[Phyrcooler]

Come on folks... someone at Osh needs to find a computer and update us on todays activities... and most importantly any and all the gossip from the VAN's Forum today.

The rest of us are huddled around our computers anxiously awaiting!

 

[DeltaRomeo]

Just pushed out the 'Thursday' edition at www.VansAirForce.net. Pic of the forum and the rain <g>. No real gossip to report...Van and Ken K. recapped the progress of the 12 and did Q/A.

Very wet here Wed night 8pm.

Time for shower and sleep <g>. Flying home tomorrow.

Reporting from 'SLOSHKOSH' <g>,
dr

 

[chrispratt]

Shloshkosh

Doug:

Thanks for the news. I'm really missing not being there, rain and all. Your coverage is like a ray of sunshine (pun intended).

You're to be commended for finding an Internet connection while not electrocuting yourself in the process of posting. Have a safe flight home.

Chris

 

[Bob Axsom]

Well you know it is a big, awkward and demanding situation

Come on folks... someone at Osh needs to find a computer and update us on todays activities... and most importantly any and all the gossip from the VAN's Forum today.

The rest of us are huddled around our computers anxiously awaiting!

I guess you'll just have to go there and check it out yourself instead of the computer dependence. It is not easy to go there and deal with the logistics in spite of the glory stories.

Bob Axsom

 

[Phyrcooler]

Missing Osh...

I guess you'll just have to go there and check it out yourself instead of the computer dependence. It is not easy to go there and deal with the logistics in spite of the glory stories.

Bob Axsom

Ah, yes... I wish I was there! Unfortunately, myself and many others who couldn't make it this year will have to live vicariously through Doug, Mike and the rest of the lucky crew. Any news from Van's, or any other vendor of interest that they share with us is greatly appreciated.

I hope to make it next year... and already have a "YES!" from my awesome wife.

Doug - thank you for your efforts on our behalf... and Mike... thanks again for the photos of the -12.

dj

 

[mark manda]

Doug Reeves was reconized by Van's at last night's banquet for all he does- and missed.

 

[arffguy]

Thanks Doug

I too, appreciate the Oshkosh news. I am amazed with Doug's dedication. If I ran the site you would hear nothing for eight days, I guarantee that. I couldn't go to OSH this year because some other knucklehead took the week for vacation this year. Then the moron decided not to go out of town and actually showed up at work to shoot the bull Oh well, it saved me money for parts.

 

[aparchment]

OSH highlights

Well it's been two fun packed days so far. Oshkosh is magical. There are so many amazing people and planes here. I will try to hit a few of the highlights for me so far.

- My quickbuild fuse sitting beside the Van's tent with people drooling over it. Ear to ear grin doesn't even begin to describe how I was feeling when I first saw that.

- Full 4 afterburner takeoff of a B1 bomber followed shortly thereafter by a Mach .9 pass and 40,000 foot per minute climbout. The ground shook, my chest echoed, my ears were assaulted! That was shock and awe baby!

- Listening to General Chuck Yaegar talk about why knowing your aircraft and systems inside and out may save your life -- complete with great "war stories" from his 70 years in aviation and hilarious quotes like "I don't think a bunch of germans are gonna catch a West Virginia boy in the woods."

- The WWII bomber heritage flight with B17s, B29s, Lancasters and P51 escort. Wow that was some serious history flying around. Yaegar said that on one mission for which he flew cover he watched 60 bombers get shot down. That represented 62o lives lost -- on one mission. We still owe those guys.

- Sitting in the RV 10 and being really impressed with its spaciousness and visibility. Sweet, an adjustable front seat. Wow is that back seat area huge. Do I hear "repeat offender?"

- Sean Tucker -- 'nuff said. Wait, no -- how the heck does he do that stuff!

- Dual F22 Raptors vertical hovering, doing tail slides and minimum radius turns.

- Beautiful midwestern women (Oops that just slipped out. Shhhh).

- All of the gorgeous airplanes -- highly polished P51s, cute light sport aircraft, gorgeous Lancair IVPs, Alex D's RV10, 550 RVs,

- Getting to talk to the folks at AeroSport Power.

- Finding a nice EAA straw hat to shade me from the sun and a big tree to shade me from the 90 degree heat at lunch.

- Dinner with 200 RV guys.

- The Shelby Ford Mustang -- NIIIIIIIIICE! 140 miles per hour down the runway. I have got to get me one of those.

Two days left. I have to make the most of them. Then I will have the big trip back to the east coast in my rented Penske truck.

G'night all.

 

[DeltaRomeo]

Wow! Didn't know that! Thanks Mark.

Ross, Turbo and I looked at the WX Thursday morning and saw a window of good flying back to Texas, so we took it. There were storms 1-2hrs on the left and right nearly the whole trip back, but it went as planned and worked out fine.

We were initially planning on a Wed departure but WX kept us one more day - I *should* have gone over to the RV BBQ that Bob Collins organized, but since I had planned on being home and hadn't registered or sent in money I opted to shower and sleep. I think I could hear them, though .

Sure had a great time at my first OSH!

Best,
Doug

Doug Reeves was reconized by Van's at last night's banquet for all he does...

 

[Ironflight]

I am so jealous of all you guys got to see and do...great report Antony! Oh well, guess I'll go fly.....somewhere!

Paul

 

[DeltaRomeo]

Web access at OSH (fessing up)

Now that I'm back home, Chris, I guess I can tell how I got on the web. A RV builder named Richard (last name withheld) who works on the communications side of OSH approached me while I was setting up my tent and gave me the 10-digit WEP (encryption) key for the wireless network at the Cirrus tent.

Each morning around 6am I'd go sit in the chair they had reserved for Patty Wagstaff and use the Cirrus connection to push out the Van's site. I had crazy, insane bandwidth. Used their outlet to also charge the laptop and cell phone.

So, I want to make sure I thank Cirrus!

I think pushing out a Van's enthusiest site on a Cirrus network is what you would call 'Irony' .

Best,
Doug

...snip....
You're to be commended for finding an Internet connection ....snip.
Chris

 

[N395V]

the chair they had reserved for Patty Wagstaff

You shared butt space with Patty Wagstaff?????????????????


I am sooooooo jealous

 

[DeltaRomeo]

Well, sorta....if she showed up for her sched'd appearances <g>.

b,d

 

[Mike@Crossbow]

Oshkosh Moments:

1) The B1B.....its already been said but the full afterburner departure was awesome. I think my ears are still ringing. It was also funny to talk to two of the guys that fly the thing. My conversation went as follows:

"So how much space do you have up there"
Response: Uhh...space, yeah if it can be used to carry more fuel or bombs its dedicated to that purpose. Space for us is secondary. We only have a small area to stand up in.

2) The C17 which seems ridiculously large, but after talking to my military buddies I'm reminded that a C5 will wallow it.

3) The new Cessna Light Sport. I'm really interested in seeing where they go with this. I think it would be great for a big name builder like Cessna to get into the Light sport market.

Michael Smith
Crossbow Technology
[email protected]

 

[Jamie]

One of the things I found interesting is the new Garmin G-900. It's the same hardware as the G-1000 but slightly different software (long story as to why...if someone's interested in the reason let me know and I'll fill in details). Anyway...it's a gorgeous setup.

When I asked the Garmin guy about price my jaw dropped -- $67,000. Yes...that's in US dollars, not pesos.

By the way, that's an RV-7 in the picture. It's being built by an employee of Garmin who I believe contributes to this forum. Maybe he'll pipe in.

 

[the_other_dougreeves]

...
Each morning around 6am I'd go sit in the chair they had reserved for Patty Wagstaff and use the Cirrus connection to push out the Van's site. I had crazy, insane bandwidth. Used their outlet to also charge the laptop and cell phone.

So, I want to make sure I thank Cirrus!

I think pushing out a Van's enthusiest site on a Cirrus network is what you would call 'Irony' .

Best,
Doug

He he ... I have to travel for work a lot and have my favorite spaces at airports to mooch power for the laptop and get free wi-fi (neither is always easy). However, this takes the cake. And nice to see Cirrus "supporting" VAF

 

[videobobk]

"Items" that drew my interest

Since this wasn't a shopping year, I spent most of my time on the grounds, looking and talking. And while the planes are special, the people made the year for me.

The 86 years young man who flew his PT-22 from California for the 12th time (he had been to Osh about 25 times.) People like that give me hope.

The Tuskeegee Airman leaning on a crutch who told of popping the rivets in an F-86's wings to shake a Mig off his tail over Korea. Men like that make me proud to be an American.

The guy from California who is restoring a C-123. He makes me realize how easy Van's has made it for us all.

And last but far from least, the Missionary Aviation Support Association, who worked tirelessly through the show to feed and house all the missionary pilots there. They personify dedication and faith.

As always, Oshkosh has done a lot to restore my faith in mankind, especially those among us who fly.

Bob Kelly

 

[mark manda]

I usually won't photograph a covered plane.

 

[LettersFromFlyoverCountry]

I *should* have gone over to the RV BBQ that Bob Collins organized, but since I had planned on being home and hadn't registered or sent in money I opted to shower and sleep. I think I could hear them, though .

We'd have been honored -- truly honored -- to have had you Doug. Most folks, by the way,don't send in money ahead of time and the registration, for the most part, was just so I could get an idea of how much space/food/drinks we should get. As it turned out, about twice as many showed up as we expected. No way are we ever going to turn away anyone! It was freakin' hot out in that field and folks were standing in line for name tags (the first thing I learned is the beer/water/soda/lemonade coolers should be moved to where the line is). I only ended up a couple of hundred short and most of that was for the last beer run (two of us were making it but we didn't know the other was), and some signs and coolers that we can use next year. It's designed to break even and that's just what it did.

And, by the way, I feel the same way about you as I wrote regarding Dan Checkoway. When in the company of RVers, your money should never be any good.

Will you be coming up next year, do you think? I sure hope the weather is better. We've had a drought all year (heck, my lawn in Woodbury...east of St. Paul) is still brown...and wouldn't you know? One week out of the summer and Oshkosh gets hit with two big storms and a bunchof piddly ones.

BTW, I stopped over to your spot in homebuilt camping, but you weren't there and I didn't have a pen to leave you a note. It was thrilling, actually, to see the plane, as it was Dan's plane. You know, I cover politics for a living and I can be 5 feet away -- and I have been at the conventions -- from Bush, or Cheney, or the upper crust of the Democratic Party -- and I don't really care.

I see a "famous" RV airplane and I feel like Hollywood has come to my small town. Life's funny sometimes.

 

[DeltaRomeo]

Thanks Bob for those very kind words. If I'm at OSH next year I'll plan on arriving a day before your event so I won't be worn down yet! I think I'd been there three days already this year and was pretty pooped - the storms the night before left me with about 2-3 hrs of sleep and a damp sleeping bag (discovering I'm not that robust of a camper <g>). If I make OSH next year I promise I'll attend the BBQ!!!

Best always,
Doug

We'd have been honored -- truly honored -- to have had you Doug. Most folks, by the way,don't send in money ahead of time and the registration, for the most part, was just so I could get an idea of how much space/food/drinks we should get. As it turned out, about twice as many showed up as we expected. No way are we ever going to turn away anyone! It was freakin' hot out in that field and folks were standing in line for name tags (the first thing I learned is the beer/water/soda/lemonade coolers should be moved to where the line is). I only ended up a couple of hundred short and most of that was for the last beer run (two of us were making it but we didn't know the other was), and some signs and coolers that we can use next year. It's designed to break even and that's just what it did.

And, by the way, I feel the same way about you as I wrote regarding Dan Checkoway. When in the company of RVers, your money should never be any good.

Will you be coming up next year, do you think? I sure hope the weather is better. We've had a drought all year (heck, my lawn in Woodbury...east of St. Paul) is still brown...and wouldn't you know? One week out of the summer and Oshkosh gets hit with two big storms and a bunchof piddly ones.

BTW, I stopped over to your spot in homebuilt camping, but you weren't there and I didn't have a pen to leave you a note. It was thrilling, actually, to see the plane, as it was Dan's plane. You know, I cover politics for a living and I can be 5 feet away -- and I have been at the conventions -- from Bush, or Cheney, or the upper crust of the Democratic Party -- and I don't really care.

I see a "famous" RV airplane and I feel like Hollywood has come to my small town. Life's funny sometimes.

 

[aadamson]

One of the things I found interesting is the new Garmin G-900. It's the same hardware as the G-1000 but slightly different software (long story as to why...if someone's interested in the reason let me know and I'll fill in details). Anyway...it's a gorgeous setup.

When I asked the Garmin guy about price my jaw dropped -- $67,000. Yes...that's in US dollars, not pesos.

By the way, that's an RV-7 in the picture. It's being built by an employee of Garmin who I believe contributes to this forum. Maybe he'll pipe in.

I sorta think Garmin priced themselves right out of the "volume" kit market. I talked to 3 different panel builders about costs. Remember, this *has* to be "installed" by a Garmin dealer, and it also *has* to be "calibrated" by a Garmin dealer. Costs without calibration are going to be around 100K!... Yikes. For those that have more money that G O D, and a Lancair IV PT, or an EPic, I guess they will have one. But for me and my dollars, I'll stick with a more feature rich and more cost effective EFIS solution, and one that's still tested and based on a certified code base...