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Cliff's plane pictures

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Posted

Here are the pics of Cliff's Avid.  Cliff, what is the story on the custom cowling with the upturned nose?

 

:BC:

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Posted

I dig the paint scheme, she looks good!  You ready for an all expense paid working vacation to paint a 180 :lmao:

 

 

:BC:

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Posted

Cowling looks like mine hanging in the hanger, cyauna with d&d gear box on a model A

Cliff, what's your serial #

Mines 82

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Posted

I like the size of your elevator Cliff!!

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Posted

paint looks great cliff. it sure does shine!

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Posted

Great paint job. I like the tail the best. It really highlights the round tail. I actually didn't used to like the round tails on Avids, but somehow they grew on me. I really like the color choices too.

 

Good job Cliff, and thanks for posting the pics Leni.

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Posted

Ser# is 110 and yes it origionally had a Cyuna on it. My profession is painting with 3 years of commercial art at a vo-tech school as a teenager being my only formal training.. I can lay out some pretty decent paint schemes and do decent custom paint work but my business partner of the last 12 years is a world class airbrush artist who makes me look like an amature. together we come up with some pretty neat stuff. I like clean simple lines on high wing taildraggers but I am not apposed to some wild schemes on other aircraft type. If you google search images of Raeford Aviation Twin Otter you will se a paint scheme that I was commisioned to design. I didn't do the actual paint work because my current facility can only handle a Cessna 206 or smaller airplane. I am pretty computer illiterate and we don't have a web site but if you Google search images for Custom Painting By Cliff and Skip, you will see a few pictures of some of the stuff we have done.  I am currently jumping through the hoops of the local zoning board to get a zoning change for a 34 acre private airstrip to move my business into. The zoning hearing is on the 8th of October. If we are granted the zoning change needed to run my paint business at the airport, I will be closing on the property on the 31st of October and starting up grade construction to the hangar/pole building that same day. I will be able to paint planes with up to a 48' wingspan and a taill height of 11' 10".  The runway is about 3000'  in total length but has displaced thresholds only giving it an official length of 2200'.  I can probably trim some trees and end up with 2600' when the airport is reinspected by the state .  If anybody needs anything painted I will be happy to do it for you. I am going to need all the work I can get to pay the mortgage on this property. I am scared shitless and excited at the same time, I am going from having next to no debt , too being in BIG debt and I ain't no spring chicken. By the way thanks Akflyer for posting the pictures and the picture of my brother and I is right after our first flight together in the Avid (I'm the fat guy).

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Posted

The dreams of airport ownership.  The country was founded on dreams, if your gonna go you may as well go big!  With good talent and good workmanship comes good profits.  Wish you the best on the venture and hope it all turns out in your favor!

 

:BC:

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Posted

AKflyer, Thanks for the words of encouragement. We will see what the zoning board thinks of my plan.

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Posted

Thanks for sharing Cliff. What a great adventure you've undertaken!  As the saying goes, nothing ventured - nothing gained.  Wish I could find myself in such a situation. I really do.  Where is you new place?  Perhaps you've kicked the idea of a fly-in next spring -- open house? 

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Posted

Allonsye,

 

  The airport is Circle W airfield  designator PA72 in East Berlin PA. It is between Gettysburg and Harrisburg.  My father flew skydivers from this field from 1966 to 1974. Then in 1990 a freind of my Dad bought the field and we both based our planes there until his death in 2008. The airport went up for auction and was sold to a father and son who wanted to open an 1/8 mile drag way. That didn't go over to well with the neighbors and after a 2 year battle with the zoning board and the neighbors, the father and son gave up and put the property back up for sale. Now the father has passed on and the son is ready to put this whole thing behind him and move on. It was their dream to own a race track together and now it is my dream to put my business on the field. It really sucks having your future decided by others. I am praying that the neighbors will see how little impact, if any, my business will have on their lives. There a a bunch of hard working ,good, red blooded americans in this neck of the woods but, there can always be a turd in the punch bowl who doesn't want to see anyone else prosper. Hopefully there isn't a turd in my punch bowl.

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Posted

We had one of those turds living about 200 feet north and a little to the side of the end of the runway - she took photos of every plane that she thought was flying too low over her house on final for runway 18 - the airport was finally sold and closed, and highway I-44 took her house -

Real PITA!

EdMO

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Posted

We had one move up from Baltimore MD to our current airport in Dover Pa. She KNEW that she owned the airspace above her property to infinity. She called the FAA for months everytime an airplane took off or landed from the airport. Finally the FAA had a talk with her and informed her that she bought a house at the end of a runway that had been there for 20 years and that she had to stop wasting their time because they had to answer every call they receive. We nick named her the Baltimoron. She eventually ended up getting a divorce and loosinfg the house, which was promptly bought by a local pilot at half it's previous sale price. Ain't Karma a bitch.

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Posted

Cliff -

 

What a great location. I'm very familiar with the area - flown or driven by it numerous times during my 25 yrs (until recently) living an hour away in the Shenandoah Valley area of VA.  Motorsports is big in PA. I can completely understand why someone would want a drag strip there. In fact I recall a motorsports museum and oval track down the road from there off of Rt. 15 you're likely familiar with.

 

In NC I've found there's numerous small airstrips and airstrip fly-in communities (more than I encountered in VA). It's customary for each and every to have well organized "fly-in's" through out the year open to the public. This w/e I'll be attending my 3rd in 2 consecutive w/e's. These go a long way I feel in getting buy-in, awareness, good-will, education and support from the locals and demonstration on the part of the the airport owners and aircraft operators of being part of the community and contributors to the tax base. Great opportunities abound especially in introducing youngsters to flying.

 

True that the "turds". They tend to be like locusts, arrive from elsewhere and destroy things - in this case others right to pursue happiness and prosperity.

 

Paul

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Posted

I go to a few fly ins each year, I have been attending the one at Foot Light Ranch for many years. The problem I have with an open invitation fly in is, there are so many Yahoo pilots out there that can cause ,at a minimum a nuisance and at worst a fatality. If I get the airport, I will have an invitational fly in to get the neighbors aquanted with my flying buddies and how we operate. Possibly give rides. throw some burgers on the grill and get to know the neighbors while they have a good time and get to know us. I have seen to many crazy things happen at fly ins to just invite the general flying public. I am a prety good judge of character and I haven't heard any yahoo pilots on these forums yet. You guys know the types I am talking about. 

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Posted (edited)

I may have come close to getting the Yahoo Trophy when I was young, dumb, and bulletproof - 50 or more years later and I think, or at least try to be, older and wiser.  I just wonder how I survived the first few years!

EDMO

Edited by Ed In Missouri
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Posted

I may have come close to getting the Yahoo Trophy when I was young, dumb, and bulletproof - 50 or more years later and I think, or at least try to be, older and wiser.  I just wonder how I survived the first few years!

EDMO

I think there are many of us Ed that could quip likewise. I often think to myself by the grace of the universe go I.  There are a few of us too who know some personally who didn't "survive" (not just from flying), we miss them and are grateful too for having been able to have them in our life's journey. They made it all the better for us and you can't help but feel a sense of great loss not having them in your life or to know them anymore.

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Posted

Young and dumb, full of piss and vinegar. My entire life was aviation driven. Built and flew model airplanes since the age of 6. took hang gliding and flying lessons at age 14, Started skydiving at age 16, Got my first ultralight at age 18, and continued with all the for mentioned activities, except hang gliding,  until today at age 52. I have done way too many stupid things, should have been dead several times, just had an engine out landing on Sunday. By the grace of God I am still alive. So many of my friends didn't make it. I have lost dozens and dozens of friends to aviation related accidents. Most completely avoidable. I try to learn from all their mistakes and misfortunes. I have become very saftey conscience in my later years. I don't like being around reckless people, my old heart can't take it anymore.

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Posted

Tonight at 7pm is the zoning meeting for the exemption use of the airport. I am hoping for a decision in our favor. The Pennsylvania Department of Aviation is sending a representitive to the meeting to answer any questions that the zoning board or neighbors may have about the airport use. My tax dollars are finally  being put to good use. I'll fill you in later.

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Posted

My business partner has a strip on his land. The neighbors were originally not in favor. He made it a point to invite these neighbors to the annual fly in he holds there and got them airplane rides.

Now the neighbors are big fans.

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Posted

Neighbor day picinic and plane rides are on my list of future events.

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Posted

One of the things he did was to get a buddy with a 180 to come to the fly in. He bought the 180 some gas to give rides for the people too scared of "little" airplanes.

Just make sure to put the clothespin on the prop control to keep it quiet! No need for that kind of noise!

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Posted

I have a 180 and I love giving rides. 3 weeks ago I flew 2.8 hrs of rides at the Lazy B airport annual picinic. The neighbors eat up that stuff. You can make friends quickly with a simple trip around the neighborhood. 

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Posted

We won our zoning hearing. We should be closing on the airport on October 31st if there are no more problems.

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Posted

Congrats (And commiserations!) 

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