The word ‘rare’ is defined as seldom occurring or uncommon. When used to describe airplanes, it is often applied to designs that are few in number—such as the Student Prince, an open-cockpit biplane briefly manufactured in Oregon in the late 1920s to early 1930s. The Student Prince was the first airplane to be commercially built and certified in Oregon—the second was the Van’s Aircraft RV-12, built in Aurora, Oregon. Van’s would begin turning out the 912is-powered SLSAs in 2009.
A Tale of Four Princes
The word 'rare' is often applied to aircraft designs that are few in number—such as the Student Prince, an open-cockpit biplane briefly manufactured in Oregon.
Key Takeaways:
- The Student Prince was a rare, open-cockpit biplane trainer built by Adcox Trade School in Oregon in 1929, notable as the state's first commercially built and certified aircraft.
- Despite initial plans for mass production, only a handful of Student Princes were ever manufactured and certified due to the economic impact of the Great Depression and other challenges.
- The article details the personal histories and dedicated restoration efforts of the current "caretakers" of the few surviving Student Prince aircraft, including the three certified models and a unique Adcox Special, highlighting their commitment to preserving these antique planes.
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