teakettle31

A Site To Catalog My Aircraft Adventures

Grob 103 Twin Astir

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Grob G-103 (stock photo)
(c) airliners.net

Aircraft Information
> Aircraft Make: Grob Aircraft. Model: 103. Nickname: Twin Astir
> Aircraft Mil Civ Description: Glider
> FAA Category and Class: Glider
> Engine Description: None

Aircraft Experience
> As of: 11/5/2024
> Number of Hours Flown: 2
> Number of Times Flown: 4
> Other Aircraft Models Associated: none

First Flown Information
> Sequence First Flown: 123
> Date First Flown: 5/4/2002
> Location First Flown: McMasters Field, Wichita, KS (29KS) [error: missed an earlier flight on 9/28/1986 during USNTPS Class 90 field trip, where I floew 1.2 hours in Tehacahpi, CA; did not correct order.]
> Who and/or What Organization First Flown With: Ken Slaughter, McMasters Gliderport

Recollections: I got checked out in the G103 while working with the FAA in Wichita, KS.  To me (having come out of various Schweizer gliders) it was a real step up in performance.  Compared to the modern gliders, I understand its performance is not considered very good, but I always liked the way it handled, it was roomy and just a solid glider. Unfortunately, my dream of flying out at McMasters a ton ran into the realities of life so I only flew this fine aircraft 4 times (in Wichita). While scanning some photos, and checking my logbook, I found pictures of me flying the G103 on a TPS class field trip, see photos below.

My actual first flight in type in September of 1986
(c) Bob Stoney
Grob 103 post-flight “Hero shot”. Remember: never take the hero shot BEFORE the flight, only AFTER (otherwise the plane will break).
(c) Bob Stoney

Cessna 208 Caravan

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Cessna 208 Caravan I (stock photo)
(c) airliners.net, Jonathan Morgan

Aircraft Information
> Aircraft Make: Cessna Model: 208. Nickname: Caravan
> Aircraft Mil Civ Description: Airplane SE Turboprop
> FAA Category and Class: Airplane SE Land
> Engine Description: Single P&W PT6

Aircraft Experience
> As of: 11/2/2024
> Number of Hours Flown: 14
> Number of Times Flown: 10
> Other Aircraft Models Associated: 208, 208A, 208B

First Flown Information
> Sequence First Flown: 125
> Date First Flown: 6/21/2002
> Location First Flown: Wichita Mid-Continent Airport, KS (KICT)
> Who and/or What Organization First Flown With: Cessna Aircraft, Dale Bleakney

Recollections: My first flight in the Caravan was to evaluate a system in development called “Flight Information Service-Broadcast” (FIS-B).  FIS-B is a series of ground stations that transmit information about weather and traffic to aircraft equipped with the proper receiver and displayed on an aircraft’s multi-function display (MFD).  This system is now fully established and very useful…back then it was new, and magic.  I do not recall who the manufacturer of the FIS-B equipment was when I flew in the Caravan, but it was likely either Garmin or King (Honeywell).  I was lucky enough to be in flight test in Wichita when many of these new avionics systems were being developed and, coming out of the military, I learned a LOT.

Cessna O-1/L-19 Birddog

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Aircraft Information
> Aircraft Make: Cessna Model: O-1/L-19. Nickname: Birddog
> Aircraft Mil Civ Description: Airplane SE Piston
> FAA Category and Class: Airplane SE Land
> Engine Description: Single O-470B 212 HP

Aircraft Experience
> As of: 11/3/2025. (and counting!)
> Number of Hours Flown: 530 hrs
> Number of Times Flown: 399 (and rapidly increasing)
> Other Aircraft Models Associated: OE-1, OE-2

First Flown Information
> Sequence First Flown: 108
> Date First Flown: 6/30/2000
> Location First Flown: Carson City, NV
> Who and/or What Organization First Flown With: Hibbard

Recollections: My first flight in a Birddog–much to my surprise while reviewing my logbook many years later–was in 2000 as part of a Qual Eval during a staff field trip.  I simply didn’t remember the flight.  Logbook shows 3 landings and, I suppose, it’s a good sign that I don’t remember.  I guess my Beaver time as a TPS IP meant I could handle the Birddog, an airplane I later came to own and love.  I actually had NO information in my logbook about this flight but I was talking recently to a great friend, Dan “Shaka” Hinson (Ops O during my time at TPS, now a VP at Textron) about Textron hosting the Birddog’s 75th anniversary and he mentioned this same qual eval, and provided me with the location and pilot we flew with.  Small world!

O-1 Birddog N4848M (Serial 24575)–the first airplane I was the owner of. (c) Bob Stoney

Fast forward 20 years for my SECOND flight in a Birddog.  This one was with Mark Cardwell, a Fedex Captain who lives near Memphis, TN and gives of his time by taking people interested in the Birddog flying, to see if they like the airplane.  My great friend Fred Quarnstrom and I had decided to partner on an L-19/O-1 and we decided we should go fly one to make sure we liked it.  Mark bravely got in the back of his airplane and off we went.  Well, I just LOVED the airplane, it handled so nice (you might think a “Cessna’s a cessna” but something about having the Birddog’s stick in your right hand just makes it fly better) and so Fred and I decided to take the plunge and buy a Birddog.  For me, this would be the first plane I’d owned and I had some trepidation about getting in over my head….as I’d always had professionals ensuring the airworthiness of the aircraft I flew.  Not only did Mark take us flying, as it turned out he found us the right airplane to buy.  Mark asked us “have you found an airplane yet?” and, despite having been scouring every source of Birddogs for sale and even made trips to Texas and California to see specific airplanes on the market, we hadn’t found a plane yet so we said “not yet”.  Mark: “Well, you should go talk to Steve over there; Steve’s got a Birddog and he’ll sell anything he owns.”  So, we went and introduced ourselves to Steve Stires, also a Fedex Captain (seemed like everybody we met was a Fedex Captain!)  After some discussion, we bought Steve’s Birddog, a gorgeous 1958 French O-1E that had been completely restored.  Covid got in the way but, later that year I went and picked up N4848M from the Olive Branch, MS airport and flew her back to Seattle.  Since then she’s travelled to Oshkosh 4 times, Texas a 5th long trip and brought us so much joy.  For me, the concern I felt about airplane ownership has totally disappeared because the plane has been generally reliable and, when it falls short, I have learned a great deal about airplanes and how to fix problems that arise.  I enjoy taking “young eagles” and other friends flying in her, meeting those who flew and maintained the Birddog, and keeping the history alive.  And, along the way, the Birddog has become one of my “top 10” aircraft.

O-1 N4848M in Oshkosh Airshow (c) Bob Stoney
N4848M Landing (c) the late, great Bob Hafford

Express Millennium

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Aircraft Information
> Aircraft Make: Wheeler Technology. Model: Express. Nickname: Millennium
> Aircraft Mil Civ Description: Airplane SE Piston
> FAA Category and Class: Airplane SE land
> Engine Description: SE Piston

Aircraft Experience
> As of: 11/5/2024
> Number of Hours Flown: 1
> Number of Times Flown: 1
> Other Aircraft Models Associated: EDI Express

First Flown Information
> Sequence First Flown: 106
> Date First Flown: 6/27/2000
> Location First Flown: Olympia Airport, Olympia, WA (KOLM)
> Who and/or What Organization First Flown With: unknown

Express N511EA Qual Eval at Olympia, WA airport
(c) Bob Stoney

Recollections:
I flew this airplane as part of a USNTPS staff field trip.  Flew it the same day as the A-1D “Spad”.  I had no memory of this flight, just what is in my logbook but later I found a photo of me in the cockpit…the aircraft appears to be a homebuilt design and looks somewhat like a Columbia 400.  Anybody out there know anything more about it?

Express N511EA, Stock photo, (c) airport-data.com
Cockpit of N511EA from Qual Eval
(c) Bob Stoney

Douglas A-1 Skyraider

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Aircraft Information
> Aircraft Make: Douglas. Model: A-1. Nickname: Skyraider or SPAD
> Aircraft Mil Civ Description: Airplane SE Piston
> FAA Category and Class: Airplane SE Land
> Engine Description: Single engine piston

Aircraft Experience
> As of: 6/25/2024
> Number of Hours Flown: 1
> Number of Times Flown: 1
> Other Aircraft Models Associated: —

First Flown Information
> Sequence First Flown: 105
> Date First Flown: 6/27/2000
> Location First Flown: Olympia Airport, Olympia, WA (KOLM)
> Who and/or What Organization First Flown With: Name redacted, Olympia Flight Museum

Douglas Skyraider (EA1-E) N188BP. Stock photo copyright jetphotos.net, Mike Head

Recollections: By now, you’ve read about the reason for and importance of the “Qual Eval program”.  This particular flight, conducted on a student field trip, was lining up to be a total dream come true.  

The Skyraider, or SPAD.  Gotta be the most beautiful taildragger ever.  Ginormous engine, incredible lines…it just LOOKED like it would fly GREAT.  I was on the schedule to fly the airplane of my dreams, with a very famous national aviator.  In the end, the latter’s attitude and air of superiority ruined my experience with this beautiful design, to the point that the flight is a bad memory.  Thankfully, I can count on two fingers the times I’ve had experiences like this in aviation, with a person who was so difficult to get along with as to defy reason.  I’m just sorry it happened with this machine, one of my “top 10” designs.