12th Annual Smithville Fly-In

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For those of you that still live under a rock and don't have a Facebook account, I thought I would post this here for you neanderthals as well. :)

It should be a great day and I hope most of you take the opportunity to fly some Young Eagles! There's all kinds of contests and awards, and a candy drop for the sweet teeth.

Smithville Municipal Airport
84R
Hwy 71 at Hwy 95, Smithville, Tx
05/14/16 10am-2pm

http://www.smithvilletx.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=64&Itemid=14

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Oh man, I was really looking forward to this event, for weeks.
But now that it's been advertised on FecesBook, I might have to cancel and stay under my rock. :(
:D

Shane, do you think it will blow up like the Georgetown Airfest did?
 
Shane I always look for flyins on POA or other Aviation Web Boards. FB Not so much. Looks like a fun one!
 
BigBadLou said:
Shane, do you think it will blow up like the Georgetown Airfest did?
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We're going to plan a 5 ship Mooney formation over the field. I've got about 18 aircraft going so far and I think there is a set coming from the Houston group as well.

Oh and I tried to park the Mooney right next to the Green Horn yesterday, but someone took the tie down before I got back. :)
 
We were planning it, but our morning girl quit.

Now that the days are longer there needs to be more afternoon fly-ins, with dinner instead of breakfast or lunch.
 
Jay, sorry to hear. But wait, you could fly in by yourself, Mary can take the front desk, no? :D

J/K, do not take marriage advice from an a-hat like me. ;)
 
BigBadLou said:
Jay, sorry to hear. But wait, you could fly in by yourself, Mary can take the front desk, no? :D

J/K, do not take marriage advice from an a-hat like me. ;)
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lol Well, I could do that...once.

Not to hijack the thread, but I dont understand why 95% of fly-ins are in the morning. I don't usually get up till the crack of 10 AM, and it takes me till noon to get chugging. Many fly-ins say "till 3", but in our experience if you show up after 1 PM, the hoopla is over, the food and crowd are mostly gone, and the organizers greet you with an "Oh, crap" smile.

I don't understand why there aren't more "BBQ Fly Ins" here in Texas. It's light till 8:30, and everyone loves BBQ...

This is why we LOVE the Runway Cafe at KLBX, BTW. Every other on-field restaurant closes by (again!) 3 PM, but Mr. Wu keeps his restaurant open till 8 PM.

As a result, we fly there for dinner three times a month. It's awesome.
 
I hear you. And I don't disagree.
Well, time to start another fly-in!
Seriously. Organize one at your field or somewhere. And I'll try to be there.
End of thread hijack. ;)

Btw, the pig roast at 34R (Halletsville) is in the afternoon (and closer to you). You going?
 
BigBadLou said:
I hear you. And I don't disagree.
Well, time to start another fly-in!
Seriously. Organize one at your field or somewhere. And I'll try to be there.
End of thread hijack. ;)

Btw, the pig roast at 34R (Halletsville) is in the afternoon (and closer to you). You going?
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Hadn't heard about that one. Got a link? When is it?
 
Jay Honeck said:
Not to hijack the thread, but I dont understand why 95% of fly-ins are in the morning. I don't usually get up till the crack of 10 AM, and it takes me till noon to get chugging. Many fly-ins say "till 3", but in our experience if you show up after 1 PM, the hoopla is over, the food and crowd are mostly gone, and the organizers greet you with an "Oh, crap" smile.
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Because it's hot by 1PM! I'll be there in the AM, but most likely gone by 1.
 
I had a good time, this was a really fun small town fly-in. It's wasn't hot at all due to a medium altitude stratus overcast. There were thunderstorms moving slowly in the direction of the airport. All morning there were clusters of pilots comparing weather apps on their phones, trying to figure when they would need to leave.

There were some really nice taildraggers there, a couple of mint condition T-Crafts and C-140s, and even a Chipmunk.

There was a guy giving five minute helicopter rides for $20. He was flying kids all day, it was fun to watch him land and see a grinning kid jump out who was just bitten by the flying bug.

Given that the weather was marginal I was surprised and pleased at the turn out. I chickened out and drove this year, next year I hope to fly.
 
JimNtexas said:
All morning there were clusters of pilots comparing weather apps on their phones, trying to figure when they would need to leave. There were some really nice taildraggers there, a couple of mint condition T-Crafts and C-140s, and even a Chipmunk.
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Well, you mentioned me a couple of times so I'll chime in! I was there in my 140 and I was looking at the weather app. My friend Travis was next to me in his 140A. I got an award for best interior, and decided it was time to go as a big storm was bearing down on Taylor. I thought it was a pretty good event, but I had enough incidents I don't think I'll be returning. I was amazed at how many parents let their kids climb on planes.

No reflection on the organizers, but when I decided to leave, I un-chocked my plane and some old guy told me to hurry up and leave! I laughed and asked him why he was in a hurry for me to leave. He persisted, telling me people had already seen my plane and it was time for me to go! He said he'd heard me say I was leaving and if I was going to leave, I needed to get going. After a few times, I finally snapped at him and told him I was the pilot and I would decide when and where I would fly my plane, go away. A few minutes later I heard a volunteer tell him he had to sign in to be a volunteer and get a yellow shirt. He told her, "I most certainly do not."

I pulled my plane way out on the ramp, to the edge of the taxiway before I fired up. I was motioned to hold where I was by one of the ground crew while the Chipmunk was taxiing in. Next thing I know, a little boy, maybe 5 years old, ran right in front of my prop from right to left and then almost into the Chipmunk's prop before a volunteer saw him and grabbed him. There would have been nothing I could have done. It really rattled me and even chocked me up a little thinking about it. He would be dead, my life changed forever. I just don't think the public and airplanes mix very well.
 
Lowflynjack said:
I was motioned to hold where I was by one of the ground crew while the Chipmunk was taxiing in. Next thing I know, a little boy, maybe 5 years old, ran right in front of my prop from right to left and then almost into the Chipmunk's prop before a volunteer saw him and grabbed him. There would have been nothing I could have done. It really rattled me and even chocked me up a little thinking about it. He would be dead, my life changed forever. I just don't think the public and airplanes mix very well.
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That is positively terrifying.

I would have shut down, got out, and found the parents. By the time I was done with them, THEY would have been crying.

I have worked many fly-ins, and seen some incredibly stupid parents -- things like standing kids on fabric wings for pictures -- but your story takes the cake.
 
Jay Honeck said:
That is positively terrifying. I would have shut down, got out, and found the parents. By the time I was done with them, THEY would have been crying. I have worked many fly-ins, and seen some incredibly stupid parents -- things like standing kids on fabric wings for pictures -- but your story takes the cake.
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I honestly didn't even think about the parents until I got back home. It was a horrifying moment realizing how close it was. Taking a child's life, even if it's not my fault is something I would hate to live with.
 
I was scared a couple of times when I observed clueless people and their kids wandering around the taxiway while airplanes were coming and going.

I hope the organizers do a better job of ramp control next year.
 
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