The International Cessna^® 170 Association

Dick, it wasn't El Paso Natural Gas's guy. At one time I knew which business he owned or was president of, but of course I can't recall it now I knew, vaguely, who the head honcho was at El Paso because he was a cousin of my Dad. His name was Hugh Steen and was from Clyde, TX. Maybe one of these days I will recall the name of the founder of War Eagles Museum. The RV guys used to have a fly in there at Santa Teresa each year. I don't know if they still do or not. When I was working I traveled to El Paso regularly and went out there any number of times. There was a time when once a month they would pull out one of their warbirds and fly it on a Saturday for the public to observe. I never stayed over a weekend to do so as I spent 14 months there once and didn't wish to spend any non business days there. I do recall that among other planes he had a supposedly true two place P-51D, maybe it was a TP-51D (one that had dual controls from the factory) I saw both it and a regular D model in the museum and at a couple of fly ins at Brackenridge, TX He also had a P-38, but I was told they never flew it due to its value? Rumor that one of the guys who restored many of his planes at Fabens, TX told me was that he had polio as a child and wasn't able to join the military to fly, so he just built his own collection of warbirds and did it his way!!

Thnks for the route suggestions! The turn-by-turn is a great planning tool. As for density altitude...I've been flying out of Big Bear however, it's been in a V-tail with a bit more power. I can say though, Flying a wood-propped 220 Continental Stearman with 2 people and full gas on a hot day is probably about the same as the 170 with 1 It's all energy management....right

8039A is going in for it's annual tomorrow at Millard. Hasn't flown much over the last year so, hopefully nothing big turns up. Then, pitot-static and a one-way ticket on a SWA cattle car!

As for SZP, I'm there all the time, shoot me an email and I can meet you out there, or IZA for Chumash Buffet, or ????

Chris

cessna170bdriver wrote:...At about 2100 GW, I crossed the departure end of the 10,000 ft runway at about 50 AGL on an 80-degree day DA=9500) . ....:

Whhooooo-HHooooooo! Reminds me of the takeoff Jamie and I made out of Cortez, CO after visiting Mesa Verde on our way back from YOUR convention in Tehachapi, Miles! We took off full of gas on a hot afternoon....ate up the whole runway and when it ran out....I just pulled the thing off into the ground-effect.....and the terrain slightly rose a few feet per mile for miles....and miles... I didn't dare bank or turn......and we never got more than a few feet above the cactus and scrub until we finally developed 80 IAS...which took a while due to the need to climb along with the rising terrain. Not a comfortable feeling wiping the belly-oil off on the cactus.

Awesome

It was a stark reminder to work out the DA before takeoff. (We had an unexpected 3 hour delay on that departure.)

I'm not the first person to be surprised at Cortez. The field length is 7200, but Elev. is 5900. The surrounding terrain is deceiving as to slope due to a "gravity-house" effect of the mesa to the east, leading one to believe the horizon is level when it is not. I once was surprised to read of two others who found themselves performance-challenged coming out of there, and then one day, while reading thru an old "170 News" published several years before my joining TIC170A which Tom Downey had shipped to me, I saw Steve Grimsley's story of how he too was surprised by the same lack of performance departing Cortez.
It's a beautiful travel-stop, though. (Just be light, and leave when it's cool.)

Hmmmm, maybe I'll need to go on a diet!

George, just be glad that the GREEN cactus was there to rush you along. Otherwise we would have been reading a report of your demise

I have had a few close calls myself, even with a GREEN plane. The highest elevation airport I think I have flown into and out of was West Yellowstone. I think it was around 6650'. However, Becky and I had flown in the day before to see Yellowstone while on our way to the 1995 Kalispell convention and we left by mid to late morning (in July) so it wasn't bad. However, after that convention, former historian Cleo Bickford flew back with us to TX. We stopped at Farmington, NM at noon, filled our tanks as well as our bellies and departed (again in July) around 1:30 pm. The wind favored the runway that puts you over the city upon departure. We rolled and rolled and finally the mains came off, but not much of a climb. As we passed over the city, heading for the river, those tv antenna's looked mighty close. Cleo commented that he kept wondering if we were going to fly or not After about a mile Ole Pokey make up her mind to climb and reminded us that we were likely near gross. One other time while going to the Everett, WA convention, Steve Grimsley and Browning Lentz and I landed in Farmington. Same song and dance. Seemed to take forever to get high enough to clear the mountain where Mesa Verde/Cliff Dwellings are located. Fun and games

Frank,
The information you gave me above is pretty much the same as the docent at "War Eagle" gave me but he referred to the owner as the "El Paso Natural gas guy." I never had any reason to verify that information so I sure as hell can't swear by it. At any rate, he had one if the best collections I've ever seen. Much better than most of the CAF stuff.

So....annual about complete. A few squawks but nothing big Going to get in the pattern with a friends 170 over the next week to reaquaint myself with spring gear!!! Should be a hoot!

170C wrote:George, just be glad that the GREEN cactus was there to rush you along. Otherwise we would have been reading a report of your demise ...:

If it weren't for the ability of my RED airplane to achieve 80 mph as quickly as it did (relative to a Green airplane) ....I'd likely still be amongst that cactus.

Dick, the founder of War Eagles Museum was John Macguire. Maybe my memory will kick in eventually and I can come up with the name of the oil company he headed in El Paso. Prior to building the museum at Santa Teresa, NM he kept his collection of warbirds at his ranch near Ft. Hancock, TX. His wife, Betty, was also a pilot and if memory serves she flew on of the P-51's and John the other one to the air shows in Breckenridge, TX that Howard Pardue put on for quite a number of years.

Dick, below is the data I was searching for on John Macguire. If interested, check the internet for Betty Macguire. She had just as interesting flying passion as did her husband John. He had quite a career.

John was chairman of the board of Southern Union Gas Co. for 12 years and served on several other oil and gas company boards, including Aztec Oil and Gas, Chieftain International, Supron Industries, Delhi Oil and Arkansas Western. He also served as a board member for 42 years of the Lee and Beulah Moor Children's Home in El Paso, a charity founded by his wife's parents. John was a life member of the UT-Austin Texas Exes, a member of the UT Chancellor's Council, and a member of Friends of Alec.

Frank

Frank,
I remember that the docent at the War Eagle Museum told us that the owner used to put on a monthly flying display at the airport by the museum. He finally had to discontinue it due to the excessive cost of the insurance coverage for a public flying display. What a shame.

Ok, the IA is finally done with the F.Atlee Dodge battery box install and 8039a has a clean bill of health . Now, time to fly it out....looks like the 29th though the 30th is looking good right now. Partly cloudy starting out to severe clear down south. Omaha-Dodge City-Liberal Ks-Albuquerque then west along 40. Any suggestions from Albuquerque to SoCal? Planning to spend the night somewhere near Al.....then?

Should be a fun trip....taking my IA along just in case !

Hawkeyenfo wrote:... Any suggestions from Albuquerque to SoCal? ...!

Sedona, AZ !!! Like landing on the surface of Mars...(and great food, shopping, history, etc etc)