Navions Unite At AirVenture 2006
From the top of the
canopy to the bottom of the tires, they stand nine feet high. They
come from hallowed bloodlines. They are the only general aviation
aircraft ever certified for aircraft carrier landings. They are
Navion... and they are turning 60 this year.
Everything about this airplane is enigmatic -- including the
fact that no one really knows the proper pronunciation of the name.
Their history is fascinating. During World War II, North American
Aviation was pumping out scores of P-51 Mustangs and B-25 Mitchell
Bombers. When the war ended the government contracts were cancelled
and the aircraft company had to make a decision. They gambled that
the demand for general aviation aircraft would swell, as the
returning GIs would flock to purchase private aircraft.
They were wrong. Although initially the Navion would enjoy some
success, the sales were not as brisk as North American had
anticipated.
There was something else the aircraft company had not foreseen
and that was the military. The Navion caught the attention of the
United States Army Air Force. North American produced a prototype
for the military and the L-17 was born. The only difference between
the military and civilian model was that the military version had a
reinforced tail hook. The Navion L-17 was used in Korea as Liaison,
personnel and cargo carriers, some were even sent to colleges for
work in their Army Officer Training Corps.
Ryan Aeronautical
Company then acquired the Navion's design and manufacturing rights.
Ryan made some design improvements to the Navion and, in 1948, the
newly created United States Air Force purchased 158 of these
airplanes. In 1949, the USAF ordered 5 more but that would be the
end of the Navion's military career. Some of the L-17s were
refitted to become the L-17C, but ultimately the aircraft was
retired from military service. Some of these retirees were
re-designated to U-18 and sold on the civilian market.
The Navion reappeared on the market in 1957 when Tubular Service
Engineering Company (TUSCO) acquired the tooling and design rights
from Ryan. Under TUSCO, the Navion underwent a metamorphosis. It is
during TUSCO's ownership that the Navion D, E and F appear.
Upgrades to powerplant and speedmods were added to the Navion
culminating in not only a design change, but a name change as well.
Enter the Navion Model H or Rangemaster. Gone was the classic P-51
canopy; this was replaced by a side door.
The new aircraft lived up to its name. The original Navion
boasted a 580-mile range; the Rangemaster dwarfed this with its
1800-mile range.
Sierra Hotel Aero is the current owner of the type certificate.
Aero-News recently spoke with Chris Gardener, President of Sierra
Hotel Aero and he assured us the company will be at Oshkosh this
year. They will be bringing an updated version of the original
canopy model of the Navion with them.
"We are getting the Navion ready for the next 60 years of
service," Chris said.
Some of the updates include smooth flight control panels and a
glass cockpit. Sierra Hotel will also be hosting a fee safety
seminar on Monday, July 25th at the Continental Pavilion at
Oshkosh. There will be a representative from the FAA and the topic
of the forum will be the Advisory concerning the Navion fuel
selector.
Because of the 60th Anniversary, the EAA has granted the Navion
Society 30 parking spaces and Ron Judy is dedicated to filling them
up. Mr. Judy has spent years learning about Navions by working on
them and restoring them. He is always available to answer questions
and to help a new owner avoid some of the "joys of aircraft
ownership".
While at Oshkosh, take a late summer evening stroll to the
Classic section and have a look at a true American Original.
Bolen Gives Congress a Rare Thumbs-Up
See All