Serial Number

Model

Registration

Date of Manufacturing

ATC

Price (USD)

Engine

Propeller

Current Status

History

The airplane was sold new to Ryan Dealer, O.J. Whitney on April 22nd, 1937, where it was used as a demo until sold in September to Jason Zahn. The aircraft was equipped with a unique sliding single place rear canopy. While owned and flown by Zahn, on June 5th, 1938, Mr. Zahn apparently undershot a landing at Roosevelt Field, Mineola, Long Island. After scraping a fender on a parked car and failing to clear telephone lines the aircraft came to rest against the runway markers or flood lights. Mr. Zahn was unhurt. The Ryan received damage to its wings, landing gear, prop and engine cowling.

Then it went to the Casey Jones School of Aeronautics in the spring of 1939. In January, 1944 the airplane was based at their affiliated school, Academy of Aeronautics at LaGuardia Field on Long Island.

While at the Academy of Aeronautics, in later years according to George W. Brush, Executive dean in the laboratory for advanced instruction, it was used for rigging, alignment, and inspection classes. It was also used periodically by a local unit of the air scouts in their annual parade and served as a back drop for several TV programs on both local and network stations. Inevitably, it became necessary to the replace the ship and it was replaced.

For a long time it sat outside with other aircraft from the school, when training technology advanced to where it was no longer needed.

Occasionally some local (North East) Ryan owner would need an airworthy part and make a deal to ``swap`` so many of the parts became even more un-airworthy. Some of the parts, (fittings, Tailcone, Tailwheel) were transplanted to Ryan’s,

NC 14985 (SN 117) and NC 18921 (SN 339) in Connecticut.

Going back a bit, the ship was un-registered in 1941, so the original N17351 registry was turned back to the FAA for re-issue. This number was picked up by Major Ed Ortowski, case, South Carolina and applied to one of his imported

Guatemala STMs, SN 193, which was sent directly to Guatemala originally and never, was issued a civilian N number.

The airplane was purchased about the summer of 1962 through the efforts of Aerobatic Pilot, ``Big``Ed Mahler, with partners Ted Kijowski, and Frank Martinez.

They completely stripped and rebuilt the airplane. A new registration number, N633X was applied.

In 1966 it was sold after a couple of flights, to Robert Snyder, who based it at Robertson Airport, Bristol, Connecticut. He used it mainly for aerobatics and pleasure flights.

In October 1973 Snyder sold it to M.H. Pappy Spinks and he sold it in 1974 to John Kane. Kane sold it about January, 1979 to Donald Sharp. Halverson began restoring the aircraft, stating that he wanted it returned to original specs and would be having new formed components built, as well as re skinning the fuselage. He also petitioned Mr Bill Rose of Illinois in Illinois to deregister SN 193 to allow SN 154 to once again have its original N number. Mr. Halverson sold the aircraft on August 18, 2006 to Paul Isakson, of Amery, WI. N633X has been assigned to a Glider based in new Hampshire as of 2009 and is still shown as active. As of 2013, SN 154 once again is registered as N17351, and currently in the final stages of rebuild with Barnstormers Workshop, at Peachtree airport, Williamson GA. As SN 193 is also shown as owned by the same owner, Pegasus Aircraft parts and service, it is assumed that Pegasus, (Seabra) purchased SN 193 from Bill Rose, (or his estate) to get the N number back for SN 154. This is a rare example of a Ryan ST-A being re united with its original registration number over 70 years after it was cancelled.

Mr. Seabra apparently passed away in 2014, and the aircraft was sold to Mr Darren Moore, who is now having the aircraft re skinned to allow a polished finish. 

Ownership History

• O.J. Whitney, Long Island, New York;
• Jason Zahn, New York City;
• Casey Jones School of Aeronautics, Newark, New Jersey;
• Academy of Aeronautics, Inc. LaGuardia Field, New York;
• Big Ed Mahler, Ted Kijowski, & Frank Martinez, Long Island, New York;
• Robert Snyder, Kensington, Connecticut;
• M.H. ``Pappy Spinks, Spinks Enterprises inc. Fort Worth, Texas;
• John Kane, Cypress, Texas;
• Donald R. Sharp, Pauls Valley, Oklahoma; W.C. Yarborough, Tullahoma, Tennessee;
• William W. Halverson, Bloomington, Minnesota;
• Paul Isakson, Amery, Wisconsin;
• Antonio Seabra, Miami, Florida, and Brazil.
• Darren C Moore, California.

Current Ownership

Darren C Moore (Trustee)

Notes

Via FAA records, N633X has been assigned to a Glider based in new Hampshire as of 2009 and is still shown as active

William Halverson

Paul Isakson

Antonio Seabra

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