Pilgrimage to Mecca - airplane, that is.

andrew Mon Aug 01, 2022 9:36 am

I had the chance to spend 4 days at Oshkosh (Airventure 2022). We flew out of western KY and parked/camped in the Vintage Section in one of the spaces closest to the N/S taxi way. Woke up each morning to the sound of aircraft taking off. I saw as much as possible each day before passing out from exhaustion each night.

Highlights for me were the high performance military jet demonstrations -- excruciatingly loud and impressive. Lots of WWII aircraft, STOL competitions, flight of the Blackfly electric VTOL aircraft and my first nighttime airshow. Got to see Mike Patey and walk around/fondle his latest build Scrappy - a scratch built highly modified carbon cub. Kim's Draco is a model of his turbine powered Wilga.

This is likely my last Airventure, so I tried to make the most of it. Came home tired, but with good memories.

rsv1cox Mon Aug 01, 2022 9:50 am

What a thrill for you Andrew and always a goal of mine. Almost made it once when in my 60's but it slipped away. Now some 20 years later it's still a goal.

I was quite fortunate while serving in the Navy to see many Air Shows which occured at Naval Air Bases. Best one was at Patuxent River Maryland Naval Air Test Center. Astronauts and test pilots stationed there were always a big draw.

Kim Tue Aug 02, 2022 1:07 am

andrew wrote:Woke up each morning to the sound of aircraft taking off. I saw as much as possible each day before passing out from exhaustion each night.

This is likely my last Airventure, so I tried to make the most of it. Came home tired, but with good memories.

Glad you had a great time Andrew!

For a stretch of time from 1989 thru the 1990's, Oshkosh was a yearly must-see for me. I was in a fair panic the whole time, just knowing that no matter what I was looking at, there was something else just as cool that I was missing. I joked that it was the best sleep I ever had on any trip because I was exhausted by the time I trudged back to my tent in the dark.

Don't know if I'll make the run again, but who knows?

getback Tue Aug 02, 2022 6:27 am

Glad you got to go and have a Great time , Never been to an air show but wanted to, i think they have one in Winston Salem N.C. that's about the closest I have seen around here. Very Happy

**Admin** Tue Aug 02, 2022 9:08 pm

I've always thought about going but have yet to make it out there.

Did you have a Cheese Curd Taco? That's my neighbor's stand, I guess he was out there.

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Pilgrimage to Mecca - airplane, that is.

Pilgrimage to Mecca - airplane, that is.

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Re: Pilgrimage to Mecca - airplane, that is.