photo : real or fake

Hi,
I saw a bitter debate on another forum on the following picture :
http://www.severyns.com/aero/images/cub_stopped_prop.jpg

Some claim it's authentic, others that it's a fake.

I don't see why it would be a fake since stopping a prop and stepping out of a cub in flight has been done before, but if someone had more info on this picture, that would help !

Best.

I posted that picture here on SC.org awhile back. It's real. I personally know fellows (right Alan!) that have done this when flying floats as well...walked up the float and gave her a flip and got back in.

When I took my first ground school, the instructor told us about a stunt pilot that flew a J-3, and did many stunts like this with it. One of his stunts included a fly-by at 10 feet while standing on the wheel.

The concept was that he did not know how to fly, and at one point drops the instructions on the crowd.

He was killed when his stick pulled out of its mount on a low level stunt.

That guy was " Professor Schram " I guess he would always borrow someones Cub to do his Cub comedy act. In Pete Bowers Piper Cub book there is a picture of him doing a slow roll VERY close to the ground, I've heard it was pretty amazing what he could do with a Cub.

The worst thing about doing that . . is that you can't reach the prop (or front of the cowling) unless your seat belt is all the way off. As a kid . . been there . . tried that. I was riding up front in our PA-18 "95" with my father flying from the back. Looking over the cowling I noticed the far right top cowl fastener vibrating. So I watched it a little while and it "pops" up. So I tell Dad and he says " no problem just keep an eye on the one next to it". No sooner said than the next inboard top fastener started vibrating. Seems dad noticed it at the same time as I did as the top cowling is now starting to bend "up". He immediately slowed to 60 to get the pressure off of it. He now is starting to say things usually reserved for a bad day on the dairy farm. We started for our farm strip but now . . you guessed it the center one is starting to dance. . . and the top cowling is definitely looking like it wants to leave.

All sorts of options were being discussed from the back seat . . he sorta was talking to himself out loud. "Where the _ _ ll is a field when you need one?" "That _amn thing is going to come off and go through the windshield. Wait till I get my hands on that mechanic (it was inspected the day before)".

He came up with the idea that if I could get out the door with the long seat belt around me . . and just push it down . . . the now slower airspeed might keep it from leaving. A small lake was ahead so he dropped to tree top and slowed down some more and put it in a shallow left turn . .thought that might keep some of the wind off me. He said the lake was in case I fell. Yea . . he loves me. I learned that you can get on the gear with the seat belt all the way out . . but only reach a little past the windshield.
Came back in and advised that the seat belt wasn't long enough. He said he would go lower . . . try without the belt. I tried . . . . but couldn't reach the top of the cowl. It may have been because my pants were filling up and weighting me down. Back in I came. We managed to get home without it coming off. The sensation, sights and sound of that prop is amazing. I can still see it all. And you couldn't pay me enough to try it again. With age comes . . . .

Well as for dad . . . you should have heard what mom told him when I ran to tell what happened. Dad's comment that "we were over water . . if he fell", only brought more of mom's wrath. Larry Ciszak

Larry, I'm glad I asked the question : it's a great story !

My uncle, Roy Sprague, used to sit on the wing struts of his 90 Super Cub during his drunk act. He reached back in with one hand on the stick and the other on the throttle to fly.

I remember standing on the ramp at Gillespie Field in the early seventies, talking to the FAA airshow monitor during his act. The FAA guy said he'd told Roy not to do the stunt and to stay in the cub. Not a minute later Roy flys by at 100' or so, sitting completely outside, feet dangling in the air. He even let go of something to wave at the crowd.

He told me it was pretty easy, but somehow I've never had the courage to try. He used to do car-plane transfers and firewall crashes too, hauling Johnny Kazian. I've never tried those either!

I have a picture, taken in the late 70's- way before digital, at the Saratoga County airport Ballston Spa NY of a J-3 or PA-11 flyby at a couple of hundred feet. The pilot out on the tire giving the engine a "prop". This was at an air show and was possibly Stan Segallia (sp?). He does a very good flying farmer act here in the Northeast in a PA-11. My concern, among others, would be having the tire turn while on it. Would THAT ruin your day or what!

Hi,
On my first dual in my J-3 right after take-off at lake hood strip I noticed the gas cap had come off and pointed it out to the instructor. We had no intercom. He asked if I could reach out and fix the problem. I was willing.
Off came the seat belt, opened the door, slid out. One hand for myself and one hand to do the job. Sure I was scared but I had a good grip on the tubing.
Dave.