minnesota - Midwest Flyer

S
California where I am from, the locals
would shoot us down!”
LaMalfa: How many members are
there in the T-34 Association, and
how many Mentors are flying today?
Thomas: “There are 400 members
in the T-34 Association and of the 250
T-34s registered in the U.S., about 200
are flying. The Mentor was manufactured
from 1954 to 1956. The A model
was supplied to the USAF, and the U.S.
Navy flew a slightly different B model.
The Navy used a turboprop version of
the T-34, the C Model, which they are
just now phasing out. None of the C
models are in private hands.”
LaMalfa: How much does a
Mentor cost?
Thomas: “Anywhere from
$125,000 to $400,000. It all depends
on the condition of the airplane and
how well it is equipped.”
LaMalfa: The T-34 Mentors are
among the lead performers in the
Warbirds of America air show, which
will be featured three times during
EAA AirVenture 2007. How long
does it take to fly to Wittman Field?
Thomas: “We fly in formation at
130 kts, so about 30 minutes.”
LaMalfa: T-34s will be arriving
from all over the U.S. to join up with
the group practicing at Menominee
for the airshow performance. I
watched a group of eight Mentors
peal off and land, two at a time in formation
on Runway 14 at Twin County
Airport. I assume this is how you land
during the show at AirVenture?
Thomas: “We land three at a time
in formation at the EAA air show.”
LaMalfa: The pilot is in the front
seat, but who sits in the back seat?
Thomas: “The military put the
instructor in the back seat of the T-34,
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and the student pilot up front.
However, we sometimes put a formation
instructor or safety pilot in the
back seat.”
LaMalfa: When you watch the
warbird airshow at Oshkosh, you will
see Blackwell’s yellow Navy
Mentors, along with the Air Force
version, painted silver. I asked Dan
how the military version of the Beech
aircraft differs from the civilian
Bonanza.
Thomas: “The T-34 is capable of
aerobatics and you fly with a stick
instead of a yoke.”
LaMalfa: Is the cockpit environment
noisy?
Thomas: “Sure, but many of us
use noise canceling headphones.”
I also chatted with Dan Blackwell
and his son, Dan, Jr, owners of an
immaculate Mentor based at
Pittsburgh, Pa. The aircraft, owned by
his father, is powered by a 300 hp IFI
50B Continental, just like the civilian
Bonanza, and uses a new scimitar
prop, which helps with climb performance.
Dan, Jr. also owns a
Mentor with the original 225 hp
engine. Both aircraft are painted yellow,
like a lot of Mentors are today.
LaMalfa: I noticed that one of the
Mentors is equipped with wing-tip
tanks.
Dan, Jr.: “The tip tanks allow that
aircraft to carry 80 gallons of fuel.”
LaMalfa: The Bonanza continues
to be a popular aircraft, despite all of
the modern composite designs on the
market today.
Dan, Jr.: “Beechcraft has lowered
the price on the Bonanza to around
$500,000, and there’s a waiting list.”
When in formation, the Mentors
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fly with about 5 feet of horizontal
separation and 4 feet vertical, and yes,
“Tail-End Charlie” at the rear of the
formation has to deal with wake turbulence!
The T-34 Mentor pilots are members
of Warbirds of America, a division
of the Experimental Aircraft
Association.
With the 60 th anniversary of the
Bonanza celebrated at EAA AirVenture,
there were a lot of Bonanzas and
Mentors in attendance this year.
We hope to see the Twin County Air
Force back next summer, the Friday
before EAA AirVenture 2008! ❑
Bizjets, Biofuel ... From P. 14
Called the “Javelin,” this aircraft
looks more like a military jet such as
the USAF’s T38 “Talon” basic trainer.
Set up with a full glass cockpit, its
wing span is 25 feet, and it has tandem
seating for two, a high-speed
cruise of 500 kts, and climbs at 9,000
feet per minute with a ceiling of
45,000 feet. It is equipped for flight
into known icing conditions. The
company requires potential
buyers/pilots to have 500 hours of turbine
flying under their belts and will
train owners. The cost: $3 million, not
out of line for this pocket rocket!” ❑
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210N, P210N, 337G, 337H, P337H.
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are guaranteed for as long as you own
the aircraft. Due to their long life and
very low current draw, they may be
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during the entire flight. The cost is
$550.00 per light. For additional
information call 262-763-5100. ❑