LadiesLoveTaildraggers

Barbe Park is based at KMMV, McMinnville Municipal Airport, McMinnville, Oregon.

You’re kidding, right?  Who WOULDN’T fly a tailwheel??! Those airplanes with the thing under their nose, they just look wrong! I fly a 7KCAB Citabria…………..

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Love my tailwheels!  And love your organization!!

Barbe Park

 

Evelyn Greene is based at Kalaeloa Airport (KJRF) on the island of Oahu.

Aloha, I own and fly a Stearman PT-17 based out of Kalaeloa Airport on the island of Oahu.  I learn something new every time I fly this airplane.

She is the Queen with her nose in the air – she knows everyone is looking at her!

Christina Chapman flew her Scout to Smiley Creek yesterday and sent some beautiful pictures of the area – the area where the Women Wise Airmanship Fly-in will be held. The fly-in starts July 7 so and these pictures are sure to get you excited about attending! It’s not too late to book your room at the Smiley Creek Inn or plan your camping trip under the wing of your airplane.

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There were 10 RVs, 1 Texas taildragger, a Cessna 185, 182, and my Scout all lined up yesterday. Sure looked great. The RVs were just in for breakfast.

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If you can possibly swing it, Christina and I would love to meet you at Smiley Creek! Check out the link and be sure and send Christina an email if you have any questions. Women Wise Airmanship Fly-in at Smiley Creek Idaho

christina@mindelevations.com

Way to go ladies!! Last week, three of our own lady taildragger pilots competed in the 2011 women’s cross country air race, the Air Race Classic.

The traditionally 4-day air race began in 1929 with the First Women’s Air Derby and is the oldest women’s air race in the country. Our very own Gene Nora Jessen from Idaho, Dianna Stanger from Texas and Bobbi Boucher from Virginia all entered and crossed the finish line in Mobile, Alabama 3 days later! Gene and her partner Patty Mitchell flew a Beech Musketeer, Bobbi Boucher and partner Teri Nitz flew a Cessna 172G and Dianna Stanger and partner Victoria Holt flew an Aviat Husky A-1B. Of the 50 aircraft entered, Dianna was flying one of only two taildraggers entered and was the only taildragger to complete the race.

Pilot, crew and aircraft info provided by ARC. Note: Gene Nora Jessen, Dianna Stanger & Roberta Ann Boucher (Bobbi).

Classic Racer 2

Gene Nora Jessen

Patty Mitchell

Brenda Carter

N98339

Beechcraft Musketeer A23-24

Classic Racer 9

Dianna Stanger

Victoria Holt

N555HY

Aviat Husky A-1B

www.theracingaces.com

Classic Racer 24

Terry Nitz

Roberta Ann Boucher

N5858R

Cessna Skyhawk 172G

ThePlaneDoctor.com

Dianna Stangar and Victoria Holt ready to go in their Aviat Husky.

In an unexpected turn of events, the Racing Aces rolled with the punches as the start of the race was delayed by a day and shortened 1,078 statute-miles due to weather. The teams were released on Tuesday, June 21st and instructed to arrive at Alliance Municipal Airport (KAIA) at/before 12:00pm on Wednesday, June 22nd.

The Racing Aces were greeted by a large crowd at KAIA. Planes filled the airport’s apron, many commented that it was the busiest the airport has been and everyone was waiting with anticipation to see the teams depart. Teams took off down the runway and performed a fly-by before flying to the next leg of the race, Great Bend Municipal Airport (KGBD).

The Aces had an excellent start to the race on Wednesday, June 22nd and exceeded their exceptions in ground speed. Plus they loved the tail wind in Kansas!

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Friday, June 24th at noon the Racing Aces crossed the finish line at Mobile Downtown Airport in Mobile, Alabama. The Aces were beaming as they tied down their plane, an Aviat Husky A-1B. In fact, later on in the afternoon the ladies received notice that they were the only tail dragger to cross the finish line!  They exceeded their expectations and this is only their first Air Race Classic!

Another pleasant surprise was a visit from a young girl who is a member of the Boys and Girls Club of Mobile. The organization paired different girls to teams that chose to participate in “Adopt-a-Racer.” Katherine French was assigned to Classic Team #9. The club took her to meet the Aces as they crossed the finish line. She was absolutely enthralled with the experience, the Aces even signed various magazine articles which were published earlier in the year about the Aces.

Congratulations to all the women who participated in this amazing race. Special thanks to Dianna Stanger & Victoria Holt for providing the information from their blog The Racing Aces and especially for flying a great choice in aircraft for the competition. Flying a taildragger truly honored the history of the race and no doubt brought attention to the joys of flying an honest airplane!

Photos by Jasmine Gordon of Deity Design.

You can’t  live in the world of airplanes, especially antique and vintage taildraggers, and not have “a thing” for one or another. Mine happens to be the Aeronca C2s which began production in 1928 and the C3s in 1931. I can imagine myself flying a C3 solo, and I do mean solo because even though it’s a 2 place side-by-side, its a tight squeeze to get 2 bodies in the tiny little cockpit – by today’s standards anyway.  People must have been a heck of a lot smaller back then to comfortably fit in this 2-place airplane!

They used a 2 cylinder piston engine, the Aeronca E-113C. With only 36 hp I doubt I’d want anybody riding along, even if they managed to get in too. They were not known for superior performance – a friend told me that on some days there just wasn’t enough lift to get off and it would turn into a high speed taxi session..

All things come to an end; production was halted on the C-3s  in 1937 when they no longer met new U.S. government standards for airworthiness. “Many of the C-3′s peculiarities—external wire braces, extensive fabric construction, single-ignition engine, and lack of an airspeed indicator—were no longer permitted. Fortunately for the legion of Aeronca owners, a “grandfather” clause in the federal regulations allowed their airplanes to continue flying, although they could no longer be manufactured.”

Aeronca C3′s are just cool. Quirky cool. Peculiar cool. Flying bathtub cool. And that’s all OK. It would probably take a mechanic standing by to work on it 5 hours for every hour it flew so that leaves me out of the running for any rare one left to find. What I do know is, if I had one, I’d fly low and slow and drop in at grass strips and pancake breakfasts all summer long! Me and my flying bathtub!

And this last picture HAS to have a home on Ladies Love Taildraggers! No, she’s surely not in a C2 or C3 – I’m sure someone can tell me what airplane she’s about to get a ride in but you gotta love this rare photograph. Leather helmet – goggles – piercing eyes – a face that’s lived a hard life – and from the look on her face, I don’t think she’s convinced an airplane ride is a very good idea?

Thanks to Keith Robert Armstrong for several amazing pictures!

Hello Judy and all you lovely ladies!

An update from South Africa after ages! Last weekend, my students, boss, friends and I were at a fly-in at All Days Ex-Military Airfield, (in the middle of the bush!) Limpopo Province, South Africa.

It was the most fun I’ve had in a while! Lots of planes (over 120), aerobatics, food stalls, shopping, jumping castles, camping and even lion and tiger cubs (YES!!!)

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Sadly, also heard my first ever MAYDAY call over a hand held. 4 Gyrocopters took off on day 2 for a pleasure flight in loose formation and one of them went down on a dirt road next to the airfield, exploding on impact and we lost both pilots to the fire that ensued.

But still, a FANTASTIC fly-in! We used FL085 and FL075 there and back, respectively. 8 hours flying time there and back from our’s. Near perfect flying weather up north in South Africa this time of the year. Oh, I love winter!

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That’s it from me!  Hope you all are spending lots of time up in the air!

Sneha Harish

Based at Komatipoort Airport (FAKP), Komatipoort, South Africa

 

We wanted to fly up and visit my mother and father in law over Fathers’ Day weekend, but the weather looked nasty at our destination, so we stayed home and did a day trip to a little private ranch strip(s) on Saturday. It is a buffalo ranch near Wright, WY that the wife of a friend and local pilot grew up as a part of – so we got an invite to this private gathering. Guess what they served? Buffalo Burgers!

It was interesting how we people endlessly group according to likeness. The Cessna’s all parked on one side and the little fabric taildraggers on the opposite side (there ended up being about 6 of us – fabric covered). You got to know the wind blows in a place when it has more runways (4 here) than most airports I land at. And, yes, it was blowing straight down “the active”. This one has a cool bowl shape that helped us get off the ground in a hurry – well before the intersecting runway. On the flight home, approaching the Big Horn Mountains, we fly by the big, red walled canyon that the Hole-in-the-Wall gang hid out in.

As of this morning, the weather forecast looks good for getting home to visit this coming weekend. Anyone know what Schafer’s Meadow is looking like?

Rachel Conklin is based at 06N Randall Airport, Middletown, New York.

Hello!! I am 19 years old. I started flying gliders in 2006 by joining the gliding club based in Middletown and soloed 2 months later in the Club owned Schweizer 2-33. In September 2008, both my Dad and I obtained our private glider licenses. My dad, a hangglider pilot, encouraged me to pursue aviation as far as I could go. So after winning a generous scholarship from the EAA Chapter 1280, I began training in an adorable Cessna 150. In December of 2009, after bad weather had passed, I added the SEL rating. I even had a lady examiner!

FIRST ANNUAL WEST COAST RAGWING ROUND-UP

JUNE 24-26, 2011

Rancho Murieta, California   (KRIU)

Schedule of Events

Friday – June 24, 2011

Early Arrivals – Whenever

Barbecue Dinner – 6:30 p.m.

Hangar Movies – 8:00 p.m.

 

Saturday – June 25, 2011

Balloon ascension – 7:30 a.m.

Aircraft arrivals – Whenever

Breakfast 7:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

Pilot registration 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Aircraft static display 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Fly-away (to Eagles Nest) 10:30 a.m. – return by 1:00

Morning Fly-bys 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Bag lunch pick-up 12:00 noon

Judging of aircraft 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Afternoon fly-bys 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Barbecue Dinner and Awards Presentations 5:00 p.m.

Hanger Movies 7:30 p.m.

 

Sunday – June 26, 2011

Balloon ascension – 7:30 a.m.

Aircraft arrivals – Whenever

Pilot registration 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Breakfast 7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.

Aircraft static display 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Morning fly-bys 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

Spot landing contest 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Bag lunch pick-up 12:00 noon

Departures 2:00 p.m.

 

Fly-away Tour

A fly-away tour is planned to the Eagles Nest private airport located just six miles away. Sanders Aeronautics Inc., builders and restorers of racing and warbird aircraft and Hovey Machine Products who re-builds Rolls Royce – Merlin Aircraft Engines are located there. Dennis & Brian Sanders and Jack Hovey will host a tour of their facilities. All participating pilots will be briefed on flight and parking arrangements prior to departure.

Questions: E-mail  tosha@ranchomurietaairport.com

Phone 916.354.9889

Sent in by Kimberly Sanders

I’m so sorry if you don’t live close enough to fly to Lee Bottom Airfield (I64) in the summertime. Its a frequent destination for vintage taildraggers and antique airplanes and a spot not to be missed by taildraggers traversing cross-country. The gate keepers to the airfield are Rich & Ginger Davidson who own and operate this 4000′ grass strip in the Indiana low lands along side the Ohio River. When you’re flying right downwind for 36 you might have one wing in Indiana and the other in Kentucky. It’s a beautiful, scenic spot that’s been known to make you feel like you’ve traveled back in time – a time when airplanes all had a tailwheel and you could sit under a tree and be happy doing just that.

In the summer months Rich & Ginger host a Sinful Sunday one Sunday a month  (i.e. sundae) and the sundaes are FABULOUS.  Last Sunday it was Strawberry Twinkie sundaes and all I can say is OMG!  Fresh strawberries, whipped cream, ice cream, twinkies and a cherry on top. Can it get any better?!

And I wasn’t the only one thinking that!

Did I mention that they work really hard pulling this off so we can all fly-in for a tasty &  fun afternoon?

OK, ice cream aside, there’s more to see than just ice cream…..

I always think the people I meet at fly-ins are the most interesting folks. I had to meet this next lovely lady – she was wearing an Aeronca Champ t-shirt and carrying a 99er’s bag – had to be one of us!

Let me introduce you to Kaye Combs Moore from Lexington, KY who learned to fly in a Champ at Bowman field in 1958. Not many women flying Champs back in ’58! Very cool, Kaye!

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But when it’s all said and done, this is what we all came to see….

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Oh, heck yes, ya gotta see my S7 heading home….

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Hope you get a chance to visit Lee Bottom some day too. http://www.leebottom.com/

Judy