Still happy to be here

Flying my museum-restored 1953 Piper PA–22-135 Tri-Pacer across the country from Hood River, Oregon, to my home base in Frederick, Maryland, was a personal challenge, an aviation highlight, and a tale to remember (see “Happy to Be Here,” August 2023 AOPA Pilot).

Since then, I’ve appreciated the friends I made because of my Tri-Pacer, the opportunities the airplane unlocked, and the joys of flying a classic aircraft that I can share with others. Even the occasional aircraft maintenance challenge has taught me a thing or two.

Making friends

First, let’s catch up on how the cream-and-red short-wing Piper is doing: just fine, thank you very much. Several upgrades have improved performance and added safety benefits. I’ve also learned how to fly it more competently.

Although I don’t have trouble making friends, I’ve added many more since I became an airplane owner. While most aviators can benefit from mentors and a good support network, airplane owners know the true value of the saying “it takes a village.” Especially when keeping a 73-year-old former museum piece flying.

Enter Piper short wing guru, instructor, and master mechanic Tom Young. Shortly after I arrived in Frederick from my across-the-country journey, he spotted me at Frederick Municipal Airport’s (FDK) self-serve pump and commented on the Piper’s droopy landing gear. Tom had me make a wooden brace for the wings (I made it exactly 90-degrees incorrectly the first time), extracted a special tool he fabricated, and installed the new landing gear shock cords with a satisfying thwack! as the huge rubber bands slid onto their hydraulic shock absorber ears. He also ushered the Tri-Pacer through its first East Coast annual, taught me to sight along the wing strut rivets and the horizon to maintain altitude, and challenged me to fly an entire takeoff, practice, and landing routine with just my feet and elevator—no ailerons.

Among the first modifications were a pair of LED landing and taxi lights to lighten the electrical load. This ensured my com radio and transponder would simultaneously function even as the generator fell offline below 1,200 rpm on landings. Light sport repairman Chris Gunther lent a hand with the lights and also helped determine why the panel-mounted Garmin GNC 250XL GPS never worked. A new antenna and lead wire solved that issue, and presto! I now had a fully functioning GPS. I later upgraded to a GNC 300XL IFR version of the radio and am pleased with the situational awareness. Last winter Chris again rose to the occasion when we replaced the faded red (pink?) glareshield cover with a new black carpeted counterpart from Airtex. A two-hour job (ha!) took four days and multiple trips to the airplane hardware store for nuts, bolts, carpet picks, and other tools to align the wet compass with its glare shield receptacle. We finally figured William T. Piper must have built the entire airplane around the compass. And did I mention it was the dead of winter…in Maryland…in an unheated hangar? Thank you, Chris!

Next, local airplane whisperer Carlo Cilliers spotted worn underwing fabric that was beaten up by an inspection panel flapping in the propwash. The EAA AirVenture Silver and Bronze Lindy Award-winning mechanic hand-fashioned a larger, reinforced inspection panel that is a work of art. Carlo is quick with an oil change, too.

Speaking of propellers, I’d been wary of the original on N3328A because it was subject to a recurring airworthiness directive every 25 hours. Florida-based Beechcraft Musketeer owner Anthony Tsiouklas just happened to have the correct Sensenich M74DM-59 propeller Piper’s type certificate data sheet called for, so we made a deal. I repainted the tips red to match the airplane’s Ceconite fabric, touched up the black backside, and got it ready for installation.

I called upon tube-and-fabric aficionado Kirk Fox (“Pilots,” June 2025 AOPA Pilot) for the next annual that included fitting the propeller and a new spinner assembly, plus the usual inspection and lubrication routine. Surprisingly, he showed up with his dad, Richard, a central Maryland airport legend. “When you get one of us, you get us both,” the elder Fox said, as he pushed down the aircraft’s tail while junior tended to the nosewheel. The two of them joked and interrupted each other while inspecting and readying the aging Tri-Pacer for another year of flying.

The latest Fox family annual included a lightweight battery, a front strut rebuild, and a new nose tire and tube to help combat an annoying high-speed wobble we are continuing to monitor. Short Wing Piper Club past-president Steve Carruthers’ solution was to simply land slower. Good point, Steve.

Flying around

I’ve found the Tri-Pacer to be equally at home on grass as it is on pavement and have been delighted to fly to many local airstrips in the Maryland-Virginia-Pennsylvania-West Virginia area.

The airplane and I visited EAA AirVenture twice so far, camping both times at least for a couple of days; the Sentimental Journey Fly-In; and the Massey Aerodrome Antique Airplane Fly-In. The Tri-Pacer restoration by father-and-son team Jim and Drew Jenkins brought home trophies from all three events: Best Piper Other (EAA AirVenture 2023), Best Piper Tri-Pacer (Sentimental Journey and Short Wing Piper Club combined fly-in 2025), and Classic Airplane (Antique Airplane Fly-in 2024).

We’ve flown to a pig roast in Pennsylvania, a tiki bar in Virginia, and a NASCAR race in North Carolina. I made new friends in the short wing community including Piper Vagabond owner Nathan Hauser (see “The Preacher’s Vagabond,” April 2025 AOPA Pilot), airport manager Scott Hinton, and Piper Cherokee Six EAA Bronze Lindy Award winner Jim McMaster.

Along the way the trusty Tri-Pacer has introduced my border collie Leni to powered flight, prompted an 89-year-old former Cub owner and his grown daughter to reminisce about their flying days, and introduced naval aviation aspirations to my daughter’s boyfriend. Chris guided the PA–22 to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, for a propeller shop tour; an AOPA videographer overcame his nausea while flying to Topping, Virginia; and AOPA photographer/photo editor Rebecca Boone helped handle the controls of the Tri-Pacer en route to a photo shoot over the Alleghany Mountains.

On the flying more competently front, I did tests to determine the best glide speed and settled on about 70 mph. Proud of my accomplishment, I called Steve to share the news. His reaction was, “Yeah, everybody knows that a Tri-Pacer glides at about the best angle of climb, which is 70.” Thanks, Steve.

Let’s dispel a short-wing Piper myth right here. It does not “fly like a brick” as many have cautioned. Although it won’t outglide a Cessna 172 with its extra three-feet-per-side wingspan, the 29-feet 6-inch Tri-Pacer wing holds its own—if you know how to fly it. I learned this during commercial flight training power-off one-eighties with AOPA Flying Clubs Manager and CFI Jason Levine on his first flight in a PA–22. We lined up abeam the numbers, pulled power, and even had extra margin to lose over the fixed distance markers. “You might be underestimating the Tri-Pacer’s glide,” Levine said. Better yet, training in the Tri-Pacer has taught me to put it down quickly and accurately in to short grass fields. I’m more accurate on approaches, have learned the discipline of proper leaning techniques on the ground, and now know not to use flaps on a simulated short-field takeoff during a howling crosswind. My feet are also more active while coordinating the large rudder with the stubby fuselage.

The airplane has significantly appreciated in value in my three years of ownership, and I’ve had several offers to sell it. Like other aircraft owners, I wish I flew it more, but life and a busy work schedule often get in the way.

Lessons learned

So, what did I learn in the process? First, just do it. Buy that airplane when you can and fly it whenever you can. Make the memories and introduce more people to aviation. Just remember, sometimes an airplane calls to you instead of the other way around.

Finally, readers may remember Julie Summers Walker’s article, “Honey, I Bought an Airplane,” (August 2023 AOPA Pilot) and my promise to my wife, Lisa, about finishing the outdoor patio if she allowed me to buy the Tri-Pacer. Well, the patio is finished and we are enjoying it. I’ve also really enjoyed the quirky short-wing Piper and the ownership community that welcomed me into their arms. The Tri-Pacer truly is a fine flying machine—and it’s been very economical. When an offer came up the other day to sell the cute Piper, Lisa put her foot down, saying, “Absolutely do not sell that Tri-Pacer!”

Well, honey, I agree; it’s a keeper.

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