minnesota - Midwest Flyer

Huntington, Indiana, and put a loaner
wing on while they repaired Leff’s
wing. Tulsa Aircraft Engines
(www.tulsaaircraftengines.com) overhauled
Leff’s spare R-1340 and had it
back to him in just over 5 weeks.
Fond du Lac Skyport’s (www.fdlskyport.com)
chief mechanic, Gary Wall,
assisted Leff in putting the plane back
in the air. Leff flew the T-6 home
September 16 and left September 18
to fly a private airshow at Marco
Island, Fla., followed by another private
show at Fantasy of Flight in Polk
World Record-Holder
Killed En Route To EAA
Hans Georg Schmid after returning from the
second circumnavigation of the world in
2000.
Two Mustangs Collide
While Landing At AirVenture
OSHKOSH, WIS. – Two P-51
Mustangs collided on the south end of
Rwy 18/36 at Wittman Regional
Airport in Oshkosh, Wis., during EAA
City, Fla.
Prior to opening his own flight
training facility in Dayton, Ohio, Leff
was a pilot for State Farm Insurance
in Bloomington, Illinois. He climbed
to air show stardom by creating a
computerized pyrotechnic night show
featuring the T-6 and integrated music
over the PA system.
Making the emergency landing on
the highway gave Leff even more
publicity, as he was contacted by all of
the news services and national radio
and television networks to tell his
BASEL, SWITZERLAND – A veteran
pilot trying to break a speed record
en route to EAA AirVenture,
Oshkosh, Wis., was killed when his
Express 2000 ER experimental aircraft
crashed into an apartment building
and playground in Basel,
Switzerland on July 23. Three people
on the ground were injured. The accident
occurred shortly after takeoff
from EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-
Freiburg, across the border in France,
according to authorities.
The pilot, identified as Hans Georg
Schmid, a former Swissair pilot, had
been trying to break a world record for
a solo single-engine flight. He had
planned to fly more than 4,970 miles
with the C1-D class of plane, aiming
to reach Oshkosh in 30 hours.
Midwest Flyer Magazine (MFM)
featured Schmid in its June/July 2007
issue, describing his plans to fly over
both of the Earth’s Poles and the four
corners of the world later this year,
providing he could raise enough
money. MFM Editor Dave Weiman
AirVenture, on July 27, killing one of
the pilots. The two warbirds were participating
in the daily Showcase
Flights at EAA when, according to a
series of still photographs, the propeller
of the trailing aircraft collided
with the tail of the lead aircraft. The
story. Midwest Flyer Magazine met up
with Leff later on the EAA grounds,
as did the owner of the stranded RV
who was none other than fellow warbird
pilot, Dave Mann, manager of
Batten International Airport, Racine,
Wis. Mann told Leff that he never
realized how large a T-6 was until one
passed 20 feet over his head.
Leff’s North American T6 Texan
was built in 1943. The aircraft was
the most widely used advanced trainer
during World War II and the Korean
War.
❑
recalled his emails with Schmid, stating
that he seemed very passionate
about aviation, looked forward to
making the flight this fall, and was
working very hard at soliciting corporate
sponsors.
Schmid had previously set world
records circumnavigating the globe in
both eastbound and westbound directions.
His new attempts would have
been northbound and southbound,
crossing the North Pole and
Antarctica on each trip.
Schmid had 16,000 hours and held
162 world aviation records. The
Express 2000 ER was powered by a
Lycoming IO-580-B1A, 315 hp
engine with an MT propeller.
The Swiss Aircraft Accident
Investigation Bureau was apparently
investigating the accident. ❑
pilot killed in the trailing aircraft was
Gerald Beck of Wahpeton, North
Dakota. The pilot in the lead aircraft
who survived was Casey Odegaard, of
Kindred, North Dakota. The two pilots
were landing following a simulated air
race performance.
❑
Mineral Point, Wisconsin
— small town affordability within miles of Madison!
• 24hr Fuel: 100LL & Jet A
• Aircraft Maintenance
• Hangar Leases Available
• Fly In Camping Available
• Two Runways: 11/29-4/22
5,000 & 3,600 feet
• GPS, NDB Approaches
• AWOS & GCO
Kevin King, Airport Manager
3151 State Rd., Mineral Point, WI 53566 • 608.987.9931 • mrjairport@mhtc.net
20 MIDWEST FLYER MAGAZINE OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2007