Airplane of the Month • May  2005

Rex Krauklis'  Record Breaking 1974 150L, N11381 
Airborne Over Clinton Iowa

Rex's Panel Speaks for Itself
 
Rex &  Son Brian Break Ground at the 2003 Club National Take off Contest, setting a club fly-in record by using only 750 feet of runway. 
Rex breaks his own record at the 2004 Club National Take off Contest,
this time using just 408 feet of runway!

Year: 1974 Model: 150L Serial#: 15075370
520 of 931, 1974 150L's manufactured
17,369 of 21,404, 150's manufactured in the USA
Reg: N11381 Manufactured: 1973

Rex Krauklis is a lifetime club member. In 2003 he won the short takeoff contest at the club national fly-in at Clinton, Iowa. Rex managed to get N11381 off the runway in only 750 feet, using 50 feet less runway than the nearest competitor. (Eight other contestants were unable to get airborne in 800 feet or more!) In 2004, Rex was again victorious, breaking his own record at just 408 feet. This is especially remarkable because Krauklis' plane is equipped with a standard 100 HP engine.

Parked in front of Original  1929 Terminal Building @ Louisville Bowman Field
(my home base) .

Additional Notes from owner Rex Krauklis:
I purchased N11381 in Champaign Illinois in 1999. It had spent time there and at a few other Northeastern Illinois airports since the fall of 1973. The airplane was purchased new by Dwight Aero Service in Dwight Illinois through a large Dealer in Valparaiso Indiana.

Like most 150's, the airplane did a stint as a trainer and was then owned by a few individuals before me. I like to compare the Cessna 150-152 to a Greyhound racing dog. Run hard,... put away wet,... retired, and eventually someone comes along to adopt it (hopefully).

The paint scheme you see in the pictures is the original 1974 model year Pepper Green with Nutmeg accent over Vestal White. Very seventies like (earth tones). One unique feature is the factory installed nose mounted dual Landing/Taxi light. Looks cool, but other than that, the only advantage I see is the redundancy. When the vibration causes the first bulb to go, the other will be there as a back-up....for a while.

My 150 is a "Commuter" Model and it serves in this role very well. I frequently use it to "Commute" to a nearby Kentucky State Park Airstrip for day trips. What would be a 3 hour round trip in the car is an enjoyable 1 hour 10 minutes in the 150.

[Posted April 30, 2005]