I checked out with CFI Kimberly Sanders in the 1947 Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser at RIU next Monday 5/2. The PA-12 Super Cruiser is a very sweet, completely restored 3-seat tailwheel airplane. Pilot up front, two in bench seat in back. Control sticks front and back. 150hp.

I asked Kimberly, and sure enough she is a member of the famous Sanders flying family here in Califonia. Kimberly's husband is Dennis Sanders, who flies the R4360 (4000 hp!) Hawker Sea Fury "Dreadnought" in the Reno Air Races with his brother Brian. This airplane has done 445 mph at Reno, and was originally created in 1983 by their father Frank Sanders. They also fly another Sea Fury, "Argonaut", and manage a very interesting classic aircraft restoration business out of their hangar.

So Kimberly asked, if it is OK with me, if we could fly over to the very private Eagles Nest airpark (Ione California, home to many warbirds) to do the tailwheel work over there. Per Kimberly, "Eagle's Nest is longer and nicer, you can do a full stop wheel landing and go again without having to taxi back.". Somebody kiss me quick!

Then Kimberly says, "We'll stop and take a look at the Vickers Vimy.". The Vimy project () of National Geographic fame is being prepared and refurbished there for its historic re-enactment of the TransAtlantic crossing to take place in June this year. Steve Fossett will be pilot for this endeavor next month.

I digress. The Piper Super Cruiser is a wonderful old airplane. Not particularly fast, it is draggy with a bunch of struts and stuff and a not-very-good airfoil, but its takeoff roll is VERY short and it climbs wonderfully. The ailerons are fast and the control feel is nicely balanced, a real joy. Very unlike a Cessna 172. The magic number airspeed you need to know for landing is 60 mph. Above 60, the airplane floats. Below 60 it sinks quite nicely. 55 is the perfect over the numbers speed.

It's age begins to show though in ground handling, the PA-12 has nowhere near the stability on the ground of the more modern Citabrias I had done most of my tailwheel flying in. It is much easier to "lose it" with the old Piper, and make an excursion off the runway (do not ask me how I know this).

OK I'll confess. I spent some time picking tall grass off the landing gears and tailwheel from the PA-12, while Dennis Sanders laughed. Dennis is a perfect gentleman though, he offered me a diet coke afterward and we talked airplanes. Amazingly, I recognized the old "fast aluminum" homebuilt (1970s) in the corner of his hanger, a Swearingen! This was way prior to the invention of glass airplanes. "How many Swearingens are there, Dennis?" "Oh, about 20. This one has 650 hours on it, the second If anybody in California here would like to fly a really nice taildragger, I can get you Kimberly Sanders' number, just email me.

Here are links to my pictures from this flight:

Lee and Piper Super Cruiser http://www.well.com/user/leemcgee/images/lee_pa12.JPG

The Sanders' Hangar at Eagles Nest, Ione, California http://www.well.com/user/leemcgee/images/sanders_hangar.JPG

The Sea Fury "Dreadnought" is on the left, left wing of Vickers Vimy in back, and the tiny object on the right (for scale) is a Christen Eagle, owned by Kimberly Sanders and currently for sale.

   -Lee McGee
    Mount Aukum, California


 Statistics


 Aircraft                               wingspan                horsepower      fuel burn
 Piper PA-12-Super Cruiser              36 feet                 150             8 gallons/hour
 Vickers FB27 Vimy                      68 feet                 1200            40 gallons/hour
 Hawker Sea Fury "Dreadnought"          38 feet                 4000            400 gallons/hour