I must admit, I had one of those ?Sea Change? moments this year with regards to Oshkosh. I am, by nature, nurture, and schooling, an engineer. I am analytical and enjoy the company of machines. My previous trips to Oshkosh have been about shopping for airplane parts, looking at other people?s machines, and working the show- doing presentations, showing the flag for my employer, etc. But this year was different. Not only was I a ?free agent? for the entire week, but my schedule was extremely flexible (I was officially a ?Media Representative? and only did a couple of forums and a talk at the Van?s banquet). It is rare when I don?t have a plan for a day, much less a week, and here I was, without an idea which way to turn when I stepped through the gate each day. It was wonderful!
While it was great to be able to set whatever pace I wanted, the most incredible thing about the year was how my focus changed. I mentioned this to Louise after the first couple of days ? while I was certainly doing some shopping for RV-3 parts and systems, , what I found myself talking about more than anything was the people I had met. And then it hit me ? I had reached that transition point that so many EAA?ers have attained, but don?t explicitly mention ? Oshkosh was now more about the people than the airplanes! I had turned off the left brain, and switched on the right ? I was now seeing the event as a social networking occasion, not as a trade show and Ginormous ?State Fair?. It had become about the people ? and wow, I met thousands!
The first day or two, I split my time between watching out for muddy bogs and visiting booths and tents where I knew I could find familiar names ? all the many vendors that we see in the RV world. The gang at Van?s tent was a good solid anchor, but I roamed the entire grounds to chat with friends old and new. I enjoyed meeting a lot of great people that support eh various niche?s of our obsession ? from airframes to avionics, engines to upholstery ? it was great to put faces to the names I have talked with on the phone and traded notes with on the internet. In short order, I had brought myself up to date on what was going on with the industry that supports the RV movement, and then I noticed something about how I was moving through the grounds ? my gaze had shifted from focusing on my next ?destination?. I was now looking at people ? something I rarely do. I was looking for familiar faces, VAF caps, T-shirts from fly-ins I have visited. In short ? I was looking for new and old friends!
The Van?s Banquet was a high-light for me, partly because it was the first time that I had official permission to talk about what I do to a huge bunch of appreciative RV?ers. The rules about public appearances can be a little obtuse, but they are enforced, yet for this one evening, I was able to share our story with folks who can really understand and appreciate what this nation can accomplish in aerospace. But what was best about the evening was meeting more RV?ers ? and seeing Ken Krueger receive what I consider to be one of the most significant engineering awards in the homebuilding movement ? congrats to Ken!
I saw a lot of new faces with old names attached as I wandered the grounds and helped out with some avionics forums. In a weird way, the soggy conditions that limited airplane arrivals made it easier to cover the tie-down areas ? fewer planes meant I could more easily spend a little more time with each one when I walked ?Area 51? looking for machines and their builders. Several saw me as I ?hunted the elusive -3?s? this year. I did find two that I could look at, and took a lot of pictures ? very valuable information when building one of these. I regret that I wasn?t able to tag up with the owner?s to chat and try one on for size, but Oshkosh is a big place, and I didn?t want someone waiting for my tired legs to carry me all the way from the Fly-Mart to HBC. Thanks for the offer though!
I know that Louise got to meet lots of folks who visit this site, because she was in a fixed location, helping folks to get a taste of the Wright Flyer Simulator. I steered a lot of folks in her direction, and she reported to me each day on the many friends who stopped by. I understand that there are a lot of folks who were able to best the Wright Boy?s early achievements ? maybe that says something for the talent of folks that fly RV?s?.
After the first couple of days carrying a backpack for the few items I needed to buy, I left the bag in the car and carried nothing more than a camera and the little collapsible camp chair hung on my belt. I walked the grounds from end to end and side to side several times each day, rarely going far before starting a conversation with someone associated with RV?s, interested in space, or standing next to their beautiful airplane (homebuilt, factory made ? it made little difference).
I am not that big on watching air shows after all these years, but in the afternoons, I even unfurled the chair a few times, sat back, and enjoyed the more ?unique? acts I hadn?t seen before. I let time go, and Oshkosh simply rolled over me, washing me in the currents of aviation past, present, and future. Nine days at ?the show? is a long time, and at the same time, not long enough. How can you find time to visit with the thousands of people you want to see in such a short period of time? I want more than a brief hello ? I want a chance to sit and chat, drink a coke, trade stories of trips and travels. I want to both greet old friends and embrace new ones ? but it is so hard to both ? or either to true fulfillment ? in such a short time.
But time does roll inexorably on and family duties called. It was with considerable reluctance that I walked out to the parking lot about noon on Sunday, turning my back on what was even then a shell of an event (Sunday afternoon at Oshkosh can be sad, as most everyone is already gone). Louise would follow a few hours behind in a much faster mode of transport, but I sort of welcomed the five hour drive across rolling farm and woodlands. It gave me a chance to reflect on the wonderful week of people, airplanes, and aviation, to formulate some thoughts, to write a bit in my head. Being a writer without an assignment can be a wonderful thing at Oshkosh ? instead of focusing on a deadline, I could simply absorb the experience like a sponge, and then see what happened. You never know what words will eventually flow out of the experience. But I do know that Oshkosh is an event about people. People mad about airplanes, yes ? but people nonetheless.
Paul
While it was great to be able to set whatever pace I wanted, the most incredible thing about the year was how my focus changed. I mentioned this to Louise after the first couple of days ? while I was certainly doing some shopping for RV-3 parts and systems, , what I found myself talking about more than anything was the people I had met. And then it hit me ? I had reached that transition point that so many EAA?ers have attained, but don?t explicitly mention ? Oshkosh was now more about the people than the airplanes! I had turned off the left brain, and switched on the right ? I was now seeing the event as a social networking occasion, not as a trade show and Ginormous ?State Fair?. It had become about the people ? and wow, I met thousands!
The first day or two, I split my time between watching out for muddy bogs and visiting booths and tents where I knew I could find familiar names ? all the many vendors that we see in the RV world. The gang at Van?s tent was a good solid anchor, but I roamed the entire grounds to chat with friends old and new. I enjoyed meeting a lot of great people that support eh various niche?s of our obsession ? from airframes to avionics, engines to upholstery ? it was great to put faces to the names I have talked with on the phone and traded notes with on the internet. In short order, I had brought myself up to date on what was going on with the industry that supports the RV movement, and then I noticed something about how I was moving through the grounds ? my gaze had shifted from focusing on my next ?destination?. I was now looking at people ? something I rarely do. I was looking for familiar faces, VAF caps, T-shirts from fly-ins I have visited. In short ? I was looking for new and old friends!
The Van?s Banquet was a high-light for me, partly because it was the first time that I had official permission to talk about what I do to a huge bunch of appreciative RV?ers. The rules about public appearances can be a little obtuse, but they are enforced, yet for this one evening, I was able to share our story with folks who can really understand and appreciate what this nation can accomplish in aerospace. But what was best about the evening was meeting more RV?ers ? and seeing Ken Krueger receive what I consider to be one of the most significant engineering awards in the homebuilding movement ? congrats to Ken!
I saw a lot of new faces with old names attached as I wandered the grounds and helped out with some avionics forums. In a weird way, the soggy conditions that limited airplane arrivals made it easier to cover the tie-down areas ? fewer planes meant I could more easily spend a little more time with each one when I walked ?Area 51? looking for machines and their builders. Several saw me as I ?hunted the elusive -3?s? this year. I did find two that I could look at, and took a lot of pictures ? very valuable information when building one of these. I regret that I wasn?t able to tag up with the owner?s to chat and try one on for size, but Oshkosh is a big place, and I didn?t want someone waiting for my tired legs to carry me all the way from the Fly-Mart to HBC. Thanks for the offer though!
I know that Louise got to meet lots of folks who visit this site, because she was in a fixed location, helping folks to get a taste of the Wright Flyer Simulator. I steered a lot of folks in her direction, and she reported to me each day on the many friends who stopped by. I understand that there are a lot of folks who were able to best the Wright Boy?s early achievements ? maybe that says something for the talent of folks that fly RV?s?.
After the first couple of days carrying a backpack for the few items I needed to buy, I left the bag in the car and carried nothing more than a camera and the little collapsible camp chair hung on my belt. I walked the grounds from end to end and side to side several times each day, rarely going far before starting a conversation with someone associated with RV?s, interested in space, or standing next to their beautiful airplane (homebuilt, factory made ? it made little difference).
I am not that big on watching air shows after all these years, but in the afternoons, I even unfurled the chair a few times, sat back, and enjoyed the more ?unique? acts I hadn?t seen before. I let time go, and Oshkosh simply rolled over me, washing me in the currents of aviation past, present, and future. Nine days at ?the show? is a long time, and at the same time, not long enough. How can you find time to visit with the thousands of people you want to see in such a short period of time? I want more than a brief hello ? I want a chance to sit and chat, drink a coke, trade stories of trips and travels. I want to both greet old friends and embrace new ones ? but it is so hard to both ? or either to true fulfillment ? in such a short time.
But time does roll inexorably on and family duties called. It was with considerable reluctance that I walked out to the parking lot about noon on Sunday, turning my back on what was even then a shell of an event (Sunday afternoon at Oshkosh can be sad, as most everyone is already gone). Louise would follow a few hours behind in a much faster mode of transport, but I sort of welcomed the five hour drive across rolling farm and woodlands. It gave me a chance to reflect on the wonderful week of people, airplanes, and aviation, to formulate some thoughts, to write a bit in my head. Being a writer without an assignment can be a wonderful thing at Oshkosh ? instead of focusing on a deadline, I could simply absorb the experience like a sponge, and then see what happened. You never know what words will eventually flow out of the experience. But I do know that Oshkosh is an event about people. People mad about airplanes, yes ? but people nonetheless.
Paul
