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New Proud Skybolt Owner

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CKeller

Premium Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2006
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I'm now the proud owner of N81962, a 1990 Steen Skybolt that was previously living in Gallatin, TN. The aircraft is powered by an O-360A1D engine with a Hartzell constant speed prop, Bendix RSA5 fuel injection, and inverted oil. The airframe was overhauled in 1999 by a Stearman builder: tubes blasted and primed, wood revarnished, rewired, new metal fittings, new taller Skybolt gear, new aluminum panels, new instrument panels, new windshields and fairings, new-plan-design aileron slate struts, recovered in Ceconite and repainted. The aircraft is in beautiful condition and flew straight and fast (once I replaced the failing spark plugs :p).




I logged my first-ever 18 hours in a Skybolt flying it back to San Diego with my tailwheel instructor. Between the two of us we figured out how to land the thing, though we're still fine-tuning this. The landings are a lot noisier and busier than the Citabria in which I trained (I wonder why?). Love the big rudder though...


It was awfully fun to attract attention at every fuel stop we made on the trip back. This is a wonderful plane and I'm looking foward to many hours of enjoyable flying (and acro!) in the future...


Colleen


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Edited by: CKeller
 

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