Airplane of the Month • June 2003

Being chosen as Cessna 150-152 club Airplane of the month is the second national recognition for this fine airplane. In  June of 1985, the complete restoration of N501PA was featured in AOPA Magazine. The plane was then owned by  a flight school, Priester Aviation in Pal-Waukee, Illinois.  A quote from the AOPA article pretty much sums up the level of workmanship of the project. "We took it down to the bare metal and went wild with it. I believe this is how Cessna would have built the airplane if cost had been no object."  The restoration took place when the tach read 6,530 hours. The plane now has a grand total of 10,050 hours and is still in great shape. In 2002 owner Wil Venske flew with  EMT instructor Rich Stowell at the Clinton fly-in, and Rich said,  "The ship's rigging is great!" A&P's often comment how unusual it is to see an airplane with this many hours without all the dings and hangar rash usually seen on flight school airplanes. According to Wil; it's proof enough that student pilots don't always wreck their planes!  The airplane is now based in Stoughton, WI (2WI6).

[Posted June 1, 2003]