 |
 |
 |
|
 |
   |
The T51-A Story
by William Foster
I bought the 1969 Cessna 150-J in 2005 from a very good friend on mine who had lost he medical. The plane had been own by no less than 15 other owners as a flight school trainer all over the United States. I flew the plane for a couple years before restoring it and painting the plane as a T51-A. My dream for this plane is to share the gift of flight to anyone who wants to experience it. I was told I could never be a pilot. I beat the odds and never gave up on my dream.... Special thanks to :Mike Renck, Mike Marando, Kelly Klaus, Carl Shopshire, Grant Lannon, Dave Howard and Ray Clausen for all the help getting the plane flying and to Howard Martin for teaching me to fly and never giving up on me.
I love giving children there first flight. For more information email me William Foster at centexwing@gmail.com
T51-A
From the Cessna I50-152 club newsletter
In 1972, a handful of US Air Force academy cadets with private pilot licenses established the Cadet Competition Flying Team (CCFT) and used airplanes rented from the Academy’s aeroclub to compete in National Intercollegiate Flying Association competitions. The competitions were very popular with cadets, so the Academy’s Graduates Association donated funds to purchase aircraft specifically for the CCFT. Ultimately three used Cessna 150’s were purchased from Trade a Plane sellers. The first N1317Q was a 1971 150L,N63109 andN63054 were both 1976 150M’s.
Because the Air Force Academy is located at6,500 feet in Colorado, with summertime density altitudes often climbing above 10,000,all three C150’s were upgraded with Aircraft Conversion Technologies (ACT) STC’s. this included replacing the stock continental 100 HP engine with a 150 horsepower Lycoming 0-320, a gross weight increase to 1760 lobs, and ACT long range fuel tanks. In keeping with customary Air Force protocols the airplanes were officially designated T-51A’s In spite of their official designation; the cadets soon began referring to the airplanes "AC-150 DeathHawks.”
Because the Death Hawks were operated by the 557th Flight Training Squadron, there were assigned new N numbers, N557SH, N557th, and N557AW respectively. The air Force likes to do things officially correct, so it wasn’t long before a detailed flight test regime was instituted so that the airplanes could be equipped with accurate operation manuals. After nearly a year of test flights between 1995 and 1996, the Air Force released a 180 page detailed report that covers everything from fuel consumption to climb and cruise performance. Much detail is also provided about prop pitch, pitot static accuracy and idle descent drag, as well as other more esoteric aerodynamic measurements. In spite of its limited aims, the Air Force report continues to be the most thoroughly researched and definitive Cessna150 document ever published.
In the late 1990’s the CCFT was renamed "The Academy Flying Team”. IN order to fly on the team each cadet candidate must have at least a private pilot license and a minimum of 100 hours of flight experience. Only 18 cadets are accepted into the program, narrowed down from a large pool of applicants by a battery of written tests, flight proficiency evaluations, and extensive interviews. Cadets typically fly 75 to 100 hours per year in team aircraft.
NIFA sponsors one national and eleven regional competitions annually, with over 150 competitors representing 70 colleges. The annual national competition, called Safety and flight Evaluation Conference (SAFECON)., includes nine demanding ground and precision flying events – navigation, power-off spot landing, short field approach and landing, message drop ,simulated IFR, timed aircraft preflight inspection, computer accuracy test, aircraft recognition test, and ground trainer event that includes a simulated comprehensive aircraft navigation component.
The Academy Flying team has done well as at SAFECON, beginning with their second-place finish in 1994. IN 2006, the Academy team placed first at the Denver competition, earning 298 points (183 points ahead of the second place team). In 2007, the Academy team earned an eleventh-place finish overall while scoring a composite seventh in flight events and first in navigation. One cadet placed third for the prestigious National Top Pilot Award.
The Flying Team also hosts Boy Scouts during an annual
Aviation Day program. The scouts spend the day learning the fundaments of
aerodynamics, conducting supervised pre-flights, flying a flight simulator, and
attending flight briefings. At the end of the day, the scouts take an aviation
merit badge exam.
Cessna 150 J - Performance Data
| Horsepower: 100 | Gross Weight: 1600 lbs |
| Top Speed: 106 kts | Empty Weight: 1065 lbs |
| Cruise Speed: 102 kts | Fuel Capacity: 26 gal |
| Stall Speed (dirty): 42 kts | Range: 303 nm |
 |
|
| Takeoff | Landing |
| Ground Roll: 735 ft | Ground Roll 445 ft |
| Over 50 ft obstacle: 1385 ft | Over 50 ft obstacle: 1075 ft |
| |
|
| Rate Of Climb: 670 fpm | |
| Ceiling: 12650 ft |
