As days grow shorter and cooler, memories of summer flights and restoration projects bring warm thoughts, keeping us inspired. Autumn nudges our focus back to projects, though hopefully, there’s still room for a few flights here and there.
It feels like just yesterday we were departing from the Barnstorming Carnival when we got a radio call asking if they could snap photos of the restorer’s Cub. I can still picture the wind tossing brown hair in the breeze from the open biplane, capturing moments as timeless as the antique aircraft themselves.
Brittany Elise, whose pictures and occasional words have graced aviation publications, knows exactly how to freeze these moments.
This year’s calendar featuring antique and vintage aircraft, includes the restorer’s clipped-wing Cub. It also serves as a visual reminder of the grit and dedication required to turn dreams into reality. Consistently chipping away at a goal brings it closer within reach.
We’ve been blessed with an unseasonably warm and dry November, perfect weather for moving my mom’s Chief project into our hangar.
One of the restorer’s airport sons graciously stored the Chief in his hangar over the summer while we arranged space. With our hangar finally cleared, we weighed our options: sneak in some flight time or move the Chief while the weather held.
Adulting won out, and we moved the Chief.
When we opened the hangar door, parts and pieces were ready for transport to their new home. One wing was assembled but in need of repairs, while the other wing’s spars hung in our hangar, waiting to be rejoined with the ribs and rest of the Chief.
We started by carefully lifting the wing by the wooden spars, as the restorer had instructed. After a short walk down the ramp, we set it down to catch our breath. While not particularly heavy, it was challenging to carry for a long stretch. The restorer suggested an easier grip, and we managed to carry it to our hangar several rows away.
With the recent addition of wing cradles gifted from the other restorer, we had a perfect place to safely store the assembled wings upright—an organization lifesaver in a crowded hangar.
After bringing the wing over, we grabbed a dolly for the fuselage.
Together, we lifted the front of the metal frame where the engine mount would attach, balancing it on wood blocks atop the dolly, then maneuvered it carefully out from under the wing of the airport son’s L-4, a military Piper Cub.
The restorer pulled over an engine hoist and rope to create a sling, raising the Chief’s frame so we could slide the dolly under the tail.
It took some coordination to get the frame rolling smoothly down the row and up the taxiway incline to our hangar.
But we managed, and verbalized needed steps as we moved along.
The restorer mentioned some areas around the fitting for the main landing gear that would need to be examined more closely for alignment before work got too far along and a timeframe for talking to the welder.
Planning for future repairs keeps the dream on track.
With the Cub temporarily out of the hangar, the Chief’s frame fit into place without a hitch. The wing, already in its sling, rested against the back wall while the engine hoist guided the frame into position. A few more trips brought over the final bits and pieces, sawhorses for support, and other essentials.
As the sun set, casting a golden glow over a productive day, we stood back to admire the progress.
No flight time today, but memories of past moments airborne and the work we’re doing toward future flights keep us company, reminding us that steady, consistent effort is what makes dreams take flight.
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