A star is reborn
An airshow legend 'disappeared' for 25 years — until it was bought by a self-confessed aircraft fanatic, who is using today's technologies to restore the plane to its former glory. Stuart Nathan reports.
Dick Keyt wouldn't look out of place on a horse next to Clint Eastwood in a Western. But planes, not horses, are Keyt's obsession — one in particular.
Rangy and grey-haired, the softly-spoken Texan is the owner — or, as he puts it, custodian — of the Polen Special. Handbuilt in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the plane is an airshow legend.
It has been the fastest four-cylinder aircraft (in fact, the fastest four-cylinder engine) in the world for over 30 years. Keyt is determined to keep it that way, and he has decided to use the most up-to-date technologies to achieve this.
US Air Force veteran Keyt — a former commercial pilot and aeronautical engineer — bought the Polen from its builder, Dennis Polen, in 1998. 'Dennis started building in 1968 with two friends — the idea was that they would build a plane each,' he explained. 'But the other two dropped out, leaving him to complete the project.'
Register now to continue reading
Thanks for visiting The Engineer. You’ve now reached your monthly limit of news stories. Register for free to unlock unlimited access to all of our news coverage, as well as premium content including opinion, in-depth features and special reports.
Benefits of registering
-
In-depth insights and coverage of key emerging trends
-
Unrestricted access to special reports throughout the year
-
Daily technology news delivered straight to your inbox
Experts speculate over cause of Iberian power outages
I´m sure politicians will be thumping tables and demanding answers - while Professor Bell, as reported above, says ´wait for detailed professional...