I'm new to the Biplane forum, here's a bit about my interest in biplanes:
Like you, I'm crazy about biplanes:
1978 - every 2nd day I peaked through a hangar door at a Pitts II on my way to flight training at St Andrews Airport near Winnipeg, Manitoba
1979 - at Oshkosk purchased Acrosport II plans for $75 (couldn't afford a Pitts so figured I'd build a biplane...didn't think about the fact I had no idea how to do so!
1982 - "everything finished but the propellor and covering"...well almost!
2002 - thanks to the ongoing advice from EAA, other Acrosport builders like Neil Sidder, Neil ?, Gil Bourrier plus others I need to look in my construction log for the names, Vic Prefontaine (retired metal worker from Air Canada) who dropped in every Sunday night to inspect my work...left me with a long snag list that eventually meant the project was actually airworthy!, Ken Podaima local MDRA-Homebuilder Inspector who painstakingly helped me create the centre section fuel tank, the wiring system (without actually coming out and looking at it until I had done it one line at a time and the switches actually turned lights etc ON!) , Bill LeBrun - machinist and Jungmeister builder, Tom Stoyka & Charlie Engen (rebuilt the engine for me), RAA + Springfield Flying Club members who would answer questions I'd bring to every meeting...... Neil Stoesz, Pitts II airshow pilot (owned the Pitts that started all this!) gave me 30 hours dual instruction til I was comfortable landing it and my husband, Rick Riewe, who believed me (I believed myself too!) when i said it was almost done 20 years earlier and lived with the parts in the apt/house as life evolved. Today, I've flown over 1200 fabulous hours on the Acrosport II C-GGOJ...and every time I climb on board I think of the folks that help make this possible - Thank you!!
Trips have included local flights, Young Eagle and COPA for Kid flights, and annual trips across the Prairies through the Rocky Mountains to Vancouver Island, to Oshkosh!, around the Great Lakes to Michigan and Ottawa...still haven't painted it; might put on a decal if I could only decide what it would look like!
2011 - Vintage Wings of Canada had me fly their antique FINCH from Brandon Manitoba to Oshkosh! and on to Edenvale, Ontario
2012 - Brandon Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum accepted my offer to voluntarily lead a group of over 100 experts and helpers to completely restore their Tiger Moth DH82A -photos of the restoration process are on a blog - google tigermothrestoration.blogspot.com and you might find it! If not email me and I'll send you the link.
Happy Flying,
Jill
Like you, I'm crazy about biplanes:
1978 - every 2nd day I peaked through a hangar door at a Pitts II on my way to flight training at St Andrews Airport near Winnipeg, Manitoba
1979 - at Oshkosk purchased Acrosport II plans for $75 (couldn't afford a Pitts so figured I'd build a biplane...didn't think about the fact I had no idea how to do so!
1982 - "everything finished but the propellor and covering"...well almost!
2002 - thanks to the ongoing advice from EAA, other Acrosport builders like Neil Sidder, Neil ?, Gil Bourrier plus others I need to look in my construction log for the names, Vic Prefontaine (retired metal worker from Air Canada) who dropped in every Sunday night to inspect my work...left me with a long snag list that eventually meant the project was actually airworthy!, Ken Podaima local MDRA-Homebuilder Inspector who painstakingly helped me create the centre section fuel tank, the wiring system (without actually coming out and looking at it until I had done it one line at a time and the switches actually turned lights etc ON!) , Bill LeBrun - machinist and Jungmeister builder, Tom Stoyka & Charlie Engen (rebuilt the engine for me), RAA + Springfield Flying Club members who would answer questions I'd bring to every meeting...... Neil Stoesz, Pitts II airshow pilot (owned the Pitts that started all this!) gave me 30 hours dual instruction til I was comfortable landing it and my husband, Rick Riewe, who believed me (I believed myself too!) when i said it was almost done 20 years earlier and lived with the parts in the apt/house as life evolved. Today, I've flown over 1200 fabulous hours on the Acrosport II C-GGOJ...and every time I climb on board I think of the folks that help make this possible - Thank you!!
Trips have included local flights, Young Eagle and COPA for Kid flights, and annual trips across the Prairies through the Rocky Mountains to Vancouver Island, to Oshkosh!, around the Great Lakes to Michigan and Ottawa...still haven't painted it; might put on a decal if I could only decide what it would look like!
2011 - Vintage Wings of Canada had me fly their antique FINCH from Brandon Manitoba to Oshkosh! and on to Edenvale, Ontario
2012 - Brandon Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum accepted my offer to voluntarily lead a group of over 100 experts and helpers to completely restore their Tiger Moth DH82A -photos of the restoration process are on a blog - google tigermothrestoration.blogspot.com and you might find it! If not email me and I'll send you the link.
Happy Flying,
Jill
Last edited:
