April 2003

WWWWWaynoka’aynoka’aynoka’aynoka’aynoka’s As As As As Aviation Historviation Historviation Historviation Historviation History:y:y:y:y:TTTTTranscontinental Air Transcontinental Air Transcontinental Air Transcontinental Air Transcontinental Air Transportransportransportransportransport

Vol 21, No 4The The The The The Oklahoma AOklahoma AOklahoma AOklahoma AOklahoma Aviatorviatorviatorviatorviator

Your window to Oklahoma Aviation...Past, Present, FutureOklahoma Aviator, 32432 S. Skyline Drive, Cookson, OK 74427

This scene depicts the TAT Ford Tri-Motor and the Aerocarpassenger transport vehicle on the ramp at Waynoka in 1929.

Historic Oklahoma AHistoric Oklahoma AHistoric Oklahoma AHistoric Oklahoma AHistoric Oklahoma Aviation Artviation Artviation Artviation Artviation ArtThis is the second of twelve

in our series of historic aviationart prints, created in the mid-1980s by Joe Cunningham andnoted Tulsa artist Monte Toon,depicting significant events inOklahoma aviation history.

Each 13”x16” print is signedby the artist. Single prints are$20 each. Any six prints are $90or the full set of twelve is $170.Add $6 S&H for each order.Make checks payable to TheOklahoma Aviator.

[This is an edited version ofa story we ran in February 2002.With the Centennial of Flightand the Ford Air Tour visit toOklahoma (see page 6), wethought it would be interestingto re-run it- Ed.]

It was winter 1928-29 whenCol. Charles Lindbergh

landed his airplane in an alfalfafield about three miles northeastof Waynoka, OK. Two teenagefarm boys, Roscoe and PunkKelsey, watched him from theirhome across the road. As heclimbed out of the cockpit, theyimmediately recognized the tall,slender Lindbergh, made famousby his transatlantic flight in 1927.Lindbergh was looking for landfor a new airport to be built byTranscontinental Air Transport(TAT).

In early 1928, Lindbergh andthree other TAT founders haddrawn a map on an envelopeshowing a potential route thatwould take passengers from coastto coast in 48 hours, using a com-bination of air travel and railtravel. A few months later,Lindbergh finalized the route andTAT was born.

The plan was for passengersto take a night train from New

York City to Columbus, OH, onthe Pennsylvania Railroad. Thenext morning, they would boarda TAT airplane and fly west, mak-

ing stops in Indianapolis, St.Louis, Kansas City, Wichita, andWaynoka, arriving about6:00PM. That night, after din-

A latter-day poster showing TWA’s roots in Transcontinental Air Transport (TAT).ner at Waynoka’s Harvey House,they would board a Santa Fe trainto Clovis, NM. The followingmorning, another TAT airplanewould take them to Los Angeles,with stops at Albuquerque,Winslow, and Kingman. The farewas to be $360 per person.

With Col. Lindbergh as itstechnical advisor, TAT quicklybecame known unofficially as“the Lindbergh Line.” Lindberghselected airplanes, pilots, and air-port sites.The Ford Tri-Motors

Lindbergh’s technical com-mittee investigated six multi-en-gine airplanes for the new passen-ger line. Lindbergh preferred thesturdy Ford Tri-Motor, dubbedthe “Tin Goose,” even though itwas slow and noisy. Powered bythree Pratt and Whitney 400-hpWasp engines, the all-metal planecould sustain flight with two en-gines. In an emergency, it couldmaintain a slow descent with onlyone engine; from 5000' altitude,it could reach any landing spotwithin twenty miles.

The Tri-Motor had a wing-span of 77 feet 10 inches, carried

fuel for a 500-mile trip, andcruised at 100 mph. For the TATflights, cruising altitude would be2500 feet westbound, and some-what higher eastbound.

Five wicker seats lined eachside of the luxurious cabin. Eachpassenger had his or her own win-dow with a brown velvet drap-ery, reading lamp, electric cigarlighter, and ashtray. The noiselevel made communication otherthan note writing impossible. Aheater kept the cabin a somewhatcomfortable 60 degrees.The Pilots

Col. Lindbergh’s pilot re-cruitment committee hiredthirty-eight pilots, mostly fromother airlines, aircraft companies,and the military. They were the“cream of the aerial crop,” withan average flying time of 3000hours each, including an averageof 500 hours in Tri-Motors.Their salary was $300 per month,plus expenses.The Landing Field

On March 3, 1929, a joyouscrowd of about 4,000 gatheredat the Waynoka site to witness thegroundbreaking ceremony andpartake of a big barbecue spon-sored by the Chamber of Com-

by Sandie Olson,by Sandie Olson,by Sandie Olson,by Sandie Olson,by Sandie Olson,PrPrPrPrPresident, Wesident, Wesident, Wesident, Wesident, WaynokaaynokaaynokaaynokaaynokaHistorical SocietyHistorical SocietyHistorical SocietyHistorical SocietyHistorical Society

continued on p. 9.

Charles Lindberg (third from left, standing) posed with WaynolkaTAT crewmembers during his 1929 visit.

For morFor morFor morFor morFor more We We We We Waynokaaynokaaynokaaynokaaynokaaviation historaviation historaviation historaviation historaviation historyyyyy,,,,,

see page 4see page 4see page 4see page 4see page 4

The Oklahoma Aviator, April 2003, Page 2

The Horizontal WindsockThe Horizontal WindsockThe Horizontal WindsockThe Horizontal WindsockThe Horizontal Windsock The Higher PlaneThe Higher PlaneThe Higher PlaneThe Higher PlaneThe Higher Planeby Mike Huffmanby Mike Huffmanby Mike Huffmanby Mike Huffmanby Mike Huffman by Barbara Huffmanby Barbara Huffmanby Barbara Huffmanby Barbara Huffmanby Barbara Huffman

Airplanes andAirplanes andAirplanes andAirplanes andAirplanes andWWWWWorld Peaceorld Peaceorld Peaceorld Peaceorld Peace

Our WOur WOur WOur WOur World at World at World at World at World at Wararararar

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I feel moved to write a few lines aboutthe recent developments in our country.A few nights before publication of this is-sue, we listened to our president talk aboutthe immediacy of war with Iraq. I cried—and was not sure how to feel. Thousandsof people on both sides of the conflict willperhaps die. There will likely be mass suf-fering, soldiers separated from their fami-lies, and more than likely, more terroristattacks upon our country like the 9/11 di-saster.

I don’t know how to feel. On the onehand, I can’t believe that a God of love andmercy wants His people killing each other.On the other hand, how can we allow our-selves to be the targets of such insanity aswe have seen in the actions of the Hitler’s,Osama Bin Laden’s, and Saddam Hussein’sof the world? Do we not deserve to live inpeace without madmen threatening the verysecurity of our streets, families, communi-ties, and churches? And when we elect apresident and a congress to do what is bestfor the American people, don’t we then needto support their decisions? Yet, what if theyare wrong, and led to war by greed, thedesire for power, or something other thanthe benefit of the American people? Howmany of the decisions are based on oil eco-nomics?

Most of my friends and colleagues areon one side of this thing or the other - andseem to fault me for not “taking sides.”One friend says that if we don’t kill off theSaddam’s of the world, we are not evensupporting Christianity. This positionreally bothers me. Another friend has beenin the streets for weeks, carrying signs ofwar protest. This also bothers me.

Often, though I hate war, I havethoughts of what might happen if we doNOT wipe out the Saddam Hussein re-gime. It sounds great and noble to protestany kind of violence— especially war. Butwhat happens if we leave him in power

and he, with all of his riches, resources,and political connections, begins system-atic, well-planned attacks on America andthe other peace-loving nations of theworld? So if we don’t support this war,will we even be alive later to say that it wasa mistake? Or will the term 9/11 have ascompany new terms such as 4/17 or 8/20that play out in our memories additionalAmerican tragedies? How many of us needto die before we take the war on terrorismseriously?

Lots of people are making jokes about“kicking a_ _ and taking names,” or “kill-ing ‘em all and lettin’ God sort ‘em out.”This is, I believe, bravado based on fear.If there is an American alive today that isnot afraid of the potential consequencesof our political situation today, I’d like tomeet them. This is frightening! And ifanyone thinks they have all the answers,I’d like to hear from them, too - for I don’tsee how anyone could grasp the far-reach-ing consequences of this war or what itwill do to all of us emotionally.

So how can we lean on our faith inGod, our faith in each other, and yes, evenour faith in our elected leaders, and standstrong - as America has always done?

It is a sober time, for sure. A time forreflection about what we know, what wefeel, and what we are willing to do aboutit. It is a time for neighbor to be kind toneighbor. A time to let old grudges andanimosities go, a time for forgiveness andkindness. And it is a time for prayer.Prayer that God places a keen intelligenceand an open heart into every one of ourpolitical leaders and into every humanheart. Prayer that at least a lengthy warcan be averted. Prayer for the safety ofour soldiers, and all Americans at home.And prayer that there is no more pain andsuffering on either side.

Maybe it is a time to reconnect withfamily members, to make sure those welove know it, and to dedicate ourselves tokeeping life as upbeat, cheerful, and nor-mal as we can during this awful time thatis most likely leading up to tragedy aftertragedy. There is so much good in theworld – so much to enjoy and look for-ward to. Let us keep our eye on HigherPlane, as we move through these difficulttimes.

I invite your comments. This edito-rial has not been aviation-related, but theOklahoma Aviator staff believes that thecurrent status of our country is of highimportance, and deserving of our focusedattention.

Blessings on us all!

In one of this month’s articles, you willread about an early Oklahoma aviation ex-perimenter named Lindsley who, lookingforward to military uses of aircraft, madethe grand prediction that airplanes wouldbecome “the greatest factor in the historyof the world in establishing universalpeace.”

Now, as we watch the war in Iraq un-fold in real time before our very eyes, withalmost unimaginably sophisticated air-craft-- even to our jaded 21st-century eyes-- delivering equally sophisticated weaponsto wreak stunningly precise devastation onmassive scale, Lindsley’s prediction is cer-tainly open to question.

Has the development of aviation overthe last 100 years aided or harmed the goalof world peace? It is a question well worthasking.

After all, the first customer of theWright brothers was the U.S. government.Since then, money spent on military usesfor aircraft has undoubtedly far out-stripped that for non-military applications.

Starting with the first hand-droppedbombs and pistol shots from WWI opencockpit biplanes, airplanes have been re-fined to become ever more efficient ma-chines for destruction and death.

Because of that, it is tempting to thinkthat perhaps the world might have beenbetter off if the airplane had not been de-veloped.

However, if we look at how the worldwas organized a hundred years ago, we maychange our minds. The world up throughthe 19th century was a big place, popu-lated by cultures existing in various de-grees of isolation. News did not travel fastand neither did people.

In the absence of reading news andbeing acquainted with people from othercultures, it was easy to conjure up imagesof them as being very diffetent from us,and to think of them as evil.

That way of thinking pervaded theworld, even through the middle to lateyears of the 20th century-- not only be-tween nations, but down to the finer scalesof states, cities, communities, neighbor-hoods, and religious or ethnic groups. Forinstance, as a white Anglo-Saxon Protes-tant high school kid growing up in Okla-homa City, the only “foreigner” I knew

was our Latvian exhange student. I didn’tknow any black people. I knew a fewCatholics, but nobody from New York.

In short, the world was still tribal innature. Some of the tribes had gotten quitelarge and powerful, but the same types ofsuspicions and rivalries existed.

Technology, of which aviation is a ma-jor part, changed all that. Now, at the dawnof the 21st century, the world is a smallplace. Because of television, the Internet,and airplanes, we go places, see things, buyand sell items, and are generally exposed tocultures from around the world. We aremildly surprised to see that Baghdad hasstreets, buildings, cars, and morning rushhour just like Tulsa. And, while we do seedifferences, we see that the Iraqi citizensand families look a whole lot like us.

I am convinced the only hope for worldpeace is for the world to become evensmaller-- to get loose from tribal thinking,so that we see other nations as part of ourown community and begin to understandthat we must learn to live together.

Airplanes help make that possible.And so, I begin to recognize that, like alltechnical advances, it is not the technol-ogy that is good or bad, but the uses hu-man beings devise for it.

For now, airplanes are being used todestroy, and that may very well be the onlyviable alternative. But they are also beingused to shuttle diplomats all over theworld, to bring food and medical sup-plies to those needing it, and for otherhumanitarian uses.

My fervent hope is that we, the UnitedStates, will have the wisdom and the willto use our massive power for the good ofthe world, not just our own country. Godbless not only America, but the entireworld!

The Oklahoma Aviator, April 2003, Page 3

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Last week, an airman came to the of-fice and applied for a First Class medicalcertificate. During the exam, he missedseven of fourteen plates of the Ishihara colorvision test. As most of you know, eachIshihara test plate has a pattern of coloreddots all across its face. On each plate, subtlecolor differences in some of the dots revealthe image of a number, which the appli-cant must be able to distinguish.

According to the FAA rules, the air-man who missed seven of the fourteen platesmust be considered “green-red deficient”or color-blind. As such, a limitation mustbe placed on his medical certificate saying“Not valid for night flying or color signalcontrol.”

Most of the airmen I see are seeking

Second and First Class Medicals. Theseare the folks that make a living in aviation,and of course, if they cannot fly at night, itputs a big limitation on their ability to ob-tain employment. Therefore, as a rule wetry to get this limitation removed via alter-nate color vision tests (of which there areseveral) or by a test with the FAA at thetime of their private pilot check ride via amedical flight test.

I have found the best alternative forpilots in northeastern Oklahoma is to sendthem to the School of Optometry inTahlequah, where a “Farnsworth lanterntest” can be administered. I believe the testcosts about $100. The majority of airmenI have sent have passed this test. Once theyhave passed the test, the School of Optom-etry issues them a letter to that effect. Theythen bring the letter to my office; we keepa copy ourselves, send a copy to the FAA,and issue their medical certificate withoutthe night flying limitation.

We instruct each airman to hang ontothe original letter and make a copy for theirlogbook, so that if they see another avia-tion medical examiner, they will have someproof that they did pass an alternate test. Ibelieve the School of Optometry inTahlequah is only place in northeasternOklahoma where the Farnsworth lanterntest is administered. If you know of an-other place, please do not hesitate to con-tact this office at 918-437-7993.

This year marks the centennial cel-ebration of the Wright Brother's firstpowered flight. I am sure it won't belong before we start hearing about otherinventors of their time who also experi-mented with powered flight and, to alimited extent, achieved some sort ofpowered aerial levitation. I figure I mayas well jump on the bandwagon andshare a story about one of my favoritepre-Wright aeronautical inventors. In1894, Hiram Steven Maxim not onlyachieved a brief powered flight, he alsocarried passengers.

Born in 1840 in Maine, Hiram onlyprogressed through 5 years of formalschooling. As he grew up, he proved tobe an avid reader and read every bookhe could get regarding scientific andengineering subjects. In his early days,he worked as a wheelwright, carriagepainter, cabinetmaker, mechanic anddraftsman. By the time he was 30 yearsold, Hiram was so well respected as aself-taught engineer that he was hiredas a chief engineer for one of New YorkCity's first electric utility companies.

In the late 1870's he invented andpatented a gun that could automaticallychamber and fire hundreds of roundsper minute. His unique design used therecoil of the fired bullet to eject the spentcartridge and automatically chamber anew round. He attempted to sell hisgun to our government but the U.S.military was not interested in his design.While on a business trip to London in1881, he decided to present his designto the British War Ministry. They likedit and, by 1884, the Maxim MachineGun, which could fire 600 belt-fedrounds per minute, was put into serviceby the British military.

Hiram Steven Maxim became a Brit-ish citizen, was knighted by QueenVictoria and attained considerablewealth. His machine gun design is thebasis for most modern, automatic-fir-ing weapons in use today.

However, this is a story about air-planes. From 1885 to 1890, Maximturned his wealth and energies to aero-nautical experiments. He developed air-foils and propellers and calculated lifttables. He was an early user of a wind

tunnel in his experiments. In 1891, hebegan work on a full-size flying machine.

Like several other experimenters ofthe day, Hiram Maxim believed that thepower plant was the key factor for suc-cess. He focused his design towardsperfecting an efficient, lightweight,steam engine. The result was a 180-hpengine that weighed only 320 pounds.While the engine itself was remarkablylight, the boiler and condenser systemadded considerably to the overall weight.

He designed an airplane to use twoof these engines and, after several de-sign changes, ended up with a huge two-winged monster. The body was 40 feetlong and 8 feet wide. It stood over 30feet high and it had an amazing 104-foot wingspan. Two 17-foot propellersprovided thrust for his three-and-a-half-ton airplane. The airplane rolled on ironwheels and Maxim laid 1800 ft. of trackfor it to roll on. The flying machinehad no flight control system, so it wasdesigned to remain in “captive” flight.A set of wooden upper rails was con-structed above the track. If the machinelifted more that a few inches, outriggerwheels would hit the upper rails andkeep his monster captive.

In 1893, Maxim's flying machinewas perfected to the point that he be-gan giving demonstrations and rides. Itmust have been quite a sight to see hissteam powered monster swinging itshuge propellers, speeding along its track.On July 31, 1894, something wentwrong-- or maybe right. Maxim andhis three passengers rolled down thetrack for a demonstration. The machinerose sharply and the upper rails broke.Now unrestrained, the 5,000 poundmachine rose into the air about two orthree feet and traveled for about 200 feetbefore Maxim could shut-down the en-gines and crash land. This one “flight”ended Hiram Maxim's flying experi-ments.

I can't help but compare HiramMaxim to the Wright brothers. Thereare similarities and differences. BothMaxim and the Wrights were self-taughtscientists and self motivated to succeed.Maxim's machine gun was a significantinvention, but was initially rejected byour government. Our government alsorejected the Wright Brothers airplane forseveral years. Both Maxim and theWrights found initial financial successfor their inventions in Europe, not theUnited States.

However, as aeronautical inventors,the Wrights and Maxim focused on dif-ferent aspects of powered flight. ForMaxim it was the engine; for theWrights it was control of the machine.The Wright Brothers experiments pre-vailed and, on December 17th of thisyear, we will celebrate the 100th anni-versary of the first controlled, poweredflight.

The Oklahoma Aviator, April 2003, Page 4

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In the years following the Wrightbrothers first powered flight, designers,inventors, and industrialists representinga wide range of abilities and knowledgerushed to capture a piece of the develop-ing market for flying machines. Some ofthem, such as Glenn Curtiss, were suc-cessful early on and went on to becomemajor players in the aircraft industry.Others, such as Clyde Cessna, waited

until the 1910s to get started, but wenton to attain their own success. Others,however, briefly experimented with air-craft designs and, without notable suc-cess, were all but lost to aviation history.This is the story of one of the latter indi-viduals, William D. Lindsley of Waynoka,OK.

Lindsley was apparently a profes-sional tinkerer of sorts, inventing andmanufacturing mundane items such asfishhooks and flyswatters. Always thepromoter, he advertised his fly swatter asable to “do the work of ten ordinary flyswatters.”

About six years after the Wrightbrothers successfully took to the air atKitty Hawk, NC, he began experiment-ing with aircraft designs. He called his

first design the Oklahoma Monoplane; asketch of which appeared in the WaynokaDemocrat newspaper on March 5, 1909.

By October of that year, Lindsley wasoffering shares of the project for sale; theysold quickly. Shortly thereafter, he wentto St. Louis with his secretary, C.D.Willard, to see aerial flights by GlennCurtiss and the Wright brothers and towitness tests of air-cooled engines.

The Waynoka Democrat enthusias-tically predicted that special trains fromKansas City and Amarillo would bringthousands of people to Waynoka to wit-ness three days of exhibition when theOklahoma Monoplane was completed.Until then, a large pavilion would beerected, and only stockholders would beadmitted— after paying an admission fee!

From St. Louis, Lindsley went on toNew York to supervise the casting of themonoplane’s parts and to select the en-gine. In January 1910, he applied to theUnites States Patent Office for a patenton his flying machine, which was grantedon September 5, 1911.

Lindsley chose the Great Salt Plains,five miles southeast of Jet, OK for testflights. According to Edward H. Phillips,author of Cessna: A Master’s Expression,Lindsley was acquainted with ClydeCessna, a fellow “aeroplane inventor”from Enid. Not long after Lindsley’s ar-rival at the Great Salt Plains, Cessnashipped his Silverwing airplane to Jet ona freight car from Enid, and reassembledit there for testing. Both Lindsley andCessna were struggling to get airborne.The two men supported each other’s ef-forts, and planned to make flights to-gether. Lindsley was frustrated becausehe had barely attained more than a fewfeet of altitude using his four-cylinder,two-stroke Elbridge “AeroSpecial”powerplant. In April 1911, Lindsley soldCessna his engine, which Cessna installedin the Silverwing and used for over twoyears. Apparently, Cessna had been us-ing a V-8 engine, which was removedfrom the Silverwing and installed inLindsley’s plane. In mid-May, the V-8engine blew up on a test hop, and

Lindsley placed the craft in storage.Lindsley did not give up on flying

machines, but went on to design at leastone more airplane, which was known as

the “New Number Four Passenger-Car-rying Parachute Flying Machine,” whichhe also referred to simply as the “O.KParachute.” In a letter dated January 20,1913, he wrote to the Honorable DickT. Morgan, a U.S Congressman fromOklahoma, detailing the design of thecraft and seeking orders from the gov-ernment. The price of the airplane wasto be $5,000.

Lindsley began the letter by com-

menting on what he considered to be theflawed design of the Wright, Curtiss, andother successful airplanes of the day:

“...Please allow me to call your at-tention to our present styles of Flying Ma-chines. The Monoplanes and Biplanes.First, that there has been plenty of moneybehind them, that they have been per-fected to their limit. Yet as dangerous aswhen Lieutenant Selfredge was killed atFort Meyer in Orville Wright’s machine.These same machines have caused thedeath of over 200 men and women, andthat they have reached their zenith is evi-dent, their glory despoiled with muchhuman blood. Why, the principles onwhich they are constructed are utterly atfault...”

Of course, he went on to extol thevirtues of his design, touting its supposedability to descend like a parachute in caseof engine failure:

“...How different with the O.K. Para-chute, a machine embodying the onlyprinciple in all the realm of nature withwhich man may safely navigate the air.First, the weight all central and well belowthe supporting surface making it[im]possible to turn turtle or fall head

William D. Lindsley- WWilliam D. Lindsley- WWilliam D. Lindsley- WWilliam D. Lindsley- WWilliam D. Lindsley- Waynoka’aynoka’aynoka’aynoka’aynoka’s 1910s “Aers 1910s “Aers 1910s “Aers 1910s “Aers 1910s “Aeroplane Inventor”oplane Inventor”oplane Inventor”oplane Inventor”oplane Inventor”

William D. Lindsley, inventor.

The sketch of Lindsley’s OklahomaMonoplane from the Waynoka Democrat.

Lindsley with one of his creations. This may have been the “O.K. Parachute,” butsome details do not seem to fit his descriptions. Note the engine located amidships.Visible on the sail-like wings are apparently the “rock shaft” mechanisms used toadjust the wing incidence. The front of the machine is apparently at left.

by Mike Huffmanby Mike Huffmanby Mike Huffmanby Mike Huffmanby Mike Huffman

continued on p. 5.

The Oklahoma Aviator, April 2003, Page 5

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OAC ApprOAC ApprOAC ApprOAC ApprOAC Approves Airport Grantsoves Airport Grantsoves Airport Grantsoves Airport Grantsoves Airport Grants

LindsleyLindsleyLindsleyLindsleyLindsleycontinued from p. 4.

down or lateral or to skin the cat back-ward. The supporting surface not rigidlyattached to the frame of the Machine, butin the form of four wings, six feet and sixinches wide by twelve feet deep, giving atotal area of 312 square feet. In our No. 4Machine the wings hinge at their frontedge on the cross bars in front of eachwing. Four feet from the rear edge of eachwing, twelve-inch stands are bolted on theframe of the machine for the purpose ofsupporting the rock shafts. The rock shaftsare equipped with pivotal arms twenty-four inches long bolted thereon, the looseend of said pivotal arms enter spring clasps,said spring clasps are bolted on the backof each wing twenty-four inches from therear edge of each wing. Now, by rockingthe rock shafts by means shown in the blueprints, the wings may be raised up to therock shafts, their rear edge now fifteeninches higher than their front edge, willallow the machine to glide forward withsufficient speed to be under perfect con-trol though the engine be dead. Now, byreversing the rock shafts, the wings arefeathered down until the machine levels,therefore, the frame of the machine main-tains its horizontal position ascending ordescending, hence a safety with greaterspeed and better flying qualities than pos-sible in any other style of machines.”

His letter ends with a grand prediction:“P.S. As a scout Machine capable of

carrying 25 gallons of petrol, as a Ma-chine of war, equipped with our maga-

zines for carrying and dropping bombsat night, able to put a battery out of com-mission in short order or annihilate anarmy. The greatest factor in the historyof the world in establishing universalpeace.”

The Waynoka newspaper, still enthu-siastic, wrote, “W.D. Lindsley, theaeroplane inventer, has just completed afine drawing of his 4-passenger parachuteflying machine, which in itself shows Mr.Lindsley to understand just what he isdoing when it comes to making a safemachine. This machine would be apower in the hands of Uncle Sam to savehis men from being slaughtered in casehe starts in on the Mexicans.”

It is unclear whether or not his lastairplane was ever built or ever flew. Thephotograph accompanying this articleseems to bear out some the details relatedin his letter, but appears to be differentin other details.

One thing is certain: Lindsley’s aero-nautical experimentations did not gomuch further— he died in 1915. De-spite the lack of long-term success, he didachieve one noteworthy aviation first: hisdesign used aluminum tubing as the mainstructural material— perhaps the firstaircraft to do so.

The Waynoka History Museum hasan interesting display about Mr. Lindsley,the focal point of which is the propellerfrom his airplane, on loan from the Okla-homa Historical Society. For more in-formation, contact Sandie Olson, 580-824-5871 or sandio@pldi.net.

As part of Aerospace America 2003,a first-ever Oklahoma powered para-chute fly-in will be held June 13-15 atWill Rogers World Airport. Accordingto Bob Hawkins, Claremore dealer forthe popular Powrachute powered para-chute models, Aerospace America offi-cials came up with the idea.

“We will have our own separate fly-

PowerPowerPowerPowerPowered Parachute Fly-Ined Parachute Fly-Ined Parachute Fly-Ined Parachute Fly-Ined Parachute Fly-InPlanned for AerPlanned for AerPlanned for AerPlanned for AerPlanned for Aerospace Americaospace Americaospace Americaospace Americaospace America

ing area away from the other airport andairshow traffic. We expect to be flyingall three days during early morning, lateafternoon, and during the day as theweather permits. We hope to have 20to 50 powered parachutes in atten-dance,” says Hawkins.

For more information, contact BobHawkins at 918-284-0032.

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Max Westheimer AirportAt its January meeting, the Oklahoma

Aeronautics Commission (OAC) approveda $49,024 grant for the University ofOklahoma’s Max Westheimer Airport inNorman. The grant will provide ninety per-cent of the funding for the replacement ofthe backlighted directional signs for all run-ways and taxiways with highly reflective signs.

“This grant will help the airport elimi-nate a hundred 45-watt bulbs on the taxi-way and runway that normally run four tosix hours every night,” said Walt Strong, Air-port Administrator.

The cost saving measure will reduce ex-penses used on lighting, which can be usedfor other improvements at the airport. Mr.Strong also added that the cost of replacing alighted sign can be as much as $2,500 versus

replacing a reflective sign at about $25.00.“The Commission is very pleased it

could provide ninety percent of the fundingfor this project,” said Commission Director,Victor Bird.

A total of 142 airplanes are based atWestheimer and over 138,256 total opera-tions take place every year. With these im-provements, the signs at Max WestheimerAirport will now meet current FAA stan-dards.

“Westheimer is a valuable asset to theUniversity, the city of Norman, and centralOklahoma. This will help the airport oper-ate more efficiently,” said Bird.Hinton Municipal Airport

At its February meeting, the OAC ap-proved a $2,250 grant for the Hinton Mu-nicipal Airport. The grant will fund ninetypercent of the cost of an environmental as-sessment for a runway and taxiway extension.

“The city of Hinton can use this noiseassessment to promote and insure compat-ible land use, thus protecting future expan-sion of the airport,” said Dale Williams,Commission Airport Engineer.

“We are grateful to the Oklahoma Aero-nautics Commission for helping fund thisassessment,” said Steve Guest, Airport Man-ager for the Hinton Municipal Airport.

A total of 14 aircraft are based at Hinton,and over 2,300 total operations take place atthe airport each year.

The Oklahoma Aviator, April 2003, Page 6

Oklahoma Centennial of Flight CommissiOklahoma Centennial of Flight CommissiOklahoma Centennial of Flight CommissiOklahoma Centennial of Flight CommissiOklahoma Centennial of Flight Commissi

Come Fly with Us!

Tulsa International Airport and Richard L. Jones, Jr. Airport:Serving Air Travel, Aerospace Business, and General Avation

“The Sky’s the Limit!”

www.tulsaairports.com 918-838-5000

On December 17, 2003 the worldwill celebrate the accomplishments ofOrville and Wilbur Wright by com-memorating 100 years of powered flight.Oklahomans will join in on the year-long celebration by hosting events oftheir own.

Organizations and communitiesacross the state have partnered togetherto form a coalition called the OklahomaCentennial of Flight Commission(OCOFC). The main goal of theOCOFC is to promote and encouragethe Centennial of Flight celebrationstatewide by holding a variety of eventsacross Oklahoma.

A memorandum of agreement hasalready been entered into between theU.S. Centennial of Flight Commissionand the Oklahoma Centennial of FlightCommission in order for the OCOFCto use the official U.S. Centennial ofFlight logo and other media contacts.

Please contact Erin Wright at (405)604-6901 or by email aterin.wright@oac.state.ok.us to list anevent, get involved, learn more aboutparticipating organizations, or for fur-ther information on the Oklahoma Cen-tennial of Flight Commission.

Some of the planned OklahomaCentennial of Flight events include thosedescribed below.Biggest Young Eagles Fly-In Plannedfor Claremore Airport

Come to the Claremore Airport onApril 25th and 26th and help make avia-tion history. As part of the Centennialof Flight celebration, Claremore Airportwill be holding what we hope will bethe largest Young Eagle event ever.

And just what is a Young Eaglesevent? The Experimental Aircraft As-sociation (EAA) began the Young EaglesProgram with a mission to help youngpeople discover aviation as well as theirown potential. The goal of flying onemillion Young Eagles by the 100th anni-versary of the Wright brothers’ achieve-ment on Dec. 17, 2003 is very real andattainable. Youngsters ages 8 through

17 will be flown by experienced, regis-tered pilots and best of all the flights arefree of charge; only a parental permis-sion slip is required!

A brief aviation ground school train-ing, Otto the Clown and his helicopter,and other aviation-related events, alongwith hot dogs, will round out the air-port experience.

“Our hope is to fly more childrenon Friday and Saturday than we haveever flown before in a Young Eagles pro-gram,” said Sheri McKenzie,Claremore’s Airport Manager. “All par-ents need to do is bring as many chil-dren as they can and a signed permis-sion slip,” added Ms. McKenzie.

To obtain permission slips, contactTom Egbert at (918) 341-6377 or theClaremore Airport office at (918) 343-0931.

Don’t miss this wonderful opportu-nity for future Oklahoma Aviators toexperience this unique, free day of avia-tion education!National Air Tour 2003 to Stop inTulsa

On September 14, Tulsa will hostthe arrival of 25 or more antique air-planes, as the National Air Tour 2003makes a stop there.

The National Air Tour 2003, spon-sored by the Aviation Foundation ofAmerica is a re-creation of the NationalAir Tours that took place during the“Golden Age of Aviation”— the periodin aviation history between the twoWorld Wars. National Air Tours wereheld in each of the seven years from1925 through 1931. Over the years, anaverage of 29 aircraft flew various routesacross the United States and on occa-sion, into Canada. The routes varied inlength from 1,775 miles in 1925 to morethan 6,300 miles in 1928.

Beginning September 8, the Na-tional Air Tour will take to the air again,flying a route that was planned for a1932 Tour but never flown, due to hardtimes brought on by The Great Depres-sion.

Just as with all previous Tours,the National Air Tour 2003 willbegin and end in Dearborn, MI.The Tour will stop for fuel and/orovernight stays in 26 cities alonga 4,000-mile route. Weather per-mitting, the Tour will return toDearborn on September 24.

Prior to the Golden Age ofAviation, many citizens thoughtflying was either a military func-tion or an entertainment by show-men, such as wing walkers andbarnstormers. The notion of safeand reliable passenger and cargoair transportation was a foreignconcept to most people. Few airportsas we know them today even existed. In-stead, airplanes would routinely land onfarmers’ fields, river sandbars, or otherunimproved areas.

The National Air Tours were con-ceived to demonstrate the safety and re-liability of civil aviation, while promot-ing the development of aviation design,manufacture, and infrastructure. Itworked. The National Air Tours raisedpublic visibility of the safety and reli-ability of civil aviation, showcased thedevelopment of the latest aircraft mod-els, and encouraged Tour stop cities todevelop airports.

The Golden Age of Aviation and the

National Air Tours marked an era ofgreat advancements in aircraft technol-ogy and infrastructure. Concrete run-ways, airport facilities, radio navigation,enhanced instruments, and all-metal air-craft became the new standard in airtransportation. The National Air Tour2003 marks the first time many of theaircraft on the Tour will have flown to-gether again since the Golden Age ofAviation. Some of the vintage aircraftin the 2003 Tour actually flew in one ofthe original National Air Tours; othersare of the same make and model, or arerepresentative of the era.

The aircraft on the 2003 Tour arethe “best-of-the-best” of America’s vin-tage aircraft fleet including tube-and-fab-

The Oklahoma Aviator, April 2003, Page 7

ion Formed, Ton Formed, Tion Formed, Ton Formed, Tion Formed, Teams With U.S. Commissioneams With U.S. Commissioneams With U.S. Commissioneams With U.S. Commissioneams With U.S. Commission

Aircraft Specialties Services is your complete one stop aircraft parts and pilots supplies headquarters. Youcan fly-in, drive-in, or order on-line 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Aircraft SpecialtiesServices in located at 2860 North Sheridan road in Tulsa, just across the street from the general aviationrunway at Tulsa International Airport.

In addition to parts and pilot supplies, Aircraft Specialties Services still offers the finest in aircraft enginemachine work, which includes their exclusive Platinum Precision Reconditioning. They can take your provensteel engine parts- crankshaft, camshaft, connecting rods, rocker arms, tappet bodies, counterweights, andstarter adapters- and return them in like-new condition.

Aircraft Specialties Services also offers the latest in digital crankshaft balancing and they have recentlyadded a full line of aircraft hardware. Their goal is to be your complete one stop aircraft parts supercenter. Stopby, call, or shop on-line today, Aircraft Specialties Services.

2860 N. Sheridan Road, Tulsa, OK 74115 Phone: 918-836-6872 Fax: 918-836-4419

www.aircraft-specialties.com or or or or or 800-826-9252800-826-9252800-826-9252800-826-9252800-826-9252

DD2R764K

ric open-cockpit biplanes, large transporttri-motors and aircraft designed for plea-sure rides. The list includes at least threeFord Tri-Motors, the amazing SikorskyS-38 and S-39 flying boats, and other in-triguing aircraft such as a high-wingStinson Tri-Motor, Speed Mails,Paramounts, and more. Other aircraftwith romantic names such as Buhl,Eaglerock, Travel Air, and New Standardwill demonstrate the variety of air travelchoices from the Golden Age of Aviation.

Ford Motor Company supportedthe original Tours, officially titled “TheNational Air Tours for the Edsel B. FordReliability Trophy. Edsel B. Ford, com-pany president from 1919-1943, recog-nized the importance of developing our

nation’s aviation and transporta-tion infrastructure. The NationalAir Tour 2003 celebrates Ford’ssupport of the original tours andcoincides with Ford MotorCompany’s 100th Anniversary.

For more information, visitwww.nationalairtours.org.

[Look for an in-depth articleon the National Air Tours in a laterissue of The Oklahoma Aviator-Ed.]Aerospace America 2003: A Callto Arms.

Oklahoma City’s AerospaceAmerica International Airshow, twicerecognized as the top airshow in NorthAmerica, will take to the air for its eigh-teenth year June 13-15 at Will RogersWorld Airport. With its theme of A Callto Arms, Aerospace America salutesAmerica’s military men and women,with special consideration to the Okla-homa Air National Guard.

Designated as a Centennial of Flightairshow by the U.S. Centennial of FlightCommission, Aerospace America willonce again, on Fathers Day Weekend,fill the skies with vintage aircraft thatrevive the lost are of barnstorming, withdeafening roars and blowing smoke, nos-talgic and historic warbird aircraft andmodern military aircraft not dedicated

to the war effort.A few returning performers to Aero-

space America 2003 who have been spec-tator favorites in the past include DanBuchanan, a smiling 40-plus-year-oldparaplegic, who adds magic to powerlessflight. In his graceful and silent Moyeshang glider, Dan fills the sky with bril-liant flashes and shooting streaks of coloras he performs his twilight version of “therockets red glare, the bombs bursting inair,” while talking from his glider.

By popular demand, the Shockwavejet truck returns to Aerospace America,with a 375-mph roar down the runway.Steve Coan, a five time national aerobaticchampion, flies his self-launching glideraircraft in a tribute to America. Eric Beard,Russian Thunder, delivers 12 minutes ofhigh-speed, intense aerobatics. in the onlyYak 54 on the airshow circuit. And, newto Aerospace America this year is Jim Leroyof Bulldog Airshows, 2002 winner of theArt Scholl Showmanship Award.

Rich Gibson of Rich’s Incredible Pyroreturns to create the “booms and fireballs”you will see and hear at Aerospace America.

Also new to Aerospace America isthe Junior Pilot Play Zone, housed inthe FAA hangar and surrounding areaoutside. This is a supervised area wherechildren who attend the airshow canlearn more about aviation, with pro-grammed activities and exhibits. Theseexhibits and activities will include com-puter flight simulators, Air and SpaceMuseum Mercury space capsule exhibit,

Jay Jay the Jet Plane, autograph and in-terview times with air show performersand many others.

On Saturday April 19, prior to the2003 airshow, Aerospace America willhold its second annual Wind BeneathOur Wings Dinner and Auction at theKirkpatrick Science and Air Space Mu-seum, 2100 NE 52nd St in OklahomaCity. The live auction will be held from1:00PM to 5:00PM, followed by the din-ner at 6:00PM. Funds will support theAirshow, the Junior Pilot Play Zone, andrestoration of the hangar at Wiley Post.The public is encouraged to attend.

For dinner/auction tickets or other in-formation, contact the airshow office at 405-685-9546 or visit www.aerospaceokc.com.TASM Traveling Exhibit and WrightReading List

The Tulsa Air and Space Museum(TASM) is planning a mobile educa-tional exhibit which will feature a Cen-tennial of Flight theme. The exhibit willbe mounted in a bus and will travel toschools, aviation events, and other placespromoting the Centennial of Flight.

In the meantime, TASM has devel-oped a reading list for information aboutthe Wright brothers and the history ofaviation. The list includes books, maga-zines, and Internet sites. Some of thebooks and magazines are in the TASMlibrary and the others can be obtainedthrough the Tulsa Public Library. Formore information, call TASM at 834-9900.

The Oklahoma Aviator, April 2003, Page 8

Calendar of EventsCalendar of EventsCalendar of EventsCalendar of EventsCalendar of EventsFor a free listing of your event, email us at OklahomaAviator@earthlink.net or call 918-457-3330. To allow time for printing and publication, try to notify us at least two months prior to the event.

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The Oklahoma Aviator, April 2003, Page 9

Davis Field Aviation,LLCDavis Field Muskogee, OK (MKO)

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merce. The Daily Oklahoman devoted afull page to the event, proclaiming thatwould-be passengers were scouring the

maps looking for little-known Waynoka.The Waynoka airfield had three as-

phaltum runways. It was the most bril-liantly lighted field in the world, with 15-watt runway lights every 260 feet. A highintensity electric-arc floodlight near theSanta Fe tracks threw a soft bright lightover the field. Residents reported beingable to read newspapers a half-mile awayat night.

TAT constructed a 202’ x 148’ han-gar, America’s third-largest, at Waynoka.Two electrically-lighted signs, each 172' x48', were installed on the roof, spelling out“WAYNOKA.”TAT Weather Bureau

Under Col. Lindbergh’s guidance, theTAT system included 82 weather-report-ing stations and ten complete weather sta-tions. Each city on the route had a weatherstation, and reporting stations were locatedin cities about 50 miles either side of theroute. TAT’s weather bureau system wasabout half the size of the entire UnitedStates Weather Bureau.

Lindbergh insisted that TAT install 2-way radios between the airplanes and theground stations— the only airline to havesuch equipment. By June 7, 1929, radiostation KSY was in operation at Waynoka,at a frequency of 393 kilocycles, the firststation on the TAT line to be completed.

In the airplanes, radio transmitterswere installed in the rear of the cabin. Inlow-visibility conditions, station person-nel would use direction-finding equipment

TTTTTranscontinental Air Transcontinental Air Transcontinental Air Transcontinental Air Transcontinental Air Transportransportransportransportransportto locate the airplane and provide a com-pass heading to the station.Harvey House and the TAT PassengerStation

In 1910, the Fred Harvey Companyhad built one of their famous HarveyHouse restaurants on the Santa Fe railwayin Waynoka. With exclusive contracts andample support from the railroads, HarveyHouses and the Harvey Girls that staffedthem became famous for high-quality rail-side dining.TAT Airport Dedication

On Saturday, June 22, 1929, the townof 1200 went all-out to celebrate the dedi-cation of the TAT Airport. Oklahoma’sAttorney General delivered the principal

address. An orchestra provided music forthe afternoon program and for a free dancein the hangar that night. Planes fromOklahoma City, Tulsa, Enid, Amarillo,Wichita, and other cities flew in for thebig day.The Inaugural Flight

Col. Lindbergh and his wife, Anne,had been married less than six weeks whenthey spent the night in Waynoka on theway to California for the inaugural flight.The Lindberghs entertained the WaynokaTAT crew with a dinner at the HarveyHouse. Other times when they dined atthe Harvey House, they entered througha back door to avoid attention, the citi-zens of Waynoka allowing them privacy.

On July 7, 1929, at 6:05 PM Easterntime, Lindbergh, in the office of Califor-nia Governor C.C. Young, pressed a but-ton that flashed a light 3,000 miles awayat Pennsylvania Station. At the signal, the

Pennsylvania Railroad’s Airway Limitedstarted its westbound journey, as a bandplayed “California, Here I Come!”

Arriving in Columbus the next morn-ing, the twenty or so westbound rail pas-sengers boarded two Ford Tri-Motors forthe flight to Waynoka.

In flight, clean-cut college-boy cou-riers served meals and saw to the comfortof the travelers. Every passenger on thefull run received a solid gold fountain penfrom Tiffany’s and cotton balls to protecttheir ears from the noise. In turbulence,slices of lemon were provided, though of-ten passengers merely opened the windowsfor a breath of fresh air.

Amelia Earhart, named Assistant tothe TAT General Manager to encouragewomen to fly, was on the first westboundplane, accompanied by her good friend,Dorothy Putnam, heir to the Crayola for-tune.

Arriving at about 6:30PM inWaynoka, the travelers were transportedfrom the airport to the Harvey House inthe “Aerocar,” a specially designed wood-and-fabric trailer pulled behind a car. Af-ter dinner at the Harvey House, theyboarded the night train to Clovis.

In Los Angeles, on the morning of July8, a throng of people watched MaryPickford christen the Tri-Motor City ofLos Angeles, with Gloria Swanson, Dou-glas Fairbanks, the Lindberghs, and otherdignitaries in attendance. Lindbergh per-sonally piloted the eastbound flight as faras Winslow.

As the trips continued in both direc-tions, Waynoka was filled with excitementand enthusiasm. Local people took ad-vantage of flying to Wichita for shoppingor to attend a ballgame. If word came

that “Lindy” would be flying in, a line ofcars would make its way to the airport toget a glimpse of the famous aviator.Tradegy Strikes

In spite of all the safety measuresimplemented by TAT, on September 3,less than two months after its initial flight,the Tri-Motor City of San Franciscocrashed on the 10,000-ft. Mt. Taylor inNew Mexico. All eight aboard perished.

It was a blow from which TAT neverrecovered. Passenger numbers dwindled toalmost nothing, even after fares were low-ered to less than $160.

In February 1930, Maddux Airlinesbecame part of TAT, adding fifteen Tri-Motors to the fleet and adding a Los An-geles-to-San Francisco route.The End is Near

In its first 18 months of operation,TAT lost $2.7 million. The directors real-ized the air-rail concept was not workableand merged with Western Air Express, tobecome Transcontinental and WesternAirlines— TWA. On October 1, 1930,the U.S. Postmaster awarded a lucrativemail contract to TWA, which helped sub-sidize its passenger operations. By the endof October, the announcement had beenmade that TWA would cease operationsin Waynoka.Final Chapters

In 1939, the huge TAT hangar wasdismantled and moved to the airport inLittle Rock, AR.

During WWII, the US Army AirCorps used the TAT airport runways forpractice landings. In 1945, TWA sold the320-acre half-section to two area farmers.Two brick buildings remain at the site—

the garage and the transformer house.Waynoka’s Harvey House closed in

1937, after which the Sante Fe Railroadused it as a depot, reading room, and stor-age area, finally closing it in the early1990s. After the railroad donated thebuilding to the City of Waynoka, theWaynoka Historical Society completed abeautiful $1-million restoration in 2000.The Transportation Museum on the sec-ond floor features TAT, Santa Fe, and FredHarvey exhibits, with historic photos andartifacts. The museum is open Thursday,Friday and Saturday evenings and by ap-pointment at other times. The gift shopsells books, videos and gifts.

On the first floor of the HarveyHouse, Chicken Roscoe’s restaurant isopen Thursday, Friday and Saturday eve-nings, 5:00PM to 9:00PM, featuringsteaks, shrimp, chicken, hamburgers, sal-ads— all reasonably priced. Reservationsare recommended- call 580-824-0710.

If you would like to plan a special airtrip to Waynoka and the Harvey House, theWaynoka Historical Society would be happyto provide transportation from the airport.

For further information, contactSandie Olson at 580-824-5871 orsandieo@pldi.net. Visit the web site ofthe Waynoka Historical Society—www.pldi.net/~harpo.

The TAT “Aerocar,” used fortransporting passengers between theairport and the train station.

The Waynoka TAT airport.

Waynoka’s Harvey House, from anoriginal postard— postage: one cent.

The TAT airport, as it appears today.

continued from p. 1.

The Oklahoma Aviator, April 2003, Page 10

Your Oklahoma Aviator editorsare willing to give all for the cause offlying airplanes. Recently, when wevisited Sparks Aviation/AutopilotsCentral at Tulsa International Air-port, our assistance was requested injudging entr ies for their Chil iCookoff contest. With Rolaids closeat hand, we accepted the challenge.

The lunchtime soiree included 11different versions of the fiery stuffcooked up by employees. A comple-ment of chips, coleslaw, desserts, andother “fixin’s” was in abundance,along with plenty of milk to soothe

the inflamed tongues and stomachsof those enjoying the repast.

Besides us, the complement ofjudges included Bob Williams, ownerof Skyworthy Interiors, and EdieKetchum, a representative of WeightWatchers International, which is con-ducting a company-wide weight-lossprogram. Even though Edie called atemporary moratorium on countingnutrition points during lunchtime,she was later observed “takingnames.”

Before lunch, we judges diligentlyattended our appointed task, attempt-

Sparks ASparks ASparks ASparks ASparks Aviation/Autopilots Central Holds Chili Cookoffviation/Autopilots Central Holds Chili Cookoffviation/Autopilots Central Holds Chili Cookoffviation/Autopilots Central Holds Chili Cookoffviation/Autopilots Central Holds Chili Cookoff

Chili Cookoff Judge and WeightWatchers International representativeEdie Ketchum prepares to taste one ofthe wonderful concoctions. Now, howmany points was that, Edie?

ing to “cleanse the palate” betweentastings with a swallow of milk. Fivejudging categories were establishedincluding Hottest, Wimpiest, MostOriginal, Most Unusual, and BestOverall recipes. When the smokecleared, the winners were as follows:• Hottest, Best Overall, and Most

Original- Rich Grau with his“Magic Chili” recipe

• Wimpiest- Laura Carpenter withher “Divine Bovine” recipe

• Most Unusual- Randy Herren withhis “Foul Weather,” a chicken chilirecipe

Brennan Blevins, with his“Tijuana Tongue-Lashing” recipe, de-serves honorable mention, if for noother reason than having the bestname.

The Oklahoma Aviator, April 2003, Page 11

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The Oklahoma Aviator, April 2003, Page 12

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