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Antique Cessna 195s meet at Santa Ynez Airport

By Robert Perry

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A line of antique Cessnas graced the Santa Ynez Valley Airport two weeks ago. Contributed

Special to the Valley News

More than 40 classic round engine Cessna 195s converged from all over the United States at Santa Ynez Airport recently for the 36th Annual Fly-in and convention of the International Cessna 190/195 Club.

Some participants traveled from as far away as New England and Florida to for sightseeing, shopping, wine tasting, and other activities in the valley and surrounding areas.

Valley resident and club board member Lloyd Sorensen hosted this gathering of aircraft, Cessna Aircraft Corporation produced the Cessna 195 during the years just after World War II from 1947 to 1954. Building about 1,100 of these aircraft Cessna had planned for the postwar boom in aircraft sales that never took off.

At the time these conventional gear aircraft were being built, Beechcraft came on the market with the Bonanza, a smaller and less expensive aircraft that outperformed the Cessna with a smaller engine and tricycle gear, making it easier to fly and land than the larger radial engine Cessna tail dragger.

Cessna billed the aircraft as the Business liner and marketed it to business executives interested in covering more territory than a ground-bound businessman or one at the mercy of the airlines. With a gross weight of 3,350 pounds and a useful load of 850 pounds with full fuel, the 195 was advertised to be able to cover more than 700 miles in a day and be able to have its passengers home for supper.

Powered by a Jacobs 300 horsepower seven-cylinder radial engine, the 195 would cruise at 165 mph and had seats for up to five people. Cessna ended production of the 195 in 1954 but more than 600 still are flying due largely to the efforts of collectors and dedicated pilots.

Preparing the east side of the Santa Ynez Airport ramp for the onslaught of more than 40 visiting aircraft last month, a group of dedicated volunteers helped park and direct pilots during their stay in the Valley. Providing transportation to local hotels, restaurants, and wineries these volunteers kept the visiting pilots, co-pilots, families, and friends occupied during the four to five days most stayed.

On Saturday evening, a crowd of more than 150 joined in a hanger at Santa Ynez Airport for a traditional Valley barbecue featuring a presentation by a legend of aviation. Introduced by valley resident Jim Kunkle Sr., himself a World War II P-38 fighter pilot, aviation great Bob Hoover regaled the assembled pilots and friends with tales of flying during the air war over Europe in WWII as a flying sergeant. He also spoke of his exploits with aviation greats Charles Lindberg, Gen. Chuck Yeager, and Jimmy Doolittle.

Hoover also told the gathered crowd of his misadventure during the 1966 World Aerobatic Championships held in Moscow. Hoover was given permission to fly the Russian’s winning aircraft and then proceeded to do the same routine that the Russians flew but he flew inverted and at an altitude that had him disappearing behind a 30 foot high dirt berm that surrounded the airport. The Russian authorities immediately arrested him but he was released after a drunken Yuri Gagarin, the first Russian cosmonaut, praised him for his flying prowess.

Several Valley residents, both pilots and non-pilots attended the event and enjoyed the display of these antique aircraft and meeting with pilots from across the United States.

Additional information on the International Cessna 195 club can be found on their Web site, WWW.CESSNA195.ORG or by contacting Lloyd Sorensen at (805) 207-7220.

Robert Perry is a longtime Santa Ynez Valley resident, former commercial pilot and flight instructor, and currently flies an experimental light sport aircraft out of Santa Ynez Airport.