Aircraft Information
> Aircraft Make: Vans Aircraft Model: RV-8A Nickname: don’t think it has one!
> Aircraft Mil Civ Description: Airplane SE Piston
> FAA Category and Class: Airplane SE Land
> Engine Description: Single

Aircraft Experience
> As of: 11/6/2024
> Number of Hours Flown: 1
> Number of Times Flown: 1
> Other Aircraft Models Associated: All the other Vans Models

First Flown Information
> Sequence First Flown: 185
> Date First Flown: 6/2/2021
> Location First Flown: Auburn Airport, WA (S50)
> Who and/or What Organization First Flown With: Pete Eidal

Recollections: I needed to get back up to Port Townsend airport to rescue my broken-down Birddog (see entry for the Navion) and my nearby hangar mate Pete Eidal (retired Alaska Airlines Captain) volunteered to take me.  Up we went, we sorted out the problem on the Birddog and returned together to our home airport in Auburn, WA (flying formation coming back).  My first flight in an RV of any designation and I could see why this is such a popular and successful airplane.  It flies very smoothly and economically.

Aircraft Information
> Aircraft Make: Stinson. Model: L-5. Nickname: Sentinel
> Aircraft Mil Civ Description: Airplane SE Piston
> FAA Category and Class: Airplane SE Land
> Engine Description: Single engine

Aircraft Experience
> As of: 11/7/2024
> Number of Hours Flown: 2.2
> Number of Times Flown: 2
> Other Aircraft Models Associated: none

First Flown Information
> Sequence First Flown: 188
> Date First Flown: 7/6/2022
> Location First Flown: Oshkosh, WI (KOSH)
> Who and/or What Organization First Flown With: Charles Rook, Joint Liaison Formation Committee (JLFC)

Recollections: The L-5 Sentinel, an older brother to my L-19 Birddog, served with distinction in WWII.  I have flown in one twice, as a JLFC instructor teaching formation.  The airplane is informally called “the Flying Jeep” and it handles well and feels quite stout.  There are artisans who keep these pieces of history flying, ensuring their plywood box spars and wood ribs & skin are in good shape.  

Some Sentinels are equipped with a large door that opens along the right side of the aircraft behind the pilot which allows for a stretcher (and patient) to be carried. The designers did a great job with this, including having a sufficiently expansive center of gravity envelope (not an easy design task).

Aircraft Information
> Aircraft Make: Scottish Aviation (Beagle AC, later British Aerospace) Model: SK61 (or B125). Nickname: Bulldog
> Aircraft Mil Civ Description: Airplane SE Piston
> FAA Category and Class: Airplane SE Land
> Engine Description: Single

Aircraft Experience
> As of: 11/7/2024
> Number of Hours Flown: 3.1
> Number of Times Flown: 4
> Other Aircraft Models Associated: Beagle Aircraft B.125, T.1; SK61 (for Swedish Air Force)

First Flown Information
> Sequence First Flown: 192
> Date First Flown: 7/21/2023
> Location First Flown: Dekalb Airport, IL (KDKB)
> Who and/or What Organization First Flown With: Mark Grimshaw, at JLFC Formation Clinic

Recollections: The Bulldog was originally ordered by the Swedish Air Force (hence the “SK” designation) but was later used by the RAF, as a basic trainer with Aerobatic capability.  The airplane’s cockpit has a feel of a military airplane (with stick and throttles on left for both pilots).

It handles quite well, has aerobatic capability and is a wonderful airplane in which to fly formation.

Mark Grimshaw’s Bulldog may be unique in that it has a full-glass cockpit. Very well equipped!

Aircraft Information
> Aircraft Make: Robin. Model: DR-380. Nickname: Prince
> Aircraft Mil Civ Description: Airplane SE Piston
> FAA Category and Class: Airplane SE Land
> Engine Description: Single engine

Aircraft Experience
> As of: 11/6/2024
> Number of Hours Flown: 1.2
> Number of Times Flown: 1
> Other Aircraft Models Associated: none

First Flown Information
> Sequence First Flown: 190
> Date First Flown: 9/11/2022
> Location First Flown: Saint Girons, France
> Who and/or What Organization First Flown With: Matthieu Olivier, ATR Test Pilot

Recollections: The Robin DR380 “Prince” is a common private airplane in France.  I had the chance to fly one during an FAA trip to France, to attend a quarterly meeting of the Flight Test Harmonization Working Group (FTHWG), of which I was a member and topic leader.  This group–charged with working on difficult flight test technical topics (ones that had caused “disharmony”)–was made up of 25-30 members.  Only a few of them were Test Pilots and it was my pleasure to get to fly the Robin with one of those test pilots, Matthieu Olivier of ATR.  Moreover, our flight was in formation on the wing of Airbus test pilot Philippe Castaigns.  Both of these gents are literally world famous test pilots and getting to fly formation in light airplanes with them was an unexpected treat.  My wife Anne was with me as well, which gave her some added appreciation for my job. Also in the lead airplane was John Cinnamon, the ALPA rep to the FTHWG and a UAL Captain.

We tookoff from Saint Girons, France (where we’d been flying gliders as part of a voluntary, informal event dubbed “jet lag therapy”) and returned to Toulouse (where the Robin was kept, near Airbus headquarters).  But, we didn’t go straight back, we went via the medieval town of Carcassone for a flyby and then a low pass at the local airport.  The picture shows me on the wing over the medieval city.  At that point, I think I was idle power and, with no speedbrakes, starting to advance slowly ahead on lead…moments later I fixed the problem by crossing under to Philippe’s right side.  It’s a testament to the Robin’s handling qualities (and to Matthieu’s patience) that the flying–first time in the airplane–was as comfortable as it was during this high-gain task of flying formation.