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Adriel Sighting

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jimhefner

Joined: 11 Jan 2006
Posts: 91
Location: Tucson, AZ

Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 8:04 am Post subject: Adriel Sighting

A few minutes ago while I was out in my back yard,  I heard an ultralight out to the East and spotted it heading toward my house in Oro Valley from the Pusch Ridge Mountain direction.  As it got closer I looked at it with my binoculars and to my surprise I saw that it was Adriel Heisey circling around and then he headed NW.  It appeared he was following Tangerine Rd out toward Marana.  Maybe he launched his flight from there. 



I have not heard about or from Adriel in what seems to be a couple years and found out from his website late last year that he had moved from Tucson some time ago, so I assume he trailered his plane here and was doing a photo shoot.



His highly modified Firestar fuselage is a dead give away, as well as the all cream colored plane with no markings.  The 912S sounded sweet, obviously throttled back a lot for cruising.  He told me he burns around 4 gph cruising... he said he can stay up more than 4 hrs with his fuel capacity.  He's an amazing photographer!!  Highly publicized in National Geographic, AZ Highways, etc and has published 2, maybe 3 books by now.   



It was good to see him in the air around Tucson again!!



Has anyone else heard from Adriel in the recent past??  Wish he would join us at MV sometime!  He's pretty busy with his flying photography business so I'm not holding my breathe on that one... similar to Homer joining us.

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Jim Hefner
Tucson, AZ
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Ed in JXN

Joined: 24 Mar 2006
Posts: 122

Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 8:46 am Post subject: Adriel Sighting

Hi Jim,



        Wasn't he using a modified MkII IIRC?



Ed in Jxn

MkII/503



Do not archive.

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jimh474(at)earthlink.net
Guest

Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 9:00 am Post subject: Adriel Sighting

Adriel, is flying a modified TwinStar.



Jim Hauck

On 6/1/2006 12:44:56 PM, Ed Chmielewski (edchmiel(at)mindspring.com) wrote:

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<edchmiel(at)mindspring.
	


[quote] com>

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 Hi Jim,

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 Wasn't he using a modified MkII IIRC?

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 Ed in Jxn

 MkII/503

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 Do not archive.

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jimhefner

Joined: 11 Jan 2006
Posts: 91
Location: Tucson, AZ

Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 2:17 pm Post subject: Re: Adriel Sighting

Thanks for correcting me Jim.  You would know since you might have helped Dennis custom built it for Adriel.   I'm not familiar with the old Kolb line but knew it was a 2 seater, modified quite a bit for his photography equipment.  I've never seen a stock Twinstar, but judging by Adriel's plane, it appears to have had some similarities to the Mark III.

_________________
Jim Hefner
Tucson, AZ
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jimh474(at)earthlink.net
Guest

Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 3:16 pm Post subject: Adriel Sighting

Jim and All;



No I didn't custom modify Adriel's Twin Star and I don't believe Dennis =

had anything to do with it either. I repaired the plane after Adriel =

broke it several years ago.



Jim Hauck

On 6/1/2006 6:17:17 PM, jimhefner (hefner_jim(at)msn.com) wrote:

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 Thanks for correcting me Jim.  You would know since you might have =

helped
	


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		   Dennis custom built it for Adriel.

 I'm not familiar with the old Kolb line but knew it was a 2 seater, =

modified quite a bit for his photography equipment.  I've
	


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		   never seen a stock Twinstar, but judging by Adriel's plane, it appears =

to have had some similarities to the Mark III.
	


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		  =20

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 Jim Hefner

 Tucson, AZ

 Firefly #022  447, 2 blade IVO, BRS-750

 Do Not Archive

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jimhefner

Joined: 11 Jan 2006
Posts: 91
Location: Tucson, AZ

Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 4:52 pm Post subject: Re: Adriel Sighting

Jim, I recall from talking to Adriel a few years ago that he had worked with Dennis on the changes, unless my brain cells are starting to retire with me...     Dennis could easily set us all straight if he is monitoring the list now.  I'm pretty sure Adriel didn't just go off and make those mods without consulting old Kolb, particularly Dennis Souder.  Adriel's a darn good photographer and flier, but he doesn't strike me as being an aircraft designer/engineer type.  Been wrong many times before though so you might be right.

_________________
Jim Hefner
Tucson, AZ
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jimhefner

Joined: 11 Jan 2006
Posts: 91
Location: Tucson, AZ

Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 9:13 pm Post subject: Re: Adriel Sighting

I had an earlier offline discussion with Jim Hauck and learned that he made the airframe mods to add the 912 for Adriel and those are the changes that Adriel reviewed with Dennis Souder.  Jim said the original TwinStar frame was unmodified when first outfitted with the photography pod.  I stand corrected.  I also learned Adriel has broken his plane twice, when I only knew of once...  Thanks Jim!



I talked to a friend tonight that keeps his plane at LaColla airpark and he met and talked to Adriel there today following Adriel's morning flight.  My friend was really impressed with Adriel's Kolb.... he said it looked more like a real airplane than his memories of early ultralights with cables and sailcloth....    He also said Adriel told him he is moving to Colorado very soon.  Adriel was performing an aerial survey of development encroachment on the desert area NW of Tucson with his flight this morning.  It would be very interesting and scary to see I'm sure.

_________________
Jim Hefner
Tucson, AZ
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flykolb(at)pa.net
Guest

Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 9:20 pm Post subject: Adriel Sighting

Adriel's aircraft is an original TwinStar (not Mark-2 or 3). He

painstakingly built it all by himself with many modifications and additions

for his photographic purposes.  Some years later he had an accident and a

fair amount of damage and Jim H. helped with the cage repair.  

	Later, when Adriel wanted a more dependable engine, because he was

flying over such inhospitable terrain, I did my best to dissuade him from

installing the 912 in the TS, and then I was even more adamant when he

wanted to do the 912S instead of the 912.  But seeing he was determined and

not about to be deterred from his task - I offered what input I could so as

to hopefully increase the probability of success.  Adriel is an

exceptionally gifted photographer, and designer, and builder and pilot.  Not

too many of those around.

	I was opposed to the 912 installation because the TwinStar has only

5" x 050 spars; not the 6" x 058 that the Mark-III uses.  Even though Adriel

assured me that he would use the power very sparingly, I was and still am

concerned that others see his installation and think this is something they

too can do.  Possibly they could, but maybe they would not be quite as

diligent in the building details as Adriel was, and maybe not quite as

meticulous in maintenance as Adriel is and possibly not as conservative in

flying as Adriel is ... and maybe they won't experience his success.  And

maybe Adriel's 912S powered TS may yet have, for instance, have some fatigue

related problems surface - I certainly hope not.  But one thing is for

certain, he is certainly probing closer to the edge than anyone has

previously done with the TS design.  Adriel you are awesome - but keep

inspecting that frame!



Dennis



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jimhefner

Joined: 11 Jan 2006
Posts: 91
Location: Tucson, AZ

Posted: Fri Jun 02, 2006 5:41 pm Post subject: Re: Adriel Sighting

Thanks for your post Dennis.  I agree wholeheartedly with what you said about Adriel's many talents.  He's also one hell of a nice guy!!  He's responsible for getting me into Kolb flying.  After I met him and saw his plane, saw his photos and heard about his flying scenario, I had to have a trailerable Kolb, with no enclosed cockpit, so I could take great photos like Adriel, although my equipment (plane and camera) and my photographic talent all pale in comparison to Adriel's!  He's "the man" in my book!  He figured out how to combine his many talents and his love for flying and make a comfortable living doing it, although it took quite a while for the success and recognition to come when he first got started.  



Since he was looking for reliability, not lots of power, I'm sure the 912S is loafing along most of the time.  It is interesting that he went all the way to the 912S... seems the 80hp would have been a lot more than was needed and would have gotten the reliability he was looking for.  I'm sure he had a good reason in mind.  



Thanks again to you and Jim H for sharing your experiences with Adriel.

_________________
Jim Hefner
Tucson, AZ
Do Not Archive

flykolb(at)pa.net
Guest

Posted: Fri Jun 02, 2006 7:46 pm Post subject: Adriel Sighting

The reason he wanted the 912s was for his "next" airplane.  He really didn't

want the -s for the TS, but figured it would be useful in the future.

Dennis



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