March, 1996
Dear Grant,
I had a ball with my Piet last year, going to Dayton, Brodhead, Oshkosh and the many flyins. I have over 80 hours on it now. Have installed a larger windshield to cut down on the wind noise and burn. Planning on Brodhead again this year. Here is a copy of my flight log and my dues. Sincerely,
Wil

WADSWORTH TO BRODHEAD AND BACK IN A PIET
Wil Graff's Pietenpol Airplane N1492G

July 25,1995,1:00 pm, from Wadsworth, OH (3G3). With a thunderstorm approaching from the SW it looked good toward the NW, the direction I was flying. With an altitude of 2000 msl I stayed ahead of storm. It cleared 15 miles S. of Lake Erie and stayed that way past Toledo. I landed at Port Clinton for fuel (100 oct.) taking on 4 gal. $2.00/gal. After fueling I took off and climbed to 2500 msl to clear the 2000 msl towers E. of Toledo. Weather was good until over Dick Robert's airstrip where I met up with a thunderstorm and had to go back to Monroe, MI airport to wait it out. The fuel truck was being repaired and after one hour wait I gave up and flew on to Robert's air strip. Weather was ok this time so I landed and was met by Dick and Sally who helped me tie the plane down behind the barn. A Taylor craft airplane landed (from Virginia) with Andrew King and Karl Erickson. Andrew flew by way of NY to pick up Karl at Old Rhinebeck where he's an airshow pilot. Sally fixed dinner and the rest of the evening was spent talking, looking at pictures, and books. We slept in the house.

Wednesday: After a light breakfast, a friend of Andrew's drove in and the four of us went to the Ford Museum. Back at Robert's (4:00) we met Joe Leonard with his Pietenpol from Middlefield, OH and Frank Pavliga from Alliance, OH with his Piet. We all decided 1t was time to move on, (just like the barn stormers used to do). The four planes after filling gas tanks (thanks to Dick), pictures, and goodbys flew NW to Eaton Rapids, MI. It was a 1.25 hr. flight in light rain and fog (3 mi. vis.). I led the way because of having the slowest plane and a GPS receiver. I found Kyle Bradford's airstrip, we landed and met Kyle's family. A Piet. from Canada with Brian Kenney and Hope Caccamo were already there. Kyle showed us his Pietenpol Scout (one seater) with a Star automobile engine. He flew it, I thought it was a little underpowered, he should have used a Model "A" Ford engine . Brian took all the kids for a ride around the airstrip while everyone watched. We had dinner and talked 'til late, called it a night and went to our tents, which we had put up before dark. (We Plan ahead!)

Thursday: After having coffee and donuts and waiting for the fog to lift the five planes continued their trip toward Brodhead with full gas tanks, thanks to Kyle. The weather was foggy and three mi. visibility as we flew on to Coldwater, MI .9 hrs. away. I took on 80 oct. fuel, needing 3.6 gal. (the Piet. burns 4 to 4 1/2 gal. per hr.) After downing free donuts from FBO we flew on to Mishawaka, IN, a .8 hr. flight. We inspected a Hatz biplane that has been under construction for eleven years and should be finished by next year. It's a 10! We bought gas from a member at the airport for $1.50 per gallon (best price on trip.)

The five planes now flew in a formation. The weather now was 10 miles with high ceilings as we flew SW to Wheeler airport to get lunch. There was no one around to pump gas or borrow a car from, so we walked the mile to town in 90 degree weather. At the restaurant we found a lady with a van that took us back to the airport. We tried to pay but she refused. The next stop is Kankakee, IL which might be too far for my Piet and still have 45 mins. fuel reserve. The plan was if I pulled out to land for fuel the others would follow. Airborn again and most of the way to 3KK I turned and headed to Lowell Airport for fuel. (Head winds didn't give the reserves I needed.)

The T-craft and Frank followed and all landed at the open, but unmanned airport. We drained a gallon of gas out of each plane for mine and got pop at the open office. We took off for 3KK again and landed, all planes together again at an unoccupied airport. Frank got a gal. of gas from Joe to go to Greater Kankakee Airport. Joe and Brian's Pietenpols went on to Sandwich, IL. The rest of us flew SE 5 miles to IKK. It took three attempts to get landed, once because of a cross wind, and another because of traffic. We all fueled up and used the loaner car to get supper in town. While in the restaurant we saw on TV that a big storm with high winds and possible tornado was headed our way. We went back to the airport and rented space for our planes in the big hangar ($10.00 ea.) for the night and used the car to go to Motel 6 and get a Blizzard.

Friday: The airmen returned the refueled car to the airport for their dry planes for the flight to Sandwich, IL. While I was setting the pace with my plane, (at 62 knts.) the other two were doing their thing by flying low over the flat fields, rivers, and trains É waving to the engineers. One hr. to Sandwich, had cross wind in landing. Self service auto gas was my first choice, the rest used 80 oct. We saw two rebuilt Stagger Winged Beech classic planes and two half conpleted, costing $250,000 ea. We heard the other two planes had caught up with the storm here, hangared and went to a motel (they already had left for Brodhead.) We flew N to Dacy grass field,.8 hrs. An old man pumped the fuel out of a gas truck for us; he needed our help making correct change. The rest of the workers were at OSH in the airshow. The big hangar was full of biplanes, some antiques, and some used in airshows.

Next stop N was Palmyra grass airport for lunch. I didn't see the airport and flew on by. Andrew came back and gave me a big wave and I followed the T-craft back. It was short walk to the restaurant (the town gathering place). Saw Lowell Frank with his one of a kind, newly fuel injected Ford Pietenpol, (the rest of the Ford Pietenpols use carburetors.)

Last leg was back SW to Brodhead, .8 hrs. with nice hot weather. Finally over Brodhead, we flew around the grass field a couple of times to announce our arrival and landed on the West runway. When I parked the people crowded around to check out the new plane. While there I flew around the pattern several times, took up two boys and John Dilatush from Salida, CO (Pietenpol builder). I camped from Fri. to Mon. They had food there except for Sun. night when every one went to town for pizza. A good time was had by all with the visiting of friends after a great fly in.

Monday: Three planes were ready to leave for OSH at 7:00 AM, the T-craft, another Piet, and myself. Joe and Frank left for OH on Sunday. It was foggy with three miles vis. (maybe). None of us saw each other until we were in th pattern at Dodge County Airport. A one hour flight to a busy jumping off point for OSH. The planes should have full gas tanks when they leave here for OSH because of possible holding to get in. Gassed up, we all left at 9:00. The T-craft got way ahead of me and I followed another plane without radio. The Control Tower strobe lights were on for the T-craft so they turned around. The lights were turned off for us, we landed and the strobe lights went back on 'til 10:45 (cut off time was 11:00 for non radio planes) Andrew and Karl couldn t wait, so headed back home. I had to wait to cross the other runway because of departing traffic. Finally was escorted to my camping spot in the antiques and home built area by a motor bike escort. Flight times: To Brodhead 10.9 hrs. : Total to OSH 12:30 hrs.: Miles flown: 685 : average ground speed 55 mph.

Tuesday Aug. 1,1995 : After taking in the fly markets, forums, airplane looking, and airshows, I decided it was time to head back to Ohio. A storm was coming in from the west the next day and I wanted to be well ahead of it. There was some rain during the night, so I had to get all my camping gear dried out before packing. Was all packed and ready to go after the airshow which ended at 6:30. I got the motor bike escort again to the taxiway. Over 20 planes were ahead waiting for their turn for flagman's wave to take off. I did a down wind takeoff on runway 18 which at least headed me in the right direction. The first stop was back to Dodge Co. for fuel, 5.3 gal. this time. I wanted to get as far as I could before it got too dark to fly, which turned out to be Delavan, WI. After refueling, I checked on a room across the highway at the resort lodge and was told it was $75.00 and decided on tent camping instead.

Wednesday: By this time, I'm getting good at packing up, so I was under way at 7:00 am after making oatmeal and coffee on the camp stove. Good weather straight ahead and east with high ceilings and 20 mile visibility. When I made the east turn past Chicago it started to rain. I landed at Howell Airport, located 20 SE of Midway, after flying 1.7 (7.6 gal. fuel). I made a quick pit and git to stay ahead of the weather, it looked good to the east. After flying 20 minutes the rain stopped. The next stop after following the Indiana turnpike was Warsaw, IN. Again 1.7 hrs., 7.2 on fuel. I bought machine food here. They had weather radar which showed a storm coming up from the south. The heading I need to take is ENE until past Ft. Wayne, then it would be clear.

The weather was as forecast on the flight to Defiance, Ohio. I had to use the compass on this leg because of few good check points along the route. Landed on grass beside the main runway because of a cross wind, was 1.2 hrs., plus 6.2 gal. ($10.06). The winds have been changing all day, N wind at 7:00, now is SW. I had a thirty minute stop here since I was ahead of the weather now.

I followed the Railroad tracks E to Willard, 1.3 hrs., 6.2 gal. @ $1.98. Had a nice visit with the manager and he propped started my engine. The wind was SE now, so I took off on runway 9 and put my chart away. I just followed Rt. 224 East to (3G3) Wadsworth. Flight was .7 hrs.and landed on runway 28, wind now SW.

Total time for the day: 6.6 hrs. Total trip: 21.7 hrs. Total miles OSH to 3G3: 520. Total on trip: 1,205 miles (averaging 56 mph ground speed).