AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2011 - 79

gear. It is ideal, however, for a military
airplane because of its energy-absorbing
capacity in the event of a botched landing
or a forced landing in rough terrain.
The pilot’s manual for the L–19 is thor-
ough. It states, “In case of an emergency
landing in enemy territory, open all fuel
drains and ignite the fuel from a safe
distance.” In the section labeled, “Pressurization
System,” the manual advises
matter of factly, “The O–1 aircraft is not
equipped with a pressurization system.”
Cessna had built 3,395 Bird Dogs
when production ended on January 22,
1957, and it provided them to the military
forces of almost every country in the
Free World. There currently are about 300
L–19s registered in the United States.
Although many are owned by warbird
aficionados, others have served in the
workforce as glider tugs and search-andrescue
platforms for the Civil Air Patrol.
In the late 1960s, the Italian army
expressed a need for an observation
airplane with significantly more performance
than its Bird Dogs had. The Italian
airframe manufacturer SIAI Marchetti
responded. The result was the SM.1019,
which first flew on May 24, 1969. The
Italian reconnaissance airplane has a
317-shaft-horsepower Allison 250-B15G
turboprop engine that provides a 150knot
cruise speed at 10,000 feet and a
service ceiling of 25,000 feet. The SM.1019
is almost four feet longer than the Bird
Dog and has thicker skin, a beefed-up
wing, a larger vertical fin to assist in controlling
the additional horsepower, and a
separate rear door for the passenger. SIAI
Marchetti built about 80 of these aircraft,
and 20 to 25 of them are registered in the
United States. A few are powered by the
Allison 250-B17, a 420-shaft horsepower
engine (flat-rated to 350 shaft horsepower)
that became available toward
the end of the SM.1019’s production run.
The repository now for everything
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
Aircraft insurance
solutions from people
about the Bird Dog is the International
Bird Dog Association (www.ibdaweb.
com). It used to publish a magazine titled
Bowwow, but now the association instead
emails to its members a newsletter called
The Monthly Bark.
Cobb says that beyond the joy of flying
a Bird Dog is the camaraderie with those
who own and fly this great airplane. “The
L–19 guys are a close-knit group, and
form a wonderful circle of friends. I’m
having a hard time getting rid of them,”
he says with a wink and a smile.
Visit the author’s website (www.
barryschiff.com).
AOPA PILOT • 79 • JUNE 2011
Al l product s ra e writte n b y insuarnc e compan y subsidiraie s o r affiliate s o f Chrati s Inc . Covearg e ma y no t b e availabl e
i n al l jurisdiciton s an d i s subjec t t o actua l polic y language . Fo r additiona l informaiton , pleas e vis ti ou r websti e a t
www.chartisinsurance.com.
who share your passion.
At Chartis, many of our aviation
underwriting and claims professionals are
pilots themselves, so they understand your
needs—and have the answers you're looking for.
Our insurers offer some of the lowest deductibles
and broadest coverages in the industry, including
runway foaming, hurricane relocation and inflation
protection—so you can fly with confidence.
Ask your broker about Chartis or visit
www.chartisinsurance.com/aerospace
PILOT TO
PILOT
solutions.

http://www.ibdaweb.com http://www.ibdaweb.com http://www.chartisinsurance.com/aerospace http://www.barryschiff.com http://www.barryschiff.com http://www.chartisinsurance.com

AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2011