Hello to all of you Boots fans out there!

It has been a long hot summer at Barnstormer’s Workshop.  With temperatures over 90 degrees for months and very little rain, I feel that I must have lost 10 lbs. of fur after shedding so much.  Not to mention that we work in an unairconditioned metal building.

As usual, we have been busy at Barnstormer’s, and we are thankful for that in this economy.  We have been doing a lot of general maintenance as of late.  We have had two Cessna 195′s in the hangar, one of which was a major repair for a frame replacement.  We have also worked on a Twin Comanche, a supercub, and a Cessna 170.  The boys went to Gainesville yesterday to get a 1929 KR34B ready for a ferry flight to its new home in Mississippi. 

We are working on an engine change for a Buker, and fitting the cowling on the Ryan STA project.  We are getting ready to send a Culver Cadet and a Mooney Mite to Brazil to go into a flying museum. 

We are also resotring a 50C 1938 Aeronca Chief, believed to be the oldest Aeronca in World War II, owned by Larry Bishop.  See picture below.  Look at that beautiful woodwork the guys have done on that.

Vintage days was this past weekend at Peachstate.  Old airplanes, cars, motorcycles, and even boats were in abundance as well as games for the kids and even an old fashioned cake walk.  A good time was had by all, but my wool 1920′s knickers did get a little hot.

Well, that’s it for now guys!  I will be blogging again in the fall.

Wishing you Blue Skies,

Boots

Spring Greetings to All,

After a long winter, all of us at Barnstormer’s have finally thawed out, opened the hangar doors, and are ready for some serious flying. 

Work continues at Barnstormer’s Workshop.  We have now completed the work on two of the three Bukers that we had been working on.

The Pitts has now been completed and is awaiting its owner to come back from overseas.  We have been working on completing a custom Stearman restoration.  It has been test flown and we are working on exhaust mods to complete the project.

Custom Stearman

Dear Boots Fans:

It’s been awhile since I last updated by blog here at Barnstormer’s Workshop.  What can I say?  There are only so many hours in a day, with my many jobs here…airport security, test co-pilot, chief rodent control, etc. 

We have many wornderful restorations going on at Barnstormer’s right now.  Currently, we have a complete Stearman restoration.  We have 2 Jungman Bukers (a German plane) in the hangar right now, and another scheduled for later.  Our Buker Specialist, Vern Stephens, is handling their care.  As a result or the recent string of Bukers, I’ve taken up German as a second language. 

We recently completed a beautiful and unique paint job on a Fairchild 24.  See below.

Fairchild 24

Chief Barnstormers David and Vern recently returned from a driving trip to Wisconsin to pick up a Ryan STA to finish for a customer.  Now that’s a trip that I did not want to go on.  I get a little car sick from time to time.  Also in progress is a Pitts which is owned by F18 pilot Eric Sorenson, who is overseas flying off a carrier.  We send our thoughts, prayers, and gratitude to him and all of our military personnel over the upcoming holidays.  Thank you for protecting our country.  We are proud of you. 

Pitts

Well, that’s it for now.  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all. 

Boots from the Blog

Note:  To Alice and Janie  I have recently been made aware of a “cat” competition.  Had I known this earlier, I could have saved you a lot of trouble.  If you will notice, my blog dates back to August, 2008.  As my many fans will tell you, I am the MAC DADDY of Cats.  Competition?  I don’t think so!! Who else guards an airport, flies airplanes in his spare time, and has his own blog?  Kitties, eat your heart out!!!

Happy 2010 From Boots!!!!

Well folks, we are starting a brand new year, and are just as busy as ever despite the economy.  (However, as a cat, I don’t really care much about any of that as long as I have food and a hanger to sleep in.)  Barnstormer’s Workshop completed the long awaited Fairchild 24 project at the end of October, and I wanted to tell you a little about the owner of the airplane as he has an interesting life.  The Fairchild is owned by Thomas Griffing, III.  from Sandusky Ohio.  Thomas is part of a family owned aviation business.  Their company was founded by his grandfather, Harry T. Griffing, Sr. and his grandmother T. Sue Griffing in 1937 with a Piper J-2.  Harry Sr. was a truck driver and drove between Cleveland and Chicago.  The main route that was taken in those days was Route 6, which goes right by the airport in Sandusky, Ohio.  The airport had been there since 1928 and Harry became interested in aviation while driving past.  He learned to fly in his home town of Canton, Ohio, in an Aeronca C-3.  After acquiring his license, he met Sue at the truck stop 1/2 mile from the airport in Sandusky, where she was a waitress.  They later married and formed the company together in 1937 when Harry taught his bride to fly.  Their main business at the time was flight instruction and they soon became a Piper Aircraft dealer and remained so until the early 1990′s.  When WWII broke out, Harry used a Waco UPF-7 that he owned to teach people to fly for the war under the Civilian Pilot Training Program in Toledo, Ohio.  Sue stayed home and ran the business while Harry was gone. 

Harry T. Griffing, Jr. (Tom), Thomas’ dad, was born in 1946 and was taught to fly by Sue, his mother.  Sue handled most of the longer charter trips for the company that were beginning to become more frequent at this time, and Harry Sr. was concentrating on flight instruction.  Harry, Jr.  grew up in Tri-Pacers, Apaches, and Comanches.  Harry, Jr. also had a sister, Melodie, who learned to fly but focused her attention on the bookkeeping end of the business.  She retired in 2006. The Griffing’s company today provides service to the six Lake Erie islands that have airports.  Their fleet includes 2 Archers, 1 Saratoga, a Britten-Norman Islander, and two Beech King Air B200′s for charter flights.  

Harry, Jr. married and Harry T. Griffing III (Thomas), was born in 1982.  Harry hung around with his grandmother and grandfather, and as a result, became fascinated with classic aircraft.  Thomas has a brother, Lee, who flight instructs with a Warrior.  Harry’s sister is also involved in the business with bookkeeping.  As for Thomas and his family, they purchased the Fairchild in early 2002 from Camille Barrett in Louisville, KY at an estate sale 

We love to hear about other family run aviation businesses, and have enjoyed getting to know the Griffings during the restoration of the Fairchild.  As you can see from the photos, the airplane is beautiful.

Harry, Sr. (Tom), Thomas, and Caitlyn (Thomas' girlfriend)

Hello from Boots,

Barnstormer’s Workshop has been busily finishing up projects just in time for Christmas.  We completed the Taylorcraft restoration owned by Mark Woodworth of Madison, Ohio.  We delivered the fresh restoration to him in early October.  I had really hoped to make that trip, but was told that I needed to stay here and guard the remaining airplanes.  Life as a guard cat sure does get boring. 

Mr. Woodworth’ s Taylorcraft is a 1939 BL-65 and has been in his family since 1939 when it was purchased new.  He had taken the aircraft to the Taylorcraft Factory in Texas for restoration.  After the Taylorcraft Factory went bankrupt for the second time, Mr. Woodworth was contacted to come and get what was left of his aircraft.  Unfortunately, there was not much left.  When Mr. Woodworth contact Barnstormer’s Workshop to see if we could fix his airplane, there were no wings, no tail feathers, a piece of an old Lycoming engine, and very few parts. 

We were not only able to put it in flying condition, but turned it into a beauty. 

1939 BL-65 Taylorcraft

It’s really great to see these guys at Barnstormer’s take an airplane that potentially might not ever have flown again, and turn it into such a nice airplane.

Well, that’s it for now.  Happy Holidays from Boots Blog at Barnstormer’s Workshop.

Wishing you Blue Skies!

Boots

June 26, 2009

Hello!

Welcome to my BLOG!  This month, I’d like to introduce you to one of our employees.  Vern Stephens is like family.  David and Diane, Barnstormer’s owners, have known Vern for over 30 years.  He is the Shop Foreman here at Barnstormer’s Workshop.  You can always count on Vern to be there in a pinch.  His reliability and trustworthiness is above reproach and his knowledge of aircraft is a valuable gift to our company. 

Vern has been involved in the aviation field, in one form or another, all of his life.  His father, Elbert Stephens, was General Foreman and Director of Maintenance for Southern Airways, where he retired in 1985. 

After Vern completed high school, he attended South Georgia Technical School in Americus, GA from 1976-1978 where he received his A & P license.  While going to school, he worked parttime for Roddy Aviation at Souther Field performing annuals and loading cropdusters.  After graduation, he was 1st employed by Hanger One and then Southern Airways from 1979-2005. (During his employment, Southern Airways became Republic Airlines and, later, Northwest Airlines.)  After leaving Northwest, Vern worked for Hale Aircraft and finally joined Barnstormer’s in October, 2007.  Vern’s vast aviation experience gives him a diverse wealth of knowledge on many types of aircraft.  He has truly been an asset to Barnstormer’s. 

Vern is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys fishing and hunting.  He worked with the Boy Scouts for 25 years and currently coaches the Pike County 4H Shot Gun Team and Archery Team.  Vern has been married to his wife, Renee, since 1989 and has two sons and three adorable grandsons.  We are fortunate to have him as part of our team.

Vern working on a Fairchild 24 restoration.

 Well, that’s it for now.  Hope you enjoyed getting to know Vern.  Stay tuned till next time.

Wishing you Blue Skys,

Boots

Hi Folks,

It’s been a while since I last posted anything, and wanted to give you some updates.  Hope that everyone survived the winter months.  Spring is on its way.  We are managing to stay real busy at Barnstormers, despite the economy.  We finally finished the Citabria (See photo), and it, along with its owner, flew to its new home. 

Awaiting pick up

We’ve also been doing some general maintenance and repair on a T-28.

Now that’s a big airplane.  I could really get comfortable on the wing of that bird.  Work continues on the Taylorcraft, and should be nearing completion soon.  We’ve been doing annuals on a C-195, another Taylorcraft, Cessna 310, and Stinson.   

T-28

Life is good!  Come by and visit us when you can, and you can see firsthand the type of work we are doing.  In the meantime, wishing you blue skies.

Boots

I’ve got a lot to fill you folks in on. . .

Over the past couple of months, we’ve been completing an Aeronca C-3 project for one of our customers, Mr. Tracy Forrest.  Tracy bought the basket case to present as a surprise gift to the Wilson Family at the Wilson Air Center in Memphis, Tennessee.  The group here at Barnstormer’s completed the project in early December.  David Harwell and Vern Stephens, two of our important team members trucked the airplane to Memphis (Road Trip), assembled it, and were in atttendance for the presentation.  The airplane will be displayed at the Wilson Air Center.  Mr. Kemmons Wilson barnstormed in the 1930′s in a C-3.  In WWII, he flew the Hump.  After the war, he and his wife started a “little” motel chain called the Holiday Inn.  Mr Wilson, Sr. passed away in the 1990′s.  The airplane was a gift for his family and was painted and finished out just as Mr. Kemmons Wilson’s original Aeronca C-3.  Attached are some great photos of the presentation.

We hope that the Wilsons enjoy the airplane!!

Meantime, back in Georgia, we are working on the Taylorcraft and Citabria restorations.  We are in the painting stages, and I hope to have photos for you next month. 

Wishing you Blue Skys,

Boots

Hi Folks,

With all of the Christmas parties, shopping, etc., I just have not had a chance to update my blog.  I promise that I will get back on schedule next month.  In the meantime, myself and all of my peeps at Barnstormer’s Workshop wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Now, I think that it’s time to settle down for a long winter’s nap.

I’m still,

Boots from the Blog

Well, it’s me again-Boots from the shop.  A lot of activity has been going on at Barnstormer’s these days.  So much so, that it’s hard for me to get my cat naps in.  The guys have been busily restoring a C-3 (flying bathtub) for a customer.  It’s a funny looking thing with its belly hanging so low.  But, they tell me that it is probably a little too slow for my taste, as I have a “need for speed”.   Work has continued on the Fairchild and it looks like we may have finally located an air box for it. (Yeah!!!)  More work has also been accomplished on the Culver Cadet, the Taylorcraft, and Mr. Harry’s Stinson wing has a new spar.

We just got in a Pitts fuselage that needs recovering.  The owner is a Navy F-18 pilot. (He likes cats!)  More about him in a future blog.  In addition to all of the aircraft work, we put together a trailer to transport people at Fly-Ins and donated it to the Candler Field Museum located here at Peachstate Aerodrome.  I will be adding photos to my blog page in a day or two.  It’s pouring rain here today, and I will get my fur wet if I take photos today.

Wishing you Blue Skys,

Boots