Skywriting...

[bagarre]

has anyone here ever done it?

[n3833v]

I know a pilot at our airport that writes with a group in NJ & NY every summer.

John

[marathonrunner]

My writing is so illegible I just use my Ipad

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

We should install one of these dot matrix systems on a fleet of 5 or 6 170s.

You'll have to use Red ones cause Green ones are just to fast and the letters will run together.

[bagarre]

I know a pilot at our airport that writes with a group in NJ & NY every summer.
John

I'd love to get involved with skywriting but have no idea where to start.

[n3833v]

Give me some time and I will check with him.

John

[blueldr]

The above is not considered sky writing. It is skytyping and is done with a line abreast formation of five airplanes and an automated radio controlled system to activate the oil control valves in all of the airplanes. I would guess that one of the first things one would need to get started in sky writing would be a smoke system in the airplane. Seems that then it would just be a matter of practice.

[bagarre]

Anyone know of a Smoke System STC for the 170?

[blueldr]

A smoke system STC??? You're not even a little bit serious about sky writing, are you.

[bagarre]

A smoke system STC??? You're not even a little bit serious about sky writing, are you.

More like not even a little bit educated on sky writing and I can't find a single source for it in the Internet. What's an appropriate airplane, how much smoke oil do you need, do you need FAA approval to write... Nothing except a few propaganda videos from the 1940's.

It seems to have become a black art.

These guys have a kit that's been approved in a 180 but not for sky writing
http://www.smokingairplanes.com/
They claim collision avoidance uses.

[counsellj]

I am friends with Steve and Suzanne Oliver. They have been professional skywriters for over 20 years. The primarily use a Super Chipmunk that doubles as Steve's airshow bird, and used to fly a TravelAir but now have a cub set up as well. The smoke system is not your "normal" airshow smoke system. A good writing system requires a great flow and capacity. The Chipmunk front seat is replaced with a large oil tank. The -170 might be a little slow for covering the distances needed to make letters as large as they need to be for effective advertising at the altitudes they need to be. It wouldn't be fun climbing to the altitudes necessary with most -170's. Yes, a climb prop would help, but that would make the speed problem even larger. Below is their link. They are very friendly people and I wouldn't hesitate to call them and ask questions.


http://www.skywriter.info/index.htm

Jughead

[blueldr]

It seems kind of funny that I never see sky writing any more. It was quite common when I was a kid and for many years "Pepsi Cola" used that media. I believe the Olivers mentioned above did Pepsi ads for many years. I remember seeing them with their Travelair at Oshkosh one time years ago.
Skytyping came along after WWII using a fleet of AT-6 airplanes. That must have been a lot more expensive than skywriting since it required so many airplanes and crews. Strangely enough, I remember seeing a picture of the Skytypers airplanes one time and it seems that they all had the early shaped vertical and rudder and they must all have been very early models.

[n3833v]

Here is an article I just looked at. The Geico writers.

http://www.aopa.org/members/files/pilot ... ?CMP=ADV:1

John

[GAHorn]

...Skytyping came along after WWII using a fleet of AT-6 airplanes. That must have been a lot more expensive than skywriting since it required so many airplanes and crews. Strangely ....

This month's (Feb. 2013) issue of "AOPA Pilot" articles the activity and it's history using SNJ's.