“Climate is what we expect, weather is what we get.” -Mark Twain.
Weather is certainly what happened in regards to this year’s 50th Annual Texas AAA Chapter Fly-in. North of the Red River an area of low ceilings and heavy rains extended across Kansas & Oklahoma keeping all those planning to fly on the ground. In Gainesville, the site for the fly-in, high winds and a forecast of severe weather late in the day Saturday kept most from bringing their airplanes out.
Still by the end of the day Sat. forty three aircraft were registered with perhaps another half dozen or so non-registered attendees.
Considering the conditions it was a pretty good showing, especially when you consider the variety of aircraft in attendance. From antiques like a Velie powered Monocoupe, Travel Air 6000 & a Davis D-1-W to a handful of Stearmans, L- birds and a T34 to neo-classics like Stinsons, Bellancas, Ercoupes, two Beech 18’s & a Hiller Helicopter onto the homebuilts that included a Hatz, a couple of beautiful Skybolts, some RV’s and Ben Morphew’s awesome “McCullocoupe”.
But in spite of the weather the volunteers from the TX AAA did an outstanding job once again and I appreciate all their hard work and hospitality.
Brent Taylor
A very authentic Piper L-4
1935 Davis D-1-W recently restored by Terry Wallace
One of a handful of Stearmans on hand. This one Lycoming powered.
Bobby Jones’s Hatz CB-1. Originally built by Dudley Kelly this is the plans built prototype Hatz
The Neo-Classic line: Cessna 170, Stinson 108 & Bellanca 14-13 (L to R)
One of two very nice Steen Skybolts in attendance
Grand Champion, Beech G18S, N7BS
AAA Headquarters Choice; Scott Glover’s 1928 Travel Air 6000 from Mt. Pleasant, TX
The McCullocoupe, a Monocoupe inspired, one of a kind homebuilt powered by a Russian M-14P radial of 400hp.
