Today’s Top Pick is a 1941 Boeing​/​Stearman PT-17.

Many pilots dream of owning a vintage biplane, complete with open cockpits, fabric covering, bracing wires, and other details that characterize the classics.

In the end, though, they decide that such aircraft, lightly built with thin struts and spindly landing gear, are too delicate to be practical. While this notion might hold true for many biplanes designed during aviation’s golden age between World Wars I and II, it does not apply to the Boeing/Stearman PT-17.

Stearman Aircraft Inc. began turning out biplanes for commercial and personal use during the 1920s and by the mid-1930s had the eye of the U.S. Army Air Corps, which was looking for a new primary trainer.

The Stearman A75, later known as the PT-17 was a near-perfect candidate for the job because it was generally easy to fly yet still demanding enough to differentiate aspiring pilots with potential from those who would be better off pursuing a different specialty.

Perhaps most important was the aircraft’s ruggedness. This is one well-built biplane that was capable of bouncing back from the many mistakes that student pilots make.

The characteristics that made the Stearman a great trainer more than 80 years ago make it a wonderful personal airplane today.

The 1941 model for sale here offers pilots a window into aviation’s past, when airplanes had round engines and fabric covering. It also gives us a new way to see those familiar stretches of earth that we fly over regularly—from an open cockpit.

This 1941 Stearman has 3,749 hours on the airframe, 330 hours on its Continental W670-6A radial engine since overhaul, and 210 hours on its Sensenich propeller since overhaul. The VFR panel includes a King KLX 135 digital GPS/Comm, KT 76C transponder and intercom in addition to traditional analog flight and engine instruments

Pilots searching for a vintage biplane that is robust enough to handle frequent modern-day sorties including fly-ins, vacation getaways, and occasional formation flying with the owner’s club should consider this 1941 Boeing/Stearman PT-17, which is available for $155,000 on AircraftForSale.

If you’re interested in financing, you can do so with FLYING Finance. Use its airplane loan calculator to calculate your estimated monthly payments. Or, to speak with an aviation finance specialist, visit flyingfinance.com.

• FLYING Magazine: Restoration Nation: The Stearman Next Door
• FLYING Magazine: Taking Wing: Stearman Patrol
• FLYING Magazine: Tuskegee Airmen Stearman Flies Into History
• The Aviation Consumer: Antiques and Classics: Owning and Operating
• AVweb: National Museum of the U.S. Air Force Acquires PT-17
• AVweb: Pilot Completes U.K.-Australia Stearman Flight

The post This 1941 Boeing/Stearman PT-17 Is a Tough, Two-Winged ‘Aircraft For Sale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The first crash happened on June 15 in Chino, California, when Lockheed N93R was taking part in a Father’s Day airshow. The pilot and copilot were killed when the aircraft crashed during takeoff. The pilot took off with the flaps fully extended. 

Lockheed N93R

The NTSB noted that video of the takeoff shows the flaps down and the aircraft struggling to climb. The vintage twin reached an altitude of approximately 300 feet before plunging to the left. There was a post-impact fire.

The crew had lowered the flaps as part of the preflight inspection but did not retract them before takeoff. The NTSB noted that during engine start the ground crew used arm and hand signals to try to let the pilot and copilot know the flaps were in the fully extended position.

Lockheed N2072

The second accident occurred on June 18 at Seven Lakes Airport (62GA) in Jackson, Georgia. The pilot, the commercially rated copilot, and a passenger were seriously injured when the privately owned 1936 Lockheed 12A Electra Junior (N2072) veered off the turf runway during landing.

Video of the landing taken by a bystander on the ground shows the aircraft on approach to the turf runway with the flaps and gear down. The touchdown appears normal, then as the aircraft slows and the tailwheel settles to the ground, the aircraft veers to the left. The videographer lowers the camera so the aircraft’s impact with a tree is heard but not shown.

• READ MORE: 3 Left Injured in Georgia Lockheed 12A Crash

“The impact crushed the cockpit] aft toward the cabin,” the NTSB report said. “A tree trunk about 2 feet in circumference was observed within the cockpit. The instrument panel was buckled around the tree trunk. The pilot, co-pilot, and passenger seats were crushed up and aft.”

The investigation quickly focused on the brakes and the tailwheel as both are used for directional control on the ground. Examination of the main landing gear braking system revealed hydraulic fluid on the landing gear strut and hydraulic fluid leaking from the brake line fitting.

“The steel-braided brake line B-nut fitting, which connected the right brake caliper to the rigid brake line attached to the right landing gear strut, was finger-tight, and hydraulic fluid was observed leaking from the fitting,” the NTSB said.

The fitting on the left brake could not be moved by hand and there was no fluid leakage.

Investigators stated the tailwheel lock control lever was found in the locked position, but the locking tab on the control-wheel assembly appeared to be unlocked.

The NTSB final report on both accidents is likely several months out as it can take 18 to 24 months for investigations to be completed.

The post NTSB Releases Details on 2 Lockheed 12A Crashes appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1951 Cessna 170A.

When I began shopping for an aircraft that my family and I could use for vacation getaways and weekend day trips, I spent many hours watching videos of Cessna 170s landing on turf strips. For a long time I felt any airplane I owned should be at home on a grass runway. While the requirements changed to include aircraft no more than 40 years old, I still consider the 170 a hot prospect for vintage fans who want to use their airplanes regularly.

A well-loved example of this midcentury machine can provide the stability, easy handling, and reliability of its successor, the 172, while hanging onto those beautifully rounded tail surfaces and charismatic taildragger gear. As tailwheel aircraft go, the 170 is considered friendlier than most.

This Cessna 170A has 5,375 hours on the airframe and 1,650 hours on its 145 hp Continental O-300 engine and McCauley propeller. The aircraft was repainted in 1998. The panel includes a Garmin 300 XL GPS, KMA audio panel, Garmin GDL 82 ADS-B, and dual VORs.

Pilots looking for a personal aircraft with an attractive combination of nostalgia and practicality should consider this 1951 Cessna 170A, which is available for $84,900 on AircraftForSale.

You can arrange financing of the aircraft through FLYING Finance. For more information, email info@flyingfinance.com.

• FLYING Magazine: The Cessna 170 Is a Ticket to Adventure
• FLYING Magazine: Cessna 172 Annual Maintenance and What It Will Cost You
• FLYING Magazine: Cessna to Auction Historic Airplane for Charity
• Plane & Pilot: Cessna 170A: Rebuild Of A Lifetime, Literally
• Plane & Pilot: Cessna 170

The post This 1951 Cessna 170A Is a Practical Antique and an AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1944 Stinson Vultee V-77.

A graceful, unusual wing shape sets the later Stinson Reliant models apart from other 1930s general aviation aircraft. Earlier Reliants had straight, constant-chord wings and are quite different in design despite having the same name as the later, so-called gull-wing versions. The aircraft were sought-after as personal conveyance and were used for military training and utility work during World War II.

The Stinson for sale here carries the Vultee V-77 nomenclature that identifies it as a former military airplane. The aircraft, which was re-covered with Poly-Fiber in 2015 as part of a restoration, has 1,420 hours on the airframe, 230 hours on the radial engine, and 85 hours on the propeller since overhaul. The panel is basic VFR with a Trig radio and transponder with ADS-B Out.

Pilots interested in flying a rare, eye-catching antique aircraft to as many vintage fly-ins as possible and forming bonds with the community of caretakers who look after these classic birds should consider this Stinson Vultee V-77, which is available for $147,500 on AircraftForSale.

You can arrange financing of the aircraft through FLYING Finance. For more information, email info@flyingfinance.com.

• FLYING Magazine: Pilots Gather at the 2022 Stinson Summit
• FLYING Magazine: Antique Aircraft Association Hosts Fly-In in Blakesburg
• Plane & Pilot: Stinson Reliant
• The Aviation Consumer: Off The Beaten Path: Vintage Aircraft
• AVweb: Buying The Old Ones: Homework Mandatory

The post This 1944 Stinson Vultee V-77 Is a Warbird-Eligible ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1937 Fairchild F-24 H.

Flying a 1930s aircraft requires a certain level of commitment. However, this four-seat Fairchild F-24 was a modern machine when it left the factory in 1937 and is likely to feel largely familiar to pilots today. This restored model is especially attractive for vintage aircraft enthusiasts who like to travel in their antique mounts. This airplane would be ideal for outgoing pilots who enjoy visiting new airports and attending aviation events. 

This 1937 Fairchild F-24 H has 2,821 hours on the airframe and 31 hours on the engine. The VFR panel includes a King KMA 24 audio panel, KX 155 nav/com, and King KT 76A transponder. 

Pilots interested in an antique personal aircraft from aviation’s golden age that remains practical for transportation today and will get you invited to nearly any fly-in should consider this Fairchild F-24 H, which is available for $99,500 on AircraftForSale.

You can arrange financing of the aircraft through FLYING Finance. For more information, email info@flyingfinance.com.

• FLYING Magazine: The One That Got Away
• FLYING Magazine: Antique Aircraft Association Hosts Fly-In in Blakesburg
• The Aviation Consumer: Off The Beaten Path: Vintage Aircraft

The post This 1937 Fairchild F-24 H Is a Practical Antique and ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

When a person owns an open-cockpit vintage aircraft, one of the first decisions to make is how radio communications will be addressed. You can utilize a portable battery-operated handheld radio so the instrument panel remains true to factory specs, you could eschew the legacy panel gauges and install a modern radio and the supporting electrical system in the name of safety and convenience—or you can get creative and have the best of both worlds.

The “both” option was taken by Bob and Bill Juranich. The brothers own the Gig Harbor Vintage Aero Museum at Tacoma Narrows Airport (KTIW) in Washington. The airport is Class D and located approximately 15 nm southwest of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (KSEA). It lies beneath Class Bravo airspace and, as such, inside the Mode C veil generally requiring a transponder. Still, the most modern aircraft in the museum’s collection is a 1953 Cessna 195.

Most of the designs herald from the 1930s and ’40s, and several are ADS-B compliant, though they rolled off the assembly line decades before radios were standard equipment, transponders were in common use, and radar—the technological grandfather of ADS-B—had even been dreamed about for light aircraft. And here’s the best part—you can’t tell by looking at the aircraft that they feature this modern device. You won’t find radio or ADS-B antennae, which frankly would stick out like a frog in a punch bowl. These airplanes look like they have just rolled out of the factory in a time when you could spend the day at the movies for 5 cents, and the console cabinet radio was the centerpiece of many a living room.

“That’s because Bob Johnson, the master mechanic who has restored these aircraft, is really good about hiding things in plain sight,” says Brandon Bainbridge, the director of operations at the VAM, which is primarily located in a 12,400-square-foot hangar. The facility is part museum, part event space, part repository for Juranich family history, and part high-end pilot cave. You can picture your aviation-enthused forebearers having such a space.

That was true for the Juranichs, who grew up around civilian aviation in the Midwest. Their father, Joe, was a pilot and owned Northern Airport in Basehor, 13 miles south of Leavenworth, Kansas. The brothers Juranich took to aviation in their teens. Bob, the older brother, soloed at age 17 in a 1946 J-3 Cub. Bill—not to be outdone—bought his first airplane, a 1946 Taylorcraft, at the age of 18.

You will find the J-3 Cub, the Taylorcraft, and their father’s 1946 Piper Super Cruiser meticulously restored and on display as part of the museum collection. You can thank A&P/IA Bob Johnson for that.

• READ MORE: Six Aviation Museums Where You Can Land and Linger

A Storied WACO

The Juranichs have known Johnson for decades. He has overseen the restoration of several of the brothers’ aircraft, including the 1934 WACO YMF-3, a black and white open-cockpit biplane that some describe as the crown jewel in the VAM collection.

According to Bob Juranich, when WACO NC14080 rolled out of the factory in Troy, Ohio, it was destined to be a rich man’s toy. The Great Depression was underway, and the only people with the money for such an expensive hobby as flying were the folks with large bank accounts or their sons and daughters. The first owner of the YMF was Philip T. Sharples, an industrialist who in 1939 also became one of the founding members of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. The WACO was in Sharples’ care for about a year until he experienced a nose over. The airplane landed on its back and was damaged. The YMF went back to the factory for repairs. The next owner was Benjamin Brewster, also an industrialist— a railroad tycoon and trustee for Standard Oil.

“At the time, the aircraft was stationed at Roosevelt Field, Long Island, New York,” says Juranich, gesturing to a decal on the vertical stabilizer. “That’s the same airport Charles Lindbergh launched out of to fly the Atlantic in 1927.”

Brewster sold the WACO to Stephen DuPont, who kept it until the early 1940s. As the winds of war began to churn, DuPont sold the YMF to a flying service, where it was used as part of the Civilian Pilot Training Program. Then, as now, student pilots could be rough on the equipment. The WACO endured multiple student-induced damage events, including a collision with a snowbank that effectively ended its flying career for several decades. The bent and battered wreckage passed through many hands as a project until 2006, when Bob Juranich, who saw a YMF at a local fly-in and decided he wanted one, bought it from Harold Johnson in Moraine, Ohio.

For Johnson, A&P/IA (no relation to the previous owner), the WACO was the gauntlet of challenge being thrown down, as the airplane had not flown since 1943. Johnson, who has been turning wrenches since 1970, noted with some relief that the stock Jacobs L4 /R755-7 engine had been overhauled in the 1990s, and that was a big chunk of the work—so he could focus on the rest of the airplane. He paid special attention to the cockpit, which he determined needed to be aesthetically pleasing, period correct, and able to function safely in modern airspace.

A Special Update Process

The challenge with restoring panels in vintage designs to modern airworthiness, says Johnson, is that modern radios, navigation tools, and their support cables destroy the integrity of the design.

“I hate to see beautiful vintage biplanes with white wires going everywhere,” Johnson says with a cringe and shake of his head. “I always hide them behind tubing, put them in leather or use black friction tape or camouflage them in a way so they match the interior of the airplane.”

Go ahead and look in the cockpit of the YMF: You won’t see any radio, GPS, or transponder—but you will see a 1930s map case. Inside it, you find modern devices.

“It was Bob Juranich’s idea to hide them there,” says Johnson. “The map case looks like you carry it out to the airplane. There is even a leather handle on it. I painted it with crinkle paint to give it the right look.”

Several of the aircraft are equipped with ADS-B Out, although they are technically exempt because they were not originally certificated with an engine-driven electrical system, per FAR 91.215(b)(3) and 91.215(b) (5). Therefore, they need not adhere to the rule that went into effect on January 1, 2020, for flight in Class A, B, C, and D airspace where altitude-reporting transponders were required prior to that date. However, given that the museum is located at a busy Class Delta airport under a shelf of Class Bravo and surrounded by a Mode C veil, the Juranichs and Johnson agreed that ADS-B was a wise choice. But how to do it without installing a clunky antennae and ADS-B transponder?

“According to SkyBeacon, ADS-B can function through fabric,” says Johnson. “Both the Command-Aire and the WACO have ADS-B. Basically we just ziptied it to one rib and powered it with some nav-light wire as if it had been on the tail.”

The ADS-B pairs with the pilot’s iPad in the cockpit. The iPad is easily removed and stored when the airplane is on the ground on display and redeployed for flight.

Historic Renovations

ADS-B isn’t the only modern touch on the airplane, says Bainbridge. A few of the airplanes have been retrofitted with electric starters and batteries. Since the aircraft weren’t originally designed to have them, Johnson figured out a way to hide the modern conveniences. I won’t tell you where he hid them, but I will say you have to do a bit of a scavenger hunt to find the battery and switches for it on the instrument panel. Johnson has antiqued the panel so they look like original, fresh-out-of-the-factory equipment.

“In the Monocoupe, for example, the panel, which is metal, was made to look like it is made of wood,” Bainbridge says, adding that he spent the last two years of his Air Force career in Pearl Harbor working at the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum, where the saying is “history matters.”

“That’s a theme I carry with me now. I want people to see these airplanes still fly. The Juranichs and Bob Johnson want to keep the airplanes flying, their ethos is ‘We don’t want airplanes that just collect dust.’”

Bainbridge shares this sentiment, and he’s been using his mechanic skills to make an interactive aircraft that will be a “kid-friendly” exhibit.

“It’s a Reno Racer just for kids,” he says. “I want them to flip the switches and turn on the lights and go crazy.”

This column first appeared in the August 2023/Issue 940 of FLYING’s print edition.

The post Be Safe But Authentic with Your New Old Panel appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Like many others who grew up in southeastern lower Michigan, where allegiance to either Ford or Chevy was far more critical than any political leanings, I regularly entertain fleeting fantasies of vintage car ownership. Cars from that era are to modern vehicles what vinyl is to digital downloads. They require more attention, but the experience is a pure one that connects with the soul in a way the latest tech-laden, stability-controlled wündercars never will. 

But whenever I dive into researching the ownership of such sweet machines, I’m quickly reeled back to reality by a certain factor that is common among classic cars and  airplanes. Lurking beneath the bodywork are myriad concerns one must become familiar with to keep the machine in good running order.

There are many cars and airplanes that require relatively little attention outside of adding fuel and taking them out for a rip. A factory-new Cessna or Cirrus, for example, and nearly any modern car. But the older and more interesting ones demand more, and many prospective owners underestimate or overlook just how much more.

• READ MORE: Is It Better to Buy Your Last Airplane First?

To maintain a vintage airplane—even a modest one—in safe, reliable condition on a real-world budget, one must view the knowledge of its inner workings and maintenance as an entirely separate hobby in and of itself. Like any new hobby, this requires time and attention above and beyond flying and cleaning the airplane. From networking with other owners to proactively sourcing difficult-to-find parts to learning about the latest tips and tricks in type-specific forums, one must become an enthusiastic expert on the history, design, and maintenance of the airplane.

My friend Chris is a good example. A few years ago, he purchased a classic Bellanca Super Viking. It’s a sweet machine, with 300 horsepower and a cruise speed that’s twice that of my 170. With a wood and fabric airframe, complex systems, and limited parts availability, it can be described as an airplane for “advanced” owners. Owning one of these is playing airplane owner on hard mode.

Fortunately, Chris possesses the motivation and interest necessary to embrace the challenge. When he was a kid, his father owned one, and his childhood produced many nostalgic memories of flying with dad. Accordingly, diving headfirst into the world of Viking ownership is a meaningful endeavor for Chris, and he has happily earned what I estimate is the equivalent of an associate’s degree in Super Viking ownership since purchasing it.

Similarly, my friend Kristin recently purchased a Cessna 170B and has assigned herself the task of learning all the minutiae of the type, from sourcing parts to addressing known weak points of the airplane to updating certain systems with modern components. For months, she peppered me with random questions via text. How do 170 owners deal with the limited clearance for radios behind the panel? Is it really advisable to remove the parking brake entirely? What about that landing gear reinforcement kit I’ve been hearing about? Is it worth it?

Both Chris and Kristin have made it their mission to become the most informed aircraft owners possible. Their interest and motivation are so strong, few things will ever catch them off guard. They know what parts and components are next up for overhaul or replacement. They’ve learned which mechanics in their area are the most qualified to work on their airplanes. And, accordingly, neither they nor their bank accounts are likely to be caught by surprise anytime soon.

It can be argued that if a prospective vintage aircraft owner doesn’t have the time or motivation to spend an hour or two studying and learning their aircraft type for every hour they spend flying, they’re taking a concerningly passive approach to ownership. People do this all the time, but these are the same people who overlook key maintenance items and don’t know where to turn when an obscure part requires replacement. Their passiveness erodes safety to a certain degree, and it results in an increase in both expense and downtime.  

• READ MORE: Love the One You’re With

As I investigated those old diesel Mercedes sedans more closely, I learned a lot. I learned how the floor pans happily deteriorate and rust out if a shaker of salt so much as glances in their direction. I learned that their insanely complex vacuum systems were apparently designed around witchcraft and dark magic. And I learned that if one lacks the time and knowledge to perform their own maintenance, one would be well-advised to marry into a family of qualified mechanics.

Before long, I realized that I most certainly do not possess the time or drive to earn the equivalent of an associate’s degree in Vintage Mercedes Studies. I knew my limits, and I knew I just wanted to be able to hop in and cruise around, fat, dumb, and happy. And my limited research revealed that, like a vintage aircraft, this machine is not at all suited to an owner like me.

So whether it’s a vintage aircraft or automobile, take a step back before diving in. Evaluate the amount of free time at your disposal. And consider the research and ownership of such a machine to be a hobby in and of itself, separate from operating it, and worthy of its own time and mental energy.

The post Vintage Aircraft Ownership Is Best Viewed as 2 Hobbies in 1 appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1960 Piper PA-22-150 Tri-Pacer.

A few years ago, I was on the ramp at Sussex, New Jersey (KFWN), filling the tanks of the club’s Cessna 172 when a Piper Tri-Pacer appeared from behind the hills that blocked a pilot’s view of Runway 21 during the base leg. Painted a creamy white hue with red trim, it stood out against the clear blue sky of a mid-March morning. The air was crisp, and while spring was still a week or so away officially, it was knocking on the door.

The airplane parked and four young people got out (young by my standards), greeted me with a wave, and headed to the diner by the airport entrance. Clearly, they were enjoying an ideal GA experience. What really struck me was how gorgeous their airplane was. I had seen plenty of Tri-Pacers, but they often looked well-worn and even unloved. A rag-and-tube airplane with tricycle landing gear seemed like an unpopular combination, and old-timers at the airport rarely said anything nice about them. Some critics said the gear made it look like a milking stool. The four travelers at Sussex, however, appeared to be delighted with their nicely restored flying machine.

Since then it has become clearer that Tri-Pacers are enjoying a sort of renaissance, especially among younger pilots who like their postwar styling and view the tricycle gear as an advantage. Lately I have seen more restored examples like the airplane for sale here.   

This 1960 Tri-Pacer has 2,500 hours on the airframe and 350 hours on its 150 hp Lycoming O-320 engine since overhaul. The panel includes dual uAvionix AV30 flight instruments, Garmin 496 with panel dock, Garmin 327 GPS, headset jacks at all four seats, and two USB-C ports.

The aircraft underwent a restoration in 2006 that included new paint and interior, and mechanical upgrades, such as a Plane Power alternator, internal and external LED lighting, and STC’d modifications to its oil cooler and fuel system.

Pilots looking for a vintage four-place single that combines the looks of a Piper Cub with the more forgiving tricycle-gear ground handling of a Cessna 172 should consider this Piper PA-22-150 Tri-Pacer, which is available for $80,000 on AircraftForSale.

You can arrange financing of the aircraft through FLYING Finance. For more information, email info@flyingfinance.com.

• FLYING Magazine: The Piper Colt: A Real Contender
• FLYING Magazine: Used Aircraft and the Art of Refurbishing: Part II
• Plane & Pilot: Piper PA-22 Tri-Pacer
• Plane & Pilot: Piper PA-20 Pacer

The post This 1960 Piper PA-22-150 Tri-Pacer Is a Restored Rag-and-Tube ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1946 Globe GC-1B Swift.

The Globe Swift has an interesting history that begins during aviation’s golden age between the wars but truly gets going in the wake of World War II. The sleek, low-wing, two-seater has fighter-like styling, retractable landing gear and  sliding canopy. Given these features, it is easy to understand the airplane’s appeal.

While not speed demons, Swifts move along well, generally between 104 to 112 ktas, on fairly low horsepower. A long list of STCs include engine upgrades that can push speeds higher. Early models came with 85 hp Continental engines that soon gave way to 125 hp versions, which improved performance significantly. Swift pilots tend to care more about the airplane’s responsive handling and light, tactile controls. Still, engines ranging above 200 hp and numerous other approved speed modifications can give the aircraft a racier feel.  

This Swift has 1,455 hours on the airframe and 77 hours on its Continental C-125-2 engine since overhaul. The panel includes an AV-30 multi-function flight instrument, an EDM 700 engine monitor with fuel flow, and Stratus ADS-B. 

Pilots interested in vintage aircraft that are fairly rare but reasonably economical to operate and maintain should consider this 1946 Globe GC-1B Swift, which is available for $49,900 on AircraftForSale.

You can arrange financing of the aircraft through FLYING Finance. For more information, email info@flyingfinance.com.

• FLYING Magazine: 1946 Globe Swift ‘Speedster’ 
• FLYING Magazine:The Swift and First Solos
• Plane & Pilot: Globe/TEMCO Swift: An Efficient And Comely Two-Seater That Stood The Test Of Time
• Plane & Pilot; Globe Swift GC-1B
• The Aviation Consumer: Off The Beaten Path: Vintage Aircraft

The post A Globe Swift from 1946 Is a Sleek, Rare, and Rewarding ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

But when opportunity knocks, you take notice. And when that knocking comes in the form of an ambassador partnership with Garmin, you answer the door. This opportunity (separate from my work with FLYING) is what motivated me to take the plunge and spend tens of thousands of dollars on a full instrument panel upgrade on my 1953 Cessna 170B, and it is finally complete.

The project began back in May, and my friend Jessica Voruda at NewView Technologies in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, began teaching me the intricacies of instrument panels right away. I dove into the project bursting with enthusiasm but ready and willing to face complex, unforeseen, and expensive challenges. Fortunately, Jessica’s expertise and patience kept these to a minimum, and we were able to focus on some of the more fun and less easily anticipated aspects of the panel redesign.

After addressing a few of those items, we were able to dig into the part I was most looking forward to—the aesthetics and visual design. Although my plane has seen various updates over the years, some authentic 1950s-era visual elements remain. For example, it had an extraordinarily cool vintage blue diamond pattern surrounding the throttle quadrant, and I decided early on that I wanted to retain that element at all costs.

Similarly, I’ve always appreciated the retro look of the panel itself. Unlike modern panels that tend to be squared off on top with a horizontal glareshield, mine is curved on top. It looks cool and opens up some decent-sized peripheral vision chunks that might otherwise be blocked by a larger, squared-off design.

• READ MORE: Making an Old Panel New Again

So I knew I liked the original, vintage aesthetic. But looking at modern avionics, I wasn’t thrilled with the idea of installing what amounts to big rectangular computer monitors smack dab in the middle of my panel. This is a 1953 Cessna, after all—not a Tesla Model S. I may be upgrading to modern avionics, but I still wanted it to look like a cool vintage airplane.  

Looking around at other modernized panels, I spotted another popular trend—emptying a panel of every extraneous gauge and installing just one or two modern digital screens in their place. While this is beneficial in terms of weight savings and simplicity, I just couldn’t get behind the look of a massive, blank wall in front of me punctuated by just two or three small screens. To me, it looks incomplete. It felt akin to hopping into a base-model rental car and spotting all the blank spots reserved for options that were left behind at the factory.

Salvation came in the form of two things—Garmin’s GI 275 flight instruments and Jessica’s Tetris-like skill at shoehorning a large volume of avionics into a tiny, irregularly shaped space.

• READ MORE: The Adventures of a Panel Redesign

The GI 275 instruments were new to me. I was familiar with and had, in other aircraft, used Garmin’s square-screened G5 instruments in the form of an attitude indicator and DG/HSI. But for a 1950s-inspired retromod panel, the television screen looked out of place. 

The beauty of the GI 275s is that they’re round and, thus, closely resemble vintage gauges. When in operation, they illuminate brightly and display everything from an attitude indicator to an engine indication system…but even when displaying moving maps and colorful bar graphs, they still blend in with old gauges. I decided they’d be the perfect solution for blending modern capability with a vintage aesthetic.

To avoid the aforementioned “empty panel” look, I opted to retain a few legacy analog gauges, namely the turn indicator, airspeed indicator, and altimeter. I did this for two reasons. First, because I appreciate having a physical ball and needles that sweep across part of my field of vision. But also to create a curved line of gauges that follows the curve of the glareshield like the panels of earlier 140s and 170s. With Voruda’s help, I arranged and rearranged the gauges into my desired positions.

From there, Voruda and the team at NewView got to work fitting everything into the panel and design. It turned out to be a tight balancing game, keeping the radios and GI 275s clear of the large T-shaped bar behind the panel that required ample internal space for elevator control. But she managed to do so, and the radios and GPS/transponder slotted nicely into the left side of the panel, leaving space elsewhere for an iPad and autopilot controls. While an autopilot isn’t in the cards just yet, I had Voruda prepare everything for easy and efficient installation in the future.

With the mechanical layout locked in, we focused on the visual design. Taking her advice, I opted for a cream-colored panel that matched my yokes and switchgear. This was true to the original interior colors, and it would be warmer, with more personality than black or gray. 

When I explained how much I liked the blue diamond pattern, Jessica pointed out that her panel fabrication partner, Superior Aircraft Components, could digitize the original design and extend it to the new overlays that cover most of the lower section of the panel. I loved the idea, so they got to work creating matching surrounds for the radios and circuit breakers. Because we were pressed for time, they also fabricated a separate, removable section of the sub-panel on the lower right, reserved for a future custom glove box. 

As of this writing, the panel is complete, but I have yet to see it in person. My airplane sits up at Oshkosh, awaiting my arrival for AirVenture several days from now. Once there, I’ll be able to take it all in, begin learning how to use it, and then taxi from NewView Technologies on the north side of the field down to the Garmin booth at Boeing Plaza, where it will be on display for all to see. 

On one hand, it has been a leap of faith to spend such a sum of money on something when I am only able to observe the progress through photos. Part of me has wanted to make the 90-minute drive every weekend to check up on things. But from the beginning, I decided to place my trust in Voruda and her team of actual professionals; throughout the process, when she would ask me to make a decision, I would usually ask what she would do if it was her panel and then go with that.

This dedication to trust was partially inspired by some of the more questionable paint schemes I see on privately owned aircraft from time to time. In each case, the owners spent upward of $20,000 for new paint jobs but clearly opted to avoid hiring or trusting a professional to help create a visually pleasing design. Instead, their freshly painted airplanes are visually misshapen and unbalanced, resembling crude renditions of travel trailers from the late 1990s. The paint application and workmanship are impeccable, but less-qualified, amateur decisions hamper the end result.

For my panel, I decided early on not to go it alone. I’m not a professional avionics technician, and while I have some general goals and ideas, I’ve never designed or built an instrument panel. I was hiring a team of professionals to do that, so it only made sense to know my limits and defer to its expertise while providing general overlying goals. 

The end result appears to be perfect. I’ll have an airplane far more IFR capable than me and my instrument skills that lapsed during the Bush administration. I’ll have a lighter, more reliable airplane with avionics that enable me to extend the life of my engine through precise control and temperature management. And multiple moving maps, ADS-B traffic data, weather data, and sophisticated flight instruments, including an angle of attack indicator, will make me safer.

On top of it all, the unique restomod aesthetic will create an entirely new flying experience that gives me yet another reason to look back over my shoulder as I walk away after a flight.

Author’s note:

If you plan to attend EAA AirVenture (Monday through July 30), please stop by the Garmin display to check out the new panel for yourself. Let me know what you think at the FLYING Magazine booth  located in exhibitor spaces 439 and 440, just east of the control tower. I’ll be there from 1-2 pm CDT on Tuesday and July 28 for meet and greets and would love to hear your impressions.

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