head, are very soft, and drive easily. When received they are bright and shiny and are very soft.

Shown from left to right: “A” rivet with no head marks from 1100 pure aluminum, “AD” rivet with a dimple in the head from alloy 2117, “B” rivet with raised cross on head from alloy 5056, “DD” rivet with two raised dashes on head from alloy 2024, and “D” rivet with one raised dot from alloy 2017. The “D” and “DD” rivets require heat-treatment before driv-

Illustration 2 taken from the Standard Aircraft Handbook shows typical universal head rivets widely in use for fabrication and repair.

ing because they are so hard. They are also called “ice box” rivets because they must be stored in a freezer or on dry ice after quenching to remain soft for driving. When driving the “D” and “DD” rivets, once they are heat-treated and quenched they are about as soft as an “A” rivet. This is the only method used to drive these structural rivets.

Many aluminum parts on the aircraft may have been anodized for corrosion protection. Anodizing is an electro-plating process using either chromic or

phosphoric acid in a tank with electrical current being passed through the part. The chromic acid anodizing (CAA) will turn aluminum to a gold color, while phosphoric acid anodizing (PAA) will leave the part in a dull gray color. Most all the aluminum components including the cockpit and engine cowl metal on the Stearman were phosphoric acid anodized.

In the anodizing process a direct current (DC) power supply is used with a rheostat to control both amps and volts through the part. Only enough power is used to cause bubbles to form around the part, which indicates the process is taking place.

The sketch in Illustration 3 shows a typical aluminum anodizing circuit using chromic acid. This method is perhaps the best for surface protection against corrosion. Depending on how long the parts are left in solution will govern final surface appearance of part, which is a golden color.

available, but the inspecting mechanic should evaluate these methods before attempting the repair.

Illustration 4

Illustration 4 shows my 1929 Command-Aire 5C3 with new 5052-H34 aluminum engine cowling, cockpit, and turtledeck cowling. Seats, baggage compartment, and fuel and oil tanks were also fabricated from this material, as were all other aluminum fuselage components. Although the fuel tank is cardboard for pattern, it was made from alloy 5052-H34 aluminum.

Illustration 3

Repairs to nonstructural components are not nearly as critical for airworthiness as are repairs to primary structure. Cracks should be stop drilled with a #30 drill bit and a patch riveted over the crack using a minimum number of rivets. In some cases a crack on soft aluminum can be welded instead of being patched. It all depends on where it is and what appearance and final outcome of the repair are desired.

There is not much direction in FAA publications for making repairs to secondary aluminum structure.

Sometimes one has to be “creative” when making such repairs. It is not entirely necessary to bring the structure back to full strength but more to cover a crack with a doubler. Flush repairs (smooth) are difficult to make, and unless the mechanic is a “real pro,” the repair tends to warp. In many cases the panel can be repaired by welding, most likely with an inert-gas TIG weld process. There are very few aluminum gas welders left in the world. There are some aluminum brazing processes www.vintageaircraft.org

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What Our Members Are Restoring

Beechcraft Musketeer, Model 23 KEITH GREENE Is it possible to have a love affair with an airplane?

The answer to that question is yes if it is the right airplane. For that would be N8748M, a Beechcraft Musketeer, Model 23, built in Wichita, Kansas, on August 19, 1963. It is one of 553 aircraft of this type that Beech designed to compete with Piper and Cessna.

The aircraft was promoted throughout the United States in the summer and fall of 1962. Starting on July 20 and lasting until October 16, one man and two young ladies flew three aircraft to major cities all over the country giving demo flights. Known as the Three Musketeers, they promoted the aircraft in 72 cities and 35 states in six different legs.

I started my search for a Model 23 in the fall of 2003. In June of 2004 I found N8748M in New York.

The aircraft serial number is M-536, and the production run ended with number M-554 in August of 1963. The plane was in fair shape; it just needed a little TLC that it was about to get.

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After 13 years of starting and stopping, catching up on funds, and getting help when it was needed most, I think the project is done. People that helped till the end were Flint Pulis, Franklin County Aviation; Allen Hosier, Northwest Arkansas Avionics; Pam Wells, Mena Aircraft Interiors; and Don Gray, Grays Aircraft Painting.

I was in the fresh poultry sales business for 43 years and used the aircraft we owned to call on suppliers and customers along with pleasure flights when I could. I do the Young Eagles program in our area, and since retiring five years ago I am closing in on 100 demo flights.

Beech had several ideas in mind when it designed the Musketeer: competition, training aircraft for its proposed aero centers, and a comfortable, efficient airplane for the small-business person. It succeeded in all of those areas. N8748M will be 50 years old this August and is still doing the economical chores it was designed to do.

Straight & Level continued from page 1

Also, as many of you know, the petition to eliminate the third-class medical is still pending a decision by the FAA. As you can imagine, this is a very popular concept among those of us engaged in the general/recreational aviation community. Our own Indiana Congressional Representative Todd Rokita and several other GA Caucus members proposed the General Aviation Pilot Protection Act that further enhances the original EAA/AOPA petition to eliminate or redefine the third-class medical rules. After all, don’t we all personally self-certify ourselves every day we fly as “fit for mission?”

Again, this is not a spectator sport! Although we have witnessed some real enthusiasm for this proposed legislation, we all need to continue to weigh in here and communicate to all of our representatives in Washington the need to support H.R. 3578 and S. 1941 and the General Aviation Pilot Protection Act, which has already garnered more than 16,000 comments from the pilot population. We need to quickly turn those 16,000 comments into 25,000. Hopefully, by the time you read this column we will see all of these legislative initiatives passed through the House and Senate.

I would also like to recommend to our members that whether or not you choose to reach out to your local representatives in Congress, when the debate has ended, regardless of whether these initiatives are successful or not, find out how your representatives voted on these issues and let them know that you appreciate their vote or that you’re disappointed with their vote.

As always, thanks for being a member, and please do us all the favor of inviting a friend to join the VAA, and help keep us the strong association we have all enjoyed for so many years.

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

Let’s all pull in the same direction for the overall good of aviation.

Remember, we are better together. Join us and have it all.

Vintage Trader S o m e t h i n g t o b u y, s e l l , o r t ra 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.

Advertising Closing Dates: 10th of second month prior to desired issue date (i.e., January 10 is the closing date for the March issue). VAA reserves the right to reject any advertising in conflict with its policies. Rates cover one insertion per issue. Classified ads are not accepted via phone. Payment must accompany order. Word ads may be sent via fax (920-426-4828) or e-mail (classads@eaa.org) using credit card payment (all cards accepted). Include name on card, complete address, type of card, card number, and expiration date. Make checks payable to EAA. Address advertising correspondence to EAA Publications Classified Ad Manager, P.O. Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086.

AIRCRAFT

1953 Piper PA 22-135 Tri-Pacer. 1475 TT. Hangared, Logs, 8/13 Annual. Great vintage plane. $21k OBO. Call George at 512-694-4067

WANTED

Restoring a 1929 Alliance Argo, looking for engineering drawings, blue prints, and anything that could be of help. 508-566-6673, dthissell@gmail.com Donate your Airplane to Samaritan Aviation, a charity that provides missions and medical services to remote areas of the world. www.samaritanaviation.com 970249-4341 Copyright ©2014 by the EAA Vintage Aircraft Association, All rights reserved.

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Air Mail

continued from page 6

The candidates received 25 hours in the Super Cub; most of the instructors were USAF, but there were some German instructors. The time was 18 hours dual and seven solo. The washout rate was about 41 percent.

The rationale is easy to see: In those days it was considered a major and expensive big-deal to send people over the ocean and start them in USAF flying training. If the least promising candidates could be identified early and not sent, then the washout rate here in America would be reduced at a considerable cost savings. So this program with German applicants was primary training in a certain sense, but the real purpose was not to teach students how to fly, but to determine if it was likely that they COULD fly. Nevertheless, once they were in USAF flying training, their washout rate was about the same as for the Americans (and the scattered folks from other countries).

Of course other programs in the world have undertaken similar screening programs (perhaps Cessna 172s at the USAF Academy or ROTC for example), and the German air force itself has continued with it I think until today, for after the PA-18s, they used the Piaggio P-149D in Germany and in recent years I think Grobs are being used at the Goodyear Airport (Arizona), right next to Luke AFB. Dennis K. McDaniel Dear Jim: I wish to compliment you and the others on the outcome of Vintage Airplane. The writing is interesting. The center-fold photo is quality and suitable for framing. I enjoy Steve Krog’s flying lessons and also Sparky Barnes Sargent’s “Walking the Line.”

In the October 2012 issue was a picture of an Interstate Cadet. I looked in my logbook and “Bingo”, that’s it! The very same aircraft I soloed back in 1947.

The color adds quality to the magazine and although I must wait an extra 30 days for the next ‘Vintage’, it is worth it. Keep up the good work!

Marv Hoppenworth EAA 2519, VAA 2773 Monosport Corrections This is from Marcus Ogle, son of Haswell Ogle (one of the last Monosport owners).

Since publication of “Sole Survivor,” several facts have come to light as pointed out by a son of one of 8989’s previous owners.

A) In 1952, there were three men, Haswell Ogle, Bob Day, and a third whose name has been lost, who pooled their money to buy the Monosport.

Both Ogle and Day flew the plane days before it was damaged.

B) The aircraft was damaged in a wind storm in August of 1952 as stated in the logbook. Both Day and Ogle concurred with the log. Mrs. Ogle recalls seeing her husband’s new purchase for the first time, damaged, along with other aircraft, as a result of the high wind. The aircraft was not ground looped.

C) The owner, Haswell Ogle, passed away in December 1982, not 1973, as stated in the article. At the time of his passing, he was looking forward to retirement so he could finish restoring the plane and fly it to OSH. D) The Monosport never spent any time in a barn as alluded to. The airplane was kept in hangars and workshop garages in College Park, Maryland; Roanoke, Virginia; New London, Virginia; and Colleyville, Texas.

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VAA

Directory OFFICERS

President Geoff Robison 1521 E. MacGregor Dr. New Haven, IN 46774 260-493-4724 chief7025@aol.com

Secretary Steve Nesse 2009 Highland Ave. Albert Lea, MN 56007 507-373-1674 stnes2009@live.com

Vice-President Dave Clark 635 Vestal Lane Plainfield, IN 46168 317-839-4500 davecpd@att.net

Treasurer Dan Knutson 106 Tena Marie Circle Lodi, WI 53555 608-592-7224 lodicub@charter.net

DIRECTORS

Ron Alexander 118 Huff Daland Circle Griffin, GA 30223-6827 ronalexander@mindspring.com Jerry Brown 4605 Hickory Wood Row Greenwood, IN 46143 317-422-9366 lbrown4906@aol.com George Daubner N57W34837 Pondview Ln Oconomowoc, WI 53066 262-560-1949 gdaubner@eaa.org Dale A. Gustafson 7724 Shady Hills Dr. INpolis, IN 46278 317-293-4430 dalefaye@msn.com

Steve Krog 1002 Heather Ln. Hartford, WI 53027 262-305-2903 sskrog@gmail.com

Robert D. “Bob” Lumley 1265 South 124th St. Brookfield, WI 53005 262-782-2633 rlumley1@wi.rr.com Joe Norris 264 Old OR Rd. Oshkosh, WI 54902 pilotjoe@ntd.net 920-688-2977 Tim Popp 60568 Springhaven Ct. Lawton, MI 49065 269-624-5036 tlpopp@frontier.com

ADVISORS Lynne Dunn 145 Cloud Top Lane Mooresville, NC 28115 704-664-1951 lynnednn@aol.com

Susan Dusenbury 1374 Brook Cove Road Walnut Cove, NC 27052 336-591-3931 sr6sue@aol.com

DIRECTORS EMERITUS David Bennett 375 Killdeer Ct Lincoln, CA 95648 916-952-9449 antiquer@inreach.com

Charles W. Harris PO Box 470350 Tulsa, OK 74147 918-622-8400 cwh@hvsu.com

Robert C. Brauer 9345 S. Hoyne Chicago, IL 60643 773-779-2105 photopilot@aol.com

E.E. “Buck” Hilbert 8102 Leech Rd. Union, IL 60180 815-923-4591 buck7ac@gmail.com

Gene Chase 8555 S. Lewis Ave., #32 Tulsa, OK 74137 918-298-3692

Gene Morris 5936 Steve Court Roanoke, TX 76262 817-491-9110 genemorris@charter.net

Phil Coulson 28415 Springbrook Dr. Lawton, MI 49065 269-624-6490 rcoulson516@cs.com Ronald C. Fritz 15401 Sparta Ave. Kent City, MI 49330 616-678-5012 itzfray@gmail.com

S.H. “Wes” Schmid 2359 Lefeber Avenue Wauwatosa, WI 53213 414-771-1545 shschmid@gmail.com John Turgyan PO Box 219 New Egypt, NJ 08533 609-752-1944 jrturgyan4@aol.com