Recent Discussions from the Comanche Owner’s Forum –
Stabilator Flutter
A
s many ICS members can
attest, the best source of
information is often other
Comanche owners who have faced
similar maintenance and operational
issues. As a service to all ICS
members, the following is a series of
online postings from the Comanche’s
Owner’s Forum. This discussion
between Comanche owners con-
cerns stabilator flutter. It is printed
as it appeared in the Forum.
I just installed an S-TEC 55X
autopilot in my 1965 twin and
when I go to a vertical speed decent
and the airspeed approaches 195
or just about the yellow arc, the
stabilator starts to flutter. As soon
as I disengage the A/P, it stops. I
have checked the cable tension on
the elevator and the bridle cables
on the A/P. I have had the A/C for
nine years with the old Altimatic
A/P and this is a new problem.
Any insight from anyone would be
appreciated thanks.
I would be very interested in hear-
ing about any such flutter problems
and their resolution in this forum.
I get stabilator flutter on my TC at
about 195 IAS if the bushing or bolt
between the control rod and the trim
actuator. Just fixed it again last week.
I wonder if the pitch trim bridle
is reaching its nose down cable limit
and slipping the clutch?
I have seen a low frequency 5 HZ
(+-) oscillation with the autopilot on,
out-of-trim and some play in the trim
drum. I did it by leveling off, cranking
in cruise trim (before speeding up)
and hitting altitude hold. My guess
is that what you are seeing is a
similar effect, as the autopilot doesn’t
have the speed to produce a fast
oscillation on its own.
I fixed the tab play and don’t hit
the hold so early and have not
had a repeat. Check the stabilator
trim tab play.
I’ve got a 55X in my 1966 PA 30
and have never experienced anything
like you describe. The highest I’ve
ever let my airspeed get was about
220 indicated on a very smooth day
and still no flutter whatsoever.
Normally, just to ensure no issues
in a descent, I’ll reduce power to
keep the airspeed 5 to 10 mph below
the yellow. The 55X has always
been rock steady.
Not directed at you Todd but to
everyone, are we really talking about
flutter guys? Not a term I would
throw around loosely! I wasn’t aware
that you could have a true flutter
incident that didn’t result in loss
or near loss of the aircraft.
Hans, help me out on this will you?
According to Maurice, and other
postings on this forum and my own
experience as well, stabilator flutter
will occur in different degrees of
intensity.
Severe flutter will result in serious
damage and possible loss of control
of the aircraft. The plane in the
famous NASA flutter movie managed
to land safely although it did need
some (a lot of?) repairs.
At the other end, I have experi-
enced what I would call mild flutter,
where the airframe vibrated and a
slight sensation was also felt in the
yoke for a few seconds. This was also
an alarm bell to get things fixed
immediately.
I would consider all incidents of
flutter as quite serious since they
all are at least a first step (or last)
before loss of control and damage
and reflect an airframe in need of
immediate maintenance.
Comments are welcome.
To everyone interested in this
discussion: True flutter occurs
when torsional instability couples
to the bending frequency of the
structure. Normally, up to flutter
speed, structural damping and air
damping, prevent these vibration
modes from coupling. The torsional
mode is when the stabilator tips
rotate about the spar, and the
bending mode is when the stabilator
tips flex up and down.
Looking at the NASA flutter film,
one observes that the stabilator tips
are both rotating and flexing. The
motion is somewhat similar to a
manta ray swimming.
What Jack01267, T6, Charlie,
James and others have experienced
(including myself at one time) is a
buffeting caused by looseness in the
stabilator trim system, which can
be the start of torsional instability.
The two main causes of stabilator
trim tab buffeting are 1) Washing the
airplane, and getting water into the
trim tab (increases tab mass), and 2)
Looseness of the trim system (exci-
tation force and reduced damping).
There are three locations where
this looseness can occur. The two
ends of the trim tab control rod
contain bushings, a thru pin, and an
AN bolt. The trim drum contains two
bushings, which are preloaded by
the two cable guard bolts. The entire
assembly must allow movement,
but with minimum excess play.
So, what is the maximum allow-
able up/down movement, measured
at the aft center of the trim tab? I
don’t recall if the service manual
has a requirement, but I will offer
up that ± .050 is maximum.
If there are airplanes out there
with more play than that, then the
word needs to get out for problem
correction. We don’t want to lose an
JANUARY 2004 Comanche Flyer 17
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airplane and lives, nor do we want
the FAA to give us another AD.
Thank you for your excellent discus-
sion of the stabilator flutter situation.
I have never had a stabilator vibration
in my airplane, (I did on a brand B
I owned years ago) but my A&P will
have a copy of your post to review
at my next annual. This forum is a
great resource.
Regarding washing the airplane,
and getting water into the trim tab:
Won’t the water run out of the trim
tab before flight? (Aside: now I have
an excuse to not wash my airplane).
The “water in trim tab” possibility
was suggested to me by Phil Wiltze,
head of aerodynamics at Rockwell
during the Shuttle design phase.
One time, about 10 years ago,
after washing the airplane, took a
ride to “dry it off.” On the return leg,
straight and level, moderate power
setting, I felt the oscillation at the
wheel at about 3 Hz, with a total
stroke of about 1 inch. Slowing
down made it stop.
One time, about 13 years ago,
carrying about 600 pounds of
sandbags during the Cafe 400 race,
had a similar experience. Then, I
was coming downhill fairly high in
the yellow range. Reducing power
and raising the nose to slow it
down made it stop.
Thanks so much Hans, I knew
you could help us all out on this
one. So, is buffet or vibration flutter
or the beginnings of flutter or simply
related to flutter?
Assume for the moment that a
Comanche stabilator is placed in a
wind tunnel, and rigidly constrained.
At the flutter speed, where the
aerodynamic forces exceed the
restraining bending and torsional
stiffnesses, the stabilator will start
to flex, and couple in with the tor-
sion stiffness to cause twist. When
the oscillations become large
enough, the stabilator will come
off the airplane. Usually, 3 or 4
cycles are all it takes. However,
this phenomena does not happen
instantaneously, but rather one
can sneak up to it.
Now consider a trim tab in the
same situation that has a lot of
play. The tab, having a reduced
flexural and torsional stiffness,
will begin to oscillate about its
hinge line first. The tab will then
start to excite the torsional mode
of the stabilator. In flight, we feel
this as a low-frequency oscillation
of the control wheel.
If we continue to let the tab
oscillate about its hinge line, and
increase the flight speed, the stabi-
lator torsional mode will couple to the
flex mode, and stabilator becomes
unstable on its own. The speed at
which all this happens (i.e., “how
much time do I have”) depends
on mathematically complicated
stability derivatives.
You might recall the crash of a
F-117 a few years back. A
mechanic left out a bolt at the
right aileron hinge bracket. After
about 3 cycles, the aileron was
gone, and the plane crashed. Prior
to that, the plane was flown from
its airbase to the air show without
any problems. So, at the right
combination of airspeed and control
forces, things can happen quickly.
Also, a few years back there
JANUARY 2004 Comanche Flyer 19
was a Comanche that crashed in
Anaheim Hills, where I live.
According to the NTSB, there was
the likelihood of airframe icing,
and radar returns show the pilot
was making a hard right turn.
Normally, a hard turn shouldn’t
take the stabilator off of a Comanche,
but this one was found about half a
mile away from the main crash site.
We’ll never know what happened
for sure.
Message to all, we have 40-year-old
airplanes that need maintenance to
keep them in near new condition.
Flutter speed for the Comanche was
established using a new airplane.
Bear with me Hans.
So, if a trim tab is loose, you
could get into an unstable situation
which could cause a low-frequency
oscillation of the tab which could
then help to induce flutter in the
entire control surface but at that
point it is probably too late as
once the real flutter starts you are
probably history.
Is that about right? And is the
“buzz” I have heard some people
describe here and elsewhere just
another symptom of excess play and
poor maintenance that could aggra-
vate flutter but not flutter itself?
Sorry, I think I am getting there
and I appreciate the education!
To answer your questions
specifically;
1. A loose trim tab will cause a
low-frequency oscillation to the
stabilator itself? Yes. Keep in mind,
as a surface, the trim tab itself is
not balanced.
2. Could the tab oscillation
induce flutter into the stabilator
and make for a bad day? Yes. But,
only if allowed to progress and
diverge, which will require some
additional airspeed. How much
extra airspeed? Don’t know, but a
SWAG would be an extra 10 to 15
mph indicated.
3. The “buzz” is a symptom of
excess play in the trim tab system?
Yes. Could it cause flutter to occur?
Yes, if left unchecked with addi-
tional airspeed. I don’t believe that
the reduced flutter speed due to
wear-and-tear has been thoroughly
investigated.
The regulatory requirement for
CAR 3 airplanes is for a demonstrated
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For Part 23 airplanes, there is an
equation, which works out V(dive)
to be 210 kts (twins), which also
must be 1.25 times V(cruise),
whichever is greater.
Thanks Hans, I have saved all this
to help me in the future. I think I
certainly understand more than I
did. I am sure many of us did.
Your last paragraph is also
interesting. In the case of our twins
that would mean that they were
actually tested to a higher airspeed
than they would have been under
CAR 23 I think. Of course all of these
margins are pretty slim if the aircraft
is not maintained properly.
Hans,
I’d like to echo Bill’s thanks for
clarifying the flutter issue. It’s an
important one IMO and it’s hard
to write too much on it.
Our thanks to Dale Vandever for
compiling this text. You can view
these messages in the context of
the entire discussion by going to:
http://forums.delphiforums.com/
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B
ored with touch and go’s?
Move up to a bang-and-
bolter.
As a frustrated fighter pilot
wannabe, I always wondered if I
could do a no-flare carrier-type
landing in my 1959 PA 24-180.
One way to find out is to try it!
During one of my flights a few
months ago, I went to a low traffic,
uncontrolled airport and set up a little
longer-than-usual final. It was sur-
prising how hard it is to slow my
approach speed below the recom-
mended 78 mph. It is strangely
difficult to pull the wheel back steadi-
ly, without ballooning too seriously,
to work the speed down slowly.
At first try, I might have gotten a lit-
tle below 75, but I kept at it. By work-
ing at it by increments on successive
approaches, I finally achieved my tar-
get speed of about 65 mph. I was full
dirty with high-pitch prop, full flaps,
gear down. When I finally achieved
a reasonably well-stabilized attitude
before touchdown, I sucked it up and
let it bang on without a flare.
The nose was high enough that the
mains hit first, and I was surprised
at the relatively light impact. As a
matter of fact, I’ve flown worse trying
to do it at 78 with full flare. On suc-
cessive flights I practiced this kind of
approach, finding the greatest chal-
lenge was in getting my speed down
to about 65 and stabilized in the
approach. I kept my right hand on
the throttle, mentally cued to full
power at the first sensation of
excessive sink or impending stall.
After seeing our president’s
plane catch the last wire on his
carrier approach and hearing his
pilot go to full power immediately
upon landing, I became curious
about doing a bang-and-bolter. I
wanted to see how my plane
would respond to a bolter as if I
had missed the wire.
At my first opportunity, I set things
up for a carrier approach at my
uncontrolled home field. Only 5,000
feet of the 10,000-foot runway were
available due to work on the far end.
So I was forced into a mere 5,000-foot
length to work with. Gotta get down
and off in that short of space, so it
was good to have a plan.
As before, I set up a little longer
than usual final and got the speed
down to about 65. The runway is 100
feet wide so I felt like I was really
flying down to the concrete. But I
hung in there and banged it on.
Immediately after touchdown, I
popped the flaps up with my Johnson
bar, and pushed the throttle up to
full afterburner.
My longstanding habit of raising
the flaps immediately after landing
to keep glued to the ground just took
over and led me to do flaps-up first.
The plane practically leaped off
the ground with a very short run.
the nose went up rather easily,
but not excessively.
I was always careful not to trim out
full nose up pressure on final to avoid
strong pitch up with full power and
increased speed. On these last
bangers, I noted a sink rate of about
500 feet per minute on short final,
and an almost level attitude.
After three of these, I declared
myself to be a carrier-qualified
Comanche pilot. Next, I am going
to try doing the bolter without
first raising the flaps.
A friend of mine has a 1959
Comanche totally apart in his hangar
and I have spent some time thor-
oughly examining parts I’ve never
seen before. One of the things that
impressed me most was the size of
the main wing spars. To my unprac-
ticed eye, they looked huge! I don’t
believe I’m going to bend them
unless I step up from bangers to
full crash mode!
Bang and Bolter
by Lloyd Roberts - ICS #12514
Pilot Pointers
K
ansas City is one of the nation’s finest treasures. Visitors to this
metropolis in America’s heartland discover a jazzy city brimming
with surprises; a city with a great future forged by a rich historical
past. Part of Kansas City’s charm lies in its beauty, which includes an
impressive network of boulevards, parks and exquisite fountains.
Kansas City is known as the “Heart of America,” centrally located
within 250 miles of both the geographic and population centers of the
nation. The maximum distance from Kansas City to anywhere in the
continental United States is approximately 1,900 miles, or half the
distance from coast to coast. And once you arrive in Kansas City, there
are nearly 25,000 hotel and motel rooms throughout the area that
provide a wide range of accommodations to suit any taste and budget.
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is the nation’s barbecue headquarters!
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Kansas City played a major role in the nation’s history as a gateway
for pioneers heading West along the Oregon, California and Santa Fe
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overland journeys from several local points. Today, the city’s colorful
past is highlighted by an interesting mix of museums specializing in
subjects such as Jesse James, Harry S. Truman, the Oregon Trail and
Hallmark Cards.
For many generations, the land around Kansas City was shared by
several Indian tribes, including the Osage, Kansa and Wyandotte. In
the early 1800s, trappers and traders began developing the Town of
Kansas (later known as Kansas City) on the southern bank of the
Missouri River, a short distance from where it joins with the Kansas River.
A few years later, thousands of pioneers would disembark from
riverboats at this point to begin their overland journey, passing first
The Heart of America
24 Comanche Flyer JANUARY 2004
Continued on Page 26
Convention and Visitors Bureau of Greater Kansas City
Convention
Logo
(Dianne - I don’t have a
logo????) or is that the
right city shot I have
for the airport
????)
T
he annual ICS Convention site for
2004 is Kansas City Downtown
Airport (MKC) Kansas City, Mo. The
success of the convention depends upon the
hard work and faithfulness of volunteers. I
want you to know many members of ICS
are working hard to make this convention
a success.
Planning for the 2004 convention began
as early as October of 2001. During the last
12 months the intensity of the planning
has increased and will continue to intensify
over the next eight months leading to the
convention.
We are looking forward to hosting you in
Kansas City. Located in the center of the
United States, Kansas City has become the
city of choice for those looking for great
shopping, cultural, and sporting events. In each
of the coming months look for information
and pictures featuring the events being
planned for your visit including specifics
concerning things to see in Kansas City.
Each month this space will feature an
article by one of my committee Chairman
detailing their area of interest in your ICS
Convention.
Our goal is to provide a great time for all of
you in Kansas City. September weather is great,
the food is always superb, and we welcome
you all to come experience the hospitality
and entertainment of Kansas City.
Darrell Norris
Chairman
From the 2004
Convention
Chairman:
2004 ICS Convention
MaintenanceSuperSeminar
by Karl Hipp - ICS #10241
T
hat’s right, It’s all one word. MaintenanceSuperSeminar. Because
it’s all being combined! It will be unlike any maintenance sympo-
sium ever held at any ICS Convention or fly-in.
Instead of a bunch of vendors all holed up in one room and seminars
going on in various rooms scattered around the hotel, we will have only
a few select vendors in a large room showing their wares and conducting
the seminar.
This will be a Comanche-specific event. There won’t be anyone selling
insurance, engine pre-oilers, headsets or batteries. And there will be no
seminar rooms. The exhibitors themselves will be taking turns explain-
ing the various maintenance issues we have with our Comanches. There
will be hands-on displays of the landing gear components and other sys-
tem components, such as trim drums, stabilator tubes and fuel strainers,
just as examples. There will be maintenance solutions and procedures
explained. There will be discussion on items ranging from gear rigging to
engine rebuilding tips. We will be using a closed circuit camera and a
public address system so that everyone attending can see what is hap-
pening on a big screen.
JANUARY 2004 Comanche Flyer 25
A
trip to Kansas City is a high point
on anyone’s calendar. Flying your
own airplane into one of the most
historical airports in the country
makes it even better. Flying your
Comanche into the same airport and
arriving in the company of some 200
other Comanche’s, owners, and families
has to be one of the most memorable
events ever.
The Kansas City
Downtown
Airport (MKC)
Convention and Visitors Bureau of Greater Kansas City
Continued on Page 27Continued on Page 27
Convention and Visitors Bureau of Greater Kansas City
through a lively market area, known
today as the City Market. Farmers
and vendors still offer home-grown,
as well as exotic, produce, herbs and
flowers in Missouri’s largest open-air
farmers market. Unique gift and
antique shops, popular restaurants
and the Arabia Steamboat Museum
are also housed in this area.
What You’ll Find Today
Downtown Kansas City mixes
an exciting blend of old and new.
The skyline offers a striking blend
of Art Deco buildings and modern
skyscrapers. In 1994, the downtown
skyline underwent a dramatic
transition when four massive steel
sculptures were installed on their
perches some 200 feet on the H.
Roe Bartle Hall, part of the Kansas
City Convention Center. The
sculptures, “Sky Stations/Pylon
Caps,” are lighted at night and can
be seen for several miles. The
sculptures’ Art Deco style reflects
the adjacent 1930s era buildings.
Located a few blocks south of
downtown, Crown Center, a privately
financed project of Hallmark Cards,
Inc., surrounds the international
headquarters of the world’s largest
greeting card company. This
enclosed shopping and entertain-
ment center offers more than 80
shops and restaurants, live theatres,
cinemas and two hotels to five
million visitors each year. The
Hallmark Visitors Center tells the
story of the greeting card giant
through 14 exhibits. Guests can visit
with a press operator demonstrating
the process used in greeting card
production, push a button to make
their own colorful gift bow, watch
excerpts from the company’s
“Hallmark Hall of Fame” television
26 Comanche Flyer JANUARY 2004
Continued from Page 24
Kansas City-
The Heart of America
Convention and Visitors Bureau of Greater Kansas City
presentations or step through a keyhole
into a room filled with giant pencils,
brushes, paint tubes and jars. Other
Crown Center activities include the
American Heartland Theatre, the
Coterie Theatre, a children’s live
performance theater with family
programming, ice skating in the winter
and outdoor entertainment in the
summer. The complex features 29
restaurants.
A little further south is the famous
Country Club Plaza, an outdoor
center covering 14 square blocks
and containing over 180 of the
finest stores in the country, as well
as dozens of restaurants. With more
than 40 fountains, many unique to
the world, and over 50 sculpted works
of art and exquisite mosaics, the Plaza
is often referred to as an “outdoor
museum.” A walking art tour of these
magnificent works is a delightful
way to experience the Plaza. The
Plaza’s Moorish architecture is
modeled after Seville, Spain, one of
Kansas City’s sister cities. Between
Thanksgiving and mid-January, the
Plaza is illuminated by over 75
miles of colorful holiday lights.
Facts About Kansas City
Nicknames: K.C., City of Fountains, Heart of America
Sister City: Seville, Spain
Famous
Residents:
Thomas Hart Benton (artist), Harry S. Truman (politician),
Charlie Parker (jazz musician), Tom Pendergast (politician),
Ed Asner (actor), Jean Harlow (actress), Ginger Rogers (actress),
Satchel Paige (baseball player), Walt Disney (writer/producer/director)
and Mickey Mouse (born in Kansas City under Walt Disney’s hand),
Calvin Trillin (columnist); George Brett (baseball player);
Tom Watson (golfer).
Hometown
Headquarters:
Hallmark Cards, Sprint, Farmland Industries, Russell Stover
Candies, Yellow Freight Corporation, H&R Block, AMC Theaters,
Applebee’s International, American Italian Pasta, among others.
Home of: Harry S. Truman Library
(one of eleven presidential libraries in the nation),
Linda Hall Library of Technology (one of the largest privately
endowed scientific and technical reference libraries in the country),
Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Academy of Family Physicians.
Pro Sports: Kansas City Chiefs Football Club
Kansas City Royals Baseball Club
Kansas City Wizards Outdoor Soccer Club
Climate in
September:
Ave. high temp: 80
Ave. low temp: 60
Ave precip: 4.39 inches
JANUARY 2004 Comanche Flyer 27
The Kansas City
Downtown
Airport (MKC)
Continued . . .
This is your chance to get educated about your bird and ask questions
about those issues that have been bugging you about your airplane. It’s also
an opportunity for you to bring along your mechanic, so he can learn the
proper maintenance procedures for your airplane, and find out about the
problem areas and nuances of our unique aircraft.
Webco, Johnson Aircraft, B&C, and Altus will be our primary exhibitors.
And we also plan to have a few other folks, so make your reservations early.
See you at the Maintenance-SuperSeminar!
2004 ICS Convention
MaintenanceSuperSeminar Continued . . .
Only a handful of major cities
on the continent enjoy a bustling
general aviation facility adjacent to
the downtown business center -
Kansas City is one of them.
Dedicated by Charles Lindbergh
in 1927, Charles B. Wheeler
Downtown Airport (MKC) is the
city’s first airport and still one of
its busiest. Originally home to
commercial aviation, the airport
now attracts a large number of
corporate, charter and recreational
flyers. MKC nestles up to the Missouri
River that separates the State of
Missouri from the State of Kansas.
In the shadows of the downtown
skyline, up to 700 aircraft per day
takeoff or land at the airport –
everything from single-engine air-
craft to sleek corporate jets. The
facility and its control tower are open
24 hours a day and consistently
rank highly among private and
corporate pilots for their full range
of service to general aviation.
Fixed-base operators service
nearly 300 based aircraft, as well as
itinerant and charter aircraft, offer-
ing fuel, full maintenance, aircraft
rentals, sales and flight training.
Your arrival into MKC will be
one logbook entry to treasure, but
it will be only the beginning of five
days of activity learning more
about your Comanche and enjoying
many of Kansas City’s great enter-
tainment choices.
If this will be your first trip to
Kansas City you will leave knowing
why so many people make KC a
regular event. It will not be your
last trip to KC.
Look for more information
about MKC in upcoming issues of
the
Flyer.
28 Comanche Flyer JANUARY 2004
L
ast year I bought the Twin
Comanche PA 30B “D-GABY,”
which was located at the
Karlsruhe Baden Airport. I was flying
this aircraft on a rental base about
50 hours before and knew it quite
well. Some months after the acqui-
sition, I decided to prepare GABY for
the next 25 years. She was newly
painted and together with Markus
Eberle and Peter Strobl from the
local DLE Luftfahrtservice GmbH, an
avionics and maintenance facility
located at the Karlsruhe/Baden-
Baden Airport, we planned the new
avionics for IFR flying.
DLE and especially Marcus Eberle
accomplished an extensive refur-
bishment of the Twin Comanche.
DLE Luftfahrtservice GmbH is a
wholly owned subsidiary of motorflug
baden-baden gmbh.
The avionics, installation and
mechanic departments had several
discussions with me before and
during the refurbishment to better
understand my requirements and
personal desires. In this way, I was
able to participate directly in the
development of the new design of my
aircraft. Furthermore, I could realize
my ideal interior by choosing my
favorite colour composition and by
deciding what kind of materials,
leather and carpets should be used.
The protection of existing equip-
ment, wiring and cables was of first
concern to DLE after having removed
the existing interior, avionics and
instrument panel.
Taking into account my
requirements and all existing new
technology available today, a
computer-controlled CAD program
was used to design and develop a
new instrument panel that was
acceptable to me. Precision is what
is required when combining the
limited space available and the unique
requirements of the customer and
this can be difficult at times.
However the experienced crew of
technicians at DLE are at ease
with this type of work.
Twin Comanche is
Even Better Than New!
by Joachim Weith - ICS #15101
Feature
GABY in front of the Air France Concorde.
Interior before refurbishment.
Newly designed interior.
The Twin Comanche after removal of
existing interior, panel and avionics devices.
“We have performed several panel
redesigns and modifications on
different aircraft types, such as the
Piper Malibu, Cessna 182, Mooney
M20F and F260. Based on this
experience, we always carry out
work with precision and technical
expertise,” Markus Eberle promised
before starting his job. Like every
refurbishment DLE first begun with
a mock-up of the panel to determine
the accuracy of the CAD design.
This also allowed to me to get a
first-hand view of my new instru-
ment panel and make any last
minute changes.
To allow for better passenger
control of the cabin temperature,
the heating and adjustable air
ventilation system was upgraded.
Being a tall pilot can be uncom-
fortable when flying for extended
periods of time. Therefore during
this refurbishment the pilot’s seat
height and shoulder harness
placement were modified to meet
my personal needs.
Using modern laser technology,
both the instrument and pedestal
panels were constructed using 3.2
mm thick aluminium coated with
Nextel lacquer. The labels and warn-
ing signs were then engraved into
the panel by the DLE technicians.
With a new S-TEC 60/2 autopilot
installed, which includes altitude
preselect and GPSS roll adapter, I
have no longer to bother with the
long manual process of entering
flight plans and heading changes;
they are all done automatically.
I told DLE that I like the new
autopilot system so well I seldom get
to touch the newly covered leather
steering yokes and “let the autopilot
fly.” The new panel includes a new
MX20 multifunctional display with
a high-resolution, 20-foot high
terrain warning device.
The highly polished spinners
complement the impressive new look
of the refurbished Twin Comanche.
Since the aircraft already has a
new paint scheme, I am now con-
sidering the installation of two new
engines with turbochargers for better
performance and fuel efficiency,
which takes me to my destination
in a timelier manner. Yes, that means
faster and more fun to fly.
The work was finished after five
weeks on May 1, so we could start
immediately along the Mont Blanc
mountain into a wonderful weekend
on the warm Mallorca Island.
JANUARY 2004 Comanche Flyer 29
Manufacturing of new panel.
Old panel with avionics
removed.
New air ventilation valve
and shoulder harness.
Old air ventilation valve.
New co-pilot side aft.
Co-pilot side aft before
refurbishment.
Old panel.
New panel.
Old circuit breaker panel.
New circuit breaker panel.
High polished spinners.
The “new” Twin Comanche.
30 Comanche Flyer JANUARY 2004
Pat Wachsman, President -
ICS #06061
G
oals for the Comanche Flyer
Foundation are becoming
a reality. The CFF Web page
is nearing completion. Web page
information is being gathered and
will soon be out for viewing. The new
CFF brochures tell the story of CFF,
Max Conrad and the unbelievable
Comanche N110LF. The book, “Into
The Wind,” a biography of Max
Conrad and “110 Let’s Fly,” covers
the life and history of this legendary
pilot and plane and is available for
interesting reading by the fireside
this winter.
The Comanche Flyer Foundation
Scholarship Program is going well.
The scholarships offered for the year
of 2004 are: The Maurice Taylor
Scholarship to be awarded in the
amount of $2,000. The Cecil
Wachsman Memorial Scholarship to
be awarded in the amount of $1,500.
The Comanche Flyer Foundation
Scholarships to be awarded in the
amount of $1,500. These scholar-
ships will be awarded to students of
Kansas State University, Aeronautical
College of Technology in Salina, Kan.
The objective of these educational
scholarships is to give financial aid
to students in the field of General
Aviation Maintenance and to assist
in training for an FAA Airframe
and Powerplant Certificate.
Larry Larkin Comanche Seminar
is available to all tribes of the
International Comanche Society.
A Tribe Chief has only to contact
either Mr. Larkin or CFF to schedule
these seminars. There is no expense
to a Tribe for the seminars as CFF
fully funds all expenses incurred by
Mr. Larkin. Contact Pat Wachsman,
President of CFF for guidelines in
hosting a Larry Larkin Comanche
Seminar.
Plans are in the mill for another
CFI Training Program in the near
future. Larry Rackley is working
diligently on these plans and infor-
mation will be available within the
next couple months. If you know of a
CFI who is interested in this training
program, contact Larry Rackley. He
will be glad to take their name and
talk with you about the program.
Kansas City Here We Come! The
Comanche Flyer Foundation is
working with the Convention
Chairperson in seeing that simulator
rides will be available on a first-come,
first-serve basis. Be sure to sign up
for this ride and for a surprise when
you COMPLETE the ride. Plan to
attend the ICS Annual Convention
hosted by the Mid States Comanche
Tribe. CFF still has many goals to
meet during the coming year and
trustees are working together to
meet those goals.
NOTE: The Comanche Flyer
Foundation will meet in Oklahoma
City on March 6, 2004 along with ICS
Spring Board Meeting. The two meet-
ings are planned separately to allow
those trustees who also sit on ICS
Board to attend both meetings. Details
will be available in time for all trustees
to schedule their attendance.
Into the Wind: Biography of Max Conrad
Enjoy this account of the life and feats of legendary pilot Max Conrad.
Narrative includes coverage of our own historic Comanche N110LF.
Price: $21.50 + Shipping: $3 North America, $15.00 overseas
Maurice Taylor Video Tapes
Take advantage of Maurice’s expert knowledge, captured on these
professionally-produced videos. Great tools for mechanics too!
(Tapes 1-3 apply to both PA-24 and PA-30 models.)
SAVE! ANY 3 TAPES for $119.85; Addl. tapes $39.95
Single tapes $44.95 each. VHS or PAL formats available.
Shipping included for North America. Overseas add $15.00 per order.
PLEASE FILL OUT TO ORDER
Please circle item(s) above and indicate any multiple quantities.
Mail to:
CCF c/o Henry Spellman, 111 Park Place, Lincoln, IL 62656
Telephone & Fax: (217) 732-8425 / E-Mail: [email protected]
Item(s) cost:_________ add all shipping:________ Order Total:________
Note: Enclose CHECK or MONEY ORDER ONLY - U.S. Funds
Ship to:
_____________________________________________________
Street Address:_______________________________________________
City:____________________________ State:______________________
Zip code:_________________________ Country:____________________
N110LF Patch
Full-color photo emblem. Great for
caps, jackets, shirts - order several!
Price: $5 + shipping: .50; $1 overseas
PA-30: MultiEngine Flying
by Alice Fuchs; Great Value!
Price: $9 + Shipping: $1; $2 overseas
Tape 1: Pre-flight Walk-around
Tape 2: Tech Tips: A Closer Look
Tape 3: Comanche Landing Gear
Tape 4: Single Comanche Flight Tips
Tape 5: Twin Comanche Flight Tips