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OSH'25: The VAF Thread. PIREPs, Latest News, Pictures….whatever you got.
- Thread starter DeltaRomeo
- Start date
Auburntsts
Well Known Member
Eerily quiet at the moment here at Osh…..
For those of us that won't make it this year, we're watching on the live webcams. https://www.eaa.org/airventure/live
I just flew past that an hour ago SFO-BNA. Echo tops of a couple cells were at 60,000 which is high as I’ve ever seen in 36 years of flying. It was impressive to see from 30 miles away at 370. Best of luck to folks on the ground.
LeSeures. Unfortunately they closed a few years ago, and the building was torn down. In its place stands a Dunkin. I love me some Dunkin, but it ain’t the same.
I'll be there tomorrow afternoon...
I miss the chinese place...
It only took 27 years, but I finally made it to Oshkosh.
My 10 year old son and I flew out in formation with a fellow SoCal RV-6 pilot. We dodged some interesting weather around St. Johns, AZ at our first fuel stop and in the four corners region enroute to Liberal, then enjoyed a smooth ride and lovely tailwinds from Red Oak, IA to OSH.
Everyone says the place seems unusually quiet, but the wx forecast was bad enough for today that they started moving the mass arrivals around. The weather passed just south of Oshkosh, and it looks pretty good for the next couple days before increasing heat on Wed and Thursday. We were originally going to come into OSH this morning, but decided to arrive Friday instead due to that same weather.
Today we got in touch with some friends that are here, toured the IAC and warbird areas, and just generally got the lay of the land. Met a 16 year old who flies a T-28B, a lovely lady who had her toenails painted to match the family Vought FG-1D Corsair, and a guy who explained some cool stuff about a MiG-29 while turning wrenches on it.
I'm glad I'm here with someone who's a veteran, because I'm pretty sure I'd get lost in this place.
I guess EAA's social media folks took a liking to one of my Instagram posts and are going to use it in their daily newspaper tomorrow...
--Ron
My 10 year old son and I flew out in formation with a fellow SoCal RV-6 pilot. We dodged some interesting weather around St. Johns, AZ at our first fuel stop and in the four corners region enroute to Liberal, then enjoyed a smooth ride and lovely tailwinds from Red Oak, IA to OSH.
Everyone says the place seems unusually quiet, but the wx forecast was bad enough for today that they started moving the mass arrivals around. The weather passed just south of Oshkosh, and it looks pretty good for the next couple days before increasing heat on Wed and Thursday. We were originally going to come into OSH this morning, but decided to arrive Friday instead due to that same weather.
Today we got in touch with some friends that are here, toured the IAC and warbird areas, and just generally got the lay of the land. Met a 16 year old who flies a T-28B, a lovely lady who had her toenails painted to match the family Vought FG-1D Corsair, and a guy who explained some cool stuff about a MiG-29 while turning wrenches on it.
I'm glad I'm here with someone who's a veteran, because I'm pretty sure I'd get lost in this place.
I guess EAA's social media folks took a liking to one of my Instagram posts and are going to use it in their daily newspaper tomorrow...
--Ron
Yep, in 1969. They picked OSHHas there ever been discussions about relocating the event to a location less prone to severe weather? Asking for a friend who doesn't want to bubble-wrap his plane
Well we suddenly became the unwanted star of the show! Full fire response, 200 people, 20 EAA folks. Amazing couple of folks here that saved our rig and most likely the rigs around us! If it had to happen, God put the right people in the right spot at the right time to make this as good of an ending as it could be!
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Auburntsts
Well Known Member
First day volunteering in the books. N40 and Scholler are filling up nicely. Didn’t make it to Vintage or S40. Roads and fields are in decent shape with a few muddy areas but nothing catastrophic yet. HBP is filling up but I assess HBC to be only half full, maybe a bit more. Vender areas look normal volume as they setup. The RV-15 looks sweet!
South 40 is wide open and in great shape. I was down there this evening for our S40 Flightline Ops cookout. Had a great vantage point for the Bonanza attack, err, arrival.
I came in mid-day yesterday (Friday) - definitely did not want to deal with that big cell that came across Indiana that Bob shows at the top of this page. Filed IFR to get out on top of the clouds back home but noted in the plan I'd go VFR around Madison. Clear and smooth sailing once I broke out above 4000ft just east of Indianapolis. Stopped off at Dodge Co to load gas, unload the bladder, and take a breather for a second before the conga line. Unfortunately, that also led to my first ASRS, no thanks to a Cessna that decided to continue taxiing across the runway as I was on takeoff roll at Dodge Co. Everything caught on GoPro, except his tail number. Grrrrr. Conga line was totally uneventful. Parked in HBP, spent half the time at Homebuilt Registration talking bourbon with the guy at the desk, and off to pick up my car.
Spent the day today up at Fisk. Traffic was definitely slow enough because everyone was scared off from the weather. I was able to openly joke around with the controllers as we waited for planes to come up the conga line.
Tomorrow and Monday are definitely going to be busy down in the S40...
The Bonanzas! Call for the air raid, we're under attack!
I came in mid-day yesterday (Friday) - definitely did not want to deal with that big cell that came across Indiana that Bob shows at the top of this page. Filed IFR to get out on top of the clouds back home but noted in the plan I'd go VFR around Madison. Clear and smooth sailing once I broke out above 4000ft just east of Indianapolis. Stopped off at Dodge Co to load gas, unload the bladder, and take a breather for a second before the conga line. Unfortunately, that also led to my first ASRS, no thanks to a Cessna that decided to continue taxiing across the runway as I was on takeoff roll at Dodge Co. Everything caught on GoPro, except his tail number. Grrrrr. Conga line was totally uneventful. Parked in HBP, spent half the time at Homebuilt Registration talking bourbon with the guy at the desk, and off to pick up my car.
Spent the day today up at Fisk. Traffic was definitely slow enough because everyone was scared off from the weather. I was able to openly joke around with the controllers as we waited for planes to come up the conga line.
Tomorrow and Monday are definitely going to be busy down in the S40...
The Bonanzas! Call for the air raid, we're under attack!
Talking of Bonanza's - I was watching the mass arrival from this side of the world and was shocked to see one of them suddenly start trailing a long black cloud of very dense smoke. I assume it was oil smoke, I can't think of anything else that might have left a trail like that. Thankfully the aircraft landed safely on what I assume was the taxiway north of RWY 27 (?). The smoke trail stoppped on short final and, if it was oil, then he probably didn't have any left in the sump so the fact he made it in safely was very lucky.
Anyhow - back to RV's. Saw a few go around. That must be somewhat stressful just as you're thinking of relaxing after negotiating your way to the runway numbers.
Anyhow - back to RV's. Saw a few go around. That must be somewhat stressful just as you're thinking of relaxing after negotiating your way to the runway numbers.
Auburntsts
Well Known Member
For me it wasn’t stressful at all, but the events leading to the go around were. The first was a PIO 5-6 years ago that I caught, went around and landed uneventfully. The second was on this Friday when the tower sent me around on final for 09 and sequenced me right into a right downwind for 36R to another uneventful landing.
You weren't following a "yellow RV" (that looked more like a Pulsar than an RV) that was told to "turn right off the runway - NOW!!!", were you??
Auburntsts
Well Known Member
Negative. I was on the RNAV 09 cleared to land when my landing clearance was canceled and I was asked basically for max forward speed maintain 2000 to try and get us in front of a flight. When it became obvious the squeeze play wasn’t going to work I was directed to go around, fly runway heading, I’ll call your downwind.
I have a single vans and a single rv10 ticket available. Apple Pay easy for me but you can mail a check later. Pm for more.
I’m told to print the ticket and send image/photo to whoever I sell it to.
We figured it was an indicator that he was the final inbound group in the arrival.
Rain passed through last night leaving behind clear skies for HBC morning coffee
Weather has slowed arrivals. Plenty of room at HBC. Expect to see non stop arrivals today
Jerry Fischer
Well Known Member
Them was really good strip steaks Steve Ingraham, thanks for cooking...
Getting packed up for tomorrow's departure.
View attachment 92823 Is it the 2X Gloss that make those so good!!!!!
Ya can still attend even without a ticket. You'll just need to get your own food and beverage. We did that last year as my schedule changed was able to attend sans tickets.
I was excited to finally get a chance to fly my 8 out this year, even moved an annual work commitment next week so I had a big weather window to get home.
Should have gone Friday but chose to work, even though it was slow af and I could have left anytime. Sat weather looked passable from nj to mke, then it didn't, then it did, then it wasn't. Low ceilings all across PA and a big thunderstorm just south of Chicago.
Pushed to Sunday and again forecast looked passable at 1am, but by 4am it was the same as sat.
So here I am in the American Admirals lounge drinking a bloody Mary and posting on VAF. Not so bad but I'd rather be in my own cockpit. I'll see you guys at the beer thingy tomorrow.
Should have gone Friday but chose to work, even though it was slow af and I could have left anytime. Sat weather looked passable from nj to mke, then it didn't, then it did, then it wasn't. Low ceilings all across PA and a big thunderstorm just south of Chicago.
Pushed to Sunday and again forecast looked passable at 1am, but by 4am it was the same as sat.
So here I am in the American Admirals lounge drinking a bloody Mary and posting on VAF. Not so bad but I'd rather be in my own cockpit. I'll see you guys at the beer thingy tomorrow.
Yikes! Glad nothing else burned and I hope this doesn't start another Lithium thread
Oh ${deity} please let's hope not... I can hear it already. "It almost burned down Brian's ground RV... Do you /really/ want that in your air RV???"Yikes! Glad nothing else burned and I hope this doesn't start another Lithium thread
Yikes! Glad nothing else burned and I hope this doesn't start another Lithium thread
Yep, I don’t want to be the poster child for that argument. Totally different battery chemistry as well as other factors involved makes this an
to 
comparison. My 12-IS will still have an EarthX up front.Glasair's and Lancair's .............. not sure about LongEZ's and Gamebird's.
Typically, their heavier wing loading doesn't like less then 100 kts. At that speed I would have to use 20 degrees of flaps and more power just to see over the nose. Probably not to safe in the line up to land at KOSH. At gross weight, my wing loading is about 24 lbs. per sq. ft.
There were quit a few RVs as well usually arriving in flights of 2 or 3 with Lancairs and longEZs. Probably the racers in Airventure cup.
rv7boy
Forum Peruser
Was it La Sure’s? My quick scan of Google maps and a few Google searches leads me to believe they now operate as “La Sure’s Banquet Halls and Catering” at a different location. We ate at a restaurant you describe frequently when we were at AV. Great place for breakfast, but like many businesses, it may have morphed into something more profitable. Hope this helps.
One of the dangers of attending AirVenture: HBC Doughnut Day
RV-15 Wing Available today.
20 years ago I could afford to build a Van's airplane. Today I wouldn't be able to build one.. I'm priced out. What happened to the affordability part of Van's line of kitplanes?
Auburntsts
Well Known Member
Well in case you haven’t been keeping up everyone’s prices have gone up be it kits, engines, or major components. It’s not just Van’s.
Any word on ordering if you aren't at Airventure?
Call the mothership is the word put out.
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[ed. Verbiage put out by the mothership. v/r,dr]
The First RV-15 Airframe Kit Is Here!
Starting today at 12:30 PM CST, the RV-15 wing kit is officially available for order — marking the first airframe kit release for this aircraft.
Introductory price: $19,650
Order at Booth #605 during AirVenture or call our office to get in line.
Full details: www.vansaircraft.com/rv-15
Photo: Jon Bliss
The First RV-15 Airframe Kit Is Here!
Starting today at 12:30 PM CST, the RV-15 wing kit is officially available for order — marking the first airframe kit release for this aircraft.
Introductory price: $19,650
Order at Booth #605 during AirVenture or call our office to get in line.
Full details: www.vansaircraft.com/rv-15
Photo: Jon Bliss
Auburntsts
Well Known Member
Well now that they are taking RV-15 kit orders are they ready to publish performance figures?
There was a great one during the shut down. They were giving clear direction to all aircraft to not enter the Fisk arrival procedure in order to clear out the long loop of aircraft in the hold. One aircraft went ahead past Endeavor and butted his way in, contrary to the orders. They called him out by tail number as he was entering, one time. He ignored and proceeded to cut into the conga line.
30 minutes or so later when things were smoothing out and traffic was flowing nicely past Fisk, I noticed that he was the single plane called out and sent back. Apparently they were keeping an eye on him and his plan didn't work out.
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They said call the mothership.
I called the mothership, and they said wait until it's online, and then order. So I did, and the order is in. Yeehaa. Now just a little work to do.
John
Auburntsts
Well Known Member
So got my first trip to out to Basler today. N40 has filled up nicely but still lots of room in GAC in the grass. The hard ramp by Basler is full. I estimate that HBC is only about 2/3 to 3/4 full. Still haven’t scoped out Vintage (although we’ll be over there tonight to visit the pirate bar) or S40. Pedestrian traffic seems normal, maybe slightly under from the past couple of years.
