JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2019
EAA OSHKOSH ’18 MEMORIES WHERE THE FUN IS!
INTRODUCING THE NEW
2019 FORD EDGE
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Message from the President
January/February 2019
SUSAN DUSENBURY, VAA PRESIDENT
STAFF
Vintage aircraft — Fun and affordable AT EAA AIRVENTURE OSHKOSH 2018
the Vintage Aircraft Association placed an array of what we fondly call “fun and affordable” airplanes on display. The display of these aircraft was located directly across from (to the east) the Red Barn. Just what constitutes a fun and affordable airplane, you may be wondering? Well, the simple answer is that it must be fun to fly as well as affordable to operate. Really, there is much, much more in the equation regarding fun and affordable. At VAA we have pretty much defined these planes as those that have a selling price somewhere between $15,000 and $40,000 or in the same price range as the car/SUV that most of us are driving around the countryside. We know these planes. They hold an FAA type certificate and were made by aircraft manufacturers that we are very familiar with. We know them as Champs, Chiefs, Luscombes, Taylorcrafts, Interstate Cadets, Cessna 120s/140s, Cubs, Porterfields, etc. These planes are typically outfitted with engines rated at 100 hp or less — usually less. Let’s explore a few of the characteristics of these planes. They are usually taildraggers built in the 1930s and 1940s. The development of the A-40 engine and its derivatives was instrumental in the production of these planes as was the use of chromoly, which basically produced the same strength as mild steel with roughly half of the weight. There is also a high level of durability found in these planes because engineering design technology had not progressed to the point of exact stress analysis as we find in today’s modern designs. Heavy is good was the general consensus in the ’20s, ’30s, and ’40s. (I frequently refer to my 1935 Stinson SR-6 as the Sherman Tank!) Most of these planes were built by hand
using materials that were readily available at the time and are still readily available today. This certainly simplifies the repair/restoration process for today’s owner/restorer who on occasion finds it necessary to produce an owner manufactured part as prescribed in FAR Part 21 and Advisory Circular 23-27. Also available to the owner is owner maintenance as set forth in FAR Part 43. FAR Part 43 permits the holder of a pilot certificate under FAR Part 61 to perform specified preventive maintenance on any plane owned or operated by that pilot with the stipulation that the plane not be used in FAR Part 121, 127, 129, or 135 operations. See FAR Part 43, Appendix A, for the list of work that an owner/pilot can perform. Although very limited, there are also some parts that are still being manufactured today for vintage aircraft. The point that I am trying to get across is that these fun and affordable airplanes are typically without complicated systems or materials and lend themselves to less maintenance and lower maintenance costs when compared to some other planes. One of the nicer things about buying a fun and affordable plane is the vast array of aircraft that are available and the aircraft type clubs that have been established to offer services such as technical support — just to name one of the many invaluable contributions of these type clubs. The flying characteristics vary from plane to plane, but none of them have really bad flying characteristics. Some are built for tall pilots — a Vagabond comes to mind here — where others seem to work better for shorter pilots — a perfect example of this would be a Culver Cadet like mine — but most seem to fall somewhere in the middle. CONTINUED ON PAGE 64
Publisher: Jack J. Pelton, EAA CEO and Chairman of the Board Editor: Jim Busha / jbusha@eaa.org Senior Copy Editor: Colleen Walsh Assistant Copy Editor: Katie Holliday-Greenley Proofreader: Jennifer Knaack Graphic Designer: Cordell Walker
ADVERTISING Vice President of Marketing and Business Development: Dave Chaimson / dchaimson@eaa.org Advertising Manager: Sue Anderson / sanderson@eaa.org Mailing Address: VAA, PO Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903 Website: www.vintageaircraft.org Email: vintageaircraft@eaa.org
Visit www.vintageaircraft.org for the latest in information and news and for the electronic newsletter: VINTAGE AIRMAIL
Current EAA members may join the Vintage Aircraft Association and receive VINTAGE AIRPLANE magazine for an additional $45/year. EAA Membership, VINTAGE AIRPLANE magazine and one-year membership in the EAA Vintage Aircraft Association are available for $55 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.eaa.org/airventure 888-322-4636
www.vintageaircraft.org
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Contents F E AT U R E S
12
Doin’ It His Way
Lee Hussey’s award-winning Comanche By Budd Davisson
22
Where the Fun Is!
Flying the “little giants” of aviation By Sam Oleson
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Vintage Gallery AirVenture 2018 photo essay
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? Send your thoughts to the Vintage Editor at: jbusha@eaa.org For missing or replacement magazines, or any other membership-related questions, please call EAA Member Services at 800-JOIN-EAA (564-6322).
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January/February 2019
January/February 2019 / Vol. 47, No. 1
C OL U M N S Message From the President
01
By Susan Dusenbury
04
Friends of the Red Barn
08
How To? Make and Use Nailing Strips
By Robert G. Lock
10
Good Old Days
60
The Vintage Mechanic Aging Aircraft Issues, Part 1
By Robert G. Lock
64
VAA New Members
C OV E R S Front Lee Hussey is all smiles at the controls of his awardwinning Comanche. Photo by Erin Brueggen
Back EAA staff photographer Connor Madison captures the silhouette of a Lincoln-Page against a warm summer sky. Photo by Connor Madison
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JIM BUSHA
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Friends of the
RED BARN IN THE FALL OF 2001, two of the Vintage Aircraft
Association’s most effective officers created a program with the goal of having dedicated members support improvements to the Red Barn and all that the Red Barn represents. These two individuals were then-president Butch Joyce and VAA treasurer Charlie Harris. The idea behind the program not only included physical improvements to the Red Barn, but also offered a means to support and expand VAA’s programs for members and their guests during the EAA convention. Over the years the Friends of the Red Barn has enjoyed a high level of success, which has allowed us to make muchneeded structural repairs to the Red Barn itself while developing and expanding programs for our guests at Vintage Village. As our flagship building, the Red Barn has served us well as a meeting place where old friends meet to renew their friendship and as a gathering place where you are certain to make new friends. The Red Barn is the home to Vintage hospitality and now houses an area depicting the very interesting history of the Red Barn. New to the Red Barn
This is the new north entrance to our iconic Red Barn. At the opening of AirVenture 2017, we rededicated our expanded Welcome Center and also dedicated the Stadtmueller Patio to the original family who farmed this land for more than a century.
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in 2018 was a tribute to our Hall of Fame inductees and to those individuals who were so instrumental in the founding and early success of our organization. Interestingly, a large majority of the Red Barn’s supporters have been involved since the very first year of the Friends of the Red Barn program. Vintage is extremely proud of these dedicated members and supporters. They are at the very foundation of what we are working towards in the vintage aircraft movement. These donors are directly responsible for the Friends of the Red Barn’s success and for making the Red Barn the focal point of Vintage Village, with all of the gracious hospitality that the Red Barn is so famous for. We are very proud of the fact that this VAA treasure — the Red Barn — was member created and is member maintained, principally through our Friends of the Red Barn fundraiser program. Our Vintage area has over the years grown from one dilapidated and abandoned barn into an entire village filled with interesting and fun places to visit. And yet, there is much, much more to be done. With your help, every year we will provide our members and guests with an ever more broadened fun-filled and interesting experience. All of the supporters’ names are listed annually at the Red Barn and in the pages of Vintage Airplane magazine. Please stand tall and join us in Friends of the Red Barn. You will be forever proud and happy that you did.
SUSAN DUSENBURY, PRESIDENT VINTAGE AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CONNOR MADISON, STEVE MOYER
CONTRIBUTION LEVELS ↓
Donor Appreciation Certificate
Special FORB Badge
Access to Air-Conditioned Volunteer Center
A “6-Pack” of Cold Bottled Water!
Two Passes to VAA Volunteer Party
Breakfast at Tall Pines Café
Tri-Motor OR Helicopter Ride Certificate
Two Tickets to VAA Picnic
Close Auto Parking
Special Air Show Seating
Full week
2 people, 1 day
Two Weekly Wristbands
DIAMOND PLUS
DIAMOND $1,000 - $1,499
2 people, full week
2 tickets
1 person, full week
1 ticket
PLATINUM
GOLD $500 - $749 SILVER
BRONZE PLUS $150 - $249 BRONZE LOYAL SUPPORTER $99 and under
#
CHOOSE YOUR LEVEL OF PARTICIPATION:
Name: __________________________________________________________ EAA #: ________________ VAA #: __________________
Address:______________________________________________________________
o Diamond Plus ($1,500 or more) o Diamond ($1,000-$1,499) o Platinum ($750-$999) o Gold ($500-$749) o Silver ($250-$499) o Bronze Plus ($150-$249) o Bronze ($100-$149) o Loyal Supporter ($99 or less)
City: _____________________________________________________________State: _____________________ ZIP:_______________
BADGE INFORMATION Phone:___________________________________________________________Email: _____________________
o Payment enclosed (Make checks payable to Vintage Aircraft Association)
(for Bronze Level and above)
o Yes, prepare my name badge to read:
________________________________ (Please print name)
o Please charge my credit card for the amount of: $ Credit Card Number: Expiration Date: Signature:
o No, I do not need a badge this year.
CERTIFICATES
o Yes, I would like a certificate. o No, I do not need a certificate for this year.
Vintage Aircraft Association | 3000 Poberezny Rd., Oshkosh, WI 54902 | 920.426.6110 | EAAVintage.org The Vintage Aircraft Association is a nonprofit educational organization under IRS 501(c)(3) rules. Under Federal Law, the deduction from Federal Income tax for charitable contributions is limited to the amount by which any money (and the value of any property other than money) contributed exceeds the value of the goods or services provided in exchange for the contribution. An appropriate receipt acknowledging your gift will be sent to you for IRS gift reporting reasons. Contributions must be received by July 15, 2019 to receive recognition at AirVenture 2019
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C A L L F O R V I N TA G E A I R CR A F T A S S O CI AT I O N
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 three years, after which the nomination must be resubmitted. Mail nominating materials to: VAA Hall of Fame, c/o Jan Johnson VAA PO Box 3086 Oshkosh, WI 54903 Email: jjohnson@eaa.org 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. •Email 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 email address. •Include any supporting material with your petition.
How To? ROBERT G. LOCK
Make and Use Nailing Strips BY ROBERT G. LOCK
NAILING STRIPS ARE USED to apply pressure to stressed plywood skin during the bonding process. These nailing strips go back to the beginnings of using stressed plywood skin on primary structure. The following data is pulled from the ANC-19 publication and shows some rare pictures of the manufacturing techniques used in the World War II Beechcraft AT-10 advanced multiengine trainer, of which 2,371 were manufactured between 1942 and 1944. There are very few left, mostly in museums, and none (to my knowledge) are flyable. The aircraft was constructed mostly of wood because aluminum was going to the war effort and was in short supply. Nailing strips were employed to hold molded plywood skin to the under structure while the glue cured. Nailing strips are made of clear soft pine cut into strips that are roughly 1/16-1/8 inch thick and 1/4-1/2 inch
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wide. They are expendable and are destroyed when being removed. Beechcraft and Globe both built these aircraft because they were in desperate need for training combat pilots when WWII broke out. These two companies used a unique way to remove the nailing strips from wood structure. They first put down cotton reinforcing tape and then applied the nailing strips. When the glue cured, a worker pulled the cotton tape thus pulling off the nailing strips and nails. The following is a method used for quick removal of nailing strips from a Beech AT-10 wood wing.
FIGURE 1 Nailing strips on the leading edge of my Command-Aire wings holding the 1/16-inch birch plywood in place while adhesive cures. These strips are about 1/2-inch wide and are held in place by common steel wire nails.
FIGURE 2 Mass-producing stressed molded plywood wings for the Beech AT-10 at the Wichita factory during WWII.
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Good Old Days
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From the pages of what was ...
Take a quick look through history by enjoying images pulled from publications past.
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A photo of a truly happy man and a beautiful Comanche.
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January/February 2019
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ERIN BRUEGGEN
BY BUDD DAVISSON
“I DIDN’T EVEN KNOW what a Comanche was,” Lee Hussey
said. “I’d never actually seen one until a friend who was looking to buy one wanted to sublease a hangar I’d had. I was renting and looking for a low-wing at the time, and after he told me he was looking at a Piper low-wing, I asked him if he wanted a partner. After a couple days he called and told me to go look at it. As I opened the door and sat in the cockpit, I realized it was approximately 4 inches wider than the 172 I had previously owned. Though it was in rough shape, I knew it was the one for me. I couldn’t wait to find out what the 250 meant on the side of the cowling. I was green as grass back then and didn’t even know that it meant 250 hp. Wow!”
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Lee Hussey rediscovered aviation through his Piper Comanche.
ee, of Martinsville, Virginia, was about to experience a radical change in his aeronautical life. He said his initial exposure to airplanes was when he was around 12 years old at a beach house on the North Carolina shore. “There would be airplanes landing on the beach. Most were Cessna 170s or something similar,” Lee said. “That was very impressive to me, but a year or two later, I remember seeing a V-tail Bonanza and its low wing looked so impressive to me. I remember telling a friend, ‘One day I’m going to be able to fly something like that.’ That’s a pretty big statement for a young kid.” Lee didn’t start to learn to fly until 1978, when a neighbor, who was a new car dealer, asked if he and his brother Les would be interested in buying into his C-172. “I had just paid off my first car, a used Corvette, and buying this airplane would be cheaper than the Corvette was, so I bought into it even though I didn’t know how to fly,” Lee said. “My younger brother, Les, soloed first, and I was so proud of him, I could hardly stand it! Even though I couldn’t fly it, I did own an
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airplane, or at least part of one, and often someone would say, ‘I hear you own an airplane,’ and I’d take them out to my hangar and show them. They, of course, then [would] ask me when could I take them flying. I replied by saying, ‘I don’t even know how to crank it, much less fly it,’ but that was about to change.” Lee and Les got their pilot certificates in July 1978 — just a week apart from each other. “We flew the C-172, but as the years went on, I found I was flying it less and less. I hated to admit it, but I was getting a little tired of the high wing and wanted something else,” Lee said. “Then, our original partner, who was
“I WANTED A LOW-WING AIRPLANE, AND I WAS FIGURING ON A PIPER OF SOME KIND. MAYBE AN ARCHER OR ARROW, IF I COULD AFFORD IT. I STILL HAD THE HANGAR. THAT’S WHEN A FRIEND APPROACHED ME ABOUT SUBLEASING THE HANGER, AND I SAW MY FIRST COMANCHE.” — Lee Hussey
getting on in years, sold the airplane. That was 1987. But I held on to the hangar while I thought about getting another airplane.” Shortly thereafter, dreams of lowwing airplanes that had started with the childhood Bonanza encounter danced in his head. “I wanted a low-wing airplane, and I was figuring on a Piper of some kind. Maybe an Archer or Arrow, if I could afford it. I still had the hangar. That’s when a friend approached me about subleasing the hanger, and I saw my first Comanche,” Lee said. “We weren’t very far into our discussions
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JIM BUSHA
about subleasing the hangar when he asked if I had any interest in going halves with him as a partner. My half would be $8,000. So, he got a hangar and I got half a Comanche.” That was 1988, and what Lee didn’t know was that the Comanche would rekindle his interest in airplanes in a big way. “While I was flying the 172, I was in the air, but that was it,” he said. “For whatever reason, I never really connected with it mechanically, which is a little strange. I say that because, when I was going through my dad’s military
papers after his death, I found that he had been a crew chief on P-40s in Iceland during World War II. I didn’t know that, and his related civilian occupation was an airplane inspector. He was good with his hands, and he must have passed some of the mechanical interest and the capabilities on to me. So when I started flying the Comanche, I suddenly saw it as something more than a machine. It had all these interesting systems. The constant-speed prop. The retractable landing gear, etc. Plus, it had terrific www.vintageaircraft.org 15
The two 30-gallon Osborne tip tanks gave Lee another two hours of fuel. He says modifying his Comanche became a habit.
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY ERIN BRUEGGEN
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performance compared to the Skyhawk. I flew the 172 as little as 15 hours a year, but I’ve been flying the Comanche close to 150 hours a year. I flat fell in love with it. And along with that, I rediscovered flying and fell in love with the machinery involved, along with the camaraderie of other Comanche owners.” In rapid succession, Lee got his instrument rating, his commercial certificate, and then his CFI and CFII. The airplane turned out to be a stimulant to his flying, and he became borderline addicted to working on his airplane at least as much as he flew it. “The first thing I did was put a new interior in it. On most of the projects, which became many, I’d be in there getting my hands dirty while an A&P was looking over my shoulder so I didn’t do anything wrong. At the same time, I rebuilt the landing gear, installed toe brakes and single-fork
legs. I removed the LORAN and installed a GPS. Installed strobe lights, copper cables, and upgraded various instruments.” Up to that point, although he’d been in aviation for some time, Lee had never been to a major fly-in. He corrected that by going to the SUN ’n FUN International Fly-In & Expo in 1994. “Looking back, it’s hard to believe how little I actually knew about aviation. That trip really opened my eyes,” he said. “I didn’t even know what a showplane was, but I definitely found out on that first trip. I remember looking at a P-51 Mustang and was marveling at all of the detail work done in the wheel wells and saying to myself, ‘I can do that to mine.’” Then, Lee found that in aviation he could be a participant, rather than just a spectator.
“That same year I entered the Sun 60 Race,” he said. “I didn’t expect to win anything, but it looked like fun. Miraculously, I actually came in third with Curt LoPresti, flying one of his dad’s highly modified Comanches, coming in first. He did right at 220 mph, and I managed 202 mph. I met the legendary airplane modifier Roy LoPresti, and he became a friend and a mentor. I learned so much from him it’s hard to believe. Plus, I had won my first trophy. It was no big deal, but to me it was a huge deal, and I think it affected much of what I did to my airplane from that point on. I looked at everything like a judge would, concentrating on the smallest detail. It was fun!” Increasingly, with all the work he put into the airplane, Lee began to think of it as “his” airplane, not one of which he only owned half. His partner agreed, so in 1994, he bought him out. “I had the engine and paint done in 2003 and took that opportunity to
Every part of Lee’s Comanche is detailed to be a showplane.
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detail the firewall forward,” Lee said. “I did everything as if I was preparing it for a show. I’d removed and painted or polished every part I could get to. Then I started on the wheel wells doing the same thing. It seemed to pay off.” In 2008, Lee’s Comanche won Outstanding in Type at SUN ’n FUN. “I loved that, but said to myself, ‘I can do better. I can do more,’” he said. “And I found myself removing screws to polish them. I took the rubber strips off the Adel clamps to polish the metal. Every connector was polished. What I couldn’t polish, I painted until it shined. I couldn’t stop myself and didn’t try. The result was I got Best Custom Contemporary the next year at SUN ’n FUN. That really got me excited, but there was so much more work to do.” Although it sounds as if Lee was obsessed with building a winner, that was actually tangential to his flying the socks off the airplane. At no point did he put it down for an extended time while rebuilding this or that. It was an
ongoing project that he enjoyed flying between modification stints. “In 2006, after thinking of the airplane as a show machine, I consciously decided to do nothing but fly it and enjoy it,” he said. “I did put in an S-TEC autopilot with a Garmin 430, which I regard as the best money I’ve spent on the airplane at that time. It made going places really easy and enjoyable.” Another upgrade that improved cross-country travel was the fuel capacity. “One of the trips my wife and I made a lot was to see her mother in Florida,” Lee said. “I couldn’t make it in one leg and always had to stop for gas. I don’t believe in pushing my fuel limits and always land with plenty just-in-case fuel. But, in 2013, I decided to eliminate that pesky fuel stop by installing Osborne tip tanks that held 15 gallons each and gave me another two hours of fuel for 90 gallons total. Aircraft Engineering Inc. in Bartow, Florida, made that possible, and I couldn’t be happier with their craftsmanship. I could make St. Pete, Florida, easily with fuel to spare.”
Lee said that making upgrades to the Comanche became almost habitual. “It seems as if once I start working on the airplane, I have a difficult time stopping myself,” he said. “A few years after I did the tip tanks, I was looking at the panel and said, ‘Oh, the heck with it! I’m going to do something about it.’ The panel had been driving me nuts for years. Although I’d put in a little new equipment, it was still an old-fashion panel with the 1960-style arrangement: the radios on the far left of the panel. This was 2016, and I remembered that 1988 radios were much cheaper back then than the new stuff today. But, I had been active in the Civil Air Patrol for years and was a check pilot in their 182 that was equipped with a Garmin 1000 glass cockpit. And I love it. However, the G1000 wasn’t available for older airplanes. It was only sold to manufacturers building new airplanes. They did, however, have the Garmin G500 that was designed for retrofitting. “By this time, I was moving into the 60s age group. That’s a time when we’re supposed to understand the
A Lycoming O-54o has never looked better!
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JIM BUSHA
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value of a dollar and don’t do financially foolish things. But, this panel had been on my bucket list for far too long and I decided, it’s now or never, and said, ‘I don’t care what it costs, I’m going to do it,’” Lee said. “I knowingly ignored the fact that doing the panel would cost more than I had paid for the airplane, and I’d have far more tied up in the airplane than it was worth. But I didn’t care. I was only going to live for just so long, and I wanted that panel. This airplane is going to stay with me for the long haul, and you’ll know it’s for sale when you see my obituary in the paper.” Carolina Avionics & Aircraft Interiors in Salisbury, North Carolina, did the avionics honors, including fabricating a thoroughly modern panel that held just about every new piece of equipment Lee could find. This included the Garmin G500, a GTN 750, GTN 650, a GTX 345 ADS-B transponder, L3 ESI-500 for the backup instruments, and a JPI EDM-930, which gave Lee all the engine instruments. When he was done, the only round face in the panel was the S-TEC 30 autopilot control head and a chronometer; he put a square bezel on top of those two items. “When we were done with the airplane, it was exactly what I had envisioned in my mind. I absolutely couldn’t have been happier with it,” Lee said. Of course, I became even happier when it was awarded the trophy for Grand Champion Custom Contemporary at SUN ’n FUN in 2017 and followed that up with Reserve Grand Champion Custom Contemporary at [EAA AirVenture] Oshkosh a few months later. 2017 was a terrific year for me and my old airplane. Now I can settle down and just enjoy it. However, Reserve Grand Champion isn’t Grand Champion. I wonder if I ….” It has often been said that aviation is an incurable, progressive disease. Obviously, we don’t have to search very far to find examples that prove that.
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY ERIN BRUEGGEN, JIM BUSHA
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY CONNOR MADISON
“There’s a perception that aviation is super
expensive on all ends,
and it doesn’t have to be,”
F LY I N G T H E “ L I T T L E G I A N T S” O F AV I AT I O N BY SAM OLESON
said longtime pilot and aircraft owner Steve Givens, Vintage 9629. If you’re looking to buy a brand-new, high-performance airplane and take it on long trips across the country, of course it will be more expensive. But if you’re simply looking to go up for a few hours at a time just for the fun of it or to make a short hop to a pancake breakfast in the area, there are plenty of airplanes that are a perfect, and affordable, match.
Steve, and a few of his pilot friends in the Muncie/Anderson area of eastern Indiana, have been practicing fun and affordable flying for years now, operating vintage taildraggers typically with engines between 40 and 90 hp. Some come from deep aviation backgrounds — some don’t. Some are experienced and seasoned pilots — others aren’t. But all of them have found their way to this niche of personal aviation and are enjoying the ride.
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Tony Hensley & Stephen Reese Operating on two different ends of the aviation spectrum, Stephen Reese, Vintage 723618, and Tony Hensley co-own a 1941 Aeronca Super Chief. Stephen, whose family founded Reese Airport (712) just outside of Muncie after the conclusion of World War II, has been flying basically all his life and is currently a flight instructor. “The airport started with my dad and his two brothers, right after he came back from World War II as an instructor,” Stephen explained. “That’s what I’ve done all my life: flying and corporate flying and instructing.” Meanwhile, Tony was Stephen’s student years back before dropping out of aviation for a while. But Stephen eventually convinced Tony to get back into it and has made it an affordable venture by offering him a share of the Aeronca. “Things weren’t going well at first,” Tony said. “We weren’t broke, but we didn’t have the money to do it. I saw Steve at church and he said I need to start going flying again, and I said, ‘Okay.’ I never did. He took me up in the Aeronca and a Cub, and then I kind of phased out again. But he’s made it so I can be partners with him on the Aeronca.”
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Although Stephen was a corporate pilot for many years and has about 27,000 hours in his logbook, he flies as a hobby now and has made it possible for guys like Tony to become involved by owning shares of a few different airplanes. As to why he enjoys flying these types of airplanes, Stephen pointed to the low costs and a couple of other factors. “Fuel cost and maintenance cost [are low],” Stephen explained. “There’s a lot of history involved. They’re great airplanes. They’re the airplanes that taught everybody to fly over the years. They’re still the best trainers. If you learn to fly in a taildragger, you’re going to be a better pilot. There’s a lot of history to them. Family history and flying history. … They’re more fun, they’re better for grass fields and rough fields. They’ll make you a better pilot.”
“The airport started with my dad and his two brothers, right after he came back from World War II as an instructor. that’s what I’ve done all my life: flying and corporate flying and instructing.” — Stephen Reese
FLYING THE “LITTLE GIANTS” OF AVIATION
“It’s a keeper. You can’t afford not to keep it. It’s inexpensive. I like it because of its age, because of its finished features. There’s no electrical system. It’s like stepping back in time in a way, from what we have out here today.” — F. Wiley Grant F. Wiley Grant With a flying career that began in 1957, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that Wiley Grant has flown a wide range of airplanes over the course of the past 60-plus years. As a kid, he’d ride his bicycle to the local airport and bum around the hangar, beginning his lifelong passion for aviation. From J-3 Cubs to military aircraft to business jets, Wiley has an extensive swath of cockpit experience. He currently owns a 1948 Piper PA-17 Vagabond, which he’s had in his possession for about the past decade. Since acquiring it, Wiley has mostly used it for local flying, to fly-ins and pancake breakfasts, and despite the number of different airplanes he’s flown over the past six decades, he has developed an attachment to the Vagabond for a few reasons. “It’s a keeper,” he said. “You can’t afford not to keep it. It’s inexpensive. I like it because of its age, because of its finished features. There’s no electrical system. It’s like stepping back in time in a way, from what we have out here today. It’s a nice little airplane and fun to fly. It’s a good-weather airplane, it doesn’t fly at night. It performs well, has about a 90 mph cruise, and stalls at about 41. The airplane weighs empty 635 pounds and has a gross takeoff weight of 1,150 pounds. With full fuel and everything, you can carry about 400 pounds of passengers. Pretty good for a 65-hp airplane.”
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CONNOR MADISON
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Mike Volpp Mike Volpp is a proud Purdue University graduate who learned to fly in the 1970s after he moved out to eastern Ohio and had a bit of money to his name. Earning a tailwheel endorsement early on, Mike became acquainted with a local farmer who had a landing strip on his farm, and together they resurrected an Aeronca Champ and a Stinson 108. Since then, Mike has picked up multiple ratings and owned multiple airplanes and now owns a 1946 Taylorcraft BC-12D1, which he has a special connection to. “I’ve always liked old things, and it happens that the data plate in that airplane is from the same month and year as mine would be if I had a data plate,” Mike said. “I have a little kindred spirit in that respect. It’s simple, easy to maintain, and inexpensive to own and fly. It’s a little faster in the scheme of things with regard to tailwheel airplanes, not that it makes a lot of difference because it’s mostly used for breakfast flights and pleasure flights, really no cross-country.” Like the rest of the airplanes included in this story, Mike said owning his Taylorcraft is a relatively inexpensive endeavor.
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“It’s simple, easy to maintain, and inexpensive to own and fly. It’s a little faster in the scheme of things with regard to tailwheel airplanes, not that it makes a lot of difference because it’s mostly used for breakfast flights and pleasure flights, really no cross-country.”” — Mike Volpp
“It’s inexpensive to buy,” he explained. “T-Crafts can be purchased these days for the same amount of money as a Harley; say $15,000-$20,000 will get you a nice T-Craft. They burn 4 gallons of fuel an hour. They don’t use much oil. Wherever you are, of course the hangar cost comes into play. It’s a very reasonable cost. The annual inspections usually aren’t a big deal. They don’t have many ADs; they’re hearty creatures. We fly them a lot off of grass, so they don’t get abused much.”
FLYING THE “LITTLE GIANTS” OF AVIATION
“I’m just working through it and doing it over and over again. I really feel like climbing into it is like getting into my car. Familiarization with everything and being able to perform the maneuvers I need to do.” — Doyle Bell
Doyle Bell When it comes to flight training students, you won’t find too many like Doyle Bell. Although he went through some initial flight training when he was in the Army in 1958, Doyle spent the majority of his career in the political arena in Muncie. Following his retirement, Doyle, at the age of 79, decided he wanted to finish up what he started 60 years prior. Now, at the age of 81, he’s training for his private pilot certificate at the urging of Wiley Grant and with the help of Stephen Reese. “I flew a little bit of training in my final years of service back in 1958 when I was in Louisiana. It was a flying club they had on base,” Doyle said. “My discharge came up, so I didn’t have much time. I didn’t have my license or anything. I thought that when I got back home, I’d get back into it. But I hadn’t been to college, so I started to go to school at Ball State. Raising a family and all the things that go with that. Then I got involved in the political arena, I was an office holder here [in Muncie]. The flying was on my mind, but I had just not gotten back to it. Wiley Grant is my neighbor, and I was speaking to him and told him what I’d done and that I really enjoyed it, and he said, ‘Doyle you seem to be in good health.’ … I don’t take a lot of medications and am blessed with good health at my age. He asked why I didn’t get back into it. … Being able to do this is kind of a dream fulfilled.” Doyle was able to purchase a 1941 Luscombe 8A, which was converted to an 8B in 1965, for a reasonable price after its owner died in 2017 and has been training in it ever since, which has been challenging but rewarding at the same time. “It being a taildragger, they say they’re more difficult so once you get your training in that, it’s going to make you a better pilot,” he said. “Of course not having flown other planes and starting with it, it’s kind of like driving an automobile. Every move, once you go through and practice them and are able to perform them — I’m just working through it and doing it over and over again. I really feel like climbing into it is like getting into my car. Familiarization with everything and being able to perform the maneuvers I need to do.”
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CONNOR MADISON
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“What started me in the Cub originally was that’s what my dad learned to fly in back in 1945, so my dad was my hero and that was definitely important to me.” — Mike Finney
Mike Finney With a flight instructor for a father, Mike Finney has been around airplanes nearly his entire life. As the owner of a 1946 Piper J-3 Cub, Mike fell in love with what is arguably general aviation’s most iconic airplane as a child. “What started me in the Cub originally was that’s what my dad learned to fly in back in 1945, so my dad was my hero and that was definitely important to me,” Mike said. “When I was about nine years old, I got to go for a ride in a J-3. That was the first airplane I got to sit in the front seat of. That was pretty cool. I just thought it was a cool-looking airplane. I fell in love with it then, and it stuck.” Soloing on his 16th birthday, Mike was initially just an airplane owner early on, but he soon caught the building and restoring bug. After acquiring his Cub, which interestingly enough was once owned by John Hatz of Hatz biplane fame in the 1950s, it took Mike three years nearly to the date to restore it to its current state. Mike admits that due to the Cub’s popularity, the starting cost of
ownership is high in comparison to other similar airplanes, but it’s still a relatively straightforward airplane to maintain and operate. “With the Cub’s initial price, it’s getting up there where it keeps a lot of people out of it, but I can buy them and restore them myself, which helps me,” he said. “As far as the year-to-year maintenance, the annuals and stuff I can do. You don’t have a lot of things that go wrong with them. You don’t have a starter; there’s no battery. I can fly them for many, many hours, and it doesn’t cost anything in maintenance. All it costs is fuel and oil and that’s pretty inexpensive.”
Cory Day Owner of a 1947 Luscombe 8A, Cory Day is following in his father’s footsteps. “My dad started flying, and he got his [pilot certificate] in 1970, bought his first Luscombe in 1973,” he explained. “It was a 1948 Luscombe, and he and I bought another Luscombe in 2008. It’s a 1947 Luscombe 8A. … It’s the first plane I flew in. It’s something I pretty much grew up in, and I’ve always liked it. It’s very nice to go up and take rides.” As an inexpensive and easy-to-operate airplane, Cory enjoys the Luscombe for the
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY CONNOR MADISON
FLYING THE “LITTLE GIANTS” OF AVIATION
reasons many of his fellow pilots like vintage taildraggers. “The Luscombe is just a very versatile plane. It’s a taildragger, so it can go into grass strips very well, but you can also go into the paved runways. It can go low and slow. It’s not a fast airplane, it’s about a 90 mph airplane. … You can slow down enough to see things — the lakes, the trees, the houses. It’s a nice airplane to go out sightseeing and play around in. It’s got the 65-hp Continental
engine in it. Burns about 4.5 gallons an hour, which most planes are 10 or 15 gallons an hour. I’m burning 4.5, and I can fly around and play around and not have to break the bank trying to do it. That makes it very nice. … It’s very easy to maintain. The Luscombe is very simple. There’s no electric, so it makes it even more simplistic. All you have to do is take care of the engine, and the plane will take care of you.”
“[THE 120] OFFERS SOME CHALLENGES FOR THE STUDENT. OF COURSE THESE WERE BUILT AS A PRIMARY TRAINER. THEY’RE VERY SPRIGHTLY; THEY’RE LIGHT ON THE CONTROLS.” — Steve Givens
It’s a 1947 Luscombe 8A. … It’s the first plane I flew in. It’s something I pretty much grew up in, and I’ve always liked it. It’s very nice to go up and take rides.” — Cory Day
Givens Family Among the handful of airplanes Steve Givens has owned over the years is the 1946 Cessna 120 that he, his fiancée, son, and daughterin-law currently fly. Interestingly enough, Keith Givens, Vintage 722189, Jenny Givens, and Treasa Allen are all training to be pilots in the 120. “It offers some challenges for the student,” Givens said of the 120. “Of course these were originally built as a primary trainer. They’re very sprightly; they’re light on the controls. There’s a wonderful support group — the [International Cessna] 120-140 Association. You’ve got a lot of support; you’re not an orphan out there on your own. There’s still a good abundance of parts. It also offers some cross-country utility. You can comfortably put two people and an overnight bag in it and go somewhere. The Cubs and stuff are a little bit on the slower side. It’s full electric, and that helps with going cross-country because you’ve got your radio and transponder. They’re comfortable to sit in, and they work well for instruction because your instructor is sitting beside you. For us, it’s been a great addition to the airplanes we already have because it’s kind of a working airplane for our family. Four of us
fly it, and three of us are taking instruction in it.” Keith, who is an A&P mechanic, has been around airplanes his entire life and is finally getting his pilot certificate. “I’ve been flying my entire life,” he said. “I started when I was 16, flying our 170. Then girls and motorcycles and cars came into my life, and I took a little break. Now I’m getting back into it. So for me, transitioning from the 170 to the 120, they’re really similar as far as ground handling and approach speeds and all that. It’s a very comfortable airplane and it’s got just enough equipment so that you’re not overwhelmed.” Whether they’re used for flight training, $100 hamburgers, or just as a way to enjoy a leisurely and affordable flight around the countryside, these vintage taildraggers have withstood the test of time and are truly where the fun is.
Sam Oleson, EAA 1244731, is EAA’s social media coordinator, contributing primarily to EAA’s digital publications and social media platforms, and loves learning the history behind different types of aircraft. Email Sam at soleson@eaa.org.
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY JIM RAEDER
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRIS MILLER
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JACK FLEETWOOD
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ED HICKS
Top: WACO QCF. Middle Right: Greg Heckman shows off the OX-5 powered Lincoln-Page. Bottom: A row of pristine Cessna 195s.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ED HICKS
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1936 Aeronca LB banks away and shows off its graceful lines.
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY ED HICKS
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Left: The bump cowl of beautiful cabin Waco. Below: Gone but never forgotten — a memorial plaque honoring Charlie Harris. Bottom Left: A time-capsule Cessna 170.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ED HICKS
PHOTOGRAPHY BY LYLE JANSMA
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY XXXXX
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTINA BASKEN
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ED HICKS
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTINA BASKEN
PHOTOGRAPHY BY RODNEY WHITE
Top: Piper J4 Coupe. Right: An antique rotary beauty.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY LAURIE GOOSSENS
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY JACK FLEETWOOD
Top: Cessna 150. Middle: A Vintage volunteer hard at work. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JACK FLEETWOOD
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Bottom: The graceful wingspread of a Sopwith Camel.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY LAURIE GOOSSENS
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CRAIG VANDERKOLK
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CONNOR MADISON
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTINA BASKEN
Top Left: Travel Airs.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JACK FLEETWOOD
Top Right: Taylorcraft BC-12. Middle: Lincoln-Page. Bottom: Mike Rinker’s Grumman Goose.
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Top: DH4. Middle: Waldo and Pork-Chop on an early morning Barnstorming flight. Bottom Left: Making new friends at the Red Barn. Bottom Right: A sun-baked Travel Air.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ED HICKS
PHOTOGRAPHY BY LYLE JANSMA
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JACK FLEETWOOD
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY JACK FLEETWOOD
Top: Aeronca Chief. Middle: The U.S. Navy Blue Angels fly over the Vintage area. Bottom Left: Relaxing under a DC-3. PHOTOGRAPHY BY CONNOR MADISON
Bottom Right: Hatz biplanes on display.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ED HICKS
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JACK FLEETWOOD
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CONNOR MADISON
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Top: Front office of a Swift. Middle: Howard DGA. PHOTOGRAPHY BY LYLE JANSMA
Bottom Right: Type clubs in the Vintage hangar. PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRIS MILLER
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JACK FLEETWOOD
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY JACK FLEETWOOD
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CONNOR MADISON
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CRAIG VANDERKOLK
PHOTOGRAPHY BY LYLE JANSMA
Top: The Lincoln-Page and the Aeronca LB. Above: Follow my lead! Vintage volunteer escorting a Fairchild. Above Right: Pristine Ercoupe.
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Sopwith Camel cockpit.
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVID BRESLAUER
Top: Row and rows of Vintage airplanes. Middle: Beaver on floats. Bottom: Travel Air.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ED HICKS
PHOTOGRAPHY BY LYLE JANSMA
PHOTOGRAPHY BY WILL CAMPBELL
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY WILL CAMPBELL
Middle Left: No better place to hang laundry than under the wing of a Cessna. Bottom Left: Vintage volunteers hard at work.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JACK FLEETWOOD
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ART EICHMANN
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY CRAIG VANDERKOLK
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CONNOR MADISON
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CRAIG VANDERKOLK
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CONNOR MADISON
PHOTOGRAPHY BY RODNEY WHITE
Top Right: Relaxing in the Vintage area. Middle: Comanche 400. Bottom: The sign says it all!
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Top: Kermit Weeks about to start his Sopwith Pup. Middle Left: Twin-engine beauty. Bottom: One of the many of immaculate DC-3s at Oshkosh.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANDREW ZABACK
PHOTOGRAPHY BY WILL CAMPBELL
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY ED HICKS
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY LYLE JANSMA
PHOTOGRAPHY BY LYLE JANSMA
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ED HICKS
Top: Aeronca Chief at sunrise. Left: Wiping off the morning dew.
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRIS MILLER
Top: Cessna 310. Middle: Vintage area entertainment. Bottom: Travel Air tails.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY RODNEY WHITE
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY ED HICKS
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY ART EICHMANN
PHOTOGRAPHY BY LYLE JANSMA
Above: Hand-propping an Aeronca Chief.
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY ART EICHMANN
Top: Kermit Weeks’ Albatross.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY WILL CAMPBELL
Bottom Right: Hangar flying in the Vintage area.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ED HICKS
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRIS MILLER
Left: Vintage area radials. Bottom: Swifts on parade.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CONNOR MADISON
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTINA BASKEN
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CONNOR MADISON
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The Flying Floods.
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTINA BASKEN
Right: David “The Candyman” Mars holds Barnstormer court. Bottom: Spartan Executive.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTINA BASKEN
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CONNOR MADISON
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CRAIG VANDERKOLK
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Below: Vintage camping. Right: Stearman maintenance. Bottom: Taylorcraft BC-12.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JACK FLEETWOOD
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY CRAIG VANDERKOLK
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ED HICKS
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRIS MILLER
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JACK FLEETWOOD
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JACK FLEETWOOD
Middle Left: Keeping everyone fed. Middle Right: Travel Air Siren. Bottom: Old Glory supports a Stearman’s wing.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JACK FLEETWOOD
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The Vintage Mechanic ROBERT G. LOCK
Aging Aircraft Issues PART 1 IN THIS ISSUE we will discuss some problems
facing aging aircraft. Notice I said some of the problems; trying to list everything would take more space than is available, so I will cover what I believe are some of the most important issues, keeping in mind that we are dealing with airplanes, some being manufactured 70 or more years ago when aircraft design and construction was in its infancy. As aircraft age, they deteriorate. All early aircraft were designed for operation in a sterile environment; no consideration was given to degradation such as fatigue, corrosion, and other problems associated with long-term operation. Depending on the type of materials used for construction, the level of maintenance and inspection, and the ship’s operating environment, deterioration can be kept to a minimum if the owner and maintenance personnel are vigilant. Occasionally, major repairs or component replacement are required to keep the aircraft airworthy. One interesting definition of an “aging aircraft” is one whose flight crew is younger than the airplane! This discussion, which we’ll cover over the next two issues of Vintage Airplane, deals with aging issues of metal, wood, and fabric aircraft and gives some insight into how to locate some defects. While teaching airframe and powerplant mechanics at Reedley College, I devised an interesting theory about defects and methods for locating those problem areas. Here’s what I remember about the discussion regarding this important subject. PROBLEM AREAS
What is a defect? A defect is undesirable; it is likely to reduce part life, it is outside normality, and the damage is outside the specifications for the material or the component. Defects can move an aircraft outside its conformity with the original approved type certificate.
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Aircraft longevity depends on: Operational environment, degree of corrosion protection at the time of manufacture, and type of maintenance program used during the life of the aircraft. For wood ships, one must consider the type of adhesive used and whether or not complete varnish sealing of the surface was accomplished; just as important is the ultraviolet blocking material applied to fabric surfaces. What is the most widely used method to locate defects? Visual inspection. Visual inspection of an aircraft and its components is an art that is gained through experience and dedication. Inspection was one of the most difficult subjects to teach in the learning environment for aircraft mechanics. Chuck Yeager always said, “If you don’t know how it works, then how can you determine how to fix it when it breaks?” If I suspect there is a problem, I must: Identify the defect and determine how widespread the damage is. Remember, there may be primary and secondary damage in the case of an accident or incident. • Determine how structural the component is. Can I fix it? Is the damage in a primary or secondary structure? • Are there approved methods for making a major repair? • Do I have to disassemble the structure? • Do I have to replace the component? Is a replacement part available? Important factors are: • Do I have the knowledge and skills to make the repair? • Do I have the tools and data necessary to make the repair? • Do I have the drawings to make the repair, or can I use FAA Advisory Circular (AC) 43.13-1B?
Crevice Corrosion: Usually found along or under a lap seam. Sometimes this type of corrosion is difficult to locate in the early stages. Late stages will have a crevice along the edge of the lap seam, and corrosion salts will bubble from along the seam.
General Surface Corrosion
I have used “I” in the above discussion, but this pertains to people approved to make major or minor repairs or alterations to an aircraft. If you are the owner of the aircraft and not an FAA-rated mechanic, then insert the word mechanic in place of I. TYPES OF DEGRADATION
Now, let’s look at structural degradation in aluminum, steel tube, wood, and fabric. First, the types of degradation on aluminum structures, which is called corrosion.
Galvanic Corrosion: Caused when two materials of a different type are in contact. The most common is a cadmium-plated steel bolt in an aluminum structure. The aluminum begins to corrode; the cadmium on the bolt is sacrificial and dissolves, and the bolt will rust. Some call this dissimilar metal corrosion.
Filiform Corrosion: Usually found under paint film, especially under polyurethane paint. It has long filaments that creep under paint. Advanced stages will have the paint surface to bubble. Exfoliation Corrosion: Usually found in extruded aluminum, such as an angle or U-channel. Another example susceptible to this type of corrosion is the extruded spars such as on a Luscombe. The edges of material will look like the edge of a ream of paper; the grain will appear in layers.
Galvanic Corrosion
General Surface Corrosion: The surface of the aluminum turns to a cloudy gray color. It oxidizes from contamination with the atmosphere. There is no pitting involved. It can be treated chemically, or the corrosion can be removed by polishing. Pitting Corrosion: Advanced stage of surface corrosion. The aluminum begins to turn to a powder, and there are pits formed in the aluminum alloy. At the bottom of the pits is a dark gray powdery substance. These pits will require chemical treatment and evaluation for potential strength loss. www.vintageaircraft.org
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The Vintage Mechanic ROBERT G. LOCK
Exfoliation Corrosion
Stress Corrosion: Difficult to detect visually. It is caused by in-flight stress of a highly loaded part. It can lead to failure over a period of time. Think of it like bending a steel coat hanger or a paper clip back and forth until it breaks. CORROSION PROTECTION
Now let’s briefly discuss aluminum corrosion protection. Aluminum Anodizing: An electroplating process. The bath is either phosphoric acid (it turns the part to a gray color) or chromic acid (turns the part to a tan or gold color). Anodizing is a surface treatment that resists the effects of corrosion. Stearman restorers see phosphoric acid anodizing on most original factory aluminum structures, particularly cowlings. Priming: The surface can be prepared mechanically by glass bead blasting or chemically by a phosphoric acid bath, followed by a chromic acid conversion coating. Then the primer, which is either epoxy or etching, can be sprayed onto the surface. Most restorers won’t have an anodizing tank, so the phosphoric/chromic acid conversion treatment process is best. The acid etch will chemically roughen the aluminum surface to prepare for primer. Corrosion Preventive Compounds: There are many of these compounds on the market, and they work quite well. However, nothing beats surface preparation and priming or anodizing. FAA AC 43.4A is a good resource for corrosion identification. DEGRADATION IN STEEL TUBE STRUCTURES
Now is the time for a brief discussion of a few problems with a steel tube structure.
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External Corrosion: Caused by poor application of a primer coating. Steel surface corrosion is commonly called rust, a reddish powder that forms on the surface. At the start, rust may not show beneath a painted surface. If it cannot be seen, the paint will eventually bubble as the pocket of corrosion expands; then it can be seen. It will eventually pit the surface, causing a reduction in the strength of the part. Internal Corrosion: In a steel tube, condensation will cause water to form inside the tube. The water will flow to a low point, usually the lower fuselage longerons at the aft end. It cannot be seen until a hole appears in the tube. Test for internal corrosion with an ice pick or by tapping with a small center punch and lightweight hammer. Cracking Along Weld Beads: When steel is welded, the base material must be super heated until it melts. Filler rod is added to build up the weld bead. The finished weld bead solidifies; however, the steel in the welded area is a more crystalline type structure than the normal grain structure of the steel. Cracking will generally happen along the edges of weld beads where they blend into the base metal. They are difficult to find, but closely inspect areas of high stress concentration. After welding has been completed, parts should be normalized to remove the stress of welding. Deformation/Misalignment: When heated, steel expands; when cooled, steel contracts. This process causes deformation of the structure. A steel structure can be cold straightened if there is slight deformation or misalignment. Welding with a gas torch requires a massive amount of heat to make the bead. Thus there will be more deformation in gas welding than in tungsten inert gas/electric welding. Landing Gear Alignment: Landing gear alignment is especially critical. Any repairs should be made carefully to maintain proper gear alignment. External Corrosion
Also, close inspection of all fittings should be made due to the high loads absorbed by the landing gear (loads depend on the pilot’s ability to land the airplane softly!). Some landing gears were heat-treated by the factory. Welded repairs on heattreated components should not be attempted, unless the part can be re-heat-treated to the exact same properties as the original. Corrosion Prevention: For external structure, seal the surface from the atmosphere contaminants (including moisture) with epoxy paint. Protect the internal tube with boiled linseed oil or line oil. Cadmium Plating: The most common corrosion protection for steel bolts is cad plating. This is an electroplating operation where parts are submerged in a cyanide bath with balls of cadmium. An electric current is passed through the parts, and cadmium is drawn through the bath and deposits on the part. Cadmium plating is either silver or gold in color, depending on the process used. Parts should be baked in an oven to remove hydrogen embrittlement, which is a byproduct of the plating process. Cadmium plating is a “sacrificial” plating process.
Filiform Corrosion
I could see if there was a spot I missed during the spray process. In the old days we used Copon, which was withdrawn from production many years ago. It was available in the colors of red oxide, white, yellow, green, and black. It was a great primer but contained
lead as part of its formula. Of course, these airplanes worked in the harshest of conditions — dispersal of pesticide chemicals. Next month, we’ll take a look at wood structures and fabric issues, along with a few other aging issues.
Priming: There are several ways to prepare steel for painting: wire brushing, sanding, and media blasting — normally with sand or glass beads, depending on the size of the part. Most fuselage structures are sandblasted because of the size, while smaller parts that can be put into a cabinet may be blasted with glass beads or other types of media. Phosphoric acid etch primers are good, but epoxy primers are the best for steel structures. I used to prime Stearman fuselage frames (and other steel parts) by spraying at least three coats of epoxy primer. Each coat was a different color so www.vintageaircraft.org
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Message From the President SUSAN DUSENBURY, VAA PRESIDENT
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Another positive for these planes is that there is usually no depreciation in value. And should you decide to sell your fun and affordable plane you will find that there is a rather large target market for these planes, and for the most part you can sell it for what you paid for it. Daily operating costs are very reasonable, with the fuel burn averaging 3-6 gph depending on the particular plane/ engine. Most of them are outfitted with a cost-saving fixed-pitch prop rather than a constant-speed prop. Typically, there is not a lot of avionics in these planes, which, of course, is a big money saver on the cost of avionics repairs and required certification tests. And, of course, there’s another “biggie” that often goes unsaid — it does not take a small army of your best buds (or a tug) to get it in and out of the hangar. Both in Vintage Airplane magazine and at AirVenture 2019, VAA will again be highlighting these fun and affordable planes that have enriched the lives of so many as they experienced the thrill of flying.
NEW MEMBERS William Jones (Vintage 727636), Hoover, Alabama Tom Carpenter (Vintage 727683), Kingman, Arizona Tad Daughters (Vintage 727664), Sun City, Arizona Michelle Stranz (Vintage 727637), Sierra Vista, Arizona Lonnie Silva (Vintage 727638), Hayward, California Gregory Maitlen (Vintage 727666), Aurora, Colorado John Swift (Vintage 727658), Enfield, Connecticut Thomas Blehl (Vintage 727684), Tavares, Florida Mary Blehl (Vintage 727685), Tavares, Florida Bruce Cynamon (Vintage 727654), Weirsdale, Florida Don Etchison (Vintage 727670), Spring Hill, Florida Jacob Kropog (Vintage 727650), Pensacola, Florida Kele Fergerstrom (Vintage 727653), Hilo, Hawaii Steven Bussolari (Vintage 727656), Evanston, Illinois Christabel Day (Vintage 727640), Middletown, Indiana Robert Vance (Vintage 727644), Fort Wayne, Indiana Robert Krietemeyer (Vintage 727687), Perry Park, Kentucky David Gubert (Vintage 727641), Saint Johns, Michigan Michael Harden (Vintage 727648), Bloomington, Minnesota James Trail (Vintage 727646), McCook, Nebraska Dianna Klein (Vintage 727663), Las Vegas, Nevada Bill Colleran (Vintage 727643), Exeter, New Hampshire John Manning (Vintage 727647), New York, New York Kent Wien (Vintage 727652), Highland, New York Craig Mcewan (Vintage 727657), Belmont, North Carolina Bill Wilson (Vintage 727662), Stanley, North Carolina Samuel Kennedy (Vintage 727661), Fargo, North Dakota Alan Vandevanter (Vintage 727669), Springboro, Ohio Walter Drag (Vintage 727634), Longs, South Carolina Doug Ratchford (Vintage 727642), Brenham, Texas Terry Oneal (Vintage 727649), Pampa, Texas Mark Parker (Vintage 727686), Oak Harbor, Washington Adam Price (Vintage 727639), Perth, Washington Jan Johnson (Vintage 727668), Oshkosh, Wisconsin Kyle Ludwick (Vintage 727660), Oshkosh, Wisconsin Christopher Stremski (Vintage 727659), Cudahy, Wisconsin Klaus Kalmer (Vintage 727645), Hamburg, Germany Donald Jones (Vintage 727651), Barrigada, Guam Graham Cutting (Vintage 727635), Norwich, United Kingdom
COPYRIGHT © 2019 BY T HE E AA VIN TAGE AIRCR AF T A SSOCIAT ION. ALL RIGHT S RESERVED. VINTAGE AIRPLANE (USPS 062-750; ISSN 0091-6943) is published and owned exclusively by the EAA Vintage Aircraft Association of the Experimental Aircraft Association and is published bi-monthly at EAA Aviation Center, 3000 Poberezny Rd., PO Box 3086, Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54903-3086, email: vintageaircraft@eaa.org. Membership to Vintage Aircraft Association, which includes 6 issues of Vintage Airplane magazine, is $45 per year for EAA members and $55 for nonEAA members. Periodicals Postage paid at Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54902 and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Vintage Airplane, PO Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086. CPC #40612608. FOREIGN AND APO ADDRESSES—Please allow at least two months for delivery of VINTAGE AIRPLANE to foreign and APO addresses via surface mail. ADVERTISING — Vintage Aircraft Association does not guarantee or endorse any product offered through the advertising. We invite constructive criticism and welcome any report of inferior merchandise obtained through our advertising so that corrective measures can be taken. EDITORIAL POLICY: Members are encouraged to submit stories and photographs. Policy opinions expressed in articles are solely those of the authors. Responsibility for accuracy in reporting rests entirely with the contributor. No remuneration is made. Material should be sent to: Editor, VINTAGE AIRPLANE, PO Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086. Phone 920-426-4800. EAA® and EAA SPORT AVIATION®, the EAA Logo® and Aeronautica™ are registered trademarks, trademarks, and service marks of the Experimental Aircraft Association, Inc. The use of these trademarks and service marks without the permission of the Experimental Aircraft Association, Inc. is strictly prohibited.
64 January/February 2019
DIRECTORY OFFICERS President Susan Dusenbury 1374 Brook Cove Road Walnut Cove, NC 27052 336-591-3931 sr6sue@aol.com
Secretary Steve Nesse 2009 Highland Ave. Albert Lea, MN 56007 507-373-1674 stnes2009@live.com
Vice-President Tim Popp 60568 Springhaven Ct. Lawton, MI 49065 269-760-1544 tlpopp@frontier.com
Treasurer Jerry Brown 4605 Hickory Wood Row Greenwood, IN 46143 317-627-9428 lbrown4906@aol.com
DIRECTORS Dave Clark 635 Vestal Lane Plainfield, IN 46168 317-839-4500 davecpd@att.net
Ray L. Johnson 347 South 500 East Marion, IN 46953 765-669-3544 rayjohnson@indy.rr.com
George Daubner N57W34837 Pondview Ln Oconomowoc, WI 53066 262-560-1949 gdaubner@eaa.org
Dan Knutson 106 Tena Marie Circle Lodi, WI 53555 608-354-6101 lodicub@charter.net
Jon Goldenbaum PO Box 190 Warner Springs, CA 92086 951-203-0190 jon@conaircraft.com
Robert D. “Bob” Lumley 1265 South 124th St. Brookfield, WI 53005 262-782-2633 rlumley1@wi.rr.com
John Hofmann 548 W James St Columbus, WI 53925 608-239-0903 john@cubclub.org
Earl Nicholas 219 Woodland Rd Libertyville, IL 60048 847-367-9667 eman46@gmail.com
Joe Norris 264 Old Oregon Rd. Oshkosh, WI 54902 pilotjoe@ntd.net 920-688-2977
ADVISORS Paul Kyle 1273 Troy Ct. Mason, OH 45040
Kevin McKenzie 40550 La Colima Rd Temecula, CA 92591
Dan Wood fly170@gmail.com
DIRECTORS EMERITUS David Bennett antiquer@inreach.com
Ronald C. Fritz itzfray@gmail.com
Robert C. Brauer photopilot@aol.com
Gene Morris genemorris@charter.net
Phil Coulson rcoulson516@cs.com
S.H. “Wes” Schmid shschmid@gmail.com
John Turgyan jrturgyan4@aol.com
Š 2016 Experimental Aircraft Association, Inc.
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