Porterfield Airplane Club

Keep the Skinny Birds Flying Safely

Andy Gelston
  • Male
  • Grantham, NH
  • United States

Andy Gelston's Friends

  • John Bergeson
  • Rex Porter
  • Jerry Deanda
  • Harry Taggart
  • Jim Mullin
  • Allen Self
  • David G Reichard
  • Bill Skinner
  • Perry M Chappano
  • Steve Sharpe
  • Tom Porterfield

Andy Gelston's Discussions

Collegiate project for sale in Missouri (on Barnstormers) $16K OBO

PORTERFIELD COLLEGIATE • $16,000 • ACCEPTING OFFERS • 1940 Porterfield Collegiate project.…Continue

Started Nov 25

Texas Collegiate for $26K

1940 PORTERFIELD COLLEGIATE • $26,000 • ACCEPTING OFFERS • PARK ANYWHERE YOU WANT AT…Continue

Started Nov 12

Flyabout/Collegiate 35-75C project in Palmyra, WI for sale.
1 Reply

The 88Charlies, a 501c3 organization dedicated to getting youth involved in aviation, has a project that's complete, except for the engine, and is for sale. One wing has been gone through, but not…Continue

Started this discussion. Last reply by Andy Gelston Oct 24.

West Coast FP-65 (w/A75) on Barnstormers: $24.5K

REPOSTED AT LOWER PRICE:1941 PORTERFIELD FP 65 • $24,500 • BARNSTORMER SPECIAL • 1941 Porterfield…Continue

Started Sep 10

 

Andy Gelston's Page

Latest Activity

Andy Gelston posted a discussion

Collegiate for sale in Missouri (on Barnstormers)

PORTERFIELD COLLEGIATE • $16,000 • ACCEPTING OFFERS • 1940 Porterfield Collegiate project. logbooks and all new glass. Contact for info • Contact James Winters , - located Grant City, MO 64456 United States • Telephone: ---------- • Posted November 20, 2025James Winters is not in the Club.See More
Nov 25
Andy Gelston posted a discussion

Texas Collegiate for $26K

1940 PORTERFIELD COLLEGIATE • $26,000 • ACCEPTING OFFERS • PARK ANYWHERE YOU WANT AT OSHKOSH. Restored in 2023. Prewar (WW II in case you wonder) makes you a rockstar. Wired for nav lights but I don’t know why. Recent refurb. 65 hp (leaks appropriately). Seriously cool airplane • Contact Brian Heyne , Owner - located…See More
Nov 12
Andy Gelston left a comment for Bill Bussel
"You're all set, Bill!"
Nov 11
Christine Detwiler left a comment for Andy Gelston
"Thank you for the warm welcome. I’m excited to be here and get started on my 'Little Bird.' Thank you for the information about the engine and parts availability. That’s a great resource to have as I’m beginning.…"
Oct 30
Andy Gelston left a comment for Christine Detwiler
"Welcome to the Club for the Skinny Birds, Christine & Chad! I understand you're now caring for Joe Vulgamore's old pucketa-pucketa Collegiate. If you need any O-145 parts, try Ted Zabinsky at the South Albany Airport (4B0)…"
Oct 30
Andy Gelston replied to Andy Gelston's discussion Flyabout/Collegiate 35-75C project in Palmyra, WI for sale.
"Member Tim Talen bought this one."
Oct 24
Andy Gelston replied to Joe's discussion Lycoming to Continental?
"I wouldn't mind getting a copy of those scans, too, Steve! The A65 definitely has better support and is much more widely known by mechanics than the wee Lycoming, though the anemic O-145 runs smoother and has that lovely pucketa-pucketa…"
Oct 24
Andy Gelston posted a discussion

Flyabout/Collegiate 35-75C project in Palmyra, WI for sale.

The 88Charlies, a 501c3 organization dedicated to getting youth involved in aviation, has a project that's complete, except for the engine, and is for sale. One wing has been gone through, but not covered (the other needs work), the fuselage has been blasted and primed. All the tail feathers, landing gear and little bits are there.This is one of the few Flyabouts that left the factory with a 75hp Continental, four cylinder engine inside a pressure cowl: SN 1651. N32317 is deregistered with the…See More
Sep 18
Andy Gelston posted discussions
Sep 10
Andy Gelston posted a discussion

Redding, California Collegiate on Barnstormers

REPOSTED WITH LOWER ASKING PRICE:1941 PORTERFIELD FP 65 • $24,500 • BARNSTORMER SPECIAL • 1941 Porterfield FP-65 Showpiece! Always Hangared. Registration Number N34746, Engine A-75 with new Slick mags and harness with dual impulse couplings. Hours 34 SMOH, Airframe Time 677, Propeller Hours 34. Exterior 10/10 Red and Yellow. Interior Red and Yellow. • Contact…See More
Jun 10
Andy Gelston replied to Steve Ahrens's discussion Continental A65 Baffles
"The lower nosebowl opening is usually blocked off with a piece of sheet metal in the winter."
Mar 20
Gary Baca left a comment for Andy Gelston
"Thank you Andy for getting back with me and thanks for the info."
Feb 10
Andy Gelston left a comment for Gary Baca
"The Collegiate predates AFMs and POHs, though there is a rudimentary owners manual for the type that is in the archives here somewhere.  The best way to determine the various speeds is to run a test flight program, as your bird, after eight…"
Feb 8
Gary Baca left a comment for Andy Gelston
"Hello Andy, I have had my Porterfield NC37850 for just about a year.  I have been taking flight instruction in my bird and my instructor can't stop commenting on what a great flying airplane the Porterfield is. He had never heard of a…"
Feb 7
Andy Gelston replied to Rex Porter's discussion FP65 landing gear doughnuts wanted
"The drawing for the donuts calls for Goodyear #4787 rubber to be used. The drawing is attached to another Forum discussion (see )."
Jan 9
Lyle Strader replied to Andy Gelston's discussion '40 Collegiate w/no paper for sale on Barnstormers.com $750
"I ended up purchasing this project. The wings will be the biggest part of the rebuild, but rest of it is in great shape. Really looking forward to to getting started on it."
Jan 4

Profile Information

About Me:
Enough about me, let's talk about you...
Do you own a Porterfield Airplane? N#?
NC41VT, 1941 FP-65, S/N 875 Has a Franklin 90 installed by Angelo Forte, under a one-time STC, in the mid-50's, and has had the seaplane conversion done to it (would that make it a FS-90?). I just need a cheap set of Edo 1320's now!
Are You a Pilot? Ratings?
Why yes, I fly...

Andy Gelston's Photos

Andy Gelston's Blog

NC41VT and I are now back home in Vermont! How we got here...

I'm sitting in KMHT, writing this while waiting for my flight which should be wheels up in about 10 hours.  I fly to Newark, then to Seattle, then to Great Falls, and should be wheels down at KHLN about midnight (about 31 hours from now).  Hey, I live in New England!  We can't get anywhere from here!  41VT is at Boulder (K3U9) Airport, about 25 miles south of Helena, MT.  I'll buy a used bike  Wednesday morning (I hope), and pedal on down to Boulder to start prepping myself and 41VT for our…

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Posted on October 14, 2013 at 6:30am — 3 Comments

Ad for NC41VT, a FP-65 converted to a FS-90

DESCRIPTION: NC41VT is a 1941 FP-65, S/N 875, with an STC’d Franklin 90 installation, completed by Angelo Forte in the mid-50’s, turning a Flottorp wood prop.  She has fresh Polyfiber covering and finish with the factory red and silver color scheme (ball with 2 stripes on each side).  Medium weight fabric was used throughout, with heavy weight fabric used on the belly and lower surfaces of the horizontal stabilizers and elevators.  The instrument panel is the deluxe version, made to…

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Posted on July 23, 2013 at 9:30pm

Update on my '41 FP-65 project

After tinkering for over three years on my Collegiate, the novelty finally wore off for Pokey Gordon and he asked me to remove the old girl from his shop in Helena, MT.  Club member Tim Talen, who has a hangar in Boulder, MT, about 30 miles south of Helena, came to the rescue and arranged for a Boulder friend of his to rent a truck and haul the project to his hangar. 

Tim's is a master restorer who specializes in Interstate Aircraft.  I restored an Interstate Cadet back in the 80's…

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Posted on April 12, 2013 at 1:00pm — 4 Comments

Seen on Barnstormers: 1940 PORTERFIELD CP-65 for $25K

FOR SALE • 1940 PORTERFIELD CP-65 Collegiate $25,000 LSA Qualified. First Collegiate 499.9 SMOH. 5519.1 TT. Hangered since restoration in 1967. Flying Airplane. All logs Books available on PDF. Current annual good to 01/31/2014. Located at AJO. Corona municipal airport, CA USA. Telephone: Contact Eric 951-247-9541 • Contact…

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Posted on March 3, 2013 at 1:10pm — 1 Comment

Comment Wall (52 comments)

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At 6:41pm on October 30, 2025, Christine Detwiler said…

Thank you for the warm welcome. I’m excited to be here and get started on my 'Little Bird.'

Thank you for the information about the engine and parts availability. That’s a great resource to have as I’m beginning. I’ve sent a request for info from the FAA for all history of N27281 for any 337's, etc., but with the shutdown it’s gonna be a while, I’m afraid.

Planning to get things in order on Saturday and start VI. 

I look forward to conversations and getting to know some of the others here in the club.

Christine ✈️

At 9:28pm on February 10, 2025, Gary Baca said…

Thank you Andy for getting back with me and thanks for the info.

At 9:37am on February 7, 2025, Gary Baca said…

Hello Andy, I have had my Porterfield NC37850 for just about a year.  I have been taking flight instruction in my bird and my instructor can't stop commenting on what a great flying airplane the Porterfield is. He had never heard of a Porterfield until I bought mine.  As far as flight instruction is concerned, we calculated best glide but where can I find more Porterfield information, like vx, vy. Thank you for your help.

At 12:17am on January 4, 2025, Lyle Strader said…

Thanks for the warm welcome Andy!! I’m actually picking up the project tomorrow and will be asking many questions on here, as I’m not too familiar with the Porterfield construction. That and I’m sure there’s missing parts besides the obvious firewall forward. Just was too neat of a little plane to not scoop up and give it a second chance.

Lyle 

At 11:18am on December 14, 2024, robert james steffens said…

mr.  bowers died i bought it from his son  

At 10:50am on December 14, 2024, robert james steffens said…

havent picked it up yet  its still in ar. it should be flying in the summer needs a little work

At 10:18pm on April 7, 2024, Brett Lovett said…

Understood.  Just in case it helps, I have been a member of this group in the past, and I'm not sure if my old membership might still be taking up a space.  I believe it was under b.lovett@att.net, but I re-registered because I couldn't get signed into it to update my email address.  (I was also on Chuck Lebrecht's mailing list many years ago.)  If my old account is still here, please feel free to purge it.  

At 9:33am on December 31, 2023, Jacob Noel said…

27259 is now in London OH. Still flying on what it should be 1800ft of grass. 

At 4:04pm on May 20, 2023, David Davis said…

Thanks for adding me to your group Andy! I'm interested in finding a Porterfield as I've lived my entire 53 years in the Kansas City area. A good friend of mine had a project when we were in A&P school but he never finished it before letting it go. Dave

At 5:00am on February 20, 2023, Danny R. Linkous said…

Thank you, Andy.  That certainly clears up some of the mystery about front/rear seat solo flight in the Porterfield.  The airplane I plan to purchase (John Elliott’s Collegiate) has had the little Lycoming 65hp engine replaced with a Continental C-85, which I imagine is heavier.  With John’s help, I’ll be taking a close look at the W&B before I fly her.

 
 
 

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