ETLB Squawk Forums — Archive

Fired up the Tcraft over labor day weekend to check huns up by KC and then on up to Osceola Ia.  There was some unknown ground fire which either caused my generator to quit genin or the regulator to stop regulatin but still was a great trip.  I slipped behind the Isaac storm and the winds were fine albeit a head wind of about 10 mph.  Stopped in Emporia for fuel and then on up to Atchinson to get a touch more before the last leg into Osceola.  With about 40 miles of the 327 mile trip left to go the huns filled the air with bursts and my poor plane was tossed around like a leaf in the wind.  Thermals and downdrafts I don't like them at all and they made the last bit of the trip about all I could handle.  Arrived and was treated like a king at the TaylorCraft flyin... even won farthest traveled by 7 miles.. as it turned out 3 guys had traveled between 319 and 327 miles to be there.  The flight back was a pain as the density altitude went to 4999 with headwinds again and 104 degree temps... again the flight was rough.  While there danced with a pretty girl to the band that was playing ... ate good BBQ and made friends..... was a great trip.... still miss the Max  but the trip makes it a bit easier to take having sold it

Glad you had a great trip Avenger, I am jealous.  You are flying while I am farting around on the ground breaking-in my newly rebuilt engine.  The T-Craft must be a pretty tough bird to withstand the Hun attack and the violent winds. You must be pretty tough too.  I think your newly painted invasion stripes must have struck fear into the Huns or else their guns may have hit more than just your generator.

Glad to hear that you made it back safe and sound (well, I'm not too sure about your soundness though), I did get your phone call announcing your return.  Thanks for connecting.

Some photos of your trip would be neat to see.

Paul Fiebich

avenger,

The huns must have been attacking in KC for sure, I was getting ready to go to oceola myself didnt really think bout the flyin just going to do some cross country.  Got ready to fly, the primer pump went out of my plane I got it started but it wouldnt stay running couldn't get enough prime.   Well I started to redneck it.  Go to oriellys get a primer bulb like for your boat, and put it on but orielly's didnt' have one, went to walmart they didn't have one, so I decided I would just go home and order one from bear or leaf and get it in and so i did.   But the huns kept me grounded this weekend, glad you had a great flight.

dave  

one of the guys snapped this of me early in the morning... I was sleeping close to the plane in case of hun attack.

I am always hesitant about posting none minimax pics but here are a few from Osceola maybe next year we can have a few max's show up

I would have seen them in person, but the huns attacked, but i  got my new pump today.  Install this weekend oh yea, by the way really like your taylorcraft

Thanks I do enjoy it and hope to see you there next year when I mentioned sleeping close to the plane to catch huns in the act a guy came on and said ... Huns.... I bet you know Paul...admited that I did.  It was Martin Towsley one of Paul's traveling buddies.  Told me to tell Paul hello.... so ... Hi Paul.  Hope your pump fixes the problems with the plane... we might have to meet at Emporia sometime or I could fly up to Atchinson.  The Tcraft is super easy to fly... faster then a Cub... and about 1/3 the price.  Burns a bit less fuel than a Rotax.

Hey Avenger!!  Great photos and I really like your T-Craft!! I had a few hours in one in the late '50s in North Carolina.  Nice plane except for the fact that the darned thing never wanted to land!!  Just floated on -and on - and etc!!  Sounds like you had a good weekend.  Hope you have many more!!

Claude  

Lots of people have told me how they float and float..... I land on a grass strip that is only 1320 ft long....the thing is they land 15 mph slower then people think.  Mine only floats when I try to land to fast.  They are great planes and I love mine I am betting you have many good memories of yours.  If I cross the road at about 55 or so is sits right down.  The big wings like to stay in ground effect for every is you try to land at say 65 or so

I hpe to fly a taylorcraft soon or an aeronca chief or champ

they are all great birds but i am partial to the side by side of the tcraft and of course bias since i fly one in our club. and you are right about approach speed and floating in a tcraft. if i am using our strip with the clear approach and keep my speed right i can stop without even using half of out 1600 grass strip, coming from the opposite direction their is a large house to clear so i tend to slip it over the house to keep speed down and then land it just past the intersection of the runways. but that was biggest thing preached to me during my transition and tailwheel training in the tcraft was watch your speed. keep it right and you will make great landing, come in 10-15 mph too fast and you will float right over the runway and have to go around.

When I was getting ready to fly my Airbike I got some time in a T-craft.  Seems like it flew just like the Airbike only about 10 mph faster.  BTW, Marty owned my old Airbike for awhile.

Wow you had a fast Airbike or are you thinking of a Tbird instead of a taylorcraft (Tcraft)  mine cruises at about 95 mph if Paul could get 85 in his airbike we could fly together.  I am looking at a flight up to St Louis soon as my next cross country, if not going to Lebannon Missouri.

Quoted from dayflyer I hpe to fly a taylorcraft soon or an aeronca chief or champ

If CPD is right he is now flying without an engine  and on the wings of angels.  No turbulance and no updrafts just sunny mornings and cool days.

Oh man, what a loss!  I just returned from my Michigan road trip two hours ago and my comment to him prior to leaving was that since we weren't able to connect in person, was that I would wave in his direction on both my outbound and inbound legs as I made the turn at Cameron.  I did, not knowing that as turned the corner at Camerion and I waved this evening, I should have waved higher, perhaps my wave energy was be deflected upward.

Dayflyer was a sincere contributor to this board.  He will be missed. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family.  Does anyone know his mailing address or if the funeral home has a listing or electronic bulletin board for those who want to leave comments.

Paul Fiebich

Quoted from dayflyer I hpe to fly a taylorcraft soon or an aeronca chief or champ

I wish I had replied to Dave's post earlier. My first plane was an Aeronca Chief (11AC). I learned to fly in it. I've mentioned before on this board, I flew it across the US twice. Slept under the wing several nights. I've missed it since the day I sold it. I look at listings for all three of these birds all the time. If I didn't have all my toy resources tied up on so many projects I probably would have already picked up another one. Some day I will again, I am sure. I wish Dave had been able to do so. Like all of you have implied, I bet he would have loved it.