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Cars and Aircraft

Ahh, Beech 18 stories.... In 72 or 73 maybe, a beech 18 struck the radio tower at American University in DC, and crashed in the university presidents back yard. Big mess, and just missed the house.

Mosquito spraying at the beach in Lewes Delaware. I listened to the sprayer flying back and forth for hours....Nothing beats the sound of round airplane engines. Nothing.
 
Please permit me another Beech 18 story.

When I was teaching A&P school in Frederick, Maryland, an 18 had an engine failure and landed at our airport on a Friday night. It was a shuttle that brought car parts to the Dundalk GM plant from Detroit. He was returning to Detroit so was empty. He got down O.K. but couldn't taxi on one engine. A group of pilots were drinking at the airport bar and a drunk pilot tried to tow the Beech with his Alfa Spyder. Didn't work.

The FBO towed the Beech to our ramp. We let the guy leave it there. The cargo company sent a mechanic, a helper, an engine, supplies, and tools in a truck from Detroit. We let them change the engine on our ramp.

I let my students watch and even help a little. It was bitter cold, but the guys from Detroit didn't seem to mind. They left a five gallon bucket of Aviation Grade 100 (SAE Grade 50) oil outside overnight. When they tipped it up to fill the reservoir, nothing came out! My students learned about viscosity and temperature from that!

I think my class learned alot. One kid that helped change the engine got a job as a Beech 18 mechanic after graduation.

I wonder...
 
twosheds, we had an 18 at the academy of aeronautics in queens n.y. when i attended it might still be there it was donated to the school after the owner had the wing mod completed but was afraid to fly it any longer, was at the time in very good shape. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/savewave.gif
 
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