piperflyer.org Renovating an Interior Seats & Rails p. 22 March 2020 / Volume 17 / Issue 03 Garmin Emulators for PC-Based Home Flight Simulators Learn on the Ground p. 30 THEThe Early PIPER Cubs: p. 36 & Destination: San Antonio, Texas Fly Into The Past J2 J3 And See The Future p. 46 2 • Piper Flyer | March 2020 March 2020 | Piper Flyer • 3 March 2020 What’s inside / VOLUME 17 / ISSUE 03 CONTENTS The View from Here 8 by Jennifer Dellenbusch 8 Letters 10 Events The High and the Writey 14 By Kevin Garrison Questions & Answers 16 by Steve Ells The Speed of Flight 20 by Tom Machum Renovating an Interior: Part 22 Eight—Seats and Rails 22 by Dennis Wolter Learn on the Ground: Garmin 30 Emulators for PC-Based Home Flight Simulators 36 by Scott Kinney The Early Cubs: The Piper 36 J-2 & J-3 by Jennifer Dellenbusch Destination: San Antonio, Texas 46 Fly Into the Past and See the Future by Kevin Garrison 30 56 Press Releases 68 Advertiser Index Back When: Vintage Piper 70 Advertising and Marketing 46 Cover: Piper J-3 Cub, photo Keith Wilson 4 • Piper Flyer | March 2020 UPGRADES FOR YOUR SUPER CUB Maximize the versatility of your Super Cub Wipline® 2100 Floats and explore further with Wipline® floats or ® AirGlide skis and benefit from year round Wipline AirGlide C2200 Skis performance improvements with the Electroair Electroair Electronic Ignition Electronic Ignition and the Wipaire® Gross Weight Increase to 2,000 lbs. Gross Weight Increase to 2,000 lbs Call to get started! 651.451.1205 wipaire.com/super-cub March 2020 | Piper Flyer • 5 PARTS AVIONICS ENGINES PROPS #1 for Aircraft Parts Support Since 1984 The Official Magazine of Same-Day Worldwide OVEROVER 55 MILLIMILLIOONN The Piper Flyer Association Shipping PRESIDENT We Price Match! IIN-STN-STOOCKCK PARTPARTSS!! WHAT’S RIDING ON Jennifer Dellenbusch Search our Parts [email protected] for Free 24/7 DODSON.COM CALL US TODAY AT 785-878-8000 VICE PRESIDENT / DIRECTOR OF SALES YOUR CYLINERS? Kent Dellenbusch [email protected] “When you’ve got over 17 hours of open Pacific Ocean in front of you, you’ve got to have great cylinders. I wouldn’t attempt a flight CREATIVE DIRECTOR Mike Kline like that with anything but Superior’s Millennium Cylinders.” —Adrian Eichhorn ASSOCIATE EDITOR Scott Kinney EDITORIAL AND PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Diana Hart CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Mike Berry Steven Ells Kevin Garrison Michael Leighton Tom Machum John Ruley Jacqueline Shipe Dale Smith Kristin Winter Dennis Wolter Adian Eichhorn, Globe trotting Bonanza CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS pilot, FAA A&P/IA Paul Bowen James Lawrence Keith Wilson PIPER FLYER ASSOCIATION 1042 Mountain Ave. Ste. B #337 Upland, CA 91786 As an A&P/IA and FAA National Aviation Call or Text: 626.844.0125 Maintenance Technician of the Year, when it www.piperflyer.org came time for Adrian Eichhorn to rebuild the engine that would take him around the world, he Piper Flyer is the official publication of the Piper Flyer Association. chose Superior Millennium Cylinders. They were Piper Flyer is published monthly by Aviation Group Limited, 1042 Mountain Ave. Ste. B #337, Upland, CA 91786. POSTMASTER: the only cylinder brand with the superior quality, Send address changes to Piper Flyer, 1042 Mountain Ave. Ste. B #337, Upland, CA 91786. Subscriptions, advertising orders, and superior engineering, and superior reliability he correspondence should be addressed to 1042 Mountain Ave. Ste. B #337, Upland, CA 91786. Annual dues: $44.00 in the U.S.; demanded. So, whether you’re flying around Canada and Mexico add $15.00 per year; all others add $25.00 per year (U.S. Dollars only). Eighty percent (80%) of annual dues is the patch or around the world, put your trust designated for your magazine subscriptions. in the number one replacement cylinders for The information presented in Piper Flyer is from many sources for this reason there can be no warranty or responsibility by Continental and Lycoming engines: Superior the publisher as to accuracy, originality, or completeness. The magazine is sold with the understanding that the publisher is Air Parts’ Millennium Cylinders. not engaged in rendering product endorsements or providing instruction as a substitute for appropriate training by qualified sources. Piper Flyer and Aviation Group Limited will not assume responsibility for any actions arising from any information published in Piper Flyer. We invite comments and welcome any For more information, contact your nearest report of inferior products obtained through our advertising, so corrective action may be taken. Superior Air Parts distributor, or visit: www.SuperiorAirParts.com 6 • Piper Flyer | March 2020 WHAT’S RIDING ON YOUR CYLINERS? “When you’ve got over 17 hours of open Pacific Ocean in front of you, you’ve got to have great cylinders. I wouldn’t attempt a flight like that with anything but Superior’s Millennium Cylinders.” —Adrian Eichhorn Adian Eichhorn, Globe trotting Bonanza pilot, FAA A&P/IA As an A&P/IA and FAA National Aviation Maintenance Technician of the Year, when it came time for Adrian Eichhorn to rebuild the engine that would take him around the world, he chose Superior Millennium Cylinders. They were the only cylinder brand with the superior quality, superior engineering, and superior reliability he demanded. So, whether you’re flying around the patch or around the world, put your trust in the number one replacement cylinders for Continental and Lycoming engines: Superior Air Parts’ Millennium Cylinders. For more information, contact your nearest Superior Air Parts distributor, or visit: www.SuperiorAirParts.com March 2020 | Piper Flyer • 7 The View from Here Letters to the Editor Jennifer Dellenbusch Send your letters to [email protected] The High and The How is aviation like Writey Column By Kevin Garrison a leisure suit? February 2020 Hi Jen, One of my jobs during high school was working at a men’s clothing Tell Kevin that I really relate to and store at the height of the leisure suit craze. A leisure suit, in case you enjoy his articles. With over 13,000 missed that fashion phase, is a polyester pantsuit. They came in a va- hours in a Boeing 727, I never saw riety of 1970s colors and were accompanied by silky patterned shirts, 12,000 pph unless it was at takeoff pow- and white shoes and belts. er. We always planned 9,000 pph as an It was not, for the most part, the apex of men’s fashion. average burn. So, it was with a smile that I read Kevin Garrison’s column (Page Glad my Piper Geronimo doesn’t 14) about pilot fashion through the ages. I think you’ll enjoy it, too. burn that much! Not to veer too far off course, but I often wish I had an autopilot Best regards, to help produce the magazine. Not a completely hands-off “ap- —George Johnson proach” to publishing, but a little extra help while I deal with all the other tasks, the surprises, and the course changes that arise daily. If you’d like to help chart our course, send me an email with your More Praise for New ideas for articles or photos. Format I asked at the beginning of this column how aviation is like a leisure suit. That was a trick question, they are not alike. To Piper Flyer, While the form of the leisure suit—the polyester fabric—may Love the new magazine format! last forever, the idea of it was short-lived and, some would say, —Anthony Guzman ill-conceived. Aviation is different. The form of it may change over time. It may evolve from fabric-covered wings and hand-propping, to self-landing aircraft, but the idea of it is eternal. Blue skies, P.S. If you have a photo of yourself in a leisure suit, I’d love to see it. Bonus points if you are standing by an airplane in a leisure suit. 8 • Piper Flyer | March 2020 March 2020 | Piper Flyer • 9 FLYER EVENTS March 2020 PFA EVENTS Cessna” for special rates at Aerospace History with the Sun ’n Fun Aerospace the event hotel, Par 4 Resort the Induction of the 2020 Expo is best known for the Waupaca, 715-942-0500, Hall of Fame Honorees, the annual weeklong fly-in and July 18–19 or book at choicehotels. presentation of the DHF airshow at Lakeland Linder Waupaca, Wisconsin com/reservations/groups/ STEM Education Excellence International Airport (KLAL). 16th Annual Gathering at IY73I3.) Free admission Award, education exhibits, The event will showcase a Waupaca for kids ages 8 and under; and plenty of aircraft dis- trade show and career fair PFA’s annual pre-OSH half price for ages 9 to 16. plays. Located at the GDC with workshops, airshows, event with fun, food, and Register at: thegatheringat- Technics Hangar on 607 aircraft judging, and more. friendship takes place at the waupaca.SimpleTix.com or Frank Luke Drive, the eve- For details, visit flysnf.org/ Waupaca Municipal Airport by calling 626-844-0125. ning starts with live music sun-n-fun-intl-fly-expo. (KPCZ) and Par 4 Resort. from 6 to 7 p.m., followed Early registration is avail- FEATURED by dinner, speeches, and the April 1–4 able at only $129 if regis- EVENTS award presentation from Friedrichshafen, Germany tered by May 1 and $150 7 to 9:30 p.m. For more in- AERO Friedrichshafen thereafter. Event registration formation, visit deehoward. Discover new and ex- includes all meals, semi- March 26 org/saaahof-2020-dinner. citing developments in the nars, fabulous door prizes, San Antonio, Texas General Aviation industry at and bus transportation San Antonio Aviation and March 31–April 5 AERO Friedrichshafen.