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Shelby from tnwings.com occassionally clues me in on projects he is working on. This one I thought was particularly cool. Some of the narrative on the site isn't coming through for me, but the pictures tell it all. Makes me want to run out and buy a ratty old 150 and have it redone.


Aerobat Refurb [tnwings.com]


P.S. Yes, I did ask if this guy was going to Clinton. No answer yet.

OH, how I wish I could afford to turn the TD over to Shelby and his mom!!!!

I know it was part of the original paint scheme, but the checkerboard pattern on the cowling top would make me feel the need to checkmate somebody!

His comment to me was that he felt like he needed a silk scarf and looking for blimps or Tri-Fokkers to shoot at. About the same speed too....

Nobody does it better than Shelby!

you beat me to the post!

Well that's me standing in front of 10M. It's owned by our club in Indianapolis. The club has owned it since 1972 and as you can see from the before pictures, never had been repainted. The money has always gone to maintenance instead, so it's also in top mechanical shape too.

Shelby and his mother are great and they do great work. The only problem with having them do the paint and interior so nicely was that now it highlights some of the other ratty parts like the interior plastic! If I ever get so lucky as to have unlimited funds I figure I'll drop off my plane at TNwings and have Shelby do whatever he wants to it and call me when he's done!

He even powder coated the wheel nuts!

-Henri

Sorry Henri,

It occurred to me after I did the post that perhaps I just wasn't familiar with who owned the plane (or a piece of it). So the question is....are you (or another member) bringing it to Clinton for the rest of us to ogle?

As for interior plastic...many of us have refurbed ours and it is not a daunting task. Plus, you can still fly the plane with it all pulled out for repair. Cost maybe $50 in materials and paint to do it up practically like new.

I've read some of the posts about redoing the plastic and I think it's definitely next on the list.

Well Clinton's a little bit out of my comfort zone for solo cross countries right now (I've got a whopping 87 hours!) maybe next year I'll have a little more experience under my belt.

-Henri

Henri,

Don't mean to SHOVE you out of your comfort zone, but...well
I lied, YES I DO!!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

But here is the deal. When I flew to Clinton, I had just a tad over 100 hours in my log book. 67 had been flown a full 15 years plus before I started flying again.

FACT: I had never flown into C airspace or anywhere near it.
FACT: My longest cross country up to that point was 200 or so miles.
FACT: I went with a bunch of LUNATICS who were total cut-ups and I never knew when to take serious or not (I am a stone serious sort of guy...really....I am)

So what do I do, load the wife in our 150, and set out to win a "Clyde" for longest distance traveled. All the way from the Oregon Coast (nearly the most westerly point in the conti US) flew to California, met up with a "convoy" (Royson's new term) and fly 1400 or so miles to Clinton.

Then to top it all off, turn around and fly all the way back home alone (well, my wife despite her best judgment did decide to come back with me), stopped in at FLX for my sisters wedding, then back to Oregon again. I about doubled my recent flight time in one trip.

Soooooooo....don't let 87 hours be the reason. You are an old pro compared to what I was when I went to Clinton the first time.

AND THAT GOES FOR THE REST OF YOUR GUYS AND GALS USING THAT EXCUSE!!!!! Oh...sorry....I do mean this in the most polite way <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Henri --

I bought my plane when I had just about 15 more hours than you. I flew it from Gallipolis, OH to Tampa, FL.

It's just a series of shorter cross countries.

Now that's cross country! I guess you're right about it being a series of short cross countries. Now convincing the wife, that's another story!

-H