Oshkosh - Entering the Land of OZ

Thought that the Sun-N-Fun trip in March would have the weather problems. Going to Oshkosh in summer should be a cake walk. Over optimism strikes again. By the time I was settled in the Village Inn in Mexico, Missouri it was raining steady and hard. Hoped the masking tape over the canopy would keep the inside of the plane dry. The weather channel radar had a solid line of heavy weather blocking the way ahead and the prediction for the next morning was gloomy.

They were right, the next morning there was a low grey overcast and drizzle. Driving back to the airport saw a little restaurant with a bunch of pickups with tools in them parked around. Any place that busy at 6:00am must be a good spot to get breakfast. Sure was right about that.

At the airport it was the waiting game again, but the people there made it a pleasure. Since the Hummel Bird is such a good ice breaker, you get to know the local airport people easily. A mom and her kids were checking out my plane so I opened it up and gave them a good look. After a short chat found out her husband was the owner of the Zenith Aircraft factory just behind the airport terminal. Ask for a tour and was given the VIP treatment.

They were running a skeleton crew since the rest were setting up the in Oshkosh. It was fasinating, to see a real aircraft kit factory. The processes are little different than those we use at home, except that they have jigs and fixtures more sophisticated than we would need just to make for the parts for just one airplane. The one step rib lightning hole punch and flange tool was the one I liked best, but after punching the rib, a simple deburring tool just like mine finished the hole. One of my friends is building a Zodiac, and it was nice to see where his parts came from. It was an impressive operation.

In another hanger there was a nice man with Cessna 150, motorcycle, and jet ski. After getting the tour of the plane, bike, and boat, spent a couple of hours helping him modify the finger trigger throttle into a thumb throttle. Needless to say, passing time at this small town airport was easy. Kept checking the weather and about 11 thought a blue patch was my ticket out of there. Looked great, but as soon as I was 500 feet above the runway, saw a patch of low overcast that I would have to fly over to get to the blue "sucker hole" above it. Then rain drops started to hit the windshield and I turned back. Funny how things work out. As I parked an RV6 landed and pulled up to the pumps. Recognized the plane from some of my San Geronimo EAA Chapter 35 meetings. Now we meet someone we know at a little airport nearly 800 miles from home. By the time we were through with lunch the low layer was broken up and it looked like I could get on the road again. It was nearly 3 by then.

The next leg of the flight was as challenging as any on the Lakeland trip. The ceiling was variable from 1000 to 1500 feet and there were scattered rain showers imbedded. The visibility at first was good so on we went, over the Mississippi at Hannibal Missouri and across miles of territory with few identifiable landmarks. As we neared the frontal boundary the ceiling got indefinate down to 1000 feet and the visibility down to about 5 miles. This is not the kind of weather I like to fly in at all. Thanks to the GPS the runway at Whiteside came into view right off my nose and I landed feeling such relief to be safe on the ground in such gloomy weather.

There were three other planes on their way to Oshkosh there. They all checked the weather, said that its supposed to be clear 75 mile to the North, and departed. One was an open cockpit. It was around 5 now. Looking at the indefinite ceiling and 5 miles visibility, thought about waiting till morning. But it is VFR and the forcast to North is good. This was one of those times where one has to have some faith and to see if the chicken pilot can at least make it to rooster status. Bit my lip, started up, and took off. The over cast lasted about 10 miles before getting lighter. At 30 mile started seeing patches of sun hitting the ground. At 50 miles flew out of the back of the front into intense blue sky, unlimited visibility, and a few white puffy clouds. It was like entering the land of OZ, only about 75 miles from Oshkosh.

On the advise of my new friends at Mexico, stopped at Dodge County Airport for gas just south of Oshkosh. From there you follow the tracks to Ripon, tune in approach and they talk you the rest of the way in. Basically they say find a plane to follow and proceed up the railroad track east to Oshkosh. You do not talk to them, and change to Whitman tower frequency once on the way down the tracks. Following a Cessna was easy and as we approached the field, the tower called and said "Silver RV rock your wings." Thinking that it must be me, rocked my wings. They said "Thanks, and what type of aircraft is that?" That was my queue to say "This is a Hummel Bird, plans built, kinda like a RV 1/2." They said, "Thanks great, you are cleared to land runway 9, turn off into the grass on the left as soon as possible." Some of us do get to talk to the tower after all.

By this time I could see the field and it looks just like the pictures. Runways surrounded by a sea of airplanes. Got so excited had to coach myself to calm down so I could land the plane. Kept hitting the wake turbulance of the Cessna so decided to fly it on about 65 and roll it out on the mains. Once the tail came down, turned into the grass and began to taxi, with no idea where they were going to send me. About the third person we came to wanted to stop me before a taxi way and crossed the batons giving the shutdown signal. So I shut it down. He walked up and ask me why so I told him that you gave me the shutdown signal.

Have not mentioned this before, but N88BK will not immediately restart when hot. Since it does not have a primer, it is hard to get a charge into the cylinders when the manifold is hot, at least for about 10 minutes. No problem on fuel stops, but a problem now. Also demonstrated is reluctance to start on 100LL on the last trip. Well after about 10 minutes of embarrassing prop flipping the man came up and offered to call a tug for me. That did it, there is no way I am going to be towed into Airventure Oshkosh 100 backwards. Know planes are just inanimate parts, but the Silver Surfer heard me and started the next try. Lotsof taxiing later, pulled into a parking place in the homebuilt section near the end of the area across from the warbirds. It was about 7 by now and the parking crew said the tiedown booth would be closed. But, they reached into the back of the Gator and handed me a set of tie downs and a gold painted hammer. "Just give them back tomorrow morning when you get your own".

Then the "Welcome Wagon" drove up to offer a ride over to the camp ground. It would be dark soon so needed to get the tent set up. Driving over got the first look at the scale of this operation. Incredible is the only thing I can think of. The campers next door invited me to eat breakfast with them. My tent was in the middle of the vintage aircraft camping area. Could not believe that I was actually there. Would have to register tomorrow, because all was now closed. Could not believe that I was actually there.

Thanks, Bruce King

100% + Oshkosh at Last!