STRAIGHT AND LEVEL By Brad Thomas . President Antique/Classic Division The old adage "April showers bring May flowers" should be translated to mean "When it rains, it pours" for April not only brought showers but torrential downpours both in the west and in the south and east. The flowers may be few and far between because they were probably washed away in the floods and downpours. The fall of 1982 was basically mild; early winter was better than normal and then when things were expected to break for spring, all heck broke loose. What type of weather reports are we going to obtain? Books have been written about weather, schools teach First we should obtain a complete briefing from a FSS the basics as we know them today, but it is still difficult specialist for each leg of the route, and then file aVFR or to accurately forecast these abnormal conditions that con­ IFR flight plan. If you have access to the AM Weather tinue to plague us. Ofcourse excellent advancements have programs on TV on Mondays through Fridays, it is a good been made in reporting and forecasting weather conditions idea to follow them for a few days before your departure, for both pilots and farmers. and pay particular attention to the extended forecasts. Information can be obtained from Flight Service Sta­ This will present a fairly accurate picture of the move­ tions, the National Weather Service, the local continuous­ ments offronts and pressure systems that develop. Do not, reporting stations now in operation, the early morning AM under any circumstances, depend upon the forecasts with­ Weather on TV, and, oh yes, The Farmer's Almanac. Many out alternative plans for each leg of the flight; you should who fly are strictly VFR pilots, while several of us are IFR always have an alternate destination in mind. Never be rated and have to work hard at staying current. Corporate afraid to make the 1800 turn and return to satisfactory pilots are able to stay current as they and the airline and conditions when the need arrises. And when you are really commuter crews fly daily under most conditions. Most getting into trouble, do not wait until the last minute to airlines have their own weather reporting facilities and communicate via radio with the nearest facility. Many of their routing managers have their own reporting informa­ us must admit that, at some time during our flying careers, tion to verify the current conditions. we have been temporarily disoriented or just plain lost, The corporate crews and we other IFR pilots must and this is no disgrace! depend upon the FAA facilities to advise use while plan­ The fly-in season is now upon us and it appears that ning our flights. Without fail, we must file and get a spring has finally arrived. Those who plan fly-ins have clearance from an FAA facility before proceeding on an selected and published the dates, and are on needles and IFR flight. pins during the few days preceding the opening date. To Ifa VFR flight plan is initiated, certain ~onditions must try to predict the weather months before is impossible so be met at the beginning and completion of the flight. A you rely on "past experience" and good 01' guesswork. VFR flight plan is not mandatory but should be used as When dawn breaks on the first day of the fly-in and the an aid to safety; if a problem arises, the FAA is keeping local weather conditions are clear and mild, it is time to track ofyou, and ifyour estimated arrival time has passed, heave a sigh of relief and begin expecting the early arri­ a search is initiated. If the pilot is flying IFR and leaves vals. the radar scope or misses the next reporting point, the Old Man Weather will always be with us and fortu­ situation is known immediately. This definitely gives the nately, we continue to see advancements in the accuracy pilot a secure feeling to know that someone is following of weather reporting and forecasting. As long as we can't his flight. We frequently go for short distances in CA VU control the weather we learn to adapt to it. conditions without a flight plan, but even when this type On another subject, we in the United States will have of flight in undertaken, someone should be advised of our the least regulated and controlled flying privileges for destination. sport and recreational flying in the world. EAA and the Very few of our antique and classic aircraft have IFR Antique/Classic Division will continue to promote con­ capabilities so most of us depend upon VFR conditions structive and progressive proposals for the improvement when we fly. Before long many of us will be flying our of sport flying, for now and the future. Frequently hurdles aircraft to fly-ins including the EAA International Con­ have to be jumped and at times the road becvmes bumpy, vention at Oshkosh. Some will make short trips, but many but our intentions are always positive and we trust that will be departing from such distant points as California, in the days to come, some will look back and thank us for Florida and those states in between. our efforts. • PUBLICATION STAFF PUBLISHER Paul H. Poberezny EDITOR Gene R. Chase MANAGING EDITOR MAY 1983 • Vol. 11, No.5 Pat Etter COPYRIGHT ~ 1983 EAA ANTIQUE/CLASSIC DIVISION,INC., ALL RIGHTS RESERVED EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Norman Petersen FEATURE WRITER George A. Hardie, Jr. Contents EAA ANTIQUE/CLASSIC DIVISION, INC. 2 Straight & Level by Brad Thomas OFFICERS 4 A/CNews President Vice President by Gene Chase W. Brad Thomas, Jr. Jack C. Winthrop 5 Mystery Plane 301 Dodson Mill Road Route 1, Box 111 by George Hardie Pilot Mountain, NC 27041 Allen, TX 75002 6 Charles H. Hubbell 1899-1971 919/368·2875 Home 214n 27·5649 Page 6 919·368·2291 Office by Bob Wilson 9 Calendar of Events Secretary Treasurer 10 A. C. "Charlie" Miller - Pilot and Master M. C. " Kelly" Viets E. E. " Buck" Hilbert Route 2, Box 128 P.O. Box 145 Craftsman, Part 3 Lyndon, KS 66451 Union, IL 60180 by Ted Businger 913/828·3518 815/923·4591 16 Golden Oldie - Farman Sport by Gene Chase 16 Members' Projects DIRECTORS 17 The Search for "Lady Southern Cross" by Gene Chase Ronald Fritz Claude L. Gray, Jr. 18 Otto Heyer and Schellville Page 10 15401 Sparta Avenue 9635 Sylvia Avenue by Bill Ewertz Kent City, MI 49330 Northridge, CA 91324 21 Letters to the Editor 6161678·5012 213/349·1338 Dale A. Gustafson AI Kelch 7724 Shady Hill Drive 66 W. 622 N. Madison Ave. Indianapolis, IN 46274 Cedarburg, WI 53012 317/293·4430 414/377 ·5886 Robert E. Kesel Morton W. Lester 455 Oakridge Drive P.O. Box 3747 Rochester, NY 1461 7 Martinsville, VA 24112 Page 18 716/342·3170 703/632·4839 Arthur R. Morgan John R. Turgyan 3744 North 51st Blvd. 1530 Kuser Road FRONT COVER . This 220 Continental· powered Great Lakes 2T·1 C, Milwaukee, WI 53216 Trenton, NJ 08619 N425, SIN 6926 received the Grand Champion Antique Replica Award 4141442·3631 609/585·2747 at Sun 'n Fun '82. Owner is Bob Wilson (EAA 9702, AlC 157), 9420 NW. 125th Ave. , Ocala, FL 32671 . S. J. Wittman George S. York (Photo courtesy of Bob Wilson) Box 2672 181 Sloboda Ave. Oshkosh, WI 54901 Mansfield, OH 44906 4141235·1265 419/529·4378 BACK COVER .. Luscombe 8A, N1288K, SIN 4015 received Best Restored Classic· Up to 100 hp at Sun 'n Fun '83 for owner Rob ADVISORS Hudson (EAA 170521), P.O. Box 16371 , Orlando, FL 32861. (Photo by Gene Chase) John S. Copeland Stan Gomoll 9 Joanne Drive 1042 90th Lane, NE Westborough, MA 01581 Minneapolis, MN 55434 617/366·7245 612n 84·1172 Edilorial Policy: Readers are encouraged to submit stories and photographs. Policy opinions expressed in articles Robert G. Herman Espie M. Joyce, Jr. are solely those of the authors. Responsibility for accuracy in reporting rests entirely with the contributor. Material W 164 N9530 Water Street Box 468 should be sent to: Gene R. Chase, Editor, The VINTAGE AIRPLANE , P.O. Box 229, Hales Corners, WI 53130. Menomonee Falls, WI 53051 Madison, NC 27025 414/251·9253 919/427·0216 THE VINTAGE AIRPLANE (ISSN 0091·6943) is published and owned exclusively by EAA Antiquel Classic Division , Inc. of the Experimental Aircraft Association, Inc. and is published monthly at 11311 W. Forest Home Ave ., Franklin, Wisconsin 53132, P.O. Box 229, Hales Corners, Wisconsin 53130. Second Class Postage paid at Hales Corners Gene Morris Daniel Neuman Post Office, Hales Corners, Wisconsin 53130 and additional mailing offices. Membership rates for EAA Antique/Classic 27 Chandelle Drive 1521 Berne Circle W. Division, Inc. are $18.00 for current EAA members for 12 month period of which $12.00 is for the publication of The Hampshire, IL 60140 Minneapolis, MN 55421 VINTAGE AIRPLANE. Membership is open to all who are interested in aviation. 3121683·3199 61 21571·0893 ADVERTISING - Antique/Classic [)ivision does not guarantee or endorse any product offered through our advertising. Roy Redman S. H. " Wes" Schmid We invite constructive criticism and welcome any report of inferior merchandise obtained through our advertising so Rt. 1, Box 39 2359 Lefeber Road that corrective measures can be taken. Kilkenny, MN 56052 Wauwatosa, WI 53213 507/334·5922 414n 71·1545 Postmaster: Send address changes to EAAAntique/Classic Division. Inc ., P.O. box 229, Hales Corners, WI 53130. VINTAGE AIRPLANE 3 CABOT AWARD TO POBEREZNY The Aero Club of New England has selected EAA President Paul H.