I just happened to see this today on Barnstormers.com. I've met Duane a number of times and he seems like a decent guy. I know he was working on another guys Champ last year and I'm sure he built this for that project.
He's based at Princeton MN, which is about 35 miles NNW of the Twin Cities.
I just thought I'd mention it if anyone needs his help in the upper midwest.
http://www.barnstormers.com/cat.php?mod ... c9e683166b
Welding jig for Champs in Minnesota
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james gevay
- Posts: 380
- Joined: Fri Mar 09, 2007 18:39
- Location: Anoka County MN
- Contact:
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james gevay
- Posts: 380
- Joined: Fri Mar 09, 2007 18:39
- Location: Anoka County MN
- Contact:
7AC Fuselage Repairs in Minnesota
We have a Champ fuselage jig in Ohio. Since I got it, I have looked at every person who has advertised that they too had a similar jig. I wanted to establish a network of competent people who can help save the Champs that have held up like workhorses, but now need a little help.
Cleveland, Ohio is just too far for most people to transport their fuselages for repair. My intention was to direct the people who called me to other, more convenient repair facilities. My hope was that they would repay the favor and give my phone number to the people who needed help that were closer to our location.
I talked to the gentleman who is running the ad on Barnstormers about two months ago. He sounded like a very agreeable person with a sincere desire to help out 7AC owners. His location is perfect for people in the northern central part of the U.S. For those Champs located around Texas, Mr. Osborne has a jig just outside of Houston. For those in the northwest, the gentleman who sells the Rainbow spars for Aeroncas also has a jig.
We offer ours for free to anyone with a Champ that is ready for the wood and fabric. I want rebuilders to rest assured that their plane is square and will fly straight prior to recovering. It usually takes about two hours to form the jig up around a fuselage for this check.
Now, here is my request to the Aeronca folks out there. We are running into planes that have been wrecked, repaired, rusted and just short of ruined. The people who own these planes are on a budget and doing a major tubing replacement might just put flying their plane again a little out of reach.
If anyone has a fuselage piece, no matter how big or how small, consider donating it to help these people out. Any part that is donated will be given to the needy rebuilder to keep his costs down. Put your name on the tubing so that guy can contact you and thank you personally.
We are all in this together. If we don't help each other out, it will just be a matter of time until one of us owns the world's last Aeronca.
Cleveland, Ohio is just too far for most people to transport their fuselages for repair. My intention was to direct the people who called me to other, more convenient repair facilities. My hope was that they would repay the favor and give my phone number to the people who needed help that were closer to our location.
I talked to the gentleman who is running the ad on Barnstormers about two months ago. He sounded like a very agreeable person with a sincere desire to help out 7AC owners. His location is perfect for people in the northern central part of the U.S. For those Champs located around Texas, Mr. Osborne has a jig just outside of Houston. For those in the northwest, the gentleman who sells the Rainbow spars for Aeroncas also has a jig.
We offer ours for free to anyone with a Champ that is ready for the wood and fabric. I want rebuilders to rest assured that their plane is square and will fly straight prior to recovering. It usually takes about two hours to form the jig up around a fuselage for this check.
Now, here is my request to the Aeronca folks out there. We are running into planes that have been wrecked, repaired, rusted and just short of ruined. The people who own these planes are on a budget and doing a major tubing replacement might just put flying their plane again a little out of reach.
If anyone has a fuselage piece, no matter how big or how small, consider donating it to help these people out. Any part that is donated will be given to the needy rebuilder to keep his costs down. Put your name on the tubing so that guy can contact you and thank you personally.
We are all in this together. If we don't help each other out, it will just be a matter of time until one of us owns the world's last Aeronca.