STRAIGHT AND LEVE UButchJoyce 2 VAA NEWS/ H.G. Frautschy 3 SUN 'N FUN AWARD WINNERS 5 AIR MAIL FOR SMALL TOWNS/ Earl Stahl 10 A TANK POWERED ROBI N/ AIStix, Sr. 16 EYE CATCHER/ H. G. Frautschy 20 JAZZ, SUPER CUBS & WASH PIPE! Jon Schroeder 23 MYSTERY PLANE 25 PASS IT TO BUCK! Buck Hilbert 27 NEW MEMBERS 28 CALENDAR 30 CLASSIFIEDS www.vintageaircraft.org ON THE COVERS Front Cover . Jim Herpst's colorful Taylorcraft BC-12D certainly gets plenty of looks wherever it lands. Restored by Brian Marchetti and the father and son team of Ron and Michael Jones, the Taylorcraft is Jim 's first tail wheel airplane . EM photo by Mark Schaible , shot with a Canon EOS-1 n Publisher TOM POBEREZNY equipped with an 80-200mm lens on 100 ASA slide film . EM Cessna 210 Editor-ill-Chief scon SPANGLER photo plane flown by Bruce Moore. Executive Director, Editor HENRY G. FRAUTSCHY Back Cover ... Don Parsons captured this rare shot of a Tank-powered VAA Administrative A ssistant THERESA BOOKS Curtiss Robin and Curtiss Canuck in formation just over the east side of Executive Editor MIKE DIFRISCO Dauster Field (Creve Coeur airport), west of St. Louis, Missouri. Both planes belong to the Historic Aircraft Aviation restoration Museum , based at the Contribllting Editors JOHN UNDERWOOD airport. Phil Chastain is flying the Canuck, and restorer Glenn Peck is piloting BUDD DAVISSON the Robin . Terry Chastain is flying the Rawdon T-1 photo plane. See the A rt/Photo Layout BETH BLANCK story beginning on page 10. Photography Staff JIM KOEPNICK LEEANN ABRAMS MARK SCHAIBLE Advertising/Editorial Assistant ISABELLE WISKE SEE PAGE 31 FOR FURTHER VINTAGE AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION INFORMAT ION STRAIG LEVEL by ESPIE "BUTCH" JOYCE PRESIDENT, VINTAGE AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION In the past, I've writ­ traffic out of the lot. You were on your own to drive out of ten this column at the the show. Without a group of well-organized people and a last minute. Writing at the 11th hour made it possible to plan to move cars effectively, leaving was anarchy. It took deal with late-breaking issues (H.G. does the same with two full hours to get out of the traffic and back to the the "VAA News" pages). But I will admit that at times I've beachfront hotel. Adjusting for the fact that I was a rookie been a bit of a procrastinator and have held up H.G.'s ef­ at this event, and didn't know any shortcuts, I was stuck fort to meet the magazine's production schedule. I following the rest of the herd. Next year I will be prepared promise to do better! and know which way the traffic is flowing! Earlier this year the local weatherman told us the Many things struck me about the way this event was weather would be great for the upcoming weekend. A cou­ run. Folks seemed to have a certain level of expectation re­ ple of people in the office were planning to take off and go garding the car show, and the show met them. When we to a large car show in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. attend a fly-in, we've come to expect a certain level of or­ A few days before the event I told Norma we should fly ganization. Over the years both national and local EAA down to Myrtle Beach on Saturday morning, go to the car Chapter fly-ins have evolved to include many things we show, and after an evening at a hotel on the beach, fly have come to take for granted. As a rule, we receive a high back home on Sunday. Around 10:00 a.m. on Saturday level of service from those who put on a fly-in. We have the sun did its job and burned off the fog. We loaded up developed a high-quality group of volunteers who under­ and covered the 220 miles in about 50 minutes of flying stand this level of service. I recall that in the mid to late time. The people at Ramp 66 at the North Myrtle Beach 1960s many fly-ins were low-key events. The trip to this airport had our car waiting. car show made me remember how it used to be. Some of it The Waccamaw outlet parking lot, where the car show made me smile, as I remembered the fun we had, and was being held, was only 15 miles down the road from the some memories made me wince, as I recalled the difficul­ airport, but the automobile trip consumed two hours of ties we overcame to make local events more enjoyable. time! Once we approached the parking lot, we were on I'd like to emphasize that the car show attendees our own to find a parking place. Once we fo und aspot to seemed to have as good a time as I did, so I'm not com­ park, we were able to walk around and look at whatever plaining. It wasn't a negative experience. I didn't see an we wanted to see. Everywhere you turned there were rows unhappy person during that Saturday. We can take a les­ of beautiful autos to view. Most exhibited great craftsman­ son from that as well. Do we sometimes expect too much ship, and many incorporated very original ideas and paint from each other? The remarkable events we enjoy during jobs. Each time you saw something new you'd begin to the year all require organized effort, most often by volun­ wonder, "How did they do it?" teers. They deserve not only our thanks, but if pOSSible, Is this beginning to sound familiar? our participation. It all goes a bit smoother if we add our There were vendors selling everything from old parts to efforts to the mix! new kit cars. This was a surprise to me, as it has been 25 or The new pending proposal for the sport pilot program 30 years since I had been to one of these shows. I was re­ sure has been generating a lot of positive discussion ally surprised at the variety and quality of the kits now around the airports I have visited lately. I have not heard available. Today's kits are a long way from a 1960s-era one person speak up and say that it is a bad idea. Every Volkswagen Beetle conversion using a fiberglass dune person that I have talked to relates the hope that the sport buggy body! pilot certificate will come to pass. We'll keep you posted. From an organizational standpoint, the best I could de­ In the June issue of Vintage Airplane we will have com­ termine, there was a group or organization that invited plete coverage of the 2001 Sun 'n Fun EAA Fly-In. If you different car clubs to attend. Some clubs had as many as want to know if your buddy won an award, the VAA 35 autos attending the show. The refreshment stands ran awards list is published on page 3 of this issue. out of drinks by 12:30 p.m. For what looked like 10 acres Now is the time for you to become more serious about of show grounds, I saw approximately four "porta-johns," your visit to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2001. Let's all pull but everyone looked happy. in the same direction for the good of aviation. Remember, When it was time to leave, there was no one to guide we are better together. Join us and have it all. ....... VINTAGE AIRPLANE 1 1920s and '30s. The ground school will rebates, not individual FBOs. Pilots can VAANEWS be instructed by pilots who actually fly apply for the Phillips 66 credit card by EAA's 1929 model of the Tri-Motor at calling 1-800-DO-APPLY (800-362­ compiled by H.G. Frautschy Oshkosh and to locations throughout 7759) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Central the country. Participants will also have Time) Monday through Friday or by a chance to log dual instruction time in accessing the Phillips 66 Aviation web­ VAA WORK WEEKEND the Tri-Motor with experienced mem­ site: http://aviation.phillips66.com/. Each year VAA members and con­ bers of EAA and the National vention chairmen get together to Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI). C UB CRAFTERS BRAKE spruce up the VAA grounds. This year's Enrollment is now open for the ses­ MASTER CYLINDER VAA Work Weekend will take place sions scheduled October 12-14 and If you own a Piper PA-18 or PA-19 May 18-20. You can fly in, drive in, or October 19-21. Tuition is $450 for EAA aircraft and it has the Cub Crafters Inc. walk in, and you're welcome to camp members and $550 for nonmembers, brake master cylinder conversion (STC or, if space is available, stay in the EAA which includes materials, meals, lodg­ SA 1245CE) incorporated, you should volunteer bunkhouse. ing, and flight time. have received a notice of a Special For those who come to Oshkosh to Airworthiness Information Bulletin lend their volunteer labor, there will be YOU NG EAGLES issued by the FAA that calls attention to a tour of the EAA AirVenture Museum The Phillips 66 Company will again Cub Crafters mandatory service bul­ on Friday night and a cookout on support the EAA Aviation letin No. 0001, dated December 14, Saturday evening. To volunteer, please Foundation's Young Eagles program, 2000. It requires an inspection and the contact either Bob Brauer, 9345 S.