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

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[Credit: Leonardo Correa Luna]

Key Takeaways:

The author, despite choosing a Cessna 170, deeply admired the Fairchild 24 for its distinct beauty and unique engineering, particularly its Ranger engine configuration, considering it "the one that got away."
The Fairchild 24 is noted for its robust, wide landing gear that ensures exceptionally soft landings, its mixed construction (wood, steel, fabric, aluminum), and the innovative, automatic Aeromatic propeller.
The article details Lon Dietz's enduring passion for his beautifully restored Fairchild 24, a journey spanning decades from initial restoration to selling and eventually reacquiring the same aircraft.
The author's flight experience in the Fairchild 24 confirmed its excellent handling, powerful climb, and uniquely gentle landings, reinforcing its appeal as a highly desirable vintage airplane.

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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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