teakettle31

A Site To Catalog My Aircraft Adventures

Nanchang CJ-6

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Aircraft Information
> Aircraft Make: Nanchang Aircraft Factory Model: CJ-6 Nickname: “Chang”
> Aircraft Mil Civ Description: Airplane SE Piston
> FAA Category and Class: Airplane SE Land
> Engine Description: Single radial

Aircraft Experience
> As of: 11/7/2024
> Number of Hours Flown: 2
> Number of Times Flown: 2
> Other Aircraft Models Associated: Yakovlev Yak-18

First Flown Information
> Sequence First Flown: 195
> Date First Flown: 8/23/2024
> Location First Flown: Bremerton Airport, WA (KPWT)
> Who and/or What Organization First Flown With: Tom Spreen, Joint Liaison Formation Committee (JLFC)

Flight of CJ-6’s at JLFC Clinic \
(c) Bob Stoney

Recollections:
The CJ-6 is a radial-engined chinese airplane that has achieved some popularity in North America.  I flew with 787 pilot Tom Spreen from Canada in a 4 ship formation during a JLFC clinic in 2024.

Flight of CJ-6’s in Close Trail during clinic
(c) Bob Stoney

Moravan Otrokovice Z42 Zlin

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Aircraft Information
> Aircraft Make:
Moravan Otrokovice. Model: Z 42. Nickname: Zlin
> Aircraft Mil Civ Description: Airplane SE Piston
> FAA Category and Class: Airplane SE Land
> Engine Description: Single

Aircraft Experience
> As of: 11/5/2024
> Number of Hours Flown: 1
> Number of Times Flown: 1
> Other Aircraft Models Associated: Z 142

First Flown Information
> Sequence First Flown: 87
> Date First Flown: 9/28/1996
> Location First Flown: Van Nuys Airport, CA (KVNY)
> Who and/or What Organization First Flown With: Not documented (USNTPS Qual Eval)

Zlin Z 42, N242L, stock photo
(c) jetphotos.net Kevin Potter

Recollections:
Another Qual Eval, just after the SETP convention at Disneyland.  Flew a J-3 cub and the Zlin.  To all the Zlin fans out there, sorry I don’t have more to report….

Fairchild PT-23 Cornell

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Aircraft Information
> Aircraft Make: Fairchild Aircraft. Model: PT-23. Nickname: Cornell
> Aircraft Mil Civ Description: Airplane SE Piston
> FAA Category and Class: Airplane Single Engine Land
> Engine Description: Single engine radial

Aircraft Experience
> As of: 7/20/2026
> Number of Hours Flown: 9
> Number of Times Flown: 12
> Other Aircraft Models Associated: PT-19, PT-26

First Flown Information
> Sequence First Flown: 194
> Date First Flown: 5/7/2024
> Location First Flown: Richland, WA (KRLD)
> Who and/or What Organization First Flown With: CAF Days Pay Squadron, George Abatt

PT-23 Checkout with George Abatt
(c) Bob Stoney

Recollections: The Commemorative Air Force (CAF) is an organization which strives to preserve history by owning and operating vintage warbirds.  It’s a rewarding mission, but takes the determined work of scores of people.  I was already a member of Seattle-based CAF Squadron (see my writeup on the AT-19) but–when the opportunity came to fly a PT-23 also–I joined a new squadron in Richland, WA (the “Days Pay Squadron”…the name referring to Richland citizens who each donated a whole day’s pay to buy a B-17 during WWII as part of the war effort).

PT-23 cockpit N60727
(c) Bob Stoney

My “FAM 1” in the PT-23 was conducted with George Abatt on a day where the winds were blowing more strongly than I would’ve liked.  We decided to try the flight, promising we’d knock it off if it got worse.  Well, it did get worse but the good news was that the PT-23’s flying qualities are so solid in the landing pattern particularly, that it was very comfortable.  We faced crosswinds as high as 10-15 knots and it was still comfortable.  A testament to this design, which was a basic training for the US Army Air Corps in WWII.

As of this writing, I have tapered back my CAF involvement, owing to being over-subscribed on both personal and professional (consultant DER Test Pilot) fronts.  During my time flying the Corneell, I’ve taken several folks for a ride (non-paying) and thoroughly enjoyed this open-cockpit piece of history.

PT-23 flight with Anne
(c) Bob Stoney

Boeing Model 75 Stearman

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Aircraft Information
> Aircraft Make: Stearman Model: 75. Nickname: Kaydet or Stearman
> Aircraft Mil Civ Description: Airplane SE Piston
> FAA Category and Class: Airplane Single Engine Land
> Engine Description: Single engine piston

Aircraft Experience
> As of: 7/19/2026
> Number of Hours Flown: 1
> Number of Times Flown: 2
> Other Aircraft Models Associated: —

First Flown Information
> Sequence First Flown: 4
> Date First Flown: 1/25/1981
> Location First Flown: Roscoe Field, Pensacola, FL (82J)
> Who and/or What Organization First Flown With: Unknown

Recollections: The Stearman was the basic trainer for the US Army Air Corps and US Navy before and throughout WWII.

Stearman Model 75 (Stock Photo) (c) Wikipedia.org

While attending pilot training with the Navy (my first flight in a T-28 was the month before I flew the Stearman) I managed to talk my way into a Stearman ride.  I remember only one thing: that the stearman I flew (which my logbook says was “76552”, no idea if that was an N# or serial number) had a lockable tailwheel.  At that point, I’d never flown in a tailwheel aircraft so this didn’t mean much to me.  I later learned that the Navy Stearmans had a full swivel type tailwheel with a lock (though many have since been modified to steerable). I guess my first tailwheel experience being a Navy Stearman was a predictor of future flying!

I have, unfortunately, only flown a Stearman one other time, in 1992 when my brother and I “traded rides” with a Stearman owner (he flew in John’s V-77 and I got to fly in the Stearman).  My logbook shows no landings in the Stearman, so there’s a future goal!

Stearman N707X (stock photo) (c) Aerial Visuals

Slingsby Venture T.Mk2

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Aircraft Information
> Aircraft Make: Slingsby Sailplanes Model: T.61 or T.Mk2. Nickname: Falke or Venture
> Aircraft Mil Civ Description: Airplane SE Piston
> FAA Category and Class: Airplane SE Land
> Engine Description: Single engine piston

Aircraft Experience
> As of: 11/5/2024
> Number of Hours Flown: 0.8
> Number of Times Flown: 2
> Other Aircraft Models Associated:

First Flown Information
> Sequence First Flown: 42
> Date First Flown: 5/8/1988
> Location First Flown: United Kingdom, small grass field near Boscome Down
> Who and/or What Organization First Flown With: A glider club, I did not record the instructor’s name 🙁

Recollections:
I was in England for a DT-II (at Boscombe Down) and had a day off.  What to do?  Why, go to the local airfield and try to talk my way into a flight!  I managed to fly this motor glider with one of the club instructors on two separate flights.

Slingsby Venture T.Mk2; Stock Photo
(c) happyscale-modellbau.blogspot.com