Doing some repair work on an Arctic Tern, Model S1B2, but have not had any success in obtaining any maintance information on the aircraft. The company's owner died in Oct. and there is no info avaliable from the company now. The aircraft ground looped and needed the rt. wing rear spar replaced wnich I have done. Now I need the rigging specs and procedures. My question is does anyone have some repair & parts manuals I could get copies or fax's of ? I even have the Fed's working on this but they've had no success yet either or they haven't tried very hard.
Any help would be appriciated as I'm at a stalling point here.

Call Kevin at the Flight Doctor in Burley. He has an Arctic Tern project going as well. 678-0372
I'm not saying he knows but he's had this one for a couple of years so I'm sure that he'll know something about it.

Idaho Planenut,

Try posting your question on supercub.org. There was a bit of discussion about them a while back and I'm sure someone on that site may be able to help you. Lots of guys from Alaska on the site and from what I have read there are several Terns up there.

Good Luck,
Keith

Give Vickie Domke at Tamarack Air in Fairbanks a call. She has a Tern, and I'm betting she can either give you those specs or tell you where to find them.

Also, I think Bill Diehl, who first converted the Interstate Cadet to the Tern is still alive and living in Anchorage.

I'd also post the question on Supercub.org. Dave Calkins may also be a good source.

MTV

Roger Morris, at McCall Air, had an Arctic Tern in there earlier this summer. The pilot came into McCall from somewhere in Oregon or Washington and proceeded to almost total it on landing.

SO, if you are not the same Arctic Tern, and there is no Arctic Tern still hiding in the back corner of McCall Airs rear maintenance hanger, then most likely the crew there was able to find a sufficient amount of the correct data to repair and re-rig it.

Unless it got totaled by the insurance.

Yes this is the same one that had the incident in McCall, we're covering the wing now and will be putting it on soon so we need some specs.
Thanks for all the responses, We're getting in touch your references now and its gaining us some ground although it sounds like there's not much info available, but any will be helpful. Will keep all informed, thanks again.

OK an Arctic Tern? I'll google it since it's news to me. Been in the hills to long. Electric cloths in one post, and one tern leads to another.

Fly safe, Bub

Bub,

Originally the Interstate Cadet. First built before WWII. One of the L-birds during WWII.

Bill Diehl in Anchorage bought the TC many years ago (33 or 34??) and modified the airplane as the new Alaskan bush plane. Bill had a lot of innovative ideas (like the wings are identical, and interchangeable) he upped the power from 65 to 150, added a big baggage compartment (fiberglass tub, with a floor drain so you could hose out the moose blood after a hunt), etc.

It didn't sell very well. A fellow back east bought all the TC and stuff from Bill several years ago. He was fairly close to certification, but in a tragic accident with a forklift, Bart was killed this year.

They are pretty decent airplanes, actually. Bill had a few issues with quality control at times, but generally a pretty functional and durable airplane.

MTV

Wings are identical, as in symetrical? I thought that symetrical wings were generally found on aerobatic planes, not STOL models. So did Diehl change the airfoil from the original Interstate design?
I read a magazine article not too long ago about Bill Diehl having built some 4-seat versions of the Tern, called the Privateer as I recall. Think it musta been in Sport Aviation magazine, but I can't find it here at home. Don't recall where he's living now, but I think it was alaska.

Eric

I assume your the guy that Vickie sent those manuals too. Hope they helped you.


Also, great news, Interstate AIrcraft was sold and the new ower has the intension of building and selling them. I am waiting for a reply as to parts and manual availability for the S1b1, S1b2 and S-4's

http://www.interstateaircraft.com/Contact.html



Damon

Zero One,

No, not a symmetrical airfoil. The wings were identical, end for end. So, they only had to build ONE wing. Right equals left. Lots of other ideas that made sense.

If you still haven't gotten the stuff you need, get in touch with John Pribbenow at the Department of Interior's Aviation Management Division on Lake Hood in Anchorage. THey used to have two terns, but they're gone now. He could probably come up with manuals/rigging instructions.

MTV