AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2016 - 12

LETTERS

FROM OUR DECEMBER 2015 ISSUE

Fly off: 150 versus 152
A competition between two little trainers prompted readers to weigh in on the advantages of
the Cessna two-seaters.
First, as a "reformed" CFI
with more time in a "See One
Five Oh" than I want to admit
to having in my logbook, I
remember the little guy-and
not too fondly at times. But
rather than dwell on that, you
missed the boat on the area of
performance.
You employed a rather
"new" Cessna 150: "new" as
150s go. I suggest if you wish
to see what that little airplane
can do airspeed wise, compare
a Cessna 152 to a late-1950s
straight-tail, manual flaps, noback-window turtleback 150.
The one that was on my flight
line was much faster than the
newer 150s we had. It was a
very popular airplane for flying cross-country; the handling
was better also. And no, the
window latch never did work.
On your next fly-off, you
might consider the Cessna 152
against the much loved, and
faster, 150 turtleback.
S.W. Stagg
AOPA 715606
Lakewood, California

I had a flight review in my 150
by George Haveman, developer
of Home Acres Sky Ranch in

Michigan, many years ago. At
the time he had more than 50
years in the Cessna 150. He
stated it was the only aircraft
ever designed to fully recover
from a spin (found out to take
between 2,000 and 3,000 feet).
I did tail spins and recovered.
and then was shown that the
150-the only aircraft in the
world that does so-would
recover on its own: no input
necessary. Truly exciting to
have your arms folded in a spin.
It surely works.
(If you have a passenger, it
may be difficult to restrain him/
her during this maneuver.)
So the best and safest
Cessna, in my opinion, is the
Cessna 150. It wants to crash
less than you do!
Bill Bevan
AOPA 896516
Auburn Hills, Michigan

Aviation eBrief poll

12 | AOPA PILOT February 2016

2%
2%
<1%
50%
27%
18%
1%

After

In the last edition of AOPA Pilot I found the
article by Scott Olsen regarding beacons
and arrows. Here are some photos of the
restoration of one of the beacons that I
started at the Oregon Historical Society.

Stefano Perer
AOPA 6547207
Sherwood, Oregon

Beacon and arrow

I enjoyed your "Beacon and
Arrow" story. From the first
sentence I found it beautiful,
like something Aldo Leopold
might have written. Even better
that it was an aviation musing.

What is your pilot certificate level?
Student
Sport
Recreational
Private
Commercial
Airline transport pilot
None

Before

Zen Boulden
AOPA 6032813
Ozark, Arkansas

1% 2% 2% <1%

18%

27%

50%

I enjoyed the December article by W. Scott Olsen, "Beacon
and Arrow." In the mid-1940s
growing up on a farm in central
Indiana, I could see a faint glow
of a rotating beacon of light on
foggy nights. I was informed
the light had to do with the airplanes flying at night.
Many years later, I bought
a reproduction of airway map
number 114 (Cincinnati, Ohio,
to Chicago, Illinois). Less than
five miles from the little town
of Stockwell, Indiana, and our
farm was the symbol of the
rotating beacon on the route
map. What a thrill. Maybe that

flashing beam and my mother's
choice of airplane wallpaper
(Pan Am Clipper flying boats) in
my upstairs bedroom "pointed"
the way for my first solo, 50
years ago this July.
Robert Dieterle
AOPA 1378629
Tecumseh, Michigan

Bond, the pilot

I enjoyed the "Bond, the Pilot"
article in the December issue,
and the vast array of aircraft
that James Bond seems to be so
proficient in flying. One of my
favorites that was omitted was
the opening scene from the 1981
movie For Your Eyes Only, in

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2016