FatBoyz Aviation Newsletter May 2003 Welcome to our 5th issue! Thanks to everyone contributing to our newsletter and the responses received. The Fatboyz are a group of local pilots and aviation enthusiasts based at DKX. Our goal is to promote GA activities at the island and provide pertinent to our community. Visit the FatBoyz web archives for updated weekend flying schedules for those $100 hamburgers, links to flight planning and weather sites, information for local aviation resources (flight schools, CFI, AME, DE, I.A. A/P, insurance) and information pertinent to our local aviation community. Spotlight DKX – History http://www.geocities.com/fatboyzaviation Bob Davis, CFI DPE Knoxville Aero Corporation Brings I NSIDE T HIS I SSUE first Aeroplane to Town The 1922 Factory Price List that a Curtiss Standard 1 Spotlight DKX, submitted by Bob Davis with either a C-6 or K-6 Motor cost $3600.00 FOB 6 The Keys Sojourn, Buz Witherington CFII Garden City, L. I. The K-6 Curtiss-Kirkham engine, 9 developed before the C-6, provided only 150 Idaho Backcountry Flying, Brandon Hughett ATP CFII horsepower at 1700 rpms using regular gasoline. The 12 plane flew from a field bordered by Kingston Pike and Flying IFR, Daryl Moore CFI Sutherland Avenue several hundred yards west of the first McGhee Tyson airport. It is now a residential 13 Young Eagles Day!, Don Miller PP-ASEL EAA Ch 17 Chairman area west of the University of Tennessee Golf Range 16 Why I Fly Young Eagles, Michael Mahoney EAA 620992 apartments. The aeroplane was promptly put to use and a fancy christening was well attended. Let’s read 17 The Checkride from Hell, Mark Collins CP-ASEL several articles form the newspapers: 19 What I learned from that, Buddy Farmer PP-ASEL “Expect Airplane Here By Sunday,” KJ&T, August 26, 1921. 20 Localizer Hardware, Thad Phillips PP-ASEL “The Knoxville Aero Corporation’s (brand new Curtiss Standard) ship “Knoxville” is expected to arrive here Sunday. The plane will be flown from Garden city, N.J. where it was constructed according to specifications for the Knoxville flyers. It will be piloted by Capt. Billy Brock, who will be accompanied by George Chambliss, the former associated with Jersey Ringel, the daredevil aerial acrobat, is well known in Knoxville. Mr Chambliss is the pilot selected to handle the ship for the Knoxville Aero corporation. The flight will approximate 1,000 miles. Spotlight DKX continued on page 2 © 2003 FatBoyz Aviation All Rights Reserved May 2003 Edition Page 1 of 23 Spotlight DKX continued from page 1 in Knoxville flying into the new field with perfect safety “Airship “Knoxville” Made Many Flights Today at 2:50 p.m. from Local Field. Aerial Craft Arrived Late Yesterday. Its Flying Time From Garden City, 1,000 Miles Distant, Being About Eleven Hours – “First Distribution of Knoxville Newspaper by Magnificent Ship, Superior to Any Yet Seen in Aerial Navigation; Airship “Knoxville” is Carrier Knoxville, is Owned and Operated by Knoxvillians (from field near Cherokee Country Club (on and For Knoxvillians,” KS, September 1, 1921, p. 1. Sutherland Ave)), Home Edition Showered to Readers in Mascot, Jefferson City, Morristown, The airship “Knoxville” arrived yesterday afternoon as Newport and Dandridge,” KS, September 3, 1921, stated in the Night Edition of The Sentinel in charge of pp. 1, 22. Pilot Billy Brock of Chattanooga assisted by Geo. E. Chambliss to whom the ship is to be turned over. Today’s Home Edition of The Knoxville Sentinel will go by aeroplane to readers in Mascot, Jefferson City, In the flight to Knoxville from Garden City, Long Island, Morristown, Newport and Dandridge. This will be the a distance of about 1,000 miles Messers. Brock and first aerial delivery of any Knoxville newspaper. In fact, Chambliss relieved each other in flying the ship. This it is the first in East Tennessee. was easily accomplished as the ship has dual controls and can be flown from either back or front seat. The handsome, new aircraft “Knoxville,” property of the Knoxville Aero corporation, which landed in the local The ship is by far the prettiest and most graceful aviation field Wednesday afternoon fresh from the aircraft that has ever visited Knoxville. It is a beautiful Curtiss factory in Garden City, L.I., will make the flight buff color, the wings are forty-four feet across, the and in record time. length of the ship about thirty-four feet, on both sides of the fuselage, or body of ship, the words “Knoxville” is According to the program, the ship will sail from the painted in black lettering. On both sides of the rudder aviation field near the Cherokee Country Club about 3 appears the name of the corporation “Knoxville Aero o’clock this afternoon. Flying directly to Mascot, and Corporation.” The motor is the latest type Curtiss C-6, where a bundle of papers to be circulated among six-cylinder, which turns up 1,750 revolutions per readers at that place will be “dropped” from the plane minute and delivers 160 horse power making a speed for delivery by the Mascot agent of The Sentinel. of ninety miles per hour. But on long trips the cruising Thence the plane will proceed with winged speed to speed is little less as it is wise to throttle down and Jefferson City, Morristown, Newport and Dandridge. save the motor of strain. The crankcase and many parts of the motor are aluminum alloy, thus reducing At Mascot the papers will be delivered at a point in a the weight. This motor has dual valves, exhaust and field near the Southern railway depot. At Jefferson City intake, dual ignition, electric self-starter. Motor is water they will fall upon the campus of Carson and Newman cooled, having two radiators, one on either side of the College, at Morristown, the scene of the delivery will be ship. the race track, at Newport they will “shower” near the Southern railway depot, and at Dandridge the court One of the pilots stated that they left Garden City, Long house square will be the objective. Island at 4:30 Monday afternoon, flying over Jamacia Bay and following the Delaware river to Curtiss field at The Sentinel’s agents in each of these towns were Clemmenton, N.J., just eighteen miles out of instructed in advance by telephone this morning, to the Philadelphia, where they landed a few minutes after 6 effect that a delivery of today’s papers to them would o’clock. Leaving there Tuesday morning at 8:30, be made by aeroplane, and to be on the lookout for arrived at Bowling field Washington, and about two The Sentinel “Shower” shortly after 3 o’clock. hours were consumed getting there on account of delay in getting gas. After leaving Washington the next It is expected that the entire circuit of these towns, stop was Lynchburg, where they landed in a field about including about ninety-one miles by air line, will be six miles out at 1:15 p.m., and had considerable made within ninety minutes. It is not the purpose of the trouble in getting a supply of gas and were unable to ship to stop enroute, but to keep on the wing until the leave there Tuesday afternoon. An unusual amount of round trip is completed. However, it will “fly low” over gas was consumed on account of having a head-wind each of the towns visited. of over twenty miles all the way down from Long Island. They left Lynchburg at 7:30 Wednesday Local Boy as Pilot morning, stopped for gas at Rural Retreat for gas, were On this Sentinel delivering flight the ship will be piloted off in a few minutes and landed again at Kingsport for by George E. Chambliss and J.G. Ray, the latter of gas and lunch; left Kingsport at 1:45 p.m. and arrived Spotlight DKX continued on page 3 © 2003 FatBoyz Aviation All Rights Reserved May 2003 Edition Page 2 of 23 Spotlight DKX continued from page 2 Chattanooga, and both of whom are licensed and Christening Next Monday experienced pilots. Mr. Chambliss has been selected The formal christening of the “Knoxville” will occur next by the directors of the Knoxville Aero Corporation as Monday afternoon, Labor Day. Ceremonies will begin the official pilot of the ship “Knoxville.” He was in the at 2 o’clock and the festivities and flying will continue army aviation service during the world war, and also until 6 o’clock. The field has been prepared for the has had comprehensive training in commercial flying, occasion. A brass band will be present to discourse which is considerably much less hazardous than was music preliminary to and during the earlier periods of the world war flying. the afternoon. One or more addresses will be made. At the conclusion of the formalities, the ship will be The ship “Knoxville” arrived here Wednesday afternoon available for commercial flying, a fee being charged. fresh from Curtiss field and factory, at Garden City, L.I. This has been fixed at $10 for one person and $15 for The flight was made in eleven hours time and the two persons, and each flight will be of about ten to distance being about 1,000 miles. Stops were mad eat fifteen minutes. Philadelphia, Lynchburg and Kingsport, at each of which places gas, oil and water were taken on. The Gov. A.A. Taylor was formally invited to be present at ship uses “high test” gasoline, which is a factor for the christening and to deliver an address.