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What's your KOSH highlight

vic syracuse

vic syracuse

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I thought I would start a new thread where we could tell our "feel good" stories about Oshkosh. :)

A gentlemen and his 29 year old son came up to me and told me that I took him for a ride in my RV-4 in 1985 and between that ride and my story in Sport Aviation it inspired him to build his own RV. I know he and his son came up in it and I think his son is even learning to fly or already has.

I have to tell you that of all of the great things that have happened to me at this OSH, including the honor of speaking at the Van's banquet, this was my highlight!

It is so cool to have inspired someone such a LONG TIME ago and they are still going and are so enthused.

I feel terrible that I don't remember his full name but it was Dave from Findlay Ohio and I hope he joins in.

I'm sure many of you have similar people stories from this great place so let's hear them.

Vic
 
It's always the people I meet! This year was exceptional. On top of all the VAF family members, we had over 20 of our chapter members present ant to top it all off, an academy classmate of my son flew one of the F22 Raptors into the show and I was able to spend just a little time with him. He really wanted a ride in my 7a but it just didn't work out. Still, the people I met made this OshKosh the best yet.
 
Being my first Oshkosh, I was totally impressed with all the people I've met & the aviation community as a whole. There were so many activities I was glad I downloaded the app so I could keep everything straight. Still didn't get to see everything.
I'm leaving to go back home to Florida in the morning, but l leave knowing that I've made new friends.
Thank you Dan for the social & Vic for your inspiring standup at the Van's banquet.

And a big thanks to Jerry Fischer for taking such good care of us at HBC.
 
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I haven't been since 2011. My son and I made a quick trip up and just got back a few hours ago. For me, I loved it all. The biggest thing I can say is going as a builder is a totally different experience than as someone hoping/wanting/planning to build. I got to meet my favorite tool vendors in person. Got a picture with Van. Met the guys who answer my stupid questions. For my son, he doesn't have solid memories of the two times he went. It was like watching a kid open presents for 2 days. To see that kind of joy and excitement.....hard to keep in the emotion as a father.....I loved Dirks Bentley. Great show, he is a pilot, he flew in himself...I vote for Alan Jackson next year. If he came and played 5 O'clock Somewhere, the place would be shaking. The seaplane base was everything I know it to be....that is my wife's favorite part of OSH and to not have her there riding around on the pontoon made me genuinely sad....Great show, can't believe it took me this long to go back. Already expecting to be there next year.
 
RV-10 Social

Thanks to Bob Leffler for organizing. Connecting people to VAF IDs/comments was superb!
 
N5916R said:
...I loved Dirks Bentley. Great show, he is a pilot, he flew in himself...I vote for Alan Jackson next year. If he came and played 5 O'clock Somewhere, the place would be shaking.
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+1. The crowd was huge -- easily twice the size that was there for the other concerts I've seen at OSH (Foreigner and REO Speed Wagon). The crowd stretched from the stage on the North side of the Plaza to the planes on the South side. My only regret is we missed the RV Social as a result. We stopped by but folks were leaving and it was winding down. All was not lost though as we simply hoofed on over to the SOS Bros.

And another thanks to Bob Leffler and crew for the RV10 dinner!
 
2015

I second all of that. It was fun putting faces to some of the folks who post here on VAF.
 
My favorite was:
Sitting under the airplane having lunch out of our cooler with my shoes off, living the life. A nice guy and his friend walked up and started chatting about the airplane. Yep, that is a big part of why we're here. At the end, he asked "How did you guys get here, did you fly?" Uhhhhh.... Apparently his Mk I computer was overloaded.
 
Second that scard. Sitting under the tail eating lunch on a hot day with a cool breeze. Thinking I love this and wish it would last forever!
 
Vic,

For me it was meeting people. There was this guy and his wife in the tent trailer next my mine who had more stoies than Mother Goose!

He could talk a buzzard off a crapwagon!

;) CJ
 
There were a couple of highlights for me....

Seeing more people I "knew" (knew of) at the RV Social. Great time as always, it was good to see you guys.

Now that I have some significant building time, I was able to get a good look at a lot of other planes to see how my work compares and come up with new ideas. It's a lot of inspiration and a little reassurance as well. Man, there are some gorgeous planes out there.

And of course, there's nothing like a field full of P-51s, P-40s and F-4Us, or a pair of F-22s on afterburner to wake up the Walter Mitty in you.
 
Always something new

There always seems to be something at OSH that you never have seen before.
That was the case again this year for me. There were two de Havilland
Mosquitos! And to see the one fly was really cool. It had me humming
the theme to 633 Squadron........

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWXQUhBsUVM
 
Hey, Vic

Here I am with my 29 yr. old son in the home built camping area. Thanks for the words of wisdom in 1985!



Dave Calland
Vans RV-7A
Findlay, OH
 
My highlight is getting to visit with all the folks I have met over the past years and meet new ones face to face even though I may have sorta known them online for years or even the occasional brand new friend that just comes out of the blue. I am horrible with remembering names so please don't take it personal if you have to remind me that we met before! It is a huge weakness of mine! I would never make it in a marketing role!

I also love to interact and build relationships with the amazing vendors that we have access to as experimental aircraft builders and pilots! I always spend several hours just catching up with them as well.
The SteinAir crowd, TeamX from Garmin, Robert Hamilton from Dynon, Andrew and Lucas from TruTrak, Chad from Vertical Power, Brad from EmagAir, Don from DeltaPop, Mark and the PS Engineering Crew, and so many more I can't recall them all. I definitely missed having the Avery Tool booth there!

Then there are the volunteers that without their willingness to serve, there would be no Airventure! Jerry Fischer and his team of volunteers including Jay Pratt are awesome host and just good people. Jeff Point and his crew make arrival and departure a breeze the folks back at registration are always fun to cut up with...

My first couple of years at Osh were all planned out every day. Now I just let it happen however it comes with the exception of a few events. Love not having an agenda!
 
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Saw a very elderly gentleman being helped into a P-51 this afternoon. Although his body no longer allowed him to do it without help, it was very obvious that the muscle memory was still there. He knew exactly where to place his hands and feet automatically. When finally poised above the seat, he lowered himself just like he was putting on an old familiar shoe, then his hands started to run over the controls. I will never forget this scene.
 
jarvis said:
Saw a very elderly gentleman being helped into a P-51 this afternoon. Although his body no longer allowed him to do it without help, it was very obvious that the muscle memory was still there. He knew exactly where to place his hands and feet automatically. When finally poised above the seat, he lowered himself just like he was putting on an old familiar shoe, then his hands started to run over the controls. I will never forget this scene.
Click to expand...

Jarvis, I wish I had known you were there. I would love to have caught up a little. How's she treating you?
 
Paul K said:
Second that scard. Sitting under the tail eating lunch on a hot day with a cool breeze. Thinking I love this and wish it would last forever!
Click to expand...

So Paul, you didn't mind me waking you up from your nap? Ha! It was good to see you again.
 
Mountain Top

These were all mountain top experiences. Without a doubt moments to be treasured.

The vendors with three more days to go; hang in there. I appreciate your endurance and stamina!
 
This was my first time at OSH with a family. I've been there a few times before (growing up in Wisconsin), the last as an ROTC cadet. Two days of exhilaration and exhaustion but the most memorable moment was ordering the empennage kit for the RV-10. I'm exited to be part of the community.

Paul
 
Paul, welcome to VAF! Glad you had a good time in Oshkosh. And congrats on ordering that tail kit.
 
Having driven to OSH every year since 92 and dreaming of flying my own airplane in for all those years, actually landing there was kind of anti-climatic. With no one around me at Ripon, the nearest traffic I had was a couple miles ahead of me on the tracks to Fisk. Kind of a yawner, but un-eventful is a good thing sometimes!

My favorite part this year was actually departing. With a Comanche and some other spam can having departed ahead of me, I blew right past them climbing out after getting out of the class D! It was fun being the hot rod!
 
Way, way, way too many highlights to single out just one! So many people, so many planes, so many wonderful opportunites - let's just say it was another great year I enjoyed all of the people, all of the talk, and all of the wonderful compliments our team was getting. Humbled, we are - and always looking for more great material.

Oh yeah - today I spent a peaceful hour at the Seaplane Base, met one of the Wright descendants, and bumped into Bill Anders. Yesterday tried on the BD-5J for size. The day before - went flying in the RV-14. Yeah....a good year!

Headed home in the morning
 
Rocky,

Naps naturally follow lunch in this situation :D. It's the first time I've been totally relaxed in months and I really needed to recharge the spiritual batteries! Airplanes, great weather, and good friends, nothing better.
 
15+ kt tailwind traveling to and 10 kt tailwind going home. 60-65 F in the morning was icing on the cake compared to Texas temps.
 
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Introducing a young aviation enthusiast to life on the other side of the fence. He was amazed he could be so close to an F-35 and stand near warbirds as they fired up for a formation hop. We ran into Jack Roush and Bud Anderson by the P-51B "Berlin Express", so he got to meet them, among others.

Having a Defiant fly 100 feet over us between Ripon and Fisk was exciting, as was the Bonanza that came in from the north and cut in front of us on downwind for 27. Adjust as necessary!

I love how you're over-gross to begin with and the first thing HB Registration gives you is a 1-1/2 pound glass mug!

Weather was great, even a bit chilly at night for a Florida boy. Had a great time.

Showers: Very nice, but need more hooks and/or bars. And someone please bring a Whitney hand punch to punch some drain holes in the soap dishes! :D
 
Watching my daughters jaw drop many times during the week.

Watching Van help the kids on the RV-12 wing build.

Meeting the Rutan brothers.

Getting back the motivation to finish this project.


and many others...

PS.. beer was good too, thanks to all who sponsored!
 
First time ever at OSH, flew my own plane in and got to share the event with some fellow first-timers-my Dad and Mom and my 26-year old son/co-pilot:

20150722_135505.jpg


Made it in/outta town without making the evening news, found the RV social and met some great folks, got back home with sore feet, tired and sunburned!

I have my room reserved for 2016!!

Rob S.
 
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My first Visit

This was my first visit to AV. My son and I got to come over for a couple days. After reading the posts, I would have loved to see the 91 year old pilot get into the P-51 again. I can't imagine the feelings he must have had and thoughts going through his mind. What an experience. Just reading the story brings a tear to my eyes.

Being there with my son was great. We should have taken a picture of us, but didn't think about it at the time! This picture is in Idaho where he keeps his "aircraft".
photo3_zps51fa24cd.jpg


I did get to see what I thought was the best looking airplane I have ever seen. It wasn't an RV, but it was parked near the other RV's so I got to walk buy it every time I was going to HBC.

2_zpsdce3dupn.jpg


I hope to fly my 9A back next year!!
 
As always when I stand next to my plane at an air show, I got to meet a lot of cool people at Oshkosh 2015. I woke up the day I was to depart for Oshkosh with no voice at all. Couldn't even squeak. I managed to coax it back the next day, but this whole week has been rough in that regard. My voice came and went several times so I'll apologize here if I croaked at you or worse yet didn't talk much at all. A couple of those days it hurt when I tried and frankly I felt pretty bad for most of the week. Still, I enjoyed another Oshkosh...even if I slept through a lot of it.

There were many highlights this year, but the highest would have to be.....



 
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Bringing my RV-8 to Oshkosh

After I had landed and shut down, there was a moment while still sitting in the cockpit where I realized I have just built an airplane and flown it to Oshkosh, fulfilling a life long dream. Its a feeling I will not soon forget. To top it off, I found out last night that I also received a Bronze Lindy Award for my RV-8. This is an awesome feeling.

20150719_163423_zps4li9srhe.jpg
 
Looking forward to next year (or two or three down the road)

Although I did not get to spend much time at OSH due to camping offsite (long story), I did attend the "How to Build an RV" class at OSH. I now have the confidence to move forward on the RV-10 build. Having Vic Syracuse a few doors down doesn't hurt either. :D

Reading about the father-son team attending this year was excellent. I was very impressed with how Van's and another VAF member came through for the pilot with the damaged rudder. I can't get Diamond to support my DA-20 or (now sold) DA-40. I think I made the right choice to build an RV-10.
 
Congrats!

Christer said:
After I had landed and shut down, there was a moment while still sitting in the cockpit where I realized I have just built an airplane and flown it to Oshkosh, fulfilling a life long dream. Its a feeling I will not soon forget. To top it off, I found out last night that I also received a Bronze Lindy Award for my RV-8. This is an awesome feeling.

20150719_163423_zps4li9srhe.jpg
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How cool is that, Christer???! Well deserved. I wish more of the homebuilt planes were on the show center line so more of the public could realize the same possibilities exist for them!

Congrats to all of you on your awards. Aaron Sims from our own neighborhood won a Bronze Lindy for his RV-10 that took over 10 years to build.

Vic
 
It's always great to see friends I've met in past years in HBC and meet new ones every year. Biggest highlight was the B-17 ride. The week went too fast. My son and I stayed long enough that the weeds and grass grew enough over the wheel pants to act as tie downs! OSH not wanting to let go! See you all next year!


 
Made us feel important

Very tired and sweaty up in the orange lot to get our chairs for the afternoon airshow my wife and I were walking back near the Airventure lodge we were cut off by a EAA official in one of those stretch golf carts. He wanted to know
" where ya going" and I was thinking we was about to be yelled at for being someplace we shouldn't be.
:eek:
Told him just walking back to see the Airshow. Well he put us in the back of that cart and drove us right down the Airshow Center. Always wondered what it felt like to be one of those VIP's you see getting carted around Airventure. :D. A nice little gesture that made us feel special and just one of the little things that keeps us coming year after year.;)
 
People

Still at Oshkosh. This is the first that I stayed for the entire event.

Love meeting all my RV and aviation friends at AirVenture 2015. Also got to sit in the left front seat of the A350 while it was there.

Better than sitting in the A350, was the best act in the air show Team Redline.

2722150_orig.jpg



Those that come early and leave early may want to think about coming late and leaving late. IF you want to shop the exhibit halls, they were almost empty on Sunday. Was able to talk to a few vendors that one could not get near Monday through Friday.
 
I enjoyed the Rutan Skigull presentation. He announced that later in the week he would announce some recent space-related patent but I left on Thursday. I don't see it in the Airventure news. What was it - anyone know?
 
jarvis said:
Saw a very elderly gentleman being helped into a P-51 this afternoon. Although his body no longer allowed him to do it without help, it was very obvious that the muscle memory was still there. He knew exactly where to place his hands and feet automatically. When finally poised above the seat, he lowered himself just like he was putting on an old familiar shoe, then his hands started to run over the controls. I will never forget this scene.
Click to expand...

Pretty sure I can expand on that a little as my wife and I were there and witnessed this same event (although it may have happened to several elderly gentleman)
My wife talked to this gentleman's wife and she said that he had taken all of his flight training and just before he graduated and was scheduled to be deployed the war ended. His wife said that he had ALWAYS wanted to serve his country and was disappointed that he never got the chance to do so during the war.

The P-51 owners were making it a goal of theirs to give rides to Veterans. It was an honor and pleasure to wave and give him a thumbs up as they taxied out and for him to return it. There must have been some weed pollen in the grass right in that area because both of our eyes sure welled up!

Mark
 
Aeroled, Steinair super service

Took our defunct older tail strobe into Aeroled on Monday morning, they had a new one for us by Thursday, including a new molex connector to match the existing, all on warranty. Stopped by Steinair in the booth next door to possibly borrow the tools to attach the connector, a cheerful young fellow named Josh took the parts and promptly fitted the connector, complete with heatshrink. Then they wouldn't let us leave without a new tshirt for myself and an umbrella for my wife. Set the tone for the whole week, Aeroled and Steinair, you're the best!

Thanks again,

Brian and Ann Forsyth
 
RV6_flyer said:
Still at Oshkosh. This is the first that I stayed for the entire event.

Love meeting all my RV and aviation friends at AirVenture 2015. Also got to sit in the left front seat of the A350 while it was there.

Better than sitting in the A350, was the best act in the air show Team Redline.

2722150_orig.jpg



Those that come early and leave early may want to think about coming late and leaving late. IF you want to shop the exhibit halls, they were almost empty on Sunday. Was able to talk to a few vendors that one could not get near Monday through Friday.
Click to expand...

Condor,
Thanks so much for the kind words. We had a blast performing! It's kind of bittersweet though. I used to come to Oshkosh as a builder and found time to explore Oshkosh and all the cool things about it, but now as a performer I found that all my time was taken up by either sponsor fulfillments or preparations for performing. Not complaining though!:D

Best,

Jon/ Mutha
 
First Oshkosh

I spent the whole week and my wife joined me on Tuesday thru Sat. My RV-12 was not ready ( 2 months to finish her} We are installing Dual G3X 10" displays with 305 A/P. Garmin will have out in Sept. the 2020 compliant unit for about $1200 including antenna. We were amazed at how organized EAA was. Thanks to all. Will be there with the -12 next year
 
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