I don’t know why, but I very suddenly have been hit with a strong desire to go to EAA Airventure 2005 (yes, I wrote 2004 the first time, sue me), or “Oshkosh” as everybody who has ever been calls it. I can think of very little else these days. I looked at the club’s schedule, and sure enough 3 planes are already booked for that week, but the Lance wasn’t. So I’ve booked the Lance for just sort of “on spec”, but I will be looking for others to go with me. Or I might decide no to fly myself and go in the “airlift” – the local EAA chapter charters an airliner and one fee gets you the flights there and back, and dorm accomodation.
Last time I went with some people from the flying club, and for me there were several major disappointments:
- We didn’t get there early enough in the week. This year it starts on a Monday and goes to Sunday, and I’d love to fly in on the Saturday or Sunday and leave on the following Saturday or Sunday.
- The guys I was with always wanted to leave to go back to the place we stayed while the airshow was still going on. I would rather stay to the end.
- The place we stayed was these people’s basement, and they had WAY too many people crammed into the basement, there was WAY too much snoring going on, the basement bathroom was WAY to small and poorly ventilated so it got soaking wet after a few people had had their showers, and the breakfasts they provided were 100% carb based and totally inedible by me.
If I don’t take advantage of the airlift, I think I’d like to camp on the field. Maybe not as comfortable, and some years they’ve had some major storms and other inconveniences, but at least I could leave the show when I wanted to.
Last time I went, I spent most of my time trying to photograph planes on the flight line, and scoping out toys (GPSes and ANR headsets). While I’d love a new GPS, I’m not really in the market for one – what I’d really love is a way to fly more rather than more toys to take with me when I do fly. I’d love to find out more about home building, but with my bad knees I’m not going to be standing over a work bench for hours at a time any time soon. This time I think I’d like to go to some of the seminars and maybe go poke around the ultralights and seaplane bases more, and see the EAA museum and see all the airshows, but mostly just drink in the atmosphere and have fun.
I don’t know why, but I very suddenly have been hit with a strong desire to go to EAA Airventure 2004,
My Darling, I don’t know how to break this to you, but … it’s over.
I assume you mean Airventure 2005, because you didn’t mention anything about time travel. =8-)
Funny you mention this, as I have been feeling the same way lately, and just today mentioned to Brenda that I really want to go again this year. Even if fly commercially and stay for a couple days, I really want to go. That warbird flightline is simply unbelievable. Screw the vendors, I go to see/hear/touch the planes. Maybe I’ll pick up a brochure for a Van’s RV-8.
Yeah, homebuilding. You & I can walk the homebuilt flightline, and you’ll fall in love with the whole idea, bad knees or no. OSH 2003 was when I walked the line with another internet friend (who is building an RV-8) and I became totally enamored with the idea of building a plane. That’s the long-term goal.
Hopefully the cards will all be in our favor and we’ll both end up at Whittman Field this summer.
I recommend Sun And Fun instead. All the same vendors are there, it’s more laid back, the food is light-years better, and the airshow’s just as good.
And, I’ll be there, so I can buy you a beer.