There are currently four locally owned VariEze aircraft based in the Cumberland area. Charlie Airesman, as an acknowledged expert in the construction and flying of this type aircraft, is the unofficial leader of this group. Airesman was first exposed to aviation by a flight in Greg Teeter’s Taylorcraft, and subsequently learned to fly through instruction from Jim Abe at the Mexico Farms Air Field in 1987. Charlie purchased, along with his father, a 40 percent completed VariEze project. Assisted by his father, Airesman painstakingly completed the aircraft project and then first flew the craft in 1990. Employed as a Control Technician for a gas transmission company, Charles works on complex equipment such as industrial turbines. This position serves him well in his flying avocation.
As Charlie became more experienced with the aircraft he became enamored with the speed potential of the VariEze and modified its O-200 Continental engine. He made twelve aerodynamic modifications to the airframe to further enhance the performance of the VariEze. These endeavors have borne fruit as he competed in air races at the Sun’N’Fun Fly-In at Lakeland, Florida and at Jackpot, Nevada. Airesman has placed either first or second in all of these events. Charlie, in a matter-of-fact manner, relates that his VariEze is the fastest in the country, save for one other with which he has intimate knowledge. Charlie’s VariEze has attained speeds in excess of 225 mph, which is astounding in a diminutive craft with a relatively small power plant. He once flew his VariEze from Phoenix, Arizona to Cumberland with but one stop for refueling.
Charlie Airesman in front of his speedy VariEze at Lakeland, FL during the Fun-N-Sun Fly-In, after participation in an air race. On the right is the Airesman’s Varieze airborne.
Always seeking further enhancement to his VariEze, Airesman has recently installed a Subaru automobile engine which offers increased efficiency and power, and a speed of 240 mph. Charlie makes the annual sojourn to the huge Oshkosh air show, flying non-stop in three hours using but five gallons of fuel per hour. He has also flown to Lakeland, Florida in less than five hours. Charlie and his wife have flown to California, the Florida Keys, and the Bahama Islands several times. Well known to VariEze owners around the country, Airsman has made flights in his unique aircraft that other pilots would love to copy. Charlie’s wife is the former Dee Hostetler, daughter of Randy Hostetler, a former Kelly Springfield Flight Operations pilot. In order to accommodate their budding family, Dee and Charlie are currently building a Cozy, a four passenger, retractable landing gear, canard type airplane of the Rutan design.
The March 2002 issue of Sport Aviation features a six page article on Charlie Airesman and his ventures in his VariEze. The article titled ‘Smooth Speed’ was authored by Jack Cox, a well known aviation writer. Cox details the speed and attributes of Airesman’s VariEze and his thorough technical methods applied during the conversion to the Subaru engine.
Charles Airesman is enthusiastically joined in the VariEze endeavors by other local pilots. Greg Teeter has a VariEze with a modified O-200 Continental engine and with several aerodynamic airframe changes. This speedy flying machine is equipped with state of the art communications and instrumentation. Charles Falter owns a refined version of the VariEze named the LongEze. The LongEze was purchased in California and flown back to Cumberland by Airsman and Falter. Local physician Dr. Greg Byer has a VariEze under construction which is nearing its maiden test flight.
Charles Airesman, Charles Falter, and Greg Teeter have possessed their VariEzes for quite some time and all are regularly seen flying out of the Cumberland Airport. When they participate in the local fly-in gatherings, the sleek and speedy VariEzes are a unique contrast to the vintage aircraft that are prevalent in our area.
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Wings Over Cumberland 