Monocoupe Entry 9

Just when I thought this whole trip could not get any better -- just when I thought it was over, I had the best day ever. 

It started off gently. In our last episode, remember, I had just dropped of my dad at his home and today I had only 250 miles to fly home myself, a measly 2 hours and 20 minutes in this plane if I chose the most straight line. That would be back through White Pass, which we traversed yesterday at 10am, 7500ft and 32 degrees F. Today it would be at about 7am and screw that. I opted for the Gorge, which can be done at 4500 ft. I started with a half tank of gas, so I would have to stop at either Hood River or The Dalles. It was a gorgeous, glass-smooth morning, the sun not yet having enough time to work thermal burbles into the air, and as usual, we started off our cruise by climbing to 200 ft above cruising altitude, reducing throttle, and letting her settle nose-down on the step for 5 kts extra speed. Then we just puttered around the corner from the I-5 corridor, north of Portland International's airspace, and into the Gorge. 

Here is the Columbia just upriver from Kelso. 

Mt Adams and misty foothills from near the Bonneville Dam. 

Here's a vid of passing a high promontory on the north side of the river (WARNING: turn you volume down first):

http://youtu.be/ARBtqXUpWpQ

I'd never landed at Hood River before, but have wanted to since I learned about the relatively new aviation museum there: the Western Antique Airplane and Automobile Museum, also known as WAAAM: http://www.waaamuseum.org/  Here I am gassing up the plane in one of the most impressive venues I've ever seen. I knew that Hood River lay in the folds of Mt Hood, but I did not know that it had such an impressive view of Mt Adams. Wow. 

Then this stop really got great. While I was parking the plane in the tie down area before heading over for a look at the museum, the museum founder and its head pilot rolled over in an electric golf cart and asked if I would park my plane over by the museum. At the moment I had no idea of the honor that was being offered. 

It turns out that after a week of starts and stops, fighting weather flying coast to coast, I had somehow luckily blundered into the WAAAM's "Second Saturday" party. I didn't even know it was Saturday. 

They parked me in a row next to all of the day's flying exhibits, including a Stnson Gull Wing, three WWII era Grasshoppers, and a Huey helicopter. Then Scott Gifford, the museum's chief pilot proceeded to give me a personal guided tour of the exhibits and restoration area. Later we took a short flight in the 'coupe because he'd never flown one. He was a master. I merely gave a brief description of the takeoff and landing procedure for this craft (due to its age and provenance it has unique characteristics, even among taildraggers) and he instantly mastered the plane better than I had in a week of coast to coast flying. 

The description went something like this:

"On takeoff you let the stick float in neutral which keeps the tail wheel on the ground as long as possible. When she's ready to fly, the tail will rise. Pull back gently and lift off at 60 mph. Climb out at 80."

And:

"She likes 80 mph in the pattern. Final at 70. Round out at 65. Flair at 60. Slip nose-high or the airspeed will rise. Make sure the tail wheel touches first and you will have no problems."

Lovely. 

Here are some pictures of the museum's grounds and exhibits. I strongly urge you to visit. 

Grasshoppers on the left, and my 'Coupe. 

The Stinson Gullwing and the 'Coupe surrounded by onlookers. 

This is the sole remaining Boeing model 40. It is here on loan from the collection of Addison Pemberton of Spokane -- he who hosts the Felts Field Biplane Fly In yearly in July. The story of the finding and re-creation of this machine is incredible. It would take at least 5 paragraphs, so I may come back and attempt it later, but probably not. 

The Boeing model 40. 

A Ryan PT-22, almost exactly like the one Harrison Ford recently crash landed on a golf course in Santa Monica. 

The museum doesn't only have airplanes. It also has a fine collection of vintage automobiles. Here is a fine example of a Studebaker Golden Hawk. My fathers favorite. 

A Curtis Junior, sometimes used as a platform for hunting coyotes for bounty in the 1930's. 

And Aeronca C-3, otherwise known as "the flying bathtub". This one is on floats. I can't imagine how it could lift them. 

And Aeronca LC. I'd never seen one before. 

A Buhl Pup. 

One of the most impressive planes of the collection: a Taperwing WACO., beautifully preserved. 

Rows of WACO and other makes of biplanes. 

And more rows. 

WACO. 

WACO. 

Gorgeous special order WACO. 

A Stinson Detroiter. Eddie Stinson is one of my favorite designers, and the story of his death is somehow fascinating among some pretty spectacular aviation deaths. 

A Fairchild 22. 

A monster Stearman Mail plane. 

And I was shocked to find at this museum a Velie Monocoupe. This is the earliest version of the plane I purchased just 6 days ago and flew across the country. Only about a decade separate the two craft, yet mine is simply an evolution of this one. 

A Rearwin Speedster -- so narrow and fishlike that the passenger's foot pedals are beneath the seat of the pilot in front of him. 

The Stinson Gullwing. 

I spent a lovely morning strolling through the grounds and exhibits (I had to call Nancy and tell her that I would be delayed a couple hours in my homecoming), but I finally had to leave. 

Here is a view out the back of the plane as I left Hood River. What an awesome day it had been. 

Nancy has a video of my arrival at Palouse and a triumphant picture of me with my intact Monocoupe. But I will have to post it later, as she has trotted off to a party of some sort. 

Thus comes an end to an adventure greater than I could have imagined when I half-heartedly boarded a commercial flight to Richmond just a week ago. I strongly urge you to try some adventure similarly near to your heart. You and everyone you meet will be the better for it. 

Blue Skies,

BZ