News

AirPlane1

Dion Laurent

June 19, 2010 - Dec. 2010

AirPlane 1 is on display as part of the site-specific installation, AirStation in the 1930's Art Deco Gas Station building

directly across the road from the Station Museum of Contemporary Art, Houston, Texas.

AirPlane 1 awarded 1st Place in the 23d Annual Houston Art Car Parade, May 8, 2010

AirPlane1 on view at Discovery Green park for the Sneak Peak Party, May 7, 2010

AirPlane 1 on view at the Orange Show Art Car Ball, May 6, 2010

AirPlane1 will make it's public maiden flight on May 8, 2010 in the 23rd Annual Houston Art Car Parade.

AirPlane one is a wood and metal sculptural work, a home-built electric vehicle based on a 1956 Cessna 170. The front landing gear and broken windshield are from a 1960 Cessna 172. I began drawings and studies of the 1956 Cessna at the Smithville Airport in January, 2009. I started the woodwork in the living room of my old school house studio in Central Texas, and then assembled it and continued with the metal sub-frame and drive system in my pole barn. In May 2010 it was completed in Houston at Ken Crimmins warehouse at the Silo. Louis Perrin, a great artist, and mentor for 20 years had flown in from France and was working on his Green and Blue car in the same space. AirPlane 1's first and second test drives were just days prior to the Art Car Parade, a few laps around a few blocks. For powering the tail wheel drive electric vehicle motor, I installed 2 banks of 36 volt series of gel batteries on a dual battery switch connected to the solenoid and controller. During the parade, I periodically switched battery banks, throttled minimally at starts, consistently on uphill slopes, and only fully throttle on the inclines of the underpasses at Waugh and Montrose Blvd.. AirPlane 1 successfully completed the 2.5 mile drive of the 23rd Annual Houston Art Car Parade, May 8, 2010 with an enthusiastic and fanciful live audience of over 250,000 people.

I dedicate this flight and experience to the memory of Tom Mitchell Jones, a dearly missed and often thought of great soul of a man.

Thank you!

AirPlane 1 is the most complicated and challenging work I've yet completed. I would like to thank some dear friends for their support, assistance, and patience during this project: Steve and Jennifer Neuhaus, , Ken and Belinda Crimmins, The Jose Garcia, Noah and Mary Edmondson, Bob and Lisa Schatz, Steve and Sylvia Hagwood, Adrian Franks, Elise Chittick, Becky Sargent, Allen David Christian , T.J. Johnson, Jim and Jessica Ciosek, Butch James, Ricky , Don and Jan Jenkins, Taylor and Joya Cutshall, Chris and Shelly deZevallos, Ed and Pam deZevallos, Louis and Nadine Perrin, my brother, Troy, my mother, Merle Holland, and of course, the sweet Lisa Lindsey. Thanks to all of you.