From the "Jaded-Faded Moldy-Oldie" File. My First Flight to Oshkosh in 1989

Kim Fri Aug 05, 2022 9:49 am

Andrew's post about his trip to Oshkosh stirred a lot of memories for me, so I pulled this from the Ancient Archives, and edited out the extended shots of the ground or my feet (when I forgot to turn off the camera) and generally trimmed it down.

Besides being my first flight to the busiest airport in the world, this was also special in that I was allowed to participate in the Fly-By pattern with some real Pietenpols, and several other types. My plane is not a Piet, but rather a copy of the design called a Grega...long story there.

Anyway, it was a glorious day for me, and was to be the only time I launched while the convention was in progress...all my other takeoffs happened when I was punching out for home.

The footage has been bleached to nearly black & white with time, but it still gives an idea of the constant buzz of activity that rages the whole time the convention is in progress:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUrvBBvUcRE

rsv1cox Fri Aug 05, 2022 10:28 am

Entertaining 9:36 Kim.

You flew up there. How long did it take, and fuel used? Airspeed? 70kts.? Smile

SR-71 spectacular! Piper Colt, all the Piet's, and the VW convertable. Long EZ, too many to list. My virtual visit. Thanks.

Hit for me was the Ercoupe. One went on Bring-a-trailer for $15,800 a month ago.

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1946-ercoupe-415/

From the "Jaded-Faded Moldy-Oldie" File. My First Flight to Oshkosh in 1989 1946_e10

andrew Fri Aug 05, 2022 10:54 am

Kim wrote:..........but it still gives and idea of the constant buzz of activity that rages the whole time the convention is in progress:

Here are some stats from 2022 covering attendance, planes and activities: EAA 2022 Stats

We flew in with the Twin Comanche (white with canopy cover) -- the clip shows how close we parked and camped to the N/S taxiway. One of the amazing things about Oshkosh is close proximity that visitors can get to all the aircraft at the show, from private GA aircraft to military warbirds parked in a field.

Excerpt from a longer clip: Our ride

davidll1984 Fri Aug 05, 2022 11:03 am

Just a litle bit of topique but this year at airventure oshkosh jase dussia rc plane 3D pro pilote Was there to do the night show with an illuminated plane very cool to watch

look

Kim Sun Aug 07, 2022 8:26 am

rsv1cox wrote:Entertaining 9:36 Kim.

You flew up there. How long did it take, and fuel used? Airspeed? 70kts.?

Hey Bob,

I couldn't find my log book from that time, but just refer to first leg of the trip as "taking a day". I had a girlfriend with me, and we kind of zig-zagged up the full length of Illinois.

The main priority on this first trip was attending the Pietenpol Reunion at Brodhead, Wisconsin, and then MAYBE flying with a group to Oshkosh to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Pietenpol design. There was some real animosity toward the GN-1 Aircamper design at the time, and I wasn't sure they'd let us be part of the flight, but it all turned out OK.

The plane carries 15 gallons of fuel, which gives it just under 3 hours of flying time as it chugs along at 70mph. I limited most of my flights to an hour and a half or less because of how uncomfortable it was for me to fly it longer than that.

I was a lot skinnier back then, but STILL filled up the rear cockpit to the point I couldn't shift my butt or stretch my legs...imagine sitting bolt-upright on a park bench, blocked in, and with your feet pushed against a parking stop.

Add to that was my girlfriend, who was wedged in with assorted camping gear in the front 'pit, and needed to get out and stretch too. But it was all pretty light-hearted as cross-country trips go, and I wanted to over-fly some of the towns mentioned in Lindbergh's "Spirit of St. Louis", and Richard Bach's "Nothing By Chance".

All this fun made it a full day's run, and by the time we landed at Brodhead, I was totally shot, and just wanted to put up the tent and sleep. But there was just too much great stuff going on, and I forced myself to make the rounds of meeting everybody.

A BUNCH more stuff happened on this trip, and it stands as a great memory for me.

Over the past few years, I've scanned most of my journal and photos so I'll have something to look at in the Old Folks' Home, and here are some from that adventure:

From the "Jaded-Faded Moldy-Oldie" File. My First Flight to Oshkosh in 1989 Docume13

From the "Jaded-Faded Moldy-Oldie" File. My First Flight to Oshkosh in 1989 3_109

From the "Jaded-Faded Moldy-Oldie" File. My First Flight to Oshkosh in 1989 Docume12

From the "Jaded-Faded Moldy-Oldie" File. My First Flight to Oshkosh in 1989 Docume15

From the "Jaded-Faded Moldy-Oldie" File. My First Flight to Oshkosh in 1989 Photo_10

rsv1cox Sun Aug 07, 2022 8:55 am

Gloomy, ya. "Down and safe at last" illustrates it.

I would love to get you and several others here at a back table at IHOP over coffee, pancakes , eggs, and sausage and swap tales. We would shut them down then open them up again. Smile

Kim Sun Aug 07, 2022 9:03 am

rsv1cox wrote:Gloomy, ya. "Down and safe at last" illustrates it.

I would love to get you and several others here at a back table at IHOP over coffee, pancakes , eggs, and sausage and swap tales. We would shut them down then open them up again.

BOB! I hope that can happen!

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From the "Jaded-Faded Moldy-Oldie" File. My First Flight to Oshkosh in 1989

From the "Jaded-Faded Moldy-Oldie" File. My First Flight to Oshkosh in 1989

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Re: From the "Jaded-Faded Moldy-Oldie" File. My First Flight to Oshkosh in 1989

Re: From the "Jaded-Faded Moldy-Oldie" File. My First Flight to Oshkosh in 1989

Re: From the "Jaded-Faded Moldy-Oldie" File. My First Flight to Oshkosh in 1989