Joe Harris in Blackwell, OK, along with Ron Decker, continue to make great progress on Joe's Harlow PJC-2. The engine and cowling are fitted and with propeller you can just hear the airplane noises emanating from Ron's shop in Enid, OK.
This article is from
Skagit Aero's Blog
Skagit Aero Museum, who has kindly granted
permission to re-publish on AntiqueAirfield.com.
We took advantage of some nice evening light recently to add some pictures to our galleries. Last summer we did some air-to-air photos of the J-5A and the Clipper, but we forgot to get some simple ground photos of each airplane. So with sun setting in the west and snow on the mountains to the east, we decided to pull them out on the grass and snap a few shots. More of the J-5A photos can be found here (click on photo tab) and more of the Clipper pictures can be found here.
This article is from
Skagit Aero's Blog
Skagit Aero Museum, who has kindly granted
permission to re-publish on AntiqueAirfield.com.
Some times its the parts that are almost as much fun to find as the airplanes themselves. This was recently the case when Jim was crawling around a barn belonging to a friend of the museum down the river. Amidst the large number of airplane fuselages and other pieces, was a long wooden box with a brand new propeller inside. Jim was able to acquire the propeller for the museum and we look forward to it filling in nicely among the vintage parts we have already.
Best of all it wasn’t your average wooden propeller, it’s a constant speed propeller delivered in 1944 made by the Engineering and Research Corporation (ERCO) of Riverdale, Maryland. Beginning shortly before the United States entered World War II and lasting throughout the war, aluminum was in short supply for manufacturers of general aviation aircraft and even the military trainer fleet. So propeller manufacturers built wooden propellers to substitute for the metal ground adjustable and constant speed props. Of course wooden propellers were nothing new, but for these more advanced props, metal had been the norm.
The ERCO propeller uses a 2B20 hub and was used on airplanes such as the Stearman and Stinson V-77. The blades were carved from a laminated, compressed, impregnated block of wood and were stamped with the “Compreg” label. Brass covered the tips and leading edge like many wooden propellers. A steel alloy ferrule was attached permanently to the blade and allowed the connection between the wooden blade with the Standard Hamilton controllable pitch hub.
The shipping box included a box of parts as well as the log book and other historical items.
This article is from
Skagit Aero's Blog
Skagit Aero Museum, who has kindly granted
permission to re-publish on AntiqueAirfield.com.
Over the winter, work has picked up on the Bulldog. After finding an engine for the airplane last year, there was a bit of a lull in activity as many other things were going on here at the museum. But with the support of the Hall family and dreams of seeing it fly, the beautiful air racer is back at the front of the line.
Riverside, CA – Flabob Airport is home to the newest chapter of the Antique Airplane Association, which is also one of the oldest chapters. It is a revival of the "Riverside Valley Chapter," formed in the 1960s but long dormant. Two of the charter members, Ray Stits and Bill Hill, are still active at Flabob and in the new-old chapter. Heading the revival is Chapter President Don Newman, who has been long been associated with the San Diego chapter of the AAA.
"We have hundreds of antique airplanes in the Los Angeles area and most owners have no affiliation with any organization," said Newman. "We hope to change that and bring people together if for no other reason than to assist people in finding parts and reasonable insurance rates."
The Flabob Chapter, which already numbers 18 members from the Flabob Airport area, is planning an AAA Fly-In for April 30th, and expects a lot of Newman's friends from San Diego to fly up for the one-day event. "There won't be much in the way of formal activities," said Newman. "Just a lot of flying and talking, which is what we tend to enjoy the most anyway."
The blurb is: "Antique plane makes a historic journey back to Anglin Lake where it serves as a bush plane delivering goods from Prince Albert to Buffalo Narrows. It was piloted by Jack Greening whose brother George remembers going for many trips in the bi-plane tracks down the current owner [Carl Buck] and convinces him to bring the plane for a visit."
Jerry Thuotte and the crew at the Pt. Townsend Aero Museum, Pt. Townsend, WA have been working on a Fairchild 71 and sent this update:
The first flight after the “cleanup work” on this airplane went well.
By cleanup work, I mean the rejuvenation of the airplane after it was left sitting for some 8 years or more. The “heavy” grade fabric was in excellent condition, but the paint top coat was failing badly, with cracks in the paint at every seam, corner, bump, or protrusion. In conversation with John at Consolidated Coatings, (Stits), we determined we could save the fabric if we could get rid of the old top coat, which was alkyd type enamel. Eventually, we found we could remove every crack by merely rubbing the enamel off with acetone and paper towels. It took about 5 gallons of acetone and several rolls of paper towels, but we eventually were down to the poly-spray (silver). From there, we added a cross-coat of fresh poly-spray, and finished with polyurethane enamel.
Flying the airplane was a new adventure for me, as I had not flown one, and there was little info available to me. I found 60 mph on final to be about right, but any more than that would cause the airplane to “float”.
Since I am only 5 feet, 6 inches tall, I have very limited visibility from the pilot’s seat. I can usually find the runway, but I am concerned about touching down without having the airplane pointed the correct way, as the locking tailwheel works well and makes even small corrections impossible when the tailwheel is on the ground. I find the controls heavy, but the trim wheel is very effective.
The best part about this airplane is its age, (1929), and its rarity. 71’s played a big part in American aviation history, and we feel very lucky to have this airplane. The youth volunteers from the museum have all commented about the feeling they get while riding in the airplane. It is easy to let your mind carry you back in time and imagine that it is 1929. It is also easy to see how this airplane served the public so well back in the 20’s and 30’s.
We hope to eventually get this airplane to your great September gathering. I say eventually since we’re busy - we currently have about 16 youths volunteering, helping to restore airplanes, and working towards their private pilot licenses. As if the museum and its programs were not enough, we are also rebuilding antiques for others. That requires having a full-fledged business license, with employees and everything else businesses must have. But income for the museum and its programs comes from that business, as well as providing experience for the young troops.
Jerry explains the PTAM's mission and Youth Program on the PTAM website and on the museum YouTube channel. The video below is a good introduction.
As has been reported before, Brent Taylor's 8.5 year legal battle with the FAA and the now defunct Fairchild Corp. had a positive outcome on Jan. 19th, 2011 when U.S. District Court Judge, Ricardo M. Urbina, ruled in favor of Mr. Taylor. That decision should help pave the way for easier and better access to drawings/data contained in ATC files held by the FAA.
However on Feb 18th, 2011 Mr. Taylor learned of the FAA's intention to appeal Judge Urbina's decision pending review by the US Solicitor General at the Dept. of Justice. That review has apparently been completed and as of March 4th, 2011 the Solicitor General has determined there will be no further appeals nor legal action on this matter.
It is hoped that the finality of this matter will lead to talks with FAA in Washington on solving the whereabouts, ownership, disposition and access to drawings/data needed by owners/restorers of antique aircraft to help restore and "Keep the Antiques Flying". In fact we understand a Fairchild 45 owner (unrelated to the Mr. Taylor's legal case) has already communicated with the FAA legal counsel in Washington and has been assured he will be granted access to the F-45 drawings.
As stated before, if this very time consuming and expensive process undertaken (first by Greg Herrick then by Brent Taylor, with the legal counsel of Mike Pangia) to gain access to TC data/drawings held by the FAA helps to "Keep the Antiques Flying" then it will have been worth it.
