Bill Newton came to AirVenture this year from North Carolina by way of Alaska.
About a month ago he left his home in Wallace, North Carolina and headed to Bellingham, Washington. There he joined up with a group of 4 other planes and spent two weeks touring Alaskan towns like Ketchikan, Juneau, Anchorage, and King Salmon. They spent a few days at each stop visiting the local sites.
"One big highlight for me," he said," was seeing the bears sitting in the river catching salmon."
After two weeks air-touring Alaska, Bill broke off from the group and headed down the AlCan highway. He stopped in White Horse and Tok, and finally re-entered the U.S. in Great Falls.
Before continuing on to Oshkosh he stopped in Cody, Wyoming to see the Buffalo Bill Museum, and Yellowstone National Park. Then on to Rapid City, South Dakota where he visited Sturgis, Mt. Rushmore, the Black Hills.
Finally he headed here for AirVenture, arriving last Thursday.
This is his third year to the fly-in. The first two times he came in his motor coach and stayed in Camp Scholler.
This year he's pitched a tent under the wing of his 1982 A36 Bonanza in the North Forty campground.
He's been flying since the early 80s, and has owned a 182 Cessna, 172 RG Cutlass, Beech Sundowner, Rance Experimental, and now the Bonanza.
When pressed as to which was his favorite, he says that it's a close call between the 182 and the Bonanza.
"It's really a toss-up," he says. "But maybe the 182 because it's an all-around versatile."
"For anyone who flies, AirVenture is a must see. I go to Sun 'n Fun each year too, but that's dwarfed by Oshkosh."
"It's not just the planes, it's the camaraderie."
No sooner does Mike Mladejovsky tie down his plane in the North Forty than he's strapping on his backpack and heading off on foot.
Mike is from Salt Lake City, Utah, but he spends the first few days of his time at AirVenture visiting his daughter Sara who lives nearby.
This is Mike's seventh time to the fly-in since 1991. Usually his wife Diana is with him, but this year she has taken the other family plane, a Cessna 182, and flown up to Calgary, Canada to visit her parents.
Mike has been a pilot since 1985, but wife Diana was inspired by him about 7 years ago to learn how to fly.
Diana's father is a long-time pilot, and is retired from the Royal Canadian Air Force. Diana went through the whole process of learning to fly without telling either of her parents. After passing her check-ride, she revealed her accomplishment to them by landing the 182, unannounced, on the family airstrip.
Mike was born in Czechoslovakia. His family fled that nation in 1947. They lived in Australia until Mike was a teenager, then emigrated to the United States.
He's has been an airplane enthusiast since childhood, but wasn't able to pursue his dream until after his kids finished college.
Like so many others, the cost of his kids' education delayed his entry into aviation.
"For the amount I paid for their college, I could have bought a plane a year," he jokes.
Now he and Diana have the 182, and the PA20 Short Wing Piper Pacer that he's flown to AirVenture this year.
"An airplane is really a good investment," he says. "Unlike an RV where the value goes down when you drive off the lot. But my airplanes are worth much more now than when I bought them."
Mike likes to see some new sights as he flies to Oshkosh so he swerves a little bit from his main course by hitting the "nearest airport" button on his GPS. Then he'll divert ten to twenty degrees to see what's over there.
Although the flight from Salt Lake can be made in one day, weather forced Mike to spend a night on this trip in Jefferson Iowa.
While in Jefferson, Mike bumped into another Pacer fan, an EAA member who is working on a Pacer project. This friendly stranger gave Mike a ride from the airport and a little tour of the town.
Sam and Dennis Gill are a little bit famous. Their 1976 172 Skylark II was one of the first aircraft parked in the North 40 this year.
Its picturesque position, all by itself in the grass, far out from row one, led to it being a popular photo subject. And one picture was featured in the local newspaper.
The Gills
The Gills have been attending the AirVenture fly-in since 1980. In that time they have missed only 3 years. They like to park far down in the N40 like that because it puts them close to the showers and the shuttle bus stop.
Also, like so many AirVenture attendees, they've made friends with others who annually park in that area.
They used to park in the row immediately next to the shower building, but they've learned over the years that when it rains hard, a puddle forms in that spot. Local knowledge.
The first year they attended the fly-in they looked in the phone book for a place to rent bicycles. They ended up renting from a local couple, who have since become the Gill's good friends. The two couples now socialize and exchange gifts during the Gill's annual visit.
"When we're planning our trip here," says Sam, "one of the things we try to figure out is 'what are we going to give John?'"
And the bikes are now free.
The Gills are from Goldsboro, North Carolina. Dennis was born in Milwaukee, and in 1947 he went into the Army Air Corp. He served as a flight engineer in the military for 43 years.
Some of the aircraft he served in were the C-130, KC-97, C-46, C-47, C-119, and finally he retired on KC-10s based at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in Goldsboro.
These days he and Sam fly their 172 out of Mt. Olive Airport.
Father and son, Roger and Matt Tener, are from Wichita, Kansas. They arrived at the fly-in this year on Friday in the Beech A36 Bonanza that belongs to their flying club.
They're expecting a few other planes from the club here at AirVenture later in the week. One year the club had five of its planes attending the fly-in.
Roger and Matt Tener
The club is called the Beech Employees Flying Club even though they are all Raytheon employees these days. They've been allowed to retain the Beech name, which they do proudly. The club is based at Beech field in Wichita.
Roger first came to the Oshkosh fly-in in 1991 as part of a group celebrating the 50th anniversary of the club. He was hooked, and has come every year since.
The flight from Kansas is usually about a 3 1/2 hour trip, but this year they stopped on Thursday night in Bloomington, Illinois to visit friends.
The stop in Illinois was convenient because a weather front, that they had seen ahead of them before landing, passed overhead during the night, and Friday's flight was clear flying.
At AirVenture they now both volunteer in the Warbirds area. Roger is in maintenance, and Matt in aircraft marshalling on the T-6 flightline.
Matt started coming to AirVenture in 1998. One of his favorite memories is when the restored Boeing 307 was first here.
Matt is 22 years old, and has recently enlisted in the Air Force. He's expecting his orders to basic training soon. He's hoping for a career as a loadmaster. He has a cousin who served in that role during the first Gulf War, and Matt thinks that would be a great job.
Both of the Teners are members of EAA Chapter 88 in Wichita, "the Jayhawk Chapter", and they are proudly flying a Chapter banner over their campsite.
The Chapter just held its annual fly-in. It's the 41st one they've held. It attracted about 80 aircraft of all types and sizes.
Kevin Smith arrived at AirVenture 2004 as part of the Bonanza Caravan. He was the final Bonanza in the arrival, just ahead of the twin Barons. Due to the odd number of aircraft, unlike all the other groups of three, he made the hop up from Rockford as a flight of one.
"I didn't have to concentrate as hard on the formation flying," he says, "so I was able to see the sights."
Kevin Smith
This is Kevin's third time arriving in the Bonanza group. It's his 12th consecutive year here at the fly-in. He's from Chesapeake, Virginia.
Like so many others, some of his strongest memories of the fly-in are the weather. The year we had multiple days of 100 degree temps were "100% absolutely miserable," he says.
Nevertheless he's a firm believer in camping each year. "Camping on the field is the way to go."
As his 12 year streak of attending AirVenture shows you, he loves the fly-in.
"This is where it's at," he says. "It's a trek to Mecca. There are so many things to do and see. The possibilities are unlimited."
"Anyone will find their interests here," he continues. "Even for non-aviation people, it's a great event."
In between AirVentures, Kevin is pretty active in the Bonanza owners groups. He's an active participant in various email discussion groups.
"They're a tremendous source of info and advice about these aircraft," he says.
Kevin has been a pilot since 1990, and the 1962 B35 Bonanza that he arrived in this year is his third one. He's owned it for four years, and logs about 250 hours a year. All three of his Bonanzas have been V-tails. His first was a 1950 B35, then a 1953 D model.
Kevin is retired from the Coast Guard, where he served on ships and boats doing Search & Rescue. These days he's a corporate pilot for Craft Engineering of Hampton, Virginia.
Bob and Erica Miller, are a father and daughter from Buffalo, New York. This is their sixth visit to the EAA fly-in, and they never want to miss another.
Bob and Erica Miller
AirVenture is an opportunity for them to spend both quality and quantity time together. "It's a time for us to get together, without the demands of work and other thing," says Bob.
Erica is only fourteen, but she plans to get her pilot certificate as soon as possible. At AirVenture she particularly likes the Warbirds. "The big ones," she smiles.
Bob can't say enough nice things about the fly-in. He loves the friendly community that springs up each summer. He marvels at how safe and trustworthy it is.
"When we started coming here Erica was 8, but I never had any concerns of her running around on her own. The people are so friendly."
"And the fly-in is a great opportunity to meet and talk to the legends of aviation," he goes on. "The Theater in the Woods sessions are a great highlight. And the air traffic controllers here are the best in the country. They make it easy."
Bob's been flying for 25 years, and is a Flight Instructor. He and Erica came to AirVenture in his Cessna 210, which he's owned for 6 years.
Before that he had rented aircraft, until his accountant pointed out to him that, with all the airline travel he did for his work, he could buy a plane and make it pay for itself.
They also use it for a lot of family adventures. They just returned from a "weekend escape" to the Bahamas. They will often fill the fourth seat with a friend and head off for a flying adventure.
In all his years of flying, Bob says his greatest disappointment is that he waited so long to start coming to AirVenture.
He and Erica love coming the fly-in, so they have a pact.
"I agreed to bring Erica here each year," says Bob.
"And I've promised," says Erica, "that when he's old and in wheelchair I'll fly him here to AirVenture every year."
Dave, Matt and Paul are three Nebraska boys sitting in the shade of a Tri-Pacer's wing. The airshow has just ended and they're watching the activity around the Classic camping area and out on Runway 36.
Dave is from Schuyler, and owns a Tri-Pacer which is parked in the next spot over.
Paul Edmunds is from Omaha and owns the plane that is making all this good shade.
Matt, the youngster of this group, is from Lincoln, and is Dave's son.
Dave and Matt have been coming to the fly-in for 20 years, and Paul came for his first time sometime in the 80s.
They love being here each year.
"It's like a candy store," says Dave. "It makes you drool."
They talk about the changes over the years.
"I miss the Eagles," says Matt, "and Bob Hoover. And the Concorde's visits stand out."
Dave agrees that Bob Hoover was great to watch. "It's too bad we're not gonna see anyone like Bob Hoover again."
"And Charlie Hilliard is missed," adds Paul.
"But [[Bobby Yonkin]] reminds me a little of Hoover," says Dave. "He performs with finesse. I like that. It's not just about raw horsepower."
And like so many AirVenture visitors they rave about the friendliness.
"You don't often meet someone in aviation," says Paul, "who isn't friendly."
"The pilot world is so full of nice and neat people," agrees Dave.
They come to AirVenture each year to see the planes, and the people, and just to sit back.
"We're looking forward to relaxing and taking it all in," says Matt.
Paul is interested in the new Sport Pilot Rule. "I want to learn more about it. It will be an opportunity for us older guys to keep flying longer."
Dave jumps in. "My wife isn't looking forward to when I can't fly anymore. I'll be around the house too much."
Dave and Paul have been friends for a long time. They met when Dave was visiting an FBO one day. His Tri-Pacer, which some people think is an unusual looking plane, was sitting out on the ramp.
Dave heard an overly loud voice call out. "Who has that ugly Tri-Pacer out there."
Dave responded, "You better be a Tri-Pacer owner too."
"I turned to see Paul standing there," says Dave, "and we've been great friends ever since.
Jerry Payne is an LSU fan from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He arrived at this year's AirVenture with the Bonanza Caravan. His 8th time arriving with the group.
For each of the past three years he's been bringing one of his six grandkids with him to the fly-in. This year it's 10 year old Cody's turn.
Jerry has been flying for 21 years, and coming to AirVenture for 13 years. He flew in in his 1973 Bonanza B35B, which he's owned for three years. Before this one he also owned a "K model" and another B.
Back home he's a member of EAA Chapter 256. He's a big supporter of Young Eagles and has flown about 35 kids.
Paul Kauffman is from Traverse City, Michigan, and he came to AirVenture 2004 via the Lake Michigan Ferry.
"I usually fly here," Paul says in a casual tone, "but two weeks ago I crashed my airplane."
Paul is 85 years old. In the late 60s he began work on a BD-4 which he finished in 1985.
He's been a pilot since 1932. "I've gotten rides in all the antiques," he says. He's owned a few great planes too. A Champ, Mooney, Piper Colt, and Pacer, are the ones that come to mind.
The only plane he's owned that he didn't love was a motorglider that needed a lot of work. "I spent six months making it airworthy," he says, "then I gave it away."
Paul is a volunteer here at AirVenture. He drives one of the Homebuilders Welcome Wagons which is sponsored by his home field, Cherry Capitol Airport.
Two weeks ago, Paul was taking off Traverse City, and on climb-out the engine of his BD-4 failed. He and the airplane went into the water near the shore of Lake Michigan, where Paul ended hanging upside down in the straps.
"Some people joke that I didn't walk away from this crash, that I swam away. But at my age I don't do much swimming, so I had to wait for a boat to come out and get me."
He came away from the crash with only some bumps and bruises, but the plane was totaled.
Paul has been coming to the EAA fly-in since the Rockford days.
"I only missed one year," he says. "That was the first time I crashed my plane."
But that's another story.
Dennis Dow is here at AirVenture for the first time. He arrived as part of the International Stinson Club's group arrival on Monday.
His initial reaction to the fly-in is, "magnificient!"
Dennis Dow
"For an aviation guy," he continues, "it's all interesting. Astounding, there's so much of it."
Dennis is from Sacramento, California and flies out of Sacramento Executive Airport, "SacExec".
He flew here in his 1948 Stinson 108-3 with a friend from Sacramento. In Battle Mountain, Nevada, they rendezvoused with another Stinson from Petaluma, California.
They, and almost 40 other Stinsons, met up in Watertown, Wisconsin where they received training on flying in trail, and were briefed on the details of their group arrival.
Dennis loved the group flight.
"It's absolutely a highlight of anything I've done in aviation. When we got all lined up, and started engines, it made the hair stand up on the back of my neck."
Dennis has been a pilot since 1984 and has logged over 1,450 hours. 1,100 of them in his Stinson 108, which he's owned since 1991.
Back in California he goes on lots of flights around the area. Out to the Coast, over to wine country, and up to the Mt. Shasta area.
Dennis is a member of EAA Vintage Chapter 25 in Sacramento, where he's active with many others in the Young Eagles program. He's also the newsletter editor and webeditor of the Stinson club. The Stinson Club's website can be seen at www.stinsonclub.org.
Mark Coyne is stretched out on the grass under the wing of a Stinson. But it turns out not to be his plane. He's waiting for a friend he's never met yet.
"The guy who owns this plane is the uncle of a friend of mine," he explains, and he's been told that they should meet.
While he waits we talk about his Oshkosh experiences.
Mark is from Waunakee, Wisconsin and this is his 8th year at AirVenture. He drove here this year, and is staying in Camp Scholler.
Like us all, he revels in the fly-in's atmosphere. "Pick out any one thing. It's all good."
Mark works in the medical industry and is interested this year in learning more about the Angel Flight program. He's also talking with the AirVenture staff about ways to improve access to the event for the disabled.
Back in Waunakee he owns a Comanche 25 which he flies on trips all over the country. He regularly visits places like Denver, Dallas, and the Bahamas. He recently visited his parents in Idaho where they work as National Park hosts.
As we left him, Mark was still stretched out on the grass, watching the airplanes on runway 36, and waiting to meet a new friend.
Jim Waldron is from Baltimore, Maryland. He arrived last Saturday for his 19th consecutive visit to the EAA fly-in.
"It's a shot in the arm," he says. "Where I live there's all sorts of airspace restriction due to Homeland Security, but to come here, it's a shot of adrenaline to see that things are OK."
Jim Waldron
"I will continue to come here as long as I am able."
Coming to AirVenture every year can sometimes involve sacrifice. This year Jim chose to come here rather than attend a friend's wedding.
"He came to me when he was planning the date," Mark says, "and I told him that AirVenture is always the same week. They held the wedding now anyway, and I told him sorry."
Jim assured his friend that he'd make it up to him. "I told him I'd definitely be at his next wedding."
Even though he's been coming to the fly-in for so many years, Jim says there are still surprises.
"There's always something new. For example, this year I was wandering and I saw a Ryan that was new to me."
"And the exhibitors never fail to amaze," he says, "with the new innovations, and all the new products."
Jim has been a pilot for 34 years. He came to AirVenture this year in his 1949 Navion. This plane won "Best Navion" at the EAA fly-in in 1991, and Jim bought it the year after that.
He flies out of Forest Hill Industrial Airpark in Forest Hills, Maryland.
He's owned many other planes over the years, two Luscombs, a Stinson, a Cessna 170, a Piper. But his current plane is his favorite.
"The Navion is by far my favorite. All GA planes are compromises. One may be fast, but not comfortable, others the reverse. The Navion does a whole lot of things just right."
Jim is a board member and VP of the American Navion Society. Two weeks ago they held their annual convention in Glens Falls, New York. There were about 50 planes there.
Mark and Kim Holbein are sitting next to their blue and white Piper Comanche getting ready to make some supper in a little fry pan on a tiny propane burner.
They've been coming to the EAA fly-in since 1992. At first they came in their Cessna 172 and stayed with a local woman. But then Kim stopped coming for a few years, and Mark started camping with his plane to be closer to the action.
Mark and Kim Holbein
A couple years ago Kim decided to return, but she wasn't wild about the idea of camping.
"I'm more of a Holiday Inn kind of person," she says. "But I agreed to stay in the tent. On the first night we had a huge storm, but I slept right through it. So I'm OK about it now. But my friends at home can't believe that I go camping in a tent."
Mark and Kim are very involved in volunteerism back home in Freeport, Pennsylvania, and that continues here, where they pitch in as Driver/Host for one of the Red Route trams that shuttles up and down the flightline. They spend 6 hours a day, all week, on the tram.
"One of us is the driver, and the other sits at the back and talks to the riders," says Mark with a grin in his face. "Guess which of us is the talker."
"I am," says Kim laughing.
For the Holbeins the greatest thing about AirVenture is the sharing. They enjoy having the folks from neighboring planes, and even strangers who walk by, sit down and share a drink and a story.
They fondly tell about how last year Paul Poberezney offered them a ride in Red One, and how he insisted on taking them from the flightline all the way to their car in the parking lot.
"He was so cute and adorable," Kim says about Paul"
Kim and Mark fly out of McVille Airport back in Ohio.
Walt Wyvill is from Amherst, Ohio and first came to the EAA fly-in about 25 years ago.
Walt Wyvill
"It was one of the first years the it was here in Oshkosh," he remembers. "We came here for a few years and then started going to Sun 'n Fun instead. But then I started coming back here."
Walt flew in this year in his 1946 Aeronca 7AC. Walt and this aircraft have an interesting history.
He originally bought it in 1955. He reaches into the cockpit and pulls out a tattered old logbook that contains the entry for the first time he flew it. A training flight on June 14, "straight & level flight, turns, approach to landing."
After owning it for a few years, the demands of life and family required Walt to sell the taildragger. It remained at his home airport and eventually ended up sitting in a hangar, where it remained unused for 30 years.
Five years ago Walt reacquired the now tattered and torn plane for $1, and spent a year restoring it.
Many of Walt's fondest memories from the early days are of the Theater in the Woods presentations.
"I loved the performers they had back then. And there was no roof overhead in those days, but if it rained you didn't move. You just stayed put"
Walt get a little emotional when he tells of his fondest Oshkosh memory.
During one of his first visits he, his wife and their young son attended the evening session. Chuck Yeager has concluded the show, and people were standing to leave.
Walt and his wife looked around to discover the young boy had wandered off. They look around but he was no where to be seen.
Then they looked up on the stage to see their son sitting and talking with Yeager.
Walt climbed up on stage to retrieve the boy, and thank Yeager for his kindness, and Yeager looked to Walt and said. "That boy is really interesting. He taught me a lot."
The boy was a big Civil War fan and had told Yeager some things he never knew.
"The kindness that Chuck Yeager showed to this young stranger is something that I'll never forget."
Before arriving at AirVenture this year Walt attended the gyrocopter convention in Mentone, Ohio. He's currently building a tractor version gyrocopter which he expects will take "five more years" to complete.
Rodney, Duane and John fly out of Barnhart Memorial Airport in New Carlisle, Ohio.
Rodney, Duane and John
Rodney Jones has been coming to the EAA fly-in since it first moved here in Oshkosh. On his first visit he was a passenger in an L3 Defender which was owned by his friend, Roger James, and it was the 1000th showplane to arrive that year.
"That was the first year that more than 1000 planes came here," he claims.
Duane Jones is Rodney's son. "My son could fly before he could drive a car," Rodney say with pride. Duane started coming to the fly-in with his dad.
"I've been here 16 of the last 17 years. 19 or 20 years total," says Duane.
Duane especially likes the Warbirds. "I like the noise," he laughs.
"My dad was taking me to the airport ever since I was little," he says. "I could land a clip-wing Cub when I was 10 years old."
Duane, who is now 31, lives at the corner of his airport and owns three Champs. "One flying, one being restored, and one a wreck."
He is helping out here at the fly-in as part of the National Aeronca Association, where he is a Board Member.
"This is the first time I've been here for the whole week. It's a long time to be here, but I love it."
The Aeronca Association provides technical help for the different model airplanes, and publishes a magazine four times a year. They also put on a fly-in and airshow every other year in Middleton, Ohio, the birthplace of the Aeronca.
The third member of the trio, John Mercer, came to AirVenture this year with Duane. John first came to the EAA fly-in in 1970, and this is his first time back.
Of course his main impression of the changes over the years is the size of everything. "But it's gotten bigger in a good way," he says. "If you want to go to an airshow, this is the one."
John owns an L4 Cub and a Starduster, and also flies out of Barnhart Memorial.
Everyone who flies from Barnhart is a member of the Flying Angels Club. C.G. Taylor, the creator of the Taylorcraft, was a member. Astronaut Gus Grissom too.
The mission of the club is to "promote cheap, safe flying."
The three are also members of EAA Chapter 610. One notable project of the Chapter is that they're building a flyable Wright B Flyer.
In the Chapter Leaders Forum, John Newman of EAA Chapter 34, said that it's a mistake to think that you can manage and motivate volunteers like you train dogs: with rewards and punishment.
"The Navy discovered," he said, "that when you're training dolphins, you have to make it fun for them. You can't use punishment, or they'll just swim away. "
FAA Administrator Marion Blakey: "I love coming to Oshkosh and kicking the tires of history. Where the next great idea may be right beside you."
Jim Anderson is preparing his 1957 C180 for a Saturday morning departure from this year's AirVenture.
Jim Anderson
Jim arrived at the fly-in on Monday. This is his fifth time here since his first visit 15 years ago.
He enjoys the opportunity to learn about aircraft restoration, and also see the latest developments in homebuilts.
He's restored a 1942 Aeronca L3, which his wife and kids used to learn how to fly back in Denton Texas.
He's also been involved helping a friend to build an FEW Mustang, a two-thirds scale P51 homebuilt. But he says his favorite of the homebuilts is the RV.
"And I went to some good Forums this year," he says. "One on 'cockpit available weather' and another on some of the soon to be certificated new aircraft."
Jim has been flying since 1969. In addition to his personal flying, he flew for the Air Force and for Delta Airlines.
"I've flown everything from Kitfoxes to 767s."
Jim flew to the fly-in this year from his home airport Hidden Valley Airpark. Although he made the flight from Texas in one day, he did stop in Topeka, Kansas to visit with a friend.
Mike and Bonnie Stich are from Malvern, Ohio, near Canton. He's been coming to AirVenture since 1977, and she since the mid 80s.
In those early years they were coming to the fly-in separately, and didn't know each other. But they eventually met at their home airport, Canton-Akron.
Mike and Bonnie Stich
A year and a half ago they were married. They held the reception in the hangar, with their Commanche as a backdrop.
Mike has been flying since 1976. He's a corporate pilot, and flies Falcon 20s for J.M. Smucker.
One of Mike's fondest EAA memories is from the year when he and some friends were having drinks at the Pioneer Inn, and a man walked up and joked, "You have any Scotch over there?"
They laughed and confessed that they had none, but invited him to sit with them.
"He introduced himself as 'Greg Boyington'," says Mike, "and at first we didn't make the connection. But then it dawned on us, we were sitting with Pappy Boyington. He was an interesting individual."
Bonnie describes herself as a hobby and recreational pilot. She flies 150s and 172s. She is active in the 99s, particularly in educational programs, like helping Girl Scouts with their Aeronautics Badges, and teaching Flying Companion Seminars.
Cyber-Around the Field. While many of us are fortunate enough to be able to enjoy AirVenture from here in Oshkosh, other EAA members are not so fortunate. But they can still participate in some of the news and excitement via the internet.
Brad Pope, an EAA member from Woodstock Georgia, reported in via email.
He writes about how he uses the airventure.org website to follow the action. "From one who could not make it to the 'show' this year," says Brad, "thank you."
"Each day I visit the site to get the latest information and view the great photos. I catch myself studying the photos looking for familiar faces in the crowd. I look at the air show schedule and can mentally transport myself to the sidelines, watching the breathtaking performances and hearing the greatest sound on earth..airplane noise!"
Frank Porath is enjoying the fly-in from an even greater distance, Switzerland.
"I'm listening to the convention from the streaming radio on the internet. It's seven hours later here, but it's still great."
"I'm stuck here in Zurich while Oshkosh is on! I've flown in and camped there probably 26 times… So I'm glad you're on the air… even with the morning yodeller (even though I'm here in the Alps!)"
"You're helping to keep me sane."
David Grayson flies out of Lorain County Regional in Oberlin, Ohio. This is his second visit to AirVenture.
"I think this is just the greatest," David says. "I went to the Museum, and I had a chance to listen to a World War II veteran, a P-51 pilot, who was standing in front of the actual plane he flew, and I heard first-hand stories of his experiences. Where else can you get that?"
David Grayson
David came to AirVenture this year with a friend. Joachin is an avid pilot, but he's never been to AirVenture before, and David was thrilled to be able to show it to him.
"His blood boils even hotter than mine when it comes to aviation," David says of his friend.
"This is a kid who had his pilot's license before he could drive, and this year I looked forward to bringing him to AirVenture."
David tells how, even as an EAA member, he didn't understand the full significance of EAA until he started coming to the annual fly-in.
"I thought it was only about small planes. But it's also about a spirit. It's the same spirit that drove people into aviation 100 years ago. The ideas of EAA, and its members, are the same ideas that inspired aviators 100 years ago."
Well we've reached the end of another year at AirVenture. We met the boys from Nebraska, the father & daughter from Buffalo, the 85 year-old guy who, oh by the way, crashed his plane two weeks ago, and so many others.
The Spirit is alive and well. We have a new world of light sport aviation, and we have homebuilts that are going into space.
It's the second hundred years. And it's the passion and inventiveness that we see here each summer, that will make it even more exciting than the first hundred.
See you in '05.
— ATF