Image provided by: Clackamas Community College; Oregon City, OR
About Cougar print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1976-1977 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 18, 1976)
Simpkin's flying plans soar By Steve Wilkowske Staff Writer at would you think of when asked ualize a vehicle that could travel at iph and still get 23 miles-per-gallon? spBamlined Jaguar with a super modi- nodel airplane engine? Or maybe a charged nitro-methane burning Honda while some of the drug-oriented cul- would envision a bicycle, a Colorado shaft and a bottle of nitrous oxide to jdelany chance of fear or pain at the ¡rrfflf the aforementioned mine shaft, ive [Simpkins, of the Adult Learning rt^nt, decided that his answer to such astion would be a home built airplane, he just happens to have a little jewel will soon have these capabilities. he plane is a metal and fiberglass Thorpe I, which has been entirely built by hand the invaluable aid of a two foot high < of plans. Power is provided by a sur- four cylinder "pancake" design engine started life running somebody's elec- il generator. ¡impkins rescued the old engine and re- ¡rnated it into a higher form of life. Xlthpugh the plane uses many parts from Corvairs, Simpkins apparently feels that plane will be safe at any speed, as he ily believes that "there are old fliers, i there are bold fliers, but there are very Dave Simpkins, Clackamas Community College GED instructor, shows off his ' old, bold fliers." home-built airplane which he began construction on in 1966. Simpkins plans "I just don't go for that macho stuff any to fly to various parts of the United States when the plane is finished. re,lsaid Simpkins. Although the little craft has a wingspan of aerlwenty feet and a net weight of 1200 it will still carry two people side-by-side ,th a semblance of comfort in its three last week to traffic violators. They were Failure to yield the right-of-way caused pt vyide cockpit; just right for getting to mainly for parking in the handicapped area a two-car smash-up near Orchard Center on ow a girl on that first date (although it Monday, said Stan Johnson, head of Cam [and in the visitors section of the Community ight be inadvisable to try the running out Center parking lot. pus Security."A woman driving a Gremlin gas routine). "There's not a parking space problem," out of the Orchard parking lot failed to see Bydoing all the work himself, Simpkins said Stan Johnson, "there's a distribution a woman in a Volkswagon driving down is held costs to a minimum. The total problem. Everyone wants to park in the Douglas Way, pulled out, and hit the Volks vestment will be about three thousand Community Center lot." wagon in the right side." jllars with $150 original cost on the en- There were two reports of womens' wal There were no physical injuries. However, ne,’nd $700 for the radio. Almost all of lets being stolen from their purses last week. the Volkswagon's whole right side was iis money has been spent on the parts of smashed. The right front fender and head The money was taken and then the wallets le plane that are in front of the pilot. If light of the Gremlin were damaged. were abandoned or turned into the lost and crash is unavoidable, it would perhaps be There were 23 tickets given out in the found. ivisable to hit tail first. Having neither women or alcohol for ces, Simpkins feels that building an air- ane is, for him, a justifiable hobby. After all these years of work, all that is ft is to finish work on the flaps and the gine cowl. As soon as the weather gets irm enough to make the fiberglass cowl, e plane wi’l be completed. Simpkins hopes to fly his plane by the ppf this summer, but if he doesn't have finished he really won't be upset. "It's < plane so I can take as long as I want ifinish it." said Simpkins. When the plane is completed he plans to on a vacation that will take him to a They’re called Levi's for '■in' in Wisconsin where he intends to Men. But they’re for tv six times to the control tower, and anyone with muscles. nd three days kicking airplane tires, Ora bigger frame. Great m there he will go to the Bahamas, via styles, in great fabrics. Bermuda Triangle. But now more comfort Accident, tickets reported Levi’s for big guys. able. Sizes 34 to 42. L------------------------------------------------------- i FOR THE PRICE OF ONE HAIRCUT YOU GET TWO J WITH THIS COUPON AT THE j PLUSH BRUSH I [ 17840 S.E. McLoughlin Blvd. Milwaukie 97222 prices effected Nov. 1 | ________________________________ J amas Community College | I | I I I LLOYD CENTER <o Q 5 F- £ Page 3