Super STOL Cessna 150

If social media is any indication, general aviation seems to be in the midst of a STOL and backcountry flying renaissance.

STOL events are taking place around the world, Draco is drawing more eyes than the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, and light tailwheel aircraft with small, traditional tires look bizarre and out of place among a global fleet that is increasingly shod with gigantic bush tires. 

But like so many aspects of aviation, we needn’t look far into our history to see how future generations have already tread the paths we’re taking today.

Don Dresselhaus, for example, exhibited much of the ingenuity and enthusiasm as Mike Patey does today, only on a far more modest scale.

A retired Deputy Sheriff, Don saved his pennies for a Cessna 150, and then went on to modify the ever living hell out of it in an attempt to optimize it for extreme STOL performance. 

Starting with a Horten STOL kit, Don went on to add bizarre wingtips, four huge stall fences on top of the wing, and no fewer than 1168 individual vortex generators.

He came up with the wingtip design in an odd manner - after waking up out of a sound sleep, he claimed he instantly turned on the light, grabbed a pen, and hurriedly drew the double airfoil design.

Finally, Don added 5.5” (14cm) extensions to the 150’s flaps, because apparently, the 150’s 40-degree barn doors weren’t quite effective enough.

All of these modifications enabled Don to routinely and comfortably fly at 35 knots indicated airspeed on base and final.

He never seemed to list or tout any specific takeoff or landing distances. Instead, he prioritized and focused on achieving great control response and lateral stability at very low speeds. In fact, he even added VGs to the horizontal stab to increase elevator effectiveness:

Don isn’t around anymore, but his 150 appears to still be active and registered to a company in Wisconsin.

While one could reasonably assume the wild aerodynamic mods have been removed, I feel it is my duty as a Wisconsin-based AvGeek to investigate further, and will be sure report my findings to all of you.

UPDATE:

The 150 has indeed been returned to its stock configuration, and is presently available for rent at Stein's Aircraft Services in SE Wisconsin: