Finding the Right Airplane

Warren had a very clear picture of what his perfect plane would be. Although he hadn’t figured out which make and model met all his criteria, he knew it had to have certain fea­tures, a certain look and a specific setup.

He enjoyed flying the Cessna 150 Texas Taildragger he had his first few lessons in, but didn’t like the “normal” 150 as much. Warren briefly considered a Cessna 140 but wasn’t sure about the fabric wings. He didn’t have a hangar to store his plane in and was concerned how well the fabric would withstand the weather.

So, he began searching. He and his father looked at po­tential airplanes while they were at AirVenture in Oshkosh. Nothing seemed to fit the bill. Then, while they were at their insurance broker’s annual party, they met Ken and Lorraine Morris, a couple from Illinois. When the Morris’ overheard Warren’s description of his ideal airplane, they told Warren the Cessna 140A had everything he was looking for.

Ken and Lorraine Morris were active in the 120/140 as­sociation and were co-presidents at the time. They explained the Cessna 140A came from the factory with metal wings. And, in every other way, they felt this aircraft would meet Warren’s expectations. Furthermore, they were just begin­ning to restore one built in 1951.

The search was over.

Restoring N1116D

When Warren purchased N1116D, it was in pieces – which was a good thing. “I loved the fact that it was a blank can­vas,” Warren said. “We were able to configure it exactly how I wanted it.”

Lorraine documented and took photos of the restoration as things progressed. She and Warren talked and emailed frequently throughout the process. They crafted everything to Warren’s specifications, keeping it all original except the radio and transponder. Since he lived within the ADIZ (now known as SFRA), what his father referred to as “jail,” he was required to make frequent calls and reports while within the airspace, which demanded newer equipment.

Warren has been flying N1116D for 18 years now. Though it was originally intended to serve as a short-term “get some experience” airplane, it has become a well-loved part of his family’s life.

He’s made a few changes since the original restoration. Be­fore LED lights were available, he added HID landing and taxi lights. The transponder was replaced with an ADS-B model and the Scott 2000 tailwheel was upgraded to a Scott 3200. He mainly lands his Cessna 140A on a grass strip, and the 2000 was prone to getting stuck in the soft Texas clay.

The most challenging job was repairing a doorpost crack, an issue which arises on these little birds fairly often after years of use, according to Warren. It took some time to find the right person for the task of disassembling the plane, mak­ing the repair, and reassembling it once again.

Finally, he did a top overhaul after 1000 hours of fly time. “All these things were done out of necessity,” Warren said. “I am happy to have done the work because it should be set for another 18-plus years before needing anything else.”

Fortunately, there are not many AD’s on these aircraft and most parts are readily available, though some of the 140A-specific parts are becoming scarce, since relatively few of this model were made. The most difficult part to track down was the right flap bracket. Warren often turns to Aero Perfor­mance and Aircraft Spruce, along with a few others, for parts.

So, Warren and his wife, Katie, use N1116D for its intended purpose. They frequently take their three sons on short evening flights, when the wind has settled in for the night and the sun is low on the horizon. Although he has flown his Cessna 140A from Tennessee to Maryland, Warren prefers flying it in the pattern or to local airports. His favorite destination is Ranger Airfield (F23) in Ranger, Texas – the third oldest airfield in Texas and one with a rich history. Warren once had battery issues there and Jared Calvert invited him to leave the 140A as long as necessary. Jared not only kept it safely stored in a hangar, he found someone to troubleshoot the issue, then flew the plane home for Warren.

That’s not the only long trip this little airplane has taken. War­ren and Katie went to a 120/140 convention held in the North­east and participated in a scavenger hunt. They visited many beautiful airports in the area and settled on Aeroflex-Andover (K12N) in Andover, New Jersey as their favorite.

Though Warren primarily flies this aircraft, his wife took her first flight lesson in it and has taken a liking to it. His oldest son is getting better at handling the controls (under supervision) and has declared he’ll be ready to kick his dad out of the pilot’s seat any day now. He’s only six, so it will be a few years before that happens!