By STAN KASPRZYK

FlightLog Archive

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Aircraft Flown

Flying the SIAI Marchetti SF260 - July 2026

My friend and fellow USAF Academy grad Drew 'STOLI' Blase and I had been discussing the aircraft we flew in our Air Force flying days, and I learned of his history of flying most of the current USAF aircraft with '2s' in their designation - the B-52, MC-12, B-2 and U-2. In civilian flying, STOLI is now the owner and pilot of another '2', the SIAI Marchetti SF260. Since I'm always eager to fly a new aircraft type, I planned to meet STOLI at the Bremerton airport to check out his SF260. STOLI has been flying aerobatic demonstrations at airshows throughout the Northwest, and I was eager to fly with him to check out the SF260 and get an updated dose of Vitamin 'G'.

I always try to obtain the POH (Pilot Operating Handbook) and history before flying a new aircraft type. STOLI sent me a POH copy, and I researched the SF260's amazingly rich worldwide history. The SF260 was designed by Italian aircraft designer Stelio Frati, with a first flight in 1964. The SF260 was initially largely sold to military customers as a trainer and light combat aircraft, with limited civil sales to private operators. The aircraft has been selected by over 30 air forces worldwide to train professional military pilots and is still operational in both civil and military pilot training bases in several countries. The list of countries that at one time flew, or are still flying the SF260 is impressive: Belgium, Bolivia, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Chad, Congo, Ethiopia, Haiti, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Mexico, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Philippines, Rhodesia, Singapore, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zambia, Zaire and Zimbabwe, with many employing it in the close air support and ground attack combat roles.

During the late 1970s, an improved model, designated as the SF260C, became the primary production model. The SF260C featured various improvements, including redesigned tabs on the ailerons, a strengthened wing, a re-profiled airfoil for improved low-speed handling, and an elongated tail/rudder. STOLI's SF-260 is a 'C' model. Out of nearly 900 SF-260s produced, around 180 have been sold to civilian users. Alitalia, Sabena, Royal Air Maroc and British Midland Airways purchased the aircraft as a trainer for airliner pilots. Air Combat USA operates 9 SF-260s.

I flew my Warrior to Bremerton, and met STOLI as he taxied from his Bremerton hangar to the transient ramp. We reviewed the SF260 aircraft with a walkaround and a review of the cockpit setup. Four tanks hold the 64 gallons of usable fuel - 12.7 gallons in each main and 18.3 in each tip, with the tip tanks empty for today's aerobatic maneuvers. I initially thought the SF260 was a two-seater, but it has a decent-sized bench seat in the aft cockpit. The cockpit itself is configured for the pilot-in-command to fly from the right seat, with the central throttle quadrant in your left hand and stick in the right, similar to most fighter aircraft configurations (as all aircraft should be configured). STOLI graciously let me have the right seat, where I flew the takeoff from runway 2, appreciating the nice power from the O-540 without excessive right rudder required. I retracted the gear after locating the very small gear handle, then raised the flaps as we turned and climbed south of Bremerton.

We flew to overhead the Case Inlet, where I got a feel for the flight control forces during some medium and steep banked turns and maneuvering. I found the SF260 had a nice blend of stability and maneuverability in a single package, with light control forces but no tendency toward PIO (Pilot Induced Oscillations).

STOLI demoed a 3G loop at an entry speed of 160 knots, then a 4G loop entering at 180 knots. I flew a loop with a bit less than 3Gs on the initial pull, giving us a slower speed over the top. I tried to make a slightly too aggressive pull on the bottom part of the loop, almost entering an accelerated stall in the downhill recovery, which was easily corrected by reducing the aft stick input. The SF260 nicely picks up speed downhill, and reminds me of aerobatic flying in the T-37. STOLI flew a few aileron rolls, then I tried one, bottoming out a bit, but enjoying the smooth roll capability. STOLI demoed another loop and roll, then we proceeded back to Bremerton while I continued to get a feel for the flight controls. We flew two overheads to a touch and go, with final flown comfortably at 80 knots with full flaps, then a full stop for a great SF260 introduction. STOLI mentioned how strange it felt to fly from the left seat, needing to use his left hand on the stick and right hand on the throttle - and I completely agreed!

STOLI, thanks for the SF260 introduction! We now need to find some compatible lead/wing aircraft for some formation refresher and advanced formation recurrency...and also more Vitamin 'G' sorties!

Tanglefoot Seaplane Splash-In - June 2026

The annual Tanglefoot Seaplane Splash-in at Priest Lake, ID was sold out for 2026, and included an awesome gathering of seaplanes from around the country, including a Grumman Mallard and Goose, multiple De Havilland Beavers, an N3N on floats, the impressive PBY Catalina from the Soaring by the Sea Foundation and multiple other impressive seaplanes. I had a great time getting an orientation flight in the Pemberton's N3N on floats, plus flying twice with Mary in Kevin Franklin's DeHavilland Beaver.

Although the splash-in event itself was conducted smoothly and safely, a tragic accident occurred just before the event, as pilots Randy Peterson and Eric Houston were lost in their Cessna 195 near Kennewick, WA after striking cables as they approached their water landing to refuel.

Although the Tanglefoot organizers held moments of silence each day in the lost pilot's memory, I thought we could do more to honor their loss. A valued and honored tradition in aviation is to conduct a memorial 'Missing Man' formation flyby, with a single aircraft breaking out of the formation to honor those who have 'Flown West'.

Formation flying is a demanding skill that needs to flown by pilots who are current and practiced, to ensure the flight is conducted safely. Safety is also enhanced if all aircraft in the formation are the same type. I had flown in a formation training weekend with Miguel 'Ozzie' Nelson just a few weeks earlier, and canvased the Splash-in pilots for others with current formation experience. Steve Ratzlaff had some formation time, so he was placed in the lead in his Beaver, and given the planned run-in heading, speed and altitude. Ozzie and I 'borrowed' Beavers from Scott Slay and Kevin Franklin, rejoined over the north part of Priest Lake, and flew the wing positions in a classic 3-ship 'Vic' formation.

All the other seaplanes pilots and guests had just returned from the planned Squaw Bay Splash-out, so all were back at the Tanglefoot Seaplane base as we made our run-in from the north in the late afternoon, with #2 making a smooth break out to the west just as we passed Tanglefoot.

We were honored to salute our fellow aviators as they have 'Flown West'.

Video of the Beaver 3-Ship 'Missing Man' memorial flyby over the Tanglefoot Seaplane Base, Priest Lake, ID on 27 June 2026:

Flying the N3N on Floats - June 2026

In March of 2021, I enjoyed my first flight in an N3N with Tom Jensen from the Evergreen Sky Ranch airport near Black Diamond, WA. I have flown Tom's N3N a number of times since then, but I recalled meeting a team after my first N3N flight that was collecting the parts from Tom's hangar of a second N3N that Tom had acquired. That team was led by Addison Pemberton, who planned to restore the N3N, and also build floats for the N3N in a configuration last flown by the US Naval Academy in the early 1960s. In 2022, I stopped by the Pemberton's hangar at Felts Field in Spokane, where the N3N restoration was coming along nicely.

Addison Pemberton and his family and crew are known for their first-rate restorations and efforts to preserve the early history of flight. Addison Pemberton and his team have restored and flown some of the most amazing vintage aviation classics from their Spokane, WA home at Felts Field. The Boeing 40C was a major early project. The Boeing 40C was sold to the WAAAM museum in Hood River, Oregon in 2018.

The Pembertons have restored and maintained an amazing number of vintage aircraft at their facilities at Felts Field, including a Grumman Goose amphibian, a Custom Cabin Waco, a 1931 Stearman Speedmail, a 450 Stearman, a Travel Air 4000, an early ’60s Cessna 185, a Piper Super Cub and the U.S. Navy configured N3N-3 on floats.

The U.S. Navy's primary flight training schools used N3Ns extensively throughout World War II. A few of the seaplane versions were retained for primary training at the U.S. Naval Academy. In 1961 they became the last biplanes retired from U.S. military service.

In early June, I instructed at a NATA formation clinic at Richland, WA, flying T-28s, a T-6 and a Nanchang CJ-6. While there, I met Jay Pemberton, who was flying his T-6 in one of our formation training flights. Jay mentioned that he and his Dad were planning to bring the N3N on floats to the upcoming Tanglefoot Seaplane Splash-in at Priest Lake, ID later in the month. I mentioned to Jay that I've been flying Tom Jensen's N3N, but an N3N on floats experience would be awesome.

In late June, my wife Mary and I arrived early at the Tanglefoot Seaplane Splash-in at Priest Lake, ID, and the first seaplane I saw as we approached was the N3N, moored at the end of the seaplane ramp. Jay 'twisted my arm' to fly right away, since the splash-in looked to get busy. After donning a life vest, I gingerly lowered myself into the front cockpit, careful not to bump or scratch anything in the museum-quality cockpit.

The N3N's engine start was smooth, and we taxied to the far southern end of Priest Lake to begin our takeoff roll northbound, accepting a bit of a tailwind with the ample lake surface in front of us. Because of the tailwind, it did take a bit longer to get on the step and get airborne than I had anticipated, but the view of the required pitch attitudes from the open cockpit was outstanding. Jay had me fly along the eastern shore of the lake as we headed north, looking for a more sheltered cove to practice a water landing. The N3N with floats obviously has more drag than the geared configuration, but pitch forces felt similar, as did the aileron forces, which are a bit heavier than the Stearman, which N3Ns are often compared with.

Jay demo'd an approach and water landing, and I was amazed how easy it was to judge our height above the water with the open cockpit and the view of the lower wing and floats. Jay greased in the landing, then we powered up for some more maneuvering, with Jay giving me the flight controls for some steep turns to get a better feel for the flight control forces.

Too quickly we returned back to the Tanglefoot dock after another smooth water landing, giving the bird up to the next pilots waiting for their N3N opportunity. Thanks Jay for the orientation flight! I need to get back to Felts Field for a full N3N water checkout soon!

Enjoy this great N3N video series taken by Simon Butler during the Tanglefoot Splash-in:

Dakota Flyby-Moses Flight - June 2026

I had the great opportunity to lead an F-15 reunion in Minot, ND for members of the 5th Fighter Squadron in early June. The 5th Fighter Squadron only had Eagles at Minot AFB from late 1984 until 1988, when the squadron disbanded and the Eagles were dispersed to Air National Guard squadrons.

I had planned to fly my Warrior to the June reunion, but thunderstorms in the mountains of Idaho, Montana and North Dakota made me switch to the airlines. Two other former F-15 squadron pilots were able to bring their own birds, a Cessna 182 and a Bonanza A36, from Florida and Texas. I had coordinated with Warren Pietsch at the impressive Dakota Territory Air Museum about the best location for a memorial flyover, and he said he often does flybys right over his museum at the end of runway 31 at Minot (KMOT). We coordinated with Minot tower, who were very accommodating, helping deconflict airliner arrivals and allowing us to re-position as needed and to fly up initial after the memorial flyby.

Knowing we originally wanted at least a 3-ship, Warren volunteered to 'loan' me one of his Mooneys to stand-in for my Warrior. My former 5th Fighter Squadron ADO (Assistant Director of Operations), Ralph 'Root' Moser, pre-briefed the flight the day before. Root had earned a new callsign of 'Moses' later in his flying career, after 'parting the waters' with an errant bomb off an F-4 into a lake near the bombing range.

We launched as 'Moses' flight, with 'Root/Moses' leading in his 182 and Phil 'Lebeau' Nicholson as #2 in his Bonanza A36. I launched as #3 with Warren Pietsch in his green Mooney M20F. After lifting off, Warren said "It's your airplane, you fly the formation". I initially positioned us in trail behind the two-ship, but after a moment to get a feel for the Mooney, I easily slid into the left wing position, mirroring the spacing set by #2, and also providing for a more symmetrical flight as viewed from the ground. The flyby went perfectly, even with gusty winds and turbulence, with a Vic bomb burst as we flew the 3-ship over the reunion attendees, then returning to initial for a pitch out over the museum for landing. I had a great time flying with my former F-15 wingmen again, and with a warbird legend, Warren Pietsch!

We then joined the rest of our reunion F-15 pilots and spouses for photos by the F-15 on display outdoors, painted in 5th Fighter colors, followed by a private tour of the impressive Dakota Territory Air Museum, with 4 P-51s, 2 P-40s, a Spitfire, Hurricane, P-47, Wildcat, Harvard and multiple other Oshkosh award winners on display, plus another hangar full of classic and vintage civilian aircraft. It's an amazing collection, with almost all the birds flyable! Root, Lebeau and I also got a private tour of Warren's Thunderbird P-51, originally owned by Jimmy Stewart, probably one of the most striking P-51s flying.

The nineteen former 5th Fighter Squadron F-15 pilots and spouses enjoyed an epic reunion, having a blast reminiscing and catching up on old friendships after 40 years. It was amazing how we could pick right up where we left off after all these years!

Richland NATA Formation - May 2026

After hosting an outstanding informal formation clinic at the Richland, WA airport in 2025, Scott Urban and the Richland team decided to host a formal NATA formation clinic in 2026. Joining on the Richland ramp in late May were seven T-6s, four T-28s, two Nanchang CJ-6s and a YAK-18T. Scott and Desiree Urban, with great support from Bill O'Neil and the Richland airport team, provided an outstanding venue, with two large hangers for briefings and meals, ample ramp space and multiple working areas in the nearby airspace.

Arrival day on Thursday had the hottest temperatures of the clinic, with highs in the low 90s, and a storm system that parted just as it approached the airfield after the evening flying was over. Friday through Sunday had pleasant temperatures in the high 70s, with breezy but very flyable conditions. Ben 'Evil' Cook provided formation and safety briefings before the formal NATA formation flying began, and 'Smokey' Johnson passed on lessons learned from his recent Florida NATA clinic.

I had flown a number of formation instruction flights from T-28 backseats both at Bremerton and Richland, and happily joined the T-28 group again, getting five enjoyable flights with Charlie Goldback and Pete Blood in their T-28B N2207Y, working first on getting the rust out, flying two- and three-ship T-28 formations, then four-ships after those. After normal airwork of station keeping, fingertip, route, echelon turns and diamond formation, we spent most of our efforts on pitchouts and rejoins, getting a lot of great exercise, especially in the sometimes demanding afternoon turbulent conditions.

I was also able to score a flight with Ben 'Evil' Cook in his SNJ-4, then a flight with Jeff 'Spank' Hanoff in his Nanchang CJ-6 in a fun dissimilar formation of two Nanchang CJ-6s, Tom 'Chox' Spreen's YAK-18T and Miguel 'Ozzie' Nelson's T-6.

Great food and war stories at the bar capped off an outstanding formation clinic, with all attendees looking forward to Richland 2027!