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.

Aircraft Information
> Aircraft Make: Piper Model: PA-12. Nickname: Super Cruiser
> Aircraft Mil Civ Description: Airplane SE Piston
> FAA Category and Class: Airplane SE Land
> Engine Description: single engine

Aircraft Experience
> As of: 6/25/2024
> Number of Hours Flown: 1
> Number of Times Flown: 1
> Other Aircraft Models Associated: PA-18

First Flown Information
> Sequence First Flown: 178
> Date First Flown: 3/28/2018
> Location First Flown: Arlington Airport, WA (KAWO)
> Who and/or What Organization First Flown With: Ron Bellamy, Chief Tow Pilot Evergreen Soaring

Recollections:
Flew this “side-by-side cub” once, with the Chief Tow Pilot of a local soaring club, in preparation for checkout in the Piper Pawnee. Separating this from the Super Cub as a separate model may be questionable but the side-by-side nature of the airplane (along with the yoke, instead of a stick) made it feel like a different airplane.

Aircraft Information
> Aircraft Make: Piaggio (Focke-Wulf license) Model: P.149. Nickname: don’t know of one
> 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: 4
> Number of Times Flown: 4
> Other Aircraft Models Associated: FW149

First Flown Information
> Sequence First Flown: 187
> Date First Flown: 7/8/2022
> Location First Flown: Bremerton Airport, WA (KPWT)
> Who and/or What Organization First Flown With: Jim Custis, as Formation Clinic

Recollections: The first question you’ll get if you stand by this airplane at an airshow is “Is that a Navion?”  The answer is no, though it certainly shares some of the basic configuration.  The next question, from a discerning airplane fanatic is “Is this a Focke-Wulf 149?”  Closer but, no…it’s a Piaggo 149, license built in Italy based on the FW149.

All my flying is with Jim Custis, a pilot and man who is an inspiration to me.  Jim, when I met him, was in his late 70’s.  He’s now in his 80’s but you’d never know it.  A retired Airline Captain who’s been flying his whole life, he continues to fly as a corporate pilot and owns a number of airplanes of various types.  I met him at a JLFC formation clinic (refer to my writeup on the Navion for more details on JLFC) and, even though he’d never flew formation, he quickly took to it.  He has continued to fly his Piaggio in formation, including a recent 2024 Oshkosh, where he became the unofficial winner of the “most trips around the sun prior to flying in the Oshkosh Warbird airshow”.  

Aircraft Information
> Aircraft Make: North American (Ryan) Model: L-17 (mil) Nickname: Navion
> 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: 7
> Number of Times Flown: 7
> Other Aircraft Models Associated: Ryan Navion, L-17 (Mil)

First Flown Information
> Sequence First Flown: 184
> Date First Flown: 5/31/2021
> Location First Flown: Port Townsend, WA (0S9)
> Who and/or What Organization First Flown With: Dave Desmon

Recollections: The Navion–which I first flew with great friend Dave Desmon when he rescued me from a breakdown of my Birddog at Port Townsend, WA–lineage to earlier North American Aviation (NAA) designs, like the P-51.  For a small 4 seater, it’s fairly complex (hydraulics, vacuum and electrical systems, etc) and also shares excellent flying qualities with other NAA designs.

Most of my flying in the Navion has been as an instructor teaching formation flying with a group called the Joint Liaison Formation Committee (JLFC).  This group provides training and qualification to fly as a wingman or lead in formation.  This qualification (“card”) is only required if you want to fly formation in “waivered airspace” (i.e. at an airshow, such as the Oshkosh AirVenture) and when I started flying my Birddog I decided I’d like to do such flying.  So, I met Dave at a clinic near my home in Seattle.  Dave was in the Navy, like me, but he was on the other end of a periscope…he was a Submariner, while I started in the Navy hunting submarines in the P-3.  Having flown quite a bit of formation during my Navy career, my initial thought when I was assigned to Dave to be my “on wing” JLFC formation instructor was, if I’m being honest, a bit of  “what can he teach me?”.   I didn’t voice this opinion and it was good I didn’t, because Dave TAUGHT ME A TON.  His demeanor, completeness and adherence to the JLFC standard made for great training and I came to have a tremendous amount of respect for Dave as a pilot and formation instructor.