|
 He made a landing at the Logan County Airport to
check it out. What he found out was not good.
An inspection determined that the engine was a total loss,
completely destroyed. The landing was a minor miracle because he was
five miles from an airport; he had friends in the area, and found a
bunch of new friends at the Heritage-in-Flight Museum.
HIF made room for Mark’s historic airplane in their hangar by moving
one of their airplanes to a place on the ramp. “There are only six
Stinson Reliant airplanes left flying in the world,” said Mark. A
plan was made to repair the engine. He contacted world renowned
Radial Engines Limited in Guthrie, Oklahoma to do the restoration on
the unique nine cylinder radial engine. They drove to Lincoln,
removed the engine, and took it back to their shop.
As one can imagine, repairing an engine that is almost ninety years
old and has not been manufactured in almost that long is not just a
matter of taking a few parts off the shelf and bolting them
together. Mark’s Stinson found a home in the HIF hangar for almost
six months while Radial Engines Limited scoured the world for the
parts that needed to be replaced. No one at Heritage-in-Flight
minded a bit. The old Stinson painted in spectacular American
Airlines livery colors became one of the most popular exhibits at
the museum. But that was then, this is now.
Two weeks ago, the Radial Engines’ mechanics showed up with Mark’s
newly restored engine, and hung it on the airplane. The tale of the
rebuild is fascinating. The motor mounts used to attach the engine
to the airframe had to be replaced. Finding replacements was a
months’ long search. All of the small parts used to attach the
engine cowling, the cover over the engine, had to be replaced. There
were none anywhere. They just did not exist.
Modern technology stepped in. One of the parts was sent to a
specialty company in Minnesota, and it was duplicated exactly using
a laser driven copier. Then the copy was machined into nine brand
new parts for the ninety-year-old engine.
The engine was rebuilt, and placed in a test cell and started. “It
started immediately and ran smoothly, from idle to full power,” said
Caleb Curry, general manager of Radial Engines Limited.
After running the engine for seven hours, Radial Engines loaded it
on their truck and brought it back to Lincoln. It was installed in a
few hours by Caleb and Eric Turner; the airplane pushed out onto the
ramp, and started. “It started almost immediately. I was really
happy. There was a celebration on the ramp at the Logan County
Airport,” said Mark.
So this is end of the story of Mark Riedl’s memorable first journey
with his dream airplane. Last Friday, November, 13, yes, ‘Friday the
13th,’ was a good luck day for the old Stinson to renewed flight to
its new home in Dallas. It took to the air from the grass runway at
the Logan County Airport, its engine purring smoothly with the
distinctive sound of a radial engine, and climbed away into a
brilliant blue sky.
“I really want to thank the wonderful friends I have made at
Heritage-in-Flight. HIF’s warm reception during a time of extreme
stress could not have been more wonderful. They kept my Stinson safe
for all of these months in their hangar while I had to go back to
Dallas. Members even helped with the restoration work that was
necessary before the new engine was installed,” said Mark. He is a
pilot for American Airlines based in Dallas.
[to top of second column] |
Mark Riedl’s 1937 Stinson Reliant sports a brand new 85-year-old
engine.
Mark’s Stinson is ready to continue on its journey to Dallas after
an unplanned six month stop at the Logan County Airport in
Heritage-in-Flight’s hangar. What a beautiful airplane.
The historic Stinson, one of only six left flying in the world, sits
on the ramp in front of the Heritage-in-Flight hangar.
Ready to lift off from the grass runway at the Logan County
Airport.
What a beautiful sight as the old Stinson takes to the air once
again!
Good Bye: May your journey have blue skies and gentle winds.
Mark has become the latest life member of Heritage-in-Flight.
You meet the nicest people at an airport. Pilots always take care of their
brother and sister aviators, no questions asked.
[Curtis Fox]
From the LDN Archives
Right time, right place, right friends: Historic aircraft with
engine concern lands Logan County Airport |
