A Real, Live Hallmark Xmas Ornament

80 degrees in Iowa? In April? If this is "global warming" I'm all for it.
And if it's just an early spring, well, all the better!

When we departed KIOW today, shortly after noon, the sun was warm, the winds
light, and my 14-year-old son was in the right seat. Mary, having worked 25
of the last 48 hours (two weddings at the inn -- on the same weekend!) was
more than willing to snooze in the back seat while Joey learned a bit more
about being a pilot.

Destination today? Hampton, Iowa -- home of the Hampton Aviation
Association, and the most beautiful Gullwing Stinson to ever grace the
skies, owned by our friend Paul Sensor. This beautiful 1936 aircraft,
fully restored by Paul in 2000, was the model for the 2002 Hallmark Aviation
Christmas ornament, which was reproduced with incredible accuracy, right
down to the "NC" number.

One catch: Paul didn't know we were coming. In fact, *we* didn't know we
were coming until 10 minutes before departure, thanks to our incredibly
hectic weekend and a decided lack of planning. Still, we figured if no one
was at the airport, we'd simply proceed on to Fort Dodge -- home of a Flight
Service station, and another Iowa airport that we had never visited.

Of course, we were in search of food -- when aren't we? -- and truthfully
Hampton didn't look too promising, with AOPA's directory clearly stating
"FBO closed Sundays." But, with enough fuel aboard to fly to Texas
non-stop, we figured we'd take our chances.

After climbing to 5500 feet, Joey quickly learned that flying in summertime
haze was a LOT different than flying in the winter. With ever growing
frustration he discovered that without a well-defined horizon he could hold
heading or altitude -- but usually not both at the same time. My amusement
grew as he quickly learned that maybe flying wasn't the "slam-dunk" he
thought it was, but Mary -- sitting behind the center of gravity -- soon put
an end to my fun by protesting his too-active bank and pitch corrections...

Approaching the pattern Joey gladly relinquished the controls, perhaps a bit
wiser, and I landed uneventfully. As feared, however, this pristine airport
was deserted, but the FBO was unlocked, so we went inside to look around.

Everything in the place was neat as a pin, and appeared to be brand new.
The concrete was smooth as a pool table, with nary a skid mark or a stone
out of place. Clearly this was an airport that was well-loved and
thoughtfully maintained, so we were puzzled by its unused condition on such
a perfect flying day.

My eyes fell on a phone book laying on the desk, and I figured "what could
it hurt?" to give Paul a jingle. Only last month he had led his group of
aviation merry-makers on a junket to Iowa City, where the guys and gals had
rented the entire hotel for a wonderful weekend of flying, hanger lying, and
shopping. During his time with us we had hit it off pretty well, and Paul
had invited us to visit "any time" -- so why not test the waters?

Luckily, he had just stopped at home for lunch, after spending the morning
bringing the Stinson out of "winter mothballs." He immediately offered to
come get us, and within minutes he and a friend were pulling up to meet us.
Outgoing and warm as always, Paul -- knowing we were hungry -- had taken the
liberty of calling his favorite local restaurant to make sure that they
would stay open long enough for us to eat there! (In small-town Iowa, many
businesses are still closed on Sundays, and the ones that *are* open usually
close early.)

He then drove us to "Coffee & Company" -- a small, intimate
restaurant/coffee shop (owned by a guy whose last name really is "Coffee")
with fantastic food -- and left us to our devices while he went back to work
on the Stinson. Before he left, he asked our waitress to CALL HIM on his
cell phone when it looked like we were finishing up, so he could be back to
fetch us before we were done chewing! It just doesn't get much better than
that, and we enjoyed a terrific lunch, complete with home-made potato/bacon
soup and a slice of home-made cheesecake for dessert...

True to his word, Paul was there to pick us up right as the cashier finished
running our card -- and he happily whisked us back to his hangar for a
first-hand tour of his incredible plane.

One of only three left flying (there were four until last week, when one was
retired to the Delta Airlines museum), this incredible Stinson has been
lovingly restored to better-than-new condition by Paul and a dedicated band
of friends and mechanics. He showed us his "restoration book", a
picture-diary which outlined in great detail just how far he had taken his
bird in a very few short years.

While never a basket case -- he flew it for four years before restoring
it -- the Gullwing had been extensively modified over the years. Details
like a wrong engine cowling, the wrong wheel pants, and an inaccurate
interior all had to be replaced and fabricated from scratch -- and you don't
go out and get this stuff from "Airtex"! The end result is so stunning
that, well, Hallmark made a Christmas ornament out of it! You really just
have to see it to appreciate it.

Paul then directed Mary, me and the kids to climb up and in his surprisingly
huge work of art. (Never was I so paranoid about having children!) Just
getting in took some lessons, since -- even though there is a ladder built
into the fuselage for entry -- it's not entirely obvious where to put your
hands and feet.

Once inside we were bathed in fresh leather -- a whole *bunch* of cows gave
there all for THIS bird. The seat was deeply comfortable, although smaller
than modern seats (people apparently weren't as broad-butted during the
Depression as they are today), and we were surprised to be staring up at the
sky! In fact, the pilot's position is closer to that of the Apollo
astronauts than it is to that of the Space Shuttle pilots -- a Stinson
really sits back on its haunches! Paul stated that he had seen "an entire
T-28 hide behind that nose" more than once, so he must constantly S-turn
while taxiing to avoid catastrophe.

He assured me, however, that once the nose came up visibility was just fine.

He then regaled us with tales of the restoration process, and how he had
found expert "faux wood painters" down south to re-create the panel
accurately. (In the 1930s they didn't have veneer woods yet, so they painted
the panels to look like wood.) Even this little detail has been perfectly
re-created, and the end result is a perfect time machine. It was easy to
close my eyes and imagine famed air racer Roscoe Turner piloting this
bird -- as he had, in fact, done. (He owned it for a time, during which he
used it in a short-lived airline that he opened -- and closed -- within a
few short months, after running into trouble with the CAA for running an
illegal airline!)

Too soon it was time to go. I wanted to wait until they were ready for
another ground run, but the kids were getting antsy and the sky was
beckoning. After bidding our friends farewell, and inviting them to a
return trip to Iowa City soon, we launched back into that warm, milky sky.

Mary flew us home, while I gazed out the window, pondering how lucky we were
to be alive, how fabulous everyone in the tight-knit world of aviation can
be, and how fortunate we were to be enjoying this wondrous thing we call
flight...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

("Jay Honeck" wrote)
snip
Destination today? Hampton, Iowa -- home of the Hampton Aviation
Association, and the most beautiful Gullwing Stinson to ever grace the
skies, owned by our friend Paul Sensor. This beautiful 1936 aircraft,
fully restored by Paul in 2000, was the model for the 2002 Hallmark
Aviation Christmas ornament, which was reproduced with incredible
accuracy, right down to the "NC" number.


http://www.pilotjournal.com/content/.../gullwing.html
Paul Sensor's 1936 Gull Wing Stinson (SR8E Reliant)


Montblack

"Montblack" wrote

http://www.pilotjournal.com/content/.../gullwing.html
Paul Sensor's 1936 Gull Wing Stinson (SR8E Reliant)


Nice. I only wish the pictures were click-able, so I could see some of the
details, up close.
--
Jim in NC

Here are a few pix from the flight...

http://www.alexisparkinn.com/stinson_gullwing.htm
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Great story Jay. As a fellow Iowan, I REALLY was wishing I could fly
today! I didn't happen, but I did get a 1931 oldsmobile running! Great
to hear someone else punching holes in the Iowa sky.

Jason


Jay Honeck wrote:
80 degrees in Iowa? In April? If this is "global warming" I'm all for it.
And if it's just an early spring, well, all the better!

When we departed KIOW today, shortly after noon, the sun was warm, the winds
light, and my 14-year-old son was in the right seat. Mary, having worked 25
of the last 48 hours (two weddings at the inn -- on the same weekend!) was
more than willing to snooze in the back seat while Joey learned a bit more
about being a pilot.

Destination today? Hampton, Iowa -- home of the Hampton Aviation
Association, and the most beautiful Gullwing Stinson to ever grace the
skies, owned by our friend Paul Sensor. This beautiful 1936 aircraft,
fully restored by Paul in 2000, was the model for the 2002 Hallmark Aviation
Christmas ornament, which was reproduced with incredible accuracy, right
down to the "NC" number.

One catch: Paul didn't know we were coming. In fact, *we* didn't know we
were coming until 10 minutes before departure, thanks to our incredibly
hectic weekend and a decided lack of planning. Still, we figured if no one
was at the airport, we'd simply proceed on to Fort Dodge -- home of a Flight
Service station, and another Iowa airport that we had never visited.

Of course, we were in search of food -- when aren't we? -- and truthfully
Hampton didn't look too promising, with AOPA's directory clearly stating
"FBO closed Sundays." But, with enough fuel aboard to fly to Texas
non-stop, we figured we'd take our chances.

After climbing to 5500 feet, Joey quickly learned that flying in summertime
haze was a LOT different than flying in the winter. With ever growing
frustration he discovered that without a well-defined horizon he could hold
heading or altitude -- but usually not both at the same time. My amusement
grew as he quickly learned that maybe flying wasn't the "slam-dunk" he
thought it was, but Mary -- sitting behind the center of gravity -- soon put
an end to my fun by protesting his too-active bank and pitch corrections...

Approaching the pattern Joey gladly relinquished the controls, perhaps a bit
wiser, and I landed uneventfully. As feared, however, this pristine airport
was deserted, but the FBO was unlocked, so we went inside to look around.

Everything in the place was neat as a pin, and appeared to be brand new.
The concrete was smooth as a pool table, with nary a skid mark or a stone
out of place. Clearly this was an airport that was well-loved and
thoughtfully maintained, so we were puzzled by its unused condition on such
a perfect flying day.

My eyes fell on a phone book laying on the desk, and I figured "what could
it hurt?" to give Paul a jingle. Only last month he had led his group of
aviation merry-makers on a junket to Iowa City, where the guys and gals had
rented the entire hotel for a wonderful weekend of flying, hanger lying, and
shopping. During his time with us we had hit it off pretty well, and Paul
had invited us to visit "any time" -- so why not test the waters?

Luckily, he had just stopped at home for lunch, after spending the morning
bringing the Stinson out of "winter mothballs." He immediately offered to
come get us, and within minutes he and a friend were pulling up to meet us.
Outgoing and warm as always, Paul -- knowing we were hungry -- had taken the
liberty of calling his favorite local restaurant to make sure that they
would stay open long enough for us to eat there! (In small-town Iowa, many
businesses are still closed on Sundays, and the ones that *are* open usually
close early.)

He then drove us to "Coffee & Company" -- a small, intimate
restaurant/coffee shop (owned by a guy whose last name really is "Coffee")
with fantastic food -- and left us to our devices while he went back to work
on the Stinson. Before he left, he asked our waitress to CALL HIM on his
cell phone when it looked like we were finishing up, so he could be back to
fetch us before we were done chewing! It just doesn't get much better than
that, and we enjoyed a terrific lunch, complete with home-made potato/bacon
soup and a slice of home-made cheesecake for dessert...

True to his word, Paul was there to pick us up right as the cashier finished
running our card -- and he happily whisked us back to his hangar for a
first-hand tour of his incredible plane.

One of only three left flying (there were four until last week, when one was
retired to the Delta Airlines museum), this incredible Stinson has been
lovingly restored to better-than-new condition by Paul and a dedicated band
of friends and mechanics. He showed us his "restoration book", a
picture-diary which outlined in great detail just how far he had taken his
bird in a very few short years.

While never a basket case -- he flew it for four years before restoring
it -- the Gullwing had been extensively modified over the years. Details
like a wrong engine cowling, the wrong wheel pants, and an inaccurate
interior all had to be replaced and fabricated from scratch -- and you don't
go out and get this stuff from "Airtex"! The end result is so stunning
that, well, Hallmark made a Christmas ornament out of it! You really just
have to see it to appreciate it.

Paul then directed Mary, me and the kids to climb up and in his surprisingly
huge work of art. (Never was I so paranoid about having children!) Just
getting in took some lessons, since -- even though there is a ladder built
into the fuselage for entry -- it's not entirely obvious where to put your
hands and feet.

Once inside we were bathed in fresh leather -- a whole *bunch* of cows gave
there all for THIS bird. The seat was deeply comfortable, although smaller
than modern seats (people apparently weren't as broad-butted during the
Depression as they are today), and we were surprised to be staring up at the
sky! In fact, the pilot's position is closer to that of the Apollo
astronauts than it is to that of the Space Shuttle pilots -- a Stinson
really sits back on its haunches! Paul stated that he had seen "an entire
T-28 hide behind that nose" more than once, so he must constantly S-turn
while taxiing to avoid catastrophe.

He assured me, however, that once the nose came up visibility was just fine.

He then regaled us with tales of the restoration process, and how he had
found expert "faux wood painters" down south to re-create the panel
accurately. (In the 1930s they didn't have veneer woods yet, so they painted
the panels to look like wood.) Even this little detail has been perfectly
re-created, and the end result is a perfect time machine. It was easy to
close my eyes and imagine famed air racer Roscoe Turner piloting this
bird -- as he had, in fact, done. (He owned it for a time, during which he
used it in a short-lived airline that he opened -- and closed -- within a
few short months, after running into trouble with the CAA for running an
illegal airline!)

Too soon it was time to go. I wanted to wait until they were ready for
another ground run, but the kids were getting antsy and the sky was
beckoning. After bidding our friends farewell, and inviting them to a
return trip to Iowa City soon, we launched back into that warm, milky sky.

Mary flew us home, while I gazed out the window, pondering how lucky we were
to be alive, how fabulous everyone in the tight-knit world of aviation can
be, and how fortunate we were to be enjoying this wondrous thing we call
flight...

awesome story.

I wish I could get my license. I wish I could start training, even. I
make $50k+ per year and I still can't afford it... so keep me going
with more stories like this.

jeremiah

Jason Dodd wrote:
Great story Jay. As a fellow Iowan, I REALLY was wishing I could fly
today! I didn't happen, but I did get a 1931 oldsmobile running! Great
to hear someone else punching holes in the Iowa sky.

Jason


Jay Honeck wrote:

80 degrees in Iowa? In April? If this is "global warming" I'm all
for it. And if it's just an early spring, well, all the better!

When we departed KIOW today, shortly after noon, the sun was warm, the
winds light, and my 14-year-old son was in the right seat. Mary,
having worked 25 of the last 48 hours (two weddings at the inn -- on
the same weekend!) was more than willing to snooze in the back seat
while Joey learned a bit more about being a pilot.

Destination today? Hampton, Iowa -- home of the Hampton Aviation
Association, and the most beautiful Gullwing Stinson to ever grace the
skies, owned by our friend Paul Sensor. This beautiful 1936
aircraft, fully restored by Paul in 2000, was the model for the 2002
Hallmark Aviation Christmas ornament, which was reproduced with
incredible accuracy, right down to the "NC" number.

One catch: Paul didn't know we were coming. In fact, *we* didn't
know we were coming until 10 minutes before departure, thanks to our
incredibly hectic weekend and a decided lack of planning. Still, we
figured if no one was at the airport, we'd simply proceed on to Fort
Dodge -- home of a Flight Service station, and another Iowa airport
that we had never visited.

Of course, we were in search of food -- when aren't we? -- and
truthfully Hampton didn't look too promising, with AOPA's directory
clearly stating "FBO closed Sundays." But, with enough fuel aboard
to fly to Texas non-stop, we figured we'd take our chances.

After climbing to 5500 feet, Joey quickly learned that flying in
summertime haze was a LOT different than flying in the winter. With
ever growing frustration he discovered that without a well-defined
horizon he could hold heading or altitude -- but usually not both at
the same time. My amusement grew as he quickly learned that maybe
flying wasn't the "slam-dunk" he thought it was, but Mary -- sitting
behind the center of gravity -- soon put an end to my fun by
protesting his too-active bank and pitch corrections...

Approaching the pattern Joey gladly relinquished the controls, perhaps
a bit wiser, and I landed uneventfully. As feared, however, this
pristine airport was deserted, but the FBO was unlocked, so we went
inside to look around.

Everything in the place was neat as a pin, and appeared to be brand
new. The concrete was smooth as a pool table, with nary a skid mark or
a stone out of place. Clearly this was an airport that was
well-loved and thoughtfully maintained, so we were puzzled by its
unused condition on such a perfect flying day.

My eyes fell on a phone book laying on the desk, and I figured "what
could it hurt?" to give Paul a jingle. Only last month he had led his
group of aviation merry-makers on a junket to Iowa City, where the
guys and gals had rented the entire hotel for a wonderful weekend of
flying, hanger lying, and shopping. During his time with us we had
hit it off pretty well, and Paul had invited us to visit "any time" --
so why not test the waters?

Luckily, he had just stopped at home for lunch, after spending the
morning bringing the Stinson out of "winter mothballs." He
immediately offered to come get us, and within minutes he and a friend
were pulling up to meet us. Outgoing and warm as always, Paul --
knowing we were hungry -- had taken the liberty of calling his
favorite local restaurant to make sure that they would stay open long
enough for us to eat there! (In small-town Iowa, many businesses are
still closed on Sundays, and the ones that *are* open usually close
early.)

He then drove us to "Coffee & Company" -- a small, intimate
restaurant/coffee shop (owned by a guy whose last name really is
"Coffee") with fantastic food -- and left us to our devices while he
went back to work on the Stinson. Before he left, he asked our
waitress to CALL HIM on his cell phone when it looked like we were
finishing up, so he could be back to fetch us before we were done
chewing! It just doesn't get much better than that, and we enjoyed a
terrific lunch, complete with home-made potato/bacon soup and a slice
of home-made cheesecake for dessert...

True to his word, Paul was there to pick us up right as the cashier
finished running our card -- and he happily whisked us back to his
hangar for a first-hand tour of his incredible plane.

One of only three left flying (there were four until last week, when
one was retired to the Delta Airlines museum), this incredible Stinson
has been lovingly restored to better-than-new condition by Paul and a
dedicated band of friends and mechanics. He showed us his
"restoration book", a picture-diary which outlined in great detail
just how far he had taken his bird in a very few short years.

While never a basket case -- he flew it for four years before
restoring it -- the Gullwing had been extensively modified over the
years. Details like a wrong engine cowling, the wrong wheel pants,
and an inaccurate interior all had to be replaced and fabricated from
scratch -- and you don't go out and get this stuff from "Airtex"!
The end result is so stunning that, well, Hallmark made a Christmas
ornament out of it! You really just have to see it to appreciate it.

Paul then directed Mary, me and the kids to climb up and in his
surprisingly huge work of art. (Never was I so paranoid about having
children!) Just getting in took some lessons, since -- even though
there is a ladder built into the fuselage for entry -- it's not
entirely obvious where to put your hands and feet.

Once inside we were bathed in fresh leather -- a whole *bunch* of cows
gave there all for THIS bird. The seat was deeply comfortable,
although smaller than modern seats (people apparently weren't as
broad-butted during the Depression as they are today), and we were
surprised to be staring up at the sky! In fact, the pilot's position
is closer to that of the Apollo astronauts than it is to that of the
Space Shuttle pilots -- a Stinson really sits back on its haunches!
Paul stated that he had seen "an entire T-28 hide behind that nose"
more than once, so he must constantly S-turn while taxiing to avoid
catastrophe.

He assured me, however, that once the nose came up visibility was just
fine.

He then regaled us with tales of the restoration process, and how he
had found expert "faux wood painters" down south to re-create the
panel accurately. (In the 1930s they didn't have veneer woods yet, so
they painted the panels to look like wood.) Even this little detail
has been perfectly re-created, and the end result is a perfect time
machine. It was easy to close my eyes and imagine famed air racer
Roscoe Turner piloting this bird -- as he had, in fact, done. (He
owned it for a time, during which he used it in a short-lived airline
that he opened -- and closed -- within a few short months, after
running into trouble with the CAA for running an illegal airline!)

Too soon it was time to go. I wanted to wait until they were ready for
another ground run, but the kids were getting antsy and the sky was
beckoning. After bidding our friends farewell, and inviting them to a
return trip to Iowa City soon, we launched back into that warm, milky
sky.

Mary flew us home, while I gazed out the window, pondering how lucky
we were to be alive, how fabulous everyone in the tight-knit world of
aviation can be, and how fortunate we were to be enjoying this
wondrous thing we call flight...

I wish I could get my license. I wish I could start training, even. I
make $50k+ per year and I still can't afford it... so keep me going with
more stories like this.

Depends where you live. I suppose if you live on the West coast, $50K is
considered survival wages?

In Iowa, a $50K annual income would allow you to easily take flight lessons.
I know several people making less than that who own and regularly fly their
own planes.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Illinois. I married into a lot of debt. If I didn't have $2k in
payments each month It would be easy to afford lessons.

But as it stands, living on what many in my town consider a King's
Ransom I cannot yet afford lessons.

one day ...

Jay Honeck wrote:
I wish I could get my license. I wish I could start training, even. I
make $50k+ per year and I still can't afford it... so keep me going with
more stories like this.


Depends where you live. I suppose if you live on the West coast, $50K is
considered survival wages?

In Iowa, a $50K annual income would allow you to easily take flight lessons.
I know several people making less than that who own and regularly fly their
own planes.

Illinois. I married into a lot of debt. If I didn't have $2k in payments
each month It would be easy to afford lessons.

Ouch. You ain't kidding!

Well, be patient. I don't know how old you are, but I spent my first 35
years on this planet gazing skyward, wondering...

It's never too late!

Blue skies,
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"jeremiah johnson" wrote in message
news:Q9H8e.25550$Bb3.6735@attbi_s22...
awesome story.

I wish I could get my license. I wish I could start training, even. I
make $50k+ per year and I still can't afford it... so keep me going with
more stories like this.

jeremiah


I won't say anything jeremiah. My income is considerably less than $50k+
per year. However, I did learn to fly and currently own eight airplanes.
Admittedly only one of the eight is currently in flying condition, but I AM
working on getting a few more flying as I can afford to buy the parts and
materials.

I was up flying the other day though in the one that is flying. It is also
a Gull wing Stinson Reliant, although it is a bit newer than Paul's. :-)
Mine was built in 1942 for the Army Air Corps to use as an advanced trainer.
Then the US decided they didn't need those particular advanced trainers and
lend-leased them all to Britain. It flew over to Britain in 1943 on its own
wings.

Mary and I were in Bangor, Wales downing a few pints at a local pub and I
got talking to the gent next to me at the bar. Of course, me being who I
am, the conversation turned to aircraft and flying. The gentleman mentioned
that he had been a flight instructor in the RAF during the war. Of course I
asked him what he instructed in. I expected Tiger Moths, or Provosts or
something like that. Imagine my shock and pleasure when he replied "Stinson
Reliants."

Of course I responded to that with "Do you know, I own THREE Stinson
Reliants that ALL flew for the British in WWII!"

Anyway, I chugged around the countryside at a leisurely 100 knots in luxury
in my elderly but roomy airplane, fondly referred to on the news groups as
"The Red Lady."

She makes her home at Pinckneyville, Illinois ( PJY ) which is the home of
the annual rec.aviation flyin. This year the flyin is being held May 20,
21, and 22. I usually try to give everyone who wants a ride in the Red Lady
a chance to ride in it and take the controls for a while. Sometimes the
weather doesn't cooperate, and sometimes the Lady herself gets cranky and
won't cooperate, but usually we all get to fly around a bit during the
flyin. It is a flyin where we fly all day and talk about flying all night!
You don't need a lot of money but extra stamina is very useful.

If anyone wants to join the crowd at Pinckneyville for the flyin please drop
us an email at to let us know you are coming so we can be
sure not to run out of groceries. :-)

Highflyer
Highflight Aviation Services
Pinckneyville Airport ( PJY )