Hamilton-Owen Fly-in

After hunkering down for a weekend and waiting out a hurricane, I decided to take advantage of the following weekend's beautiful weather and go to the Hamilton-Owen airport (KCUB) outside of Columbia, SC for their fly-in. Since I also believe in trying to spread the aviation bug, I brought my co-worker with me. He was a very pleasant and enthusiastic passenger, and the last I heard, he is working on his ground school and will start flight training soon! As an aside - give rides! Your passenger may become the next new pilot at your field! 

The weather was beautiful with light breezes and only a few puffy clouds. The only thing to watch out for was ensuring that we stayed outside of Columbia's Class C airspace.

Hamilton-Owen Fly-In

The fly-in was well attended, though most of the people had actually driven in. There was quite a good turn-out of non-aviation people. Many interesting planes were there as show-planes. Some of these were owned by local(ish) pilots and included vintage aircraft (such as a Champ and a Cub), experimentals (Starduster, Lancair, Rans Coyote), vintage warbirds (Corsair, SNJ) and other interesting planes such as a Phoenix motorglider.

Corsair

Starduster

One highlight of the event for many was the arrival of the University of South Carolina's King Air with their mascot, Cocky.

Local law enforcement and military groups also had a good showing. The Air National Guard was inspiring the next generation of military aviators with their Chinook by letting them climb up into the cockpit to take a look around. Their Apache also drew a crowd and its pilot, a female officer, was both very knowledgeable and approachable.

Chinook cockpit

Apache

The local sheriff was also there with his helicopter, answering questions from a seemingly endless stream of children. He was a good ambassador, not only for aviation, but for law enforcement as well. It was also great to show all the youngsters that there are jobs in aviation outside of the standard airline pilot job that people always think of.

Local sheriff and his helicopter

Another interesting plane there was the South Carolina Historic Aviation Foundation's B-25 Mitchell. The plane was left to sit and rot for years, but this group is now taking care of it and working on restoring it as a static display. From what I saw, the group is making great progress, but still has lots of work ahead.

The South Carolina Historic Aviation Foundation's B-25

Oh, and there were a bunch of vintage motorcycles there too...

Motorcycle line up

I did find one that I have to admit I kind of like.

Harley Davidson M-50

To emphasize what I said earlier about aviation jobs people don't normally think of, on the way back to Trenton we saw a helicopter flying low to the ground near some power lines. On closer inspection, we realized the helicopter was carrying a giant saw blade and trimming the trees. That is one aviation job I think I will pass on. For now at least.

South Carolina Bound!

I ended up needing to go down to South Carolina for work for a little under two months. Since the airports down there with commercial service are small and have only a few flights per day, which all require connecting through Charlotte, deciding to take Rudolph was an easy choice. This decision had the added bonus of providing me with plentiful weekend entertainment!

After checking out a couple of local airports by car, I found a grass strip not too far from where I would be staying that could rent me a hangar for a couple of months. The grass strip is Edgefield (6J6) and is located just outside the tiny town of Trenton, SC. This nice little airport was built by the military "back in the day" and has two wonderfully smooth grass runways. These days, it is maintained by a very nice gentleman named Johnny who keeps the place looking beautiful. It is also home to the Trenton Flyers, a friendly and active group of pilots and friends. They can usually be found hanging out on the porch of the club house on Sunday afternoons. They also hold several events throughout the year, such as a Halloween Candy Drop for local children and club parties. A group of them also fly to lunch every other Friday. They are a very warm and welcoming group of aviators.

Edgefield Airport

South Carolina has a very vibrant aviation community. There are numerous fly-in communities and active aviation groups. The South Carolina Breakfast Club (http://www.flyscbc.com/) holds a fly-in breakfast at a different airport in the state every other Sunday, and there is of course the aforementioned Trenton Flyers lunch trip. After learning about all of this I was really looking forward to spending some of the best flying weather of the year gallivanting about the state with Rudolph!

The fight to SC started off with beautiful views of the mountains

On departure day, the weather was beautiful! The route of flight would keep the mountains off to my right for much of the way down, with flat land below me. It was kind of the best of both worlds - easy flying and great views all at once! Flying further south, I saw some beautiful lakes. Passing near Smith Mountain Lake, I could hear several other pilots on the radio, enjoying the beautiful day.

Near Smith Mountain Lake

My last stop in Virginia was Blue Ridge Airport for some fuel before heading to the Carolinas!

Blue Ridge Airport (MTV)

Flying south, the weather remained nice with a slight headwind. As I passed near Charlotte, NC at 2,500 ft and into the flatlands I came across a cluster of towers that went up higher than I was! I made sure to give those a wide berth.

I made one last fuel stop at Union, SC (35A) since Edgefield doesn't have any fuel. The rest of the flight was uneventful and I landed a bit before sunset. I got Rudolph tucked away in his new temporary home full of gas and ready for some South Carolina adventures!

Sunset at Edgefield

Hummel Wings Wheels and Keels 2016

Hummel (W75) Airport's Wings, Wheels and Keels 2016 Fly-in, car and boat show was held this past weekend (September 24th) and we would have been hard-pressed to ask for more perfect weather for it. The day dawned warm and clear with a light breeze out of the north. Allen and I met up with eight Cubs (original and Legend) and a Kolb at Warrenton (KHWY) from Culpeper, Warrenton, the Airpark and surrounding areas at 9 AM to head down to Hummel in a "loose gaggle".

Part of our group ready to go at KHWY.

Flying along the Rappahannock with the Cubs was both fun and challenging. As my Champ is about 20 mph faster than the Cubs, I had to slow down to stay in my place, especially when we slowed further for the guys in the back to catch up. There is little that can beat flying low and slow along the river on a beautiful fall day, especially with a gaggle of friends keeping you company off your wing and on the radio.

Just reaching the river.

One Cub had decided to fly with us for just a little ways and then turn back, so we entered the pattern at Hummel as a flight of nine. We parked our planes in a row and went to check out the event.

Part of the row of Cubs.

The opposing row of aircraft.

This event had a mini-county fair feel to it, with lots of non-airplane events. Several local groups were there, such as the Sheriff, local vendors and the local chamber of commerce. There were plenty of food vendors, and even a craft fair. 

Though billed as a plane/car/boat show, this caboose trailer with a model train town was a popular attraction.

Part of the car show.

Reedville Fishermen's Museum's reproduction fishing boat.

After getting lunch, taking in the sights, and watching the model airplane show, we broke into smaller groups for the flight home. Despite some haze, the flight back along the river was beautiful. 

Hazy return flight up the Rappahannock.

When we arrived back in the pattern at Warrenton, we noticed the flight school's Champ in the grass next to the runway. Fortunately, nobody was hurt and they were able to recover the airplane with the help of some volunteers and a tractor. Hopefully they will have it flying again soon!

Recovery of the flight school Champ.

After a fun and eventful day, we tucked Rudolph back in the hangar and decided that this is one event that is definitely worth going back to!

Middletown 2016

Prepping for Middletown - Rudolph got a bath!

Every two years there is a wonderful event organized by the National Aeronca Association in Middletown, OH. As the site of the old Aeronca factory, this is "back home" for my plane and most other Aeroncas. Allen and I have attended this gathering twice in the past (2012, 2014) and it is definitely the one aviation event that we don't want to miss!

Rain off to the right on the way to Upshur, WV.

Our flight there took us around some less than wonderful weather, and to Upshur County, WV (W22). This is one of my favorite places to stop, as the airport has a courtesy car and there is a town near the airport with a good restaurant. We pulled up to fuel and immediately realized that the cicadas were out in force. We kept having to remove them from ourselves and the plane.

The wind began to pick up and we realized that with a strong front coming through, Upshur was as far as we were getting that day. Fortunately, the maintenance shop had room for Rudolph in the hangar, right next to a King Air that rushed in for shelter just ahead of the front. The storm was strong enough to knock out power at some places in town. Even the hotel was experiencing cable and internet problems when we arrived.

Departing Upshur, WV

The next morning, some low clouds prevented an early departure, but the rest of the flight was uneventful, and we landed in Middletown in the early afternoon.

Rudolph tied down at Middletown

The weather in Middletown was beautiful and there were far more planes than at the last convention when bad weather prevented most people from flying in.

There were several very nice Sedans at this year's convention, of which this is just one example.

The neat original cowling on this pre-war Chief makes it a favorite of mine.

There were even some nice non-Aeroncas parked in the back lot, such as this late model Bellanca Cruisemaster.

Two features of the convention that are not to be missed are the factory tour (Saturday morning) and Bill Pancake's forum (Saturday afternoon). The support provided by the factory for the convention is superb and truly something special. It is always interesting to see what the factory is doing now. They are now part of Magellan Aerospace and specialize in titanium parts for Boeing, Airbus, Raytheon, etc. and are doing well.

Bill's forum covered many common Aeronca problems and things to watch out for. Also, a new development is that his STC for converting Champs and Chiefs to a C85 without modification to the tail is now complete.

After a fun banquet on Saturday night, we awoke Sunday morning for an early departure. The flight home was uneventful and a wonderful ending to another fun Aeronca Convention. We are already looking forward to 2018!

Blue Ridge Mountains

Upgrades!

Since buying the airplane six years ago, I have made some upgrades!

New Skytech Starter!

Oil Filter!

New Floorboards!

New Radio!

Middletown Aeronca Fly-in 2014

Every two years, there is a gathering of Aeroncas back in Middletown, OH where they were made.In 2012, Allen and I were able to go in Rudolph, my Aeronca champ. We had a great time going to all the events, camping under the wing and making many friends. This year, we looked forward to doing it all again (except for the camping).

Thursday is an arrival day, with the first event being a trip to the U.S. Air Force museum on Friday. Unfortunately, when Thursday rolled around the weather was not particularly promising. Clouds in Virginia and West Virginia with storms over Ohio were what we had to look forward to. We knew we could make it to our first fuel stop though, so we opted to take off. This is the most interesting leg of the trip, and worth it in itself.

Rock formations on a ridge to the west of the Shenandoah Valley

Our route took us straight across the Blue Ridge, over the Shenandoah Valley and the mountains of West Virginia to Upshur County (W22). Though there is not really anything at the airport itself, they provide a courtesy car that you can take into town to a great restaurant called CJ Maggie’s. On this trip though, we checked the weather at the airport and opted to push onward since it looked like we had a break in the storms ahead of us.

Windmills on the last ridge before descending into Upshur (W22)

We pushed on over hills that slowly dwindled and gave way to the flatlands of the Midwest. We stopped at Ross County (KRZT), less than an hour out of Middletown, for fuel. Upon checking the weather here, it looked iffy, but we were confident that we could get at least a little farther, and we had no issue picking out several alternate airports (there are many in this area). We took off and flew for about another twenty minutes before it began getting noticeably darker and gloomier. We opted to turn around and head for Fayette County Airport (I23) to wait out the weather.

Less than an hour later, we were able to take off and made it into Middletown (KMWO) amid a few sprinkles. We landed on the grass, with only a little splash accompanying us. Fortunately this time, we had opted for a hotel and already had a reservation in town. Things were quiet at the airfield, and only a few airplanes were there. The registration folks had packed up for the day, as we had arrived shortly before a gloomy dusk. Some people were still milling around though, and I found one of my buddies from last time who was staying at our hotel and we drove over with him.

Rare low wing Aeronca LB

This year, we chose to take it easy and spend more time at the airport chatting with old friends and making new ones, so we skipped the Air Force museum trip (though it is very neat, if you are in the area). We spent quite a bit of time walking around and admiring the planes that were able to make it in. One of these was a rare low wing Aeronca LB that was in the process of being restored. The airframe was pristine, but the engine was still being worked on. A borrowed one had been bolted on for looks, and the plane was trucked in and given the place of honor it deserves, right by the tent. There were also some very nice L-birds - both L-3s and L-16s. Two very nice early model pre-war Chiefs were in attendance. There was a freshly restored green Chief with a fiberglass replacement cowling, and my favorite - an orange chief with its original cowling. The workmanship that went into that cowling makes it more art than machine, with compound curves galore.

Restored pre-war Chief which won high honors at Middletown

Saturday morning, the factory opened its doors for the factory tour. The original building has been torn down, but the company is still there. It was bought by a Canadian company called Magellan Aerospace and operated under “Aeronca, Inc” until sometime between the last convention and this one, when it was unfortunately changed to “Middletown, Inc”. The company now specializes in titanium honeycombs and builds parts for Boeing, Airbus and Raytheon, among others.

In front of the factory, which recently changed from "Aeronca, Inc." to "Middletown, Inc."

On Saturday, there is also Bill Pancake’s lecture, which is another highlight of the trip. He is the Aeronca guru and lectured on a variety of Aeronca maintenance tips, as well as answering questions from the audience. Afterwards, Allen received a call back from someone who had posted a 7AC for sale on the board, and we drove over to a nearby town to look at it with a mechanic friend. That one didn't work out, but it turned out fine for Allen in the end, as he later ended up buying one (with a partner) closer to home.

During the course of the fly-in, the weather had remained fairly miserable, with cells moving through. Very few airplanes were able to make it in. Where last year there had been close to 100Aeroncas present, this year there were only about 35. Several people gave it up and drove in and by Saturday there was a respectable gathering of Aeronca enthusiasts, if not the planes themselves. Three people had even flown in from Australia!

Part of the flight line at Middletown sitting under the gloomy sky

Due to the low attendance, at the banquet on Saturday evening, I walked out with an award for “Best Military Aeronca”. There were nicer L-birds than mine, but they all received higher honors. Still, now Rudolph has some bragging rights!

"Pasta Cube", "Potato Yacht" and chicken pot pie at CJ Maggie's in Buckhannon, WV. You won't leave hungry!

Fortunately, Sunday turned out to be a great day for flying, and the trip home was fairly uneventful. We did get to stop in Upshur (W22) for lunch at the restaurant I like. All in all, it was a great trip and we are already looking forward to 2016, when we can fly there in formation!

Antique Aircraft Association Blakesburg Fly-in 2014

After missing Oshkosh due to a bad carburetor, Allen and I were looking for a different adventure for this summer. Allen suggested going to the Antique Aircraft Association (AAA)'s fly-in out in Blakesburg, Iowa. So it was that on a lovely day in late August, we found ourselves packing my 1947 Aeronca Champ (“Rudolph”) with camping supplies and heading west. The flight to Upshur, WV (W22) was lovely, but unfortunately due to weather coming in, we didn't want to stop for lunch at my favorite restaurant. After that, the terrain smoothed out and went to corn. Miles upon miles of unending corn, broken only by the rare soybean field. For about eight hours into a stiff headwind.

An actual interesting portion of the trip - corn, soybeans and windmills!

We stopped for the night in Fayette County, OH (I23), very close to our destination of only a couple months prior – Middletown, OH (MWO). There, we crashed in the FBO for the night. They have a shower and keep the fridge stocked with food (even the pizza place 3 miles away won't deliver to the airport). In the morning, we woke up and set off on our way. Our first stop was Indianapolis Executive (TYQ) for fuel. Our next stop was Rantoul (TIP). Here, we found a hidden treasure.

Rudolph with his air museum buddies on the ramp.

Former Blue Angel A-4. It has my name on it, so it's mine. Right?

Rantoul is an old Air Force base (Chanute) which was closed back in the '90s. The airport has a feeling of disuse. We picked a runway, landed, and found the FBO. We were the only plane there, but were told that during the crop dusting season, they can't fuel the planes fast enough. From the ramp, we saw a fence with many old military planes languishing behind it. It turned out to be a VERY neat little museum. They have many exhibits about the history of the base, and a hangar filled with some unique planes and part of a missile silo in addition to those outside. If you're ever in the area, Rantoul is definitely worth a stop.

The marsh by the Mississippi River. Yes, that is all corn.

The mighty Mississippi.

Unsure of the fuel status at the Antique Airfield (IA27), we made one last stop at Pekin (C15) before heading into the field. We purposefully did not take on fuel in the wings to come in light, which proved to be very fortuitous. About halfway between Pekin and Antique, we crossed the mighty Mississippi. This was a welcome sight. What I found to be most interesting is that we were crossing at an area where the river was braided, and in one place, corn had been planted on every little spit of land which was (my guess) dry enough to drive a tractor on.

Antique Airfield off the left wing.

We finally made it to Antique in the early evening, set up camp, and enjoyed the peace. The weather was perfect and it was a beautiful evening. This, unfortunately, was not to last. The AAA fly-in this past year was affectionately referred to as “Lakesburg”. After our first day there, it started raining and didn't stop. Many planes were waved off because the runway had turned into a marsh, and we weren't sure when it would be dry enough to leave. The whole place was a swamp. Once I gave up on trying to keep my feet dry and ran around barefoot though, it actually wasn't bad. One guy with an especially large puddle in front of his plane put out a “No Diving” sign.

Airplanes lined up down the taxiway.

As for the airplanes, the ones that made it in were beautiful. A family flew down from Canada in their 195 and unloaded a wonderful VW bus tent. It definitely made you look twice! There were many rare and beautifully restored antiques that did make it in. There was a good showing of Howards, Interstates, 195s, Luscombes, cabin Wacos, Stearmans and Aeroncas. One guy flew in from Washington State in a polished aluminum Ryan SC-W, and proceeded to spend the remainder of the fly-in polishing it. My favorite airplane there was a Call Air. I had never heard of these before, but according to the owner, only about 15 were built, with ranchers in mind. It was a neat little plane and the owner was friendly and welcoming, even taping a “Please Touch” sign to the airplane's side.

It's a VW. Wait...

Ryan SC-W

The Call Air

Despite the dreary weather, the people were mostly happy and very friendly. We were told that the focus is usually on trading rides in unique airplanes with other attendees, but this was not possible due to the weather. Instead, everyone hung around and chatted. There was plenty of camaraderie. There was also plenty of time for checking out the AAA library, the aeromart (used airplane parts, some of them very rare) and browsing the wares of the few vendors. One day, the local church ladies brought pies to sell for a fundraiser which were divine. There is also a pub on the field.

Camping with Aeronca Chiefs and trying to dry out our stuff during a break in the showers.

Overall, despite the weather, we had a good time. When it came time to leave however, there was some concern. We didn't know when the runway would dry out enough to get out. Finally, they began letting lighter planes go. I had the longest takeoff run I've ever had in Rudolph, being heavily loaded and in the muck. When we accelerated enough to get the tail up, the airplane surged forward and we finally made it off. I was glad we were light on gas – some others were not so lucky and drained and sold their excess gas for cheap.

Some nice blue tennis courts on the way home.

We stopped for gas about 20 minutes out and continued on to Galesburg, IL where some people had already arrived for the Stearman fly-in, scheduled for the following weekend. About 15 or so planes were parked on the field. We took the courtesy car into town and had a nice lunch. Afterward, we walked around and saw another guy with an L-16 that we had met at Blakesburg. We chatted for a bit, looked and the Stearmans and headed out. Since we were in no hurry, our next stop was Danville, IL (KDNV) where Midwest Aero restores P-51 mustangs. We got to take a tour of the shop and admire the P-51 they are currently working on.

Rain off the wing we near home.

The rest of our trip home was fairly uneventful. We stopped for the night again at Fayette County. In the morning we went to Upshur (W22) and stopped for lunch at my favorite restaurant. We were disappointed when we pulled up and the place was deserted, but they leave the key to the courtesy car in the visor. When we got back to the plane, all the yellow parts were covered in tons of little beetles. We tried getting them off but they just kept coming back. We decided to take off anyway. Most were blown off and left on/near the runway, but some made it all the way back to county. Not wanting to import what were potentially nasty bugs, as soon as we shut down on the ramp, we made it our mission to stamp out the survivors. We then put Rudolph back in his hangar and went home for a very welcome hot shower and comfy bed.