1946 Aeronca Chief 11AC - The Flying Turd -

This video was spur of the moment. I was not expecting to be flying on this day. I was scheduled for ground school but there was a sunrise fly in breakfast and things got delayed. It was too beautiful outside not to. November 6th in Indiana?!!! Great people, lots of laughs, really cool culture. Quite the spread too!! Great food.. Thanks Ron!!

Anyway, even though this was not a lesson and the video was from the hip, I was never in "danger". Ryan (Marine, Pilot and Instructor), knew this stretch of river well! He even points out the near miss beforehand!! He was just effing with my aich. Lol! Nerve test!!!! Anyway, I almost essed my peez... I'd rather die livin' than live dyin' anyway!!!

So, I'm loving what I'm learning. Ryan Pennington (Pennington Flying Service) is a great pilot and instructor. I've learned a lot already and expect to learn much more, especially after this. lol! Thank you for making my first time so memorable. (and... That's what she said)

First time small engine
Aeronca Chief: Light utility aircraft
Designer: Raymond F. Hermes
Produced: 1946-1950
Variants: HAL Pushpak

Thanks for watching guys!! Working on a '67 GTO video now. Uuuuh oh, I'm starting to like editing.. This one is gonna take a minute tho

[ronmartin]

I owned one of these from 1967 to 1970. I put 600 hours on it. I was stationed at the US Navy Chase Field Beeville Texas. There was a small airport North of town called Traveland Airport. It was owned by a man and his wife named Traveland. Both were flight instructors and in their late 60s when I was a 22 year old US Navy Pilot going through training. I only paid $400 for the Chief and fixed her up with new brakes, and some tail feather repair and a new tail wheel assembly. I sold it for $700 in 1970. Wish I still had that old plane!

[kunstmol]

Aeronca chief. One of the greatest low and slow machines ever made

[rvrrunner]

In 1977 I owned a Cessna 120 and had a friend that wanted his own taildragger airplane. I have an A&P license so we found him an old Aeronca Chief disassembled in a barn in western Olka. All the parts where there and the engine was in fair shape so he bought it. We spent 6 months putting it back together and getting it in flying condition. Compared to my Cessna 120 it had terrible visibility from the cockpit and had a 65 hp engine compared to my 85 hp. That being said, he loved it but it took me lots of time to get him capable of making a tailwheel landing without doing a ground loop which he did on a regular basis. No flaps, radios or electrical system in either airplane but we still flew lots of formation flights. Great times!

[ronjones]

Memories. My Dad bought a Chief in 1964 when we lived in Moses Point Alaska up close to Nome. At age 14 I was the starting motor. He and I took lessons for a week. Dad flew mornings and evenings and I flew afternoons. Learned to land, take off, stalls, tight turns, and slipping without flaps to land. Fun stuff for a kid back then.

[dlkline]

A flight with pucker factor. Great video on a wild ride. Thanks!

[keithglaysher]

Well that was one hell of a ride, I would have loved it! Unfortunately here in the overcrowded UK that would have caused at least 10, 000 complaints from idiots who never had a day's fun in their pathetic lives, who would have been on their phones trying to make sure you lost your license and get the airfield shut down, just ask Madonna who bought a Mansion next door to an airfield and tried it the cranky beeach! Anyhow great pilot, lovely old Aeronca and happy you had a blast.

[madmarkstoys]

That's a nice flying down the rivers brother

[glenfreeman]

What a ride, man and machine as one ..thats how these old birds are supposed to be flown..by the seat of your pants ..once I got my ticket in Cessnas (spam cans) I flew these old birds just like that, great video!

[hondaxlk]

There are old pilots and there are bold pilots. But… there are no old bold pilots.. fly safe out there boys.

[jeffreyhughes]

That was a nice forward slip (landing).

[robertcovell]

I just watched it again. Reminds me of the J3 Cub that earned my PPL in. The flying club/school used to put it on skis in the winter and would rent it for an afternoon and go lake hopping. Alas I'm getting old and I failed the medical so all I can fly now is RC

[rcdogmanduh]

Thats a blast back to the 60's, Thanks!

[ChurchCamp]

Wow, awesome video brotha! That was one hell of a power ride down the river and country cruise all in one

[mikeryan]

Most of my time is in a Champ but do have some chief time prefer the tandem seating in the Champ but either way learning to fly in either one will make you a better pilot then if you learn in a Tricycle gear airplane. Have fun.

[WatchmanForthePeople]

Nice video! Love the pilots gear! Got that gear too!👍

[connerbaldwin]

2:00 owner: "don't have anything on you that can get caught in the prop"
Old guy in the background: "it's inside my zipper don't worry" 😂

[speedmachine]

Old mate certainly knows his aircraft, what an aviator!

[jackfrost]

Another great river chasing video is "River Run Moyes Dragonfly." Also, another epic flying/ water video check out "Pretty Fly Moyes Dragonfly."

[stevecarney]

Nice I have a 46 taylocraft very similar. great video.

[greybeard]

Well, sooner or later such acrobats become part of the statistics in a plane crash .. lol