There have been many enterprising individuals that have rebuilt certified aircraft, but constructing an airplane from scratch is a totally different enterprise. Homebuilt aircraft are experimental in design and construction and are not approved in a standard category by the Federal Aviation Administration; hence those aircraft are assigned an Experimental designation by the FAA. In observing these homebuilders one is captivated by their amazing talent, craftsmanship, initiative, creativeness, and persistence. After completion of their project, which may take years, the zest and gusto with which they undertake a test flight of the yet unproved aircraft is certainly is to be admired.
During the past years several local homebuilt airplanes have successfully flown at Cumberland. Some of these special people who have constructed their own aircraft and the type airplane follow. Gene Robinson built a Stolp Starduster Too, which was a project that attracted other similarly interested pilots and created interest in forming the local Chapter 426 of the Experimental Aircraft Association in 1975. Later Pat Logsdon built a Stolp V-Star, Jim Muir a Fly Baby, Clarence Meyers and Ed Koch collaborated in the construction of a Smith Mini Plane, Greg Teeter a Stitts Playboy, and Donald Squires and Roger Cannon jointly built an EAA Bi-plane. But it was Chuckles Keiling of Frostburg who preceded them all when he constructed a Heath Parasol in 1939, and then in the 1970’s a Bakeing Duce and a Pober Pixie. These aircraft were test flown and accumulated flying hours while operating from the Mexico Farms grass airfield. Currently under construction is a Ken Rand KR-2 by Mike Saunders, a Baby Ace by Bernie Frank, and a Pitts Special by Glen L. Merritt.
An outstanding homebuilt aircraft presently flying from the Greater Cumberland Regional Airport is an Acro Sport II bi-plane constructed by Glen Merritt. This is a small sport and perky open cockpit craft of a design by the EAA and is designed for aerobatics. Powered by a 150 hp Lycoming engine, it has a cruising speed of 110 mph. A cockpit hatch can be installed over the normally open cockpit, thereby making the craft available for year round flying. It took Glen a total of eight years to complete the project and, then, unfortunately the Acro Sport was wrecked by another pilot. But the persistent Merritt took another three years to rebuild the now well equipped craft, which is adorned a with colorful paint scheme.
Airport visitors have recently observed more modern homebuilt aircraft with a most unusual construction. These aircraft, named VariEze (pronounced ‘very easy’), are two-place tandem seating type aircraft with the horizontal fin and elevator (canard) mounted on the front of a slanted wing. The canard replaces what in most aircraft would be the horizontal tail surface. A rear mounted or pusher engine powers the craft which is constructed of a fiberglass surface. The result is an extremely efficient and fast airplane that has excellent flying characteristics. When a canard equipped aircraft stalls the canard loses lift before the main wing, therefore, the canard and the nose of the plane dips which increases airspeed and restores lift. This a great safety feature since the canard serves as an effective automatic pitch regulator.
The VariEze is but one of the many aircraft designed by Burt Rutan, widely recognized as a genius in the world of aerodynamics. It was Rutan who created the ‘Voyager’, that one-in-a-kind aircraft that made the historical around the world flight, non-stop and without refueling. Flown by Burt Rutan’s brother, Dick, and accompanied by Jeanna Yeager, the Voyager departed California westbound on December 14, 1986 and arrived back in California, still westbound, on December 23. Dick Rutan relates in the book ‘Voyager’, written jointly with Jeanna Yeager, that from age ten his brother Burt was obsessed with airplanes and was an imaginative and innovative designer of successful model aircraft. In fact, local model associations often changed their model flight rules in order to allow other entrants to complete with young Burt Rutan’s model airplane designs.
The around the world non-stop Voyager, with Dick Rutan and Jeanna Yeager in the insert.
But it was the VariEze that first made Burt Rutan famous when his younger brother, Dick, flew it to the annual Experimental Aircraft Association Convention Fly-In at Oshkosh, Wisconsin in 1975. Capturing tremendous interest, in just a few years some eight hundred of the VariEzes were flying, an astonishing total for a home-built design. In short order Burt Rutan became legendary in aviation circles. The author recalls observing Burt Rutan at the EAA Oshkosh Air Show walking along the flight line much like a Biblical Messiah, with a large crowd of aviation enthusiasts following him with tape recorders fastened to poles and placed in position to record his every word. A few followers were carrying pole mounted signs proclaiming their desire (tongue in cheek) to any VariEze owner that it was all Burt Rutan’s fault and that they should be pitied and taken aloft as a passenger to enjoy the VariEze’s amazing performance. Cameras of all types were also much in evidence for the visual recording of this famous aircraft designer.
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Wings Over Cumberland 