Guys, I know there are other RV's in worse shape than mine but I am going to need to rebuild a left flap, possibly reskin a top and bottom left wing and not sure about a wing tip. That is all I could evaluate with the little time I had in trying to tie down again. If anyone can assist with materials to do that please email me. I am going to have to figure out how to get the plane back to OK.
For those speculating about the tie downs, the tie downs could not hold in the soil. It might as well been tied down in water for all the soil held.
Awful...just awful.
Couple of flipped airplanes in this pic...looks like Tony Spicers' RV-3???
This is unbelievable...
Please send any correspondence to me via email. I am not going to be able to see the forum much longer and will not be able to reply to any PM's here. I have an I-phone so will see any emails sent to me. I appreciate everyone's help and am going to reluctantly have to take you up on the offers for assistance. At this time I cannot get back out to my plane to thouroughly assess the damage. As soon as I do I can give you more details. Please contact me via cell phone 405 822-0621 or email steveingraham at hotmail dot com.Steve, I'll be sending a PM shortly. I'm building my left wing now and may have parts to help.
Please send any correspondence to me via email.
Just a note to everyone about Smokey's report above. The ercoupe he reports that flipped over is our very good friends from our airport. It was their first trip to Sun n Fun. Their Ercoupe is totalled.There I was, having lunch in a camper with our Missionary Aviation Support Contingent when it hit. It can be best described as a freight train coming down a tunnel and you are at the other end. My ears popped then the first gust hit. The wind-meter on a neighboring camper pegged at 80 knots and froze there. Our camper leaned up about 45 degrees then got light on all 4 wheels. I looked outside just in time to see a porta pottie I had used a scant 3 minutes prior fly horizontally past our camper exspousing it's contents as it rolled and flipped. Our friend John, at the height of the gale in pure missionary fashion asked "anybody want a cup of coffee?"
I peeked out the drivers window and just caught the end of an Ercoupe's last stand against the gale as it flipped. No tie downs on earth could have stood the 100 plus knots near where the tornado touched down. The high winds continued for about 4 minutes then came a torrential downpour like none I have experienced, even in the Ecuadorian jungle. When all had finally subsided, the carnage was self evident.
We assembled our team of highly trained missionary pilots, (they do disaster relief for a living!) grabbed vehicles and golf carts and began searching for injured people and rescue. My wife and I headed straight for our feature tent, near the LSA Mall. As we rounded the corner, flattened tents, upside down airplanes and tree limbs were abundant. Miraculously our Fly 4 Life tent was unscathed as well as all of the missionary airplanes surrounding it, including our RVX. It sat there, almost smiling at me asking "why were you worried?"
The cleanup continues...
Smokey
Has anyobne heard from Bob Avery and Jay Pratt? Also, TruTrak's people.
Just talked with Kahuna. They were on their way into the parking area to survey the damage when they were turned around for another storm line moving in. So far as they know for Team RV, Spicer's RV-3 flipped onto Japundza's RV, Stripes' RV-7A cartwheeled and landed upside down, and Speedy's RV-6 may have had some rudder damage. Also Mutha's RV upside down. Stangely, they had breakfast this morning with the underwriter that insures their planes. Team RV was gathered somewhere discussing the day. Stripes was jovial looking for an RV-8. No assistance needed from here.
Falcon
Insurance claim probably asks about being tied down............
Team RV member James Clark interviewed on the Weather Channel right now!!
Just watched this, don't know who James Clark is, but he did an outstanding job of representing the homebuilt community, I mean, high degree of outstanding. Bravo Zulu Sir.
I'm happy that no one (to my knowledge) was seriously hurt, but am saddened by the loss of so many aircraft - many of which were labors of love.