----[Please read http://ercoupers.com/disclaimer.htm before following any advice in this forum.]---- Yep, I do know Geoff, in fact it prompted me to look back in my #1 log book to see when I last flew with him here in Southport. Southport is about 20 miles north of Liverpool on the west coast and Geoff lived here before he emigrated to America. I flew with him in an airplane called a "Foster Wickner WICKO" of which there were only five ever built. It was a high wing cabin monoplane, all wood, even covered with ply-wood, no fabric, Gipsy Major engine, two seat side by side, designed and built in the 1930's. We had the only one remaining example on our flying club between 1957 and 1958, I flew with Geoff in March 1957 in it. During the war it was "impressed" into Military service and used by the Air Transport Auxilary as a hack for ferrying pilots around after they had delivered airplanes to the RAF from the factories. After we sold it in 1958 it was taken out of service and stood for many years in the back garden of a chap near Birmingham, when we had it it was painted all over in light red. During its war service it was camouflaged and it was repainted in camouflage when parked in his garden. Now, all these years later it has been salvaged and is being rebuilt by an enthusiast near Dublin, I am hoping to fly in it again when it gets completed and flying. So much for history When Geoff comes over here I usually see him as he has a relative living nearby. He was a great help at Puyallup in 1995/6 when I had my Mooney Cadet grounded for a while with the leaking fuel tank. In 1995 on one of my visits to Puyallup he took me flying in his Barracuda, a most impressive machine. I've had a number of communications already from Ercoupe owners on the list, notably Percy Wood, Patrick Thompson, Andy Pomeroy, Paul Anton and yourselves. It's great to know there is help out there. The container.....I did think of buying one but the simple way was to use the company I used last time, they did all they said they would and this time it is going smoothly up to now, it sails from the UK to Montreal, then by rail to Tacoma, only then do I expect problems. Last time I encountered some rather difficult Customs Ladies in Norfolk VA, In the end I realised I was going to get nowhere with them at the head office so I went down to the dock container depot. A most sensible and helpful chap cleared the container within 30 minutes so I know how to deal with Customs now, keep away from the paper pushers at head office. That's my news for now, glad to have made contact, I am attaching a (very rare) color photo of the Wicko, most photos in those days were black and white. Dave Vernon ==^================================================================
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