Looks like this might be the plan, Stan.

EdFred

EdFred

Taxi to Parking
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White Chocolate
My dad loooooooooooooooooooooves the Navion. "It's the civilian P-51!" he says. They are big. They are roomy. They handle grass real well. They have good short field performance. So it seems as if he found his plane, eventually. But he's looking at getting one soon, as in before he starts his training. So, the plan looks like it might be this:

Dad gets the Navion, and does his primary training in my Cherokee. In exchange for using my plane, I get to use his plane. In which, I will get my commercial, and then my CFI. Then I will fly with him as CFI for whatever number of hours the insurance company wants from a non IR pilot.
 
Nice plan, lucky dog! I call dibs on a ride in the Navion at Gastons. :D
 
Bill Jennings said:
Nice plan, lucky dog! I call dibs on a ride in the Navion at Gastons. :D
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Ha! Not sure I'd bring it even if it was obtained by then. But if I do...
 
wow - how did you hook your dad? I need to hook mine or at least get him to fly with me once
 
5 pax at a time can call dibs in the Navion. They are fun but for x/c they suck, faster than Greyhound though. My biggest beef is that there is no spit window or relief tube. They manuever well but work on those forearms first. They certainly have ramp presence but the fun part is watching people mouth the words, what is that? And be sure not to retract the flaps before shut down.

The warbird museum at PRB has a Ryan Nav which is currently being restored. We're about 5 years behind schedule and our chief A&P just went in for double knee surgery.
 
SkyHog said:
wow - how did you hook your dad? I need to hook mine or at least get him to fly with me once
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.

He's been wanting to fly forever. Just never had the time. He's decided to make time.
 
Richard said:
And be sure not to retract the flaps before shut down.
quote]

Never flew one, what's the deal with flap settings on the ground ?
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Ed,
Have you or your dad flown a Navion? There is one hangared next to me at Greenville(6D6). It is a true "Hangar Queen". When it flies, we all have to cover our ears. It is the noisiest thing in the sky. They have more valves & switches than a Boeing 747. Navion put the "Complex" in the "Complex / Hi-Performance" endorsement. Big dogs on performence. Early models were O-470/185 HP and later versions had a O-520/225 HP. They are roomy, but that seems to be about the only plus. Make sure to fly one before you purchase.
My 2 cents.
Gary
 
Gary Miesch said:
They have more valves & switches than a Boeing 747. Navion put the "Complex" in the "Complex / Hi-Performance" endorsement.
My 2 cents.
Gary
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Aint it the truth. The run up can be complex as well but you're grinning 'cause you know you're in a real a/c.
 
Richard said:
Dave Krall CFII said:
I'm not gonna' answer that. You'll have to find out for yourself.:D
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I hope nothing bad happens when I retract them then.

Actually, I'll never be flying in one unless by chance, because they don't have the performance package to interest me.
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Ed, there's a Navion based at Fredericksburg, TX (T82) which has, essentially, a glass panel. Absofreakin'lutely amazing.

Navions are beastly, but those who love 'em, REALLY love 'em.

And fuel burn? Hey more GPH, but more knots too!

Bring it!
 
Gary Miesch said:
Ed,
Have you or your dad flown a Navion? There is one hangared next to me at Greenville(6D6). It is a true "Hangar Queen". When it flies, we all have to cover our ears. It is the noisiest thing in the sky. They have more valves & switches than a Boeing 747. Navion put the "Complex" in the "Complex / Hi-Performance" endorsement. Big dogs on performence. Early models were O-470/185 HP and later versions had a O-520/225 HP. They are roomy, but that seems to be about the only plus. Make sure to fly one before you purchase.
My 2 cents.
Gary
Click to expand...

A guy has one 3 bays down from me here at 9D9, and he just happened to come in right after us on Saturday. So, dad was out talking to him. This one has the 185hp. The guy claims 135kts at 12gph. Who knows, dad is thinking about mom with the purchase. Roomy, but not zoomy. They won't be doing any monster XCs, just from here to 6Y9 will be 90% of the flights.
 
One of the guys up at Pine Mountain lake has a nice one. Nice interior just redone the last year or so. It just seems.... BIG.
 
Gary Miesch said:
Ed,
Have you or your dad flown a Navion? There is one hangared next to me at Greenville(6D6). It is a true "Hangar Queen". When it flies, we all have to cover our ears. It is the noisiest thing in the sky. They have more valves & switches than a Boeing 747. Navion put the "Complex" in the "Complex / Hi-Performance" endorsement. Big dogs on performence. Early models were O-470/185 HP and later versions had a O-520/225 HP. They are roomy, but that seems to be about the only plus. Make sure to fly one before you purchase.
My 2 cents.
Gary
Click to expand...

While it is a direct predecessor of the O-470, the E-185 and E-225 Continentals are the engines powering the earlier Navions AFaIK. I've flown in one a long time ago that was in similar shape to what you described. Owned by an A&P and kinda cobbled together from a couple airframes. I haven't seen that one around for several years but some guys have a very nice example in my old hangar so they're not all bad. I think they're kind of like a 7/10ths scale T28 in many ways except the round engine.
 
N2212R said:
My dad loooooooooooooooooooooves the Navion. "It's the civilian P-51!" he says. They are big. They are roomy. They handle grass real well. They have good short field performance. So it seems as if he found his plane, eventually. But he's looking at getting one soon, as in before he starts his training. So, the plan looks like it might be this:

Dad gets the Navion, and does his primary training in my Cherokee. In exchange for using my plane, I get to use his plane. In which, I will get my commercial, and then my CFI. Then I will fly with him as CFI for whatever number of hours the insurance company wants from a non IR pilot.
Click to expand...

Sounds great, you'll love the Navion. I used to fly one I helped an old timer with. It had a 285hp IO 520. Nice flying you could honestly cruise 160 without pulling too hard. You'll have to get used to the interlock on the gear switch. There's some really nice Navions around. BTW, if he like the Navion, have a look around for a Folker Wolf FW 149. They're aerobatic as well and have a stick. Very similar look to a Navion, nice performance and 4 seats utility. They may be experimental or restricted, something has me remembering non standard paperwork on it. Anyway, if you don't want to put it to work, it won't much matter.

Remember, all these planes are old, but there is still support for them. Most of their owners have loved them, so most are (or were) in very good shape. Find him a good one.
 
Wow, Ed, this sounds great. I like the Navion, but I've never been in one. I'm actually tied down right next to one -- in fact, that's why I picked that tiedown spot. But I have never seen the owner and have never seen it flying. It's sitting there with the tires low. :(

You must bring it to Gaston's if you have it by then! I haven't asked anybody for rides yet, but allow me to make this my first request. :D
 
Henning said:
Sounds great, you'll love the Navion. I used to fly one I helped an old timer with. It had a 285hp IO 520. Nice flying you could honestly cruise 160 without pulling too hard. You'll have to get used to the interlock on the gear switch. There's some really nice Navions around. BTW, if he like the Navion, have a look around for a Folker Wolf FW 149. They're aerobatic as well and have a stick. Very similar look to a Navion, nice performance and 4 seats utility. They may be experimental or restricted, something has me remembering non standard paperwork on it. Anyway, if you don't want to put it to work, it won't much matter.
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I've seen one or two FWs around here and they are tres cool. And I'm pretty sure is wasn't an experimental either. They do look a lot like a Navion from the outside (enough to make you wonder if somebody copied someone's design) but the cockpit is quite different.
 
Gary Miesch said:
Ed,
Have you or your dad flown a Navion? There is one hangared next to me at Greenville(6D6). It is a true "Hangar Queen". When it flies, we all have to cover our ears. It is the noisiest thing in the sky. They have more valves & switches than a Boeing 747. Navion put the "Complex" in the "Complex / Hi-Performance" endorsement. Big dogs on performence. Early models were O-470/185 HP and later versions had a O-520/225 HP. They are roomy, but that seems to be about the only plus. Make sure to fly one before you purchase.
My 2 cents.
Gary
Click to expand...
"Hangar Queen" Gary come on. And that Navion is not near as loud as the C-185's(who cares about the noise anyway) that we have flying out of there. I flew in that 1948 Navion last weekend and to be honest I liked the aircaft. Not the fastest thing in the world but it got off the ground alot better than i was expecting for only 225 horse power.(it left the ground way before 85mph unlike some aircraft i know of)LOL Complex what the heck are you talking about, Hydrulic flaps and gear that is about the biggest difference that i could see from any other high performance/ compex aircaft. The panel was deffenitly different but manageable. I liked the feel of the aircraft solid and smooth, I thought that it flew a heck of alot better than that C-172 that i normally fly. Not a great X-country machine but with 7 hours of fuel on board and enough room inside for me to streach out, I would fly one any time.:yes:
 
AND it's Carrier Certified!

N2212R said:
My dad loooooooooooooooooooooves the Navion. "It's the civilian P-51!" he says. They are big. They are roomy. They handle grass real well. They have good short field performance. So it seems as if he found his plane, eventually. But he's looking at getting one soon, as in before he starts his training. So, the plan looks like it might be this:

Dad gets the Navion, and does his primary training in my Cherokee. In exchange for using my plane, I get to use his plane. In which, I will get my commercial, and then my CFI. Then I will fly with him as CFI for whatever number of hours the insurance company wants from a non IR pilot.
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Jack,
I can count the number of times that the Navion has flown, on one hand, in the past two years. :hairraise: :hairraise: :hairraise: :hairraise:
You either have more guts or less brains than I. You won't catch me flying in any airplane that gets flown so infrequently. Stick with the 172, you'll live longer.:yes:

See ya,
Gary:D
 
Henning said:
Well s**t howdy would you look at that. Wonder if it could take a cat shot:D .
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According to the Ryan PR flack, with a 29 knot wind across the deck, the L-17 only needed a 300' take-off run. Guess they never got to try the cat:(. (see the document: "L-17B Operating Aboard the USS Badoeng Strait" at www.navion.com/navionhistory.html).

Bruce
 
Well gary its your story. And have you been in that 172 lately. "More guts or less bains,"I wont even dignify that part with a response.
 
Hey Jack,
What are you doing up at 01:26am? Gowen rolls up the sidewalks at 9:00pm. Hope you are doing your school work and not surfing those porn sites, again.:rofl:
Gary
 
I was standing on the end of the Big Creek, Idaho grass strip one morning. I was waiting for a miner friend that needed a ride. They were having a Navion fly-in. The first one landed fine, but the second one landed gear up. So I guess it can happen. Not a pretty sight.
 
Sidewalks, in gowen yeah right. And who in that town would roll them up anyway. LOL
 
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