National Aeronca Association Bulletin Board

Three beautiful days in a row; brilliant sunshine, little or no winds, visibility unlimited, temps in the mid 20's to nearly 30 and a fabulous new foot to foot and a half cover of glistening white snow. The Champ has a fresh annual and is chomping at the bit; skis set next to it so wheels or ski flying is open. What could be better? I'll tell you what could be better. that #-$%%*^@'n 5' tall snow drift that runs down the length of the hangar row could be gone. The snow on the taxiway could be gone or at least leveled. The friggin' hangar door could open. I wasn't even able to make it to the hangar with a 1 ton, diesel powered, 4x4 pickup truck. The Champ had nearly an inch of snow on the cowl, windshield and the leading edge and that was with the hangar all buttoned up. I had to shovel a bunch of snow OUT of the hangar and the plane is still frozen in. What did I ever do to make the flying God's so angry with me?

Oh well, I still like this time of year the best and there's no way that I'd trade with you guys who never get to see a good old Midwestern blizzard like came through here last Tuesday. As long as I can keep my Chiropractor handy, I'll keep shoveling.

Larry,
Three sets of my relatives lived in and around Sigourey from the 1840's until some left during the 1860's and then 1880's. I could never understand why they would leave such a nice green country for the dry areas of Walla Walla and Spokane WA. Maybe they got tired of the long cold winters. One of my GGG's lived and farmed where the KOOA airport is now located.
Driving through the area a couple times, I've never be able to find any airports around Sigourey. Where is your champ located?

Richard...... Where the snow is gone and it is 40 degrees.

Richard;

There used to be a small private owned, public use strip south of Sigourney. All that's left of it now is the main hangar and part of one runway. I'm so disgusted with myself; that property sold a couple years ago and for not very much. I didn't even know it was for sale or I would have bought it. I still would like to but I'm afraid the price has gone up a bunch.

I keep the Champ at Washington, KAWG, although KOOA would be closer there weren't any hangars available at OOA.

I don't think our winters here are too bad. Last year was a bugger but usually there is only a couple of times during the winter that it gets a little trying. The summer heat and humidity are harder to deal with for me. I do like all the vegatation here, mid summer is an emerald green everywhere you look.

Glad you posted.

Gentlemen,
There is a quick fix for what ails you: Move to sunny South Carolina:)

Mike

CptKelly wrote:Gentlemen,
There is a quick fix for what ails you: Move to sunny South Carolina:)

Mike

Or Arizona. I lived up in that neck of the woods for a while. Can put up with 3 months living in "the oven" that is Arizona during summer a lot easier than I can take the 4-5 months of freezing cold and snow...

Joe A

Here is what you need. A snow plow for us "seniors".

Capt;
Nothing ails me that moving south would cure. I love my winter wonderland, it's summer time that I'm housebound. Hate to be hot, my favorite place would have a summertime high of 65.

I liked the snow plow. I tried something like that once; hooked my cats up to so they could pull but I couldn't seem to get them all in the same frame of mind so I had to give up on it.

BTW, got another 1" of snow last night, just can't figure out where the white goes when the snow melts.

Flying on skis is pretty hard in Arizonia. We have about 2 feet of the white stuff on the ground and supposed to get to around 15 beow later next week. Did I mention I'm headed back to San Antonio next week ? Seriously though, there's nothing like being in my warm shop, working on the plane, with the radio on, coffee pot on and a blizzard going on outside. After the storm is over I crank up the old "H" with the comfort cab to clear the snow away and life is good.

MikeB

Larry, I have a 1956 post card on my bulletin board from a fella down in Sigourney that sold used airplanes back in the fifties. He sent me a list on the back of a 2 or 3 cent post card that listed several champs, J3'a, Pa11's, a Pa16 and I believe 1 or 2 more. Prices were in the $550 to $900 range. I believe his name was Glenn but will have to look at it tomorrow. Is his old strip around and any of his family if you know of them. I'll see tomorrow if there is a last name on the card......................Should have bought and stored them in a dry building but was only 14 at the time and all I had was paper route earnings in Ft Dodge................Gordy Westphal in Rochester, MN recovering a 7AC and about to add the strip of fabric between the top 2 stringers. Then warm weather and some painting. Beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Gordy;

The stories I could tell about Glen and Nellie Ruby; the owners of that little strip I talked about in my earlier post. They were close personal friends of my family. Used to have many Pepper parties (a midwestern card game) with them. I bought my first share of a Champ when I was 15 from them, I think a 1/5 interest was $150 and soloed 6 days after my 16th birthday. I would have soloed on my birthday but too much rain had left the runway too wet for a 1st solo kid. Nellie was my flight instructor. What wonderful and colorful people they were. They are both gone now, but outside of my own family, they were some of the most influential people of my youth. The old airport is Holy ground to me and if I could muster up enough bucks I would buy it and restore it to it's glory days. It would be a haven for every ragwing, taildraggen', ancient Pelican flying out there.

Oh the memories you have envoked. If you find that postcard I would gladly buy it from you.

Thanks a lot for the trip in the way-back machine (I think).

Donations are currently being accepted for the Sigourney Iowa Airport restoration fund.

I need a drink.

Larry,
Glad to hear stories about past mentors who encouraged and gave us kids a chance to fly.
I worked my rear off trying to make enough to pay for my flying lessons. Now I work with young people and have a couple nephews, who's parents paid for them to go UND for 75000. They can't even fly a taildragger!
Where do we send the donations for the Sigourney airport?

Richard

Larry, I like your N number. Had to look at your signature twice.

Larry;

Same first name and similar N numbers? We must be related.

Hay gordy do you remember the old eno airport east of fort dodge? some of my older frends tell me about it. theres not much left of it today. just the hangers. i have a new ( to me ) champ in wis thats snowed in. we hope to git it home in the next month or so. thanks Bob

Good memories of Sigourney and Nellie here. Our flying club bought the C-150G that I got my PPL in from her. She had a really nice Piper 140 for sale at the same time. I tried to convince my CFI to buy that one instead.