The International Comanche Society - Pilot und Flugzeug Online
The International Comanche Society - Pilot und Flugzeug Online
The International Comanche Society - Pilot und Flugzeug Online
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SEPTEMBER 2006 VOLUME 33, NO. 9<br />
<strong>The</strong> Official Membership Publication of<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>International</strong><br />
<strong>Comanche</strong> <strong>Society</strong>
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Comanche</strong> Flyer<br />
is the official monthly member<br />
publication of the<br />
<strong>International</strong> <strong>Comanche</strong> <strong>Society</strong><br />
5604 Phillip J. Rhoads Avenue<br />
Hangar 3, Suite 4<br />
Bethany, OK 73008<br />
Tel: (405) 491-0321<br />
Fax: (405) 491-0325<br />
www.comancheflyer.com<br />
ICS President<br />
Lawrence Paratz<br />
Ph: + 61-3-9817-1222<br />
E-mail: LParatz@bigpond.com<br />
Managing Editor<br />
Kim Blonigen<br />
E-mail: kblonigen@cox.net<br />
Advertising Manager<br />
John Shoemaker<br />
800-773-7798<br />
Fax: (231) 946-9588<br />
E-mail: johns@villagepress.com<br />
Graphic Design<br />
Koren Herriman<br />
E-mail: kherriman@villagepress.com<br />
Printer<br />
Village Press<br />
2779 Aero Park Drive<br />
Traverse City, MI 49685-0629<br />
www.villagepress.com<br />
Office Manager<br />
Gaynor Ekman<br />
Tel: (405) 491-0321<br />
Fax: (405) 491-0325<br />
E-mail: icsadmin@sbcglobal.net<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Comanche</strong> Flyer is available to members;<br />
the $25 annual subscription rate is included<br />
in the <strong>Society</strong>’s Annual Membership dues in<br />
US f<strong>und</strong>s below.<br />
USA, Canada & Mexico<br />
$63 per year<br />
UK, Europe, Asia & Africa<br />
$85 per year<br />
All other Countries Incl. Australia<br />
$78 per year<br />
Cover Photo<br />
1964 Turbo PA30 owned by<br />
Jan Brill of Straubing Germany<br />
Copyright Notice<br />
<strong>The</strong> act of making a submission for publication<br />
is an express warranty that such contribution<br />
does not infringe on the rights or copyright of<br />
others. Nothing appearing in the <strong>Comanche</strong><br />
Flyer shall be reproduced or distributed without<br />
the express permission of the publisher.<br />
Postmaster<br />
Send address changes to the above address.<br />
Periodical postage paid at Bethany, OK 73008 and<br />
at additional mailing office.<br />
ISSN 08994223<br />
Volume 33, No. 9 • September 2006<br />
www.comancheflyer.com<br />
Publlished By the I<strong>International</strong> C<strong>Comanche</strong> S<strong>Society</strong>,, Inc.<br />
CONTENTS<br />
2 Letter From <strong>The</strong> President<br />
A New ICS Board and the<br />
Issues We All Face<br />
Lawrence Paratz<br />
4<br />
Cover Story: <strong>Comanche</strong> Spirit<br />
Learning New Languages at the Age of 40 –<br />
<strong>The</strong> Globetrotter Twin <strong>Comanche</strong><br />
Jan Brill<br />
10 2005-2006 ICS Board of Directors<br />
& Tribe Representatives<br />
10 2005-2006 ICS Standing<br />
Committees & Chairpersons<br />
11 CFF-Approved CFIs<br />
12<br />
Technically Speaking<br />
Upgrading Supplemental Oxygen<br />
Will Lighten Your Load<br />
Chris Burns<br />
14 <strong>Online</strong> Intelligence —<br />
Alternator Problems<br />
18<br />
<strong>Pilot</strong> Pointers<br />
It Should Not Happen To You —<br />
<strong>Comanche</strong> Accidents for<br />
June 2006 and a Case<br />
Omri Talmon<br />
22 Flight Into O’Hare Wasn’t Hairy at All Charlie Littwin<br />
24<br />
From the Logbook<br />
What I Did on my Summer Vacation LeWayne Garrison<br />
31 From the Tribe Chiefs<br />
37 Shoulder Harness Program<br />
38<br />
Fly-In Reports<br />
<strong>The</strong> South Central Tribe’s<br />
Palo Duro Extravaganza<br />
Dick Brown<br />
41 Mid-States and North Central<br />
Tribes Enjoy House on the Rock<br />
Barb Beil<br />
42 Southwest Tribe Reeps Reno’s<br />
Offerings and Welcome New Board<br />
Peggy Harmon<br />
44<br />
Featured Fly-In<br />
North Central Tribe Gains Knowledge and<br />
Camaraderie at Maintenance Seminar Fly-In<br />
Bill Schnauffer<br />
46 <strong>Comanche</strong> Classified<br />
47 Advertiser’s Index<br />
SEPTEMBER 2006 <strong>Comanche</strong> Flyer • 1
Letter From <strong>The</strong> President<br />
A New ICS Board<br />
and the Issues<br />
We All Face<br />
Before getting into this first column as ICS President, I<br />
would like to acknowledge the work of Karl Hipp and<br />
the outgoing board. <strong>The</strong>y have done a fine job and<br />
made hard decisions. General aviation is not getting any<br />
easier anywhere in the world, and events are rapidly and<br />
possibly permanently driving fuel prices even higher<br />
(which is sure not helping).<br />
So managing your <strong>Society</strong> and making sure it supports<br />
<strong>Comanche</strong>s into the future is now much more challenging<br />
than in the easy days of cheap fuel and booming general<br />
aviation. Like everything else, we only get out what we put<br />
in. So don’t stand back and criticize, but pitch in. If the<br />
<strong>Society</strong> has a shortcoming, don’t rub it in our faces – help<br />
us to address it. And please remember the <strong>Society</strong> has all<br />
the same cost pressures that impact the rest of us.<br />
And to acknowledge that the ICS has entered a new phase,<br />
and having said that, if we all accept some new realities that<br />
are impacting aviation, then there’s plenty of great flying<br />
and times to be had. <strong>The</strong> role of the ICS is critically important.<br />
Nurture it, support it, and ensure that you and every <strong>Comanche</strong><br />
owner you know are members. It’s in your best interests.<br />
As I am writing this, the Australian Convention is coming<br />
up fast. This is a key event in the ICS world, but not all ICS<br />
members are attending this convention, or even attend<br />
Conventions at all. Attendance has been aro<strong>und</strong> 200 at recent<br />
Conventions – or about one for every 15 ICS members, in<br />
ro<strong>und</strong> terms. And looking back to larger conventions at a<br />
time when the number of <strong>Comanche</strong>s was higher, as well as<br />
the ICS membership, the ratio hasn’t changed all that much.<br />
Perhaps it peaked at aro<strong>und</strong> one for 10.<br />
So that leaves no doubt that many ICS members are part<br />
of ICS for a wide range of reasons. For some it’s the local flyins;<br />
for others, the Flyer; some may be involved for the technical<br />
support resources; for others, it’s the chance to shoot<br />
the breeze and talk airplanes; and it may even be the collective<br />
strength and ability to influence issues impacting<br />
our operations that counts.<br />
<strong>The</strong> ICS is all of these. It doesn’t mean that each of us<br />
rate these things the same – but they are all components<br />
which need to be matched to the needs and aspirations of<br />
the membership. It’s a bit like a smorgasbord. You don’t<br />
have to eat some of every dish to be satisfied. Rather as long<br />
as there is a range of things you like, the way you like, at<br />
the right value – you are satisfied.<br />
That’s pretty much the way Dave Fitzgerald, your new vice<br />
president, and I see the ICS. It’s not about debating which<br />
services are the most important – it’s about having the right<br />
mix to serve your needs, alongside your fellow members.<br />
And not all members are the same. Some see swinging a<br />
wrench as an automatic part of aircraft ownership; others<br />
do not. Some have long and illustrious aviation backgro<strong>und</strong>s<br />
covering a wide range of experience; others are stepping up<br />
to retractable and constant speed for the first time. But all<br />
are members.<br />
Your board will use two tests as they think about the things<br />
you have entrusted to us. How does this work for current<br />
members? And how does this work for future members?<br />
You might ask – Why worry about future members? Can’t<br />
they look after themselves?<br />
My response would be that the next person to own your<br />
<strong>Comanche</strong> is very important to you. Our goal should be<br />
that demand for our aircraft should always be there – so you<br />
get full value when it’s time to move on. This means that the<br />
<strong>Comanche</strong> needs to remain an attractive possession –<br />
desirable, affordable, accessible and saleable.<br />
This is not as straight forward as it was. <strong>The</strong>re is of course<br />
the obvious impact of rising fuel prices worldwide, but certainly<br />
a major shock in the United States. While it’s still<br />
pretty true that the cheapest thing you can put in an aircraft<br />
is fuel, the impact on sentiment cannot be ignored and markets<br />
are generally flat and negative. Once again, lots of good secondhand<br />
airplanes seem to be getting exported from the United<br />
States, which is always an indicator of sentiment in that market.<br />
But there is another series of issues that cannot be ignored.<br />
I recently visited Sun ’n Fun and fo<strong>und</strong> that the sellers of new<br />
generation aircraft were generally upbeat and reporting good<br />
business. I expect Cessna will have unveiled their “Cirrus<br />
Killer” by now. I had the pleasure of flying some of the new<br />
products, including the Cirrus and DA-42 Twinstar. I also<br />
talked with the sales folk at every stand about who’s buying.<br />
I was left with two key thoughts:<br />
First, the people buying these aircraft are reportedly<br />
quite different to the current owner population. <strong>The</strong>y often<br />
2 • <strong>Comanche</strong> Flyer SEPTEMBER 2006
haven’t worked their way up the fleet from trainer to fixedgear,<br />
four-seater to complex aircraft, often in many little<br />
steps over many years. Rather they have come to aviation<br />
in mid-life, and have a strong utility view of it. <strong>The</strong>y buy new,<br />
and they buy “the best” straight up. <strong>The</strong> top models sell<br />
better than the base models.<br />
And so the product is being tailored to this market. Features,<br />
fitout and finesse all rate highly. You simply can’t sell a cell<br />
phone without countless features, even though most are not<br />
used downstream by the customer. But it’s the packaging<br />
and inclusion of features that sells, not the basic call function.<br />
Likewise, this market is buying airplanes that look and<br />
feel like cell phones or PCs – for them it’s a familiar environment.<br />
You can even get an airplane with a remote to control it!<br />
This is very important to us. It means that the future of<br />
our aircraft has to come from it having a desirability of its<br />
own – it will not have the sleek finish of the new plastic airframes,<br />
and few will be fitted out with an integrated and<br />
ergonomic glass flight environment.<br />
So our <strong>Comanche</strong>s have to be classy – seen as the “real deal;”<br />
aircraft flown and desired by aviators. <strong>The</strong>y also have to be<br />
affordable to operate and capable of <strong>und</strong>ertaking a wide range<br />
of missions – from the local scenic flights to flexible and<br />
efficient cross-country hauls in a range of IFR conditions.<br />
This then is one of the key responsibilities of ICS, and by<br />
the way the reason that any <strong>Comanche</strong> owner who is not a<br />
member just isn’t doing themselves a favour.<br />
Secondly, our aircraft may be quite confronting to a generation<br />
brought up in the current crop of certified aircraft just because<br />
of their <strong>und</strong>erlying complexity of operation. <strong>The</strong> Twinstar made<br />
an impression on me. <strong>The</strong> engines basically had simple controls<br />
– Fuel on/off/xfeed, one engine on/off switch, one engine test<br />
switch, one power lever … and a key starter. That’s about it.<br />
All the rest is hidden and safely managed by the aircraft.<br />
Compare that to our twins. To keep the engines happy, you<br />
need to correctly manage the following controls – throttle,<br />
propeller, mixture, cowl flap, alternate air, electric fuel pump,<br />
magnetos, mechanical fuel selector, tip tank electrical solenoid<br />
… and the starter. So there are over 20 items in the<br />
cockpit which have to be set, <strong>und</strong>erstood and managed for<br />
correct engine operation. And I have not included the numerous<br />
gauges to monitor - RPM, MAP, EGT, CHT, FF, fuel quantity,<br />
oil pressure and oil temperature. Perhaps, I should have<br />
said “almost 40 items” to manage and <strong>und</strong>erstand.<br />
Now we are all comfortable with that level of complexity,<br />
and for many, mastering that is part of the appeal. But I<br />
can’t help thinking that this may be a barrier for the current<br />
crop of buyers. In fact, will they see a <strong>Comanche</strong> as an<br />
upgrade or not?<br />
To create this long term value, we need to make and reinforce<br />
our aircraft as an “aspiration” possession – having their own<br />
mystique, own appeal, and drawing looks and comments on<br />
the ramp. Old beaters just won’t do it – they will be perceived<br />
as complex and unsafe.<br />
So we all have responsibilities in this – the ICS and its<br />
members.<br />
<strong>The</strong> ICS team is going to work on the big issues – the FAA<br />
and continuing airworthiness, the Flyer, the technical support<br />
to members and ensuring the preservation of the many lifetimes<br />
of accumulated <strong>Comanche</strong> knowledge.<br />
You need to work on the small things – keeping your aircraft<br />
truly airworthy, making sure it has shoulder harnesses, keeping<br />
yourself fit and current, and flying the aircraft actively.<br />
Together there’s a great outlook for many happy years of<br />
personal aviation ahead.<br />
Regards,<br />
Lawrence<br />
<strong>Comanche</strong> Flyer Submission Guidelines<br />
All members are encouraged to submit articles for publication in the <strong>Comanche</strong> Flyer. If you have an article about<br />
a maintenance event, trip, piloting technique, or anything else pertinent to <strong>Comanche</strong> ownership, please share it with<br />
your fellow members.<br />
For those with access to the Internet, please submit the article via e-mail, preferably in Microsoft Word. You may<br />
also include the article in the body of your e-mail message. Include your full name, as you would like it published, and<br />
your ICS number.<br />
Please attach digital pictures, if applicable, in jpeg format. For best results, use the highest resolution setting your<br />
camera will allow. Photo files <strong>und</strong>er 500 kb in size typically do not reproduce well.<br />
Send to:<br />
Kim Blonigen, Managing Editor at kblonigen@cox.net<br />
Articles and photos may also be sent via U.S. Mail to:<br />
Kim Blonigen<br />
2031 South Beech • Wichita, KS 67207<br />
Although submissions are reviewed for technical accuracy, the information in this magazine is meant for reference<br />
only. Any modifications, alterations, or major repairs to U.S. aircraft require FAA-approved data as a basis for beginning<br />
work, and as such should not be based solely on information contained in this magazine. <strong>The</strong> <strong>International</strong><br />
<strong>Comanche</strong> <strong>Society</strong> does not endorse any piloting adverse to published FAA regulations.<br />
Submissions are subject to editing and revision unless specifically requested to be published as submitted. <strong>The</strong> right<br />
is reserved to publish or not, any submission.<br />
Deadline for all submissions is the 20th of the month, approximately 40 days prior to month of publication.<br />
SEPTEMBER 2006 <strong>Comanche</strong> Flyer • 3
C O M A N C H E
Spirit<br />
Cover Story: <strong>Comanche</strong> Spirit<br />
Learning New Languages at the Age of 40 –<br />
<strong>The</strong> Globetrotter<br />
Twin <strong>Comanche</strong><br />
by Jan Brill, ICS #14831<br />
Seriously – how many of my fellow<br />
tribesmen have logged a landing<br />
at Tehran Mehrabad <strong>International</strong><br />
(OIII) with a Twin <strong>Comanche</strong>? Or how<br />
about Phnom Penh in Cambodia?<br />
N7311Y used to be a country girl.<br />
Dutifully flying for the University of<br />
Pennsylvania initially, doing atmospheric<br />
research, later serving with Weather<br />
Modifications Inc., a Fargo, N.D. based<br />
cloud seeding company.<br />
That was – until I was shopping for<br />
a Twin.<br />
At the time I had no idea what I was<br />
looking for. I used to work for a Swiss<br />
Investment Bank in New York City.<br />
Having owned a valiant Grumman Tiger<br />
(AA5B) for a few years in Zurich,<br />
Switzerland I had to fly my trusted single<br />
engine non-turbo, fixed-prop 180 HP<br />
airplane across the North Atlantic when<br />
� Grateful for the improvements and<br />
maintenance, N7311Y served me well<br />
while living in New York City.<br />
moving to New York. That would be a<br />
story of its own, but it was somewhere<br />
on an IFR flight plan on top of the<br />
12,000 foot icecap in Greenland when<br />
I suddenly knew: Darn! I want a twin!<br />
Parting with my beloved Tiger came<br />
first. An airplane that served me well for<br />
many years and even carried me across<br />
the North Atlantic and all the way<br />
aro<strong>und</strong> the United States from Nantucket<br />
to New Orleans to San Francisco and<br />
back to the East Coast – a plane like<br />
this you don’t sell light-hearted. So<br />
rather than putting her on the market,<br />
I searched for a new home. I fo<strong>und</strong> one,<br />
the price was right and the deal was<br />
closed within days.<br />
Continued on Page 6<br />
� After many months of searching, finally in icy North Dakota a clean Turbo PA30 was<br />
fo<strong>und</strong>. Here N7311Y at her new home close to New York City, still in cold temps.
Now came the search for a twin. Even<br />
living in the Big Apple I was easily able<br />
to afford the frugal Grumman. A twin<br />
would eat my lunch, and it did. But<br />
what should I get? Looking at my<br />
budget an Apache came to mind, a Beech<br />
Travellair maybe or even a run-down<br />
tuna tank 310. I had no illusions that<br />
whatever I saved in purchase costs would<br />
have to be paid back in maintenance<br />
twofold. But I wanted a twin!<br />
<strong>The</strong>re was the Grumman Cougar –<br />
sleek, modern, easy to fly, but not cheap.<br />
And then there was the Twin <strong>Comanche</strong>...<br />
Working in a number-crunching environment<br />
aro<strong>und</strong> traders and analysts,<br />
it didn’t take me long to find out that<br />
� <strong>The</strong> flight of a lifetime! Mount Everest on a<br />
VFR flight from Kathmandu in Nepal.<br />
the Turbo Twin Co was a class of its<br />
own when it came to performance, load<br />
carrying capability and operating costs:<br />
It’s giving you Bonanza-like fuel economy<br />
and speed at twin engine safety<br />
(except during takeoff). It was my dream!<br />
But I wasn’t the only person reaching<br />
that conclusion, so prices for turbo<br />
PA30s were high – too high for me.<br />
<strong>The</strong>n 9/11 happened and living right<br />
in Midtown Manhattan the attack put<br />
a hold on many of my plans – as it did<br />
for so many others.<br />
It wasn’t until Spring 2002 that I was<br />
seriously in the market again, when I<br />
fo<strong>und</strong> two Turbo Twin Co’s for sale in<br />
Fargo, N.D.<br />
<strong>The</strong> biggest problem I had so far while<br />
shopping for a twin wasn’t so much<br />
the run-down beaters my budget dictated<br />
me, but rather the very peculiar<br />
attitude of some sellers. Not returning<br />
calls or only reading the first half of<br />
my e-mailed questions were big nonos<br />
when it came to doing business<br />
with someone.<br />
Things were different with the Fargo<br />
Company. Having upgraded most of their<br />
cloud-seeding ships to turboprops or<br />
cabin-class twins, they were getting rid<br />
of their last few PA30s, after operating<br />
more than 20 of them over the years.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y replied to my e-mails and returned<br />
calls! From the first contact, I knew I<br />
could do business with these people.<br />
Scratching together my last pennies<br />
and negotiating the asking price down<br />
to my best ability, we finally made a<br />
deal. From the two Turbo Twin Co’s they<br />
had for sale, I wanted N7311Y – the older<br />
one (1964) but the clean one without<br />
STOL or other options I would not have<br />
chosen for my type of operations.<br />
A pre-buy was arranged, the price was<br />
lowered again and the deal was closed.<br />
Being an FBO and flight school, the<br />
Fargo Company had very experienced<br />
Twin Co instructors available so my<br />
checkout was no problem.<br />
Continued on Page 8<br />
� Versatility: Taking off from<br />
small grass strips or flying across<br />
the globe. <strong>The</strong> PA30 can do it all!
SEPTEMBER 2006 <strong>Comanche</strong> Flyer • 7
� Sharing a weekend trip with friends<br />
in the PA30 (Jan is second from right).<br />
<strong>The</strong> seven-plus hours I acquired for<br />
my ME-CPL a few years earlier only<br />
provided the most basic set of skills. A<br />
thorough checkout was required. And<br />
thorough it was. I spent several days<br />
up in ice cold North Dakota, not only<br />
flying the airplane but also taking it<br />
apart and getting to know its quirks<br />
and particularities.<br />
Of course the first annual I went<br />
through in New York was a nightmare.<br />
Not as bad as I expected, but still rather<br />
horrible. So the twin did eat my lunch –<br />
and then some! But it served me well<br />
for two more years in New York, flying<br />
about 100 hours per year for business<br />
and pleasure, even leaving some room in<br />
the maintenance budget for improvements<br />
(with significant “owner assistance”)<br />
– a modern panel, a new basic<br />
interior, Webco-Nacelle-Tanks, an RNAV-<br />
Approved Approach GPS (cheap, cheap<br />
– KLN89B) and an alternator to replace<br />
the fading generator on the left.<br />
It wasn’t until a connecting rod for<br />
the right-hand throttle broke (just after<br />
departure from Newark on my way to<br />
my homebase (KFRG) at 500 feet over<br />
the ice-cold New York harbor) that I<br />
fully appreciated that I had a twin!<br />
<strong>The</strong> remaining engine safely pulled me<br />
and my sister up to a safe altitude (sure,<br />
we were light and it was cold!) and<br />
propelled us though the January night<br />
to a safe and uneventful landing at<br />
Farmingdale Republic Field (KFRG).<br />
That would have been very different<br />
in my Tiger!<br />
In early 2004, I decided for a rather<br />
drastic career-change. When the owner<br />
and fo<strong>und</strong>er of one of Germany’s most<br />
prominent general aviation magazine<br />
suddenly died in 2003, the heirs were<br />
looking for a successor. Having worked<br />
� N7311Y in its new environment: Europe. Seen here at the historic airport of Berlin<br />
Tempelhof, site of the legendary Berlin Airlift of 1948/49.<br />
with this charismatic gentleman before,<br />
I was somehow on their shortlist.<br />
After some serious haggling with<br />
myself, I decided to quit my bank job<br />
and plunge into the life as managing<br />
editor in a small aviation publishing<br />
company in Europe. <strong>The</strong> magazine we<br />
publish can best be described as a<br />
German language blend between<br />
Aviation Consumer and IFR-Magazine.<br />
Besides that, we host seminars, organize<br />
trips and publish various other guides<br />
and media.<br />
<strong>The</strong> company has a 25-year track<br />
record of fiercely defending pilots and<br />
general aviation interests in the European<br />
aviation mess and a strong and loyal<br />
base of subscribers prove the case.<br />
Over the years the company always<br />
operated regular general aviation airplanes<br />
for its purposes, setting it apart<br />
from its German language competitors:<br />
magazines published by major publishing<br />
houses whose staff rarely see an<br />
ILS-approach in earnest or a removed<br />
cylinder in all its oily beauty.<br />
In short, we’re the only magazine<br />
actively flying and breathing general<br />
aviation in the three German speaking<br />
countries – that’s what I wanted and<br />
that’s what I signed up for. But at the<br />
time of its fo<strong>und</strong>er’s death, the company<br />
operated a MU-2B. That, I decided – was<br />
too much. Before that they operated several<br />
Aerostars and 414s.<br />
Looking at the prospect of a rocky<br />
transition from a charismatic owner/<br />
fo<strong>und</strong>er to a relative newcomer like me,<br />
I decided for a less costly company<br />
airplane – my Twin <strong>Comanche</strong>! After<br />
all, the company had operated a Turbo<br />
PA30 for several years in the late 1980s<br />
and it had proven its merits as a fast,<br />
safe and economic workhorse.<br />
Not needing the pressurized cabin,<br />
it was a slam dunk and in April 2004,<br />
after installing an STEC-30 Autopilot,<br />
N7311Y left the United States for the<br />
first time and flew – safely, fast and<br />
without complaining – over the North<br />
Atlantic to its new home in Straubing<br />
Germany (EDMS).<br />
In its 40th year of flying, the old lady<br />
was now about to learn a new language.<br />
And since European bureaucracy isn’t<br />
particularly fond of old general aviation<br />
airplanes, I decided to leave 11Y on the<br />
U.S. register. With the help of Lloyd<br />
Nelson, an FAA-DAR and a good friend,<br />
who had already helped me get the Tiger<br />
ready for its ferry flight, a trust was set<br />
up to make it all legal.<br />
<strong>The</strong> company (of course) has changed<br />
a lot since the days when the first Twin<br />
8 • <strong>Comanche</strong> Flyer SEPTEMBER 2006
<strong>Comanche</strong> served in the late 1980s.<br />
We’re now in the business of organizing<br />
an intercontinental trip (called<br />
“Leserreise”) every two years for people<br />
who wish to fly their high-performance<br />
general aviation airplanes to remote<br />
locations such as Alaska, Australia or<br />
South Africa.<br />
We do this mostly for the PR that<br />
comes with it and – let’s be honest – for<br />
the heck of it! Our job: Organizing the<br />
trip! This means basically flying the<br />
intended route a few months in advance<br />
to scout out all the problems and issues,<br />
sort them out, make sure Avgas is available<br />
and repeat the thing with a flock<br />
of 10-15 airplanes a few months later.<br />
<strong>The</strong> average airplane on these trips<br />
is a cabin class twin or turboprop. Let’s<br />
say a 340, ranging up to a PC12 or a<br />
Cheyenne III. <strong>The</strong>re’re also Turbo-<br />
Mooneys and Senecas in the crowd, but<br />
our Twin <strong>Comanche</strong> is definitely on the<br />
lower end of the performance envelope.<br />
Here is what I’ve learned: While<br />
11Y is already serving us well for our<br />
regular business trips within Europe<br />
(300 – 1,000 NM), this girl can do so<br />
much more! Outfitted with tip- and<br />
nacelle-tanks its range (140 USG) and<br />
speed (170-190 KTAS) make it a true<br />
globetrotter!<br />
So in early 2005 a coworker and me<br />
set out to prepare the 2005 “Leserreise”<br />
– a trip all the way from Europe to China,<br />
stopping in Iran, Pakistan, India, Nepal,<br />
Thailand and Laos on the way east; and<br />
in Cambodia, India, Oman, Bahrain<br />
and Jordan on the way back.<br />
To cut a long story short, 11Y did<br />
just great! All the way from the hotand-high<br />
conditions of Iran, the extreme<br />
environment in the Himalaya to the<br />
jungle of Laos and Cambodia, the Twin<br />
flew wonderfully.<br />
<strong>The</strong>re were problems with SAP-<br />
Millennium cylinders installed during<br />
engine overhaul a few months earlier,<br />
causing us to stop in Amman, Jordan<br />
for maintenance, but they were sorted<br />
out. Let me say that I’m flying Lycoming<br />
cylinders now and the costs were picked<br />
up by Superior.<br />
On the actual main-trip in late 2005,<br />
when the group was with us, 11Y did<br />
marvelously again! Way faster than the<br />
Senecas in the group, equally fuel efficient<br />
than the Mooney M20M and with<br />
a better load carrying capability (on<br />
ultra long range trips of 1,000+ NM),<br />
than even the Cessna 340; the Twin Co<br />
proved all the reasons why I had initially<br />
spent my last penny on that design.<br />
SEPTEMBER 2006<br />
One example: On a flight from Taipei,<br />
Taiwan (RCTP) to Siem Reap, Cambodia<br />
(VDSR), N7311Y flew 1,211 NM across<br />
the South China Sea and Vietnam with<br />
140 USG fuel on board in spite of constant<br />
headwinds, arriving with more<br />
than 90 minutes of fuel left!<br />
A Cheyenne IIIa, flying the same<br />
route as part of our group, had to divert<br />
to Hong Kong for fuel. It has to be said<br />
for fairness, that while we had on average<br />
5-10 KTS headwind down low, the<br />
Turboprop was faced with 20-30 KTS<br />
at altitude, but it <strong>und</strong>erlines the versatility<br />
of the PA30 to be able to fly<br />
fuel efficient in a wide range of altitude<br />
levels.<br />
Many of the larger Twins (C303, C340,<br />
Seneca) did not even attempt the flight<br />
on that day. On these ultra-long-range<br />
challenges, the Twin Co was only second<br />
to the powerful PC12 and a highly<br />
modified Turbine-Bonanza.<br />
(All the events and impressions from<br />
these two flights to the Far East would<br />
prove too much for this column, but I<br />
have assured Kim that we could feature<br />
the trip in future Flyers.)<br />
Flying across the globe of course is<br />
the exception. On a daily basis 11Y flies<br />
for business, carrying me and/or staff<br />
members on an average of 200-500 NM<br />
trips throughout Europe.<br />
And N7311Y – affectionately christened<br />
“Gretchen” by a good friend of<br />
mine from New York – has come a long<br />
� EDM engine monitor,<br />
Approach-GPS,<br />
large Moving Map<br />
(MT Vision Air). <strong>The</strong><br />
cockpit of 11Y is a<br />
workplace, not so<br />
much an avionics<br />
showroom. However,<br />
the airplane has to<br />
perform reliably and<br />
economically<br />
for business….<br />
� ...and for pleasure!<br />
Arriving at Endelave,<br />
a beautiful island on<br />
Denmark for a<br />
weekand getaway.<br />
way since its days as a basic cloudseeder<br />
in Fargo, N.D. It now has a modern<br />
panel layout, a basic (but clean)<br />
new interior, an approach-certified GPS,<br />
the STEC-30 two axis autopilot, a large<br />
moving map (MT Vision Air) including<br />
WX-uplink, realtime ATC-flight plan<br />
submission, Terrain Warning and WX-<br />
500 Stormscope display, backup gyros,<br />
an engine overhaul, nacelle tanks, tip<br />
tanks, alternators, lightweight starters<br />
and finally last winter a new paint job!<br />
Flying now aro<strong>und</strong> 200 hours a year<br />
mostly for business, I’m planning to get<br />
many more hours out of this exceptional<br />
aircraft.<br />
What I value most about the Turbo<br />
PA30 is the versatility of the design.<br />
While it’s an airplane that you can fairly<br />
easily circumnavigate the globe with,<br />
you can also take off from your favorite<br />
500-meter (1,600-foot) grass strip near<br />
the beach and fly with four people and<br />
enough fuel on board to go 500 NM.<br />
It’s giving you Bonanza-like fuel efficiency<br />
and almost the load hauling<br />
characteristics of a C210. All that at<br />
twin engine safety and (for turbo PA30s)<br />
a single engine service ceiling well<br />
above Europe’s highest mountains or<br />
Greenland’s dreaded icecap.<br />
Even when comparing it to newer<br />
designs such as the DA42 (which we<br />
tested intensively) it’s simply the best<br />
light twin design on the market as<br />
long as you don’t require the pressurized<br />
cabin.<br />
Jan Brill, born November 5, 1974 is<br />
managing editor of <strong>Pilot</strong> <strong>und</strong> <strong>Flugzeug</strong>,<br />
Germany’s leading general aviation magazine:<br />
www.pilot<strong>und</strong>flugzeug.de. You can<br />
contact him at jan.brill@pilot<strong>und</strong>flugzeug.de
2006-2007 ICS BOARD OF DIRECTORS & TRIBE REPRESENTATIVES<br />
President:<br />
Lawrence Paratz, ICS #12475, AU Tribe<br />
11 Wrixon St., Kew<br />
Melbourne, VIC 3101<br />
Australia<br />
Ph: +61-3-9817-1222 Fax: +61-3-9817-2088<br />
Email: LParatz@bigpond.com<br />
Vice President:<br />
Dave Fitzgerald, ICS #10297, NC Tribe<br />
5393 Hillsboro Ave. SE<br />
Canton, OH 44707-1167<br />
Ph: (330) 484-4609<br />
Email: aaviator@neo.rr.com<br />
Secretary:<br />
Dorothy Meadows, ICS #6723, NC Tribe<br />
1500 Odette<br />
Hartland, MI 48353<br />
Ph: (810) 632-9588<br />
Email: dotmeadows@comcast.com<br />
Treasurer:<br />
Don Nelson, ICS #118, NW Tribe<br />
925 Ludwick Ave.<br />
Blaine, WA 98230-5109<br />
Ph/Fax: (360) 332-2743 Cell: (360) 305-0286<br />
Email: nelsbldg@msn.com<br />
Past President:<br />
Karl Hipp, ICS #10241, MS Tribe<br />
131 Beaver Lane<br />
Redstone, CO 81623-8763<br />
Ph: (970) 963-3755 Cell: (970) 948-5776<br />
Email: khipp@rof.net<br />
CFF President: (non-voting)<br />
Harley McGatha, ICS #11687, SE Tribe<br />
50 Country Rd. 537<br />
Centre, AL 35960<br />
Ph: (256) 927-5044 Cell: (256) 484-1738<br />
Email: comanche@tds.net<br />
TRIBE REPRESENTATIVES &<br />
CHIEFS:<br />
South East:<br />
Tribe Chief Charles Littwin, ICS #14809<br />
108 Amelia Lane<br />
Mooresville, NC 28117-8457<br />
Ph: (704) 799-2989 Wrk: (704) 528-1130<br />
Fax: (704) 799-2981 Cell: (704) 658-7910<br />
Email: chas4949@adelphia.net<br />
North East:<br />
Tribe Chief Bill Harris, ICS #13820<br />
4069 Shadowland Dr.<br />
Radford, VA 24141<br />
Hm: (540) 633-2567 Cell: (540) 818-3540<br />
Wrk: (540) 731-4772 Fax: (540) 731-0543<br />
Email: bill@motioncontrol.org<br />
North Central:<br />
Tribe Chief Dave Fitzgerald, ICS #10297<br />
5393 Hillsboro Ave. SE<br />
Canton, OH 44707-1167<br />
Ph: (330) 484-4609<br />
Email: aaviator@neo.rr.com<br />
Mid States:<br />
Tribe Rep/A.TC Mark Pfeifer, ICS #14817<br />
PO Box 342 B<br />
Marshall, MN 56258<br />
Ph: (507) 532-0439 Cell: (507) 829-5889<br />
Email: mpfeifer@i2roam.com<br />
Tribe Chief Dale McCaslin, ICS #15639<br />
2300 NE Barry Rd<br />
Kansas City, KS 64155<br />
Ph: (816) 436-0272 Fax: (816) 436-0003<br />
Email: dmccaslin@sbcglobal.net<br />
South Central:<br />
Tribe Rep Dale Vandever, ICS #2826<br />
12603 Mile Drive<br />
Houston, TX 77065-1303<br />
Ph/Fax: (281) 469-2435<br />
Tribe Chief Bruce Thumann, ICS #14028<br />
6618 Avenel Drive<br />
Pasadena, TX 77505<br />
Ph: (281) 487-5782 Cell: (713) 875-3056<br />
Email: bruce@contractbuilderssupply.com<br />
South West:<br />
Tribe Chief Lorne Harmon, ICS #12436<br />
1491 Northridge<br />
Prescott, AZ 86301<br />
Ph: (928) 717-2630<br />
Email: flying@cableone.net<br />
North West:<br />
Tribe Rep/Sec Shirley Nelson, ICS #14897<br />
925 Ludwick Ave<br />
Blaine, WA 98230<br />
Ph: (360) 671-7388 Cell: (360) 305-0287<br />
Email: sanelson7@msn.com<br />
Tribe Chief Jay Hulbert, ICS #15334<br />
54967 East Kirkwood Dr.<br />
Sandy, OR 97055<br />
Ph: (503) 702-6403<br />
Email: jhulbert@igpco.com<br />
W. Canada:<br />
Tribe Chief Don Ostergard, ICS #3263<br />
Box 2550<br />
Drumheller AB T0J 0Y0 Canada<br />
Wrk: (403) 823-9326 Fax: (403) 823-9183<br />
Hm: (403) 823-8813 Cell: (403) 823-0405<br />
Email: c-flhv@telus.net<br />
E. Canada:<br />
Tribe Chief Bruce MacRitche, ICS #10998<br />
PO Box 244<br />
Welland ONT K0A 1L0 Canada<br />
Ph: (905) 295-4968 905-735-7773<br />
Email: wacctr@iaw.on.ca<br />
Europe:<br />
ICS Rep Monica Rehkopf, ICS #14462<br />
85570 Siggenhofen, Germany<br />
Hm: 49-8121-229333 Fax: 49-8121 229 332<br />
Email: mrehkopf@omnijet.de<br />
Tribe Chief Dave Sheppard, ICS #14629<br />
Lipstone Cottage<br />
Cansey Lane, Wix<br />
Essex, CO11 2RJ, UK<br />
Ph: 01255-870061<br />
Email: david@sheppardracing.frees<br />
S. Africa:<br />
Tribe Chief Fred Morrison, ICS #15438<br />
PO Box 3912, Midrand Gauteng<br />
1685 South Africa<br />
Hm: 27-11-314-8181 Fax: 27-11-314-8182<br />
email: fjm@telkomsa.net<br />
Australia:<br />
Tribe Chief John Macknight, ICS #596<br />
PO Box 356<br />
Deniliquin NSW 2710; Australia<br />
Hm: 61-3-5881 6000<br />
Mbl: 61-427 694008<br />
Email: jjmacknight@bigpond.com<br />
2006-07 ICS Standing<br />
Committees & Chairpersons:<br />
Historical: None<br />
Communications – Chair:<br />
Mark Pfeifer, MS<br />
Technical – Overall Chair:<br />
John vanBladeren, NW<br />
Maintenance – Chair:<br />
Karl Hipp, MS<br />
Operations – Chair:<br />
Bill Harris, NE<br />
Finance & Budget – Chair:<br />
Don Nelson, NW<br />
Parts: None<br />
Revised 8-01-06 by Secretary Don Nelson,<br />
updates in bold.<br />
Further changes/corrections will follow,<br />
as they are made available.<br />
Bylaws, Standing & Special<br />
Rules – Chair:<br />
Don Nelson, NW<br />
Nominating – Chair:<br />
Skip Dykema, SE<br />
Flagship: None<br />
Elections – Chair:<br />
Harley McGatha, SE<br />
Long Range Planning – Chair:<br />
Lawrence Paratz, AU<br />
Marketing – Chair:<br />
Bill Schnauffer, NC<br />
10 • <strong>Comanche</strong> Flyer SEPTEMBER 2006
CFF-Trained CFIs<br />
Certified flight instructors who have<br />
completed the CFF Larry Larkin Seminar<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>International</strong> <strong>Comanche</strong> <strong>Society</strong>, Inc. (ICS)<br />
publishes this list in the spirit of open discussion<br />
and the opinions, statements and claims made<br />
by the instructors are their own and not of the<br />
<strong>Society</strong> (ICS). <strong>The</strong> listed CFIs have <strong>und</strong>ergone an<br />
extensive training program specialized in the<br />
<strong>Comanche</strong>s. ICS assumes no responsibility for any<br />
actions between its members and the listed CFIs.<br />
Pete Anderson – TX<br />
Single, (817) 279-1627<br />
peterk48@msn.com<br />
Samuel Appavoo – Canada<br />
Twin, (519) 524-7301<br />
appavoo@cabletv.ca<br />
James Bates – AZ<br />
Single, (480) 837-3836<br />
jbates747@msn.com<br />
Kevin C. Baun – OH<br />
Twin, (740) 881-9878<br />
kbaun@columbus.rr.com<br />
Sheldon Bresin – CA<br />
Single & Twin, (909) 629-2626<br />
shellflycfii@verizon.net<br />
Orlando Brown – OK<br />
Single, (405) 376-4056<br />
c172@worldnet.att.net<br />
Dennis Carew – WI<br />
Twin & Single<br />
(262) 250-3136 / (920) 749-9558<br />
dcarew@enerconmail.com<br />
Charles Classen – IL<br />
Single, (815) 269-2552<br />
classaero@msn.com<br />
Linda Dowdy – MN<br />
Twin, (763) 753-1571<br />
lindowdy@visi.com<br />
William Harris – VA<br />
Single & Twin, (540) 731-4772<br />
bill@motioncontrol.org<br />
Ira Menin – IA<br />
Single, (712) 239-5142<br />
iracomman@aol.com<br />
Eric Schlanser – MI<br />
Single, (616) 382-3709<br />
eschlanser@yahoo.com<br />
Dave Stewart – IN<br />
Single, (219) 462-0182<br />
comanchedave@ATTB1.com<br />
Roger Wentowski – AL<br />
Single, (205) 290-8401<br />
rwentowski@btsal.com<br />
Larry J. Whitbeck - IL<br />
Single, (217) 732-9704<br />
lwhitbeck@abelink.com<br />
Steve Zaboji – VA<br />
Single & Twin, (703) 471-1764<br />
SZaboji@aol.com<br />
COMANCHE FLYER FOUNDATION, INC.<br />
Maurice Taylor Video Programs<br />
Take advantage of Maurice’s expert knowledge, captured on these<br />
professionally produced videos. Great tools for mechanics, too.<br />
Program 1: Preflight Walk-aro<strong>und</strong><br />
Program 2: Tech Tips: A Closer Look<br />
Program 3: <strong>Comanche</strong> Landing Gear<br />
Program 4: Single <strong>Comanche</strong> Flight Tips<br />
Program 5: Twin <strong>Comanche</strong> Flight Tips<br />
(Programs 1-3 apply to both the single and twin models.)<br />
Now Available on DVD (all five programs on one DVD.)<br />
DVD each $101.00 plus shipping (North America $4.00, elsewhere $7.00)<br />
Special Sale on Videotapes (while supplies last). One program per tape.<br />
Specify programs desired and VHS or PAL tape format.<br />
Tapes each $25.00 (regular price $39.95) plus shipping,<br />
or all five for $100.00 plus shipping (North America: $2.00 plus $2.00 per tape;<br />
elsewhere: $6.00 plus $3.00 per tape.)<br />
Books<br />
Into the Wind: <strong>The</strong> Story of Max Conrad by Sally Buegeleisen<br />
Enjoy this account of the life and feats of legendary pilot Max Conrad, including<br />
his record setting flights in our own <strong>Comanche</strong> N110LF. pb, 264pp.<br />
Price: $21.50 plus shipping (North America: $5.00: elsewhere: $12.00.)<br />
PA-30 & Multi-Engine Flying by Alice S. Fuchs. pb, 68pp.<br />
Price $9.00 plus shipping (North America: $2.00; elsewhere: $4.50.)<br />
Please fill out to order<br />
Please circle items above and indicate any multiple quantities. Be certain to<br />
specify DVD or tapes, and format (VHS or PAL) and programs desired for tape orders.<br />
Item(s) cost: __________ Add all shipping: __________ Order Total: __________<br />
Mail to: CFF c/o Henry A. Spellman, 111 Park Place, Lincoln, IL 62656-1529<br />
Telephone & Fax: (217) 732-8425 / E-Mail: hank@abelink.com<br />
Enclose check, money order, or credit card information. U.S. f<strong>und</strong>s only.<br />
Credit card information: Discover MasterCard Visa<br />
Card Number: ____________________________________Expiration Date: ______________<br />
Signature: __________________________________________V Code (Visa only): __________<br />
Ship to name: __________________________________________________________________<br />
Street Address: ________________________________________________________________<br />
City: ______________________________________________________State: ______________<br />
Zip Code: ________________________________Country: ____________________________<br />
Telephone:______________________________E-Mail: ________________________________<br />
SEPTEMBER 2006 <strong>Comanche</strong> Flyer • 11
Technically Speaking<br />
Upgrading Supplemental<br />
Oxygen Will Lighten<br />
Your<br />
Figure 1:<br />
Nelson A-4 Flow Meter<br />
LOADby<br />
Chris Burns, ICS #9680<br />
For thirteen years I hauled aro<strong>und</strong> a 35po<strong>und</strong><br />
oxygen bottle attached to my PA-30.<br />
As my family grew, I increasingly looked<br />
for ways to cut empty weight so that I could<br />
haul the additional payload without sacrificing<br />
fuel. Lightweight starters and alternators helped<br />
nip away at the empty weight. So did a huge<br />
box of excess wiring that I removed during a<br />
panel modification. When my son invited his<br />
180-po<strong>und</strong> roommate for our 2003 Thanksgiving<br />
trip to the Bahamas, I looked at the large green<br />
steel cylinder behind the baggage compartment<br />
and decided it had to go.<br />
Give up my oxygen? This seemed<br />
like the simplest solution – and the<br />
cheapest. Most of my flights are flown<br />
between 8,000 and 11,000 feet – not<br />
exactly nosebleed territory. But over<br />
the years, using supplemental oxygen has reduced my fatigue<br />
at the end of a full day of flying and has helped me feel better<br />
the next day. I also consider supplemental oxygen an essential<br />
for night flying. I determined giving up supplemental oxygen<br />
was not an acceptable answer. I considered a portable seat-back<br />
bottle but decided against it because a built-in system is<br />
totally out of the way until it is needed and then it is always<br />
available – even if you were not planning on needing oxygen.<br />
So, rather than chuck the built-in oxygen capability altogether,<br />
the search was on for a lighter built-in oxygen supply that<br />
would provide adequate support for my type of flying.<br />
Figure 2:<br />
OXYGEN DURATION (Hours)<br />
WITH 22 CU FT CAPACITY<br />
(1850 PSI) using Nelson A-4<br />
Oximizer TM Oxygen Dispensers<br />
Oxygen supply and delivery has changed since the birth<br />
of the <strong>Comanche</strong>. Oxygen cylinders have evolved from the<br />
need for thick-walled containers to lightweight aluminum<br />
containers wrapped with high-strength carbon fibers. Flow<br />
rates for on-demand supplemental oxygen have also dropped<br />
dramatically by using delivery devices like the Nelson A-4<br />
Oximizer TM shown in Figure 1. Scott Aviation (now AVOX)<br />
manufactures a line of Kevlar wrapped aluminum cylinders<br />
and regulators known as their 895 series that is a direct<br />
replacement for older units. I studied the weights and<br />
dimensions of these units and fo<strong>und</strong> that a 22-cubic-foot<br />
bottle could be mounted between the existing fuselage<br />
mounts for the larger steel bottle. With a full charge of oxygen,<br />
the 22-cubic-foot cylinder weighed just 7.8 po<strong>und</strong>s.<br />
Would 22-cubic-feet of oxygen provide enough supply?<br />
<strong>The</strong> Nelson A-4 Oximizers TM use just .3 liters per minute<br />
when set for 10,000 feet. Using flow rates for different altitude<br />
settings provided for the A-4 Flowmeter and doing some<br />
conversions from cubic feet to liters, I constructed Figure 2<br />
below to see how far 22 cubic feet of oxygen would go. <strong>The</strong><br />
last column in Figure 2 shows the oxygen duration using<br />
standard constant flow masks at two liters per minute. With<br />
the Oxymizer’s set to 10,000 feet, I could suck gas for 34<br />
hours or four of us could use oxygen for over eight hours – this<br />
seemed like a plentiful supply.<br />
I placed a call to Scott Aviation’s technical support to find<br />
out which regulator matched the characteristics of the original<br />
installation. <strong>The</strong>se characteristics included input and output<br />
pressures/flow rates and the actuating geometry. <strong>The</strong> original<br />
Cruise Altitude<br />
Users 10,000 12,000 14,000 16,000 18,000 2LPM<br />
1 34.2 25.7 20.5 17.1 13.7 5.1<br />
2 17.1 12.8 10.3 8.6 6.8 2.6<br />
3 11.4 8.6 6.8 5.7 4.6 1.7<br />
4 8.6 6.4 5.1 4.3 3.4 1.3<br />
12 • <strong>Comanche</strong> Flyer SEPTEMBER 2006
Figure 3<br />
63.5 cubic-feet cylinder and regulator assembly, called out on the<br />
Piper Drawing 25432, is Scott P/N 800112-12. Scott compared<br />
the characteristics of this original installation (shown in Figure 3)<br />
to their new line of bottles/regulators and recommended a<br />
bottle/regulator assembly (P/N 895-09022) that included a<br />
22-cubic-foot capacity composite cylinder and a regulator<br />
(P/N 803214). New cylinder brackets (P/N 800644-00) would<br />
also be required because the new bottle has a much smaller<br />
diameter than the original. <strong>The</strong> final step in the plan was to<br />
design an adapter that would transition from the bolt-hole<br />
spacing of for the larger diameter bottle brackets to the<br />
bolt-hole spacing of the smaller brackets. Figure 4 shows<br />
the new bottle brackets attached to the adapters.<br />
Figure 5<br />
I brought the local FSDO into the project from the very<br />
beginning. <strong>The</strong>y approved the submitted data for field approval<br />
and the new bottle and regulator assembly was ordered and<br />
installed with little difficulty. <strong>The</strong> fittings from the old regulator<br />
had to be transferred to the new regulator. <strong>The</strong> new regulator<br />
was fitted with a thermal discharge port and a short piece<br />
of aluminum tubing was fabricated to provide a discharge<br />
path in the event of thermal discharge. See Figure 5 for the<br />
final installation.<br />
Scott Aviation, one of the truly old aviation names, has gone<br />
through numerous changes since this project was <strong>und</strong>ertaken.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y were bought by TYCO <strong>International</strong> who kept their<br />
fire-safety line of products and spun off the aviation products<br />
to the French company Zodiak, S.A. However, the original<br />
Scott Aviation products are still sold and serviced by AVOX<br />
of Irvine, Calif. (www.avoxinc.com or 949-727-3844). For<br />
anyone who would like more details on this installation,<br />
please feel free to drop me a line.<br />
Chris Burns has owned N8000, a 1965 PA-30 since 1991.<br />
He can be reached at cgburns@earthlink.net.<br />
Figure 4
ONLINE INTELLIGENCE<br />
Technically Speaking<br />
Alternator Problems<br />
<strong>The</strong> following is from a series of<br />
online postings from the <strong>Comanche</strong>’s<br />
Owner’s Forum. <strong>The</strong>se postings are provided<br />
for informational purposes only.<br />
<strong>The</strong> views expressed in these postings<br />
represent the opinions of individual<br />
<strong>Comanche</strong> owners and have not been<br />
vetted by the ICS technical committee.<br />
As a responsible pilot and aircraft<br />
owner, you should always seek the<br />
advice from an experienced, trusted<br />
source, such as your A&P or CFFapproved<br />
CFI, before applying any of<br />
the techniques or recommendations<br />
presented in these postings.<br />
<strong>The</strong> postings are printed as they<br />
appeared in the Forum. Due to space<br />
considerations, we are publishing only<br />
selected posts.<br />
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––<br />
I have a 1960 250 with an Alcor<br />
alternator conversion on it. About 15<br />
hours ago I was doing the run up away<br />
from home and I noticed that the<br />
alternator was not showing a charge on<br />
the ammeter. We checked everything<br />
visible before we flew home (about 15<br />
minutes away) and fo<strong>und</strong> nothing<br />
wrong. I pulled the alternator off and<br />
had it checked and overhauled at a<br />
local shop. After it was repaired with<br />
new brushes, new diode package and<br />
general cleanup I reinstalled it. <strong>The</strong><br />
charging system worked excellent for<br />
about 10 hours and now sometimes<br />
the alternator will drop offline and<br />
not start charging again until I put a<br />
load on the system by turning on both<br />
landing lights on and then off. After<br />
that simple load, the alternator works<br />
great. I have checked connections for<br />
broken or loose wires with nothing<br />
fo<strong>und</strong>. I did talk to the folks in San<br />
Antonio and they think that it may be<br />
a bad connection also. I know this is long<br />
winded, but I am at a loss where to look.<br />
Does anybody have a suggestion? I have<br />
hooked up a digital volt meter to the<br />
outlet and confirmed the voltage when<br />
online is 14 volts and drops to 12<br />
volts. Thanks for any help.<br />
Ed Taylor, ICS #14510<br />
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––<br />
During my last alternator episode, our<br />
local shop sent us back to get the voltage<br />
regulator. <strong>The</strong>y tested both (alternator<br />
and regulator), together and separately.<br />
This time it was a bad regulator.<br />
Rich<br />
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––<br />
While the connections may look good,<br />
I would suspect the wire that connects<br />
to the brushes. It is the small thin wire<br />
that goes between the regulator (marked<br />
field) and the brushes (the small tab<br />
protruding from the back of the alternator).<br />
If the end was crimped on<br />
using excessive pressure, several or<br />
all of the strands of wire could have<br />
fractured. <strong>The</strong> only thing holding everything<br />
together would then be the outside<br />
skin. This wire supplies the field<br />
voltage to the alternator. If it is intermittent,<br />
the alternator will drop offline.<br />
A simple check is to grab hold of the<br />
wire and give it a tug. If it comes apart,<br />
that’s your problem. It is the only line<br />
that can cause this problem. If the end<br />
isn’t fractured, you may want to consider<br />
replacing the entire line. It’s a<br />
good idea to make sure that the line is<br />
anchored and can’t flop aro<strong>und</strong> in the<br />
breeze. That can also cause the individual<br />
strands of wire to break, eventually<br />
causing a failure.<br />
Dave Gitelman<br />
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––<br />
Inter-Av (Alcor) has a web site<br />
(www.inter-av.com/alternator.htm)<br />
with troubleshooting advice. A phone<br />
number is listed for customer support<br />
too. I hope this helps.<br />
Brian<br />
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––<br />
Your idea is what I am really expecting<br />
to have to do. However in the mean<br />
time I was planning on installing a volt<br />
meter in the extra hole in panel and<br />
see if any thing shows in flight. Do you<br />
think that may help to see if it drops<br />
rapidly offline or [if there’s] a slow<br />
lowering of voltage before it drops offline.<br />
I have the great luck of the most odd-ball<br />
problems. Hope you are getting better.<br />
Cheers,<br />
Ed Taylor, ICS #14510<br />
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––<br />
Dave-<br />
I will look again at all the wires like<br />
you have suggested. Last time it was<br />
a bad connection. I thought that we<br />
had corrected all the bad crimps and<br />
bad wires. <strong>The</strong> last annual in June is<br />
when I started chasing all of these little<br />
quirks. I hope that I may have missed<br />
something. Thanks for the ideas.<br />
Cheers,<br />
Ed Taylor<br />
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––<br />
Brian-<br />
Thanks for the contact info. I talked<br />
to one of their techs and had him suggest<br />
that he had seen a similar problem on<br />
Cessna 182 and it was the master solenoid.<br />
He said it may be the gro<strong>und</strong> wire<br />
or burned contacts. When I find the<br />
problem I will let everyone know.<br />
Thanks for the ideas.<br />
Cheers,<br />
Ed Taylor<br />
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––<br />
I think the easiest thing to do is get<br />
the regulator checked. If the regulator<br />
and alternator are both okay, all you can<br />
do is keep looking. I’m no electrical<br />
system expert, but my experiences have<br />
been with regulators and alternators.<br />
Rich<br />
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––<br />
Continued on Page 16<br />
14 • <strong>Comanche</strong> Flyer SEPTEMBER 2006
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SEPTEMBER 2006 <strong>Comanche</strong> Flyer • 15
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Ed,<br />
You can pick up a voltmeter that<br />
fits in the cigar lighter from an auto<br />
parts store for about $10.<br />
Steve<br />
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––<br />
Hi Ed<br />
I also have a 1960 250 and last year<br />
did the alternator conversion and did<br />
a lot of reading up on the charging<br />
system. One thing that became evident<br />
was the merit of adding a separate<br />
on/off field switch for the alternator.<br />
How it works is that at start up, you<br />
switch the alternator OFF, this provides<br />
more juice to the starter and more importantly<br />
eliminated spikes to the charging<br />
system and over voltage situation caused<br />
during the starting process. This can be<br />
seen as a “short” to the system by the<br />
over voltage regulator which will kick in<br />
and switch the alternator off line to<br />
compensate for the apparent “short.”<br />
Once the engine is running, then switch<br />
the alternator ON, notice the Ammeter<br />
reading go up, to replace the charge<br />
from the battery taken to start the<br />
engine, this should slowly reduce to<br />
zero as the charge is replaced.<br />
I added a voltmeter as well to see the<br />
charging system generate about 14 volts<br />
even when the ammeter is at zero. If for<br />
some reason in flight the alternator goes<br />
off line, you can cycle the alternator<br />
on and off using the alternator field<br />
on/off switch without having to go the<br />
master on/off routine. Shut the alternator<br />
off again as the last thing when<br />
you shut the engine down.<br />
Right now you probably have a loose<br />
wire or the voltage regulator is toast.<br />
Add an alternator field switch to help<br />
the charging system, if you don’t have<br />
one already.<br />
For more info and reading go here:<br />
www.nflite.com/ChargingSystem.html.<br />
Good Luck, let us know how you<br />
make out.<br />
Ivan<br />
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––<br />
I want to thank everyone for all of<br />
the good ideas. I plan to spend this<br />
weekend checking and hope to find a<br />
simple repair. <strong>The</strong> prop will be ready<br />
tomorrow for another 500 hours so let<br />
the fun begin.<br />
Ed Taylor, ICS #14510<br />
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––<br />
Our thanks to Dale Vandever for<br />
compiling this text. You can view these<br />
messages in the context of the entire<br />
discussion by going to: http://forums.<br />
delphiforums.com/comancheflyer.<br />
16 • <strong>Comanche</strong> Flyer SEPTEMBER 2006
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SEPTEMBER 2006 <strong>Comanche</strong> Flyer • 17
<strong>Pilot</strong> Pointers<br />
It Should Not Happen to You<br />
<strong>Comanche</strong> Accidents for June 2006 and a Case<br />
by Omri Talmon, ICS #7949<br />
<strong>Comanche</strong> Accidents,<br />
June 2006<br />
6.1<br />
Make/Model: PA24<br />
Date: 06/17/2006<br />
Location: Houghton Lake, Mich.<br />
Description: Aircraft landed gear up.<br />
One person on board, no injuries.<br />
Damage: Substantial<br />
6.2<br />
Make/Model: PA24<br />
Date: 06/16/2006<br />
Location: Mammoth Lakes, Calif.<br />
Description: Aircraft on takeoff, crashed<br />
<strong>und</strong>er unknown circumstances. Two<br />
persons on board, no injuries.<br />
Damage: Unknown<br />
6.3<br />
Make/Model: PA24<br />
Date: 06/20/2006<br />
Location: Wilkesboro, N.C.<br />
Description: Aircraft crashed <strong>und</strong>er<br />
unknown circumstances. One person<br />
on board, fatally injured.<br />
Damage: Unknown<br />
6.4<br />
Make/Model: PA24<br />
Date: 06/26/2006<br />
Location: Perry, Fla.<br />
Description: Aircraft landed gear up.<br />
Four people on board, no injuries.<br />
Damage: Substantial<br />
A Case<br />
Accident occurred Wednesday,<br />
February 5, 2003 in Halstead, Kan.<br />
Aircraft: Piper PA24-180<br />
Injuries: Two uninjured.<br />
<strong>The</strong> aircraft was flown by a private<br />
pilot who was receiving <strong>Comanche</strong><br />
familiarization and a checkout from a<br />
flight instructor. It was substantially<br />
damaged when it impacted terrain<br />
shortly after takeoff. <strong>The</strong>y had been<br />
doing air work and touch and goes at<br />
other airports in the area and upon<br />
return to Halstead, they landed to the<br />
south and taxied back to the departure<br />
end of the runway.<br />
According to the instructor, the wind<br />
was light and out of the south, as it had<br />
been all afternoon. A soft field technique<br />
was employed on the accident takeoff<br />
and the full runway length was used.<br />
<strong>The</strong> instructor stated, “Just over half way<br />
down [the] runway – normal acceleration<br />
degraded. We were past abort point<br />
and due to dangerous road area elected<br />
to fly,” although the aircraft was “behind<br />
the power curve.”<br />
After liftoff, the aircraft did not level<br />
out very much and was at a relatively<br />
high-pitch attitude. Initially the aircraft<br />
climbed to approximately 40 feet above<br />
gro<strong>und</strong> level. However, it settled lower<br />
and was “bobbling” in and out of<br />
gro<strong>und</strong> effect as they approached the<br />
end of the runway. Due to an inability<br />
to climb, they were forced to fly <strong>und</strong>er<br />
a set of power lines at the end of the<br />
runway. <strong>The</strong> power lines ran along a<br />
roadway, which bordered the south side<br />
of the airport. <strong>The</strong> instructor said they<br />
“could not accelerate” and were “unable<br />
to climb.” A decision was made to cut<br />
the power, and impact (landing) was<br />
made before reaching more obstructions<br />
(trees).<br />
Upon exiting the aircraft, he noted<br />
that the wind was now from the north.<br />
Both pilots indicated there were no<br />
problems with the aircraft or engine.<br />
<strong>The</strong> FAA Airplane Flying Handbook,<br />
concerning soft field takeoffs, states:<br />
“After becoming airborne, the nose<br />
should be lowered very gently with the<br />
wheels clear of the surface to allow the<br />
airplane to accelerate … an attempt to<br />
climb prematurely or too steeply may<br />
cause the airplane to settle back to the<br />
surface as a result of losing the benefit<br />
of gro<strong>und</strong> effect.”<br />
<strong>The</strong> National Transportation Safety<br />
Board determines the probable cause(s)<br />
of this accident as follows:<br />
Failure by the flight crew to execute<br />
an aborted takeoff when acceleration<br />
degraded and the improper soft field<br />
takeoff procedure as flown by the private<br />
pilot. Contributing factors were<br />
inadequate supervision by the flight<br />
instructor and the tailwind encountered<br />
on takeoff.<br />
Narrative<br />
On February 5, 2003 at 1715 Central<br />
Standard Time, a Piper PA-24-180<br />
<strong>Comanche</strong>, piloted by a flight instructor<br />
and dual student, was substantially<br />
damaged when it collided with terrain<br />
shortly after takeoff from runway 17<br />
(2,640 feet x 150 feet, turf) at the<br />
Halstead Airport (SN05), Halstead, Kan.<br />
<strong>The</strong> dual student was a private pilot<br />
receiving a complex aircraft checkout<br />
and <strong>Comanche</strong> familiarization. <strong>The</strong><br />
instructional flight was conducted <strong>und</strong>er<br />
the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 and was<br />
not on a flight plan. Visual meteorological<br />
conditions prevailed at the time<br />
of the accident. <strong>The</strong> flight instructor<br />
and dual student reported no injuries.<br />
According to the flight instructor’s<br />
statement, the flight originally departed<br />
Halstead Airport early on the afternoon<br />
of the accident. He noted that they had<br />
completed air work, and touch and goes<br />
at Hutchison (HUT) and Kingman (9K8).<br />
<strong>The</strong>y departed Kingman at 1635 to<br />
return to Halstead.<br />
Continued on Page 20<br />
18 • <strong>Comanche</strong> Flyer SEPTEMBER 2006
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SEPTEMBER 2006 <strong>Comanche</strong> Flyer • 19
Upon arrival at Halstead, they landed<br />
to the south and taxied back to the<br />
beginning of runway 17. <strong>The</strong> instructor<br />
stated that the wind was light and was<br />
still out of the south, as it had been all<br />
afternoon.<br />
He noted that a soft field technique<br />
was employed on the accident takeoff,<br />
and that the full runway length was used.<br />
He stated: “Just over half way down [the]<br />
runway – normal acceleration degraded.<br />
We were past abort point and due to<br />
dangerous road area elected to fly,”<br />
although the aircraft was “behind the<br />
power curve.”<br />
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After liftoff, the instructor stated the<br />
aircraft did not level out very much and<br />
was at a relatively high pitch attitude.<br />
Initially the aircraft climbed to approximately<br />
40 feet above gro<strong>und</strong> level.<br />
However, it settled lower and was<br />
“bobbling” in and out of gro<strong>und</strong> effect<br />
as they approached the runway, according<br />
to the instructor.<br />
<strong>The</strong> flight instructor reported that,<br />
due to an inability to climb, they were<br />
forced to fly <strong>und</strong>er a set of power lines<br />
at the end of the runway. <strong>The</strong> power<br />
lines ran along a roadway, which bordered<br />
the south side of the airport. He<br />
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stated that they “could not accelerate”<br />
and were “unable to climb.” <strong>The</strong> decision<br />
was made to cut the power and impact<br />
(landing) was made before reaching<br />
more obstructions (trees).<br />
Initial impact was on the right wing<br />
tip and right main landing gear,<br />
according to the instructor. <strong>The</strong> aircraft<br />
came to rest about one-fourth mile<br />
south of the airport in a wheat field.<br />
Upon exiting the aircraft, he noted that<br />
the wind was now from the north.<br />
<strong>The</strong> instructor noted that SN05 did<br />
not have any weather reporting services,<br />
although a wind sock was located<br />
approximately one-half mile from the<br />
runway. He reported the runway condition<br />
as dry, short grass.<br />
Weather at the scene was reported<br />
as overcast with light winds, by the<br />
flight instructor. He estimated a tail<br />
wind component of 5 ~ 10 knots on<br />
takeoff. He stated that after the accident,<br />
the wind started picking up out<br />
of the north and the temperature got<br />
noticeably colder.<br />
Weather conditions reported by the<br />
Newton City/County Airport (EWK)<br />
automated weather observing station<br />
(AWOS), approximately 11 nm east of<br />
the accident site, at 1655 were: few<br />
clouds at 3,500 feet agl, and wind from<br />
030 degrees magnetic at 9 knots.<br />
Both pilots indicated that there<br />
were no problems with the aircraft or<br />
engine, either prior to, or at the time<br />
of the accident.<br />
<strong>The</strong> FAA Airplane Flying Handbook,<br />
concerning soft field takeoffs, states:<br />
“After becoming airborne, the nose<br />
should be lowered very gently with the<br />
wheels clear of the surface to allow the<br />
airplane to accelerate … an attempt<br />
to climb prematurely or too steeply<br />
may cause the airplane to settle back<br />
to the surface as a result of losing the<br />
benefit of gro<strong>und</strong> effect.”<br />
Discussion<br />
Before a short discussion of the probable<br />
causes as determined by the NTSB,<br />
the situation begs for some questions:<br />
Way back when I learned to fly, we<br />
were told that the before takeoff procedure<br />
includes a glance at the windsock.<br />
This low-tech device shows the wind<br />
direction and velocity. From the report,<br />
we note there was a windsock on the<br />
airport and the instructor apparently<br />
looked at it after the accident. Why not<br />
have a look before takeoff?<br />
<strong>The</strong> normal acceleration degraded<br />
just about half-way down the runway.<br />
20 • <strong>Comanche</strong> Flyer SEPTEMBER 2006
It means that there were some 1,300<br />
feet until the end of the runway, which<br />
is turf and was dry. Why not abort the<br />
takeoff and aggressively ride the brakes?<br />
It should have worked.<br />
I fail to <strong>und</strong>erstand the meaning of<br />
“We were past abort point”. If acceleration<br />
degrades there must be something<br />
which is wrong or very wrong (like an<br />
engine failure, fuel starvation or a rapid<br />
change in wind direction) and may<br />
become more so in a second. <strong>The</strong>refore,<br />
in most of these circumstances, aborting<br />
the takeoff would be the least hazardous<br />
action, and a fixed idea of an “abort point”<br />
may be dangerous. I still have to learn<br />
how an abort point can be determined.<br />
In this case, the aircraft climbed to 40<br />
feet while still over the runway. It could<br />
not have been too close to the end of it.<br />
<strong>The</strong> above is what I believe to be the<br />
essence of the probable cause. However,<br />
there is a secondary probable cause.<br />
This relates to soft field takeoff procedures,<br />
but is applicable to every takeoff.<br />
It is <strong>und</strong>erstood that when a pilot sees<br />
obstacles growing larger through the<br />
windshield, the instinct is to pull back<br />
on the yoke. <strong>The</strong> correct action however<br />
is to maintain level flight and let the<br />
aircraft accelerate, then “jump over” the<br />
obstacle. A <strong>Comanche</strong> with a properly<br />
operating engine and full throttle will<br />
accelerate very nicely when leveled at<br />
40 feet. We don’t know, however, whether<br />
the gear and the flaps, if deployed,<br />
were retracted.<br />
Generally speaking, before starting<br />
the takeoff run we should do some<br />
thinking as to what should be done if<br />
something possibly goes wrong. It is a<br />
moment of full concentration and<br />
attention, and some pre-evaluation<br />
may save us from a bad surprise.<br />
Likewise, before each landing the<br />
checklist and go aro<strong>und</strong> procedure<br />
should be clear, especially when <strong>und</strong>er<br />
instrument conditions. A good state of<br />
mind is to say to oneself: I am going to<br />
make an approach to the runway and<br />
then go aro<strong>und</strong>, but if conditions permit<br />
I will abort the go-aro<strong>und</strong> and land.<br />
Lessons<br />
<strong>The</strong> wind may change suddenly from<br />
one flight to the next.<br />
At every takeoff, some thinking should<br />
be given to what should be done if<br />
something goes wrong during takeoff.<br />
Proverb<br />
Remember, you’re always a student<br />
in an airplane.<br />
SEPTEMBER 2006 <strong>Comanche</strong> Flyer • 21
Flight into O’Hare<br />
Wasn’t Hairy at All<br />
by Charlie Littwin, ICS #14089<br />
On Tuesday, March 21, Patti and I departed Lake Norman<br />
Airpark in North Carolina for a business seminar in<br />
Chicago. Rather than paying for a cab or a rental car<br />
from a “reliever” airport, we committed to the challenge of flying<br />
the <strong>Comanche</strong> into O’Hare Airport (KORD). A fuel stop was<br />
made in Bloomington, Ind. where we were delighted with the<br />
exceptional service provided by Cook FBO. After topping off at<br />
$2.68 a gallon (a savings of $2.27 a gallon compared to $4.95<br />
at O’Hare), we were off again with an ETA of 8:10 p.m. at KORD.<br />
Routing was fairly direct with vectors smoothly provided<br />
near the airport. Despite two requests for landing on 9L which<br />
was advertised on the ATIS, ATC decided we were going to use<br />
4R, the farthest runway from the FBO. Full power on final to<br />
combat the 10-knot headwind, 150 knots, two-mile final, reduce<br />
power, slow down, gear down, green light and we’re down.<br />
Something we have never seen before were the lights embedded<br />
into the runway directing us to the requested taxiway turn off.<br />
<strong>The</strong> fun part was the three-mile taxi to Signature. I’m not sure<br />
who was more excited Patti and I while admiring the grandeur<br />
of the airport and the multitude of heavy iron, or the gro<strong>und</strong><br />
crew pointing to us as we taxied between two 747’s.<br />
22 • <strong>Comanche</strong> Flyer SEPTEMBER 2006
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Call 772-562-4757<br />
or 800-859-4757<br />
www.speedmods.com<br />
SEPTEMBER 2006 <strong>Comanche</strong> Flyer • 23
ARCHES<br />
NATIONAL<br />
PARK<br />
�<br />
Balanced<br />
Rock<br />
M O AB<br />
UTAH<br />
� Window Arch
y LeWayne Garrison, ICS #8202<br />
My family was looking for an<br />
unusual place to fly to for an<br />
extended weekend or a week<br />
of activities. We also wanted somewhere<br />
that would not break the bank.<br />
How about some of the most spectacular<br />
scenery in the west? We decided<br />
to try Moab, Utah. Some of you may<br />
not have heard of Moab, or if you<br />
have, maybe you only know it as the<br />
“Mecca of mountain biking.” Either<br />
way, you don’t know what you’re<br />
missing. My wife, daughter and I made<br />
the trip recently.<br />
Moab sits near the eastern<br />
border of Utah, not far<br />
from Grand Junction, Colo., on some<br />
of the most spectacularly beautiful and<br />
geologically interesting land in the<br />
United States. It is located on the<br />
Colorado River and is within 30 minutes<br />
driving time of both Canyonlands<br />
National Park and Arches National Park.<br />
<strong>The</strong> famous mountain bike area is<br />
called the Slickrock Bike Trail. This trail<br />
is on an area just east of town on barren<br />
pale-red rock – thus the name<br />
Slickrock. While Slickrock may have<br />
a geological meaning, in the Moab area<br />
it means hard-rock landscape with no<br />
vegetation. In this same area are some<br />
famous four-wheel-drive trails.<br />
From the Logbook<br />
WHAT I DID ON MY<br />
SUMMER VACATION<br />
Continued on Page 26<br />
“Moab sits near the<br />
eastern border of Utah,<br />
not far from Grand<br />
Junction, Colo., on some<br />
of the most spectacularly<br />
beautiful and geologically<br />
interesting land in the<br />
United States.”<br />
� Landscape Arch
If mountain biking is not your thing<br />
(it’s not ours), head on out to Arches<br />
National Park, about 10 minutes from<br />
Moab. Stop first at the visitor’s center<br />
and get educated about the conditions<br />
which caused these unique rock formations<br />
to be created.<br />
<strong>The</strong> first formation the park service<br />
may point out is that the same rock<br />
layers on each side of the canyon are<br />
several h<strong>und</strong>red feet different in height.<br />
This is due to the fact that Moab doesn’t<br />
lie in a river valley (even though the<br />
Colorado River runs through town),<br />
but in a fault valley, caused by a geological<br />
shift that displaced the layers<br />
of red sandstone.<br />
Further up the road from the view<br />
of the fault valley are several vertical<br />
formations known by various names,<br />
such as Courthouse Rock, Balanced<br />
Rock and the Three Gossips. While you<br />
admire these formations ponder the<br />
time and forces that created them.<br />
A bit farther along this road you’ll<br />
see the first of the signature arches.<br />
North and South Window arches are a<br />
short walk up a gravel trail and can be<br />
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walked aro<strong>und</strong> and <strong>und</strong>er to see the<br />
view from both sides.<br />
My personal favorite arch is one<br />
that is not particularly famous; it’s the<br />
Pinetree-arch which can be seen on the<br />
trail to Landscape Arch. Some of the<br />
arches are visible from the road, but for<br />
the best viewing, get out of your vehicle<br />
and walk closer. Most of the walks to the<br />
arches are on easy, well-marked, level<br />
trails. However, some of the trails are<br />
moderate to difficult. An example of a<br />
moderate trail is the trail to the most<br />
famous arch of all – Delicate Arch.<br />
<strong>The</strong>re is an easy walk to a lower view<br />
point and an easy-to-moderate walk to<br />
an upper viewpoint. Again, there is a<br />
trail to the arch itself, but it is a fairly<br />
long, strenuous hike.<br />
Allow a minimum of six to eight hours<br />
to tour Arches National Park. <strong>The</strong>re are<br />
several days’ worth of formations to<br />
see, so make your plans according to<br />
the time you have available.<br />
After touring Arches, you must see<br />
at least part of Canyonlands National<br />
Park. Canyonlands is a much bigger<br />
park and has three separate districts:<br />
Island in the Sky (which is the closest<br />
to Moab), Needles, and <strong>The</strong> Maze. <strong>The</strong><br />
only district we toured was Island in the<br />
Sky. This district is the most accessible<br />
and has some spectacular views. If you<br />
see nothing else at Canyonlands, see<br />
the overlooks in Island in the Sky. This<br />
area is so named because it is the top of<br />
a plateau that has been carved by the<br />
Colorado and Green Rivers and their<br />
tributaries. This plateau above the rivers<br />
and canyons is your “island in the sky.”<br />
<strong>The</strong> Needles area is about an hour<br />
or so drive from Moab and the Maze<br />
district is even further. <strong>The</strong> Needles area<br />
is predominantly a backpacking and<br />
climbing area. <strong>The</strong> Maze is a very remote<br />
area of Canyonlands National Park. It is<br />
perhaps most well known as the area<br />
in which Aron Ralston caught his arm<br />
between a boulder and a canyon wall.<br />
A small Utah state park called Dead<br />
Horse Point State Park is another mustsee<br />
area near Moab. <strong>The</strong> turn to this park<br />
is located just off the road to the Island<br />
in the Sky Visitor Center. This park gets<br />
its name from the fact that this point is<br />
on a long, narrow plateau with a very<br />
narrow neck. In the late 1800s, wranglers<br />
would drive mustangs into this<br />
plateau and build a fence across the<br />
narrow neck to form a natural corral.<br />
Various stories abo<strong>und</strong> as to how the<br />
Dead part of the name came to be, but<br />
you’ll have to visit Moab to hear all the<br />
26 • <strong>Comanche</strong> Flyer SEPTEMBER 2006
different versions. <strong>The</strong> State Park is<br />
small, but has some of the most spectacular<br />
views of the Colorado River<br />
you will see.<br />
Moab is justifiably proud of the number<br />
of movies, television and ads made<br />
in the area. Many older westerns including<br />
John Wayne’s <strong>Comanche</strong>ro and<br />
Wagon Master were made near Moab.<br />
Most of the television series Gunsmoke<br />
was shot near Moab and the nearby<br />
Monument Valley. More recent movies<br />
include <strong>The</strong>lma and Louise, City<br />
Slickers II, <strong>The</strong> Legend of Curly’s Gold,<br />
and Mission Impossible II (the opening<br />
scene was in Dead Horse Point State<br />
Park). <strong>The</strong>re is a small Moab movie<br />
museum at Red Cliffs Lodge and some<br />
of the guided tours take you to areas<br />
where movies were filmed.<br />
� Window Arch<br />
Guided tours abo<strong>und</strong> in Moab and<br />
run the gamut from river tours to<br />
four-wheel-drive tours, to petroglyph<br />
tours and the aforementioned movie<br />
tours. If you are in the mood for some<br />
four-wheeling, many options are<br />
available. You can rent stock to supermodified<br />
Jeeps, and do your own thing,<br />
or you can book a tour. <strong>The</strong> tours run<br />
from extreme rock trails in supermodified<br />
Jeeps or Hummer H1s, to<br />
tamer (but still rugged) trails that can<br />
be done in air-conditioned SUV’s.<br />
Don’t miss the river tours on the<br />
Colorado River. <strong>The</strong>y vary from half-day<br />
to full-day raft trips through Class two<br />
rapids, on up to several day trips on<br />
Class four and Class five water in<br />
Cataract canyon. Riverboat trips are<br />
also available for sightseeing and short<br />
nature-walks. Jet boats are available<br />
and always a fun way to see the scenery.<br />
A unique river trip in Moab is the<br />
“Canyonlands by Night” tour. After<br />
feeding you a western-style barbecue<br />
dinner, you board a barge-type boat<br />
up the river next to Arches National<br />
� Three<br />
Gossips<br />
Park and as you return down the river<br />
the canyon walls are lit in time to a<br />
musical narration on the boat. This trip<br />
must be experienced to be appreciated.<br />
Guided hikes and horseback rides are<br />
also plentiful. Horseback riding through<br />
the canyons is spectacular. Among the<br />
trees and small streams, it is surprisingly<br />
cool. Bring your camera to capture<br />
the memories of the scenery.<br />
Moab is definitely a summer town.<br />
And a hot summer it is. <strong>The</strong> daily highs<br />
in mid-summer tend to run in the upper<br />
90s to lower 100s. Bring sunscreen and<br />
take a lot of water, both for hiking and<br />
the flight in. <strong>The</strong>re are some cooler days<br />
(in late June we had two days that<br />
never topped 85 degrees) but don’t<br />
expect cool weather in Moab. Winter<br />
is not the time to visit, though. <strong>The</strong><br />
locals say that between October and<br />
March, the town rolls up the sidewalks.<br />
<strong>The</strong> locals take their vacations during<br />
the winter and recharge for the coming<br />
tourist season. While winters aren’t<br />
particularly severe, all the tourist<br />
activities and attractions are closed.<br />
Continued on Page 28
For a place to stay, Moab has all the<br />
usual chain motels and hotels, such as<br />
LaQuinta, Best Western, Holiday Inn,<br />
etc. <strong>The</strong> rates are fairly reasonable at<br />
the chains we checked. Rates <strong>und</strong>er<br />
$100 per night are easy to find. For<br />
those wanting something a little fancier,<br />
Red Cliffs Lodge is available a few miles<br />
up-river from Moab. It is situated on the<br />
Colorado River and has a restaurant and<br />
� Gemini Bridges<br />
� Long<br />
Canyon<br />
a multitude of activities on site; plan on<br />
spending about $170 per night if you<br />
stay there. For the particularly wellheeled,<br />
Sorrel River Ranch is a resort<br />
with spa and a four-to-five star restaurant<br />
on site and is also on the river.<br />
Rates run from $280 to $460 per night.<br />
<strong>The</strong>re are also bed and breakfast inns<br />
available. Go to www.moab-utah.com<br />
to find more information.<br />
While we were in Moab we didn’t<br />
discover any spectacularly good eateries,<br />
but we were also never disappointed in<br />
our choices. Moab Brew-Pub on Main<br />
Street has good, typical brew pub fare<br />
at good prices. Moab Diner was our most<br />
frequent choice and had the usual diner<br />
fare of very good quality. <strong>The</strong>y also<br />
had a wide selection of ice cream and<br />
the prices were low.<br />
Moab’s airport is the Canyonlands<br />
Airport (KCNY), and is at 4,555 feet MSL.<br />
Runway 3/21 is asphalt and is 7,100 feet<br />
long. It sits on a flat area between slightly<br />
higher plateaus, and has clear approaches.<br />
<strong>The</strong> surro<strong>und</strong>ing areas are higher<br />
than the runway, but are not a hazard if<br />
you are aware of them. As mentioned<br />
earlier, summer temperatures can be<br />
high, so be mindful of density altitude.<br />
<strong>The</strong> FBO at KCNY is Redtail Aviation.<br />
Everyone we dealt with at Redtail was<br />
friendly and helpful. <strong>The</strong>y were very laid<br />
back, but took care of everything we<br />
asked for. Fuel prices were competitive<br />
and tie-downs were reasonable.
� Dead Man’s Point<br />
Thrifty car rental is in the terminal<br />
and will have a car ready for you with a<br />
prior call. <strong>The</strong> car rental counter in the<br />
airport is only manned with prior reservations,<br />
so don’t wait until you arrive.<br />
Moab is a great and unique place to<br />
visit for a few days or a week. Make your<br />
plans for a memorable visit.<br />
Editor’s Note: LeWayne Garrison wrote<br />
this article in hopes to promote the use<br />
of <strong>Comanche</strong>s for leisure travel. He states,<br />
“I know I don’t utilize my own airplane,<br />
N5827P, as much as I would like to. I am<br />
submitting these articles solely to try and<br />
share some of my favorite trips and memories.”<br />
Look for other travel destination<br />
stories by LeWayne in future issues.<br />
CANYON LANDS<br />
NATIONAL<br />
PARK<br />
� Canyon Overlook<br />
SEPTEMBER 2006 <strong>Comanche</strong> Flyer • 29<br />
�<br />
Horse<br />
Trail
<strong>The</strong> <strong>International</strong> <strong>Comanche</strong> <strong>Society</strong><br />
Invites You to Join Us<br />
Who Are We?<br />
An organization formed in 1972 with over<br />
3,000 <strong>Comanche</strong> owners, pilots and others<br />
who love these aircraft; both singles and twins.<br />
Where Are We?<br />
In many countries on the six continents of the<br />
world: Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, United<br />
Kingdom, South America and North America.<br />
What Do We Do?<br />
We exchange information and experiences<br />
about our airplanes, we make friends and we<br />
have fun! We also help members with their<br />
technical needs including parts, publications<br />
and member’s maintenance tips.<br />
What Do You Get? Lots!<br />
1. A monthly magazine <strong>The</strong> <strong>Comanche</strong> Flyer<br />
(12 issues per year) is included. It is packed<br />
with helpful information. Chances are good<br />
that this information will save you much<br />
more that you pay in dues.<br />
2. Assess to technical expertise along with<br />
member discounts on certain parts.<br />
3. Opportunities to attend Fly-Ins and our<br />
annual convention. <strong>The</strong>se are both social<br />
and educational. A great way to make<br />
new friends.<br />
4. Membership card and certificate that you<br />
will be proud to frame and display in your<br />
home or office.<br />
ICS MEMBERSHIP FORM– PLEASE PRINT<br />
WELCOME ON BOARD!<br />
What Does It Cost Per Year To Belong?<br />
For all U.S., Canada and Mexico: New member-<br />
$63.00; renewals-$63.00 (Includes second class<br />
mailing of the Flyer) For Europe, Asia, Africa<br />
and the United Kingdom: $85.00 for the first<br />
year; $85.00 thereafter and includes $7.00<br />
returned to each foreign tribe for communications.<br />
Dues for Australia and all other<br />
countries are $78.00 for the first year and<br />
$78.00 thereafter. <strong>The</strong> spouse of a member<br />
may join ICS also for $31.50 per year. This<br />
will ensure her voting rights.<br />
How Do You Join?<br />
Easy, just E-mail or Fax this completed form.<br />
If you are uncomfortable with sending information<br />
over the computer, you may mail the<br />
form to us. We accept checks, cash, moneyorders,<br />
MasterCard, Visa and American Express.<br />
Don’t forget to include the expiration date.<br />
<strong>International</strong> <strong>Comanche</strong> <strong>Society</strong><br />
5604 Phillip J. Rhoads Ave.<br />
Hanger 3, Suite 4<br />
Bethany, OK 73008<br />
Tel: 405/491-0321 Fax; 405/491-0325<br />
e-mail: icsadmin@sbcglobal.net<br />
Website: www.comancheflyer.com<br />
Name:__________________________________________________Spouse: ______________________________________________<br />
Address: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
City: ______________________________________________________________________State:____________________________<br />
Country: ____________________________________________________________________Zip: ____________________________<br />
Telephone:______________________________________________Fax:__________________________________________________<br />
E-Mail: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
Aircraft Model: __________________________________________Address: ____________________________________________<br />
Registration #: __________________________________________S/H: ________________________________________________<br />
PAYMENT INFORMATION<br />
Name:__________________________________________________________________________Date: ________________________<br />
MC Visa AmEx Check or Money Order<br />
Credit Card Number: ____________________________________________________________Exp. Date: ____________________<br />
Amount Paid (U.S.): __________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
Authorized Signature:__________________________________________________________________________________________
EAST CANADA TRIBE<br />
Considering the lack of attendance<br />
and inconsistent weather patterns we<br />
experience aro<strong>und</strong> the great lakes, we<br />
usually try to tag our fly-ins on a regular<br />
basis along with other events that are<br />
usually pre-planned the Fall Colours<br />
fly-in at Haliburton/Stanhope on Sept.<br />
30 and Oct. 1.<br />
We usually try to plan something in<br />
the peninsula at either Fort Erie or<br />
Welland, Bruce McRitchie’s home base<br />
and we will keep you advised.<br />
If you have any events you would<br />
like to add to the schedule, please advise<br />
John Hamilton at john@frontdist.com.<br />
MID-STATES TRIBE<br />
Fremont/Omaha, Neb.<br />
Fremont, Neb. Airport (FET)<br />
Sept 22-24<br />
In 1856, this land was a sea of prairie<br />
grass and wildflowers and no trees except<br />
at the Platte River shore. <strong>The</strong> only homes<br />
were teepees for 1,500 Pawnee south of<br />
the Platte. Streets were Indian trails and<br />
military roads which headed west. It was<br />
a wilderness.<br />
Today, Fremont is a bustling city of<br />
25,000 residents and will be celebrating<br />
its 150th anniversary this year. We will<br />
be flying into the Fremont Airport for<br />
a weekend of adventure and fun.<br />
Friday night will be our traditional<br />
meal together and meeting and greeting<br />
of old friends at 5:30 p.m.<br />
Saturday we will start the day out<br />
with a visit to the “Historic Old Market”<br />
area of Omaha, with its famous Saturday<br />
morning market vendors. Lunch will be<br />
at one of the Old Market's unique restaurants.<br />
Afternoon will find us at the<br />
famous Strategic Air and Space Museum<br />
(see history come alive with 300,000<br />
square feet of space, including World<br />
II and Cold War aircraft and artifacts<br />
as well as traveling exhibits, library,<br />
theater, and flight simulators).<br />
Date Tribe Event/Location Info Source/Host<br />
Sep 22-24 MS Fly-In George and Cathy Richmond,<br />
Omaha/Fremont, Neb. (402) 894-2917 or<br />
e-mail: fremontcomanches@yahoo.com.<br />
Sep 30- E. Can Fall Colours Fly-in John Hamilton at john@frontdist.com.<br />
Oct 1 Haliburton/Stanhope<br />
Oct 14 SC Hangar Dance Dick Brown at<br />
Ft. Worth, Texas (FTW) e-mail: dbrown8527@sbcglobal.net<br />
or by home telephone at (972) 661-3923.<br />
Oct 27-29 MS/SC Joint Fly-In Tina and Bruce Thumann,<br />
Eureka Springs, Ark. (281) 487-5782 and<br />
Sarah and Mac McKinley, (816) 320-3462.<br />
Other alternate afternoon trips are:<br />
• <strong>The</strong> Wildlife Safari across from the<br />
SAC Museum.<br />
• <strong>The</strong> Fremont and Elkhorn Valley<br />
Railroad and Museum with an<br />
excursion train which runs 16 miles<br />
through the Elkhorn Valley from<br />
Fremont to Nickerson leaving the<br />
station at 1:00 p.m. <strong>The</strong> rail cars are<br />
vintage and date to the 1920s.<br />
• Old Historic Fremont with its<br />
homes and antiques shops.<br />
• <strong>The</strong> famous Henry Doorly Zoo and<br />
IMAX <strong>The</strong>ater in Omaha.<br />
• <strong>The</strong>re are also several nice Art<br />
museums – the Joslyn Art<br />
Museum and the Durham Western<br />
Heritage Museum (located in the<br />
historic Omaha Union Station).<br />
• Several shopping malls are scattered<br />
aro<strong>und</strong> the Omaha area<br />
(for the shop till you drop ladies).<br />
We will wind up our day at the Kiewit<br />
Lodge with a great meal and a melodrama.<br />
Dinner will be served at 4:45 p.m.<br />
Our hotel will be the Holiday Lodge<br />
in Fremont. It has a full-service restaurant<br />
and bar. A special group rate will<br />
be $53.95 for double occupancy. Call<br />
for reservations at (402) 727-1110. <strong>The</strong><br />
deadline is September 1. Remember to<br />
say you are with ICS or <strong>International</strong><br />
<strong>Comanche</strong> <strong>Society</strong>.<br />
Car rental is through Enterprise Renta-car<br />
in Fremont. <strong>The</strong> local telephone<br />
number is (402) 727-4160 and the contact<br />
is Aubrey. A compact car is $14.99<br />
per day; a midsize car is $18.49 per day,<br />
with three-day minimums. Passenger<br />
vans carrying 15 people are $150.00<br />
per day, contact George if you are<br />
interested in vans.<br />
<strong>The</strong> airport requests you bring your<br />
own tie-downs and stakes.<br />
Please join us for a fun-filled weekend.<br />
A registration fee of $7.00 per person<br />
will be charged and deadline for registration<br />
is September 1. Send the fee to<br />
George H. Richmond, 15958 Madison<br />
Street, Omaha, NE 68135.<br />
For more information, you may contact<br />
George at (402)894-2917 or e-mail<br />
at fremontcomanches@yahoo.com.<br />
Fly-In<br />
Eureka Springs, Ark.<br />
October 27-29<br />
Let's mark our calendars and join<br />
the South Central Tribe for a great Fall<br />
fly-in to the mountains of Northern<br />
Arkansas. <strong>The</strong> Eureka area is filled with<br />
Ozark mountain music, Ozark country<br />
food, a very interesting Historic<br />
Downtown filled with many unusual<br />
shops, trolley cars and even a hotel with<br />
a ghost! Down the road is War Eagle<br />
Mill (a water-powered stone gristmill).<br />
With all this to do, you may want to<br />
stay for a week! See the South Central<br />
write-up for the details.<br />
SOUTH CENTRAL TRIBE<br />
Hangar Dance<br />
Fort Worth, Texas (FTW)<br />
October 14, 2006<br />
A delightful event takes place each<br />
year at the Vintage Flying Museum<br />
located on Meacham Field (FTW) in<br />
Forth Worth. Some of the vintage airplanes<br />
are pushed out of the museum's<br />
hangar, a bandstand and tables are set up,<br />
and a wonderful evening follows which<br />
includes a Texas Barbeque dinner, a<br />
wonderful display of the vintage aircraft,<br />
a chance to go through one or two planes,<br />
Continued on Page 32<br />
SEPTEMBER 2006 <strong>Comanche</strong> Flyer • 31
a great "big band" plays real danceable<br />
music from by-gone eras, and a large<br />
fun-loving, aviation-oriented crowd,<br />
many of whom will be in some kind of<br />
uniform or dress (mostly reminiscent<br />
of World War II), who will dance the<br />
night away. If you like good barbeque,<br />
you can't lose. If you like airplanes, you<br />
can't lose. If you like great big band music,<br />
you can't lose. If you like to dance, or<br />
just watch the show put on by other<br />
dancers, you can't lose.<br />
This is not a “hosted” South Central<br />
Tribe ICS fly-in event per se. In previous<br />
years, some South Central Tribe<br />
members have gotten together and sat<br />
together at this Vintage Flying Museum<br />
extravaganza. We are going to do that<br />
again this year. Although, we have not<br />
yet received all the details from the<br />
Vintage Flying Museum, we have projected<br />
the schedule and costs based<br />
on year’s past.<br />
Send Dick Brown $40 (per person)<br />
by Wednesday, October 4 for reservations<br />
for the barbeque dinner, the dance,<br />
and table reservations so we can sit<br />
together. Dick will have the dinner<br />
and dance tickets to give to everyone<br />
as they show up for the event. <strong>The</strong> dinner<br />
($15) is from 6:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m.<br />
(dinner tickets are sold only in advance).<br />
If you want to skip the dinner, you can<br />
join us just for the dance from 8:00 p.m.<br />
until midnight (tickets $20 in advance,<br />
$25 at the door).<br />
Dick’s address is 7015 Ro<strong>und</strong>rock Rd,<br />
Dallas, TX ,75248. He can be reached by<br />
e-mail at dbrown8527@sbcglobal.net or<br />
by home telephone at (972) 661-3923.<br />
He doesn’t carry his cell phone except<br />
when he needs to, but will carry it on<br />
the day of the event, so all can be<br />
assured of contacting him at the last<br />
minute, if needed, at (214) 500-6666.<br />
If anyone plans to fly in, the closest<br />
FBO on Meacham Field is the Sandpiper,<br />
about one-half of a mile from the Vintage<br />
Flying Museum Hangar. It is feasible to<br />
walk, but the neighborhood isn't all that<br />
great. If you will let Dick know when<br />
you are arriving, he’ll meet you at the<br />
Sandpiper FBO, and transport you to<br />
either the Barbeque Dinner and Dance,<br />
or to a motel if you are staying overnight.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Vintage Flying Museum may be<br />
negotiating a rate with a nearby facility.<br />
<strong>The</strong>re will be more motel information<br />
for those wishing to stay overnight<br />
published in the SS Tribe newsletter<br />
Smoke Trails. If you are not a South<br />
Central Tribe member, you can either<br />
ask Dick to send you a newsletter or<br />
contact him personally closer to the<br />
event for motel information.<br />
We look forward to having a fun group.<br />
Fly-In<br />
Eureka Springs, Ark.<br />
October 27-29<br />
Please note date change. <strong>The</strong> date for<br />
this fly-In has been changed from a<br />
previous announcement, due to conflicts<br />
with other major events in the area.<br />
Eureka is the Greek word for “I<br />
fo<strong>und</strong> it.” You too will be shouting<br />
EUREKA from the mountain tops once<br />
you visit this small, quaint, historical<br />
town. Located deep in the heart of the<br />
Ozark Mountains, Eureka Springs was<br />
officially named on the Fourth of July<br />
in 1879. It soon became famous during<br />
the Victorian era for its “curing springs”<br />
and quickly grew in size to over<br />
10,000 residents.<br />
Continued on Page 34<br />
32 • <strong>Comanche</strong> Flyer SEPTEMBER 2006
COMANCHE PARTS<br />
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SEPTEMBER 2006 <strong>Comanche</strong> Flyer • 33<br />
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<strong>The</strong>re are numerous local attractions<br />
in the area to satisfy your every desire.<br />
Ladies, you will want to bring your<br />
Christmas shopping money for that<br />
special gift you will surely find in one<br />
of the dozens of fine shops in the<br />
Historical Downtown Shopping District.<br />
We have selected some of what we<br />
consider to be the best attractions for<br />
your dining and entertainment pleasure.<br />
First, plan to arrive by mid-afternoon<br />
on Friday in order to have time for a<br />
pleasant world-class dining experience<br />
before you being shuttled off to the<br />
Ozark Mountain Hoe-Down Country<br />
Music <strong>The</strong>atre for an evening of great<br />
Comedy and Musical entertainment.<br />
On Saturday, the available daytime<br />
activities will feature several popular<br />
attractions including, but not limited<br />
to, the multi-award-wining historic<br />
Thorncrown Chapel, the Historical<br />
Downtown Shopping District, the<br />
Turpentine Creek big cat and wildlife<br />
refuge, the Historic District Narrated<br />
Tram Tour, and the 1886 Crescent Hotel.<br />
For gun enthusiasts, don’t miss the C.<br />
Burton Sa<strong>und</strong>ers Memorial Museum in<br />
Berryville, which is only a few miles<br />
from the airport. Mr. Sa<strong>und</strong>ers was very<br />
wealthy and became friends with many<br />
of the elite of his time, amassing a fine<br />
collection of unusual and unique hand<br />
guns, artifacts, and various items which<br />
belonged to some of America’s most<br />
famous and not-so-famous heroes and<br />
desperados.<br />
Do not forget to bring warm clothing<br />
or a blanket for Saturday night (there<br />
is a Wal-Mart in Berryville, if you do<br />
forget). After another fine dinner at<br />
one of the local eateries (and if the<br />
weather cooperates), we will be attending<br />
<strong>The</strong> Great Passion Play. It is billed<br />
as America’s number-one attended outdoor<br />
drama. We will see the final show<br />
of the season and be entertained by a<br />
cast of h<strong>und</strong>reds who bring to life the<br />
awe-inspiring epic drama of Christ,<br />
and “<strong>The</strong> Greatest Story Ever Told.”<br />
It will be an unforgettable experience.<br />
<strong>The</strong>n, on S<strong>und</strong>ay morning, please<br />
do not plan to leave until after lunch.<br />
We will be taking everyone out to the<br />
War Eagle Mill, 25 miles south of town,<br />
for a wonderful breakfast and one last<br />
shopping experience for the ladies.<br />
War Eagle is the site of the largest craft<br />
show in America every mid-October.<br />
Fortunately, the 250,000 people who<br />
attend it will be gone by the time we are<br />
there. But, you will see the only waterpowered<br />
stone gristmill in operation<br />
in Arkansas and have the opportunity<br />
to purchase some of their all-natural<br />
products and other gift items at their<br />
General Mercantile Store.<br />
Assuming normal seasonal changes,<br />
you may also expect to see some of<br />
the most beautiful displays of color in<br />
America as the fall season arrives in<br />
Arkansas. You will see the Fall colors<br />
from the air as well, as in the many<br />
valleys and on hillsides as you tour<br />
the area by car. Many travel to this<br />
area in October for the colors alone.<br />
We will be staying at the Best Western<br />
Eureka Inn. Nightly rates are $99.00<br />
for two with two double beds or $106.00<br />
for two with one king or queen bed. You<br />
must mention ICS for the discount when<br />
making reservations. <strong>The</strong> telephone<br />
number is (877) 516-9900. <strong>The</strong>re have<br />
been15 rooms blocked for the event that<br />
will be held through September 22. Any<br />
cancellation must be made 48 hours<br />
prior to your arrival date.<br />
Continued on Page 36<br />
34 • <strong>Comanche</strong> Flyer SEPTEMBER 2006
An affordable fix for those old<br />
<strong>Comanche</strong> Sun Visors!<br />
As an optometrist and <strong>Comanche</strong>-owner (ICS #13091), I wanted better sun visors for my<br />
<strong>Comanche</strong> 400, so I obtained field approval for these. <strong>The</strong> parts are aircraft-grade black<br />
powder-coated aluminum and bronze tinted acrylic to provide maximum protection from<br />
disabling glare. I used physiological optics technology to ensure the tint is the best density<br />
and spectrum to block direct sunlight and minimize adaptation time to dusk light conditions.<br />
<strong>The</strong>se utilize your existing mounts.<br />
$10.00*, includes plans and 337 Field-Approval paperwork. A PERFECT SAMPLE PAIR<br />
FOR YOUR USE AS A PATTERN TO MAKE YOUR OWN IS AVAILABLE FOR A $139.00*<br />
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and leave a message or fax or email me with mailing address and credit card information.<br />
*s/h: $1.00 for plans/337; $9.95 for “SAMPLE PAIR”; outside US extra<br />
Dr. Steven A. DeGroff<br />
150 Forest Park Drive • Berne, IN 46711<br />
1-866-FLY-2020 • fax: 260-589-2911<br />
email: c2020@drdegroff.com<br />
www.degroffaviation.com<br />
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SEPTEMBER 2006 <strong>Comanche</strong> Flyer • 35
Fiberglass<br />
“Glareshield”<br />
One piece hand-laminate with a<br />
molded Naugahyde texture,<br />
designed to tuck <strong>und</strong>er the<br />
windshield from the front, totally<br />
covering the top of the instrument<br />
panel.<br />
Protects Instruments<br />
From Intense Heat<br />
<strong>The</strong> Glareshield extends approximately<br />
three (3) inches past the<br />
front of the panel to shade instrument<br />
faces. <strong>The</strong> reinforced “lip”<br />
forms a nifty handhold on the<br />
Glareshield’s front edge and provides<br />
room for mounting optional<br />
FAA approved lights for greater<br />
visibility.<br />
“Windlock ” Device<br />
This control “lock” is designed to<br />
be used inside the cockpit &<br />
attaches to the flight controls.<br />
Cannot be forgotten prior to<br />
flight!<br />
$69.00<br />
($6 S&H)<br />
Glareshield Price List:<br />
Piper PS24/30 <strong>Comanche</strong> STC.........$275<br />
Piper PA 38 Tomahawk.....................$275<br />
Piper PA28 Cherokee Series .............$275<br />
Piper Cherokee 6, PA32, 34, Ex. ......$275<br />
Beech 33, 35 & Baron (1962-1970) .$350<br />
Beech 33, 35 & Baron (1971-1983) .$450<br />
Cessna 120/150/140..........................$275<br />
Cessna 170/172/175..........................$275<br />
Cessna 180/182/185..........................$275<br />
Cessna 210/206 .................................$275<br />
Cessna 337 Skymaster ......................$275<br />
Mooney 201 & up.............................$275<br />
Optional FAA approved lights ..........$130<br />
Glareshield shipping lower 48 UPS gro<strong>und</strong> ..$ 35<br />
ORDER FROM<br />
Dennis Ashby<br />
288 CR 12200<br />
Paris, TX 75462<br />
1-800-945-7668<br />
Voice: 903-784-8187<br />
Fax: 903-784-8145<br />
www.aircraftglareshield.com<br />
We will be flying in to the Berryville,<br />
Carroll County Airport, (4M1). <strong>The</strong> airport<br />
is located approximately 12 miles<br />
east of Eureka Springs. Self-service fuel<br />
is available and was +/- 30 percent less<br />
than the national average as of this writing.<br />
Rental cars are not readily available<br />
in the area, so please RSVP for this event<br />
in order that we can obtain adequate van<br />
transportation for those coming.<br />
Registration will be $30.00 per person,<br />
which will include van/shuttle transportation<br />
to and from the hotel and<br />
various events, as well as arrival snacks<br />
and refreshments. This event is being<br />
hosted by Bruce and Tina Thumann of<br />
the South Central Tribe and Mac and<br />
Sarah McKinley of the Mid-States Tribe.<br />
All registrations should be sent to<br />
Bruce Thumann, 6430 Mayfair St.,<br />
Houston, Texas, 77087. Contact phone<br />
numbers for Bruce are (281) 487-5782<br />
(home), (877) 776-9663 (toll-free at<br />
work), (713) 875-3056 (cell). Tina’s cell<br />
number is (832) 788-9673, and the airport<br />
phone numbers are (870) 423-2668<br />
for the terminal lounge or (479) 244-<br />
5210 for Airport Manager Perry Evans<br />
cell number.<br />
Plan to join us and be a part of this<br />
“For Fun” fly-In!<br />
Saturday Lunch Fly-Ins<br />
If it is difficult for you to make a full<br />
weekend fly-in, you may find the<br />
Saturday lunch gatherings with<br />
<strong>Comanche</strong> camaraderie, sharing of<br />
flying stories, maintenance talk and<br />
lunch, to your liking. You should be able<br />
to find a schedule of the lunch fly-ins<br />
on the South Central Tribe website at<br />
http://groups.msn.com/SouthCentral<br />
TribeICS/welcome.msnw and in the<br />
South Central Tribe newsletter<br />
Smoke Trails.<br />
36 • <strong>Comanche</strong> Flyer SEPTEMBER 2006
Shoulder<br />
Harness<br />
Program<br />
Due to the tremendous response,<br />
P.V. Aero and Kosola have agreed<br />
to extend the discount programs<br />
on their shoulder harness installation<br />
kits to all ICS members indefinately.<br />
If you are not an ICS member, call<br />
Gaynor at Headquarters at (405) 491-<br />
0321 to sign up so you can get the discounts.<br />
<strong>The</strong> shoulder harness kits provided<br />
by Kosola and P.V. Aero exceed the<br />
FAA strength standards by a factor of<br />
1.3 or more.<br />
Have your ICS number and aircraft<br />
serial number ready when you ask to<br />
speak to the shoulder harness program<br />
person. <strong>The</strong> prices and phone numbers<br />
for Kosola and P.V. Aero are as follows:<br />
KOSOLA<br />
Phone: (229) 435-4119<br />
Fax: (229) 888-5766<br />
Contact: John Brim<br />
Front seat: per seat price $420 to<br />
$440 for strap and $595 to $620 for<br />
the inertia reel setup. <strong>The</strong> prices vary<br />
according to serial number.<br />
Rear seat: per seat price $420 for<br />
strap and $595 for the inertia reel<br />
Kosola is offering an ICS member<br />
discount of $50 per seat.<br />
P. V. AERO<br />
Phone: (918) 274-1616<br />
Cell: (816) 210-4829<br />
Contact: Lenny Spall<br />
Both front seats are normally $475;<br />
and both rear seats are normally $475.<br />
ICS members receive a special, discounted<br />
price of $425 for a seat pair,<br />
or $800 for all four seats.<br />
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SEPTEMBER 2006 <strong>Comanche</strong> Flyer • 37
Fly-In Reports<br />
<strong>The</strong> South Central<br />
Tribe’s Palo Duro<br />
Extravaganza<br />
by Dick Brown, ICS #12179<br />
“<strong>The</strong> surro<strong>und</strong>ing<br />
flat semi-desert<br />
makes the Kansas<br />
flatlands look like<br />
beautiful rolling<br />
hills. Why would<br />
we go there?<br />
Read on!”<br />
Steaks<br />
at Big Tex<br />
We had fun, fun, fun! Sixteen<br />
airplanes full of fun-loving<br />
<strong>Comanche</strong>ros, plus the tribe<br />
chief (Dick and Doris) whose twin<br />
“broke down” on the way, gathered at<br />
Tradewind Airport in Amarillo Texas.<br />
Mark and Denise Pfeiffer performed a<br />
“<strong>Comanche</strong> air lift” to get Dick and<br />
Doris to the fly-in on time.<br />
To set the stage, Amarillo is in the<br />
Texas panhandle in the middle of<br />
nowhere. <strong>The</strong> surro<strong>und</strong>ing flat semidesert<br />
makes the Kansas flatlands<br />
look like beautiful rolling hills. Why<br />
would we go there? Read on!<br />
We gathered at the Tradewind Airport<br />
in five stage coaches (aka vans) to<br />
check in at the motel and proceed to<br />
the world-famous Big Texan Steak<br />
Ranch Restaurant where you can eat<br />
a 72-ounce steak for free. None of us<br />
could belly up to that. We had a private<br />
dining room to enjoy the best of Texas<br />
eating with Texas art and artifacts all<br />
aro<strong>und</strong> to remind us we were in a very<br />
special place. As usual, the Mid-States<br />
Tribe supported our fly-in big time (as<br />
we do theirs). We had a chance to recognize<br />
folks from both tribes for their<br />
contributions to our fun over the past<br />
few months, tell a few stories, lies, and<br />
in general enjoy each other’s company.<br />
We had one interloper from the South<br />
East Tribe, Jim Martin who added a<br />
little “gentile” behavior to our raucous<br />
crowd. At the appropriate moment,<br />
38 • <strong>Comanche</strong> Flyer SEPTEMBER 2006
three cowboys and a Texas lady strolled<br />
in and entertained us with great western<br />
music. <strong>The</strong> <strong>Comanche</strong> camaraderie<br />
doesn’t get any better that it did that<br />
night. <strong>The</strong> evening ended with our fleet<br />
of stage coaches returning to our motel<br />
with happy campers aboard.<br />
Saturday was a great day. It started<br />
early with a 20-mile drive to the rim of<br />
the world-famous Palo Duro Canyon.<br />
<strong>The</strong>re we were “herded” on to several<br />
off-road vehicles decorated with longhorns<br />
and dusty Texas art. We bounced<br />
down a steep canyon dirt road to the<br />
chuck wagon of the Elkins Ranch.<br />
Ranch hands fed us the best cowboy<br />
breakfast we could have wanted, served<br />
on a tray with no dishes – just like<br />
they did it in the real cowboy days.<br />
An intruding rattle snake got shot on<br />
the spot. Everything tasted great, the<br />
biscuits and coffee were superb. <strong>The</strong>n<br />
some real Texas comedy and musical<br />
entertainment got <strong>und</strong>erway with<br />
cowboy/singer Ed Montana and his<br />
sidekick. Ed tried to teach Mark<br />
Pfeifer and Elaine Fox to yodel – it<br />
didn’t work. He gave us about an<br />
hour-and-a-half of half-true history of<br />
the majestic canyon we were sitting in,<br />
interspersed with song and comedy.<br />
We could watch the deer nearby, and<br />
savor the colors of the canyon – it was<br />
a great morning.<br />
We next visited the world famous<br />
Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum.<br />
We could have spent several hours there,<br />
as its diversity offered something of<br />
interest to everyone. But recognizing<br />
we have to have “shopping” as part of<br />
every fly-in, our fleet of stage coaches<br />
had to proceed to the historic Route<br />
66 shopping area. Here our stage coaches<br />
went different directions, antique shopping,<br />
mall shopping, to the airport to<br />
kick tires, or back to the motel for a<br />
nap. I went with the airport crowd. It was<br />
fun listening to the owners of the many<br />
impeccably maintained <strong>Comanche</strong>s<br />
share their secrets.<br />
<strong>The</strong> evening brought us to the climax<br />
of our fly-in. Our stages coaches took<br />
us back to the Palo Duro Canyon, and<br />
then deeper in to the canyon for the<br />
world-famous barbeque and musical<br />
extravaganza “Texas.” <strong>The</strong> setting was<br />
a 2,000-seat outside amphitheater among<br />
the beautiful canyon rock formations,<br />
with a large open stage and the canyon<br />
wall as its backdrop. <strong>The</strong> play essentially<br />
revolved aro<strong>und</strong> the history of a panhandle<br />
town, with its pioneer struggles,<br />
love stories, and indians, and was set<br />
to music and special so<strong>und</strong> and visual<br />
effects occurring on the 800-foot canyon<br />
wall natural backdrop. It was spectacular<br />
with trees being split by lighting<br />
and th<strong>und</strong>er which made you “duck”.<br />
Now I don’t really know the complete<br />
story, but rumor has it that upon return<br />
to our hotel, two of our <strong>Comanche</strong><br />
rowdies were having such a good time<br />
that they actually got thrown out of<br />
our motel and others were threatened.<br />
You will have to ask them about that.<br />
All I really know is that not all of us<br />
checked out of the same motel we<br />
checked into.<br />
On S<strong>und</strong>ay, we had to go back to<br />
reality. Our Texas Panhandle weekend<br />
is now an indelible memory. Our thanks<br />
to Butch and Linda Baker for volunteering<br />
to be the hosts of the fly-in, to<br />
� <strong>The</strong> ride deep into Palo Duro<br />
all the stage coach drivers, and to each<br />
who attended. I don’t really <strong>und</strong>erstand<br />
why our whole tribe doesn’t show up,<br />
as we have so much fun.<br />
SEPTEMBER 2006 <strong>Comanche</strong> Flyer • 39
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40 • <strong>Comanche</strong> Flyer SEPTEMBER 2006
Mid-States and<br />
North Central Tribes<br />
Enjoy House on the Rock<br />
by Barb Beil<br />
<strong>The</strong> skies were welcoming on Friday, June 23 to 17 beautiful <strong>Comanche</strong> airplanes<br />
flying into southwestern Wisconsin. Those <strong>Comanche</strong>s carried 47 people from<br />
11 states who were present to enjoy the beautiful scenery Wisconsin offered.<br />
We stayed at the House on the Rock Inn, enjoying a hospitality room and many<br />
swimming pools with a special wading pool for the children, that was a large copper<br />
submarine. We dined at a fish and broasted chicken buffet at Jimmy’s that evening.<br />
Saturday we were off to the House on the Rock and its museums. “Awesome,”<br />
was just one of the comments about the House on the Rock. It truly is one of a kind.<br />
That evening we dined at Thym’s Supper Club. We welcomed two couples that were<br />
at a fly-in for the first time – Leon and Jean Hapka from Argyle, Minn. and Milt and<br />
Fay Blersch from Cincinnati, Ohio. Dorothy Meadows enlightened us of upcoming<br />
fly-ins for the North Central tribe; while Sarah McKinley told us of the events scheduled<br />
in the Mid-States tribe.<br />
S<strong>und</strong>ay all airplanes and passengers flew out, despite marginal weather.<br />
� <strong>The</strong> Weavers<br />
and Guests<br />
Fly-In Reports continued...<br />
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SEPTEMBER 2006 <strong>Comanche</strong> Flyer • 41
Fly-In Reports continued...<br />
Southwest Tribe Reeps<br />
Reno’s Offerings and<br />
Welcome New Board<br />
by Peggy Harmon, ICS #12436<br />
<strong>The</strong> Southwest tribe’s July fly-in<br />
and annual business meeting<br />
was held this year July 14-16 at<br />
Reno’s best kept secret, the Peppermill<br />
Casino on South Virginia Street. Even<br />
though this beautiful casino is located<br />
south of the downtown area, it has all<br />
the amenities one could ask for of a<br />
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facility. We had 44 people and 14 airplanes<br />
at the fly-in which was hosted<br />
by our treasurer, Sandy Moore and<br />
her co-host, Shari Caton (with the<br />
assistance of their partners-in-crime,<br />
Ed and John, respectively).<br />
After arrival on Friday, everyone was<br />
on their own for dinner at the several<br />
restaurants in the casino or the surro<strong>und</strong>ing<br />
area. After breakfast Saturday<br />
morning and a little gambling time,<br />
both ladies and gentlemen were shuttled<br />
downtown. Some chose to tour<br />
Harrah’s famous Automobile Museum,<br />
while others shopped and strolled along<br />
the Truckee River.<br />
Saturday evening fo<strong>und</strong> everyone in<br />
the Peppermill’s Tahoe banquet room<br />
for cocktails, followed by their wonderful<br />
Gold Rush Dinner Buffet. Tribe<br />
Chief Craig Varga then opened our<br />
business meeting in which next year’s<br />
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42 • <strong>Comanche</strong> Flyer SEPTEMBER 2006
officers were elected. <strong>The</strong>y are as follows:<br />
Tribe Chief – Lorne Harmon;<br />
Assistant Tribe Chief – Charles Parker;<br />
Tribe Scribe – Peggy Harmon; Treasurer<br />
– Sandy Moore; and Trip Chairman –<br />
John Caton. <strong>The</strong> new position of<br />
Communications Officer was added to<br />
our by-laws, and Dorian Swartz was<br />
elected to fill that position. In addition,<br />
a big ro<strong>und</strong> of applause was given for<br />
the current Board’s service.<br />
After the meeting, we had the pleasure<br />
of a presentation by Chuck Kuennan,<br />
FAA/Lockheed Martin representative,<br />
concerning weather information and<br />
potential changes in the flight service<br />
system in the future. He followed up with<br />
a short question-and-answer period.<br />
We ended with our usual gift raffle<br />
(a lot of great gifts), the cash drawing<br />
from the evening’s ticket sales, as well<br />
as the annual drawing for our “big pot”<br />
($520). <strong>The</strong> lucky winner of the “big<br />
one” was Isabel Frimmersdorf, the host<br />
of our recent Santa Rosa fly-in.<br />
We all had a great time at this fly-in,<br />
and many thanks again to Sandy and<br />
Shari for all their work.<br />
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SEPTEMBER 2006 <strong>Comanche</strong> Flyer • 43
Featured Fly-In<br />
North Central<br />
Tribe Gains Knowledge<br />
and Camaraderie at<br />
Maintenance Seminar Fly-In<br />
by Bill Schnauffer, ICS #12489<br />
On Saturday June 10, Cliff<br />
Wilewski (ICS #15746) hosted<br />
a maintenance seminar at his<br />
FBO, Heritage Aero, Inc. (www.heritageaero.com),<br />
in Rockford, Ill (RFD).<br />
Thirteen <strong>Comanche</strong>s and 40 people<br />
attended the seminar. <strong>The</strong> attendance<br />
was dampened by inclement weather<br />
and some attendees drove to the event.<br />
<strong>The</strong> maintenance seminar started at<br />
10:30 a.m. and concluded at 4:00 p.m.<br />
Cliff had a PA-30 on jacks and discussed<br />
the functions and maintenance to the<br />
landing gear system. He utilized a<br />
small camera and projected the images<br />
on a video screen so all could see. Cliff<br />
also had one stabilator removed and discussed<br />
the issues and proper inspection<br />
of the stabilator torque tube.<br />
Heritage Aero’s team of <strong>Comanche</strong><br />
specialists looked over all the planes<br />
that attended the seminar. All aircraft<br />
owners were given a list of suggested<br />
items that should be corrected on their<br />
44 • <strong>Comanche</strong> Flyer SEPTEMBER 2006
“Cliff had a PA-30 on<br />
jacks and discussed<br />
the functions and<br />
maintenance to the<br />
landing gear system.<br />
He utilized a small<br />
camera and projected<br />
the images on a<br />
video screen so<br />
all could see.”<br />
perspective airplanes. Henry Spellman<br />
from the <strong>Comanche</strong> Flyer Fo<strong>und</strong>ation<br />
offered copies of Maurice Taylor's tape,<br />
“<strong>Comanche</strong> Landing Gear” for attendees.<br />
Bill Schnauffer and his son Will<br />
were the chefs and prepared lunch for<br />
everyone.<br />
Heritage Aero, Inc. plans to host<br />
additional maintenance seminars in<br />
the future and invites all to attend.<br />
Everyone had a great day and fo<strong>und</strong><br />
the experience very informative and<br />
worthwhile.<br />
SEPTEMBER 2006 <strong>Comanche</strong> Flyer • 45
<strong>Comanche</strong><br />
Classified<br />
Trading Post is a non-commercial,<br />
member to member service provided<br />
free of charge, one time per<br />
member, per year. <strong>The</strong> sale of aircraft<br />
is not permitted in the<br />
Trading Post.<br />
Ads must be submitted in writing<br />
only (fax or E-mail OK). Free ads<br />
may not be placed by phone. First<br />
25 words are free. Extra words are<br />
$0.40 per word. Fax (405) 491-0325<br />
E-mail: icsadmin@sbcglobal.net<br />
FOR SALE: One pair of New Piper gear<br />
cables P/N 455-180. Sell for $500 or<br />
Trade for Overhauled Flap Transmission/<br />
Motor. HM 253-564-6323 CELL (253)<br />
377-9758. 2/2<br />
FOR SALE: Three original PA-30<br />
Polished Prop Spinners, one still with<br />
yellow tag, each $325.00 includes US<br />
Shipping. E-mail Adamyk (941) 360-<br />
9282, COMADCO@Aol.com 2/2<br />
For Sale: Polished Spinner (D7086) &<br />
Backing Plate (D7089A) off a 3 blade<br />
McCauley prop model no B3D32C412-<br />
C. $250.00 plus shipping. Contact David<br />
at ddusty1988@aol.com 1/2<br />
For Sale: Polished Spinner (D7086) &<br />
Backing Plate (D7089A) off a 3 blade<br />
McCauley prop model no B3D32C412-<br />
C. $250.00 plus shipping. Contact David<br />
at ddusty1988@aol.com 1/2<br />
Auto controlII for 180/250 complete,<br />
wiring cables, control box, A.H. indicator,<br />
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60-2 $400.00 OBO Bob Sayles 704-947-<br />
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<strong>Comanche</strong> Parts<br />
Twins, Comprehensive stock of New &<br />
Serviceable S/H Sparews, Inc., Props, Spinner<br />
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Shoulder<br />
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$475 FOR BOTH FRONT SEATS<br />
$475 FOR BOTH REAR SEATS<br />
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Classified<br />
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Rate:<br />
(Two issue minimum)<br />
Minimum Ad Charge:<br />
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Payment must accompany<br />
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Extra charge for Photos.<br />
All advertising must be received<br />
by the editor in writing (mail, fax,<br />
or e-mail) five weeks prior to the<br />
desired month of publication.<br />
Payment must accompany advertisement<br />
order. Renewals may be<br />
made by telephone, but initial ad<br />
must be in writing.<br />
<strong>The</strong> publisher makes no warranties<br />
as to the veracity or accuracy of<br />
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no obligation to accept any or all<br />
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<strong>International</strong><br />
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5604 Phillip J. Rhoads Avenue<br />
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E-mail:<br />
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PA24-180<br />
1959 Piper <strong>Comanche</strong> PA24-180<br />
3949TT 815 SMOH 3 blade McCauley<br />
prop 205 SNEW custom avionics<br />
panel, IFR capable, copper cables,<br />
alternator one piece windshield.<br />
Narco 810, 120, nav Narco 120,121,<br />
Apollo loran, Narco 890, DME intercom<br />
Hangared paint 7, interior 8<br />
$44,500 Call 541-997-6964 1/2<br />
PA24-250<br />
1960 PA24-250 Engine 0540-I-A-C-<br />
5. Registration N6789P Ser# 24-1921<br />
Airframe Hours 8400 Engine Hours 870<br />
Since new. Propeller: Hartzel 350 Since<br />
SMOH eddy current AD Due 10/07. Paint<br />
A/C New paint 6/14/04 Original 1960<br />
<strong>Comanche</strong> 3 tone scheme. Interior New<br />
Leather installed with leather headliner<br />
2003 D&T Aircraft, Cal City CA. Annual<br />
Due: Fresh annual preformed Dec 2005.<br />
Piper Service Bulletin No. 1160 Complied<br />
with. Avionics: Center stack panel by Ron<br />
and John’s. Fiber Glass glare shield by<br />
Dennis Ashby, Instruments lighting by<br />
new light, Garmin GMA 340 Audio Panel<br />
with 3-light marker, and 4 place intercom,<br />
Music Input, King KX 125 Nav/Com with<br />
209A glide slope, Garmin 250 XL GPS<br />
with remote needle/moving map, Narco<br />
AT 150 with encoder, Narco 890 DME,<br />
EDM 700 engine Analyzer all 6<br />
Cylinders, Fuel Scan 400 Fuel totalizer.<br />
S-Tec Autopilot (Heading) (GPS VOR<br />
LOC Tracking) Altitude Hold, Tip Tanks<br />
90 gal fuel, Price $83,000.00 OBO. OVER<br />
$130,000 invested, if you see this plane<br />
and want a <strong>Comanche</strong>, you will buy it,<br />
many more extras, Call for Spec sheet.<br />
Mick Thames Ryan Airfield, Tucson, AZ<br />
(520) 883-4823 E-mail tyconic@aol.com<br />
or Gary Towle Tucson AZ (520) 444-<br />
0316 E-mail Flyfire2@comcast.net<br />
ICS #12974 2/2<br />
1958 PA24-250 Well Maintained w/Same<br />
owner for 35 Yrs. 4243TT, 1023 SMOH,<br />
New Hartzell 2 Blade Prop, Dual KX<br />
170B’s, GS, KX86 NDB, GX55 w/CDI<br />
(IFR Certifiable), AT150 Xpndr, S-Tec<br />
40 Coupled Autopilot, Remote Compass,<br />
46 • <strong>Comanche</strong> Flyer SEPTEMBER 2006
Tip Tanks, 4 Place Intercom, Paint/<br />
Interior (Leather) 9+/9, So<strong>und</strong>proofed,<br />
2 Strobes Rotating Beacon, IFR Certified,<br />
Standby Vacuum, 1 Piece Windshield,<br />
1/4" Glass, Upgraded Panel w/Center<br />
Stack Radios, Portable Oxygen,<br />
Shoulder Harnesses. $70,000. Warren<br />
Cermak (419) 798-5809 or wcermak@<br />
cros.net.GPS 2/2<br />
Prop, Dual KX 170B’s, GS, KX86 NDB,<br />
GX55 w/CDI(IFR Certifiable), AT150<br />
Xpndr, S-Tec 40 Coupled Autopilot,<br />
Remote Compass, Tip Tanks, 4 Place<br />
Intercom, Paint/ Interior (Leather)<br />
9+/9, So<strong>und</strong>proofed, 2 Strobes<br />
Rotating Beacon, IFR Certified,<br />
Standby Vacuum, 1 Piece Windshield,<br />
1/4” Glass, Upgraded Panel w/Center<br />
Stack Radios, Portable Oxygen,<br />
Shoulder Harnesses. $70,000.<br />
Warren Cermak 419-798-5809 or<br />
wcermak@cros.net.GPS 1/2<br />
PA24-260<br />
1965 <strong>Comanche</strong>, PA-24-260, Lycoming<br />
IO540 D TT 3254 SMOH 1787 SCTOH<br />
355 Next Annual 3/07 2nav coms: Mac<br />
LED flip-flop, KX-170B, HSI coupled 3<br />
axis A/P, 2 glide slopes, GPS King 89B<br />
IFR cert, excellent IFR platform, DME,<br />
ADF, 6 probe EGT, Audio panel, 3 light<br />
Mkr Bcn, Feul flow gauge, Avionics master<br />
switch, Bonzer Radar Alt alert, Alt static,<br />
Alt vacuum, 4 place intercom, Hand<br />
& toe brake, Oxy receptacles, Black<br />
anodized panel very sharp: 3 point<br />
strobe, Pitot heat & cover, 90 gal tanks,<br />
Hartzell prop, Metco wing tips, Copper<br />
cables, Walker oil return, Ext Aux power<br />
supply, Oil pan heat pad, Red carpet<br />
8/10 in, 9/10 out, Ad log system, All Ads,<br />
Always Hangared, Parts & Service manuals,<br />
Nose wheel tow mule, Small N<br />
numbers, & much more! $79,500 or<br />
best offer. Call Ernest & Lorraine Seth<br />
(304) 643-4668, or E-mail lauriefmk@<br />
zoominternet,net. 2/2<br />
1966 PA24 260B N9106P, TTSN 5645,<br />
SMOH 1945, STOH (Millennium) 702,<br />
SPOH 45, S-TEC 60 AP w/ pitch control<br />
King IFR, KX155’s, WX-8 StormScope,<br />
backup vacuum, KMA25H w/ 4pl<br />
intercom, 1-pc windshield, shoulder<br />
harnesses, strobes, new interior, good<br />
paint, hangared since ‘97 June annual,<br />
$65,000, Dixon (303) 818-2990,<br />
java_air@smoky.tikasys.com 2/2<br />
1971 Piper <strong>Comanche</strong> 260C N9476P:<br />
Always Hangared, 2200 TT Airframe<br />
and Engine, NDH, Annual 4/07,<br />
Adlogs/Original Logs, All AD's comp.,<br />
Great Comp, Beige & Putty Leather<br />
Int 2002, ?'' Glass, Altimatc IIB 3-<br />
Axis, Insight CHT/EGT, GNS 530,<br />
Shadin Miniflo L, Mark 12D Nav/Com,<br />
Narco Transp, DME, PSI 4-Audio<br />
panel, WX10 Stormscope, 4-Place<br />
Oxygen, Electric Trim, NULITE Inst<br />
Lts, $114K/OBO, info & pics: cz@skydogcreative.com,<br />
917-699-0593 1/2<br />
1966 PA24 260B, N9086P, TT 3037.8<br />
SMOH 1104.3, SPOH 378.1 Snew<br />
annual 10-18-05, IFR 09-09-05, No<br />
damage history. To many things to<br />
list. Call or email for pictures and<br />
equipment. $105,000. 361-552-5838,<br />
thevabrowns@cableone.net 1/2<br />
PA30 / PA39<br />
1965 PA-30 Twin Commanche-<br />
Counter Rotated, 4365 TT, 750 SMOH<br />
LE/RE, LOST MEDICAL, Loran, Nose<br />
Wheel Tug, Manuals, KX-170B and Mac<br />
Digital Radios, Insight EGT/CHTs,<br />
Horizontal Compass, Small Nose Wheel,<br />
Amp/Volt Meter, Lopresti Wow Cowls<br />
and Speed Spats, Arapaho 1 Piece<br />
Windshield, K2-U Wing Fillets, <strong>Pilot</strong>/<br />
Co-<strong>Pilot</strong> Shoulder Harnesses, Bogart<br />
Battery Cables, 4 Place Intercom,<br />
Johnston Wingtips, See thru Visors, Glare<br />
Shield, Upper door latch, Altimatic II,<br />
Always Hangared. Family Owned For<br />
Over 30 Years, Paint and Interior 7/8,<br />
$75,000. Call Ed at 530 550-8855 or<br />
email Edwardferrera@aol.com 1/2<br />
1967 Factory Turbo Twin <strong>Comanche</strong>,<br />
Ser #3-1602, 3365 TT, 1375 SMOH,<br />
L/E and R/E, Altimatic III, one-piece<br />
windshield 1/4" glass, Factory Oxygen,<br />
Strobe Lights. Always hangared, No<br />
damage history, Well Maintained. One<br />
Owner last 24 years. Annual 12/05.<br />
$98,000 Call (949) 493-4642 or e-mail<br />
jocannan@aol.com. 1/2<br />
Advertiser’s<br />
Index<br />
Ada Aircraft Painting ............................15<br />
Advanced <strong>Pilot</strong> Seminars......................19<br />
Aero Tech Services ..............................33<br />
Aero-PMA-Parts ....................................44<br />
Aerotech Publications ..........................43<br />
Aerox ....................................................15<br />
Air Parts of Lock Haven ......................35<br />
Aircraft Engineering, Inc. ....................22<br />
Aircraft Specialty Services ......................40<br />
Aircraft Spruce and<br />
Specialty ............................Inside Back Cvr<br />
Avemco ..................................................7<br />
Aviation Performance Products ......23,43<br />
B&C Specialty Products, Inc. ..............23<br />
Bogert Aviation ....................................26<br />
Bruce’s Custom Covers ........................16<br />
CFF ......................................................11<br />
Clifton Aero ..........................................37<br />
<strong>Comanche</strong> Gear....................................21<br />
Degroff Aviation Technologies ..............35<br />
Dennis Ashby........................................36<br />
Eagle Fuel Cells ....................................48<br />
Electronics <strong>International</strong>......................21<br />
First National Bank Midwest ................20<br />
General Aviation Modifications ............33<br />
Great Lakes Aero Products ..................32<br />
Gulf Coast Stacks ................................41<br />
Hartwig Fuel Cell Repair ......................44<br />
Hartzell Propeller, Inc...........................45<br />
Icarus Instruments ..............................48<br />
Iliff Aircraft Repair ..............................37<br />
J.L. Osborne, Inc. ................................48<br />
Johnston Aircraft Services ........Back Cvr<br />
Knots 2U ........................Inside Front Cvr<br />
Kosola & Associates..............................33<br />
Linda Lou, Inc. ....................................15<br />
LoPresti Speed Merchants....................23<br />
Met-Co-Aire ..........................................17<br />
Mike’s Upholstery ................................40<br />
Paul Bowen ................17,Inside Back Cvr<br />
Poplar Grove Airmotive........................35<br />
Precise Flight ........................................22<br />
Precision Propeller ..............................19<br />
Questair ................................................15<br />
Rocky Mountain Propellers, Inc. ..........42<br />
Ron & John’s <strong>Comanche</strong> Service ........16<br />
Schweiss Bi-Fold Doors ........................33<br />
Sky-Tec Partners ....................................7<br />
So<strong>und</strong> Ex Products ..............................36<br />
Survival Products..................................40<br />
Travers & Associates ............................34<br />
Tsuniah Lake Lodge ..............................7<br />
Turton Enterprises................................17<br />
Warren Gregoire & Assoc. LLC ............40<br />
Webco ..................................................39<br />
White Industries ..................................11<br />
William Creech ..............Inside Back Cvr<br />
Zephyr Aircraft Engines ......................19<br />
SEPTEMBER 2006 <strong>Comanche</strong> Flyer • 47
48 • <strong>Comanche</strong> Flyer SEPTEMBER 2006
This is a “must read for all ICS members.”<br />
This is an account of the 31<br />
year career of a USAF<br />
Fighter <strong>Pilot</strong>. It deals with<br />
flying over 300 combat<br />
missions in fighters during<br />
three wars, WWII, Korea,<br />
and Viet Nam. He was shot<br />
down twice during WWII,<br />
flew F-86’s during Korea,<br />
and went on to command a<br />
F-100 squadron in the Viet<br />
Nam era. It also deals with<br />
some of the frustrations of<br />
bureaucracy and in retirement,<br />
his experiences as<br />
President of the ICS as well<br />
as owning and maintaining a<br />
<strong>Comanche</strong> for 2700 hours.<br />
For info, call Bill at 915-581-3401 or order ($20.00 plus S&H) at<br />
www.the3rdgreatestfighterpilot.com,<br />
or www.authorhouse.com,<br />
or 1-800-839-8640
2-BLADE COMPACT HUB PROPELLER<br />
3-BLADE COMPACT HUB PROPELLER<br />
Special<br />
on Props<br />
NOW!