I'm safely back home after my nine glorious days of tram conducting. Attendance - guests and GA aircraft - seemed down from last year? I dunno. But it was still a grand event. By and large airplane people iz good people.
For all the tram conductors it was like 'old home week' having our backs and kidneys pounded by all the same potholes and uneven pavement cracks on all the routes that we have 'enjoyed' for decades. Maybe the grand decision makers at EAA HQ should be given a few tram rides on Blue, Yellow and Red sitting at the conductor positions to share the joy we've been feeling all day long for all these years? Surely they do realize that the tram carts have very limited suspension systems? Thank the gods for Ibuprofen and Acetominophen.
As always the Blue-Yellow tram turnaround terminal operated flawlessly and its sister terminal Red-Yellow remained a pedestrian and tram operations nightmare. A true avoidable accident waiting to happen. There IS plenty of empty land space sitting idle at the Red-Yellow site to directly mirror the existing Blue-Yellow. Safe passenger transfers and quicker simplified tractor/tram movements would be the immediate positive result. This issue was also a major complaint last year that obviously was ignored by the "EAA powers that be". It is NOT unique to EAA for decision makers to never listen to or consult with the people who actually perform the tasks the decision makers are regulating for their valuable input. Not unique but still a PITA.
And another AirVenture has come and gone with NO Porta-Potties at the tram terminals. Tram passengers and of course the volunteers DO suffer as a result.
My legitimate complaints will of course have NO bearing on my volunteering for next year and every year thereafter for as long as my aging body will permit. "Somebody" has to tell my corny dad jokes. I DO luv me some airplanes even though I am not a real-life pilot. Microsoft Flight Sim allows me to feed my life-long passion for aviation.
Thanks for listening.