[Eric Parks]

Eric Parks on March 13, 2026 at 6:37 pm #25738

My hangar neighbor got a “new” plane a few months ago but this was the first time I got to see it. Pretty cool to have two 1950’s vintage airplanes hangared next to each other! 
Similarities: 
1. Both from the 50’s
2, Both have 300 hp total
3. Both Blue and White

I think that covers it. Maybe not so similar!

His is a 1950 Cessna 195 with a 300 hp Jacobs radial and mine is a 1955 Piper Apache. Not all that similar but both very nice, fun family planes with a classic, vintage vibe. Good hangar buddies.

 
Attachments:
C195 buddy.jpeg

[Kent Dellenbusch]

Kent Dellenbusch on February 9, 2026 at 8:01 pm #25715

I’m so happy Annie is back home. And …. the journey home was warm and comfortable.  I think this accomplishes most of your bucket list for Annie.  I think….
K

[Eric Parks]

Eric Parks on February 9, 2026 at 7:13 pm #25714

The day finally came! The heater installation was done and we had good enough weather to go get Annie back. Time to try out a new heater! My buddy and I flew up commercial Sunday evening into Grand Rapids, MI (GRR). We got picked up the next morning on Monday and began the final prep work to get Annie home. After some hiccups we got underway that afternoon and trying to make up a bit of time. But first we just enjoyed having a nice warm cabin! We had a big tailwind that got better as we went. We stopped in London, KY for cheap fuel ($4.50/gal full service) and a quick rest stop before launching over the Appalachian mountains and home.

 
The start of a big day and I just want to check out my new heater

 
A lot of time and effort to get this installation done properly

 
Nexus Climate has a very nice facility.

 
We are finally underway and moving in the right direction… with heat! On the next leg my buddy took off his outer coat and did fine. 

 
The panel just keeps getting better. Now we have vents on each side too.

 
OK, I’m descending and have a huge tailwind…. it’s still 216 mph!

 
The end of a long and productive day
Attachments:
Holland 11.jpeg
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[Kent Dellenbusch]

Kent Dellenbusch on February 5, 2026 at 4:43 am #25708

“Old Shool”  –
Yup, we’re there.  Happy to be able to say that in all reality.   

Attachments:
treadway_sled1.jpg

[Eric Parks]

Eric Parks on February 4, 2026 at 5:59 pm #25707

Well, I THOUGHT I had to worry about the snow in Holland, MI but it turned out that Charlotte, NC had some surprises in store. We got cancelled on the first try due to snow and storms on pretty much the entire route but we had ice in the Charlotte area so obviously we didn’t go. Fortunately it turned out to be about an inch of sleet. I say fortunately because the sleet bounces off of the tree limbs and power lines and so our electricity stayed on against all guesses and we were fine the first weekend. The next weekend we got about 7 to 8 inches of snow. Very dry, powdery snow which is unusual for us. First, we rarely get snow and secondly when we do it’s usually a very wet, heavy snow. So again, the power lines were ok with the light, powdery snow and we kept the power on. So now I’m trying this coming weekend to go up and get my Apache which has been waiting for me up in Holland.

 
Me showing the local neighborhood kids how to sled “old style” on our Flexi-Flyer III. This was actually the first storm and we were sledding on sleet instead of snow. The later real snow that gave us 7″ was too powdery and we couldn’t sled on it!
Attachments:
snowCLT.jpeg

[Eric Parks]

Eric Parks on January 21, 2026 at 7:37 pm #25705

Kent,

It’s in Holland, MI. That’s about 30 miles west of Grand Rapids. It sits pretty close to Lake Michigan and so gets lots of “Lake Effect” snow in the winter. Hoping to get up there next week.

[Kent Dellenbusch]

Kent Dellenbusch on January 20, 2026 at 5:06 am #25703

Ya – about all that snow.  I’ll pass. 
At least Anniw is inside waiting to escape.  What town again?  Lake effect snow.  We had it all the time when I lived in WI. 

[Eric Parks]

Eric Parks on January 19, 2026 at 7:35 pm #25702

Ken,

I’m not sure where the vents came from. I told him I wanted nice ones and said these were a bit more expensive but better built and nicer looking. I’ll have to ask him who made them. 

Here’s a picture of the ramp outside his place of business at KBIV airport.

 

The airplane sitting forlornly alone on the ramp is a Twin Bonanza his shop is working on. They’ve been getting snow for days now and are forecast to continue. I’m hoping that it’ll slack enough in a week to rescue the Apache. We need to get it about 50 miles south and we’ll be out of the Lake Effect snow.

 
Attachments:
snow.jpg

[Kent Dellenbusch]

Kent Dellenbusch on January 18, 2026 at 8:59 am #25699

Hi Eric –
The install looks great and factory placement on the vents.  Were they Knots2U vents? 
Kent 

[Eric Parks]

Eric Parks on January 16, 2026 at 8:01 pm #25698

Good news, the long time heater installation is done. Of couse as usual we had a few more things to add to the list and the biggest was new fresh air vents mounted directly in the panel on each side to give some great air flow during the summer. So now whether it’s summer or winter we’ll be more comfortable. The bad news (you knew that was coming, right?) is that Holland, Michigan, where the heater install is being done, is snowing daily. And Annie is not equipped with snow skis! So once the weather clears I’ll go and bring her back home for lots of comfortable flying fun. 

 
Big fresh air vents will be much appreciated this summer!

  
Annie loves the attention

That heater took a while to get in there!

 
A long with the rest of the fun we got a new spar cap as the old one was pretty tired and wouldn’t have made it through the upgrade.
Attachments:
Heater 1.jpg
Heater 2.jpg
Heater 3.jpg
Heater 5.jpg