3 days from owning my first T-craft

[jgerard]

I should be finalizing my purchase of a t-cart in NY on Monday and plan to start my journey home next wends/thurs. Can anyone recommend interesting places to stop at. I would love to stop and meet as many members as possible on the way home. I plan on camping when possible and would appreciate some suggestions.

In 02' I flew a champ from Seattle to Oshkosh but had limited time to goof off. I want this trip to be different.

Jason

PS - Just in case I may need to make some mechanical repairs along the way. I could use a list of T-craft friendly mechanics out there.

[taylorcraft078]

Where in NY are you picking it up? I am at 01G, about 30 miles south of Rochester.

Dave
N36078 '41 BC-12-65

[jgerard]

The plane is located at Dart Field in Mayvill NY. I hear they have a little aero museum on the field.

Jason

[Yellow Duck]

a little off the beaten path

I am a little out of your way, but if you care to come down to Cajun Country and see the Gulf of Mexico. I am just a few miles from there (Louisiana). I also have a 2000 grass strip, you are certainly welcome.

[flyer1]

I am in Battle Creek ,Mi. BTL. You would be welcome to stop in here. I will be in the area next week. Then I will be gone til June.
I am located on the field at the FAA, flight check hanger. Dont worry we are not FSDO. We inspect the navigation aids, approaches, etc. You could put your plane in my hanger if you stop. I rent a t-hanger on the east side of the field. My plane is apart right now. I know some mechanics if you have a problem. My cel 405 250 9573.

Mike
N23880

[crispy critter]

Jason,
I was going to pick it up as soon as I heard if you took it or not.Congrats on the new bird.Forrest Barber should be right on your course line going home.He is located in Alliance,Ohio and if there is anything you might want looked at on the old bird he would be the best.He also has several barns,hangers,and buildings full of almost everthing T-craft.Even if you don't need anything it is still well worth the stop.Forrest could take you out and show you the old T-craft factory and lots of other cool stuff.It is a beautiful grass field located on the east side of a beautiful lake with a north/south and east/west runways.He will even take ya out to lunch......make him buy,tell him Crispy said so .
Good luck with it and let me know how you do with it.

[jgerard]

This forum is one of the reasons I decided on the T-cart. So many helpful friendly guys. This is the way aviation should be!

Forest, if you have been following this thread I would love to get your phone number and touch base with you before I stop in.

Jason

[paulp]

trip home

Jason,

I'm a little out of the way but would love to have you(or any other Tcart folks) drop in. I'm in Guthrie, OK(GOK). Got room in my hangar for another Tcart and a friendly mech on the field. Even have a few spare parts if the need arises. And, we have some of the greatest bar-b-que on the planet. cell is 405-348-6643

[CraigH]

I'm a little out of the way but always have a spare hole in my hangar for a transient Tcraft (or TriPacer or Ercoupe or C140) driver. If you're ever passing through Graham TX (KRPH) give me a call. Number is unlisted but the airport manager or A&P at the field can get ahold of me. Or just send an email in advance.

[gilligansae]

I would agree, stop at Barber's... I did on my way back from M.E.R.F.I. last year and it was awesome. He is great host and has tons of Tcraft stuff to look at. I would also recommend either Goshen Indiana and/or Toledo Suburban (not toledo). Both have really nice FBO's and friendly staff. If camping is your thing and you want to go further west in Ohio from Barber's, just outside Cleveland, south of Sandusky is Fremont. The old guy named Gene owns it and you can camp any time....

good luck.

Jeff

[jgerard]

Thank you guys for responding. I will be at Dart field this Sunday afternoon ready to start the flight home. Those of you who invited me to stop by and visit I will get in touch with you when I have a better idea of what the weather is going to be like and I can have a more specific flight plan. Lets hope the sun is shining next week!

Jason Gerard

PS-
Anyone interested in a great website check out www.airnav.com
Lots of great airport information and a good way to find cheap fuel around the country.

[jgerard]

I made it home safe and with some great stories. I will make a formal report on the trip from NY to WA soon.

Jason
N43643

[jgerard]

trip highlights

here are some of my trip highlights...

It took 37.1 hours of flying to get from D79 (dart field NY) to W16 (first air WA) Watched a Mooneys gear collapse on takeoff in Port Meadville PA. Broke my right tail wheel steering spring on my second landing ever in the plane at Miller Field in OH. (rough cracked pavement) when stopping to visit with Forrest Barber and Check out the factory, eat lunch at Shorty's, and get the tour of Barber field. Had a wonderful dinner with Ron Coleman and his wife. He has quite the classic motorcycle collection. Ron woke me up early with the news of a presidential TFR that was about to go into affect and would possibly ground me if I could not get 20 miles south in a hurry. The wind was so bad in parts of the Midwest I only had a 45-55 mph ground speed. My left wing tank was inop so I had to siphon the gas out, 100LL sure tastes bad. Slept under the wing at Joliet airport in Illinois. The two retired men who maintain the Joliet airport reminded me of Laurel and Hardy. Successfully landed in Slaton Minnesota with the wind gusting to 40 kts!!! After the first attempt to set it down on the runway I gave up and put her down in the field next to the runway. I touched down with about 1500 rpm and rolled about 20' before pulling the power back to idle. The wind was so bad that the plane then started to roll backwards. Had to call the police and ask them send two of their biggest guys out to help push the plane back to the ramp and tie it down. Even tied down the wind would still lift a tire about an inch off the ground from time to time. Flew from Minnesota to the Great Falls Montana area in one day! (just over 800 miles) The tail wheel steering tiller that bolts into the rudder failed upon landing in Stanford MT. The shaft inside the rudder tube broke just below the bottom bolt. Had a local farmer weld it back together. It failed on the next landing in Choteau MT. There was a fabricator who lived about 1 mile from the airport who replaced the whole shaft on the tiller with some new aluminum rod. It was good enough to get me home. Had to fly through a mini thunderstorm while crossing Rogers pass enroute to Lincon MT. For anyone trying to cross the northern Rockies this is the lowest pass 5600msl and lots of airports to stop at enroute to Sandpoint ID. Fought more nasty winds all the way across eastern WA. I was able to pick up 8mph ground speed by flying 500' off the deck. I twice tried to fly through some nasty weather in Stevens Pass WA. It got down to 1/2 mile visibility in rain and wind - NOT RECCOMENDED WITHOUT INTAMITE KNOLADGE OF THE TERRAIN!!!! Ended up flying south to Snoqualmie pass and made it home with 3 gallons of fuel on board and a very tired and sore body. 11 hours of flying on the last day. Funny to think that the whole trip took 37 hours in 6 days and you only need 40 hours to get a pilots license.

Jason Gerard
N43643
46' BCS-12D
A65 stamped A75?
Wood 72-40 climb prop
24 gallons fuel minus one inop wing tank = 18 useable.
no controlled airports
and one sore ass!

[barnstmr]

Funny to think that the whole trip took 37 hours in 6 days and you only need 40 hours to get a pilots license.

And I bet after that trip, you have gained a whole training program's worth of knowledge and experience... and then some. Wow...sounds like a Grand Adventure, to say the least. I love it!!
TLB

[Forrest Barber]

Atta boy Jason..... great to hear the whole story. Hope to see you back in Alliance sometime. God Bless Shorty's. I cannot stress the exerience your trip gave you. thanks for the nice write up..... bye