AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 112
PILOTS
BY GERI SILVEIRA
Frank Donnelly
F
rom his first ride in a Piper Cub at 10 years old to his airshow act in a Taylorcraft at 75 years young, Frank Donnelly has been there, done that, and is about to do the next challenging thing in aviation. D o n n e l l y, a retired psychology professor—called “ D r. D ” by h i s students—was destined to do things differently than other pilots. In the late 1960s, he learned to fly and got his certificate in 42 hours. He bought his first airplane, a World War II-era Fairchild PT–26, shortly afterward. In the mid-1970s, Donnelly sold the PT and imported a de Havilland Chipmunk. A motorcycle mechanic and
AOPA PILOT •
racer before he turned to academia, Donnelly restored the “Chippy” and logged more than 1,200 hours in it, including two coast-to-coast trips. In the 1980s and 1990s, he got jazzed about sailplanes, earned a glider rating, and started towing sailplanes. At the controls of his CallAir ex-agricultural airplane, he towed for local gliderports, soaring safaris, and for Barron Hilton at his Flying M Ranch, eventually racking up more than 10,000 tows (and 10,000 landings). He also enjoys being at the other end of the rope, flying his Glasflügel Libelle sailplane during the summer. Inspired by aerobatic great Duane Cole, Donnelly purchased a 1946 Taylorcraft in 2000 and started flying airshows, calling his act “Dr. D’s Old-Time Aerobatics.” He wows the crowd with graceful aerobatics and dead-stick landings, including putting the spinner of the T-Cart against the hand of the announcer. One of those guys who can fix anything, Donnelly also earned his A&P and inspection authorization and went on to become the team mechanic for the U.S. Unlimited Aerobatic Team for the World Air Games competition held in Spain in 2001. He has worked on many unusual airplanes, including a Zlin 526F, Blanik sailplane, and Piper Pawnee crop duster that had 25 previous owners. A resident of San Dimas, California, Donnelly has no plans to slow down. He recently got his Light Sport instructor rating, and he’s restoring an Aeronca Champ and a 1942 Link trainer. When asked about his continuing accomplishments in aviation, Donnelly said, “I just like to fly.”
CHAD SLATTERY
112 • OCTOBER 2011
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011
Contents
President’s Position
Hangar Talk
AOPA Media
AOPA Action
Letters
Waypoints
Proficient Pilot
Safety Pilot
License to Learn
Pilot Counsel
Fly Well
Pilot Briefing
Rally GA: Come One, Come All
Epic Flight: Greenland Adventure
Budget Buy: Drag Your Tail—Cheaply
Swamp Pirates
Tattoos in the Air
2012 Tougher Than a Tornado Sweepstakes: New Again
Technique: The “Panic Pull”
Wx Watch: MOS for the Masses
Avionics: The iPad-centric Cockpit
Never Again
Fly-Outs
Fly by Wire
Pilots
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - Cover2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 1
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - Contents
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 3
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - President’s Position
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 5
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - Hangar Talk
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 7
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 8
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 9
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - AOPA Media
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 11
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - AOPA Action
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 13
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 14
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 15
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 16
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 17
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 18
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 19
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - Letters
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 21
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 22
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 23
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - Waypoints
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 25
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - Proficient Pilot
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 27
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - Safety Pilot
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 29
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - License to Learn
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 31
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - Pilot Counsel
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 33
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - Fly Well
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 35
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 36
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 37
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - Pilot Briefing
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 39
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 40
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 41
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 42
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 43
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 44
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - Rally GA: Come One, Come All
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 46
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 47
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 48
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 49
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 50
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 51
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - Epic Flight: Greenland Adventure
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 53
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 54
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 55
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 56
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 57
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 58
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 59
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - Budget Buy: Drag Your Tail—Cheaply
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 61
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 62
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 63
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 64
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 65
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 66
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 67
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - Swamp Pirates
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 69
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 70
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 71
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 72
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 73
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 74
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 75
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 76
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 77
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - Tattoos in the Air
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 79
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 80
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 81
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 82
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 83
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 84
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 85
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 86
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 2012 Tougher Than a Tornado Sweepstakes: New Again
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 88
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 89
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 90
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - Technique: The “Panic Pull”
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 92
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 93
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 94
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - Wx Watch: MOS for the Masses
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 96
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - I1
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - I2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 97
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 98
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - Avionics: The iPad-centric Cockpit
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 100
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 101
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - Never Again
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 103
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 104
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 105
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - Fly-Outs
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - Fly by Wire
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 108
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 109
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 110
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - 111
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - Pilots
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - Cover3
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2011 - Cover4
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