MARK HEATON COLLECTION
No. 3365. Smith DSA-1 Miniplane (N289RF c/n 1)
Photographed at Louisville, Kentucky, USA, by Mark Heaton

Smith DSA-1 Miniplane


22/03/2004. Remarks by Mark Heaton: "The plane was issued its Canadian CofA in 1986. I purchased the aircraft in 1997 from the widow of builder, the late Thomas Robins of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

The restoration took 5 years mostly due to attending to other peoples aircraft instead of my own. My wife finally put her foot down and stated 'finish it or sell it!' The restoration included a total redesign of the interior, control stick, electrical system, landing gear configuration, instrument panel, recovering of the ailerons and rudder using the Air-Tech process, repainting many parts throughout and everything forward of the firewall new except the engine itself which was pickled until needed.

The engine is a 125 hp Lycoming O-290D, the prop is a Culver wood 68/54 climb pitch, Grove landing gear 3/4 in (19 mm) aluminum gundrilled with Cleveland stainless discs and brakes, 500x5 tires, 6 in (152 mm) Aviation Products tail wheel, all new instruments including a Horizon Electronic tachometer, Electronics International Digital Volt/Amp meter, Micro Air 760 Com, Garmin GPS III and lots of cool lights and switches!!

On November 11, 2003 the aircraft, or as my wife has named it, "The Other Woman" was officially blessed by the FAA and issued its US Special CofA, a great day indeed."


Created March 22, 2004