glider90
08-05-2013, 07:55 AM
I joked to my wife at to Oshkosh that I think the theme should be "Return to Glory" for 2013. This was based mainly upon a weather forecast that resembled the conditions I recalled when I attended as a child in the 70's when sweatshirts outsold T-shirts. Also we secured a camping spot on 55th street which is where we always camped back then, not on 12th as we were in 2010 and 2011.
We arrived on Saturday the 27th, and left on Saturday the 3rd, and in my opinion this was one of the best conventions I have attended, and this was my 38th.
The lack of modern military did not hinder the show at all; in fact it may have helped. It was great to see FiFi as the main attraction, as she was in the 70's and 80's. I did not miss the noise of jets, and the Harrier provided plenty. I am curious to see what impact this had on the attendance…it ‘felt’ down to me but at an event this large it is hard to tell. The food options were impressive, especially since many of the vendors were on their first run of it. The ultralight area had fewer vendors, but the pattern stayed busy. The new electric options seemed to breathe some new energy into the area. HQ listened and adjusted the things we all complained the most about, chalets, speaker stacks, and food and beverage.
As I rode the tram to the ultralights one morning I was pondering if this was as good as "the good ol days". I then recalled that in those days we did not have trams, or the food options we have now. There were many years that the daily Airventure Today" newspaper did not exist either, which is a morning staple for me. Now we can get text alerts with up to the minute details. Additionally the Warbirds in Review, warbird tram tour, re-enactors have made the warbird area come to life. Homebuilts may be a little off the path now, but the workshops have more sponsorship help and the hombuilders hanger is much nicer than it was 20 years ago. As a second generation attendee now bringing my own children, I am really impressed with the effort that has gone into Kidventure. I am almost jealous of the fun my kids get to have!
The daily airshows are not the main draw to me. I hit two of them to see the acts I want to see. The Texas Flying Legends, Tora Tora Tora, and EAA Warbirds bomber formation on Friday were fantastic. These reminded me of the 1995 “Return to Valor” shows which were the best ever done on that field. Please, please make the Texas Flying Legends an annual part of the show.
The cherry on top for me this year was hearing the Bill Ricketts yodel every morning, even though it is a recording it stirs the childhood memories of beating a path from Camp Scholler to the Warbirds with hopes to get there before the yodeler yelled "Let's Go Get EM!". Jerry Sleger was there again, and I can only hope that when the day comes that he does retire that there is a recording and a memorial to him as well. Walking through the gate and hearing his music are part of what makes Oshkosh Oshkosh.
I still do not like the policy change that it is acceptable to drop your chairs on the flightline at 6:00am and leave them there unattended all day. I keep telling myself to do the same rather than complain, but somehow it just seems so wrong that I cannot bring myself to do it.
Thank you Jack Pelton, EAA staff, volunteers, sponsors, and Hal Bryan for the daily updates. I know the theme was “Only in Oshkosh”, but to me it was Return to Glory, and it felt like the good old days…only better.
Jim Buxton
EAA 332590
We arrived on Saturday the 27th, and left on Saturday the 3rd, and in my opinion this was one of the best conventions I have attended, and this was my 38th.
The lack of modern military did not hinder the show at all; in fact it may have helped. It was great to see FiFi as the main attraction, as she was in the 70's and 80's. I did not miss the noise of jets, and the Harrier provided plenty. I am curious to see what impact this had on the attendance…it ‘felt’ down to me but at an event this large it is hard to tell. The food options were impressive, especially since many of the vendors were on their first run of it. The ultralight area had fewer vendors, but the pattern stayed busy. The new electric options seemed to breathe some new energy into the area. HQ listened and adjusted the things we all complained the most about, chalets, speaker stacks, and food and beverage.
As I rode the tram to the ultralights one morning I was pondering if this was as good as "the good ol days". I then recalled that in those days we did not have trams, or the food options we have now. There were many years that the daily Airventure Today" newspaper did not exist either, which is a morning staple for me. Now we can get text alerts with up to the minute details. Additionally the Warbirds in Review, warbird tram tour, re-enactors have made the warbird area come to life. Homebuilts may be a little off the path now, but the workshops have more sponsorship help and the hombuilders hanger is much nicer than it was 20 years ago. As a second generation attendee now bringing my own children, I am really impressed with the effort that has gone into Kidventure. I am almost jealous of the fun my kids get to have!
The daily airshows are not the main draw to me. I hit two of them to see the acts I want to see. The Texas Flying Legends, Tora Tora Tora, and EAA Warbirds bomber formation on Friday were fantastic. These reminded me of the 1995 “Return to Valor” shows which were the best ever done on that field. Please, please make the Texas Flying Legends an annual part of the show.
The cherry on top for me this year was hearing the Bill Ricketts yodel every morning, even though it is a recording it stirs the childhood memories of beating a path from Camp Scholler to the Warbirds with hopes to get there before the yodeler yelled "Let's Go Get EM!". Jerry Sleger was there again, and I can only hope that when the day comes that he does retire that there is a recording and a memorial to him as well. Walking through the gate and hearing his music are part of what makes Oshkosh Oshkosh.
I still do not like the policy change that it is acceptable to drop your chairs on the flightline at 6:00am and leave them there unattended all day. I keep telling myself to do the same rather than complain, but somehow it just seems so wrong that I cannot bring myself to do it.
Thank you Jack Pelton, EAA staff, volunteers, sponsors, and Hal Bryan for the daily updates. I know the theme was “Only in Oshkosh”, but to me it was Return to Glory, and it felt like the good old days…only better.
Jim Buxton
EAA 332590