turbo
Well Known Member
old farts converge on okeechoobee, punta gorda, arcadia....
info taken from our top old fart roger. what a day!
Old Farts
I wish I could unequivocally proclaim a new attendance record... I ?Think? we set the bar even higher today at Okeechobee. I arrived before eleven and there were a couple Old Fart planes already on the ramp. I parked next Old Fart Fred Celce?s RV-8. There was soon a steady stream of aircraft in the pattern. Mike Mitchell told me that once out of Punta Gorda airspace, he switched to OBE?s 123.0. He said the OBE radio traffic was non-stop all the way over from Punta Gorda.
I stayed on the ramp, taking pictures and doing my best at meeting and greeting. I finally went inside the Landing Strip Cafe a little after 11:30. There were still planes in the pattern and my Old Fart tail count was right around forty. Once inside, I hollered above the din to introduce Old Farts Myra and Roger Hirschbein along with an invite for everyone to be sure and check out their beautiful, brand new, RV-14. I also introduced our founder, Old Fart Larry Robinson, who gave us a short debrief of the highly successful Ranch Tour/Young Eagle event he organized last weekend. As Larry said, ?If you missed it, you really screwed up!? In the short time this took, I counted several more aircraft landing and circling the ramp in search of a parking space. I figured we hit about 45 aircraft at this point! Checking out the window while waiting for my lunch, more aircraft continued to arrive, including Dave and Jeanne Allen in their incredible 1934 Cabin Waco. Since coming out of restoration in 2013, this aircraft has won ?Grand Champion? honors at just about any Aviation event you can think of. By this time, I was ?guesstimating? about 50 Old Fart aircraft. Some early arrivals, like Fred, were saddling up to leave.
Then, as if we hadn?t taxed the restaurant staff enough (the place was jammed full), the Thursday Lunch Bunch out Venice began arriving. No count on their aircraft. A guess is ten, or so. I trade emails with a Venice guy, Gary McBride, also and Old Fart. Our goal is to not collide at the same restaurant. Their group had planned on Winter Haven, but weather was an issue, so they decided on Sebring. Once at Sebring, they found the restaurant closed and diverted to Okeechobee! Thankfully, they were on the late side, and slid into openings being vacated by Old Farts. A few of the Venice guys are double-dippers and get our Old Fart emails as well. I?m claiming at least two of their group in our count. All said... I am ?unofficially? placing our aircraft count at 50-plus! Our old record was set last spring at Wing South. That count was 46.
Before I go any further, I want to throw out a huge THANK YOU to the staff at the Landing Strip. Those gals did an incredible job, and all with a huge smile! They love having us there. At least, that?s what they tell me! Anytime you may drop in for a meal, please pass along a thank you from the Old Farts!
Here?s a shot of Old Farts Roger and Myra Hirschbein in their spanking new RV-14. Myra says she flew it to the west coast (United States, not Florida) right out of the box! I saw lots of gawkers after lunch. Wish I?d had more time for a better look. Keep coming back Roger and Myra!
Old Fart Dave Allen wife Jeanne, arrived a little late because of low WX at their Grassroots Airpark home NW of Orlando. They couldn?t even get theirvbeautiful Waco pushed back in the parking space vacated by Old Fart Fred Celce, without a crowd of gawkers descending upon them. Great aircraft! Always a treat to see it!
A couple crowd shots. There were nearly this many more Old Farts behind me. Old Fart Fred Celce?s RV-8. I think Fred shows up at more Old Fart lunches than I do!
Clockwise: Our Founder, Old Fart Larry Robinson in his Husky. New Old Fart Gary West in his pretty C-150. (Raise your hand if you don?t have any C-150 time?) Old Fart Ed Katzen in his pretty V-Tail. My award winning PT-17 Kaydet (Five time winner ?Most in Need of Restoration? at the National Stearman Convention.)
Clockwise: Old Fart Marc Rodstein and his nice Lake EP (sorry, did not retain his copilots?s name). Old Fart Urs Schmidt?s Rans STOL aircraft. Another new Old Fart, I met, but lost the name, alongside his nice Champ. Old Fart Turbo Eddie?s RV-6. Old Fart Fred Stucklen?s RV-7 with triple IFR redundancy. At the other end of the equipment spectrum are Old Farts Bill Ford and Bill Kaser in their 1934 Aeronca Chief... no starter, no GPS, no electrical system and only a handheld for marginal communications.
Needless to say, this sampling only scratches the surface of the more than fifty aircraft in attendance. Keep coming back, I promise to get better with the names and get your plane in my photo gallery. Your attendance and enthusiasm is what makes this organization so much fun!
We are going to Punta Gorda next week. Lunch at the EAA Clubhouse. Pulled pork with sides. We are hosted by Old Fart and Chef, Larry McClure. After lunch will will be bused across the field to tour three hangars full incredible aircraft. Old Fart Jim Lyons will be our host. Look for details on Monday. I WILL need a good headcount for this one.
Old Fart Roger
info taken from our top old fart roger. what a day!
Old Farts
I wish I could unequivocally proclaim a new attendance record... I ?Think? we set the bar even higher today at Okeechobee. I arrived before eleven and there were a couple Old Fart planes already on the ramp. I parked next Old Fart Fred Celce?s RV-8. There was soon a steady stream of aircraft in the pattern. Mike Mitchell told me that once out of Punta Gorda airspace, he switched to OBE?s 123.0. He said the OBE radio traffic was non-stop all the way over from Punta Gorda.
I stayed on the ramp, taking pictures and doing my best at meeting and greeting. I finally went inside the Landing Strip Cafe a little after 11:30. There were still planes in the pattern and my Old Fart tail count was right around forty. Once inside, I hollered above the din to introduce Old Farts Myra and Roger Hirschbein along with an invite for everyone to be sure and check out their beautiful, brand new, RV-14. I also introduced our founder, Old Fart Larry Robinson, who gave us a short debrief of the highly successful Ranch Tour/Young Eagle event he organized last weekend. As Larry said, ?If you missed it, you really screwed up!? In the short time this took, I counted several more aircraft landing and circling the ramp in search of a parking space. I figured we hit about 45 aircraft at this point! Checking out the window while waiting for my lunch, more aircraft continued to arrive, including Dave and Jeanne Allen in their incredible 1934 Cabin Waco. Since coming out of restoration in 2013, this aircraft has won ?Grand Champion? honors at just about any Aviation event you can think of. By this time, I was ?guesstimating? about 50 Old Fart aircraft. Some early arrivals, like Fred, were saddling up to leave.
Then, as if we hadn?t taxed the restaurant staff enough (the place was jammed full), the Thursday Lunch Bunch out Venice began arriving. No count on their aircraft. A guess is ten, or so. I trade emails with a Venice guy, Gary McBride, also and Old Fart. Our goal is to not collide at the same restaurant. Their group had planned on Winter Haven, but weather was an issue, so they decided on Sebring. Once at Sebring, they found the restaurant closed and diverted to Okeechobee! Thankfully, they were on the late side, and slid into openings being vacated by Old Farts. A few of the Venice guys are double-dippers and get our Old Fart emails as well. I?m claiming at least two of their group in our count. All said... I am ?unofficially? placing our aircraft count at 50-plus! Our old record was set last spring at Wing South. That count was 46.
Before I go any further, I want to throw out a huge THANK YOU to the staff at the Landing Strip. Those gals did an incredible job, and all with a huge smile! They love having us there. At least, that?s what they tell me! Anytime you may drop in for a meal, please pass along a thank you from the Old Farts!
Here?s a shot of Old Farts Roger and Myra Hirschbein in their spanking new RV-14. Myra says she flew it to the west coast (United States, not Florida) right out of the box! I saw lots of gawkers after lunch. Wish I?d had more time for a better look. Keep coming back Roger and Myra!
Old Fart Dave Allen wife Jeanne, arrived a little late because of low WX at their Grassroots Airpark home NW of Orlando. They couldn?t even get theirvbeautiful Waco pushed back in the parking space vacated by Old Fart Fred Celce, without a crowd of gawkers descending upon them. Great aircraft! Always a treat to see it!
A couple crowd shots. There were nearly this many more Old Farts behind me. Old Fart Fred Celce?s RV-8. I think Fred shows up at more Old Fart lunches than I do!
Clockwise: Our Founder, Old Fart Larry Robinson in his Husky. New Old Fart Gary West in his pretty C-150. (Raise your hand if you don?t have any C-150 time?) Old Fart Ed Katzen in his pretty V-Tail. My award winning PT-17 Kaydet (Five time winner ?Most in Need of Restoration? at the National Stearman Convention.)
Clockwise: Old Fart Marc Rodstein and his nice Lake EP (sorry, did not retain his copilots?s name). Old Fart Urs Schmidt?s Rans STOL aircraft. Another new Old Fart, I met, but lost the name, alongside his nice Champ. Old Fart Turbo Eddie?s RV-6. Old Fart Fred Stucklen?s RV-7 with triple IFR redundancy. At the other end of the equipment spectrum are Old Farts Bill Ford and Bill Kaser in their 1934 Aeronca Chief... no starter, no GPS, no electrical system and only a handheld for marginal communications.
Needless to say, this sampling only scratches the surface of the more than fifty aircraft in attendance. Keep coming back, I promise to get better with the names and get your plane in my photo gallery. Your attendance and enthusiasm is what makes this organization so much fun!
We are going to Punta Gorda next week. Lunch at the EAA Clubhouse. Pulled pork with sides. We are hosted by Old Fart and Chef, Larry McClure. After lunch will will be bused across the field to tour three hangars full incredible aircraft. Old Fart Jim Lyons will be our host. Look for details on Monday. I WILL need a good headcount for this one.
Old Fart Roger
Last edited: