Wicked Old Birds Part 2: Singing the Vintage Engine Blues

This Stinson is a nice enough airplane that needs to be returned to the skies, preferably before it's sold.

Sam Weigel

Thursday, May 22, 2025 at 07:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

Following the author’s second emergency landing with his 1946 Stinson 108 in five months. [Courtesy: Sam Weigel]

Key Takeaways:

The author's 1946 Stinson 108 experienced an engine failure (stuck exhaust valve and broken rocker arm) during a cross-country flight, leading to an emergency landing.
After initial repairs, a subsequent flight revealed further engine issues, including another sticky exhaust valve and stripped spark plug threads, casting doubt on the engine's previous overhaul and grounding the aircraft indefinitely.
Amidst these mechanical challenges, the author's trusted A&P/IA passed away unexpectedly, leaving him to weigh the expensive options of a complete engine overhaul/replacement or selling the Stinson, which he now recognizes isn't his "forever airplane."

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I’ve been writing for FLYING going on 12 years now, and on the whole it’s been a fantastic chapter of my life. Through this column I’ve met some really interesting people and flown some pretty cool airplanes.

There are, however, a few notable downsides to the gig. One is that my words, once unleashed upon the larger pilot population, are permanently out there, and I occasionally find myself eating them. Another is that I write about ongoing flying adventures, and if they subsequently go pear-shaped, my options are fessing up or hoping my sharp-eyed readers don’t notice the sudden radio silence. Fat chance.