The One That Got Away

A Fairchild 24 flies off after its restoration—only to return 19 years later.

Leonardo Correa Luna

Monday, August 21, 2023 at 03:03 PM ET

Verified

[Credit: Leonardo Correa Luna]

Key Takeaways:

The author details a long-standing fascination with the classic Fairchild 24, noting its unique aesthetic appeal and exceptional characteristics, even though he initially bought a Cessna 170.
The article highlights the Fairchild 24's distinctive features, including its wide landing gear for soft landings, mixed construction, and the innovative, automatic Aeromatic propeller.
It tells the story of Lon Dietz, who meticulously restored a specific Fairchild 24, won an award with it, sold it, and later reacquired the same aircraft 19 years later.
The author's personal flight experience confirmed the Fairchild 24's impressive performance, balanced controls, and remarkably smooth landings, cementing its status as a highly desirable vintage aircraft.

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Eight years ago I bought my first airplane, a beautiful classic 1952 Cessna 170B. That airplane had to have these features: a tailwheel, four seats, four hours of endurance, easy to maintain—and needed to be classic and beautiful. My budget in 2014 was $50,000. The final list included the Cessna 170E and the Stinson 108, and another model that caught my eye—the far less common Fairchild 24.

This Article First Appeared in FLYING Magazine

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