GEOFF ROBISON PRESIDENT, VINTAGE AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION Authority and potentials inter is now on the ho­ val held every Labor Day weekend in see why I use the term "busy." Many rizon here at home. Auburn, Indiana. If you haven't had thanks also go out to all of the local With the holidays just the opportunity to ride in a New Stan­ chapter volunteers who supported around the corner, it dard, you really need to experience us in hosting all of these events. We won't be long before this aircraft. The crew of the New simply couldn't do it without you! OldW Man Winter will be barking at Standard is a bunch of crazy "wing The world of sport aviation con­ us yet again. Oh well, my attitude nuts," so we had a really good time tinues to face unprecedented chal­ has always been that "the sooner hosting them for this event. Many lenges to our right to fly. It seems it gets here, the sooner it's over." I thanks to "Scooter" and his crazy cast to me as though nearly every layer clearly remember just a few months of government regulators seems to ago reflecting about how long this The world of think that they aren't doing their past winter seemed to hang around job unless they periodically fire a here in Indiana. It was a long and shot across our bow to make sure we brutal one that I sure hope we don't sport aviation haven't forgotten about their "au­ see repeated. thority." But recently there was a bill As I am writing this column, I just continues to face introduced in the House of Repre­ returned from Oshkosh. A bunch sentatives that will potentially limit of our Vintage Aircraft Association their authority to arbitrarily regulate (VAA) volunteers always get together unprecedented those of us who are engaged in this in early October to winterize our pleasure we call aviation. campers that we use throughout the challenges t~ our On September 30, a good number year when we attend the work parties of genera-aviation-minded representa­ and various other EAA events. It's tives introduced HR 3678, that would always a fun and laid-back weekend right to fly. rein in the Department of Homeland lacking the routine hustle and bus­ of aviators for a fun-filled weekend. Security's (DHS) absolute power to is­ tle of preparing for EAA AirVenture Our chapter also hosted the 2009 sue security directives that severely Oshkosh. Although we didn't have Stinson fly-in at Auburn in mid­ impact aviation. It seems as though the best of weather this past weekend, October. This was also a fun week­ the DHS has ruffled some feathers we sure made up for it in enthusiasm end with good weather and ex­ inside the beltway with its incessant and a great deal of camaraderie. Many cellent attendance. We topped off practices of issuing what are referred thanks to all in attendance, especially the month by hosting the EAA to as safety bulletins. A number of Bob Lumley and Georgia Schneider B-17 tour at Auburn. Although the which have included unwarranted for preparing a great meal for us all weather was a bit challenging, we impact on our access to free skies. If on Saturday evening at the Aeroplane again enjoyed hosting the aircraft as this bill passes the House, it would Factory on the EAA grounds. well as the crew. A good number of effectively limit DHS in its ability to September was a very busy month our local B-17 vets again showed up arbitrarily pass security directives un­ for us here at the VAA Chapter 37 to share their experiences with hun­ less they prove to be in response to an hangar. It all started early in the dreds of local visitors to the tour. imminent threat, and then only for a month during the Labor Day week­ Thanks for coming, guys. We really maximum of 180 days. If such a direc­ end when we hosted New Standard enjoyed our time with you. tive needs to be in place for a period barnstormer rides during the annual Mix that all in with a couple of longer than 180 days, the DHS would Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Auto Festi­ Young Eagles events, and you can co ntinlled on page 39 ov B VOL. 37, No. 11 2009 CONTENTS I F e Straight & Level Authority and potentials by Geoff Robison 2 News 4 Rotary Dreams-The Restoration of a Pitcairn PA-I8 Autogiro The Reserv_e Grand Champion Antique of EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2009 by H.G. Frautschy with Nick Hurm 16 Miss Champion Pitcairn-Cierva Autogiro PCA-2 by Carl Gunther and Gene Chase 24 The Vintage Mechanic Materials & Processes, Part 2 by Robert G. Lock 28 Light Plane Heritage j1j The Mummert Cootie by Jack McRae STAFF 32 The Vintage Instructor EAA Publisher Tom Poberezny All available info Director of EAA Publications Mary Jones by Doug Stewart Executive Director/Editor H.G . Frautschy Production/Special Project Kathleen Witman 34 Mystery Plane Photography Jim Koepnick by H.G. Frautschy Bonnie Kratz 1921 Advertising Coordina tor .wMMfJlI Sue Anderson CQQ]]£ Classified Ad Coordinator Lesley Poberezny 39 Classified Ads LAWRANCE ENGINE Copy Editor Colleen Wa lsh Director of Advertising Katrina Bradshaw Display Advertisi ng Representatives: Specialized Publications Co. U.S. Eastern Time Zone-Northeast: Ken Ross 609-822-3750 Fax: 609-95 7-5650 COVERS kr4 [email protected] FRONT COVER: This issue of Vintage Airplane is dedicated to vintage rotorcraft, and U.S. Eastern Time Zone-Southeast: Chester Baumgartner this beautiful example is the 1931 Pitcairn PA-18 Autogiro restored by Jack Tiffany and 727-532-4640 Fax: 727-532-4630 the crew at Leading Edge Aircraft in Ohio. Restored over a 9-year period, it is th e only Pit­ cbaum111 @mindspring.com cairn Autogiro currently flying. Read more about it starting on page 4. EAA photo by H.G. U.S. Central Time Zone: Gary Worden and Todd Reese Frautschy. EAA Cessna 210 photo plane ftown by Janet Davidson. 800-444-9932 Fax: 816-74 1-6458 BACK COVER : Now a part of the permanent collection of the EAA AirVenture Museum in [email protected]; [email protected] Oshkosh , this is Steve Pitcairn 's restored Pitcairn PCA-2 on its final flight on a beautiful U.S. Mountain and Pacific Time Zones: John Gibson fall afternoon in 2005 before being donated to EAA. Those who were present were treated 916-784-9593 Fax: 510-217-3796 to a glorious flight display as Steve said goodbye to the oldest ftying rotorcraft then in [email protected] America, restored by Geo rge Townson and maintained by the Posey Brothers (wh o helped Europe: Willi Tacke move Miss Champion to Oshkosh). Re ad more about it starting on page 16. EAA photo by Phone: +49(0)1716980871 Fax: +49(0)8841 / 496012 H.G. Frautschy. willi@{lying-pages. com VINTAGE AIRPLANE than do GA airports, and GA users Sully and Skiles New Young Eagles Co-Chairs pay five times more in fuel taxes than the airlines to support the air traffic control system, the primary users of which are the airlines. "EAA agrees with one item from the USA Today story-the nation's small airports are underutilized," Po­ berezny said. "If major hub airports are overcrowded but smaller airports are ready and eager to serve avia­ tion, why would it make any sense to wage war on small airports? They are all essential parts of the nation's transportation system." EAAer Keys Mexican Sully Sullenberger (left) and Jeff Skiles, co-chairs of the EAA Young Eagles program. ElT Rule Extension Thanks to coordination efforts EAA members expressed surprise and excitement when it was announced by EAA member Rick Gardner, EAA September 29 that US Airways Flight 1549 pilots Chesl ey "Sully" Sullenberger 791548, of travel service provider Ca­ and Jeff Skiles would be the new co-chairs of EANs Young Eagles program. ribbean Sky Tours, the Mexican gov­ "Many people have contacted me and said what a great choice; it was unex­ ernment extended its emergency lo­ pected, but what a great choice for the next step to lead the Young Eag les pro­ cator transmitter (ELT) rules through gram;' said EAA President/Chairman Tom Poberezny. You can read more about April 2010 for general-aviation air­ the new co-chairmen on page 81 offAA Sport Aviation. craft flying in Mexico. The extension Since vintage aircraft make up the majority of the lightplane general-aviation provides a procedure that will allow fleet, it probably comes as no surprise to learn that the majority of the 1.5 million certain U.S. pilots operating 121.5 Young Eagles flown so far were flown in aircraft built priorto 1971, and one of MHz ELTs to fly into Mexicothrough the new Young Eagles chairmen expects that trend to continue for him in a very April 2, 2010. After that date, all personal way; you can read an interview with Jeff Skiles and see a slide show general-aviation aircraft flying into of his "new"Waco YOC in issue No. 3 of Vintage Aircraft Online, the VANs newest Mexico must be equipped with an member benefit. You can access it online at www. EAA.org/ vintageaircraft. operable 406 MHz ELT. Gardner and his wife, Pia, own­ EAA Responds Immediately still trying to fix their broken busi­ ers and operators of Cancun, Mex­ to Anti-GA Airport Stories ness model by inflaming the public ico-based Caribbean Sky Tours, are Inaccuratecl aims that sm all ai rportsreceive with one-sided media stories," said longtime AirVenture and Sun 'n Fun disproportio nate amount of federal money Tom Poberezny, EAA chairman/presi­ exhibitors and regularly conduct fo­ When two national news outlets dent.