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4 Taylorcraft protecting an Aeronca

5 Comments
  • Ann Elsbach
    Posted at 19:00h, 09 February Reply

    Nice that you have a starter…I remember literally digging a hole in a dirt field trying to start the L-2 (A65 armstrong starter;-) on a hot day. Those old Bendix mags hated to spark when they were hot, esp. just having been turned off on a hot day.

  • Judy
    Posted at 17:45h, 09 February Reply

    Amen! I was having a great time flying formation with a friend 3 weeks ago, after a while he turned north to head back to the airport, we said goodbye and I kept heading south. Less than a minute before he turned north he had a complete engine failure and landed dead stick in a plowed corn field. He’s good though – perfect landing, no damage to him or aircraft! Oh, and my Champ’s a C90 with a starter!

  • Ann Elsbach
    Posted at 12:36h, 09 February Reply

    Yeah, 65hp aircraft are so fun! Sounds like a great trip!! 65 hp aircraft are also prime for giving instruction. One of the several “power failure” incidents I have had was in a Champ, well actually an L-3. My student was flying; we were on the downwind leg at a towered airport. He realized that he needed a bit of power and advanced the throttle, nothing. I tried adding some power, nothing. Apparently we had no engine but the prop was windmilling.

    I asked the student what he planned to do. He hesitated so I asked him to make an immediate turn onto base and to angle in toward the runway. We made it, just, dead stick.

    As it turned out the exercise was very educational. The problem was a blocked idle jet and so if I had been more savvy and had advanced the throttle further, the engine would have jumped to the main jet and Voila! power. All I can say in my defense is that I was a baby instructor (happened in 1977).

    As has been the case in every power-failure type problem I’ve had it was a great learning experience. In this case we obviously had our landing spot picked out, however that’s one thing that “the sound of silence” teaches a pilot: ALWAYS know where you will go if your engine quits. Always!

    Cheers! Ann

    So you are in Indiana?

  • Judy
    Posted at 17:16h, 08 February Reply

    Sounds like GREAT memories, alright! My story is flying my Champ back from the coast of Maine to Indiana. Took off 9:00 a.m. flying 500′ agl down that beautiful, rocky coastline for an hour then turned west toward Indy. Flew all day, only stopped to refuel and eat vending machine food, then finally landed just before sunset – and I was still in New York! Chautauqua, NY. Ground speed westbound was under 60 mph. It was a 3 day adventure and I wouldn’t trade it for anything!!

  • Ann Elsbach
    Posted at 15:13h, 08 February Reply

    What a sweet picture. Brings back memories of my ’43 L-2. When I first bought it (see my profile for a photo) it had a red nose and was in pretty bad shape. Of course it was advertised as a “cream puff”! Ha! But I loved that plane, and after rebuilding it, gave many hours of instruction in it.

    We did it in silver military with invasion stripes after the first rebuild and in OD for the second. I also have lots of time in both BC 12Ds, and the early BC 12s with the trim under the horizon stab, as well as in the F-19. I do love Taylorcrafts, such fun.

    My first solo was in an L-2 and so I bought one as my first plane. Then, with a little less than 100 hours total time, I flew from KY to CA to bring the L-2 home. Took 38 hours flying down through the south…I figured I’d have to taxi it over the Rockies. 😉

    Where are you gals located? Thumbs up! Ann

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