Professional Documents
Culture Documents
ARC H
2006
C ONTENTS
VAA News
Aeromail
A Silver Eagle
Part II - Hightlights of 1930
A biography of E.M. "Matty" Laird
14
20
25
Pass It to Buck
Here's the drill
by Buck Hilbert
26
28
32
34
Mystery Plane
by H.G. Frautschy
38
Calendar
39
Classified Ads
COVERS
FRONT COVER: Tom Dinndorf and his wife. Mary, are thrilled with their big piece of history, a 1938
Stinson SRl0J that was purchased by the Shell Oil Company, and flown by its aviation manager,
Jimmy Doolittle. Restored by Rod Roy, the thundering Stinson was photographed by EAA photogra
BACK COVER: Major Mathew Taylor, an FA18 test pilot for the USMC at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland,
flies a Howard DGA15P that he owns with his wife, Candice. The Howard's restoration was begun by
the late Bryce Hunt of Santa Paula , California, and finished by the Taylors. The Stearman is owned and
piloted by Mathew's father, Larry Taylor, of Madison, Georgia. The photo ship was a Stinson V77 Gull
wing owned and piloted by Ricardo Traven of Lexington Park, Maryland, and the photographer was Randy
Hepp of Leonardtown, Maryland. The photo was taken this past spring during Pax River Expo '05.
STAFF
EAA Publisher
EAA EditorinChief
Executive Director/Editor
Administrative Assistant
Managing Editor
News Editor
Photography
Tom Poberezny
Scott Spangler
H.C. Frautschy
Jennifer Lehl
Kathleen Witman
Ric Reynolds
Jim Koepnick
Bonnie Bartel
Advertising Coordinator
Sue Anderson
Louise Scoenike
Classified Ad Coordintor
Colleen Walsh
Copy Editor
Director of Advertising
Katrina Bradshaw
Display Advertising Representatives:
North east: Allen Murray
Phone 60926S I666, F.~X 6092651 661 email: allelllnllrmy@!lllillrlsprillg.colll
Southeast: Chester Baumgartner
Phone 7275730586, FAX 7275560177 ema il; cbauIll111@'lIillrlsprillg.colII
Central: Todd Reese
Phone 8004449932, fAX 8167416458 email: todrl@SpclIIag.colll
Mountain & Pacific: Keith Knowlton &: Associates
Phone 7705162741, email: kklloIVItoll@eaa.org
GEOFF ROBISON
PRESIDENT, VINTAGE AIRCRAFT AS SOCIATION
EAA/VAA
proposed initiative
will be presented
public meeting on
March 22-23 in
HAVE YOU MADE YOUR PLANS TO ATTEND THE 2006 EAA AIRVENTURE?
EAA AIRVENTURE OSHKOSH 2006 , THE WORLD ' S GREATEST AVIATION CELEBRATION- JULY
VAA IS ABOUT PARTICIPATI ON : BE A MEMBER! BE A VOLUNTE ER! BE THERE!
24-30
VINTA GE AIRPLAN E
Lawrence to Speak
on Aging Aircraft
EAA Vice President of Industry and
Regulatory Affairs Earl Lawrence will
speak at a two-day public meeting on
aging aircraft, scheduled for March
22-23 in Kansas City, Missouri. The
meeting will emphasize what can be
done to mitigate the effects of fatigue,
corrosion, and deterioration on aging
general aviation airplanes.
PartiCipants will share informa
tion, resolve questions, and discuss
potential solutions regarding the
continued airworthiness of older GA
airplanes. The current fleet average is
approximately 35 years old and will
increase to SO years old by 2020.
Vintage Aircraft Association Ex
ecutive Director H.G. Frautschy
also plans to share expertise at the
meeting, which is slated to begin at
8 a.m. each day, with registration at
8 a.m. on March 22.
Individuals may submit a request
to present a statement at the meet
ing. If unable to attend, either mail
a statement to FAA Small Airplane
Directorate, FAA Central Region, At
tention: Mr. Marv Nuss, 901 Locust,
Room 301, Kansas City, MO 64106,
or e-mail marvin.nuss@{aa.gov.
MARCH 2006
a bit on the trip home. My take on the required lights needed for
: ~ying at ni~ht are position lights plus an anti-collision light,
eIther a rotating beacon and/or strobes. My friend says antiques are
grandfathered in here, and that they don't need anything but position lights.
Can you shed some, er, light, on this subject?
-An Antique Flier
(the airplane, not the pilot!)
: Antiques and classics are definitely reqUired to have an
anti-collision lighting system as well as navigation lights if they want to
fly at night. The only grandfathered part is they have to meet the ear
lier requirements for the placement and coverage of the anti-collision
beacon, rather than having to meet the most current requirements. It
basically comes down to having a strobe or rotating beacon on either
the top or the bottom of the aircraft (belly, tip of the vertical, or wher
ever); that's sufficient for aircraft that wete type-certificated before April
I, 1957. These aircraft can't get by without anything or just position
lights, but they don't need as extensive a system as a more modern air
plane would need.
Since you asked, here's a bit more on requirements for flying at
night:
teach aviation
EM AlrVenture
Planning Guide
Once you've made the decision
to attend EAA AirVenture Oshkosh
2006, you can't just wait for July,
hop into the cockpit, and show up.
You need to start planning, and now.
A great way to start is by download
ing the EAA AirVenture 2006 Plan
ning Guide, now available at www.
airventure.org.
The handy document includes es
sential information about admission,
lodging, driving directions, commer
cial flights, vehicle rental, ground
transportation services, and a lot
more. Get your copy today and start
charting your EAA AirVenture Osh
kosh adventure!
GIVING BACK
www.jaars.org
Aero Pacific
Steve Murray
Carlsbad, California
760-931-0022
A complete list of Helio main
tenance personnel is to be made
available March I, 2006.
For additional information, visit
www.heliocourier.net.
MARCH 2006
VAA,
WI 54903-3086
OSHKOSH
Access to
Volunteer
Center
Special
FORB
Badge
Two Passes
to VAA
Volunteer
Party
Special
FORB
Cap
Two Tickets
toVAA
Picn ic
Close Auto
Parking
2 Tickets
Full Week
2 People/ Full Wk
2 Tickets
2 Days
1 Person/ Full Wk
1 Ticket
Name Listed:
Vintage, Web
& Sign at
Red Barn
Donor
Appreciation
Certificate
Diamond , $1,000
2 People/ Full Wk
Platinum, $750
Gold, $500
Silver. $250
Bronze, $100
Loyal Supporter,
$99 & Under
~-
Breakfast
at Tall Pines
Cafe
TriMotor
Ride
Certificate
*00 you or your spouse work for a matching gift company? If so, this gift may qualify for ' - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - '
a matching donation. Please ask yo ur Human Resources department for th e appropriate form .
NameofCompany~-~--~~-~~-~~-~~~~~-~~~~-~~
The Vintage Aircraft Association is a non.profit educational organization under IRS SOld rules . Ullder Federal Law, the deduction from Federal Income tax for
charitable contributiol'lS is limited to the amoullt by which any money (and the value ofallY 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 YOIl for IRS gift reporting reasons.
VINTA GE AI RP LA NE
A biography of
ROBERT
G.
ELLIOTT
AND ED ESCALLON
Matty and Elsie Laird enjoy their mountain retreat on the shores of Lake Tox
away, North Carolina, and sat momentarily for this photograph in July 1975.
MARCH 2006
Laird Solution, in which Speed Holman won the Thompson Trophy Race in 1930. This
aircraft was 30 days old the day of the race, having been completed about one hour
before the race began, allowing time enough for a short test hop and refueling due to a
short postponement of the Thompson Race start.
LEFT: Speed Holman.
Full view of completed Laird Sesquiwing.
MARCH 2006
Jimmy
Doolittle
is congratulated
by Matty Laird after winning ui: i ll.""_.~
the Bendix Race, September 1931. inUJ
ti::
=>
VINTAGE AIRPLANE
Piloted by
C.W. "Speed" Holman
MARCH 2006
The Mariner Hybrid is a compact SUV that blends the best features
BY TIM
VAA TYPE
MARCH 2006
H.G. FRAUTSCHY
Fox
Planning
Several steps are necessary to en
sure a successful event for your club.
Developing interest and enthusiasm
will ensure that you have a good turn
out and provide a good time for all.
Many of your members may have
never been to Oshkosh or have not
come for many years. Some may at
tend every year but park randomly,
and not with a group.
Oshkosh is a dream trip for most
pilots, and I have never met one
who didn't say he either has been or
wanted to go. Make your event the
reason to make that decision. With
the Stinson group we had many first
timers who made the decision to fly
in from all over the United States and
Canada. Our event was the motiva
tion for many of these pilots. It was
a trip they will remember for the rest
of their lives! Many will come back
again and again.
Starting in January, I placed an ar
ticle outlining a portion of the plans
Arrival
Many of you have seen the large
group arrivals of the Bonanzas and
Mooneys. Almost all pilots come in
through the normal NOTAM arrival
from Ripon, but if your group is large
enough, you may qualify for a special
arrival. The type club parking coor
dinator can help you find out if your
group qualifies. With special type
club parking reserved, how and when
your group arrives does not matter, as
they are assured that their parking is
reserved together.
Parking
When most people arrive at Osh
kosh they hold up placards that say
VAC for "vintage aircraft parking."
They are directed to Papa taxiway
and head south into the Vintage area.
Once they arrive they are parked in
the next available open spot, in rows
going south. The sooner you get there,
the closer you are to the action. As
many of you know, a late arrival can
find you closer to Fond du Lac than
Oshkosh! Type club reserved aircraft
receive a special placard that identi
fies them as having reserved park
ing. You are then directed by ground
handlers right to your parking in the
type club area! Please keep in mind
that we can't hold your spot indefi
nitely. There is an arrival window, so
you have to be there by a certain date
and time (unless you are being held
out by weather), or your spot will be
given to someone else.
Registration
Once you arrive, you'll proceed
north to camper registration, regis
Activities
This is the cornerstone of your type
club event. Plan activities for your
group. The type club parking coordi
nator can help you with suggestions
and arrangements for ground trans
portation, restaurant reservations, or
group activities. This should all be set
up as soon as possible, as you need
plenty of time to advertise in your
club newsletter.
If you're stuck for ideas on what to
do, here's some good news-the VAA
already has things scheduled that you
can participate in as a group, such as
the VAA picnic. It's a great time for
your type club to get together and
have dinner at the EAA Nature Center
with other vintage aircraft owners in
a casual setting. The various forums
presented during the convention may
also be of interest to your members,
and, of course, your group can meet
together to discuss topics related to
your specific aircraft.
VAA also will showcase an airplane
from the type clubs on the lawn in front
of the VAA Red Barn HQ each day. This
is a great way to get folks to come by the
tent and chat about the airplanes.
The Stinson group planned a din
ner off EAA grounds with a local
lakefront restaurant and chartered a
13
17
could think of looking for things that would tie him to our airplane.
18
MARCH 2006
19
Is it an end, or a beginning?
BY GLEN SCOTT
ew airplanes deserve a bi
ography more than 01 Blue.
She started out in Octo
ber of 1934 as a Fairchild
22C7D, built at the Fairch
ild factory in Hagerstown, Maryland.
This Fairchild had character from
the start and has touched many lives
over the past 71 years. I can tell the
story for 01 Blue, as I have had the
tremendous pleasure of flying and
learning how she was built. My time
was short with her, only 54 days this
past fall. I am telling this part of her
story for now, as I expect someone
to continue with Part Two in the
future. NC14302 (Fairchild 22 SIN
915) suffered a serious blow that few
airplanes can endure: a hangar fire,
a freak incident that no one ever an
ticipates will happen to them . My
brief experience with Blue took years
to make happen (30 years, to be ex
act) but actually started out on the
20
MARCH 2006
gj
b
i
~
~
~
U
21
Flying as a
ort
Becoming the first
certificated sport pilot
in Illinois
BY MARTY TOWSLEY
MARCH 2006
At that time,
unbeknownst to
me, I had
become the first
certificated sport
pilot in Illinois.
well it flies. As a side note, both of
my parents had flown 1941 Taylor
crafts in the mid-1940s as part of
the Civil Air Patrol and the Civilian
Pilot Training Program.
Encouraged with the thought
of being a sport pilot, and the fact
it truly fit my budget and how I
wanted to fly, I started to search the
Internet. I discovered a 1946 Tay
lorcraft BC-12D not far from my
home. After exchanging e-mails
and photographs with the current
owner, Mike offered to fly me, my
wife, and a mechanic to the airport
to inspect the Taylorcraft. It was a
V I NTAGE AIRPLANE
23
Dear Famii't
NASA is going to be atliN nRIN.
'can't wait!
1
Lov~
FLUTE
B.
LAND
HEEL ANGLE
(12- 15)
irl
LIP ANGLE
(NORMALLY 59)
LLI
i~::I:~~"=--==:::::::;:;:-",- L1PS OR
CUTTING EDGES
V I NTAGE AIRPLA NE
25
EAIS
at Huffman Prairie
CHAPTER
We had a remark
able experience on
Monday, October 3,
2005. We watched as
a replica Wright III
1905 biplane was cat
apulted into the sky
as a re-enactment of
Orville and Wilbur's
flights from historic
Huffman Prairie, at
Wright-Patterson Air
Force Base in Greene
County, Ohio . We
were standing 500 feet
away when mechanics
for the Flyer III started
26
MARCH 2006
610
COUNSELOR
27
MARCH 2006
AERO CLASSIC
"COLLECTOR SERIES"
Vintage Tires
DESSER
TIRE
RUBBER COMPANY
Since
(fi
Telephone : 800-247-8473 or
323-721-4900 FAX: 323-721-7888
www.desser.com
29
MARCH 2006
We're lucky
to have had
men like
him when
we needed
them the
most.
Peter Novak
Bloomington, IL
"Purchased AUA, Inc. years ago but left for better rates.
Have since returned to AUA, Inc. for their reliable,
courteous, and now economic policy. Also appreciate
their pilot-friendly exclusions."
- Peter Novak
AUA'. Exclusive IAA Vintage Aircraft AHociation Insurance Program lower liability and hull premiums
uded - Fleet discounts for multiple aircroft carrying all risk coverages - No hand-propping exclusion
BY DOUG STEWART
CRM
CRM. In the airlines it stands for crew resource
management. In the airplanes you and I fly it stands
for cockpit resource management. And unfortunately
for me, it so often seems to stand for can't remember
much. (Bear with me a moment and I'll remember
why I started to write this article ...)
Oh ... right ... I remember
now. CRM. It's an initialism that
many of us have heard, but it's
possible that you really don 't un
derstand how a term that's used
by the airlines could be applied
to the cockpits of our personal
airplanes . If we consider that it
refers to using all available tools,
it could make a bit more sense.
Let's take a look at those tools
and how we can use them, espe
cially when the yogurt starts to
creep up above the eyeballs. My
list is not prioritized; because
of my "can't remember much,"
they're listed as I think of them.
Let's see now ... checklists . .
. they're a good tool (especially
for my personal CRM). I have
a checklist in my airplane for
every phase of the flight, from
preflight through post-flight. It is one that has been
in a slow evolution from the earliest days of my fly
ing, and it includes all the things I have forgotten at
one time or another. For example, my cruise check
list includes, after setting the power, checking that
the flaps and landing gear are cleaned up. (I know
I'm not the only one who has forgotten to do that.)
Cowl flaps closed, transponder on altitude (so that
controllers don't ask me to recycle the XPDR, their
nice way of saying you forgot to turn it on, dummy),
and heading indicator checked with the compass are
all included in my checklist, as they are all things
I have forgotten at one time or another as a result
If your sectional is
compartment, it isn't
batteries in your
32
MARCH 2006
VINTAGE AIRPLANE
33
BY H.G. FRAUTSCHY
THIS MONTH'S MYSTERY PLANE COMES TO US FROM A MEMBER'S COLLECTION, WHICH WE'LL
Vintage Airplane.
You can also send your response
via e-mail. Send your answer to
mysterypiane@eaa.org. Be sure to
include your name, city, and state
in the body of your note, and put
"(Month) Mystery Plane" in the
subject line.
Those of you who are regular readers of the column caught the fact that during the page layout process, we
wound up with the Mystery Plane from last September, the Aerial Mercury Senior. Our apologies!
The December Mystery Plane, also from the "Emy" Emerson Collection, brought plenty of replies.
DECEMBER'S
MYSTERY
ANSWER
Here's our first letter:
The December Mystery Planes are
SE-SAs of the Skywriting Corpora
tion of America. They are all painted
white, are powered by 200-hp Hisso
engines, and are lined up on Curtiss
field , Long Island, where they were
based. The picture was taken in 1923.
Skywriting was made practical
by an Englishman, John C. Savage,
after about three years of experi
menting with oil mixtures, heat
ing means, valves, etc. Cyril Turner,
formerly an RFC pilot in WWI, did
most of the original test flying.
The first full word written was
"VIM." Shortly after, skywriting be
came commercial as the Wakefield
company paid to advertise their
34
MARCH 2006
Arnol Sellars
Tulsa, Oklahoma
35
Blue Phoenix
continued from page 21
MARCH 2006
Come or t e wee en
March 24-26
Riverside. CA
March 24-26
Frederick, MD
TIC Welding
April 1-2
Calgary, Ab,
Canada
April 22-23
Detroit, MI
May 5-7
May 6-7
Oshkosh, WI
RV Assembly
(EAA HQ)
~ EAA
~A'
1-800-WORKSHOP
1-800-967-5746
www.sportair.com
."DII
rJfJl.
WORKSHOPS
37
Wood, Fabric, & Tailwheels Fly-In. Come see what everyone is talking
about. If you love the good old says, then you ' ll love this event. Info:
www.LeeBottom.com
38
MARCH 2006
2006 MAJOR
FLy-INS
visit www.eaa.org/events
www.sun-n-fun.org
www.swrfi.org
www.goldenwestflyin.org
www.rmrfi.org
www.nweaa.org
EM AirVenture Oshkosh
Wittman Regional Airport (OSH),
Oshkosh, WI
July 24-July 30, 2006
www.airventure.org
www.vaeaa.org
www.serfi.org
www.copperstate.org
www.sport-aviation-expo.com
For details on EAA Chapter fly-ins and
other local aviation events, visit www.
eaa.org/ events
Ohio - statewide.
ON THE WEB!!
www.aviation-giftshop.com
A Website with the Pilot in Mind
(and those who love airplanes)
www.airplanetshirts.com
1-800-645-7739
1938 CESSNA AIR MASTER 1874TI,
165 HP WARNER SUPER SCARAB,
480 HRS, CURTISS REED PROP,
ALWAYS HANGARED, FRESH
ANNUAL $54,500 (707) 812-0300
OR (707) 480-1012
vintageaircraft.org. Check the News page for a hyperlink to Want To Send Us A Photograph?
For more information, you can also e-mail us at vintageaircraft@eaa.org or call us at 920-426-4825.
VINTAGE AIRPLANE
39
Membershi~ Services
VINTAGE
AIRCRAFT
Secretary
Steve Nesse
2009 Highland Ave.
Albert Lea, MN 56007
507-373-1674
stlles@''fleskmedia.com
Vice-President
George Daubner
2448 Loug h Lane
Hartford, WI 53027
262-673-5885
vaa{lyboyCiVtrlSfl.com
Treasure r
Charles W. Ha rriS
7215 Eas t 46th 51.
Tu lsa, OK 7~147
918-622-8400
cwh@hvsu.coll1
DIRECTORS
Steve Hender
Jeannie Hil l
sst 10@comcast.1Iet
David Bennett
P.O. Box 1188
Rosevi lle, CA 95678
916-645-8370
antiqller@;nreadl.co1ll
John Berendt
7645 Echo Point Rd.
Ca nnon Fall s, M N 5S009
507-263-24 14
mjb(cItJd@rcol1llect. co l1J
Dave Clark
63S Vestal Lane
Plainfield, IN 46168
3 17 -839-4500
davecpdcr!liques t.llet
Greensboro, NC 27409
336-668-3650
windsock@aoi.com
Steve Krog
1002 Heathe r Ln .
Hartford, WI 53027
262-966- 7627
-Address changes
-Gi ft memberships
- EAA Scholarshi ps
sskrog@aoi. com
Robert D. "Bob" Lumley
1265 South 124th St.
Brookfiel d, W I 53005
262-782-2633
lumper(if!('xecpc.com
John S. Co pe land
Gene Morris
IA Deacon Street
Northborough , MA 01532
508-393-477 5
(opeland l @jllllo. com
genemorris@charter."et
Phil Coulson
2841 5 Springbrook Dr.
L.lwton, Ml 49065
269-624-6490
rcoll/sonS 16@cs.co11l
Da le A. Gustafson
7724 Shady H i lls Dr.
Wa uwatosa, WI 532 13
3 17-293-4430
414-771- 1545
sllsch,nid@fllilwp c,coln
dalefaye@msIJ. com
Directory
Dean Richardson
DIRECTORS
EMERITUS
Gene Chase
2159 Carlton Rd .
Oshkosh , WI 54904
920-231-5002
GRCHA@dwrter.lIet
b7ar@mc.l1et
Ronald C. Fritz
6 16-678-50 12
MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION
EAA
lAC
WARBIRDS
Current EAA members may join the EAA
Warbirds of Am erica Division and receive
WARBIRDS magazine for an additional $40
per year,
EAA Membersh ip , WA RBIRDS ma ga
zine and o ne ye a r membership in th e
Warbirds Division is available for $50 per
year (SPORT AVIATION magazine n ot in
cluded). (Add $ 7 for Foreign Postage,)
FOREIGN MEMBERSHIPS
Please submit your remittan ce with a
check or draft drawn on a United States
bank payable in United States dollars, Add
required Foreign. Postage amount for each
membership.
rFritz@path waYl1et.com
Membership dues to EAA and its divisions are not tax deductible as charitable contributions
Copyright 2006 by the EAA Vintage Aircraft Association
All rights reserved.
VINTAGE AIRPLANE (USPS 062-750; ISSN 0091-6943) is published and owned exclusively by the EAA Vintage Aircraft Association of the Experimental Aircraft Association and is published monthly at EAA
Aviation Center, 3000 Poberezny Rd., PO Box 3086, Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54903-3086, e-mail: vintageaircraft@eaa.org. Periodicals Postage paid at Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901 and at additional mailing offices. POST
MASTER: Send address changes to Vintage Airplane. PO Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903-3086. PM 40032445 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to World Distribution Services, Station A, PO Box 54 , Windsor,
ON N9A 6J5, e-mail: cpcretums@Wdsmail.com. FOREIGN AND APO ADDRESSES - Please allow at least two months for delivery of VINTAGE AIRPLAN E to foreign and APO addresses via surface mail. ADVERTIS
ING - 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: Readers 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 AVlATION, the EM Logo and Aeronautica are registered trademarks, trademarks, and selVice marks of the EXperimental Aircraft Association, Inc. The use of these trademarks and
service marks without the permission of the Experimental Aircraft Association, Inc. is strictly prohibited.
40
MA R CH 2006