KAXV, Neil Armstrong Airport, Wapokeneta, OH

Jim K

Jim K

360 For Spacing
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Mar 31, 2019
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Richard Digits
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First real cross country on the new engine today took me to Wapokeneta, OH, hometown of Neil Armstrong. The airport, KAXV, is really nice, with a brand new FBO and a really friendly manager. They have a courtesy car, which i used to run up to the museum in town.

The museum is smaller than i expected. They have his Gemini 8 capsule, a big moon rock, his backup space suit, and a few other smaller artifacts. The highlight for me though was the Champ that he soloed in.

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IMG_20250327_134545009_HDR.jpgLear 28 he set some altitude records in with Bill Lear when he was on their Board.

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The airport has these funky concrete fuel tanks:

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Outstanding choice for a cross country with the new engine.

Having flown in both Champs and J 3's in my early years, those haver a special place in my memory. Nice to know some truly great pilotsd started the same way.

Having visited the Smithsonian Udvar Hazey museum several times, and its forerunner, capsules are kind of common, but out of reach for all of us. Champs? yes, I personally identify with that, and can feel it fly, just looking at it.

Good feeling to hear it smoothly running, isn't it? :)
 
geezer said:
Having visited the Smithsonian Udvar Hazey museum several times, and its forerunner, capsules are kind of common, but out of reach for all of us. Champs? yes, I personally identify with that, and can feel it fly, just looking at it.
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Exactly. I love seeing the space hardware, particularly the flown stuff, but things like Armstrong's Champ or Grissom's first logbook....yeah, I feel a connection to that. I know what flying in a Champ feels like, I know how it feels to solo.
 
Jim K said:
and a really friendly manager.
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Planned on flying there for the solar eclipse, before WX forced a change of plans. The manager was very helpful as we were trying to figure out parking/overnight camping.
 
Next time let me know you are heading toward Ohio. Marysville isn’t much further and I would pick you up for lunch. Once I get the Tiger back from painting, and annualed, perhaps I74 for lunch at the Airport Cafe?
 
I was surprised at how many astronauts were from Ohio. They have all their portraits displayed on the way out.
 
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