Anyone know of a Beech 18 based near RDU?

[Heath Roberts]

I've recently become enamored of the Twin Beech, but have so far only
admired it from a distance.

Does anyone know of one near RDU (Raleigh/Durham, NC) with an owner
who might like to show me around, or even better, go for a short
flight? I'm paying for fuel, of course...

[xyzzy]

On Jan 8, 11:23 am, Heath Roberts > wrote:
> I've recently become enamored of the Twin Beech, but have so far only
> admired it from a distance.
>
> Does anyone know of one near RDU (Raleigh/Durham, NC) with an owner
> who might like to show me around, or even better, go for a short
> flight? I'm paying for fuel, of course...

Try the NC Aviation Museum at HBI. They have one that they fly
sometimes. They may know where others are nearby.

[Bertie the Bunyip[_19_]]

Heath Roberts > wrote in news:c3d9a444-55de-4b49-a835-
:

> I've recently become enamored of the Twin Beech, but have so far only
> admired it from a distance.
>
> Does anyone know of one near RDU (Raleigh/Durham, NC) with an owner
> who might like to show me around, or even better, go for a short
> flight? I'm paying for fuel, of course...
>

Ouch! at least 40 gph! nearer fifty at normal cruise speeds.

I have a lot of time in them. Still one of my favorite airplanes.
Demanding, on the ground, anyway, but very responsive for such a big
airplane. Noisy as hell, particularly if it has Ham Standards. Fairly fast,
even by todays's stndards. 200 mph cruise is possible. And it will haul ten
people a good distance. it must have been an astonishing airplane in 1936.
If I won the lottery I'd have one of my own, I think.

Bertie

[Bertie the Bunyip[_19_]]

John Smith > wrote in
:

> In article >,
> Bertie the Bunyip > wrote:
>
>> I have a lot of time in them. Still one of my favorite airplanes.
>> Demanding, on the ground, anyway, but very responsive for such a big
>> airplane. Noisy as hell, particularly if it has Ham Standards. Fairly
>> fast, even by todays's stndards. 200 mph cruise is possible. And it
>> will haul ten people a good distance. it must have been an
>> astonishing airplane in 1936. If I won the lottery I'd have one of my
>> own, I think.
>
> A grey-beard I knew flew them for Eastern in the early days.
> He told me they used to leave some city on the eastern seaboard after
> a United DC-3 and be in the coffee shop in Miami sipping their coffee
> as they watched the United DC-3 arrive.

Oh yeah,. They were faster than most fighters of the day when they came
out. I've flown the -3 as well and the best you could do in one of those
was about 150 mph and that was at altitude and pushing it hard.
It's comparing apples and oranges,though. With roughly twice the
horsepower, the DC-3 had three times the lifting capability, and it was
better in short fields!
The DC-3 was approach category A and most 18s were B

I got to fly an immaculate and rare Jake powered one to OSH one year
becasue the owner was scared to death of it. It dind't go so well, but it
was lighter and nimbler than the Super 18 with Pratts. It had an art deco
leather and wood interior and the cockpit was almost pure 1930s. Really
cool. I'd like to have tried a Lockheed 10 or 12 for comparison, but not
many of those around.

Bertie

[Friedrich Ostertag]

Heath Roberts wrote:
> I've recently become enamored of the Twin Beech, but have so far only
> admired it from a distance.
>
> Does anyone know of one near RDU (Raleigh/Durham, NC) with an owner
> who might like to show me around, or even better, go for a short
> flight? I'm paying for fuel, of course...

Not right on your doorstep, but:

vancouver island air in cambell river

http://www.vancouverislandair.com/

has one on floats, which is running in scheduled service. You can join their
daily "milk run" just for fun if a seat is available. Very cheap, compared
to dedicated scenic flights. They call it "flightseeing", I did it some time
back and it was a blast.

regards,
Friedrich

[Roger (K8RI)]

On Tue, 8 Jan 2008 21:01:02 +0000 (UTC), Bertie the Bunyip >
wrote:

>John Smith > wrote in
:
>
>> In article >,
>> Bertie the Bunyip > wrote:
>>
>>> I have a lot of time in them. Still one of my favorite airplanes.
>>> Demanding, on the ground, anyway, but very responsive for such a big

There are a few, the late ones, that were tricycle gear.
Friend has one down south of KFNT.

Roger (K8RI)

[Bertie the Bunyip[_19_]]

"Roger (K8RI)" > wrote in
:

> On Tue, 8 Jan 2008 21:01:02 +0000 (UTC), Bertie the Bunyip >
> wrote:
>
>>John Smith > wrote in
:
>>
>>> In article >,
>>> Bertie the Bunyip > wrote:
>>>
>>>> I have a lot of time in them. Still one of my favorite airplanes.
>>>> Demanding, on the ground, anyway, but very responsive for such a big
>
> There are a few, the late ones, that were tricycle gear.
> Friend has one down south of KFNT.
>


Yeah, 've flown only one of those. It was a conversion, though towards the
end the factory would install it new. They used the Volpar conversion, but
there was also a tradewinds. I flew an H that had it from new. There was no
nosewheel steering, it just castered on springs.

Bertie

[William Hung[_2_]]

On Jan 8, 5:16*pm, "Friedrich Ostertag"
> wrote:
> Heath Roberts wrote:
> > I've recently become enamored of the Twin Beech, but have so far only
> > admired it from a distance.
>
> > Does anyone know of one near RDU (Raleigh/Durham, NC) with an owner
> > who might like to show me around, or even better, go for a short
> > flight? I'm paying for fuel, of course...
>
> Not right on your doorstep, but:
>
> vancouver island air in cambell river
>
> http://www.vancouverislandair.com/
>
> has one on floats, which is running in scheduled service. You can join their
> daily "milk run" just for fun if a seat is available. Very cheap, compared
> to dedicated scenic flights. They call it "flightseeing", I did it some time
> back and it was a blast.
>
> regards,
> Friedrich

Sounds like a great idea! Now I'm wondering if UPS or FedEx rents out
their jump seats.

Wil

[Steve Foley]

"Heath Roberts" > wrote in message
...
> I've recently become enamored of the Twin Beech, but have so far only
> admired it from a distance.
>
> Does anyone know of one near RDU (Raleigh/Durham, NC) with an owner
> who might like to show me around, or even better, go for a short
> flight? I'm paying for fuel, of course...

I believe Island Air has one or two that they use to run freight from
Hyannis to Nantucket. At least they did in 1999.