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Featured Pilot - June 2008
J.W. Bryant, Private Pilot, with his 1978 Grumman Cheetah N365PS
Jay Bryant passed his private pilot checkride on December 17, 2004, the one hundred and first anniversary of the Wright Brother's first flight. Jay set about almost immediately to look for a suitable airplane. Only two months later, Jay found exactly what he was looking for. The only problem was... how to get his new wings from Washington state to North Carolina? When the seller offered to fly with him to North Carolina, Jay jumped at the chance. However, after an unsuccessful attempt to fly East over the lofty Cascade mountains, the pair turned back. Jay then arranged to have the seller, an active duty Navy Commander, fly the Cheetah solo to his new duty post in Florida, then ferry the plane to North Carolina a couple of weeks later. Even the need for a new battery and an oil cooler to be installed in Florida did not dampen Jay's enthusiasm. His plane was finally here!
Jay soon joined the American Yankee Association (AYA), which is an owner's group for pilots who fly Cheetahs, Tigers, and "Yankees", the first of the smaller two seat Grummans made by Grumman American. As Jay flew to the 2006 AYA National Convention in Fredericksburg, Texas, he combined this 1,000 mile solo flight with an annual inspection for his plane by an FBO in Houston, Texas recommended by AYA members. After having a new Sensenich prop and Grumman wheel pants installed as part of this annual, he was surprised by the discovery of a cracked tail spar. Running out of time before this repair could be completed, he was forced to drive to the convention and return a week later to confront a large annual/repair bill which made the return flight home much longer and hotter in the July heat.
Then in December, 2006 Jay was the lucky recipient of a Christmas present from his wife, Debo, in the form of a down payment for an interior refurbishing of his Cheetah. All new glass, twelve pieces of new interior plastic, headliners front and rear, new carpet, new insulation, and new covering material for the seats and the baggage area were all part of the deal! For the next six months, Jay and Debo worked many long hours installing all of this new material, resulting in the brand-new looking aircraft shown in the pictures below:
Jay even had to have the vinyl and cloth seat coverings tested by a laboratory approved by the FAA for safety requirements. He also installed all the new "glass" (actually acrylic plastic) except for the windshield, which was installed by an Airframe and Powerplant mechanic (A&P). The left front glass panel cracked soon after installation and had to be replaced. Then all-new seat belts were installed. After months of patient effort, the project was finally complete.
Now it was time to enjoy the fruits of their labors. In July, 2007 Jay and Debo set out to fly to the 2007 AYA National Convention in the Catskills, New York. They made it all the way to Martinsville, Virginia before the hose connector on the Cheetah's vacuum pump split, crippling the vacuum-based instruments. (Ahhh, the trials of an airplane owner!) This Summer they plan to attend the 2008 AYA National Convention in Burlington, Iowa, confident that the major kinks in their Convention attendance are behind them. Finally, Jay and Debo's AYA friends will see the airplane they have been hearing about for some time.
Jay says that Debo is a "reluctant, but willing" traveler in the Cheetah. Like many other spouses, Debo is more interested in "going places" than in "punching holes in the sky". She has, however, twice attended the Cockpit Cool training offered by the AYA to non-pilot spouses. This training consists of four hours of ground school and two hours of flight training to help non-pilots learn to control the airplane in the event of pilot incapacitation. Way to go, Debo!
When Jay flies solo in N365PS, Debo has provided a cute mascot named Chiger to accompany him as "My CFI". Chiger is also a great conversation starter for admiring pilots who spy him occupying the hat rack behind the baggage area in the now refurbished and spotless interior:
As of May 2008, Jay has approximately 250 hours of experience flying his Grumman Cheetah. He is out at Smith Reynolds airport every chance he gets, particularly after work on nice flying days.
Jay is currently serving as the Vice President of the Winston-Salem Aviation Association (WSAA) and has been very active and supportive in that role. The next time you pass Jay at Hangar 12 of the South T-Hangars at Smith Reynolds, say "howdy" and let him know you understand how much effort it took him and Debo to get that 1978 Grumman Cheetah looking so beautiful!
[Photos and Story By Andy Dale, CFI]
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