Quote:
Originally Posted by Wes Krause
"Grace the Ace" (Page) is deceased. I purchased N309H from her son in 2007. It had been in storage for 25 years. It has been restored and returned to service, currently located in Big Bear CA. There is a log entry that claims a world record 80 turns in a spin, ten loops in 60 seconds and a collision with a Camero. I have photograph of the collision. Don't know how she got it back on the ground without doing more damage than shows on the airframe. But she's good as new now and enjoying a life of leisure as an LSA.
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I also knew "Grace The Ace" Page, from my days in Long Beach back in the 80's. Grace spoke to me at length of the collision of N309H and the Camaro. Cars running at her beloved Cub were NOT regular stunts. The Camaro, involved in a video shoot, was to race toward her Piper Cub AT A SPECIFIED (by Grace) speed. The car was driven by the girlfriend of the videographer that was shooting a videolog of Grace's stunts. The cameraman told his girlfriend, the driver of the Camaro, to speed up for a more exciting shot. The Camaro's extra speed threw everything off. Grace's forward landing gear struck the grille of the Camaro, which sheared off the Cub's right wheel and damaged the strut on the left wheel. I own a copy of the photo that shows the moment of the collision. Grace had signed it to me, along with "Never trust girls driving Camaros!"
Grace had two flour sacks affixed to the undersides of the Cub's wingtips at the time of the collision, this was a set up for another stunt: without touching her wheels to the runway, she would wing-tap the flour sacks on the runway, breaking them open on impact for a "smoke effect." She brought the Cub to a landing: balancing (steering and compensating with her ailerons) on its damaged left wheel, which was bent by the collision to be nearly at the center of the Cub's belly--and, when the speed and steadying lift had decreased, the Cub slowly leaned, coming to rest on the sack of flour attached to the underside of the wingtip. How Grace boasted that the flour sack was not broken!
Her 80-spin record was set in 1978 in Tucson, AZ. She would increase this record to 82 spins in the early 80's. I flew with this magnificent woman in N309H once, Grace's gift for my birthday. We even did a stunt she called "The Spin Sandwich." I never forgot that day.
I happened upon this website "Aviation Banter" just today. I am so happy Grace is remembered. I live in Crestline, but occasionally get out to see friends in Big Bear, so I might just pass by the Big Bear airport when the weather is warm, to see if I can spot N309H. I am happy this aircraft is still in service. My friend Grace The Ace may be gone, but she would be so pleased to know her Cub is still flying!