Nobody believed that we walked away

[Big John]

Extracted from Houston Chronicle, 19 Oct 2007.

The small home-built plane that uses a Chevrolet car engine was
featured last month on the cover of Contact, a magazine that
spotlights experimental aircraft.

On Thursday night, Bud Warren, of Conroe,TX, was flying his creation
to the West Houston Airport. He was to give a presentation to the EAA
group on his invention that regulates how fast the chevy engine turns
a propeller.

With years of experience as a pilot in Houston air shows, soaring in
formation with replicas of historical aircraft used in the movie Tora,
Tora, Tora and as a National Hot Rod Association race car builder --
showing off the plane he'd flown since 2003. But then, a short time
after take-off and enroute, he noticed the oil temp rise slightly and
the engine sputtered.

A ground observer said the engine was coughing and sputtering like a
lawn mower engine does.

Soon, he and his two passengers were forced to make an emergency
landing in a hay field with the plane ablaze and clipped a fence post
rupturing a wing fuel tank. Billowing flames were licking the outside
of the craft as the three jumped out the plane's door to the ground --
and 45 seconds later the entire cockpit was engulfed.

Buds daughter said "Nobody believed that we walked away".

Bud had the back of his calves, some hair and his fingers singed
slightly. All had a few bumps and scratches.

The plane was valued at $150.000.

Bud believed an oil line must have ruptured as they smelled oil
burning right before the problems began.

Bud isn't going to let the accident set him back and is already
talking about building another plane and getting back in sky.

End of extract


Pictures with article in paper showed everything (including wings)
burned down to nothing from just behind the trailing edge of wing
forward. Only rear bit of fueslage and tail survived as shown in
pictures.

Good pilot and lots of luck.

Big John

[stol]

On Oct 21, 11:16 am, Big John > wrote:
> Extracted from Houston Chronicle, 19 Oct 2007.
>
> The small home-built plane that uses a Chevrolet car engine was
> featured last month on the cover of Contact, a magazine that
> spotlights experimental aircraft.
>
> On Thursday night, Bud Warren, of Conroe,TX, was flying his creation
> to the West Houston Airport. He was to give a presentation to the EAA
> group on his invention that regulates how fast the chevy engine turns
> a propeller.
>
> With years of experience as a pilot in Houston air shows, soaring in
> formation with replicas of historical aircraft used in the movie Tora,
> Tora, Tora and as a National Hot Rod Association race car builder --
> showing off the plane he'd flown since 2003. But then, a short time
> after take-off and enroute, he noticed the oil temp rise slightly and
> the engine sputtered.
>
> A ground observer said the engine was coughing and sputtering like a
> lawn mower engine does.
>
> Soon, he and his two passengers were forced to make an emergency
> landing in a hay field with the plane ablaze and clipped a fence post
> rupturing a wing fuel tank. Billowing flames were licking the outside
> of the craft as the three jumped out the plane's door to the ground --
> and 45 seconds later the entire cockpit was engulfed.
>
> Buds daughter said "Nobody believed that we walked away".
>
> Bud had the back of his calves, some hair and his fingers singed
> slightly. All had a few bumps and scratches.
>
> The plane was valued at $150.000.
>
> Bud believed an oil line must have ruptured as they smelled oil
> burning right before the problems began.
>
> Bud isn't going to let the accident set him back and is already
> talking about building another plane and getting back in sky.
>
> End of extract
>
> Pictures with article in paper showed everything (including wings)
> burned down to nothing from just behind the trailing edge of wing
> forward. Only rear bit of fueslage and tail survived as shown in
> pictures.
>
> Good pilot and lots of luck.
>
> Big John

That is sad, I looked over that plane at OSH and he had a very nice
auto engine installation too. Glad all are ok.......

Ben
www.haaspowerair.com

[Kyle Boatright]

What type aircraft?


"Big John" > wrote in message
...
>
>
> Extracted from Houston Chronicle, 19 Oct 2007.
>
> The small home-built plane that uses a Chevrolet car engine was
> featured last month on the cover of Contact, a magazine that
> spotlights experimental aircraft.
>
> On Thursday night, Bud Warren, of Conroe,TX, was flying his creation
> to the West Houston Airport. He was to give a presentation to the EAA
> group on his invention that regulates how fast the chevy engine turns
> a propeller.
>
> With years of experience as a pilot in Houston air shows, soaring in
> formation with replicas of historical aircraft used in the movie Tora,
> Tora, Tora and as a National Hot Rod Association race car builder --
> showing off the plane he'd flown since 2003. But then, a short time
> after take-off and enroute, he noticed the oil temp rise slightly and
> the engine sputtered.
>
> A ground observer said the engine was coughing and sputtering like a
> lawn mower engine does.
>
> Soon, he and his two passengers were forced to make an emergency
> landing in a hay field with the plane ablaze and clipped a fence post
> rupturing a wing fuel tank. Billowing flames were licking the outside
> of the craft as the three jumped out the plane's door to the ground --
> and 45 seconds later the entire cockpit was engulfed.
>
> Buds daughter said "Nobody believed that we walked away".
>
> Bud had the back of his calves, some hair and his fingers singed
> slightly. All had a few bumps and scratches.
>
> The plane was valued at $150.000.
>
> Bud believed an oil line must have ruptured as they smelled oil
> burning right before the problems began.
>
> Bud isn't going to let the accident set him back and is already
> talking about building another plane and getting back in sky.
>
> End of extract
>
>
> Pictures with article in paper showed everything (including wings)
> burned down to nothing from just behind the trailing edge of wing
> forward. Only rear bit of fueslage and tail survived as shown in
> pictures.
>
> Good pilot and lots of luck.
>
> Big John

[Big John]

Kyle

Didn't say in paper. Not enough in pictures for me to make a wild
guess.

Maybe someone else on Group knows and will post? Paper said it was
featured in the 'Contact' Magazine and they should know.

Big John

************************************************** **********8

On Sun, 21 Oct 2007 19:39:10 -0400, "Kyle Boatright"
> wrote:

>What type aircraft?
>
>
>"Big John" > wrote in message
...
>>
>>
>> Extracted from Houston Chronicle, 19 Oct 2007.
>>
>> The small home-built plane that uses a Chevrolet car engine was
>> featured last month on the cover of Contact, a magazine that
>> spotlights experimental aircraft.
>>
>> On Thursday night, Bud Warren, of Conroe,TX, was flying his creation
>> to the West Houston Airport. He was to give a presentation to the EAA
>> group on his invention that regulates how fast the chevy engine turns
>> a propeller.
>>
>> With years of experience as a pilot in Houston air shows, soaring in
>> formation with replicas of historical aircraft used in the movie Tora,
>> Tora, Tora and as a National Hot Rod Association race car builder --
>> showing off the plane he'd flown since 2003. But then, a short time
>> after take-off and enroute, he noticed the oil temp rise slightly and
>> the engine sputtered.
>>
>> A ground observer said the engine was coughing and sputtering like a
>> lawn mower engine does.
>>
>> Soon, he and his two passengers were forced to make an emergency
>> landing in a hay field with the plane ablaze and clipped a fence post
>> rupturing a wing fuel tank. Billowing flames were licking the outside
>> of the craft as the three jumped out the plane's door to the ground --
>> and 45 seconds later the entire cockpit was engulfed.
>>
>> Buds daughter said "Nobody believed that we walked away".
>>
>> Bud had the back of his calves, some hair and his fingers singed
>> slightly. All had a few bumps and scratches.
>>
>> The plane was valued at $150.000.
>>
>> Bud believed an oil line must have ruptured as they smelled oil
>> burning right before the problems began.
>>
>> Bud isn't going to let the accident set him back and is already
>> talking about building another plane and getting back in sky.
>>
>> End of extract
>>
>>
>> Pictures with article in paper showed everything (including wings)
>> burned down to nothing from just behind the trailing edge of wing
>> forward. Only rear bit of fueslage and tail survived as shown in
>> pictures.
>>
>> Good pilot and lots of luck.
>>
>> Big John
>

[Montblack]

("Big John" wrote)
> Didn't say in paper. Not enough in pictures for me to make a wild guess.
>
> Maybe someone else on Group knows and will post? Paper said it was
> featured in the 'Contact' Magazine and they should know.


http://www.contactmagazine.com/Issue89/Issue_89a.jpg
Cover Picture: CONTACT! (ISSUE 89) Mailed July 19, 2007

http://www.contactmagazine.com/backissu.html
CONTACT! (ISSUE 89) Mailed July 19, 2007
"Chevy Powered Wheeler Express."
Bud Warren of Geared Drives introduces us to his geared redrive, as proven
with his beautifully crafted Wheeler Express. Former CONTACT! Magazine
editor and publisher Mick Myal found this story for us at SnF 2007 and
through a collaborative effort with Bud's daughter Phyllis Ridings-Murawski,
they bring us this article.

<http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNumSQL.asp?NNumbertxt=901RC&cmndfind.x=0&cmndfind.y=0>
N-Number (from the picture)

http://www.ezchair.com/photo.htm
Pics of a different Wheeler Express

http://www.sierratel.com/jerico/Express%20CAFE%20Article.pdf
VERY GOOD pdf article


Montblack

[Big John]

Monty

Tnx for the posting. Will give group who reads a feel for the Express.

The pitch down with full rudder deflection during flight test I never
ran into in any airplane I flew in my thousands of hours. Would be
kind of scary if at low altitude where you could not trade altitude to
regain air speed and control.

You could get into that condition in a large angle slip and crash on
final :o( I didn't see if the new larger tail assy fully cured the
blanking problem.

Big John

************************************************** **

On Sun, 21 Oct 2007 23:43:44 -0500, "Montblack"
> wrote:

>("Big John" wrote)
>> Didn't say in paper. Not enough in pictures for me to make a wild guess.
>>
>> Maybe someone else on Group knows and will post? Paper said it was
>> featured in the 'Contact' Magazine and they should know.
>
>
>http://www.contactmagazine.com/Issue89/Issue_89a.jpg
>Cover Picture: CONTACT! (ISSUE 89) Mailed July 19, 2007
>
>http://www.contactmagazine.com/backissu.html
>CONTACT! (ISSUE 89) Mailed July 19, 2007
>"Chevy Powered Wheeler Express."
>Bud Warren of Geared Drives introduces us to his geared redrive, as proven
>with his beautifully crafted Wheeler Express. Former CONTACT! Magazine
>editor and publisher Mick Myal found this story for us at SnF 2007 and
>through a collaborative effort with Bud's daughter Phyllis Ridings-Murawski,
>they bring us this article.
>
><http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNumSQL.asp?NNumbertxt=901RC&cmndfind.x=0&cmndfind.y=0>
>N-Number (from the picture)
>
>http://www.ezchair.com/photo.htm
>Pics of a different Wheeler Express
>
>http://www.sierratel.com/jerico/Express%20CAFE%20Article.pdf
>VERY GOOD pdf article
>
>
>Montblack
>

[Denny]

The poor ol Wheeler Express just keeps crashing...
There I very few aircraft designs that I absolutely will not fly in,
however the Wheeler is one of them... Bad karma...

denny

[cavelamb himself[_4_]]

Denny wrote:

> The poor ol Wheeler Express just keeps crashing...
> There I very few aircraft designs that I absolutely will not fly in,
> however the Wheeler is one of them... Bad karma...
>
> denny
>
>
Not.

It's an honest and unforgiving high performance machine flown by
people who simply don't have the skills.

[Joe Chisolm]

On Mon, 22 Oct 2007 08:27:47 -0500, Big John wrote:

> Monty
>
> Tnx for the posting. Will give group who reads a feel for the Express.
>
> The pitch down with full rudder deflection during flight test I never ran
> into in any airplane I flew in my thousands of hours. Would be kind of
> scary if at low altitude where you could not trade altitude to regain air
> speed and control.
>
> You could get into that condition in a large angle slip and crash on final
> :o( I didn't see if the new larger tail assy fully cured the blanking
> problem.
>
> Big John
>
> ************************************************** **
>
> On Sun, 21 Oct 2007 23:43:44 -0500, "Montblack"
> > wrote:
>
>>("Big John" wrote)
>>> Didn't say in paper. Not enough in pictures for me to make a wild
>>> guess.
>>>
>>> Maybe someone else on Group knows and will post? Paper said it was
>>> featured in the 'Contact' Magazine and they should know.
>>
>>
>>http://www.contactmagazine.com/Issue89/Issue_89a.jpg Cover Picture:
>>CONTACT! (ISSUE 89) Mailed July 19, 2007
>>
>>http://www.contactmagazine.com/backissu.html CONTACT! (ISSUE 89) Mailed
>>July 19, 2007 "Chevy Powered Wheeler Express."
>>Bud Warren of Geared Drives introduces us to his geared redrive, as
>>proven with his beautifully crafted Wheeler Express. Former CONTACT!
>>Magazine editor and publisher Mick Myal found this story for us at SnF
>>2007 and through a collaborative effort with Bud's daughter Phyllis
>>Ridings-Murawski, they bring us this article.
>>
>><http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNumSQL.asp?NNumbertxt=901RC&cmndfind.x=0&cmndfind.y=0>
>>N-Number (from the picture)
>>
>>http://www.ezchair.com/photo.htm
>>Pics of a different Wheeler Express
>>
>>http://www.sierratel.com/jerico/Express%20CAFE%20Article.pdf VERY GOOD
>>pdf article
>>
>>
>>Montblack
>>
>>
From the article: "...a short time after take-off and enroute, he noticed the
oil temp rise slightly and the engine sputtered...Soon, he and his two
passengers were forced to make an emergency landing in a hay field with the
plane ablaze and clipped a fence post rupturing a wing fuel tank."

Let me see if I have this right. Airplane with a highly experimental
engine config has an engine failure and the engine is on fire.
Airplane lands in field and clips a fence and some how it's that bad old
Wheeler's fault.

--
Joe Chisolm
Marble Falls, TX

[Darrel Toepfer]

"Montblack" > wrote:

> http://www.contactmagazine.com/Issue89/Issue_89a.jpg

Talked to him at Oshkosh, glad they are okay...

[Barry S.]

On Fri, 23 Nov 2007 02:41:14 GMT, Darrel Toepfer >
wrote:

>"Montblack" > wrote:
>
>> http://www.contactmagazine.com/Issue89/Issue_89a.jpg
>
>Talked to him at Oshkosh, glad they are okay...

I saw them at Copperstate at the end of October and they had an album
of pictures of the thing on fire. Unreal that they were standing in
front of me, unhurt.

__________________
Note: To reply, replace the word 'spam' embedded in return address with 'mail'.

[Bob Fry]

I wonder if this firewall paint would have given them more time:

http://www.aircraftextras.com/Contego.htm

--
Man was born free, and everywhere he is in chains.
~ Rousseau