LIFE BEGINS AT FIFTYBy Monoc6upe #6730

The. e.YL6LU.ngnannari ve. Ls tOft.. .the. be.ne.tU Ot ill .th0.6e. in.te.Jt..u.te.d .cn .the. ft..e.ge.ne.JtC!..ttonOtailiq ue a..-Utp.ta.ne'->a.nd Ve.-U.e.M0n0 co u.pu in paJLti..cu.ta.Jt....® by John UndeJwJood and A. W. LeVieJt... Magaune, book and 6JJ.m Jr.igw ft..e'->eJt..ved.

Howd.i..e!

I'm a Ve.-U.e.Monoc.oupe., an endangeJt..ed ~pec.ie.o 06 wing-ed bipe.d 6ft..om.the LindbeJt..gh e.Jt..a06 av~on. Some 60l/u, Li..ke :to :tlUnk 06 J..;t M :the "golden age", but J..;t ft..ea...t..tywMn'.t veJt..y9 olden in :the WeJt..a...t .se.M e. FM 6ft..omJ..;t! M k my owneJt..about .that. Whe.n we 6J.A.6t gotacq ua...Ut:ted he s omWlnU went wU:ho ut me~ n on: a day Oft .:two jM t to 9e.t -i..n a Li..tt..te 6ly-i..ng.:tUne. He WM 17 and hcvr.d...tyhad a nic.ke...t to W. name..

We. Monoc.oupe.o 06 th« Ville va.Jr.ie.ty weJt..e .thought to be e.x.tinc..t by .the end 06 w.w. II,but .oevVt.a...t 06 M somelio» managed .to uc.ape. .the. wa.Jt.t.Une.~CAap dJr.ivu and made J..;t -i..nto .the.r 50~. About 350 06 M weJt..e hatc.he.d -i..n .the old Ville c.cvr.Jr.iageWOftM -i..nMoline, Ill., -i..n ' Zgand' 29. A dozen yeaM ..ta..teJt..hMd...ty any 06 M we.Jt..ele.6t. We .opun like c.Jta.zy and a bunc.h 06~ ~CAwed OUMe..tve.o -i..nto the gftound ea.Jt..ty on. We weJt..e a...tway!.>bung gftound-looped and Idon':t k.now how many .:tUne'->I've been sxood on my no~ e. How any 06 M manag ed to .0Mv-i..ve6-i..6:ty yeaM 06 We.M and t.ea»: -i.-b a vsonden . -.-Ac.c.oftcU..ngco :the F.A. A., I'm the. on..ty one !.>:ti.llpeJt..c.o.f..a.;t.,Ln9. The oth.eM Me c.oUe.c.ting dus« in m~ e.~ •

F-i..ve yeaM ago I WM pftefty dM:ty my.oe..t6, la.ngu,Wru.ng theJt..e -i..!1Rudy Hazuk.a'!.> hangM. IguU~ I'd been theJt..e about 6ive. uean«, ~ha.Jr.ing a ~lot next: to Aunt Jenny la JN4V) andUnc.le Tom (ThomM-Mort.6e. S4C). Well, Ru.dy had o.theJt..ilin,g~ to k.eep him bMY, so I jMt!.>at.theJt..e' and c.ollec..ted cobweb!.>. Then one. day an old 6Jr.ienq wandeJt..ed -i..nto my bou.do-i.../t. Lo and_be.hold J..;t WM Tony LeV..i..eJt... Weil,.the kid had put on a ~e wught, but, heck, the la.'->ttbne. he' .thu.mped my whew on a ft..u.YWJayhe. WM .okin and •• Tha.:t WM at LO'-> Ange..te'->EMU-i..de. A-i..Jt..poJt..:til1 the. .0 u.mmeJt..06 ,7930.

Weil, .oVt, Tony had bee~ c.MUng about 60ft a fte.:t.UwiVtt pftojec..t, .oome.tru.ng t» keep YU.mQ])Jay6ftom ~c.ru.e6 and out 06 w w.[6e, Neva'!.>, ha...i.Jt. He'd been enteJtta..{.Mng!.>ome thoughtoabout Ji.u.tofting an anti..qu.e aJ./tp.ta.ne 06 one fUnd Oft anoxke«, but a...tway!.>d-i.-brn.u..!.>ed!.>uc.hLdeas -,on second ;thought6. Old a.-i..Jtp..ta.ne'->;tak.e a lo;t 06 xenden: ..tov.{.ng C-aJLe, neveJt m-<-ndthe money.Foft each hOM 06 6ly-i..ng Tony el1v-i.-b-i..onedu.ntold hoU./t'->06 tink.eJr.ing -i..n the hangM ..

, One day .in MMc.h 1975, when my 6utMe WM exc-eed.i..ngly dou.bt6u...t, theJt..e WM a fteu.Mon 06LO.6Ange..te.o ECL6UideJ1.l.:>tu: John Nage...t'.o noos : on ToJt..Jta.fic.e.Mu.niupal A-i..Jt..port-t. I WM -i..n RudyHazu.k.a'!.>hangM jMt down the ftoad and theJt..e WM no ~eMon to .ouppo!.>e I'd be moving anywheJt..e.we. 60ft l>ome :t.{.me to come . A6teA a wWe Rudy c-ame !.>:tJto..tLi..nga...tong w.[;th Tony. They' weJte.'old p~ 6ftom the ea.Jt..ty , 30.0 . "Wha.:t kind 06 an a...i..Jta.p..ta.nedo you. ;tru.nk. I I ve 9 ot: Ln. ;theJte? IIhe aseed Tony.

LeV-i..eJtthought 60ft a wWe and made !.>omewild gueMe'->. None 06 them c.ame c...to.oexothe mMh.

"A Velie Monocou.pe", ·Hazuk.a exc...ta...i..medw.[th a c.hu.c.hle. "Be.t you. have.n' t la..{.d eues onone !.>.{.n.cebe60fte;the WM! II

"Kee-Jttj!.>t", hoUeJt..e.d Le.V..i..eJt..."I ~e.d to own a Velie. Monoc.ou.pe.. The. nu.mbeJt..WM NC6730!"

Ru.dy pftomptiy 6e.tc.he.d my papeJ1.l.:>. You. c.an imagine. the. ju.bilation whe.n my nu.mbeJt..tMnedout to be NC6730. Weil, Ru.dy decided on the !.>pot that J..;t jMt wou...tdn't do 60ft anyone e..t'->eto have NC6730, and I WM il'lc.Une.d to agft..ee. w.U:h YU.m. A6teJt.. a...t..t, Tonya...tway.o 6lw me likea 9 entieman. H-i.-bhop!.>weJte s hoJt..:tand ~wee.t and he neveJt.. boo.ted me Mound Li..ke tnos Alha.mbftaA es» Club JtM c.m .

PAGE 4

It looked ~ke I had a new home. Then LeV~~ pulled out hio n~z logbook to Qon6~the nwnbVt. SWLe enough, NC6730 Wa.!.lthe 6J..Mt MonoQoupe enVz.y I but 1 Wa.!.lnot the. wplane.he .thought I Wa.6. He'd only bOJUtOwe.dme. 6Jtom Mon..:tle.Ke.enan. Hi6 owl'!.wpfane, a .6MtVt.6~p, had been NC6J24. It Wa.6 a natUJtal nU.6take, but Tovtfy 6.tu obugate.d to wdhdJr.awW chU..m xo pJUoJt owneJU~p. Wdh the. .6ughUy hope6ul expe~a;U.on 06 bung Jtllieved 06 .theJtv.,polU~b~y 60Jt my Jte.ge.neJta..Uon, Tony phoned Rudy to Jteili6y the. e/uio«,

Rudy HazMa, bung the geneJtou.o and «esorure. .6oul that he J...4, wtened to Ton£,y'.6explan~on, but ~ made. no ~66Vte.nQe. 'NC6730 belonge.d to Tony LeV~eJt and that Wa6 that."1t'.6 YOWv6, Tony", Rudy de.~e.d. "Come and gu ill"

We Mono~oupe.o pJte.oe.n.t QVt.tain pJtoblem.o whe.n we. aJte. taken home 60Jt oveJtha~ng. aUJtmng.6 .bpan .6ome :t1Wt:ty 6eu ..OJtmOJte and .they don't .6epaJtate ..Ln xh« m.i..ddle. That WM o.k.~n the. day.6 when -thVte wVten' t: manq'cuAp.tane.o aJtound and hangaJt .6paQe Wa.6 cheap , but tJtytudung a MonoQoupe mng out 06 the way in .the ave!tage home woJtk..ohop 60Jt .:the 6~y gaJtage.Tony le6t my W-i.ng hang~ng in Rudy'.6 hangaJt 60Jt the .tUne bung and ~aJtted the nes« 06 myanatomy home to La Canada. TheJtea6teJt hio 6a..U.h6ul VW beme Jtemained ou.t.6~de peJtmanenfty.

Having had .6ome expeJUenQe buil~ngaiJt~6t, 6Jtom m.i..dgu Jta~eJU to mde.-bodie.o, Tonyknow he had to .6e.t up a pJtogJtam wheJteby ea~h Qomponen.t ~ould be deaft ~ aQQoJtding to a .tUneschedui:«, Tony 6igWLed -U:. would take about 3]z yeaM to bJteath nw u6e in.to my .6keletalJtemailU. He deeecded to begin wLth my engine; namely, a 60-hp LambVt.t-Veue M5. Talk aobutqou»: heaJt.t tJtan.6pfan.t6; I I ve had n..i.ve 06 .:them! o

Tony got help and en~oUAa.gemen.t 6Jtom ano-ther: old 6JUend, John Nagel, 60JtmVt managVt 06L.A.E. John did a t.o.h. on my V~e on~e and took W pay in 6.e.y..i.ng~e. That Wa.!.lin 7930.OJt thVteabout. He gave Tony ',oJtee us e 00 hio .6hop oac.Le.We.o at TOJtJtanQe. Paul BaxtelL WOmade 11M maQ~ne shop availab.e.e in Long tseach, Fon. neaJt.ty a yeaJt il Wa.!.la.tmO.6t a 6u,U-.tUnejob 60Jt Tony. He Qommuted d~YI ex~ept on wee.kend6 and an o~Qa.6ional va~~on, the 80-~enound. tJUp 6/wm La Canada to Tonnanee. aiJtpo.u andf cn: ~ong BeaQh.

Tony .6tJUpped my V~e and ill aQQe.6.6oJUe.6JUght down to the iJtJteduubfe m.i..~mum. EaQhpa/1.t Wa.6 .in.6pe~ed 6011.WeM 'and Jt~pfaQed a.6 nec.e.o.6a.Jty. GyundVt head6 wVte Jtebu..<..e.tw..{..thnw'va..lve. .6ea.:t.6 and g~dv.,. Nw ..i.n.take and exhaus ; valve.6 weJte .unPJtovMed' by modi6y..i.ng ewtingh..<.gh-quUty valVe.6. ue» p-v.,tOn.6 wVtemailiYie.doJtom.6em.i..-6ii1Mhed~a.!.lting.6 . The QaJtb and,mag.6 weJte ovenhoui.ed: to Uk.e-n~ w-Lth the .6ame QaJte6ul attention .to detaiL The oil pumpWa.6 given uk.e tJtea..tmen:t.

The tv.,.t /tUn on my newly oveJthaufe.d LambVt.t-V~e Qoinuded m.th the 7976 L.A.E. Jteu~on.About 250 weli-~he..tt6 gathVted ::to m.tnv.,.6 the. even.t. Tony, having aQQepted a numbeJt 06 bw.:that -U:.wouldn'.t .6.taJtt on the 6wt tJty, gave the FahUn pJtop a m<..gh.typu,U. I.t'~Qk.ed.thJtough one OJt :two Jtevo.e.utiol1.6 and srood .6~. Tony mu.t::teJte.dan e.xp.e.e...uve and ~e.d again,but .:the ~hoke had been inQoJtJteilly set: The V~e Qaught on .:the .th..<.Jtdpu,U and the hangaJtnesounded ~ .the.6ound 06 6ive. pM to 11.6woJt~ng in haJtmony.

VuJUng the 6.iMt yeaJt pfan.6 had been 60Jtmu.tated 6011.the Jte.6.toJta.Uon 06 my p/Unupaleomponerd:«, Tony wanted to 6.R...yme on the. go.e.den an~veJUaJty 06 both OWL 6.e.ying QaJteeJU.The taJtg e.t date Wa.6 Ju.ty 19 78 . '

The w.ing, a.!.l PJtev.iouJ.e.y s tared, pJte.6en:ted a 60.ttrnidab.e.e QhaUenge. To deal m.th thatpJtob.e.em Tony Jte~~ed ano.the». 6JUend, Bob E~oti, .6UpVtvMOJt on the M.t. San An.ton..{.o CoUegeav.i.ation de.paJttmen::t. Bob agJte.e.d to take on the. W-i.ng as a da6.6 PJtojec..t 60Jt h,W student», It. Wa6 oJUg~na11.y planned to Jtebuild my W-i.ng, but l' ve been dumped on my deJt/t..i.0e a .tUne OJt twoand gJtou!ld-looped aplenty, .6omeU.me.6 pJte.tty v..i.o.e.enfty. My mng had been patQhed and Jte-pa.tc.he.dand the .6.paJt .6pUQe.6 had them.oelve.6 be.en .6puQe.d. Bob decided .:the be.6t apPJtoaQh would be.to b~d up a nw wing, uti1..i.z.ing aU .oalvageab.e.e 6.{;t;t.i.ng.6. Tony bought ::the ma.tvr.J.W andWOM QommenQed .awu..!19 the 6aU I 76 .6emesxe»:

PAGE 5

- The.. 11.e..x..tmaj on: de..w-<.on WM to nabll-<.c.ate..a new n£L6Uage... The. wel..cUng' ~ M pnac.ti.ced.£n MaUne. -<.n 1928 .te.6t a .tot to be. des JJr.e.d , I mus; admct : Some. 06 mlj jo-<.n;CoWelle pOf.J-<.tivel..lja.itAOc.LOUh aVl.d I had aUoge..:thell .:too many fUnlu -<.nmy tubes , e.!.>pe.ua.Uy up 6llont whVte. the.ge~ had been tOlln.obb :t-<-meand aga-<-n. Le.V-<'VtolldVted a.U the nec.e.J.Jf.J~y 4130 c.hllomo.ty tub-<.ng-<.nthe oll-<.g-<.na1..f.J-<.ze.!.>and guage.!.>. .

Vuplic.ation On :the n£L6Uage Waf.! ac.fueved by :tM.ung the s.i.de panw on a .tMge p.tat~Ollm.The.. new .tongellonf.J and :tll£L6f.Jme..mbu..oWelle.. then .ta-<.dout and j-<-gged -<-nto puc.e.. w.U:h haiuiuxiodb.toc./u,. I.:t WM then. .:tac.k-wuded and :the pnoces« nepeaxed 60ll .:the oppos-cte: scde;

The .:two f.J-<'de..panw wVte. .:the.n"mounte..d upM.gh:t on a second i-e. U.6-<.ng.:the. .6ame.!bMe. p£.a..:t-n0llm. Glleat C.Me. WM wken Ln align-<.ng the. f.J-<-de.J.Jat each. f.J:ta.:tion. ThM Waf.! ac.c.ompllihed wtha cenxe»: p.twnb line. and adj£L6:tab.te. c.llo.6.6-bllaung w.0'te.J.J. The. CltOM me..mbe.Mwelle .:then -<-n.ota.Uedand tac.b..-wel..ded, aUVtnaUI1g 6llom top to bo.:t.:tomuntil ·:the who.te .6:tlluc.:tMe.. Waf.! nlla.med. It Waf.!:then nemov ed: 6llom :the.. j-<-g and wel..ded. V-<.J.Jtolltion WM 60und .:to be m-<.MmaL All 6dtingf.J wVtethen duplic.ated £L6-<-ngth« oll-<.g-<-na.tJ.J60ll pa:t:tellnf.J.

AUhough 1 c.ame w.U:h f.JevVta.t.6W 06 empe..nnage.J.J,Tony el..ec..:ted to cUJ.Jc.~d :them all andb~d new one.!.>. By now he had such. a .tOW op-<-Mon 06 .:the..qu~y 06 my wel..dme..n;to.:that .:theyWelle a.U f.J£L6pec..:t. Many 06 my tubes Welle .60 bad.ty 6-<..:t.:te.dand .6.toppily wel..ded :that he.6£L6pec..:ted .:the. job had been done by a c.llof.J.6-eyed ollangutan.

It Waf.! no.:t .tong be.60lle. Tony lle..aL<.ze.d·-:tJw.;tW 3~ qea»: e.f.J.:tmate had been ove.ll.tlj op~tic..He. Waf.! 60lle..vVt dtUvhtg anound. -<.n.6e.Mc.h 06 pa.Jt-t.oand ma..:te.ll-<.a.l.6.ThVte. WM a,fway.6 .6ome.:tJU.ngOltothVt I.JpeUa1.. that Waf.! needed, U:t:t.te.. cUd he b..now at th« .:tme.. :that be6olle. thM Monoc.oupe..wou.td 6.ty aga-<-nhe wou.td d)uve IU-6 VW the: eqU-<-va1..e.n.:t06 once Moun~ the. wM1.d c.ommuting .:to the.6h-<.pand c.hM-<.ng pard:«,

Ne.ve.Jt.:thel..u.6, Tony plle.f.J.6ed on w.U:h one.. thought Ln. m-<-nd;namel..y, to ac.c.ompwh l.Jome..:th-<.ngevVttj wOllung day, lle.gMd.tUI.J 06 how WU ome.. the.. taf.! k m-<.gh.:tbe. Then« wVte tl.mu dull-<.ng :the..pllojec..:t whe.n a seemed c.e.Jt.:ta-<-nthat Monoc.oupe.. 6730 wou.td neVell ge..:t on-6 the..(91t0uncf'a.ga-<-n.But Le.V-<-e..ll-<.J.Jn't one. t» qua on a job ha1..6-n-<-nf.J-<-he..d.16 he. had bee.n I.JO -<-nrnYie.a he. wou.td ne.vVthave. .tM:te.d-<-n :the. av-<.aUon b£L6-<-nu.6. H-<.J.J33 ye.aM at Loc.khe..e..d, c.o~buting t» :the. de.vel..op-me.nt 06 a wide. llange.. 06 ~c.llant typu, gave.. h-<.m:the.. b..now-how to c.altlty h-<-m.:thollugh.

My .ta.ncUng ge.M -<.J.Je.x.ac..:t.ty the. .6ame. af.! .:the. oll-<.g-<-na.t, wfuc.h WM Imoc.b..e.d 066 :the. .ta.o:t '.:t-<-me.-<-n7937. You didn':t ne.e.d·whe.el.. bllake.J.J-<-nthe. '20.6 and '30.6, but .:today a'.6 an ab.6o.e.u:te.ne.c.e.!.>.6ay. Imag-<-ne.:tlly-<-ngto tau betwe.e.n do.6 el..y spaced llOW6 06 Spam-c.an.o w.U:hout bllab..u.The. -<-nf.Jta.Ua..:t,{.on06 bllab..u pOf.Je.d a pllob.te..m be.c.a.£L6e. Le.V-<-ellwante.d to U.6 e. oll-<.g-<-na1..whe.wl.Juppue.d by Joe P6-<-e.6ell 06 Co.twnb-<-a, Ca. A6tell c.onf.J-<'dellab.te.thought he de.v-<.J.Je.da .6Y.6te..m-<-nf.Jp~e.d . by the one. U.6ed f.JO .6uc.c.uf.J6ully on .:the. HudJ.Jon bombe..ll. It Waf.! .6-<-mp.te, de.an ande66e.c.:tive. Molte.oVell, a lleq~ed on..ty m-<-noltaUe.llnaUOnf.J .:to :the.. hub.6 to atc.ommoda:te :thebllake. cU.6 c..6• .

The. :toJ.J!..f.Jud WM anothell i:tem 06 orveg-<-na.te.qu-<.pme.n:tabandone.d, bolt the. saae. 06 .6a6e..:ty.It WM Ite..puc.e..d by a .6teNulb.te. .:toJ.J!..whe.el.. wh-<.c.hglle.a..:t.e.yIteduc.e.d .:the. c.hanc.e. 06 ano the»: gltound-.toop. The.tMt:t-<-me.. that happened i:t took 066 my .tancUng ge.M, blloke. my no.6e. and dumpe.d me.on my bac.k.

My c.oc.l<pi:t doon: ~ an' e..x.ac..:tdupuc.ate.. 06 the oll-<.g-<-na.t,but :the. £.e.6:t s.cde. W-i.ndowWMc.ha,,}-gid 6ltom .6u·cUng t» the. h-<-nge.dva.JrJ.e..:ty. I can ' t lleme..mbell how d Waf.! oll-<.g-<-na.Uy;pllobab.tyh-<.nge.d. Anyway, i:t .6W-i.ng.6oiuuxuid and .{I.J .6 e.cuned. by a .6-<-mp£.e.£.a..:tc.hme.c.ha~ m. The. W-i.ndJ.Jluel..dand ill s.ide: w-i..ndoW6Welle 6ollme.d, I.J-<-ze.dand -<'nf.Jtalie.d e.x.ac.tiy af.! :they Welle at the. nac..:tOllYwah the. .same. si.ze. .she«:-me..:ta.t .:tll£L6.6I-hea.de..d .6c.lle.w6 W-i.:thsrocs .

PAGE 6

I ns.cde. my c.oc.kpil you wi..11. Qind e..vVlytlUng pJte..Uy much. :the way il WM in 1928. AUthe.. Might c.onvwLo Me.. ofl.iginal., :the .6tic.k and :the IULddVl pedacs , The :thJtoille linkage A.As randand, :though :the levVl A.A -i.mpILoved someiohar . The c.oc.kpil 6looIL c.onn0/'J1l.6:to the. oluginal.The .6eat look!.> o/u~inal, but difi6eM in detail de.oign in th.e intVle.o:t ofi .6:tfLuc.:tMa1.integfLily.The. uphoLo:tVly i.o -6i.JnilaJt :to :the.. ma:teJUa1. u.oed in 1928 and d A.A -the c.OMec.t eoi.on., .

I'm vVly pnousi 06 my iVlll:tfLument paneL I:t'.6 iVlll:ta.iled e..xac.ily M it WM at:the tac.toJty.Tony fiound th.e antique iVlll:tJU.Lmentc.iu.o:tVl wWe ILummaging in a box 06 mJ.Ac.ellaneou.o junk atJohn Nagel' -6. I:t' -6 ju.ot like the oJtiginal. The ol1i.y di66efLenc.e.. A.A that my 6ILont paneli.o c.ovened wi..th :the.. -6ame ma.:te..fl.ial.a.o the. ILe.o:t 0 t :the inte..fl.iolL.

The engine c.owling din 6eM 6ILomthe ofl.iginal only in the. method 06 6Mtening the .6maUc.ylindeIL c.owl!.>. The ofl.iginal c.owl wa.o poofLly secuned. and tLa:t;tle.d c.oVllltamy, weMing mMk!.>at the nMtening point.o. Tony .6ub.6:ti;tu;te.d mac.lUne .6c.fLW-6and nub -6:tfl.ip-6. The.ta.Jr.ge wILap-Mound c.owl i.o ofl.iginal, exc.ep:t fiolL the 6a.o:te.ning -6:tfLap undefLneath. The ofl.iginal wa.o-6pfl.ing-loaded and aUowed the c.owl to fLaille.

My wing A.A contruicxed exac.ily the .6ame a.o :the ofl.iginal., u.oing aU :the ofl.igbtal. .6teel6dting-6 and bfLac.ketfLy. AvaUability dic.tated a 6ew minon: c.hang e.s to :the bill 06 mate..fl.iaLo.FOILin-6:tanc.e, the: fl.ib web.6 WelLe..made with wc.Mfi:t gfLade mahogany plljWood Lnsread 06 bM.6-wood. The» e devia.:tioVlll welLe.·:F.A. A. appILoved and Me c.oVllli.o:tent wah good c.on:tfLuc.:tionpfLac.:tic.e. AU c.ontfLol c.able.o weJte iVlll:tCLU.e.du.oing th« .6ta.ndMd me:t.hod 06 ":tuc.k .6 pliung" ,wlUc.h A.A in keeping with 1928 pILac.:tic.e. u..k~ e , with new exc.ep:ti.o YL6, :the hoJz.dwMec.onfioJun6.:to :the oJtiginaL

My paint .6 c.heme i.o bMic.aUy ofl.igina.l; -that Ls , blac.1<.and inteJu1a.:tional. oIL~nge in :the.eonnecs: plac.e.o. My numbeM and logo Me :the connecs: -6ize. and .6:tyle. The one devio..tion, age.neILou.o us e. ofi gold .:tfl.im, i.o .6igni6ic.ant in :that it .6ymbolize.o a hal.6-c.e.ntMY 06 6f.yingby Am~tic.a.'.6 6ifL.o:t pJtoduc.:tion light monoplane.

On NovembeIL 10, 1979, .6eve.tLaf.hundfLed old 6fl.iend.o again c.onglLega.:ted a.:t John Nagel'.6OOIt :the thUtd annual L. A.E. ILeunion. I WM th« eerde»: 06 a.:t:tention and I mu.o:t .6ay, I neVeILlooked -60 good, not even on ~ha.:t day in July 1928 when my 6~:t owneIL,GeolLge Law, :tool<.de.L<..vVly. La.:te in :the p.m. :the.y ILoUed me out in 6ILont 06 Nagel'.!.> hangM. John c.limbe.d in:to pnes-cde: OVeIL my thJto:t:tf.e and Tony puUed my pILOp .t:h.Aough a eoupt:e: 06 :tUne.o :to pfLime my .c.ylindVl.6 .

"Conxacci" John. .!.>houted. Tony .!.>wungthe pILOp again and a mome.nt f.a.:t~'t:the Velie WMda.:t:teJUng happily.

Tony .6wappe.d plac.e.o wdh John and we. wiute .6oon :taxiing pass; hundfLed.o 06 well-w..i..-6heMlining :the lW.nway. Oh, d WM qu.J,;te an oc.c.Mion. Clete RobervU wa.o even on hand. I had.:to den Vl to an almo!.>:t e.ndi.e.o!.>pMade 06 Ces.s nM and PipeM at ;the end 06 the ILwWJay. Theminute.o tic.ked by inte.fLrrU.nably. FinaUy :theILe. c.ame..a bILeal<.in :the. :tfLa66ic. and we began :toILo..tl. To LeViVl, who made OVeILa dozen 6iJt.o:t 6ligh:t.o in 33 yean!.>wi..th Loc.l<.hee.d, it WM mOILe:than ju.o:t anothe». :te.o:t hop. I:t wa.o :tLLfLning bcic.k:the c.a1.endM, i6 only 60IL 15 minute.o, t»a :t;,.i..me long PMt. .

Well, :that'.!.> my!.>:toJtIj.. Looi: me. oveIL good and while you'lLe at d, helLe'!.>!.>ome:tlUng:to:tJUn.k about. AU -th0-6e li:t:tf.e. wplane.o you .6ee 0 u:t :theILe Me. :to .6ome. extent. my pILogel1Y.We. Monoc.oupe.o 60ILetold the snap« 06 :the nex:t geneJtCLt.i..on06 ligh:t' a..ifLc.M6:t and OM in6fuenc.eWM OM ILeac.hing. We domina.:ted :the -6c.e.ne w/...th OM popu..lcvr..i:ty and -6ei: :the pac.e. w/...th OM. pVlnOfLmanc.e. Monoc.oupe pioneelLed tec.hnology and you wi..11. 6ind :tfLac.e.o 06 OUIL in6luenc.e.<.nmO.6:tQ 6 the. c0tpf.a.ne.o :tha.:t gave. Ame..fl.ic.aVlll:thw wing.6. I'm kind 06 pILoud 06 :that.

PAGE 7P.S. by Tony Lev~~:

16 I .e.eaAned any.tlung .:tha..t c.ou.£d be pM.6 ed on .to .6ome othen. "P0Of!. .6ap" bent on a pll.ogitamon .tW .60M, ..u: woutd be tlvL6:1. Thy t» have en;ugh .6hop .6pac.e .to handte YOM paJt.-t.i..c.ui.a.!tMAp..tane and .6tJ.J!J!...e.eave amp..te

ll.oom to move Q}tound.P,'tov~de. an aAe.a 6oll. .6toc.fUng ma.:tvUa..t.Pnovcde. M c.omp..te.te. M pO.6.o~b..te.a w:t 06 all toot:s , maJ:.wa..t.o and .6UppUe..o ne.e.ded bOll.the: pll.oje.c.:t, and .the.n pu.rt.C.hMe.them a.:t".the. ourset , ~6 a.:t all pO.6.o~b..te.. Inuude. ma.:twa..t.otall. j~9.6 and wha.:te.v~ e.R..oemay .be needed.Bll.e.ak.:the pll.oje.c.:t down ~n:to .oub-:M.oembUe..o; L, e.., mng, ou...oe...ta.ge.,..ta.n~ng geaA, empennage,e.:tc.. "Ob:t~ an eng~nevUng no:te book. Oll. bool<..o60ll. .o~ng up .the. woll.k :to be. ac.c.ompwhed.U.oe.:tw me.:thod :to keep :tJta.c.k.06 wha..t'.6 bung done.Ve.tw .the woll.k t» be. ac.c.ompwhed on eac.h .6ub-M.6emb..ty.w.t all :t~ng.o needed :to be pMc.hMed, made. on. wha.:tevVt ou..:t.o~de ob YOM own sho», Makepll.opVt ciJta.w..i.ng.6oil :them and have :them made. by c.ompe.n:te.n:t c.Jta.ot.6men, w.{.:th deUv~y daxesM 6..uun M pO.6.6~b..te.. Away/.) aUow amp..te. /.)Uppage. 60ll. deUvVty.S:tcv-t-t a Pll.ojec.:t and 6..iJ.t.L6h..u: ~o pO.M-<"b..tebe60ll.e .6:taJt;t{.ng /.)ome.t~ng. e.R..oe. Tw may no:ta...tway.6be pO.6.o~b..te.,·~6 you have. a pll.ob..tem :tha.:t :ta.k.e..otime t» 6~gMe ou..:t. Pll.even:t wOJtk..6:toppage..o by .6:t~ng on anothe»: job, pJte.6e.Tt..a.b..tya .6maU cne , In.the. me.antime. you c.an woJtk.on a .oo..t~on :to :the. phob..tem.CeJt:t~n job.6 bec.orne bo~ng. Keep YOM intVte..o:t and en:thu...oiMm up by .oe.:tt.<..ng:them as.ai»:and woiling on .6om~ng eise.Re..o:toJta.:t..i..onOt o..td cU..Jtp.e.ane.o:take. a ..to:t 06 woJtk, .6ome.:time..omOJte thor: one peJL60n c.anmanage. I:t c.an be. an advantage :to Jtec.Jt~ a .t.i.m.Lted numb~ Oil· 6Jtienci6, bu..:t don'.t ..te:tanyone :tak.e 011. a job he'.6 no:t qu..a...e.i6ied :to do. You'..e..t bind y0UA.6e.t6 doing i:t ov~ ag~n,a''l.d maybe Los e. a 6Jtiend.16 you have a dead..e.ine :to mee:t, wo4k ac.c.olt~ng :to a 6ixed .oc.hedua...t. I ~.6ed mine byoven: a yea/to

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The. 6oilomng ~ OWNERSOF MONOOCUPENC6730 down :thJtough :the yea./U:,:1. Geoltge Law 7('28 - \12/282. MeJlJL.i.ll & Ro:th 12/'28 .: 7/293. W. M. Keenan 7/29 4/314. T.W. BeaveM 4/31 - 2/335. F. M. Keenan 2/33 - 3/336. W. J. Co..te 3/33 - 11/337. Wi..e..e.iamJ. Mankin 11/33 - 1/348. W. J. Bo..ta.nd 1/34 - 4/349. Edwa.Tt..d~ 4/34 - 11/3410. Ra...tph B. Robbw 22/34 - 4/351.1• E. R0.6.6S..unp.60n 4/35 - 10/ 3512 • C. S-<-.o:to & V. Wa...e..e. 10/35 - 12/3513. V. Wall 10/35 - 2/3614. Mo~an T. Vaughn 2/36 - 9/3715. Sec.Mi:ty Inve..o:tmen:t Co 9/37-10/3776 • RobeJt:t & G..ten Joll.dan 70/37 .- 8/40

Monoc.oupe c.JtMhed and lic.en.6 e WM .ou...opended by Joe S. Maltio:t:t17. LO£U6 MaUz 18/40 - 2/5518. John W. Ca..e.~ 2/55 - 4/7819. Rudy nazuua punchased NC6730 60fL .6ma...e..e.xouen on abou..:t 1965-68 pwod20. Tony Le.V-<"eJtWM given :the Monoc.oupe on MaAc.h 1975 and had ti:tle :tJtan.66~ on 13 MaA 1978