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Oshkosh Anecdotes

Ironflight

VAF Moderator / Line Boy
Mentor
Aside from Doug?s picture link and a few fragment threads, I haven?t seen a good place this week to post simple one or two paragraph ?Oshkosh Anecdotes? here on the forums. SoI?ll start a thread, and see if anyone else has any short stories or tidbits to add. Funny, Interesting, ?Wow, I hadn?t thought of that!??.what have you experienced?

Paul
 
New Old friends.....

Yesterday afternoon I was standing in the Fly Market, trying to figure out the right length for an (RV-6 lower engine mount bolt) and my phone rang ? it was Jerry Fischer, RV-7 Builder, asking me why I wasn?t at the Corm Roast, and urging me to stop by for a little corn, talk, and Bourbon. Jerry, it turns out, was on the Destroyer that plucked the early Mercury spacecraft out of the ocean back in the early 60?s. So there we sat, sipping his fine Bourbon (I wasn?t flying!), trading stories from the front end of the US space transportation system all the way to the very end. From Mercury through Shuttle has been a lot of decades ? I was wandering around ?Fifi? this morning, and spent some time in a B-25 yesterday, and realized just how short of a time it was from when they were flying in WW II, and the time I started to fly ? truthfully, a much shorter time span. It makes you think?.

Aviation sure can bring people together, can?t it?! We?ll have to see if Jerry finds those pictures on his camera ? I?d sure like to see one.
 
Hi Paul

.It was a sincere pleasure to finally meet you and Louise.
Sharing experiences was a lot of fun over Elijah...enjoy the rest of the week. BTW The USS Randolph was the Carrier of the recovery Group and quite a memorable experience.
Later,
Blue Skies,
Jerry
 
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My wife attended her first Airventure this year. What a joy to see her positive reaction to somthing she basically knows little about.

One thing she noticed as we stayed in the camp grounds this year, are that just about every state and Canada is well represented with license plates.

We set up our chairs on the flight line to watch Tuesdays air show and the two guys sitting in front of us were from Mexico. To our right were two from Asia taking photos of just about everything, talking in a language I wished I could evesdrop in on to see what was so exciting. Finally, as we walked back towards our camp site, we came across a father and son speaking German. This I know a little of and realized they were taking about Sean Tucker's performance, using their hands to figure out how he flys backwards, good luck guys!

As we sat at our barrowed motor home, I struck up a conversation with the three guys camped behind us. The owner of the camper was from S Dakota. His friends were from Denmark!

Is there any other event in America that draws people from all around the world?
 
Well there I was...

I was standing in line for the wright flier simulator, wearing my VAF hat when the "Wright CFI" came up to me and started talking to me. It took me just a few seconds and a mention of an RV-3 for me to realize it was Louise. She was so gracious and offered to take a quick break and show me "Mikey." Along the way she called up Paul and had him come over. Louise had to get back to work so Paul and I walked around the grounds for 20 minutes or so and had a good conversation. I got to tell you, it's fun to pick the mind of a NASA Flight Directors mind.:cool:

Another quick thing: I was sitting by the showers in HBC talking to a guy. He said that he had built a super 6 but had sold it. I related the story of my ride in Bob Mills' super 6. Well guess what, he built it! Small world. Nasty: he says "Hi and great to see it going around the pylons at reno."

Enjoy your week everybody.
 
Don & Abby's Excellent Adventure.

I flew up in my -7 with my 10 year old daughter Abby. She loves to come to Oshkosh with me, and this year she had it in her head to find a 'snow globe' as her collectors souvenir from the show. Yes - a snow globe. She was undeterred as we struck out in one shop after another. Every day she woke up determined to find one, and eventually it was just as much my mission. Must find snow globe! While weaving in the regular fun stuff in the hangars and HBC and KidVenture, we searched high and low. We scoured the fly market and every inch of a store that might have one hiding. She cheerfully asked every merchant for a lead, and kept her chin up as the search widened.

Finally, yesterday we hit pay dirt. It took going to the outlets, but we have scored a snow globe. It may not have a P51 inside the globe, but it will always remind us of Osh 2011.
 
Mercury Tool

Yesterday afternoon I was standing in the Fly Market, trying to figure out the right length for an (RV-6 lower engine mount bolt) and my phone rang – it was Jerry Fischer, RV-7 Builder, asking me why I wasn’t at the Corm Roast, and urging me to stop by for a little corn, talk, and Bourbon. Jerry, it turns out, was on the Destroyer that plucked the early Mercury spacecraft out of the ocean back in the early 60’s. So there we sat, sipping his fine Bourbon (I wasn’t flying!), trading stories from the front end of the US space transportation system all the way to the very end. From Mercury through Shuttle has been a lot of decades – I was wandering around “Fifi” this morning, and spent some time in a B-25 yesterday, and realized just how short of a time it was from when they were flying in WW II, and the time I started to fly – truthfully, a much shorter time span. It makes you think….

Aviation sure can bring people together, can’t it?! We’ll have to see if Jerry finds those pictures on his camera – I’d sure like to see one.

IMG_5229.jpg

The manufacturer of the Mercury Space Capsule was McDonnell Aircraft Corporation abreviated MAC. The Project Mercury Inspection Department was 867. In 1959 or 1960 the Radio, Electrical & Electronic Inspectors on Project Mercury were issued a Bausch & Lomb magnifying glass for inspecting solder joints. The one photographed above was issued to Bob Axsom. Now days it often gets used to read tiny print. It is good to hear about the old project from time to time. I am currently reading "Flight: My Life in Mission Control" by Chris Kraft and I previously read Gene Krantz's Book "Failure is not an Option" it is interesting to read books about something you actually participated in.

Bob Axsom
 
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FS: Hallowed Ground

I arrived Sunday and left Wednesday after the rain around 1:00 PM. It was raining when I did the preflight which included tie down removal. I didn't even think about it when I took them out and threw them in a plastic bag, but they were muddy and the tall grass had twisted around the shafts.

OSH_Dirt__Medium_.jpg


So.............. For Sale to the Highest Bidder: Hallowed Ground / Genuine Oshkosh Dirt. Includes certificate if authenticity, genuine green grass, and the plastic bag. Might even be a few nematodes in there. Buyer pays shipping and any USDA fines. I keep the tie downs.

Seriously, I should put this on eBay. :rolleyes:
 
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New RV builders

I met a nice young man, at the Monnday night SOS RV beer fest, who is building
a 7A. He looked 18 (but turned out to be 30) and from his hair cut (what hair) you
could tell he was in the service of our country. We few old dogs passed on our prospective
of powerplants and propellers. He had finished the tail was about to start on the wings. He was
polite and receptive to our experiences. Turns out he is a T-6 Texan II instructor in Alabama but
previously spent 3 years in a C-17 flying it everywhere they go. It was refreshing to see the new
generation building. We thanked him for his service. Nice guy....just wish I could remember his name.....
the fog of beer :D
 
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Just got back home after my 5th Airventure (and 2nd in a row to fly an RV-8 there and back). It was the 2nd best one so far. My first one was still the best, of course ;)

Exhausted, sore and tired, but glad to be home. Remember in the Terminator 2 movie when the liquid metal terminator tried to walk thru the liquid nitrogen and his legs broke off? ... that's what my feet and legs felt like after walking some 5 to 8 miles a day for three days at Airventure. I felt like my legs were breaking off halfway up my shins on that last walk back to the parking lot. :p

Got to meet up with several VAF'ers there too and see some really well-built RVs.

Got to fly into KOSH from Wautoma (Y50) where we stayed, for two days in a row, Mon and Tues, in a group of 5 RVs... a bunch of retired USAF fighter pilot RV pilots. Learned a lot about formation flying from these experts and did pretty well with them and had a blast!. Had to drive the rental car in on Wednesday due to the rain and IFR weather.

Can't wait until next year. Hope my friend who owns the RV-8 will let me take it again. Flying a hotrod RV-8 from Texas to Wisconsin and back sure beats the heck out of my old Cherokee. Maybe with a little bit of luck, I might even be able to find and buy an RV of my own by next July... who knows?
 
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Introductions

I arrived Sunday and left Wednesday after the rain around 1:00 PM. It was raining when I did the preflight which included tie down removal. I didn't even think about it when I took them out and threw them in a plastic bag, but they were muddy and the tall grass had twisted around the shafts.

OSH_Dirt__Medium_.jpg


So.............. For Sale to the Highest Bidder: Hallowed Ground / Genuine Oshkosh Dirt. Includes certificate if authenticity, genuine green grass, and the plastic bag. Might even be a few nematodes in there. Buyer pays shipping and any USDA fines. I keep the tie downs.

Seriously, I should put this on eBay. :rolleyes:

We met when you started the sharpie list "roll call" on the bar at the beer tent before we moved to the more modest 'reserve' tent. Sorry, I brought back my own nasty tie downs. However, how sick is it to take the picture?? Priceless.
Again, thanks for the hand shake.
 
We met when you started the sharpie list "roll call" on the bar at the beer tent before we moved to the more modest 'reserve' tent. Sorry, I brought back my own nasty tie downs. However, how sick is it to take the picture?? Priceless.
Again, thanks for the hand shake.

That was a fun "meeting". Great conversation with outstanding aviators.

Sick? :eek: I have to pay for my OSH trip somehow! If no one buys it I'll let the non flying hanger talkers at my airport look at it for $1.00 each. LOL ;)

Any bidders? :confused:
 
Words from Paul Poberezny

We attended the Homebuilder's banquet tonight and I'm so happy we choose to go. The first special event was the award of the Spirit of Aviation (from the Society of Experimental Test Pilots) to Mike Seager, presented by Van. Very cool!

The guest speaker was Paul Poberezny, ostensibly about the Baby Ace. He completed that part of the talk in two sentences. "It was steel tube, a hack saw, and welding. End of story."

Then he waxed on the sad status of homebuilts in the EAA. He pointed out that the warbirds have their own hangar and magazine. The vintage group have buildings and a magazine. "We don't even have a building." He made it clear that he primarily identifies himself as a homebuilder and laments the lack of "a leader" to put homebuilders at the core of EAA. "Maybe now that we have a new President* we can get these things done." Paul P. came across as completely sincere, frustrated, and sad that "his" community, those of homebuilders, feel marginalized (my word) within the EAA. Wow.

After tonight, I will not likely ever think of "the Pobereznys" as a team of homogenous thought and vision.

*I can't remember whether he said President or Chairman, but either way the reference to a change in EAA leadership was clear.
 
I've been working the Hondajet tent all week and if I have to answer the question one more time, " Why did you mount the engines up there on top of the wings" I think I'm gonna loose it.

Actually it's been fun, lots of international visitors and interesting people come by and the kids are drawn to the Garmin G3000 kiosk like moths to the flame. If you're around this weekend stop by and check it out.

Paul Danclovic
Jamestown NC
RV-8A N181SB
 
Free Rides....

After a meeting at the EAA Museum yesterday, we got a golf-cart ride back down to the show with the Museum Director. We had a good chat on the ride down, and saw someone with an EAA badge in another cart stop and pick up some folks who were walking. Our host explained that everyone who drives and EAA cart is instructed to fill any empty seats they have with whoever looks like they could use a ride – and that if they are seen driving around with empty seats, they can expect a “talking to”.

Nice way to treat the “customers”, don’t you think?
 
Anecdotes eh?

(1) I'm probably not the first but I managed to crash the Wright Flyer inverted.

(2) The SOS Brothers will never again doubt we can fill a tent (they thought I was full of....well, you know.) No, we didn't pay for it....they sold a lot of beer. Next year we ask for our own waitress crew.

(3) Give Mike Starkey a drink and he drives real slow ;)

(4) The Vans banquet needs more picnic tables or narrower RV'ers. Apparently somebody told the caterer you could fit two people side-by-side in only 43 inches.

(5) Anybody else have a raccoon tan? You know, the facial look you get when you wear sunglasses and look at the sky a lot more than you do at home?

(6) Had an alternate air door warning light go on just short of the 18L launch point this afternoon. Thought I picked up a piece of F16 FOD on 18R, but it was just a slipped microswitch.....

(7) Finally found something at Zaug's fit to eat...they will make a cold cut sandwich to order at the food court just off Aeroshell Square, by the Ford tent.

(8) Speaking of the Ford tent; beautiful displays of their latest technology... staffed with kids who don't know anything. On the other hand one of the bigger grins you can give yourself is watching the father-son duels for fastest time in the rally car simulator. Mostly the dads don't stand a chance.

(9) Lots of cool airplanes, but nothing this year topped Fifi. When they taxied up to Aeroshell Square it looked like a human tidal wave. People came from every direction.

(10) If you put a tip-over canopy on your -8, make a sign saying "No, it's not an RV-4" or answer the question a lot.

(11) Today's pink shirt at departure was apparently a tailwheel man. Despite calling every other aircraft type by brand or model, he kept refering to all the RV A-models as "tricycles", without model ID.

(12) Folks said I should go over to Runway 9-27 to watch Saturday and Sunday arrivals, which can be very exciting. Well, I hadn't been sitting out there 15 minutes when a fellow in an A36 pulled into an accelerated stall at about 100 feet, 2/3's of the way around the 180 degree 27 final. Bless his heart, he did the right things....shoved the yoke, got the wing flying, then rolled upright just in time to snatch the yoke back and slam down onto 22 or the taxiway just to the south, hard. The third bounce got the prop, but he taxied away.....certainly a contender for the "Luckiest Man at OSH 2011".

(13) Passed a C210 a few miles south of OSH like he was chained to a stump. I know it's old hat to some of you, but I'm still amazed at the way these RV's cover ground; 4.2 hobbs hours, OSH to MGM, 11500 feet and 182 knots true when level. What a machine....
 
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We arrived as a 3 ship on Saturday morning and my first Osh arrival could not have been easier. I worried for weeks about it and studied the NOTAM until I knew it by heart. I even managed to perform an acceptable landing reasonably close to the green dot!

We parked in VAC; which was an interesting perspective in a few ways. While I find all airplanes interesting and have "favorites" in every category, I was stuck by how many people in this camping area didn't have the first clue about RV's and what they were capable of. I may have steered a few more people over to the homebuilt side after answering all the questions... Who knows?

We pulled up our stakes and bailed out on Wednesday. Planned to be in the air by 8, but had to wait out the cells until noon. As soon as we got in the air it looked a whole lot better and we had no real problem getting to Santa Fe. I saw some really sketchy launches that morning - including a 150 Tri Pacer launching directly into a rain cell throwing ligtning! When we finally went, I passed a Cherokee just off the end of the runway with about 50 knots in hand. Who knows, that may be another RV buyer soon. I didn't know if I should pass or not, but I figured that was safer than following a slow moving airplane in and out of IMC at 500 AGL for several miles. Best to put as much distance between myself and other airplanes as possible.

All said and done, I did 3166 miles with an average ground speed of 159.9 knots, burning 8.23 GPH. Not to shabby!

BTW Paul, we crossed paths at DR's airplane tuesday, but you looked like you were on a mission so I didn't speak up. Perhaps another time.
 
BTW Paul, we crossed paths at DR's airplane tuesday, but you looked like you were on a mission so I didn't speak up. Perhaps another time.

Dang Michael - I wished you'd spoken up - I wanted to meet you! Yeah...I often look like I know where I am headed, when in reality, I am just running open loop with little guidance....

Paul
 
Anecdotes eh?

(11) Folks said I should go over to Runway 9-27 to watch Saturday and Sunday arrivals, which can be very exciting....

"Lead" of our 3 ship was a Bellanca Cruisemaster parked on an end slot at VAC... We had a lean to tarp and it was a perfect place to hang out, drink in hand, and watch truly epic landings! The wingtip dragging base/final to 18 was entertaining, but I don't quite get the long straight in to 36... Wow, there were some bad landings!
 
Dang Michael - I wished you'd spoken up - I wanted to meet you! Yeah...I often look like I know where I am headed, when in reality, I am just running open loop with little guidance....

Paul

Yes, in retrospect I should have said something. I wasn't certain it was you until you were already headed downrange... Next time you make it out to Rosamond, let me know.
 
Listening to show control

For years I have spent a part of a day under a DC-3 wing watching arrival on 9-27 listening to the controller trying to keep up on my scanner. Very good education.
This year I used the scanner for the first time to listen to Air Show Control, the Airboss, and Warbird ground and tower during the Wednesday airshow. Very interesting all the chatter back and forth to get the planes in the air for the show.
Unfortunately listening to the airboss made the F/A-18 sneak approach not a surprise but was still cool with all the condensing moisture forming around the jet on the high speed pass.
 
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not sure

If I feel marginalized but I have often wondered if the warbirds and antique/classic folks feel privledged to attend OUR convention. BTW my pics this year for awards include the orange rv3, red and white rv8 and lancair IVPT. Three beautiful builds. sorry I cant remember tail #s but if you saw them you will know what Im talking about.
 
If you want to talk about dreaming way too big, walk into Oshkosh as a 17 year old and say to yourself ?I want to sit in a P-51 mustang this year.? I walk through the warbirds with my jaw closer to the grass than my nose and imagine just climbing in one of those beautiful machines. I was doing that, like usual yesterday (Thursday) when the pilot of ?Ole Yeller? said climb on up. After multiple pinches to assure the quality of my dream test, I gingerly stepped on the tire and pulled my self onto the wing. I looked into cockpit in absolute awe. This was the very cockpit where some brave young man kept our country free and where R. A. ?Bob? Hoover continued to make himself a legend. The pilot asked if I wanted to sit in it. I have been able to speak since I was little, but all that practice wouldn?t even put out a good ?yes.? With as much care as I could, I stepped on the seat and slid down. Im sure that at this point I was feeling a profound respect for the plane and Its pilots, but I wouldn?t know it? my cheeks hurt to much.

Sorry for being so long winded but you don?t do that every day. That was a fantastic experience sitting in there and I sure am glad to be here. A HUGE thanks to our veterans and those still serving. Have a good week everybody.
 
Paul P. came across as completely sincere, frustrated, and sad that "his" community, those of homebuilders, feel marginalized (my word) within the EAA. Wow.

This is really the first year I've had to follow Oshkosh online . In the past, I've heard these comments and really not understood them b/c when I go to Oshkosh, I hang out with homebuilders, I talk homebuilding, I attend forums about homebuilding, and I visit exhibitors who are marketing to homebuilders. So it doesn't feel like I've been pushed aside at AirVenture.

This year, however, I can see where that is the case from a long-distance perspective. There are virtually no interviews on EAA Radio about homebuilding (I mean, geez, can you maybe squeeze in ONE more interview with the flak from Ford Motor Company, guys?) , there's no mention int the daily media sheet I get from EAA regarding homebuilding, and the public websites for Oshkosh are all about the warbirds and commercial jets etc.

I suppose, on the other hand, that if any of these HAD acknowledged the existence of homebuilding, I'd miss Oshkosh more than I do, which is to say, nowhere near as much as I thought I would.

I missed mostly seeing my pals like Glenn and Michael Brasch and Darwin Barrie and Jeff Point. They became "AirVenture" to me a long time ago and I doubt that will ever change no matter how many "big iron" bells and whistles the EAA brings in.
 
Nailed It

If I feel marginalized but I have often wondered if the warbirds and antique/classic folks feel privledged to attend OUR convention.

You read any of Martha Lunken's stuff in "Flying?" She wrote a killer article on some of the Warbird personalities. I don't remember which issue of Flying it was. Perhaps three or four months ago? Check it out.
 
An author's take on warbirds

A quote from Kevin Garrison, on AvWeb:

"This will probably lose me some facebook fans, but after writing my Air Force history book I can't look upon warbirds at airshows with the same excitement.



Now, every time the Oral Surgeons and the trust fund babies fly their P-51s over the crowd in a patriotic ferver I remember the stats from WWII: 88,000 killed or missing, 17,360 wounded and 41,000 pows. We've taken that tragedy and made it into a fireworks and platitudes display. I don't know the answer, but I can't look at my favorite planes the same way anymore."


John Clark ATP, CFI
FAAST Team Representative
EAA Flight Advisor
RV8 N18U "Sunshine"
KSBA
 
A good read. Thanks for the point out. :)
She was much kinder than I would have been... ;-)
I fear the EAA (as an organization) has lost it's way... This forum and it's members are the REAL eaa IMHO...
Opinions vary...
Dennis

You read any of Martha Lunken's stuff in "Flying?" She wrote a killer article on some of the Warbird personalities. I don't remember which issue of Flying it was. Perhaps three or four months ago? Check it out.
 
We met when you started the sharpie list "roll call" on the bar at the beer tent before we moved to the more modest 'reserve' tent. Sorry, I brought back my own nasty tie downs. However, how sick is it to take the picture?? Priceless.
Again, thanks for the hand shake.


Steve, We need to talk.

I think this is corn on the cob from SOS. Not sure.
Missed you on Monday. Was BSN on the north side.

Dan---------Thanks for setting it up. See ya next year.
Yes I remember. Bigger in the front and smaller in the back.
This is engineer talk.:rolleyes:

Boomer
 
Traffic Circles?!

Where are we - France?!

OK, who the heck did Wisconsin hire to design the new road exits from Highway 41 in Oshkosh and the Appleton area? Did they go back in time and find a European designer from the 17th century?! And what in heaven’s name possessed them to think that traffic circles were a good idea?! I have come far closer to death this past week driving around town and mixing it up with folks who don’t understand them than I have in recent memory in ANY experimental aviation activities….

It appears that this is a part of a new “look” going along with all the highway work, but man – that exit just north of the main Oshkosh exit is more than just a circle – it’s TWO circles in close proximity. Back when I was a kid, and went to the State Fair, the used a figure eight like that for the demolition derby…. :rolleyes:
 
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It appears that this is a part of a new ?look? going along with all the highway work, but man ? that exit just north of the main Oshkosh exit is more than just a circle ? it?s TWO circles in close proximity. Back when I was a kid, and went to the State Fair, the used a figure eight like that for the demolition derby?. :rolleyes:

Yeah I wound up going through these circles twice this week. Once I went through the third one across the highway and ended up at the "Tilted Kilt" that has really great...um...food.

Paul Danclovic
Jamestown NC
RV-8A N181SB
 
I was getting a bit down in the dumps about EAA and the direction they are heading with "Sport Aviation". I actually considered not renewing my membership next go-around. It pains me to read articles about certified airplanes and "how to land stories" or "how to dodge weather" type stories in a homebuilding magazine.

I have to admit though that from my vantage point, they did a great job with "OshVenture" 2011. They worked very hard pulling out stuck vehicles, throwing wood chips in mud puddles and even came down the 18L line of airplanes offering water to grateful partched pilots while they waited to take off. Two thumbs up guys! My hat is off to you.
 
Yeah I wound up going through these circles twice this week. Once I went through the third one across the highway and ended up at the "Tilted Kilt" that has really great...um...food.
"Roundabouts" as we brits call them.
Get used to them and they can work very well. I struggled to understand 4-way stops first time I drove in the US. But things can be taken too far:
magi01.jpg

(Slough in the UK if you want to know where to avoid)
 
roundabouts

Where are we - France?!

OK, who the heck did Wisconsin hire to design the new road exits from Highway 41 in Oshkosh and the Appleton area? Did they go back in time and find a European designer from the 17th century?! And what in heaven?s name possessed them to think that traffic circles were a good idea?! ...
I was also shocked to see them, but quite happy. I drive through several each day and they work wonderfully, once everyone is trained. I recall the first time I encountered these babies without any training, in the 80s in Edinburgh - I just blasted right through them - and made a lot of new friends! :)

Really a great OSH this year. Just finished watching the night show, and it was good. Off to bed, 0-dark thirty flight back to Geneva.
 
Like 2010, is anyone still there?

Planning on arriving tomorrow (sunday am) if all goes well and the weather cooperates.
Hopefully not everyone is gone.
1 day is better than no days at Osh, even if its the last....now to avoid that flat tire just after landing that happened last year.
 
No holds barred!

1. Make sure you are on the correct frequency! Note to self.

2. Did you all see the homebuilt/experimental Honda Jet flight demo, I'll bet that's a proud homebuilder!

3. Dan H, should be nominated as the official party planner, wow, pulled out a plan out of his ... and we had a hoot at the SOS.

4. Wow, Tanya C. can eat a LOT of corn!

5. Even though the TBM beat the P51 in the "air race", I still think it's a POS.

6. How about the million dollar toilets that the certified planes have, I took a leak in their sink just to make my self feel at home. Not that the port a potties in the HBC were terrible, just that due to budget reasons, they were only going to be cleaned half as much as previous years.

7. Thanks to EAA for the homebuilders headquarters "doughnut day". It took a staff of 4 to make sure no one got more than 1.

8. I think Mary Jane from Sun'n Fun HBC should be flown to AirVenture next year to run the HBC. Heck, can Hightower and make her president.

9. They should make F-16's in a tailwheel, you'd think they'd know you can't taxi a nose wheel on grass.

10. Met Taylor, the 17 year old who is flying his dad's RV4 around the U.S. We tried to get EAA to move his plane to show center. They decided it was better to keep in as far out in HBC as possible. They needed the room for more VIP areas.

11. Even though EAA is a bit off track, it's still the best show in town and a great gathering of friends. I'll be back!

"I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve." Bilbo Baggins
 
The good, the bad, and the ugly of OSH 2011

Helping Tony Philips put his freshly painted RV-9 back together and flying up to OSH and hanging with him and his son. Great time – Thanks Tony!

Meeting many of the VAF members!

Flying the Wright Flier Stimulator. I flew it much longer than I thought I could, dodged (buzzed?) a bunch of houses before crashing into one. – Thanks Louise and Paul!

Saying “Hi” to Tom P.

Going to a private lunch with Sean Tucker. (I won the golden ticket when Hightower visited our chapter.) During Sean’s Q&A session my 2.5 year-old son realized Sean left his pop sitting on our picnic table when he finished eating and brought it up front to him. Sean is a very gracious and genuine person. I always admired his flying skills and now I admire him as a person even more! He told the story about his recent bailout after the rod-end bearing for the pitch linkage broke at less than 1000’ AGL. He was able to get the plane up to 10,000’ before descending to 5,000’ because he wanted to be able to tell where the plane would crash when he got out. All that was done with trim and power.

Seeing three RV-9’s parked in a row with another one across the aisle and knowing Stein’s father’s -9 was on the field. Five total!

Sitting with Stein’s father and brother Z at our planes, watching the airshow from the back of HBC, and drinking Tony Phillip’s home brew. Good beer, good company, and good airshow (and easy to see from that far back.)

Flying the Dakota Cub and landing it with the airspeed reading zero. We also took it up to 2500 feet and stalled the thing then gave it full right rudder and left aileron and the thing just continued to float down with the wings level. (The flight was for a future KitPlanes story.)

Hearing (rumor?) that Rod Hightower was dropped off at the Theater in the Woods in a limo. (OK, if he just returned to town from a business meeting, then switch to a VW before entering the convention. That is just common sense.)

Talking to a friend in Warbird’s who said Hightower is a homebuilder because he restored his Stearman. While restoring a plane is difficult, it is simply not the same.

Realizing for the first time that the Warbird crowd believes the only reason people come to OSH is for them and that the EAA doesn’t do enough for the warbird crowd. Let’s see, the EAA pays their fuel, hotel, food, etc. They have NICE facilities that is open to warbirds only. And they wonder why the homebuilder’s are not happy?

Port-a-johns and eight men's showers with two sinks for all of homebuilding while the certified guys have really nice showers and toilets.

When Hightower visited the Charlotte EAA chapter he made it very clear the future of the EAA was not homebuilts and I really saw it this time around. Major bummer!

Best story from OSH 2011:
The guy who used to fly the Breezy at OSH landed at a nudist beach that had an airstrip shortly after finishing his plane (in the 60's?). After giving rides to a few of the “locals” (I’m thinking there were things flapping in the breeze that I don’t want to see flapping!) a gorgeous blond with a long ponytail jumps on for the last ride. As they are flying around, the pilot spots a Cub in the distance and catches up to it. As he motors alongside, the heads of the Cup pilots snaps right as they see this naked woman waving at them in a plane they can’t describe. Now imagine those guys landing at their home airport trying to tell their buddies how they saw a naked woman flying alongside them in a naked airplane.
 
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Some of the highlights for me were:

Getting quite a few autographs on my plane

The really cool pop up camper from the 50's in the Hot Rod display area

The Ford GT

and #1 for me, was the Bobby Evans Band, on Monday night at SOS Bros. tent.
I requested, and they played, Uriah Heep's.... "Stealin' ", like they play it every night!:cool:
 
Landing 18R

A small deal but a high light for me was being instructed at Fisk to head for 36 for a left downwind to 18R. I have now flown into OSH 6 times and this was the only pattern I had not done. Now I have landed all 5 patterns, including the two different ways to land 18R, fun. Upon departure after the F16 delay we were waiting long on the 36R taxiway for a 27 departure. After a long delay due to incoming some one got the good idea to have us do a 180 in the conga line and take off from the 18L taxiway! Cool, now I have that on my list of firsts :)
 
When Hightower visited the Charlotte EAA chapter he made it very clear the future of the EAA was not homebuilts and I really saw it this time around. Major bummer!

Hi Bill,

What did Hightower say the future of the EAA is going to be if its not homebuilts?
 
Highpoint of the event has to be the fact it was a reenactment of our Honeymoon, seven years ago.

Yep, Honeymoon at Osh, and an anniversary too. Doesn't get much better than that.

Next was getting to meet a lot of folks that I "know" from VAF.

And right up there on the list was getting a guided tour of Dan Horton's incredible 8.

And, then there was everything else.............................
 
Broke PTT on way home.

Up until this year, I had flown and landed on all the runways at OSH except 9. At FISKE (yes it is an IFR waypoint), the controllers ask if we were a flight and if we wanted runway 9 or 36? Fireman said he hoped for 9 when we departed Monroe plus that was one I had not used before, I responded Niner.

After securing the airplanes Saturday, there was no bus to the dorms. Phoned DR to see if he was on field and could provide a lift. He said I flew right over him on short final as he was departing the field.

On the way home, I was getting the wing tie down rings out of the cockpit and dropped them. Much to my surprise, one hit the Push Then Talk switch on the pilot stick. The top RED plastic was broken off of the button. Using a fingernail, the switch would still work. No problem as I had a redundant PTT on the arm rest. I built the airplane so that what ever pilot is flying the airplane, he or she did not need to need to touch the stick to handle the radio work.

Switch was just replaced with my spare. Ready for next year. Looking forward to a FORTY RV Formation in honor of Van's Forty Years.
 
Sitting there watching the arrivals on Sunday afternoon when a flight of 6 RV's makes their "mass arrival" to 36L landing 3 abreast. The second group of 3 were working pretty hard to keep wings level flying through all the disturbed air from the lead group and it looked like the two outboard guys almost caught a wingtip on the runway, but it turned out OK. After that, I overheard several members of the crowd opining that such a landing was "unsafe" and should not be allowed. Also, overheard was something along the lines of "...those RV guys think they can get away with anything...".
 
Anecdotes eh?
(4) The Vans banquet needs more picnic tables or narrower RV'ers. Apparently somebody told the caterer you could fit two people side-by-side in only 43 inches.

Now that's funny. I guess we know why Dan and I built -8's :D
 
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Oshkosh '11 was the best yet--out of nearly 20 for me. Highlights included:

1. Watching the faces of the first two Eagle's Nest RV-12 builders I brought up (bringing newbies is my favorite thing.)

2. Helping them make Page 14 of AIRVENTURE TODAY Tuesday edition.

3. Seeing them be recognized by people--even in Walmart!

4. Meeting the Teen Flight leaders and crew.

5. Welcoming the final three Eagle's Nest builders and their teacher, Andy Doboze.

6. Hearing one of "my guys" nail a short talk at Van's banquet.

7. Having so many fine people talk to them.

8. On the last morning, after so many days of hearing "Let's go look at XXX airplane," or "I really want one of those," hearing them ask where they could meet the Tuskegee Airmen. Folks, that is what Oshkosh is all about, meeting the great and near-great men and women that make aviation what it is.

9. Last but not least, listening to these same HS students make plans for next year's Airventure all the way home.

If you hadn't guessed, I was quite wrapped up in seeing a bunch of "kids" enjoy Oshkosh. I was not disappointed. Special thanks to those of you who took the time to share with them. They have sworn to have a 12 there next year.

Bob
 
Hi Bill,

What did Hightower say the future of the EAA is going to be if its not homebuilts?

They are going to try and turn the EAA into another AOPA. There are more certified aircraft owners in the organization than EAB owners and that will be their focus. Thus the stories on how to buy a light twin and the flying qualities of a 182.

When I mentioned that most EAA members are also AOPA members and can already read about that stuff, it fell on deaf ears.

Back when I owned a certified aircraft, I kept coming to OSH to drool over the EAB stuff.

Last year I was told a story by an RV builder/owner about how he was in line for some food and a Bonanza driver asked him what he flew. The VAF member said he had just finished building his plane and flew it to OSH for the first time.

The Bonanza driver had been coming to OSH for years and had no idea you could build planes. Apparently he always flew in with the Bonanza gang, hung with them all week, and then left.

When our intrepid VAF member pointed to the hordes of RVs on the field the Bonanza guy refused to believe all those RVs were homebuilts. After lunch, the VAF member walked the guy to the Van?s tent.

With EAA members like that, it is no surprise Hightower is following the money. Let?s face it, us homebuilders are cheap by nature.
 
I thought the gust front that hit late Friday afternoon was interesting. The storm was visible for hours as it approached the field. The radar pictures made it look like the rain might miss the field to the North.

But it was a bit dicey so several of us pulled down the canopies over the picnic tables in HBC. We literally had them folded and on the ground when a huge gust blew in from the north. Then it was off across the campground to help people secure flapping tents, blowing coolers, etc. Pretty soon, a cloud of blowing dust, trash, and tents sent us scurrying into one of the buildings in HBC. The gusts were measured at just under 50 mph and were strong enough to tip over a bunch of porta-potties in HBC and one of Jack Rousch's trailers nearby. I don't think any aircraft were damaged.

Anyway, it rained just a little, but we had to conduct an emergency evacuation of the HBC building during the storm because one of the guys (nameless to protect the guilty) cracked a fart that was a far more menacing problem than the raging storm.
 
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