A Brantly Story recounted - N21O1U

[scrapper]

Brantly Story N21O1U – from the biography of a vet in BE PA. He had had 2-3 planes but decided he could make farm visits with a copter and have some fun while working. He bought a 1960 B2 which was later converted to a B2B. About ‘62 he had overheated the engine too many times and Lycoming installed a new one and added fans. He recounts his various experiences, just missing a electric line or two and then recounts his one close call. He flew it til 1981, had a slight stoke and then gave it up. No accidents in that 21 years. He recently in a letter said twice he never should have sold it. Heis now 91. In 81 the factory bought it back, rebuilt it and sold it to someone in Michigan, he lost touch after that. He weighed just 150.

One close call - There was only one incident in his 20 yrs of flying that could have been serious. I landed on tarmac in front of my hangar to get lunch and while eating, an urgent call came in, about 15 miles west of home. I assembled the medicine and equipment I would need, jumped in the machine and rose off the tarmac about three feet when the motor suddenly stopped. The helicopter abruptly dropped with a loud crash. Several neighbors came running thinking I might have been hurt. I was still sitting in the seat- hadn’t moved. There was a sudden jolt and I had no idea what had happened. After getting out and checking the blades and the tail rotor etc, I couldn’t find anything wrong. I get in again, the motor started right up. I rose slowly about 4 inches from the ground, maneuvered left and right and up and down, everything seemed ok. I flew to my destination, treated the cow and continued flying another two weeks with no problem. I had the mechanic look at it and he decided that the mechanical fuel pump had failed ( when the engine is starting, the mechanical fuel pump automatically activated. After starting, the pilot engages the electric fuel pump) Apparently I missed the toggle switch after starting, and after in the air by 3 feet the mechanical failed. If it had happened at 1100 feet, I could auto-rotate down. If I was only a few hundred feet in the air, I would not have had had enough time to find a suitable landing area or to operate the controls because the machine drops immediately. The angles were watching over me again.

Twenty years seems like a very fine record.

Scrapper

[HELISCAN]

N2101U- B2B

• COMPELETED, NOV. 1961 at the factory in Frederick, OK
• Sold to J. P. Watson
• On Dec. 9, 1961, flown to Erie, Pa
• On Sept, 9 1964, Factory Modified to a B2B
• From 1961 to 1985, maintained by Ernest Kittner
• Not sure of sale name
• Beginning Feb 13, 1985, maintained by Ly-Con Aviation, Pontiac, MI
• Beginning Aug 29, 1986, thru 1992, maintained by R.J. Helicon, Wixon. MI
• 1992 bought by John Vohs
• Maintained by John Vohs & David Bartkoiak
• Installed oile filter and new Dash Feb 2001
• Sold to Mark Roberts 2004
• Sold to David Mathews 2006

Dave

[scrapper]

Dave, Cheers - Isn't that amazing. J.P. Watson's autobiography is what spiked my interest & got me to Google Brantly and find this site. And of 900 some manufactured, only 50ish still flying, his is still alive and you have it. Repeating, in a recent correspondence at age 91 he states twice “I never should have sold it”. I will supply him with a photo.

FAA shows no accidents, I don’t think there are many Brantlies registered that never wrecked! What is the plural of Brantly anyway!
Scrap

[HELISCAN]

Check out the attachments. I reseached my records and found more great stuff.

Dave