THE BIRDS YOU BEEN ON!!!!!!!!

iflyforpie · Post by **iflyforpie** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 9:58 am

I've got a book at home by Barry Schiff which is basically a highlight of some the many different aircraft he flew and wrote articles for AOPA magazine.

An addendum actually lists all of the aircraft he flew over the years, more than 300 types. He didn't beat one of his mentors though, who was a WWII ferry pilot and flew nearly double the number of types.

What is interesting though, is that from 707 to U2, Spirit of St Louis (replica) to Lake Amphibian, his all time favourite aircraft has always remained the Aeronca Champ.

Siddley Hawker · Post by **Siddley Hawker** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 1:39 pm

Stick time on Piper Cherokee, Super Cub, Aztec, Beech 18 tri-gear, Beech Queen Air, C-150, 182&1/2, 185, Beaver, Turbo Beaver, Otter, Norseman, C-46, Canso, DC-3, Vickers Viscount, BAC1-11, F-27, G159, G1159, Lear 55, Hawker 125, Lockheed 10A, Lockheed 12, Stinson SR9, HS748.

Moose47 · Post by **Moose47** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 3:05 pm

<<<Siddley Hawker Post subject: Re: THE BIRDS YOU BEEN ON!!!!!!!!Posted: Thu Feb 17, 2011 8:39 pm
Rank 10
Joined: Wed Aug 11, 2004 1:56 am
Posts: 2323
Location: 50.13N 66.17W Stick time on...>>>

I would trade a thousand hours just to get one hour on the Dakota. It's the best plane I 'never' flew!

Cheers...Chris

Hedley · Post by **Hedley** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 5:20 pm

his all time favourite aircraft has always remained the Aeronca Champ

Bizarre.

HS-748 2A · Post by **HS-748 2A** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 9:39 pm

Siddley Hawker wrote: 182&1/2,

Does that make it half as good as a 180?

Siddley Hawker · Post by **Siddley Hawker** » Fri Feb 18, 2011 2:16 pm

That's about it. The early models of the 185 had 260 HP and came on the 2870 floats, so they were neither a 180 nor a 185, hence 182.5.

HS-748 2A · Post by **HS-748 2A** » Fri Feb 18, 2011 3:11 pm

Siddley Hawker wrote:That's about it. The early models of the 185 had 260 HP and came on the 2870 floats, so they were neither a 180 nor a 185, hence 182.5.

At least it isn't a nosedragger on wheels..

'48

Rowdy · Post by **Rowdy** » Fri Feb 18, 2011 6:16 pm

Siddley Hawker wrote:That's about it. The early models of the 185 had 260 HP and came on the 2870 floats, so they were neither a 180 nor a 185, hence 182.5.

Yuck! Soooooo much nicer with 300hp and some 3430s!

Shiny Side Up · Post by **Shiny Side Up** » Sat Feb 19, 2011 12:21 pm

Hedley wrote:
his all time favourite aircraft has always remained the Aeronca Champ
Bizarre.

Not so much, I've heard this from a few people. I think its not so much the characteristics of such an aircraft, but the circumstances in which they get to fly it. Its the type of aircraft (simple tube and fabric taildragger) that is where people rediscover what they truly love about flying. Its often flying with no schedule, no commitments, no ATC, no flight plan, no passengers, no work assignment, no cargo, no duty times. Pure freedom of burning holes in the sky.

Nark · Post by **Nark** » Sat Feb 19, 2011 12:25 pm

I agree with the philosophy behind it, however of his list of simple taildraggers I wouldn't have picked the Champ.
The one I flew was really loose and sloppy in the controls, hence my love of the Super Cub. The nearly twice horsepower made up for my loose and sloppy ability to fly.

Shiny Side Up · Post by **Shiny Side Up** » Sat Feb 19, 2011 12:30 pm

Like I said, its less the airplane's actual capabilities and more the airplane the particular pilot associates with a particular experience.

Hedley · Post by **Hedley** » Sat Feb 19, 2011 1:19 pm

I suppose, but just because I got a bl_wj_b when I was a teenager in my girlfriend's Ford Fiesta, does not make it the best car of all time, even though I might remember it fondly

There are many tailwheel aircraft I would put ahead of the champ. J-3 cub comes immediately to mind. The Champ/Chief/Citabria/Decathlon family are nice in a "girl-next-door" manner, but I suspect that if you flew a Giles or Extra or MX2 you might fall in love all over again, just like I first did in that Ford Fiesta as a teenager!

You would be surprised at the aircraft I have been disappointed in. Many of the famous WWII "warbirds" do not have very nice handling characteristics and IMHO are not as much fun to fly, as you might think. Crude airplanes, expensive, and high maintenance. They do not live up to all the hype about them.

It's so subjective. Generally, when someone complains that an aircraft is "too sensitive", I'm probably going to be very fond of it. I like a stick with no slop in it that is very responsive to the slightest movement, with well-balanced roll and pitch stick forces. I hate an aircraft that is heavy in roll, and light in pitch (common).

Good visibility is a real plus for me. Another is good vertical performance. I hate an airplane that you raise the nose slightly, the speed bleeds right off. Sigh. That's no fun. Freedom in three dimensions is wonderful.

Inverted systems are another plus, so you don't have to worry all the time about keeping the G positive.

Being able to store kinetic energy is another plus. Another HUGE plus is being able to pull some G without all the airspeed bleeding off.

Shiny Side Up · Post by **Shiny Side Up** » Sat Feb 19, 2011 1:46 pm

I suppose, but just because I got a bl_wj_b when I was a teenager in my girlfriend's Ford Fiesta, does not make it the best car of all time, even though I might remember it fondly

True, the comparrison I was more going for would be more accurate if you got a blow job everytime you drove the Fiesta. While everytime you drove your Porshe you never got a blow job for three months after. Which would you more fondly think of? Imagine that everytime you flew the Pitts all you got to do with it was take off, fly straight and level for a while and land. While when you flew the Champ you got to do whatever you wanted. Regardless of performance which would you look forward to more?

Either way, not everyone's personal preference is the same, which is good, otherwise people would be more boring than they already are.

beaverbob · Post by **beaverbob** » Mon Feb 21, 2011 9:20 am

I enjoyed my Aeronca chief, probably because it was my first plane and I was 20 years old. Flying it in Terrace taught me a lot about flying. 65 hp 3 gph fuel consumption no electrics or starter etc. Simple a/s alt, tach and oil pressure. Fuel gauge was a cork in the front tank on a metal rod.
It stalled about 35 mph and flew about 80 to 90 mph. It taught me a lot about weather flying in BC. Sometimes the only way I could out climb a valley was to use thermal currents and know the upper wind direction.I flew the length and width of BC with that plane. Got a girl freind with it too.
My second plane was a Piper Pacer. Another good plane. Got rid of a girl friend with that one. But thats another story.
Bob

beaverbob · Post by **beaverbob** » Mon Feb 21, 2011 9:20 am

remove due finger trouble.

AOW · Post by **AOW** » Mon Feb 21, 2011 4:43 pm

SGS 2-33A
C172
8GCBC
C150
11CC
7ECA
L23
C152
PA18
PA23
PA28
Tecnam Sierra AULA
DA40
Tecnam Bravo AULA
C182
PA44
BE10

There are a lot more that I would like to add to this list; one day when I'm rich and famous!

Rockie · Post by **Rockie** » Tue Feb 22, 2011 11:10 am

Lesson Plan one.

Finnegan · Post by **Finnegan** » Sat Feb 26, 2011 8:13 am

Forgot one of my favorites - Glasair II RG. Nice little hotrod. I'd own one if I had any money!! Let me rephrase that; if I had lots of money.