- August 16, 2007 -

John asked me to write a quick synopsis of the culmination of N4966E's restoration process and first flight.  While I'm not a writer, I'll give er' the old college try:

What was originally thought (by John and I) to be a few months to "first flight" quickly became several months as the restoration process - education from Dave Cano and Reid Lamb continued during re-assembly of the aircraft.  While the rebuilding, refurbishing, and refinishing of the aircraft's components was tedious and time consuming; it immediately became evident that the final assembly and fitting of these restored components would evermore take patience (lots of patience).  

The meticulousness and thoroughness of Dave and Reid in guiding this re-assembly work was frustrating at times because the urge to get the plane airborne after nearly 3-years of work and downtime was becoming unbearable.  However and without a doubt, their foresight and knowledge of the importance of being patient and those things to come during assembly has paid off in the final chapters of this restoration.  The assembly, fit check, dis-assembly, tweaks, re-assembly, and so on continued... and continued... until things were "perfect".  The resulting fit, finish, and flying qualities of this fully restored airplane are nothing short of superb.

On the evening of August 2nd with the Flathead Valley filled with forest fire smoke from fires all around and the setting sun a fireball in the west, November Four Niner Six-Six Echo requested clearance for take-off from runway 20 at GPI.  A small group of well wishers, friends, family, and restoration contributors came out to support and celebrate this very special moment with John.  We all watched as flight instructor Bill Werner and John took off, stayed low testing the flight controls, and then smoothly climbed out to make way for the evening Horizon Airlines flight incoming from Seattle.  We watched as John and Bill crossed over-head mid field for a left downwind to runway 02 where John executed his first landing in almost 3-years in his airplane.  The old nose wheel (prone to shimmy during touch and goes) was now rock solid and vibration free.  John and Bill quickly rotated and flew another left downwind pattern to a full stop on runway 02.  As they taxied up to the hanger and shut down, those assembled congratulated John along with Dave, Reid, and others who contributed on a job very-very well done!

There are very few people who truly understand the level of time, effort, money, patience, and fortitude required to undertake a restoration process such as this.  Clearly, they are the relatively small group of people, who like John, have had the grit and determination to make such a commitment and actually see it through to completion.  For those within this small group of people have not only made the commitment in funding; but have themselves played an integral and driving role in the tedious and laborious work necessary to properly restore these aircraft.  But... it is these very people like John, who bring historical aircraft from by-gone aviation eras back to vibrant life for younger generations to experience. 

Without a doubt, it can be said that the now fully restored N4966E is difficult to "take in all at once" when first viewed up close.  It has to be absorbed with a little time and good old conversation.  If you are so lucky as to attend a flying event where John has his airplane on display, stop by and ask John about how he came to be the pilot and owner of this special airplane.  It's a good story filled with unique coincidences in the timing of those events that make up the story... especially when told by John!

Michael Jackola