MINOT, ND ( KXNET ) — 6,000 Luscombe planes were made throughout the 1930s. After hundreds of hours of work, the restoration of one such plane is complete.

Jay Blessum, the owner of the Minot Aero Center, says this 1946 Luscombe Eight A arrived on a trailer from Nebraska, and was brought in by a family looking for help. 1994 was the last time this bird was in the sky, and it has 1,900 hundred hours of total flight time.

“It was their dad’s first airplane,” he explained, “so they wanted to restore it because it has family history.”

Blessum and the family have been working on it for three years. In the beginning, it was a part-time endeavor — but during this last winter, they went into full throttle, and dedicated 1,200 hours of work to finishing the project.

“It started off as a 65-horsepower nonelectronic airplane with one fuel tank,” saod Blessum. “It is now 90 horsepower with a full electrical system and two fuel tanks in the wings.”

In addition to these interior changes, the wings are covered in new fabric, and the interior and instrument panel are completely renovated. The latter had a special quote engraved on it at the owner’s request.

A team of six mechanics — including Blessum — helped with the restoration of this plane, with a majority of the work going into the engine.

“That full electrical system means it has a starter, lights for flying at night, and a radio for communicating,” Blessum added.

Blessum shares that it is exciting and rewarding to witness the dream come true for one family. The owner’s grandson plans to get his pilot’s license and Blessum and the crew are hoping to see him and the plane up in the air soon.

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