Texas Spring/Summer Thread

[Bird]

I took a J-3 Cub from FTW to Oshkosh, WI for their fly in a few years ago. The craft I took won 3rd place in the entire Vintage aircraft competition. Long flight? Yes!

In the early 80s, one of my brothers was selling airplanes in Anchorage and sometimes had to come to the lower 48 to pick up a plane. Naturally, I never had time to go with him until he once had to come to Wichita, KS, to pick up a new Cessna 152 that he had sold, so I went with him to fly it from the factory to Anchorage. That was my longest flight in a small plane, and more fun than a barrel of monkeys. Of course we picked up the Cessna fairly late in the afternoon, and we had to stop early because of weather one afternoon, so we spent parts of 4 days flying and spent 3 nights in motels (Scotts Bluff in Nebraska, Red Deer in Alberta, and Whitehorse in the Yukon). In Red Deer we met up with a young couple from the Denver area, just on vacation, flying to Whitehorse where they turned around to go back south, a crop duster from Florida who was flying his Cessna 180 to Fairbanks to try to sell it there, and a 747 pilot, from Edmonton, and his wife flying their Beechcraft staggerwing that he spent 5 years restoring, and it was just like new, too. They were just going to visit friends in Whitehorse.

 

[farmgirl19]

Yes, I used to go get in the plane and fly to Montgomery County for breakfast, then to OKC for lunch, then to Addison for supper, before putting the plane away for the day. Usually was a group of us doing that. Loads of fun, and back then, Avgas was a lot cheaper, and my Cessna 140A ran 5.1 gal/hr, so was relatively cheap. Better than going to a movie and expensive supper in Friday night, for about the same money.

 

[SandburRanch]

I said huh as in...........how does relate to a landing with the nose gear up.
hugs, Brandi

Nose gear up, nose gear down or no nose gear at all, the law of physics really doesn't care. The nose of the plane in this instance had the least traction and took the lead.

 

[farmgirl19]

I'll bet there was a lot of traction on the nose of that aircraft, so I am not sure how you can say it had the least. Maybe bindian and I have been drinking the same juice, but dragging the fuselage on the ground does not cause "the least traction". If that is the case, someone needs to show me with "new physics", because I didn't do well in "new math".

 

[jinman]

When is zucchini. . . bread, not zucchini bread? Oops! Missed that one for a few days.:ashamed:

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Really sad about the girlfriend's dad and the Citabria. He probably wasn't pulling more than 2Gs in that aircraft, even though they were stressed for more. Maybe he had a heart attack, or something?

I took a J-3 Cub from FTW to Oshkosh, WI for their fly in a few years ago. The craft I took won 3rd place in the entire Vintage aircraft competition. Long flight? Yes! But I would do it all over again in a heartbeat!

I've been looking at a friend's rv6. At 87, the insurance companies won't insure it, with him at the controls, but will insure him in something slower. That rv6 would make traveling a breeze, since it is so clean and has a nice cruise speed.

Knowing what I know now about Citabrias, I think the plane may have had a catastrophic spar failure or control lock. Seems one of the main wooden pieces in the fuselage are prone to cracking, especially with age.

ASN Aircraft accident 18-NOV-1980 Bellanca 7KCAB Citabria N245JB

At the time, I was just about to solo in it having about 15-20 hours. I loved that plane. I wouldn't even want to taxi one now. Way too many Citabria deaths. The plane augered in. There wasn't enough to even get a good report. Pilot had a hard 3000 foot minimum rule for doing anything, even stalls.

 

[farmgirl19]

I've flown aerobatics in them. They can be a neat airplane. If there was a serious issue with them, not only would the FAA be on it, but so would EAA. We did a "proving" years ago, for running regular car gas in older model aircraft. After all, that was all that was out there, when some of the old birds were built. We got approval! Some of the FBOs began offering the option. At over a dollar a gallon difference in price, between it and Avgas, back then, it made a huge difference in wallets.

And most fuel companies backed us, and offered us free, or discounted fuel to do the experiments for getting approval. One company did not. They knew their fuel was not up to standard I guess they figured if there was a problem with their gas, and it caused a problem, then it would be found out. Not like you just pull over if you have a fuel problem with an aircraft. To this day, I won't buy any fuel with that brand.

 

[houstonscott]

Got nice little storm this evening. Some runoff. Short but welcome. Will keep pastures green for awhile longer.


HS

 

[bindian]

I'll bet there was a lot of traction on the nose of that aircraft, so I am not sure how you can say it had the least. Maybe bindian and I have been drinking the same juice, but dragging the fuselage on the ground does not cause "the least traction". If that is the case, someone needs to show me with "new physics", because I didn't do well in "new math".

FG19,
I guess a plow going into the ground also has the least friction.

Sandburranch,
Showers and showers of sparks hot enough to create flames is the result of friction............or too much traction. The nose always takes the lead in airplanes landing at 133 knots or about 153 mph. It's called aerodynamics. Unless the tail gets knocked off on a rock jetty.
hugs, Brandi

 

[bindian]

Yes, I used to go get in the plane and fly to Montgomery County for breakfast, then to OKC for lunch, then to Addison for supper, before putting the plane away for the day. Usually was a group of us doing that. Loads of fun, and back then, Avgas was a lot cheaper, and my Cessna 140A ran 5.1 gal/hr, so was relatively cheap. Better than going to a movie and expensive supper in Friday night, for about the same money.

FG19,
When did you fly down to Montgomery County airport. Was it before the round top hangar fire, or after. I first worked on DC-9s in that old WWII round top hangar. We shared the hangar with Devil Dog, the B-25 and Snoopy, the landlords T6. Both of these icons were a total loss in the fire.
hugs, Brandi