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2012 Tour of Williams Airmotive

Pat

Guest
Sturgis, MI
Aircraft Year
1993
Aircraft Type
114B/115
Reg Number
N374JW
Serial Number
14595
Scott Sedan has told you about Williams Airmotive a/k/a Airframe Components by Williams, Inc.

Our tour is good to go. I spoke with Roy Williams this morning and this is the plan. We will fly to the local airport and shuttle a short distance to his facility. He has a short grass runway for the adventurous pilot, Lonnie. We have enough buses to handle the group and will add more as needed. That is why we need a solid count the week before the event.

He will show us the repair shop and introduce us to his experienced staff. We will then see the warehouse and inventory of wings and control surfaces. His shipping department will be next, where they crate entire wings to be freighted around the world.

Next up is the special part of our customized tour. Roy will have a Commander wing, a Piper wing and a Bonanza wing to show us for comparison purposes. With Roy’s expertise, we will be able to see and touch the things that make the Commander a great airplane. This was an eye opener for me during a previous visit. He will also have an elevator opened up for inspection and will explain some of other manufacturers’ control surface problems in the field and their repair procedures.

Roy’s company, Airframe Components by Williams Inc., is much more than a facility that repairs parts and keeps planes in the air. Once you complete the tour, you will understand. His company is totally dedicated to the aircraft industry and, more importantly, to its safety and future. Scott and I have enjoyed every visit to this facility. You will to. Please join us!!
http://www.airframecomponents.com/
 
Re: 2012 Tour of Williams Airmotive

Sounds great... looking forward to it!
 
Re: 2012 Tour of Williams Airmotive

Thanks Pat, count me in!
 
I'm in also.
 
How short is his grass strip?
 
Re: 2012 Tour of Williams Airmotive

Radu,
I will check but I think it is about 1000'
 
Re: 2012 Tour of Williams Airmotive

1000'? At least most of the repairs can be made right there at the strip..... any hospitals close by?
 
Re: 2012 Tour of Williams Airmotive

Radu, where do you think he get's all of his wings and control surfaces? You can get in, but you cannot get out!
 
Re: 2012 Tour of Williams Airmotive

Sounds great! Looking forward to it.
 
We'll take a look, seems like 3-4 miles from the airport, never say never. Pretty flat with some power lines at one end. We can probably land on the road right in front of his shop, looks like a good long stretch N1100E.
 
Re: 2012 Tour of Williams Airmotive

Murphy and I have done that several times. Just watch for the heavy farm equipment traffic in the area.
 
Re: 2012 Tour of Williams Airmotive

Not to worry, Lonnie, I will take good care of Joanne and the girls. I get your panel though. I'd suggest the IO-580 but don't think it will be useable after the impending crash.
 
Re: 2012 Tour of Williams Airmotive

I think we should have a landing contest. The winners can use their airplane again.
Scott, you should be first in. You have been there before and have VGs. I have heard, you can land on a dime and give change back.
I will be high bird with a camera. We will have movies and great stories at the Banquet.
I think we have a winner.
This FlyIn will be hard to beat next year or when we get everyone out of the hospital.
 
Re: 2012 Tour of Williams Airmotive

P. S. We'll be sure to bring our judging cards that we used to use when we were avid jet skiers. We can rate the landings/crashes on a 1-10 scale.
 
Re: 2012 Tour of Williams Airmotive

I've decided to move 1297J from the airport to the backyard to begin practice. It's 640' but I can takeoff downhill to gather enough speed to to simulate 1000' of takeoff roll.... Kind of like Doolittle in 1942.
 
Re: 2012 Tour of Williams Airmotive

Kind of like Doolittle in 1942.
...just without the 30 knots on the bow!

You guys should all plan on landing gear up...since you'll need to be trucked out anyway, no sense worrying about your undercarriage getting ripped off landing in the first place!
 
Re: 2012 Tour of Williams Airmotive

Hey Pat ... that is Radu and Lonnie planning on dropping in there, not me. Anyone with practice should be able to get in and stopped in 1000' although if the grass is wet ...hmmmmm .... could be a big problem. Getting out in 1,000? Well, on the west end it is just a farm fence and wide open pasture ... if you have a 10+ knot headwind, and the wind is out of the west 9 days out of 10 ... ah well, methinks I will just watch Lonnie and Radu from a safe place.
 
Re: 2012 Tour of Williams Airmotive

Please count me in for the Tour. Awhile back I found two pictures from a visit to CAC at Wiley Post in the 90's. In the pic are two planes that were being built. I think 162A and ? Wonder which 114B's they turned out to be and if they belong to one of our active members! Will try to find the pic. Sherman
 
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