A Chipmunk in Texas
Thu Aug 02, 2007 2:28 pm
Yesterday, after I picked up the vertical stabilizer for my PT-19 project at Hobby Airport, I took the mandatory detour through Arcola, and see what was there.
I visited with a friend, and in a hangar where he works, there are two PT-17 Stearmans (one of which they flew from Nebraska to Texas, in January of this year) and there was also, a DH-C Chipmunk.
I understand that the airplane was imported from NZ, and I was told that there are some restrictions regarding the operation of this aircraft:
Limited to 50 miles from Arcola
Cannot land anywhere else but home base (Arcola).
Are these, permanent restrictions, or are these to be modified / removed once the airplane has flown a certain number of hours?
Does it have something to do, with the airplane coming back from NZ, and if so, what could be the reasons?
Saludos,
Tulio
I visited with a friend, and in a hangar where he works, there are two PT-17 Stearmans (one of which they flew from Nebraska to Texas, in January of this year) and there was also, a DH-C Chipmunk.
I understand that the airplane was imported from NZ, and I was told that there are some restrictions regarding the operation of this aircraft:
Limited to 50 miles from Arcola
Cannot land anywhere else but home base (Arcola).
Are these, permanent restrictions, or are these to be modified / removed once the airplane has flown a certain number of hours?
Does it have something to do, with the airplane coming back from NZ, and if so, what could be the reasons?
Saludos,
Tulio
Thu Aug 02, 2007 2:59 pm
If this is the Chipmunk with the Lycoming (360) and CS prop up front, it belongs to an acquaintance of mine, and I actually flew it a few months back.
He's Australian and brought it over here from Australia about a year ago (the plane has been in his family for many years).
To satisfy the Feds he is limited to the current restrictions I believe until 20 (or 50?) hours have been flown off. I can't remember if it will then be registered Experimental or Experimental Exhibition. The Feds had some problems with it because 1) was a foreign-built, foreign-registered military aircraft imported to the US after the moratorium, and 2) it no longer has the original type of engine installed. The whole deal has been handled as a "one-off" with the local FSDO.
It's a great airplane to fly. The Lyc adds enough extra grunt to easily handle the Texas heat!
He's Australian and brought it over here from Australia about a year ago (the plane has been in his family for many years).
To satisfy the Feds he is limited to the current restrictions I believe until 20 (or 50?) hours have been flown off. I can't remember if it will then be registered Experimental or Experimental Exhibition. The Feds had some problems with it because 1) was a foreign-built, foreign-registered military aircraft imported to the US after the moratorium, and 2) it no longer has the original type of engine installed. The whole deal has been handled as a "one-off" with the local FSDO.
It's a great airplane to fly. The Lyc adds enough extra grunt to easily handle the Texas heat!
Thu Aug 02, 2007 3:02 pm
Tulio,
As fate would have it... I helped onload most of that plane from its container when it arrived at AXH from Australia. I don't recall it being NZ.
It was registered as an EXPERIMENTAL, as opposed to unrestricted.
IT can still be flown to airshows and events with a Special Permit.
The Jet Provost I am involved with has to have "one-time" permits in order to fly Wings Over Houston, etc.
Not THAT big a deal.
You just can't bounce over to Brenham for burgers on a whim!
I'd have to re-read FAR-AIMs to answer whether it could ever be "up-graded" from Experimental.
As fate would have it... I helped onload most of that plane from its container when it arrived at AXH from Australia. I don't recall it being NZ.
It was registered as an EXPERIMENTAL, as opposed to unrestricted.
IT can still be flown to airshows and events with a Special Permit.
The Jet Provost I am involved with has to have "one-time" permits in order to fly Wings Over Houston, etc.
Not THAT big a deal.
You just can't bounce over to Brenham for burgers on a whim!
I'd have to re-read FAR-AIMs to answer whether it could ever be "up-graded" from Experimental.
Thu Aug 02, 2007 3:14 pm
Because of the engine change from the original type certificate (reciprocal from Canada/UK) he told me it could never been anything other than Experimental.
It's the same as if you stuck say, a Merlin, on a Bonanza!
It's the same as if you stuck say, a Merlin, on a Bonanza!
Thu Aug 02, 2007 4:11 pm
Not quite true. If both the engine and airframe have standard airworthiness certificates on file, you can certify the aircraft under a supplimental airworthiness certificate if you follow the regulations and tests required under FAR Part 23. It can be expensive to complete, but depending on what you want to do as far as operations, it could be worth the money.
Fri Aug 03, 2007 1:26 am
Australia it is, then : )
Yup, the Brenham hamburger trip was one of those things discussed with my friend there, as in: He wouldn't be able to go have a burger in Brenham.
Nice Chippie, by the way. There used to be two other -modified- Chipmunks in Arcola, back in the early 2000s; both had the canopies removed and sported large (and inverted) signs, evidently for demo / airshow work. I have not seen these in a long time.
Saludos y'all, and thank you for the info and comments.
Tulio
Yup, the Brenham hamburger trip was one of those things discussed with my friend there, as in: He wouldn't be able to go have a burger in Brenham.
Nice Chippie, by the way. There used to be two other -modified- Chipmunks in Arcola, back in the early 2000s; both had the canopies removed and sported large (and inverted) signs, evidently for demo / airshow work. I have not seen these in a long time.
Saludos y'all, and thank you for the info and comments.
Tulio
Fri Aug 03, 2007 11:01 am
CAPFlyer wrote:Not quite true. If both the engine and airframe have standard airworthiness certificates on file, you can certify the aircraft under a supplimental airworthiness certificate if you follow the regulations and tests required under FAR Part 23. It can be expensive to complete, but depending on what you want to do as far as operations, it could be worth the money.
You are quite correct. In fact back in college I did some work on the Tradewinds Turboprop A36 certification. I should have said "Because he only flies once or twice a month, and his wife thinks the plane costs too much already, the plane will always be registered experimental because of the engine change"
