question 68-11029 Cessna O-2A-CE Super Skymaster N138RM

[gary1954]

Does anyone of our forum know anyone directly associated with 68-11029 Cessna O-2A-CE Super Skymaster registered as N138RM? I would like to get in touch with the actual “owner”; I checked the FAA registry, so I know about it being registered to Atlantic Aerial Researching in Wilmington, DE. But that’s it.

[The Inspector]

Don't have any direct knowledge of that particular airplane, but.....back in the mid/late 70's in N.O. there was a '337' that was staked out on the West tie downs, really nice red, white, and black paint and door and footwell windows just like an O-2, canvas seats, overhead towelrack antenna and lots of smaller whip antennas,blade antennas, flat antennas, and no spinners on the props. It was obvious that it was an O-2 in civilian clothes.
Occasionally a very base model 'hohum' paint color Plymouth or Chevrolet sedan would show up, the pilot and 'passengers' (all wearing Robert Hall type suits) would take long, flat, hard cases out of the trunk and load them into the airplane and one of the passengers drove away in the car so it didn't sit on the field. Then the 'crew' would file a flight plan from Lake Front airport to Lake Front airport. It would disappear sometimes for weeks and then it's back, at least once with odd small sheetmetal repairs and freshly daubed on touch\up paint. Since we were Robertson STOL, Ralph the owner tried to track down the owners to see if we could sell them a STOL mod, he found out it was registered to a 'United Amalgamated International Corp.' of Oompah, PA.' or some such phony baloney name so we figured it was a DEA airplane. Might be what you're seeing, some sort of 'SHHHHH, nothing to see, keep moving' deal-

[Air_Force_Vet]

Your first stop should be to Don Nieser

http://www.02337parts.com/

Knows the O-2 and 337 scene inside and out!

Good luck!

[Rajay]

Whoever the actual owner is, he seems to be making the rounds of the summer airshow circuit. According to FlightAware.com (http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N138RM) he went to Florida, Andrews AFB, and Seymour-Johnson AFB in May. The photo of N138RM posted on FlightAware.com says it was taken during a fly-by at the 2011 TICO show.

I'm sure that you already realize that he's most likely NOT actually based in Wilmington, DE - that is probably just a corporate registration of convenience because of their tax laws.

The most recent flight track posted on FA shows a destination of Fernandina Beach. FL and an origin of "KPXT" which it says is not a valid identifier - or at least that it's not in the database. The map shows the start of the track in the vicinity of Pax River, MD, so maybe that's a clue.

[LadyO2Pilot]

In line with what Rajay said.....I believe it used to be owned or still is by a Robert C Murphy. I hope my old blonde memory is working correctly....LOL

He had a couple of A models for sale last year and again IIRC is based or lives in Fernandina Beach, Fl. Flies a TBM also or used too.

[b747cf]

The TBM and a O2A are currently listed on Barnstormers from Mr. Murphy.

[gary1954]

Thanks Ya'll, I appreciate the input and the headings.