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rarely needing the maximum STOL capabilities of the aircraft. If the pi- lot needs that third notch of flaps (45°), the pull force required is shy of herculean thanks to the heavy loads on the massive flaps and flaperons.
Landings are a relatively low-stress affair thanks to the Dornier’s simplic- ity (it being a taildragger notwith- standing). Pre-landing checks are a breeze with fixed landing gear, no cowl flaps, and lots of time to adjust settings at the slow pattern speeds. Pepe likes to apply the first notch of
Left to right: Matthew McDaniel (author), Ed Treml (friend of owners, machinist) Kylee Fameree (photoship pilot), Pepe Anderas (owner/pilot of N841RS),
Dan Fulwiler (owner/pilot of N12828)
(they’ve each rescued multiple aban- doned aircraft and returned them to flight). The Dorniers are not coddled, but they are well-maintained. They are flown to local grass strips, small weekend fly-ins, antique aircraft displays, and the world’s largest air- shows. Thanks to Dan and Pepe, these classics are shared with aviation lov- ers everywhere. Now we all can learn about these rare twins’ origins and histories. And until such time as their caretaker roles are complete, they will continue to fly and share their treasures. I am confident they will seek out similarly motivated buyers when that time comes. And with any luck, the Do.28A will continue to be active in our American skies.
Matthew McDaniel is a Mas- ter & Gold Seal CFII, ATP, MEI, AGI, & IGI and Platinum CSIP. In 32 years of flying, he has logged over 20,500 hours total and over 5,700 hours of instruction given. As owner of Progressive Aviation Services, LLC (www.progaviation. com), he specializes in Technically Advanced Aircraft and Glass Cock- pit instruction since 2001. He’s a Boeing 737-series Captain, holds 8 type ratings, and has flown over 120 aircraft types. Matt has earned the Master CFI designation for 10 consecutive two-year terms. He can be reached at: matt@progavia- tion.com or 414-339-4990.
Copyright 2022, Matthew McDaniel. Publication rights granted The Vilage Press, for Twin & Turbine Magazine. All other rights reserved by author.
flaps and carb heat on downwind and the second notch of flaps by base leg. Final approach is at 60 KIAS in that configuration, and between the f laps, flaperons, fixed slats, and servo-tab boosted ailerons and flaperons, control authority feels like it does in cruise with barely even a hint of mushiness. Three-point attitude is attained with only minimal flare, and a gentle sweep of the power to idle settles the plane in. Any tendency to bounce is easily arrested in stan- dard tailwheel fashion by pinning the tail to the runway with a timely but firm pull on the yoke...and keeping it there.
What of the STOL capabilities, you ask? We landed at two well-main- tained turf runways, the shorter of which was 2,200’. Using only two
14 • TWIN & TURBINE / April 2023
notches of f laps, with two people aboard and nearly full fuel with no headwind, Ruby was down and stopped in half the available length without any serious braking effort. Fulwiler followed in his green ma- chine, with the additional weight of 4 adults aboard, requiring no more runway than Ruby had. When flown to its limits by well-schooled and practiced pilots, the Do.28A could be squeezed into and coaxed out of some seriously short landing sites (as in sub-1,000’).
Caretakers
As with most antique aircraft own- ers, Fulwiler and Anderas quickly point out that they consider them- selves caretakers. Their joint mission is to save aircraft from obscurity