Oshkosh - Day 4 - July 29

We were scheduled to volunteer again as Aircraft Greeters in the North 40 but they had filled up the spaces and didn't need us. So we spent the day reading by the tent and did go do some walking around the show grounds. We watched the airshow from our tent instead of walking up to the flight line.

Oshkosh - Day 3 - July 28

Sitting here at our tent in Homebuilt camping with Foreigner providing background music. A few planes are departing and a few are arriving....

Our first morning of volunteering went OK. We volunteered to be Aircraft Greeters which means we hang out in General Aviation Camping and welcome pilots to the show and provide them with the info they need. 3 hour shift... it was a bit slow but Sandi had a little excitement when a gentleman gashed his head open on the corner of his elevator when tying down the tale. After our volunteering, we headed to our campsite for lunch and a siesta. Wandered down to the flightline at 12:30 to drop off our chairs and then headed over to the bendor buildings.

Nobody is doing show discounts, at least not anyone we are intersted in.

Watched the airshow from Homebuilders HQ deck. Great show! Wandered down to the Forgeigner concert after the show and stayed for a couple of songs and then headed back to campsite. It was hot and standing room only. :-)

Oshkosh - Day 2 - July 27

Day 2 was spent hanging out on the flight line watching arrivals. After our $15 breakfast we parked it along 36 right runway. Winds were out of the west, so most traffic was landing on 27 but that gave us the opportunity to watch peoples cross-wind landing skills. The other thing that absolutely flabbergasts us is the number of pilots arrving that obviously haven't ready (or comprehend) the NOTAM. After awhile we headed back to the tent for a bit and then over to the flight line on runway 27. Had a $15 late lunch and back to the tent for a nap under the plane. Next we headed over to Target and Pick-n-Save to get groceries as $15 meals will kill us. I paid $2.75 for a bottle of water on the field and $.50 over at Target and a brat stand. Ugh! For evening entertainment we headed to Theatre in the Woods to watch an "aviation humorist" who was OK but not that funny. Then Cathe Fish spoke about the 'lighter side of fligh instructing' which was as funny as the humorist.

We seem to have issues with air mattresses. Last year we borrowed one from my mom and it wouldn't hold air for more than a night or two. This year we bought a "guaranteed not to leak" one... that also leaks. Sandi cracked me up this morning when we woke up and said we were like to hot dogs in a bun! If we sleep next to each other it kinda folds up on us. :-) Oh well....

Oshkosh - Day 1 - July 26th

We've arrived! Our departure was a bit delayed this morning. We woke up to lots of FOG, couldn't see across the front yard. We waited and waited. Things weren't looking good. Finally the clouds parted enough that we thought we could get up on top. Weather was clear to our north it was just local we had to deal with. We drugged the puppy and headed to the airport. We departed and was easily able to get up through the cloud deck and on top of a densely scattered cloud layer. We pointed NE towards Moline, IL. Arrived at Moline (spoke with Larry at Quad City Approach.. he's a fellow Geocacher). Dropped the puppy off and passed on the $6.58/gal fuel and headed for SFY 40 miles NE and paid $4.70/gal. Arrival at Oshkosh was smooth as could be. Very little traffic. We are parked in row 302 towards the back. We registered and then went over to Friar Tucks for some dinner. We are now sitting next to our plane surfing the internet at Sprint Speed! Sprint has EVDO Rev A coverage this year! WOOHOO!

Oshkosh 2008 Bound

Sandi and I are headed to Oshkosh tomorrow morning. Small chance of thunderstorms here in KC tomorrow but I think we'll be able to get out. Stopping over in Moline, IL to drop off our puppy at the grandsitters. :-)

WWII Pilot gets an RV ride for his 86th Birthday

This morning I had the privelege of giving an RV ride to John Vogl. He is a resident of Sunrise Senior Living where Sandi works. His wife Cam wanted to get John a ride an airplane for his birthday and she knew that Sandi and I were pilots and had our own plane. Of course, any reason to take someone for an RV ride is a good one. Sandi's boss turned it into a big PR stunt and had the local media out for the flight.

The list of airplanes that John has flown is long and enviable. Starting out with a Stearman PT-17 and includes the P-51 Mustang. The flight was great, I handed over the controls right after take-off and took them back on short final. In the 30 minutes of flying we did, we didn't spend more than a few minutes in level flight. He was having a blast doing all sorts of turning and banking, climbing, descending just having a great time.

Kansas City Star Video

KCTV5

Ahh.... the aerial commute!

Two days in a row... we've "aerially commuted" to work. By car, our commute is 48miles. By air it is 35. We have a commuter car parked at the executive airport so we just land, throw on the canopy cover and hop in the car. Is it faster.... nope... adds 15mins to our commute. Is it cheaper... nope... but not by much maybe depending on how you look at it. Is is stress free.. YES! Do we fight traffic? NO! Is it cool?? YES!



We'll be commuting again tomorrow and I'll be giving that RV ride to an old WWII pilot.

Local Flying

Been getting in the plane here and there. We flew to work a couple of weeks ago, which was kinda nice. :-) This morning we flew down to KHUT for lunch. They have a really nice lunch buffet at the Airport Steakhouse Restaurant on the field. It's about an hour each way. The Kansas Flint Hills were incredible... so green.. and it's JULY! Of course we didn't have the camera with us. We'll be flying to work in the morning and also on Weds when I'm to give a ride to retired WWII military pilot celebrating his 86th birthday. Should be fun!