Van's Homecoming 2007
 

Well, I'm back. It was a very, very nice location with pleasant temps and conversation. Low slung mountains in the distance with wispy clouds draped over them - something I don't see often. This part of the country, and especially the Independence area up in the air, is simply stunning. I won't write a novel here, but will break each day down a bit and maybe sprinkle a memory or two in there if I can remember. Wish you could have come.

Thursday

Full plane on American sandwiched up against the wall next to a pretty 'stout' guy. Not much wiggle room. Very pleased all my camera gear arrived safe and sound. If you haven't seen the gyro mount unit, you couldn't make a more 'bomb like' looking device. I'm always a little nervous taking that on airline trips <g>. "Mr. Reeves, could you please follow us?"



I got a rental and drove down to the Aurora area, stopping at a Chili's for dinner. Logged in from the booth and checked on email. After that I touched base with the folks who had offered up a place for me to stay, Tom and Barb Turnbull. They are the perfect hosts, are building a -7A, and I hope I get to see them on a regular basis for the rest of my days. Tom made a hole in his firewall for my laptop and I had the apartment over the hangar to myself.

Slept with the windows open. Around 0430 I woke up because I could hear my laptop shorting out. I jumped out of bed, hair looking like the professor from 'Back to the Future' and no glasses running blind through the room, only to find it was the sprinkler system outside turning on. I laughed out loud...

Friday

Friday I drove from Independence up to Aurora (about 40 minutes) and hung out at the factory for a few hours. Gus met me at the door and showed me a few of the things that had changed over the previous two years: some new computer controlled bending machines (one a six axis job) and their new effort to optically scan all of their documents for archival purposes being a couple.


Visited with Tom and Van and Rian and Scott and Bob for a few minutes and then spent about two hours photographing some of the demo planes. Met Joe Blank again, who would be flying me around the next day in the -8A doing air to air shots. Joe is a hoot to be around and I'm really glad to have been able to spend some time with him and his wife. Great folks. Ask him sometime to demonstrate the stereo system in his -6 someday for you. That's all I'll say...

Spent some time in the secret prototype shop with Rian and Scott, you know, giving them pointers and direction and such. Actually I photographed the closed, locked door. It's good to be out of the loop on some things <g>.

Gus and I went out to lunch, and when we came back took the -12 prototype out for a spin. I had my doubts about the -12, but now get it. I think, and this is the truth, that they will have a hard time making these kits fast enough when they start selling them. I was simply blown away by the visibility. It was a factor above what I get in my tip up -6. You can EASILY see over the nose, you actually seem to be looking WAY down on it, and by tilting your head just slightly you are looking nearly straight down. Again, straight down. Seen the plan views of the -12 yet? Look how the leading edge is about where your hips are.

I want to be the first to call the RV-12 the 'Sightseer'. I get it now. You know that dream we all have where we can float? It's a lot like that. Oh, and you pop rivet it together and all the holes are the correct size, not needing deburring.

Gus let me takeoff and land. I'm no engineer or writer or wordsmith, but it felt honest and crisp at approach speeds and the flare was predictable, with about the amount of sensitivity I would like to have. It's a creampuff and I'm sure you'll feel the same. Very, very honest airplane.

After saying my goodbyes, I drove back down to Independence to rest for a bit and get ready for the Friday night BBQ. The highlight for me, and I'm sure it was for others, was the band chapter 292 prez Bob Brown hired to play. The Amanda Richards Band were an absolute pleasure to listen too. Acoustic guitar, standup bass and drums with Ms. Richards singing. She played about 60% original with the remainder doing covers. Her rendition of Brenda Lee's 'Always on My Mind' was particularly (and sonically) the highlight of my evening. Her interpretation of how Willie sang it was inspired and I was tempted, had I a couple of more beers in me, to go up and sing the low harmony. I was doing it in my head at least. I suspect you'll be hearing about Ms. Richards in the future. Great evening.

http://picasaweb.google.com/VansAirForce/RV12

http://picasaweb.google.com/VansAirForce/Homecoming2007_BBQ

Saturday

Saturday was game day. I met Joe around 0730 and spent the next several hours turned around backwards in the -8A. I won't bore you with the details, and hopefully you'll see some of the results in the '08 calendar, but Joe did get a kick out of making fun of me and all the grunts and cursing and bleeding and screaming that was coming from the back of the plane. I have to take off my shoes before the flight and store them in the baggage compartment (can't turn around in the seat if I have shoes on).


Ken K and I talked later about a plexiglass baggage door mod to the -10 that might help. One with a sliding window. Developing....(pun).

Got to see good friend John Seibold again and met Mike Starkey. Too many others to remember, but the atmosphere was just about perfect with people strolling up and down the streets around the strip looking at all the RVs under construction. Imagine looking down a street and seeing (5) RVs parked in the driveways. Now picture one under construction in about every third hangar. It was like that. You spend the day walking up and down the streets meeting people you will know for the rest of your life. Not a bad way to spend a day if you ask me. Oh, and it was about 75*F. Yeah, Baby!!!

Saturday night the banquet started with a plate of food piled high with chicken and steak. I spent a large part of the time visiting with Ken Krueger, Susan Green and Diane VanGrunsven. Wonderful company. Tom told his normal jokes and kept the festivities going, Van talked about the 51% rule and Ken brought the gathering up to date on some of their thoughts on the -12. Then they picked prize winners and broke for the night. A fun, relaxing time.

End Part I

Van's Homecoming Part II
 

Part II


I loaned Joe and his wife the keys to my rental earlier in the evening so they could drive back to the airport and leave early (their grass strip doesn't have lights and they need to get home before dark). Joe called my cell and said that my keys were 'under the plastic owl on the fuel pump'. I had to laugh at the thought of a very drunk me slurring later that I had to get to the key under the owl butt. They would have put me under observation (rightly so) <g>.

Pics: http://picasaweb.google.com/VansAirForce/Homecoming2007_6


Sunday

Breakfast at the airport with Tom and Barb. French Toast. They really are wonderful people and I wish I had them as neighbors. Saw Rosie at the pump getting ready to leave for his return flight to SoCal. Always love spending time with the 'Ambassador of RVation'.

Around 10am I left for the drive back up to Portland and my Boeing flight back home. Oregon is a beautiful state and it is hard to leave. Oh, and you can't pump your own gas in this state. I actually kinda liked that <g>.

Oh, and Portland airport has free high speed internet access, which is where I typed most of this <g>.

See you next year for sure. Thank you Van's, Tom/Barb, Bob/Kathy, all who came and said 'hi' and Independence Airpark.

b,
dr

Great Stuff
 

Doug,

Thanks for the write ups. Gotta ask, in the cockpit photo of the RV-12, did someone yak on the panel? :eek: There appear to to be some nasty drips running down that thing.

Wasn't me! Didn't smell like it, either.....not sure what that was (probably water).

Fun plane to fly!

Oh, thanks, Doug - Now I'm sureTSA will be waiting for me when I go through PDX next month .... ;)

Great trip report; sounds like a great trip.

Any chance there was a pre-punched / matched-hole RV-4 in the prototype shop, is there? I can hope ... :D

TODR

Yo, TODR! My X-ray vision was inop so I couldn't see through the door :D. I've told Ken K for years I want s/n #1 if they ever prepunch the -4.

Have fun in the PDX holding tank <g>.

b,
some guy who knows TODR

Yeah, a matched-hole RV-4 sitting next to my "Stretch-9". I'd have to order both at once! :D

DR - thanks for sharing with all of us through this awesome website community.

DJ

Van's Homecoming
 

Hi All
I had a wonderful experience at the homecoming. The trip up and back definitely change the size of my flight envelope. The trip marked a few first for me. In my previous 432 hrs as PIC I had not flown off the San Francisco chart. For this trip I had to buy 3 charts and I flew off of San Fan thru K-Falls on to Seattle chart. From KMT to EUG I was over a layer for the first time. On the way back home I flew to 12,500 and I had this guy!! flying back with me! [IMG][/IMG] The people in Independence are the best and I made some new friends. :) I will be encouraging all my RV friends to attend next year and I hope all who read this note will be encourage to attend also.

Wiping the grin off of my face...
 

Doug (aka 'Hippie Putz, Da Man, d r)

It was an absolute joy to work with you on Saturday at Independance. From what I saw of the photo's that you shot, folks are going to be in for a REAL treat. Having a photographer who could come up with good ideas about how to compose a great shot and then direct the pilot to put the photoship into that spot sure made it easy on me! I can't wait to see and review the 715 shots that you machine gunned out... (Doug has a VERRY fast camera system)

Part of the problem for me though, while I was flying and listening to your antics in back, caused me to laugh hard enough to choke on my water and wiggle the airplane around jeopardizing the shot. (The part about losing your socks multiple times comes to mind... One of the pilots responsibilities was to keep track of Doug's shoes and socks...) :)

I was hoping that the secret key location for the rental car keys (Tricia's idea) would also cause you to smile. It looks like we were successful and it all worked out. :D Thanks!

Also, your story about your computer shorting out while you were sleeping also had me snorting milk out my nose! (Have Doug tell you this story and listen closely to his imitation of the event...hilarious!)
We should do this again soon!

Blackjacks
 

I heard thru the neighborhood grapevine that the Blackjacks have their reservations in for the same host house next year...if the air compressors and sprinkler systems get turned off!!

Thanks for coming guys!