 | | AOPA's Win-A-Twin Comanche, fresh from its session at KD Aviation's paint shop, made its debut today at the Sun 'n Fun Fly-In. Hordes of enthusiastic members and other passersby are now spending time gawking at the 1965 Twin Comanche, which is parked in front of AOPA's bright yellow tent. Most of the comments focus on the paint job, with its swoopy DuPont ChromaLusion stripes.
The usual questions — "How fast? How far? How high?" — were sprinkled with generous comments on the overall snazziness of the paint scheme and the changing ChromaLusion colors. By an overwhelming margin, visitors say they really like the paint job.
The airplane will be on display for the entire week, ending Monday, April 19. If you're planning on attending Sun 'n Fun, please stop by and we'll talk Twin Comanche.
In other news, I'm pleased to report that the Win-A-Twin's cruise speeds during the trip from the paint shop to Sun 'n Fun have turned out to be impressive indeed. (Assuming the airspeed indicator is accurate; it will be calibrated during the avionics-upgrade portion of the restoration project). At 4,500 feet and at max cruise power, true airspeed clocked in at 178 knots! That's quite a testament to the LoPresti and Knots2U speeds mods, as well as the power of the newly overhauled Superior Air Parts Millenium engines. At higher altitudes, true airspeeds should hit the 180-knot mark, assuming the current performance profile.
Please stay tuned for future updates as developments warrant.
|  | | If he won it, AOPA member Bob Albrecht of New Orleans says he'll "fly the hell out of it. I'd sell the '68 Twin Comanche I already own, or maybe I'd keep them both. Albrecht is based at the Ama, Louisiana, airport, a 3,500-foot grass strip. "The Twin Comanche gives you the most bang for the buck, so having two would be a real luxury," Albrecht said. Stan Edwards, who flew in to Sun 'n Fun fronm Norwich, New York, said he'd "go all over — eastern Canada, Alaska, and the Bahamas," if he won the Twin Comanche. An Airbus A320 captain, Edwards says "I've seen everything from 35,000 feet, now I want to see it from 3,000 feet." If he wins, he'll keep N204WT at the 2,900-foot airport at his home. "And I won't sell it."
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 | |  | | | | Aircraft Publications is providing us with revised, General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA)-format pilot operating handbooks for the Win-A-Twin. Thank goodness. The original POHs and information manuals were woefully incomplete and disorganized. With the new POH all the chapters are in the same GAMA-standard sequence as those for brand-new aircraft. There's more recommended airspeeds, more information, and expanded procedural guidance. Aircraft Publications provides modern manuals for many older airplanes built before the GAMA standards went into effect in 1977, and thus provides a valuable contribution to safety. For more information, contact Aircraft Publications at airpubs@onr.com, or write them at P.O. Box 201183, Austin TX 78720; 512/250-9063.
D & D Aircraft Supply makes stainless steel screw- and fastener kits for a wide range of aircraft. They stock both Camlock and Southco fasteners, plus machine screws, washers, and other hardware. They look sharp, don't rust, and last a whole lot longer than the standard-issue steel fasteners that come with most airplanes. For more information, contact D & D at 4 Stickney Terrace, P.O. Box 1200, Hampton, NH 03842; 1-800/468-8000; www.ddaircraft.com
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