BHM 1214 - The Beechcraft Heritage Museum

w w w. b o n a n z a . o r g
w w w. b o n a n z a . o r g
BEECHCRAFT HERITAGE MUSEUM
Beech Party 2014
By Wade McNabb
Photos by Thomas Hoff except where noted.
B
eech Party was a smashing success. Our major pre-party project
Photo by Robert Hickey.
for this year was the oldest hangar in the museum complex,
the Walter H. Beech Hangar. Upgrades included
air conditioning, lighting, insulation, and paint.
This may not sound like a big deal, but trust me when I tell
Outside, the electricians and land­scapers had completed the installation of
44 taxiway lights along the sidewalk from the Beech Center to the Bonanza/
Baron Hangar. This was the result of a fundraising project where donors were
able to purchase lights with their names engraved on them. Only six lights
remained blank, but they sold the first day of Beech Party.
Our first arrival was two and a half weeks early, but he was one of the
stars of the show. Butch Card of Kenedy, Texas, volunteered his and his son
Rick’s time to ready a 1946 Beechcraft D18S for a ferry flight to the museum.
Longtime member David Rogers owned the Twin Beech for almost 50 years
before deciding to donate it. Butch was not in town long before driving to
Nashville for a Southwest flight to St. Louis to pick up the next arrival. Jimmy
Johnson and his father Jim had completed their work on a 1943 Beechcraft D17S
for its ferry flight to Tullahoma. Longtime member Les Grotpeter generously
donated “Gilmore” to our collection. Butch arrived with the gorgeous yellow
Staggerwing the next day, and promptly departed for home.
you that it was.
Five aircraft were temporarily relocated to another
hangar. One of them required a bit of coaxing. After sitting
for a period of time, the brake lining on the left hand main
gear had become wedged into the wheel, preventing it from
turning. After a few hours of effort, museum volunteer Carl
Marciniak and I managed to get the aircraft rolling again.
After a few long weeks, the electricians were finished
and it was time for paint. My wife Dara served as our interior
designer and selected the palette of colors. The paint had not
even dried when floor cleaning began and display cabinets
were moved, preparing for the aircraft to be brought back.
We were out of time, weather was coming in, and guests
would soon be arriving. Fittingly, the first aircraft to return
was the first Beechcraft. Moving aircraft around was easy.
Moving them into their final position was difficult. We
fussed over inches and angles for a few hours before being
somewhat satisfied.
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AMERICAN BONANZA SOCIETY
The third arrival was also a very special plane, carrying very special people.
Jeff Gorman brought the last Duke built, serial number P-596, which was purchased
new in 1982 by his mother and father, Marge and Jim Gorman. They picked it up
at the factory on April 10th, which inspired the n-number, N410G. Later in the
week, during an emotional ceremony, Jeff and Shellie Gorman presented the
aircraft to Museum Chairman John Parish, Sr.
Given the amount of rain received in the first part of October, we were
extremely concerned about parking aircraft on the grass. An alternate plan was
formed in case rain continued, but in the end it was not needed. Arrivals began
in earnest on Wednesday morning, even though the weather was not ideal. At
one point seven aircraft were in the holding pattern waiting their turn for the
GPS approach to runway 36.
Many volunteers contributed their time and energy to the event’s success,
from the aircraft parking and greeting crews, to event registration, gift shop,
office, and behind the scenes. Additionally, our sponsors and exhibitors were
extremely generous in their support. And finally, we were fortunate to have
talented speakers delivering wonderful programs for our members’ and guests’
education and entertainment.
DECEMBER 2014
Volume 14 • Number 12 AMERICAN BONANZA SOCIETY
33
New Airworthiness Issues
P
erhaps the most fun for all involved
was the flying. After arrival, there
were still plenty of opportunities
to get in the air. Very few times was the
flight line quiet. My first flight of Beech
Party was with a four-ship formation on
Thursday. Wayne Collins was lead, Don
Lawton #2, Lee Rousselle #3, and yours
truly as #4.
Service information, bulletins, and Airworthiness Directives are time-sensitive safety
information. Watch ABS News and ABS Hangar Flying at www.bonanza.org
for new airworthiness information as it arises.
Posted October 29th on www.AVweb.com
Bob Siegfried II was recruited as my instructor and safety
pilot. The good news was that he did agree to get in an
airplane again with me after the flight, which was not
pretty. The only time I was in position for two flights that
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day was on the takeoff roll. As I’ve written
before, formation flying is a disciplined
practice that is extremely hard work, but
very rewarding.
Saturday morning was the next oppor­
tunity for me to fly, and this one was an
absolute delight. Russ McDonald offered
the front seat of his beautiful yellow T-34B,
and my wingman would be none other than Ms. Julie Clark
in her exquisite T-34A. We took off as a two-ship and to say
that Julie flew tight formation is a dramatic understatement.
We wandered our way over to Winchester for their wonderful
pancake breakfast. The flight back was my turn to fly on
Julie’s wing. The coolest part of the flight had to be looking
over my shoulder after the break to see two perfectly straight
lines of smoke lying on top of the runway.
Next on the flight roster was a photo mission with Jeff
Gorman flying the last Duke and me flying the last V-tail
Bonanza, owned by Mike Burris. Photographer Thomas
Hoff and photo ship pilot Trevor Blackmer planned a unique
shot of both aircraft with the museum in the background
– and nailed it!
The last flight of the day was with King Air guru Tom
Clements at the invitation of owner Ron McAlister, who is the
visionary behind the King Air Academy in Phoenix, Arizona.
Ron’s goal is to make this the highest quality training facility by
focusing solely on the King Air. With Ron graciously granting
me the right seat, I witnessed the master at work in his office.
Tom made a couple of high-speed passes, a low-speed pass,
and an incredibly short field landing. I was blown away at
how quickly Tom stopped the big B200!
Total aircraft attending the event was 145, a dramatic
increase over the last few years. Total members and guests
were estimated at 420, another boost. As with every year,
Sunday was when everyone had departed by 10:30 a.m., and
we spent the rest of the day putting the place back in order.
With the new additions and a couple of visiting aircraft, the
place looks awesome! If you’re anywhere near KTHA, please
stop in for a visit and see for yourself.
AMERICAN BONANZA SOCIETY
DECEMBER 2014
➤ ADS-B Summit: ‘Irreparable Harm’ Seen
Aviation groups are warning that the FAA’s inflexible requirement for
ADS-B equipage by 2020 could force an exodus from general aviation.
In statements issued as the FAA hosted a “call to action summit” on the
looming issue, both EAA and AOPA said the costs are too high for the
minimal benefits to individual aircraft owners and that could spell trouble
for personal aviation. EAA spokesman Sean Elliott told the meeting that
with the least expensive ADS-B solutions costing 10-25% or more of the
value of many GA airplanes, the situation “could drive people out of
aviation.” AOPA President Mark Baker wrote a letter to the FAA saying
the economic scenario posed by the mandate is of serious concern. “It
would be irresponsible to insist on enforcing a mandate that does not
reflect the realities of general aviation flying and would cause irreparable
harm to this industry,” Baker wrote.
If the groups hoped to get an extension on the deadline, FAA Deputy
Administrator Michael Whitaker made short work of the notion with his
opening statement. “We are not here to rewrite the rule; rather, we are
here to discuss any barriers we have in meeting the mandate,” Whitaker
said. “The mandate is not changing.” Aircraft Electronics Association
President Paula Derks says the FAA is throwing up one of those barriers
by refusing to sign off on an innovative financing program that would
make it easier for aircraft owners to get the necessary gear. “The industry is ready, willing, and able to meet the ADS-B Out 2020 mandate, but
despite industry-wide efforts to promote early equipage, the FAA is dragging its feet on the incentive program by not approving the loan guarantee
certificates for the NextGen GA Fund,” Derks said. “Until the FAA issues
the loan guarantee certificates, nothing moves on this program. Keep in
mind that the monies raised for financing these loans are from private
investors. Our industry is not asking for government money; we are
only asking for the FAA to issue the loan guarantee certificates as it was
directed by Congress to do so.
➤ Garmin Unveils Low-Cost ADS-B Out
Buyers waiting for cheaper or at least more [affordable] solutions to
satisfy the 2020 ADS-B mandate have another choice to shop. Garmin this
week announced a new ADS-B box that will interface with its Flight Stream
onboard data network, satisfying the ADS-B Out requirement.
The GDL 84 appears to be a downscale version of the company’s popular GDL 88, featuring both ADS-B In and Out capability without requiring
external controls or panels. Paired with Garmin’s Flight Stream in-cockpit
data network, the GDL 84 can display FIS-B weather and TIS-B traffic on
mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones. The unit receives on both
the 978 UAT and 1090 MHz frequencies and is suitable for aircraft operating
below 18,000 feet. Aircraft flying above 18,000 feet will still require a 1090
[ADS-B] Out solution, however. The GDL 84, says Garmin, is expected to
receive FAA AML/STC approvals in early 2015 and will sell for $3995, to
include the basic Flight Stream 100 system.
For more on the current status of ADS-B, see John Collins’ “Avionics”
column
on page XX.
Volume 14 • Number 12 AMERICAN BONANZA SOCIETY
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