Oshkosh - Another High Point Day

Sunday started out quiet enough. Out in the fields of aircraft there were now many gaps in the lines and many packing up to depart, a little sad to see it winding down. Well now maybe there will be time to attend some of those seminars I had hoped to get to all week. Have the technique wired now, go to the Mt. Sacred Heart stand for another cheap but good breakfast, pick up the free "AirVenture Today" newspaper and plan your seminars using the daily schedule.

Started with one on welding aluminum with a gas torch. Like most people, knew that you had to have inert gas to do that, like the heliarc welder at the Honda shop years ago. Found out that the only reason they didn't use acetalyne and oxygen for aluminum then was that it was all being conscripted and used for welding steel. First we saw a WW2 vintage training film showing welding of thick and thin aluminum. Then the instructor showed us all how to adjust the gas regulators and light a torch, something I learned to do the wrong way 30 about years ago. Lighting the torch without those little ash "paratroopers" landing everywhere is a real plus. Then he cut a tail fairing originally made for the Hughes Racer in half and welded it back together, making it all look so easy. Its neat to know that its possible to learn aluminum welding with simple equipment that I already have.

Was able to get to Burt Rutan's seminar on "A Private Manned Space Program" early enough for a front row seat. When the news of this program first broke, could not figure out what the point was in re-creating part of the X15 program. Burt is a very persuasive speaker and before long I was ready to write my check for a seat on the first publically available space flight. He talked about his childhood heros, many of aviation's early pioneers, and how they built and flew, not for money or national pride, but for adventure and fun of flight. We, the homebuilders, are the remaining decendants of these early pioneers. Watching the first space flights and moon walk had him thinking that by now, almost 40 years later, all of us would be able to experience space flight. I felt the same way back then and also wonder what happened. He ask who are the heros for our current generation, what is inspiring them? Burt said that they are doing it for the same reason as the early aviation pioneers, fun, but expect to make money selling seats for about the cost of a cruise ship ride. Worth it to go 100KM high, see the black of space, the curvature of the Earth, and get 3 minutes of weightlessness? Time will tell, but you can count me in. He said they have the funding to fly the "White Knight" mothership and launch the "Space Ship One" lifting body into space, just for fun. Got that "Maybe I can do that someday" feeling for the first time in decades, and that alone makes Burt's space program a success for me. After the seminar got a hand shake and great smile from Burt (check out the Oshkosh pictures on AOL). Got to tell him what an inspiration he has been for me since the Vari-Ez. Saw N7EZ, the first "Glass Backwards" prototype in the EAA museum where he got 160 mph out of a VW 1835, if memory serves. One of the nicest things about Oshkosh is how available these aviation greats make themselves for us hero worshippers.

From there finally made it over to the warbirds area. A restored to much better than factory new Corair caught my attention first. Just how do they rivet all those beautifully chromated parts together without scratching anything. They must do it because the rivets are unpainted in a sea of beautiful green. One has to stand next to these machines to realize how large most of them are, well anything is large compared to my 14 foot long mini-bird. The Grumman Avenger, one I had never seen close before, is enormous, with a door on the side for the pilot and tail gunner enter. Nearby, just to mention a few, was a B17, B25, F86, P51, Hurricane, Spitfire, etc..., all there to peer up into the wheel wells and soak up the history. One unusual bird was the CAF's Junkers Trimotor, original save the Pratt and Whitney engines.

Well guess what, they day is gone already. This time for dinner hopped a free bus ride (cost $2 to come back) over to the university in Oshkosh. For $10 you get into the student's food court and stuff yourself silly with a huge variety of foods. For an event that's winding down there was still and overload of things to do, and this was yet another high point day.

Thank, Bruce King