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Thread: Where were the 20's & 30's big round engine vintage aircraft?

  1. #51

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    I have not looked at the Oshkosh airport map since I flew in there in my J-3 many years ago. However if there is room would it be possible to extend (!) one of the paved runway with, in effect, a grass overrun area where the older aircraft could touch down. It is just a thought and I have seen such airports which worked very well...made me feel very welcome with my no-brakes railskid equipped Taylor E-2 Cub. Even in a three wheel equipped Taylor J-2 without brakes, I hated the thought of landing on pavement...that horrible sinking feeling was potentially there ...with the thought of the wheels "locking on" to the pavement while the rest of the airplane wanted to keep on going to one side....ugh!!!
    I should think another factor not mentioned (not that one can do much about it!) is the weather. We have seen "Sploshkosh" and we have seen the winds at Sun 'n Fun and these sort of things can have a great impact on the pilot/owner psyche. I have talked to pilots who since then have had some very sobering thoughts about such a trip...and am sure it did have an impact.
    Perhaps for older aircraft, local clubs/groups around the country could "volunteer" to invite pilots to use their "grass runways", enroute to and from AirVenture? With some local support around the country, pilots could pick up specific "migration flyways" to follow to get to Oshkosh and Sun 'n Fun as well as certain other gatherings? Actually it could become quite competitive and thus provide more grass, parking and fuel supply offerings. Eventually fields could get approval ratings as "EAA Vintage Flyway" hospitality locations for vintage aircraft? Thus there could be as much pleasure in the "going" and "coming" as there would be in "being there"? Perhaps the Vintage Division could provide such fiels with large "VINTAGE FLYWAY" decals to be displyed at such fields?
    I think it important to realise that many of the bigger and "modern" airports -being staffed with highly- trained specialist personnel and the most modern of equipment- are simply not equipped to handle vintage operations. Perhaps we should pity them, for their experience and wisdom is obviously both "narrow" and "limited".
    We denigrate our past if we do not keep the vintage aircraft flying. Each such aircraft is a flying and mobile museum. How shall we understand our present and our future if we do not understand our past?

  2. #52
    rosiejerryrosie's Avatar
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    Two great suggestions! A list of 'welcoming airports' would be a great incentive to make the looong trip (three fuel stops is a looong trip and it doesn't take very far to qualify if you're flying an airplane with a max fuel capacity of 12 gallons). The decals are a great idea.
    Cheers,
    Jerry

    NC22375
    65LA out of 07N Pennsylvania

  3. #53
    steveinindy's Avatar
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    with, in effect, a grass overrun area where the older aircraft could touch down
    Oh you mean the special F-16 parking area that was debuted this year?

  4. #54
    Rick Rademacher's Avatar
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    I have been reading this discussion with great interest. Being just a lowly J-3 Cub owner, I must apologize to this group for asking the EAA to let Cubs parked in your reserved area. It only took the EAA staff two seconds to shoot down that idea. I now hope that the parking area reserved for Cubs on this 75 anniversary doesn’t make others unhappy. You see, this won’t happen again until the 100th anniversary of the Cub.

    Using www.cubs2oshkosh.com, we are trying to create a means for Cubs to join with other for the slow flight and note places to stop for food, fuel and overnight stays.

    The EAA staff is trying to help us attract over 200 Cubs by adding incentives to those Cub owners who take the time to fly to AirVennture 2012.But again, this will only occur once every 25 years for the Cubs.

    And yes, grass would be nice for us too!

  5. #55
    steveinindy's Avatar
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    Being just a lowly J-3 Cub owner, I must apologize to this group for asking the EAA to let Cubs parked in your reserved area.
    Lowly? You kidding me? One of the few low and slow planes I want is a Cub, especially painted as an L-Bird.

    It only took the EAA staff two seconds to shoot down that idea. I now hope that the parking area reserved for Cubs on this 75 anniversary doesn’t make others unhappy.
    If they need more space, the EAA could always take back that little area occupied most years by that group of WWII reenactors. There's always several Cubs parked back over there behind that anyhow and I think most people would be much more interested in seeing all of the L-bird painted Cubs lined up there next to the rest of the warbirds rather than just a bunch of tents.

  6. #56

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    Taking my previous suggestion a little further, perhaps there should be thought given to a series of publicised definite "flyways" -same as for geese, ducks, swans, whooping cranes etc. Each "flyway" would be like a river with all manner of tributaries leading towards it. This might prove an incentive to airports and FBOs who would like the "interesting" traffic and publicity...and they might get to sell more gas and hangarage etc. It might also be a wonderful (as in "WONDERFUL"!!!) opportunity to gain local attention for smaller airports...and might bring diffuse benefits to the local communities by way of accomodation, restaurants etc. This could continue to raise the EAA profile in "small town America". There would be opportunities for magazine and newspaper articles etc. "The GREAT EAA VINTAGE MIGRATION". (Just thinking out loud here...) There is probably a world of possibilities once people put their minds to it. This might also garner the co-operative attention of the AAA (I was once a member)...so the EAA better get to it lest the AAA beat them to the job? These "flyways" could even be coded with the names of notable "helpers" to those interested in vintage aviation...for example one along the north edge of New York State might be named the "Ed Kastner Vintage Flyway". Ed was a truly great guy and he would have been thrilled! The possibilities are limited only by human imagination. I am sure there are many "local" people -not necessarily widely known- who are loved as much as was Ed Kastner by those who benefited from his knowledge and help. Airfields near national borders could be labelled "Flyway International Portals". The flyways -if considered of sufficient merit- would also lead to the linking up of many people of similar interests/aircraft types.....kind of like the "70 Knotters" tours. Thus the great fly-ins could become enroute grand tours/parties. This thought gets me going - so I might as well go out into the cold and check out my bird while telling it that better times might soon be a-coming...
    Perhaps the idea deserves serious consideration?

  7. #57
    rosiejerryrosie's Avatar
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    Again, Garth, A great idea! It would make not only the destination but the trip a memorable experience. It may take a couple of years to put it all together, but the effort would be well worth it, and it could grow each year as new routes/airports are added. The trip would look like a number of small airport fly ins strung together. The socialization opportrunities are endless...I have a couple of airports in south Central Pennsylvania that we could add to the mix if the project ever got off the ground..
    Cheers,
    Jerry

    NC22375
    65LA out of 07N Pennsylvania

  8. #58
    Rick Rademacher's Avatar
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    Did someone mention a 70 Knotter trip? I am ready to go! These three pictures were taken on a 2001 trip planned by me. I hate to miss a meal and we didn’t on this trip. I second the notion that more should go on a 70 Knotter type of group flight by spending a whole week flying and having great fun together with other pilots and family. Name:  DCP_0085.jpg
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  9. #59
    Rick Rademacher's Avatar
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    The following are pictures from the 2005 70 Knotter trip that I planned. I have been on most, planned a few and recognize that some of the best trips were developed by others. Didn’t make the 2011 trip to Canada because they don’t recognize a sport pilot’s license!
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  10. #60

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    Birds of a feather - flock TOGETHER!!!

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