Airventure: Good, Bad, and Ugly

[FlyingRon]

Hey Ron, you probably should have noted that everything shutdown early on Wednesday due to the threat of severe weather. I was 30 miles NW and… the lightning was spectacular and scary at the same time. We got wind, my wx station clocked 52 mph. We got hail about quarter sized too but fortunately it wasn’t coupled with the wind. The really bad stuff didn’t hit us until around 2200. .

It didn't even start raining until 2200. It was a beautiful evening as I walked from Vintage up to the SOS brothers for dinner and back.


And here's the true ugly thing (at least for me). Just got the word that one of our volunteers who worked with me in our operations building has tested positive for COVID. He had gotten his vaccinations in January. I got mine in March, but I'm heading out to get tested tomorrow. I've also got to pull up the volunteer data and find out who volunteered with him during the week. (It's a good thing we track that. We did it for other reasons but this is going to be important).

[Mark17]

It didn't even start raining until 2200. It was a beautiful evening as I walked from Vintage up to the SOS brothers for dinner and back.


And here's the true ugly thing (at least for me). Just got the word that one of our volunteers who worked with me in our operations building has tested positive for COVID. He had gotten his vaccinations in January. I got mine in March, but I'm heading out to get tested tomorrow. I've also got to pull up the volunteer data and find out who volunteered with him during the week. (It's a good thing we track that. We did it for other reasons but this is going to be important).

This was my main worry with this years show. Please keep us posted Ron on how he’s doing and if any others come down as positive for Covid as well. I know I speak for all of us in saying we’re all pulling for him and wish him a speedy recovery! Thanks for sharing and we’ll keep him in our thoughts.

[catesby]

I did not volunteer, and hate to critique work done by others. However, I do have a bone to pick as to the tram "rules." On one occasion, we rode the tram to the last vintage stop, and were told that we had to disembark because others were waiting to board. That's fair enough, but the very next tram permitted a round trip on the part of its riders despite a lengthy line waiting to board. A little consistency would have been helpful. I also missed the cow shirts, which I have in the past purchased in quantity as the "price" for my family letting me attend. Otherwise -- we were there for a week, and my first show was in the mid 1980's - and my nits are a small price to pay for it resuming this year. We had a terrific time.

[FlyingRon]

This was my main worry with this years show. Please keep us posted Ron on how he’s doing and if any others come down as positive for Covid as well. I know I speak for all of us in saying we’re all pulling for him and wish him a speedy recovery! Thanks for sharing and we’ll keep him in our thoughts.

He seems to be doing well. I had a rapid antigen test today and came back negative and I probably spent more time in that office than anybody. Many of the others who worked at the same time have reported negative tests.
I've got a PCR test result pending as I'm scheduled to visit elderly relatives this weekend.

[FlyingRon]

We've lost lots of parking space over the years. Originally the flight light parking went all the way out to the Papa taxiway. After a DC-3 groundlooped into the ditch in the mid-90's, the FAA mandated the crowd line moved back substantially. Then a few years back in order to increase airport "security" an eight foot fence was erected around the property with an associated interior road that wiped more space. The EAA also has expanded the food offerings (not a bad thing) and added some more camp stores, etc... which ate in to aircraft spaces as well. On the other hand, more land has been turned over (the new "South 40" what we in Vintage had been calling Green Acres) and if they ever get all the heirs to the property across the road on board, some more space will be freed up down south.

[Airmutt]

EAA has purchased land south of the UL area on both sides of Knapp. Demolition of the existing buildings has occurred and the land prep is in work but it’s all part of a multi year project. Building a new building for the ULs came in cheaper than moving the UL Red Barn. I think it’s great that EAA is willing to invest in the UL and Light Sport community. Unfortunately it’s gonna make the hike down to that area very looong!!! I’m assuming that vintage guys will inherit the area once the jump is made. Actually the DC-3 attempted to takeoff without the tail wheel locked. Does that qualify as a ground loop or just loss of directional control?

[tnathan]

EAA has purchased land south of the UL area on both sides of Knapp. Demolition of the existing buildings has occurred and the land prep is in work but it’s all part of a multi year project. Building a new building for the ULs came in cheaper than moving the UL Red Barn. I think it’s great that EAA is willing to invest in the UL and Light Sport community. Unfortunately it’s gonna make the hike down to that area very looong!!! I’m assuming that vintage guys will inherit the area once the jump is made. Actually the DC-3 attempted to takeoff without the tail wheel locked. Does that qualify as a ground loop or just loss of directional control?

I think that’s a good point too. I a surprised in the investment eaa makes for an event that is fOr 1 week only. Lots of land and buildings that get used for 7 days,


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[Mark17]

He seems to be doing well. I had a rapid antigen test today and came back negative and I probably spent more time in that office than anybody. Many of the others who worked at the same time have reported negative tests.
I've got a PCR test result pending as I'm scheduled to visit elderly relatives this weekend.

That’s great news Ron! Happy to hear that you and the others have come back negative as well! Keep us posted on any new developments but that’s so great to hear for now anyway! You guys do such a great job putting this event on every year and put in so much of your personal time and effort to do so. So thank you so much- It’s greatly appreciated by all who attend Oshkosh!

[CHICAGORANDY]

"The color of the tram is designated by a tiny flag on the rear that you might only notice after it passes by"

There is also a colored pennant on the tractor to indicate which route. Both the front and rear pennants are mounted on long wooden dowels so that any tram can easily and quickly be put into service on any route as the need arises.

For all practical purposes there are only three 'main' routes - Red to the North, Yellow in the middle, and Blue to the South. While on the route a tram is pretty much always going in the direction the tractor is facing (easier on the tires that way) so there really can't be all that much confusion. And at the two main terminals Blue-Yellow and Red-Yellow there is almost always tram staff available to assist the lost, plus that conductor at the rear DOES have a microphone to annnounce such info as needed.

[Ronald Franck]

I don't want to start a new thread for just one topic so I'll post this here under the "Good, Bad and Ugly" banner.
Friday evening after the airshow I was headed northbound on 41 from 26, (southwest of the convention grounds).
In the sky over 41 were two powered parachutes crusing directly over the median of the highway at less than 500 feet.
I didn't think traffic from the Fun Fly Zone were permitted that far west of the field. Correct me if I'm wrong.
In any case, if there had been a mishap it would have reflected poorly on the aviation community. When it comes to public relations we need to avoid stunts like this.
OK, that's my rant. back to work.