Dropping names
Dropping names
This is just my seventh Oshkosh ?no not AirVenture, Oshkosh. At least that is what it used to be referred to and I guess I?m just too old to change. I?m saddened when I read how disheartened some are as to how Oshkosh has morphed.
Yet, I get a huge thrill when I see Ripon (and it?s pronounced Rippin with emphasis on the Rip, not Rip On) on the horizon. Follow the railroad tracks toward Fisk. ?Red and white RV, rock your wings?. ?Nice rock?. Made my day. Decent landing and follow the flagmen. I was very lucky and parked just two planes down from the forum buildings. Despite having all my baggage organized I still took my time tying down the plane. A Canadian RV taxied up next to my plane and shut down. I walked over and before they deplaned, offered to take their picture with their camera. Big smiles. Made my day. I turned around and a father and his maybe six year old son were trying to peek into my cockpit. I asked if they would like to climb in? Then he handed me his camera. Made my day. Afterwards, I locked up the airplane and headed to the forums, vendor hangers, Lycoming tent, and Aerosh ? I mean ConocoPhillipsPlazaWhatever. That afternoon, I went back to my plane and, well, just hung around my airplane. A guy came up, ?did you build this?? ?Yip?. ?Did you paint it yourself?? ?Uh, no. But, I picked out the colors.? ?Nice?. We talked about the GRT EFIS, and the Garmin, and thoughts on the IPAD, nose wheel, tail dragger etc. etc. He asked if I had an instrument rating. ?Uh, no and really, my candle is getting too short to learn all that.? He, obliging told me I wasn?t too old, and I should go for it. More general chatting. Finally, after about twenty minutes into the visit he told me he sold an RV6 and bought a 10 and was in fact a CFII. Totally humble guy. We chatted more and then as he left he said he was coming back next year and expected N283S to fly in on an instrument plan. Made my day. Walked down the line of Rv?s and stuck a calling card in fellow boom operator, Bruce Pauley?s, canopy. Then, I bumped into Danny King, soaked up his T-38 remembrances and photographed his iconic RV. Back at the forums I got all up to speed on LOP. After that, a quick jaunt over to the flymarkets passing the cranberry girls, pots and pans guy, long tables full of cheap hand tools, cheap wire splices, and cheap adel er, cushion clamps. I bought some cheap hemostats. Finally, made my way to the beer tent, scoring a mustard smeared brat along the way. Met Larry Geiger, Dan Horton, Terry Card and wife, Bill Repucci and others whom I had only known through an avatar. Made my day ?it was just my first day.
Thursday, I packed up and headed home passing a twin Comanche on the way. Put my pix up in the appropriate forum and received a nice compliment from Pat Hatch. Made my day.
It?s said that you can never go back. For me, I believe it?s a good thing. I don?t want to go back to the way Oshkosh used to be. This year?s Oshkosh made my summer.