Jay Honeck
Touchdown! Greaser!
(Continued...)
Wednesday, July 30th
After sand-bagging (figuratively) yesterday, we hit it hard today, getting
an earlier start on the show, and to get ready for our big HOPS Party. We
also realized that we hadn't seen much of our son, who had made friends in
Vintage and become nearly self-sufficient on the field -- except for that
whole money thing. I had given him my credit card for his trip up, and
agreed to pay for anything that we would normally buy (camping, food, etc.),
but I figured it was time to repo the card before he went out and bought a
496 for the Ercoupe...so we hooked up with Joe early.
For flying into Airventure, the Vintage folks give out a plaque with a
picture of you and your plane -- a very nice touch, and something Joe will
treasure forever, I'm sure -- so we went to pick that up. He also wanted a
mug, and a shirt, and...you get the picture. Understandably proud of his
achievement, we nevertheless had to put the brakes on some of his "wants",
since everything came with a price tag on it.
The Vintage guys tried to talk us into joining, but they weren't able to get
their computer to accept us as a "family" membership, even though Joe is
only 17. They weren't sure if it was because Joe was turning 18 so soon,
or what, but it was aggravating, so I passed. We've been EAA members for 27
years, so that'll have to do, for now.
We spent a long time in Vintage, hanging out at Joe's campsite, enjoying the
day and trying to get over the weird feeling that the torch had been passed
to a new generation. Joe had made a circle of friends in Vintage, and
proudly introduced us to them all. We then wandered over to Addison
Pemberton's awesome Boeing 40 -- the only one flying in the world. I tried
to get close enough to say "hi" -- he and his family have stayed at the
hotel before, and are coming back in a few weeks for an airmail
reenactment -- but the mobs around the plane were such that we just kept
moving. What an awesome airplane, and a great effort to get it flying
again!
There were dozens and dozens of Ercoupes on the field (including the oldest
one, a 1941 military model) since the national fly-in had been held just a
few miles away from OSH earlier in the week, and we really enjoyed strolling
the rows, checking out the different models and mods that are available. We
were gratified to note that our little 'Coupe (christened "Sweetie") stood
up well against the group, and Joe puffed with pride whenever someone would
stroll up to ask about "his" Ercoupe.
That's one thing you rarely get in the North 40, and is something that is
really fun about the Vintage camping area. There were rarely ten minutes
without SOMEONE wandering up to ask questions about the 'Coupe, and there
was often a line of folks gawking and taking pictures. It's an unusual
looking plane, rarely seen anymore, so the public is naturally interested in
it -- and they are REALLY interested to hear about a 17 year old pilot
flying a 60-year-old airplane! By the end of the show Joe was getting a
bit tired of the whole scene, but -- for the most part -- he was really in
his element.
Then, it was time to head back to our campsite for the Sixth Annual HOPS
Party! As always, this event could not be staged without the direct support
and assistance of this group's own Jim & Tami Burns, Montblack, and Jack
Allison -- and we all went shopping to nearby Pick & Save for beer, pop,
hard lemonade, and any number of snacks. Montblack took care of the food,
buying a ton of pre-cut sub sandwiches from nearby Subway, and Tami supplied
potato salad, too. A veritable feast was laid out, and then we waited...
Soon, the airshow was over, and the people began to wander in. Getting to
this party is never easy -- we're two miles from show center, in the middle
of a giant field -- but come they did! Soon, hangar flying and a general
celebration of the Oshkosh experience was well underway, with beers brought
in from all over the country! We ran out of food (which Montblack promptly
replenished) and a great time was had by all!
A group of us stayed up till 1:30 AM, discussing everything and anything,
and we were all happy when we at last toddled off to bed...
Thursday, July 31st.
That happiness didn't persist past dawn, however. It's not possible to
"sleep in" at OSH, even with eye-shades and ear plugs, since the morning
sunshine rapidly raises the in-tent temperature to blast-furnace levels.
So, we toddled off to breakfast, feeling punk and not wanting to do much of
anything but sleep.
So, we made our way South of Aeroshell Square, to the forested area that
surrounds the Theater in the Woods, found a shady spot -- and promptly fell
asleep. It was a lovely day (in the shade), with a nice breeze and low
humidity -- so sleep came easy.
We all awoke refreshed, and proceeded with the show. This was the first
time we'd ever done this at OSH, and really showed how picture-perfect the
weather was! In fact, the weather has never been better at Oshkosh, and we
were rarely too hot or too cold. Stranger still -- it NEVER stormed all
week, although it did look nasty a couple of times. That's another first
for AirVenture!
The airshow today was simply awesome, with the Marine Corps V-22 Osprey
making it's first Oshkosh appearance. I've always wondered about the
military spending billions on this aircraft, but -- now that I've seen it
fly -- I understand their reasoning. This thing is FAST -- way faster than
a helicopter -- and can get the good guys in (and out) much faster. Speed
is life, in that sort of thing, so the V-22 suddenly makes sense -- and what
a fun thing to see fly!
Then, the awesome F-22 Raptor did it's "usual" (if that word applies) flight
demonstration. Words can't describe this aircraft's capabilities, and
seeing one fly is simply breath-taking. As always, the crowd loved every
minute of it.
We trundled our way back to our campsite, now weary from four days of
constant walking. Tonight was "Family Night", though -- Mary has several
aunts and cousins in the area -- so we had a good dinner to look forward to!
Unfortunately the group selected a fairly new "Applebees", which is mediocre
under the best of circumstances, and was truly awful under the stress of the
Oshkosh crowd. (We knew we were in trouble when we couldn't get water --
after requesting it three times...) In the end it didn't matter -- we were
there to see family, not eat -- and a good time was had by all!
Friday, August 1st
Where did July go? Where did *summer* go? Amazing, how fast time moves in
summer...
We were up bright and early this morning, so I was able to take some nice
sunrise pictures. Without the usual "Oshkosh deluge", Atlas was as dirty as
I'd ever seen him, with the morning dew providing the catalyst for
dust-induced mud to form each day. After four days, the filth was quite
pronounced, and we had neglected to bring any cleaning supplies with us.
All I could do was hope that the crud wouldn't build up to a depth where
lift was no longer developed by the wings.
After days of being on his own, Joe realized that Oshkosh was more than half
over and we hadn't done our usual "Guy thing" of exploring the Warbirds,
just the two of us. This has been a tradition with us since he was a little
boy, and I was wondering if he was going to remember! While Mary and Bec
went off to join in the "world's largest gathering of women pilots" on
Aeroshell Square, I gladly forced my weary feet to endure another five miles
of walking with Joe, as we strolled up and down the rows of Mustangs,
Warhawks, Corsairs and Avengers. I couldn't help but marvel at how time has
flown past, and noted that it wasn't that long ago that I was teaching him
the history of the various warbirds, and describing the differences between
a "C" and "D" model Mustang.
Now, his knowledge easily matched my own, and exceeded it in certain areas.
I've taught him everything I can about airplanes, aviation, and flying, and
there is little else I can impart to him. Strolling up and down the rows,
stopping to examine an intake here, a folding wing there, we were both
comfortable discussing these aircraft as equals, both having flown in, both
knowing what the other knows. I realized that -- with disconcerting
suddenness -- my son had become a man, and I swelled with pride and a little
sadness as we came to the end of the line. The torch had been passed
again.
Friday has become our traditional "Seaplane Base" day over the years,
because they throw a traditional Wisconsin fish fry that can't be beat!
Also, by this point in the week, we're more than ready to get away from the
hustle, heat and noise of Wittman Field, and trade it for the quiet coolness
of Lake Winnebago. So, that afternoon we rode the trams to the far South
end of the field, caught a big yellow school bus, and rode 15 minutes to the
seaplane base to spend time with our friends Markus, Jack, and Montblack.
As always, the contrast was stunning. After a short walk through a darkened
forest trail, we popped out onto the shoreline, waves lapping the beach,
seaplanes bobbing at anchor in the little harbor. It was absolutely
idyllic, and completely different from the rest of AirVenture. We found a
quiet place to sit, and enjoyed an hour of quiet conversation, until....
We'd been watching darkening clouds approach, and suddenly the wind shifted.
First it got much warmer, then it switched again and grew much colder! We
could see shafts of rain in the distance, out over the water, and then the
wind doubled in speed -- and then doubled again! A real storm was brewing,
and we could see the whole thing from across the water.
Then the PA system came to life, warning that a tornado had been spotted
nearby, and that everyone should seek shelter. It was easy to spot the
native Midwesterners, because we all immediately went to the shoreline to
see if we could spot the twister! Nothing was visible, but the waves
rapidly grew until they were tearing apart the rickety old piers that the
coast guard was tied to, and the lake actually rose over a foot, driven our
way by the increasing wind. It was fun to watch, and very unusual in that
nary a drop of rain ever fell. The entire storm skimmed off to the North,
leaving us (and, thankfully, Wittman Field) untouched.
Within a half hour the weather had returned to normal, the lake was
reverting to its glassy former self, and folks from outside the Midwest were
left shaking their heads. The rest of us just smiled knowingly.
The fish fry was awesome, as always, although they raised the price
considerably to a whopping $13 per plate! Apparently Walleye Pike has
gotten a lot more expensive (and they *did* provide huge portions) -- but
$52 for a home-made cookout seemed a bit steep. Nevertheless, I loved every
minute of it, since we can't get any kind of decent fresh-water fish in
Iowa.
Eventually we grew bored with the silence, and longed for the hub-bub of
Wittman Field again -- but the seaplane base sure is a wonderful place to
recharge your batteries after a week of craziness. We rode the bus back to
the field, where they proceeded to drop us off at the more centrally located
bus tower. This pleasant turn of events allowed us to check out Aeroshell
Square, and to get a few more pics along the way, before retiring to our
campsite for an evening cocktails and conversation, exhausted but happy.
Saturday, August 2nd.
We'd been closely watching the Prog charts since Wednesday, eyeing a system
that was approaching from the Great Plains. At first predicted to be
terrible, Sunday was then pronounced "good" by Flight Service -- only to be
once again pronounced as "iffy" last night. So, with one more check of the
progs, we decided to leave today after the airshow rather than wait for
Sunday as planned. Discretion being the better part of valor, we also
figured that it would be nice to have a day at home to scrape the topsoil
out from under our nails, and have some time to check email, etc.
But first, we had to get Joe launched. Having been on the field a whopping
ten days, he was more than ready to head for home -- but was understandably
nervous about flying out of OSH during the show. We sat down with the NOTAM
and went over the possible variations, and I offered to fly with him -- but
he ultimately declined my help, preferring to do the "whole Oshkosh
enchilada" himself. By the time we met up with him at 9:10 AM he was fully
packed and ready to go. To help with his useful load, we agreed to take
his tent and a folding chair he had purchased -- every ounce helps in an
Ercoupe -- and we spent a few nervous minutes going over the radio
frequencies and procedures.
Once satisfied that he was good to go, we left the 'Coupe and headed to the
hangar buildings to hunt down Lightspeed's Alan Schrader once again, to work
out a deal on a pair of Zulus. He agreed to swap out my old pair of Twenty
3Gs in exchange for a half-price deal on two new Zulus -- as good as it's
gonna get -- and we headed back to the Vintage area so Joe could "test" one
of the new headsets in the (incredibly noisy) Ercoupe.
(Note: No ANR headsets had been found to work in the 'Coupe, due to it's
very loud engine/wind noise combination. This is true in most airplanes of
this type, from 'Coupes to T-6s, but Alan swore up and down that the
Lightspeed Zulu would work perfectly in the 'Coupe -- so we wanted to test
this assertion. Joe reported that they worked perfectly, by the way...)
At last ready to go, the Vintage guys on scooters escorted him through the
sparse morning crowds out to Rwy 36, his mother, sister and I proudly
watching him all the way. Eventually, after a few minutes of waiting for
arrivals, it was his turn to depart, and we heard the big 85 horsepower
Continental wind up from a quarter-mile away. He trundled down the
runway, gathering speed, and then levitated beautifully into a graceful
right turn, coming to an Easterly course and staying South of the tower,
just as briefed. He was off into a clear blue sky, alone, headed for home.
Heart full, we headed back to Aeroshell Square, absent-mindedly snapping
pictures and slowly working our way Northward. I couldn't concentrate, my
thoughts being in the 'Coupe with my son, hoping that all was well on his
2.5 hour flight...
We headed back to our site to break camp and get Atlas packed so that we
could enjoy the airshow and then blast off for home. This unpleasant task
always takes longer than setting up, but (for once) it wasn't ungodly hot,
so everything went smoothly. Jack soon came around, and we decided to eat
at Friar Tuck's one more time, given that we had only eaten their once
during the week. While on our way to lunch Joe called to say he was home,
safe and sound. It was with relief that we could enjoy our last meal in
Oshkosh for the year, and enjoy it we did, spending a very enjoyable hour in
the cool, air-conditioned darkness...
After lunch we returned our bikes to Goodwill and walked back to the field
to catch a North 40 bus for the first time all week. From there it was the
usual tram to Aeroshell Square, and the short walk to the old control tower,
where we spent an enjoyable few hours planted in the shade of that grand old
structure, watching the show. I can't believe they're going to tear that
building down (it would make a great bar, or observation area), as it has
been in the background of our pictures for 26 years. EAA really missed an
opportunity this year, as they could easily have sold tickets to tour the
old tower for ten bucks a head. I'd have bought four of them, and everyone
I asked agreed that would have, too.
Soon, the airshow was winding down, and it was time to head back to the
North 40. With heavy heart (and even heavier footsteps, sore as we were) we
walked to the North 40, wondering how an entire week could go by *so*
quickly. All the planning, all the months of dreaming, all the weeks of
preparations seemed to take forever, yet -- as always -- the week itself
went by in the blink of an eye. We sat in the shadow of our wing talking
with Markus, and soon Montblack showed up to bid us farewell, too. I was
nervous, wanting to get the show on the road while simultaneously never
wanting to leave -- a strange mix of feelings, indeed -- but too soon the
field was open and we had to start up.
Hand shakes and hugs all around, we had our easiest departure ever,
literally taxiing about three blocks, waiting a few minutes, and being waved
off of Rwy 9, arcing smoothly out over Lake Winnebago behind Atlas'
wonderfully powerful O-540. Despite the heavy load, we quickly overtook the
aircraft ahead of us, reached the edge of Oshkosh airspace, and made a
beeline for home...
Thanks, all, for making OSH '08 -- our 26th in a row -- our best, yet! Only 357
days until OSH '09! Hope to see you there!
(Pictures to come!)
Wednesday, July 30th
After sand-bagging (figuratively) yesterday, we hit it hard today, getting
an earlier start on the show, and to get ready for our big HOPS Party. We
also realized that we hadn't seen much of our son, who had made friends in
Vintage and become nearly self-sufficient on the field -- except for that
whole money thing. I had given him my credit card for his trip up, and
agreed to pay for anything that we would normally buy (camping, food, etc.),
but I figured it was time to repo the card before he went out and bought a
496 for the Ercoupe...so we hooked up with Joe early.
For flying into Airventure, the Vintage folks give out a plaque with a
picture of you and your plane -- a very nice touch, and something Joe will
treasure forever, I'm sure -- so we went to pick that up. He also wanted a
mug, and a shirt, and...you get the picture. Understandably proud of his
achievement, we nevertheless had to put the brakes on some of his "wants",
since everything came with a price tag on it.
The Vintage guys tried to talk us into joining, but they weren't able to get
their computer to accept us as a "family" membership, even though Joe is
only 17. They weren't sure if it was because Joe was turning 18 so soon,
or what, but it was aggravating, so I passed. We've been EAA members for 27
years, so that'll have to do, for now.
We spent a long time in Vintage, hanging out at Joe's campsite, enjoying the
day and trying to get over the weird feeling that the torch had been passed
to a new generation. Joe had made a circle of friends in Vintage, and
proudly introduced us to them all. We then wandered over to Addison
Pemberton's awesome Boeing 40 -- the only one flying in the world. I tried
to get close enough to say "hi" -- he and his family have stayed at the
hotel before, and are coming back in a few weeks for an airmail
reenactment -- but the mobs around the plane were such that we just kept
moving. What an awesome airplane, and a great effort to get it flying
again!
There were dozens and dozens of Ercoupes on the field (including the oldest
one, a 1941 military model) since the national fly-in had been held just a
few miles away from OSH earlier in the week, and we really enjoyed strolling
the rows, checking out the different models and mods that are available. We
were gratified to note that our little 'Coupe (christened "Sweetie") stood
up well against the group, and Joe puffed with pride whenever someone would
stroll up to ask about "his" Ercoupe.
That's one thing you rarely get in the North 40, and is something that is
really fun about the Vintage camping area. There were rarely ten minutes
without SOMEONE wandering up to ask questions about the 'Coupe, and there
was often a line of folks gawking and taking pictures. It's an unusual
looking plane, rarely seen anymore, so the public is naturally interested in
it -- and they are REALLY interested to hear about a 17 year old pilot
flying a 60-year-old airplane! By the end of the show Joe was getting a
bit tired of the whole scene, but -- for the most part -- he was really in
his element.
Then, it was time to head back to our campsite for the Sixth Annual HOPS
Party! As always, this event could not be staged without the direct support
and assistance of this group's own Jim & Tami Burns, Montblack, and Jack
Allison -- and we all went shopping to nearby Pick & Save for beer, pop,
hard lemonade, and any number of snacks. Montblack took care of the food,
buying a ton of pre-cut sub sandwiches from nearby Subway, and Tami supplied
potato salad, too. A veritable feast was laid out, and then we waited...
Soon, the airshow was over, and the people began to wander in. Getting to
this party is never easy -- we're two miles from show center, in the middle
of a giant field -- but come they did! Soon, hangar flying and a general
celebration of the Oshkosh experience was well underway, with beers brought
in from all over the country! We ran out of food (which Montblack promptly
replenished) and a great time was had by all!
A group of us stayed up till 1:30 AM, discussing everything and anything,
and we were all happy when we at last toddled off to bed...
Thursday, July 31st.
That happiness didn't persist past dawn, however. It's not possible to
"sleep in" at OSH, even with eye-shades and ear plugs, since the morning
sunshine rapidly raises the in-tent temperature to blast-furnace levels.
So, we toddled off to breakfast, feeling punk and not wanting to do much of
anything but sleep.
So, we made our way South of Aeroshell Square, to the forested area that
surrounds the Theater in the Woods, found a shady spot -- and promptly fell
asleep. It was a lovely day (in the shade), with a nice breeze and low
humidity -- so sleep came easy.
We all awoke refreshed, and proceeded with the show. This was the first
time we'd ever done this at OSH, and really showed how picture-perfect the
weather was! In fact, the weather has never been better at Oshkosh, and we
were rarely too hot or too cold. Stranger still -- it NEVER stormed all
week, although it did look nasty a couple of times. That's another first
for AirVenture!
The airshow today was simply awesome, with the Marine Corps V-22 Osprey
making it's first Oshkosh appearance. I've always wondered about the
military spending billions on this aircraft, but -- now that I've seen it
fly -- I understand their reasoning. This thing is FAST -- way faster than
a helicopter -- and can get the good guys in (and out) much faster. Speed
is life, in that sort of thing, so the V-22 suddenly makes sense -- and what
a fun thing to see fly!
Then, the awesome F-22 Raptor did it's "usual" (if that word applies) flight
demonstration. Words can't describe this aircraft's capabilities, and
seeing one fly is simply breath-taking. As always, the crowd loved every
minute of it.
We trundled our way back to our campsite, now weary from four days of
constant walking. Tonight was "Family Night", though -- Mary has several
aunts and cousins in the area -- so we had a good dinner to look forward to!
Unfortunately the group selected a fairly new "Applebees", which is mediocre
under the best of circumstances, and was truly awful under the stress of the
Oshkosh crowd. (We knew we were in trouble when we couldn't get water --
after requesting it three times...) In the end it didn't matter -- we were
there to see family, not eat -- and a good time was had by all!
Friday, August 1st
Where did July go? Where did *summer* go? Amazing, how fast time moves in
summer...
We were up bright and early this morning, so I was able to take some nice
sunrise pictures. Without the usual "Oshkosh deluge", Atlas was as dirty as
I'd ever seen him, with the morning dew providing the catalyst for
dust-induced mud to form each day. After four days, the filth was quite
pronounced, and we had neglected to bring any cleaning supplies with us.
All I could do was hope that the crud wouldn't build up to a depth where
lift was no longer developed by the wings.
After days of being on his own, Joe realized that Oshkosh was more than half
over and we hadn't done our usual "Guy thing" of exploring the Warbirds,
just the two of us. This has been a tradition with us since he was a little
boy, and I was wondering if he was going to remember! While Mary and Bec
went off to join in the "world's largest gathering of women pilots" on
Aeroshell Square, I gladly forced my weary feet to endure another five miles
of walking with Joe, as we strolled up and down the rows of Mustangs,
Warhawks, Corsairs and Avengers. I couldn't help but marvel at how time has
flown past, and noted that it wasn't that long ago that I was teaching him
the history of the various warbirds, and describing the differences between
a "C" and "D" model Mustang.
Now, his knowledge easily matched my own, and exceeded it in certain areas.
I've taught him everything I can about airplanes, aviation, and flying, and
there is little else I can impart to him. Strolling up and down the rows,
stopping to examine an intake here, a folding wing there, we were both
comfortable discussing these aircraft as equals, both having flown in, both
knowing what the other knows. I realized that -- with disconcerting
suddenness -- my son had become a man, and I swelled with pride and a little
sadness as we came to the end of the line. The torch had been passed
again.
Friday has become our traditional "Seaplane Base" day over the years,
because they throw a traditional Wisconsin fish fry that can't be beat!
Also, by this point in the week, we're more than ready to get away from the
hustle, heat and noise of Wittman Field, and trade it for the quiet coolness
of Lake Winnebago. So, that afternoon we rode the trams to the far South
end of the field, caught a big yellow school bus, and rode 15 minutes to the
seaplane base to spend time with our friends Markus, Jack, and Montblack.
As always, the contrast was stunning. After a short walk through a darkened
forest trail, we popped out onto the shoreline, waves lapping the beach,
seaplanes bobbing at anchor in the little harbor. It was absolutely
idyllic, and completely different from the rest of AirVenture. We found a
quiet place to sit, and enjoyed an hour of quiet conversation, until....
We'd been watching darkening clouds approach, and suddenly the wind shifted.
First it got much warmer, then it switched again and grew much colder! We
could see shafts of rain in the distance, out over the water, and then the
wind doubled in speed -- and then doubled again! A real storm was brewing,
and we could see the whole thing from across the water.
Then the PA system came to life, warning that a tornado had been spotted
nearby, and that everyone should seek shelter. It was easy to spot the
native Midwesterners, because we all immediately went to the shoreline to
see if we could spot the twister! Nothing was visible, but the waves
rapidly grew until they were tearing apart the rickety old piers that the
coast guard was tied to, and the lake actually rose over a foot, driven our
way by the increasing wind. It was fun to watch, and very unusual in that
nary a drop of rain ever fell. The entire storm skimmed off to the North,
leaving us (and, thankfully, Wittman Field) untouched.
Within a half hour the weather had returned to normal, the lake was
reverting to its glassy former self, and folks from outside the Midwest were
left shaking their heads. The rest of us just smiled knowingly.
The fish fry was awesome, as always, although they raised the price
considerably to a whopping $13 per plate! Apparently Walleye Pike has
gotten a lot more expensive (and they *did* provide huge portions) -- but
$52 for a home-made cookout seemed a bit steep. Nevertheless, I loved every
minute of it, since we can't get any kind of decent fresh-water fish in
Iowa.
Eventually we grew bored with the silence, and longed for the hub-bub of
Wittman Field again -- but the seaplane base sure is a wonderful place to
recharge your batteries after a week of craziness. We rode the bus back to
the field, where they proceeded to drop us off at the more centrally located
bus tower. This pleasant turn of events allowed us to check out Aeroshell
Square, and to get a few more pics along the way, before retiring to our
campsite for an evening cocktails and conversation, exhausted but happy.
Saturday, August 2nd.
We'd been closely watching the Prog charts since Wednesday, eyeing a system
that was approaching from the Great Plains. At first predicted to be
terrible, Sunday was then pronounced "good" by Flight Service -- only to be
once again pronounced as "iffy" last night. So, with one more check of the
progs, we decided to leave today after the airshow rather than wait for
Sunday as planned. Discretion being the better part of valor, we also
figured that it would be nice to have a day at home to scrape the topsoil
out from under our nails, and have some time to check email, etc.
But first, we had to get Joe launched. Having been on the field a whopping
ten days, he was more than ready to head for home -- but was understandably
nervous about flying out of OSH during the show. We sat down with the NOTAM
and went over the possible variations, and I offered to fly with him -- but
he ultimately declined my help, preferring to do the "whole Oshkosh
enchilada" himself. By the time we met up with him at 9:10 AM he was fully
packed and ready to go. To help with his useful load, we agreed to take
his tent and a folding chair he had purchased -- every ounce helps in an
Ercoupe -- and we spent a few nervous minutes going over the radio
frequencies and procedures.
Once satisfied that he was good to go, we left the 'Coupe and headed to the
hangar buildings to hunt down Lightspeed's Alan Schrader once again, to work
out a deal on a pair of Zulus. He agreed to swap out my old pair of Twenty
3Gs in exchange for a half-price deal on two new Zulus -- as good as it's
gonna get -- and we headed back to the Vintage area so Joe could "test" one
of the new headsets in the (incredibly noisy) Ercoupe.
(Note: No ANR headsets had been found to work in the 'Coupe, due to it's
very loud engine/wind noise combination. This is true in most airplanes of
this type, from 'Coupes to T-6s, but Alan swore up and down that the
Lightspeed Zulu would work perfectly in the 'Coupe -- so we wanted to test
this assertion. Joe reported that they worked perfectly, by the way...)
At last ready to go, the Vintage guys on scooters escorted him through the
sparse morning crowds out to Rwy 36, his mother, sister and I proudly
watching him all the way. Eventually, after a few minutes of waiting for
arrivals, it was his turn to depart, and we heard the big 85 horsepower
Continental wind up from a quarter-mile away. He trundled down the
runway, gathering speed, and then levitated beautifully into a graceful
right turn, coming to an Easterly course and staying South of the tower,
just as briefed. He was off into a clear blue sky, alone, headed for home.
Heart full, we headed back to Aeroshell Square, absent-mindedly snapping
pictures and slowly working our way Northward. I couldn't concentrate, my
thoughts being in the 'Coupe with my son, hoping that all was well on his
2.5 hour flight...
We headed back to our site to break camp and get Atlas packed so that we
could enjoy the airshow and then blast off for home. This unpleasant task
always takes longer than setting up, but (for once) it wasn't ungodly hot,
so everything went smoothly. Jack soon came around, and we decided to eat
at Friar Tuck's one more time, given that we had only eaten their once
during the week. While on our way to lunch Joe called to say he was home,
safe and sound. It was with relief that we could enjoy our last meal in
Oshkosh for the year, and enjoy it we did, spending a very enjoyable hour in
the cool, air-conditioned darkness...
After lunch we returned our bikes to Goodwill and walked back to the field
to catch a North 40 bus for the first time all week. From there it was the
usual tram to Aeroshell Square, and the short walk to the old control tower,
where we spent an enjoyable few hours planted in the shade of that grand old
structure, watching the show. I can't believe they're going to tear that
building down (it would make a great bar, or observation area), as it has
been in the background of our pictures for 26 years. EAA really missed an
opportunity this year, as they could easily have sold tickets to tour the
old tower for ten bucks a head. I'd have bought four of them, and everyone
I asked agreed that would have, too.
Soon, the airshow was winding down, and it was time to head back to the
North 40. With heavy heart (and even heavier footsteps, sore as we were) we
walked to the North 40, wondering how an entire week could go by *so*
quickly. All the planning, all the months of dreaming, all the weeks of
preparations seemed to take forever, yet -- as always -- the week itself
went by in the blink of an eye. We sat in the shadow of our wing talking
with Markus, and soon Montblack showed up to bid us farewell, too. I was
nervous, wanting to get the show on the road while simultaneously never
wanting to leave -- a strange mix of feelings, indeed -- but too soon the
field was open and we had to start up.
Hand shakes and hugs all around, we had our easiest departure ever,
literally taxiing about three blocks, waiting a few minutes, and being waved
off of Rwy 9, arcing smoothly out over Lake Winnebago behind Atlas'
wonderfully powerful O-540. Despite the heavy load, we quickly overtook the
aircraft ahead of us, reached the edge of Oshkosh airspace, and made a
beeline for home...
Thanks, all, for making OSH '08 -- our 26th in a row -- our best, yet! Only 357
days until OSH '09! Hope to see you there!
(Pictures to come!)
