JANUARY 2012 AUA is working hard to enhance our Vintage Aircraft Association Program. Be on the lookout for more benefits for our Vintage Members throughout this year! facebook.com/auainc @AUAInsurance AUA is Vintage Aircraft Association approved. To become a member of VAA call 800-843-3612. Aviation insurance with the Vintage Aircraft Association Program offers: Lower premiums with payment options QAdditional coverages QFlexibility on the use of your aircraft QExperienced agents On-line quote request available QAUA is licensed in all states Remember, We’re Better Together! The best is affordable. Give AUA a call – it’s FREE! 800-727-3823 Fly with the pros… fly with AUA Inc. www.auaonline.com AIRPLANE JANUARY Vol. 40, No. 1 2012 CONTENTS 2 Straight and Level Geoff Robison 3 News 5 5 It All Started With a Pony At least you don’t have to clean up after a Monocoupe by Budd Davisson 11 The Liberating Sky Pioneering black pilots broke barriers and climbed to new heights-Part I by Philip Handleman 16 Light Plane Heritage Twelve thousand miles in an Avro Avian by Bob Whittier 20 20 Just a Long Cross-Counry in an Antique, Right? A ferry fl ight adventure by Bill McClure STAFF EAA Publisher Rod Hightower 27 Type Club Listing Director of EAA Publications J. Mac McClellan Executive Director/Editor H.G. Frautschy Production/Special Projects Kathleen Witman 32 The Vintage Mechanic Photography Jim Koepnick Repair data Copy Editor Colleen Walsh by Robert G. Lock Publication Advertising: Manager/Domestic, Sue Anderson 36 The Vintage Instructor Tel: 920-426-6127 Email: [email protected] Do you know what you don’t know? Fax: 920-426-4828 Flying is a lifelong learning experience! Senior Business Relations Mgr, Trevor Janz by Steve Krog, CFI Tel: 920-426-6809 Email: [email protected] Manager/European-Asian, Willi Tacke 38 Mystery Plane Phone: +49(0)1716980871 Email: willi@fl ying-pages.com by H.G. Frautschy Fax: +49(0)8841 / 496012 Classifi ed Advertising Coordinator, Jo Ann Cody Simons 39 Classifi eds Tel: 920-426-6169 Email: [email protected] COVERS For missing or replacement magazines, or FRONT COVER: Cam Blazer and a few of his friends (along with some new ones he met along any other membership-related questions, please call the way) restored this Monocoupe 90A, now powered with a 165 hp Warner. Read about his EAA Member Services at 800- JOIN-EAA (564-6322). restoration odyssey in Budd Davisson’s article starting on page 5. EAA photo by Jim Koepnick, EAA photo plane fl own by Bruce Moore. BACK COVER: Popular illustrator Barry Ross created this beautiful illustration of a Piper Tri-Pacer climbing away from the Bear Island Lighthouse near Acadia National Park in Maine. Along the shoreline, the Rockefeller yawl Nirvana cruises serenely along. Prints are available by ordering from his website at http://www.barryrossart.com/. Click on the “Aviation art” link. VINTAGE AIRPLANE 1 STRAIGHT & LEVEL Geoff Robison EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, VAA Looking Ahead and Tightening the Belt appy new year to each and ity of all this discussion results in a just four months of this current bud- every member of the Vin- dues increase of a mere 50 cents per get cycle, which extended the period tage Aircraft Association. month, or $6 per year. We are all cer- for debate and negotiation on the re- Where did 2011 go? tainly hopeful that the entire mem- mainder of that fi scal period’s budget. HWell, for me it was yet another whirl- bership will understand and support Of course, there are those who con- wind year of adventure and enjoy- this decision to raise the dues, but tinue to push for additional revenues ment of everything aviation. It’s realistically, we understand that there through the implementation of user vitally important for the staff and will be some who will question the fees. True to my word, I have person- volunteers of VAA to look back and value of staying on board. Please be ally written a number of my congres- thank the many thousands of indi- assured we will understand regardless sional representatives in an attempt viduals who support this organization of your decision, and please do not to convince them to push for adop- every year. It’s appropriate to thank hesitate to communicate any con- tion of sensible funding of the airport those on the EAA staff who work hard cerns you may have about this or any and aviation trust fund. The current every day to sell the Vintage brand other board actions. status of this debate resides in H.R. to members and potential members. Another item that was discussed in 658, which addresses the remaining Many thanks to each of you! the fall board meetings was the need period of fi scal 2012, which I am led Now, what does 2012 have in store to respond to a number of recent de- to believe still does not include fund- for us? Well, many positive things are partures from our board of directors. ing through user fees. The House and on our horizon, but we fi nd ourselves Through attrition that has naturally Senate versions of this legislation are in a fi nancial position where we can occurred over the last couple of years, currently being resolved in Confer- no longer avoid the really tough de- I felt that the board should begin ence Committee. So let’s all be sure cision about our dues structure. The the process of keeping the board of to keep our eyes wide open on this expense of operating an organization directors staffed with some new en- issue and stay in the debate. Let’s all such as ours has experienced many ergy through the Advisory Member protect our personal right to fl y. distinct ebbs and tides over the past (“Advisors”) process as allowed by our The year 2011 has proven to be a 10 years or so since we last raised our bylaws. Three active VAA volunteers banner year for our local VAA Chap- dues. The reality of the slow but ever were carefully selected and agreed to ter 37 as well as the local EAA Chapter increasing rate of infl ation has caught serve as advisors to the board. Please 2 here in northeast Indiana. I am per- up with us, even though we’ve done join me and the board of directors in sonally bursting with pride in both of our best to broaden the income of the welcoming Ron Alexander, Joe Norris, these fine examples of what an EAA division beyond dues revenue. and Tim Popp to the board of direc- chapter is really all about. These two We are simply no longer in a posi- tors. You’ll get a chance to meet these chapters provided more than 1,000 tion to ignore the realities of the rising three men here in the pages of Vintage Young Eagles rides to the youth of costs of publishing Vintage Airplane Airplane in a future issue. our local communities during 2011. magazine. Ironically, the Vintage A year ago I stated in this column, What an accomplishment! Congratu- board overwhelmingly supported a “I often wonder what government lations to all the local EAA members dues increase, but until recently, we regulatory issues we will be dealing who made this possible. ultimately chose not to implement a with in a year from now.” Yet again Remember, it’s time to run your dues increase. Be assured that a lot of we fi nd ourselves concerned with the checklist and buckle your seat belts, consternation, discussion, and very funding mechanisms of our coun- because 2012 is shaping up to be yet careful planning have now led us try’s aviation system. The hot button another exciting year for the Vintage to implement what I believe to be a concept of user fees will just not go Aircraft Association. well-thought-out plan on what the away. The fi scal 2012 federal budget actual increase should be. The real- for the FAA has been reauthorized for 2 JANUARY 2012 VAA NEWS Cubs to Oshkosh If you’re one of the many Piper Cub pilots who are in the planning stages to make the trip to EAA Air- Venture Oshkosh to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Piper J-3 Cub, one of your fi rst stops should be to the website www.Cubs2Osh. EAAChapter.org. Volunteer Rick Rademacher of Urbana, Ohio, is helping his fellow EAA and VAAers plan their trip to Oshkosh by overseeing this special event website, including creating a list of members who wish to bring their Cubs to Oshkosh. That’s where you come in—visit the chapter and sign up as a pilot planning on fl ying to AirVenture, so we can plan for a sea of yellow Cubs. While the bulk of the parking for the J-3s will be in the Type Club parking area, the exact parking arrangements where various Cubs will be located is still being worked out, and much of that planning depends on the number of pilots who register to park their airplanes in the Vintage area. We’ll have more on this great anniversary cel- ebration for one of aviation’s great treasures in coming issues, but in the meantime, please visit www.Cubs2Osh. EAAChapter.org to get started! EAA and Learning for Life Sign Aviation Agreement EAA’s Young Eagles program, the world’s largest youth aviation education initiative, and the school- and career- based Learning for Life (LFL) program, an affi liate of Boy Scouts of America, have entered into an agreement that will help young people discover and explore opportunities in aviation, including orientation fl ights in GA aircraft.