Warbird Information Exchange

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remember the Oogahonk!
old school enthusiast of Civiltary Warbirds and Air Racers

The Marchetti had been sold to a new owner and is not owned by Pacific Coast Air Museum. The loss of the aircraft is unfortunate but the good news is that no one was injured.

The weather looks good and the water is calm. I gave some seaplane instruction in northern Kalispell , Montana years ago in a 180hp SuperCub on Wipline amphibious. Couple things I remember. The airplane had a Superman cape in Tennessee but quite wimpy on a hot September day in Montana. The air temp was in the 90’s everyday and density altitude was 8,000’ to 10,000’. The Supercub would climb or turn but not both at the same time.
Also, occasionally there were invisible columns of strong wing descending down the leeward side of mountain to the lake. We were on Horseshoe Reservoir much of the time and there were 20 to 40 knot gusts, visible by looking at the surface of the water. I hit the edge of one and figured out the hazard. Staying out farther in the middle or away from these areas, and reading the water is the key. You can see how a strong blast could turn a small seaplane downwind and below stall speed quickly.