Oshkosh - You Can Do It Too

Monday morning was dark and grey, a little like the way I felt. Reality was setting in and it would be next year (God willing) before being able to look through the other half of the exhibits missed and those seminars there was no time to attend. Even the Yodeler sang a farewell that morning. Many of the people I met told me that they had been to Oshkosh for the last 10-25 years, so that is an encouraging thought. Its possible, a 78 year me old talking to a 53 year old kid about his first Oshkosh back in 2003. Let you know when it happens in 2028, gonna try and make it.

Packed up the campsite and made my way over to the plane. But there was one more interesting surprise. Walked by a small helicopter that I had only seen from a distance, and flying around all week. Looked like a little Bell 47, with a small turbine engine behind the cabin with its exhaust blast directed on a small rudder at the end of the tail boom. No tail rotor, no transmission, nearly as simple as a gyrocopter. A duct feeds bleed air into the rotor head where it travels through the blades to nozzles at the tips. Had seen it hovering turning around like any regular helicopter, a really futuristic idea. Reading the plaque found out that it was built in France in 1953! It explained that the high cost of the turbine engine made the product too expensive. This looks like and idea that should be tried again with one of those little turbines like they used in the BD5J.

Got VFR departure instructions at a booth near the tower. They were real simple turn left after departure, fly over the seaplane base then your on your way. Had to wait for the clouds to lift though. Kept looking at the tower to see if the beacon was turning, hour after hour. Still a lot to see though, even vendors packing up were ready to talk about their wares. Got to see the Orbis DC10 depart, but the best was the F16s. They turned and nearly buzzed the tower, afterburners lit, making a huge noise.

About 2:00pm the tower beacon stopped and N88BK was prepared for departure. Like Lakeland, the grass around the plane was so stommped that there was a complete outline of the plane including the propeller. Got in line for takeoff behind about a 1/4 mile of other beacon watchers. In keeping with the luck of the rest of the trip, they cut off the line right behind me to reverse the direction of the runway. Was glad for this, because taking off to the east gave a great view of the Oshkosh field with Lake Winnebago as a backdrop.

The trip back was really nice. Once again, ran out of daylight and good weather at Mexico, Missouri. Could have gone a little farther, but why stop at an unknown location, this was such a good spot for the night. Well, somebody got there ahead of me for the airport car, but no problem. Just call the number for the Villager Inn posted on the airport shack door, and a before you know it we are checked in, eating a Sonic Burger, and watching HBO, all for $29 a night.

Next morning, ate the free continental breakfast and was back at the airport by 7:00am checking out the weather. There was plenty of it south and east of my track. Seems that this VFR aviation business just runs this way. A large part of the time its never a clear go-nogo decision and for the most part the FSS seems to discourage you from going. It was a beautiful clear morning here in Mexico with some clouds fare off to the southeast. Had every airport 30 miles either side of the course programmed in the GPS so diverting away from the edge of the weather would be possible. Along the way kept getting updates from the ATWS frequencys on the map. Had plenty of time, a 15mph headwind was slowing progress to 85mph ground speed. Would have to shorten my trip legs to about 170 miles to land with my security blanket hours fuel. A thunderstorm over Springfield was near blocking the way, but it was sliding east slowly and I made it back to Monet, Mo. The weather south and east was impassable so I spent the extra time programming coordinates for airports to the west of my intended track. Either the weather was going to get good enough to go ahead on course, or I would finish programming these numbers and fly a path about 30 mile to the west.

About an hour later called the FSS and got lucky. Most FSS people are competent and helpful. Just about as often though, you get a very bad, or in this case a very good one. He spent about 20 minutes checking the conditions along the route and advised that it looked marginal along and just east of my intended path. After telling him my speed and altitude, he said it would be a good idea to check the winds aloft. Turns out below 2000 it was solid 15-20 from the south while above 4000 it was southwest at 5. Just climb a couple of thousand feet higher and 10mph of headwind goes away. Now that's good service. He was right about marginal, about 60 miles short of my next planned stop, ran into a blocking line of showers. Looking at the map, found an airport about 10 miles west that would be a good spot for a chicken pilot to land. Turned out to be Meskogee, Oklahoma, so with the song "Proud to be an Oakie from..." playing in my head, we stoped at yet another new place. Haven't had a miracles for last few minutes, but by the time the plane was topped off and the FSS contacted, all the weather just dissappeared! It was early afternoon and the sun had just evaporated what little was left. Guess the shower was just the last gasp. It was clear all the way to San Antonio, just two gas stops away!

Crossed the Red River and stopped in Ennis for fuel. Such nice people, you buy 6 gallons of fuel and they treat you like you came in a Lear jet with free snacks and soda. The FSS guy was the meanest yet though, treated me as if I didn't understand what a TFR was. President Bush was at his Crawford ranch near Waco. So where weather couldn't make me deviate course, the opportunity to learn formation flying with F16s could. Using the GPS, found that Mexia was just about half way home, and it broke the last two legs into about 160 miles each. Passing Austin, we were in familiar territory again and real excited about ending todays 800 mile adventure. Home airport in sight and really tired, still could not resist making a low pass to announce my arrival to a few jack rabbits. Landed, parked and as with the Lakeland trip, tried to convince myself that this was more than just a dream. Other than a balky start, the Silver Surfer had performed perfectly. One could get a swelled head from all this success, but then noticed I didn't properly close the car door. The interior light was on and battery completely dead. The great traveler would need a jump start just to get home from the airport.

From the number and length of these posts you may have guessed that I have been in denial about this trip ending. As long as there was another episode I could re-live another part of the trip and keep it going a little longer. For years when an article or TV show about Oshkosh came along it was so interesting, but so far away as to be unattainable. They said there were 11,000 planes up there this year, a record. They all got there, many every year for decades. If a chicken pilot with a VW engine cand, you can too. Just keep your dream alive, that's how its done.

Thanks, Bruce King

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