Wickenburg Municipal (E25)

[Jay Beckman]

Three quickies from the open house on October 8, 2011...

Spartan Executive Arriving




Helio Courier Departing


If I understood correctly, there were only seven of this particular model built with a Lycoming naturally-aspirated eight-cylinder opposed engine and this is the only one flying of the six that remain.  Let's just say that his ground roll was, well, minimal...

Really fun day as I also got to go flying as co-pilot in a C-182 with Nancy Benscotter who is the current President of the Arizona Pilots Association.  I think Scott posted a shot of me and Nancy elsewhere.  We came in second in the Production class behind the Spartan.  The overall winner was a little hot rod RV that averaged a shade over 250kts/hr over the 150mi course!

[Joe Copalman]

Very well-done.  Feeling stupid for not making this a higher priority, I had a feeling it was going to be a "usual suspects" kind of thing.  That Spartan is gorgeous, hoping it makes more appearances this winter.  Same with the Courier.

[Jay Beckman]

Very snappy Van's RV-7A with a friendly pilot


C182 Arriving


Helio Courier Panel

[Jay Beckman]

Meet The Spartan...

Avec Colour


Sans Colour


This 1938 Spartan 7W Executive has been in the family of John Levitz for around 40 years.  It's only recently been put back to flying status after having sat for a while.

The story behind the nose art...  

Reno, Nevada .. 1999

"Gary R. Levitz, pilot of Unlimited class racer Miss Ashley II, was killed Saturday when the aircraft suffered apparent structural failure and crashed during a heat race at the National Air Races at Reno, Nev.

Levitz had just completed two laps in the Unlimited Gold heat race when part or parts of the airframe broke away. Race officials said that Miss Ashley II lost part of the tail assembly. The aircraft crashed into a neighborhood east of Reno-Stead Airport. One person was reported to have been slightly injured on the ground and at least one home received damage. Power was knocked out to a portion of the Lemmon Valley neighborhood for a time. The accident occurred about 3:30 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time.

The remaining aircraft on the course completed the race. Further events for the afternoon were cancelled, including a performance by the USAF Thunderbirds. Reno Air Racing Association officials said that events for Sunday would go on as scheduled.

Miss Ashley II was a custom-designed and built racer. It used Learjet wings, and a custom-built fuselage modeled on the P-51 Mustang. Perhaps its signature design feature was the use of the Rolls Royce Griffon engine with counter-rotating three-bladed props."

See, Gary Levitz flew the original "Precious Metal" and had competed at Reno all the way back to the mid 1970s in several different planes including P-38s.

So, "Precious Metal" refers to the plane that Gary Levitz once flew and "Spirit of Gary" is John Levitz' dedication to his brother.  38 was Gary's race number at Reno.

If you're really paying attention and are good at doing the "Six Degrees" thing, you'll see that Levitz + Miss Ashley II = Levitz Furniture, Ashley Furniture, The Room Store, etc...

And now you know...The rest of the story.

Oh, and my sources tell me that there is no known connection between the Levitz family and the current incarnation of "Precious Metal" that's made fuel stops at Deer Valley.

Addendum: Another source tells me that the current Precious Metal is using the same tail (P-51H Version) as the original Precious Metal but that's the only connection.

[scottcolbath]

I love that B&W Jay.

S.C.

[Chris Kennedy]

It turned out that the Apaches stopping at Wickenburg were from the Republic of Singapore Air Force.

[Rob Silliman]

Make your own sandstorm (on departure, right before the whole runway was obscured by dust)

[Chris Kennedy]

Taking off for the Thunderbird 150 Air Race. Pilots were advised that there were going to be photographers there and, if they wanted to get photographed, to stay low on takeoff. Several of them did. Obviously, some of them also popped smoke.

[Chris Kennedy]

T-34 does a low pass on departure. This one is from Falcon Field.

[Chris Kennedy]

DPS Ranger 54 paid a visit to the fly-in too. Rob and I were standing next to the taxiway with the guys who were supposed to be directing aircraft ground traffic. The Ranger pilot couldn't figure out where to land, so he landed right next to us on the taxiway, blasting us with sand and gravel, and the observer actually got out and asked directions.

[Chris Kennedy]

The great looking old (1950) Twin Beech that was at the fly-in.

[Rob Silliman]

Preparing to blow away the photographers;

[scottcolbath]

A few shots here of the newly resurfaced runway. Comments are appreciated.

http://www.yarnellpics.com/Airplanes/Wickenburg-Airport/13207887_9P6nT8#!i=2281994362&k=Nk3JSCH

S.C.

[Dave S.]

A few shots here of the newly resurfaced runway. Comments are appreciated.

http://www.yarnellpics.com/Airplanes/Wickenburg-Airport/13207887_9P6nT8#!i=2281994362&k=Nk3JSCH

S.C.

Scott,

I like the first two shots - I think it's due to the framing.  Since Wickenburg is an uncontrolled airport, would it be feasible to get well above the traffic pattern and get an overhead shot - essentially looking straight down?

[scottcolbath]

Scott,

I like the first two shots - I think it's due to the framing.  Since Wickenburg is an uncontrolled airport, would it be feasible to get well above the traffic pattern and get an overhead shot - essentially looking straight down?

I'll have to ask the others on the airport commission and see if they are up for it. I'm sure the guy I flew with today is willing to go up again, and lean it way over. 

S.C.