[f-AA] Brief update on a busy few years

[Don Harvie]

Hey Rafael & all,

Yes, it has been a busy few years one way or another. The process of winding up Dad’s estate is drawing to a close now his property has sold, so I’m finding myself with a little more time to read emails and forums etc.

Both of Dad’s aircraft, his Chief and his Stinson 108 are now with me, and I’ll begin the process of getting them airworthy again. The Chief first as it requires the least work. The A&P/IA did find a crack in the weld on the lower left longeron at the forward gear attach point so that’s the biggest job to attend to. The landing gear brackets, bolts etc are also all a bit worn and will need reaming, bushing and generally given a thorough overhaul, but otherwise the aircraft is in good shape.
The Stinson is in mid restoration and while the fuse is largely done, both wings still need to be done.

We also bought a block of land at an Airpark in a country town about 2.5 hours flying time south west of Sydney. We’re now starting the design process for a hangar home large enough to accommodate the aircraft and the plan is to relocate there when its all done. The address for the curious is 22 Spitfire Drive, Temora, NSW, Australia. Its a great airfield with two sealed and one dirt runways. There is a flying warbird aviation museum on the field and a very active community with multiple antique and homebuilder groups as well as an active gliding club.

Don H
Sydney, Aus, (for now)




> On 24 Jul 2025, at 8:37 am, 'Botijo G' via aeronca <aer...@westmont.edu> wrote:
>
> Good to hear from you Don!
> Rafael in CA
> Sent from an NDB
>
>>> On Jul 23, 2025, at 2:22 PM, Don Harvie <donh...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>

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[Duane Fey]

Don,

All the best. I had the opportunity to spend some time with your dad at Oshkosh. He was a good dude and I will continue to miss him.

Duane
‘46 Chief, N85981

On Jul 23, 2025, at 20:47, Don Harvie <donh...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hey Rafael & all,

['Botijo G' via aeronca]

Good to hear from you Don and that things are moving forward. Yeah your Dad and OSH where always as one in my calendar
Sent from an NDB

> On Jul 24, 2025, at 12:51 PM, Duane Fey <duan...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Don,

[Richard Murray]

Don

Thanks keeping us in your loop. Just left Oshkosh today and always think of your dad volunteering in Vintage.

As I worked the Aeronca booth in the Type Clubs area we had two people stop by and ask if Ian was here.

Glad you confirmed both aircraft are in your possession. One of the individuals asked what happened to Ian's aircraft and I thought you had previously mentioned that you had them.

How far did you have to transport the Stinson? I'm presuming the Chief was as already at an airport.

[Don Harvie]

Thanks Richard,

I had tentatively planned to be at Oshkosh this year, however things didn't go quite to plan and took longer than expected so unfortunately an Oshkosh trip got postponed. I feel doubly dissapointed knowing that he was missed there, and I'd loved to have seen everyone again and met those who I didn't meet on my previous trips. Do feel free to pass on my email to anyone who knew Dad if they want to get in touch.

Yes Dad's Chief is in the hangar - I still think of it as his hangar, as is the Stinson fuselage. There was a lot of airframe, engine and other parts he'd collected over the years for both aircraft at his home though which are all now stored in the hangar too. The big things to move were three Stinson wings and the rotisserie he made for them. A good friend has a custom flatbed trailer setup for aircraft transport, & we were able to move all three wings in one trip. A drive of about two hours. They're still on the trailer in the friends hangar for now. I also have an offer from my future neighbour at Temora to store them in his hangar until ours is built - Something I'm considering as the drive from Sydney to Temora is a six plus hour drive and moving the contents of a 50'x60' hangar full of aircraft bits, tools and machinery is looking like quite a daunting exercise.

Don H

[Steve Lawlor]

Don,

We all miss Ian's tales and adventures that he would tell at Oshkosh sitting back under our wing.  There's still a place for you to stop by at Osh next year.  Good to hear that things are well with you!

Steve Lawlor,  former Aeronca owner, now Fairchild.

[Don Harvie]

Thanks Steve,

Good friends of ours are restoring their Fairchild 24W. Dad & John used to fly all over together in the Fairchild and Dad's Stinson 108. John, Chris & I in recent years have also flown a lot of trips all over. This time with John & Chris in their Pacific Aerospace CT/4B trainer and me in the Auster. The last trip Dad, John & Chris, and I all did together was in 2018 for the Royal Flying Doctor Service 90th anniversary. Dad flew that in his Chief.

Yes,  Dad packed a lot of adventures into his life and I'm still learning and realising that I probably don't know the half of it. He was an expert marksman - something I learnt when another friend of Dad's commented on it recently. When I was a kid we'd get him to tell us stories of 'when he was younger'  One of  them involved him shooting Kangaroo's and rabbits at night in the outback. He got paid for the meat. In the 1950's, a virus called Myxomatosis was introduced into Australia to control the out of control feral rabbit population. When shooting rabbits for meat you weren't supposed to hand in rabbits affected by the virus - But it showed up in the eyes. So Dad, when spotlighting the rabbits at night would shoot the eyes. As kid I knew this story of course, but never realised the significance and what it said about his skill. He was just so matter of fact and unremarkable about it all, that to me it was part of Dad. 

Dad had a lot of great stories and I miss them too.

Apologies to all for this non-Aeronca related post.

Don H

[aer...@indy.rr.com]

Don,

We enjoyed him in the Vintage Aircraft Association, where he volunteered every year.

I also had the opportunity to fly with him when we visited Australia! One fine man!

 

Ray Johnson

www.eaaVintage.org   

[Steve Lawlor]

Big Smile! Fond Memories!