fiebichpvAugust 14, 2013, 3:32am
AirVenture 2013 Experience
Once again, a driving trip to Oshkosh, Wisconsin to attend AirVenture was a combination of excitement, education, friendship, and exposure to new products to drool over.
Starting AirVenture
Arriving at the gate about 6:00 PM Monday I boarded several trams that made a beeline for the Ultralight area. For the next two hours, the evening flights of fixed wing, rotary wing, powered parachute, and powered paragliding aircraft began filling the air. The sound of two-stroke, four-stroke and electric motors could be heard everywhere. These sounds are as sweet to us LSP pilots as the radial engines are to warbird aficionados.
Among the highlights down on "The Farm" was meeting David Cooper, Director of Operations for TEAM mini-max. Previously, I had visited him in Niles, Michigan, this time he was a vendor displaying two aircraft. One was a mini-max and the other the Aero-Max. Both were for sale, the Aero-Max sold the first day!
David told me about the "Super-Max" which is in development. Among its features is a split elevator push/pull control cable, 28" wide cockpit and powered by a Hummel engine cranking out 72 HP! He is also developing a side-by-side Aero-Max. More power to this man as he continues the legacy Wayne Ison started.
While buying a donut in the Farm's gift shop, a fellow tapped me on the shoulder and introduced himself; it was Leonard Mulholland, designer/manufacturer of the Eagle and Double Eagle aircraft. I had spoken with him by phone about 15 years earlier, what a pleasure to finally meet the man. And he recognized me! Wearing the Lonesome Buzzards shirt probably helped.
James P Wiebe, whiz kid of Belite Aircraft, had two planes on display, one on carbon fiber floats. His line of lightweight electronic instruments will soon include an Angle of Attack device. If things go well, next year we plan to fly to AirVenture together. Anyone along the Wichita to Oshkosh route want to join us? It sure would be fun.
GreenWing International has continued to improve the performance of their single place ESSPYDER E280 electric Light Sport aircraft. Their Lithium batteries provide more than an hour of flight time (making full stop landings along with everyone else during demonstrations flights) with 2-3 hours of charging time. Both of their planes were featured during the daytime air show. They sounded like gliders going silently through the air.
For the rotorheads, Safari helicopters displayed their mock-up monocock, egg-shaped, streamlined, low-drag cockpit pod. They predict 100 MPH using the Lycoming 0-360 engine. It is a two-place machine that will fly during AirVenture 2014.
It's about the people
AirVenture is a place to meet people. During David Cooper's seminar I met people who may be on this board or soon will be. I sure promoted it enough. They are Roger Day, Tom, Spindler, Dana Poston, Ron Franck, Jeff Logan, Dave Conwell and another Board member whose name I cannot recall right now. Everyone was excited about building, flying, and asking questions. What a great place to share information.
Coincidences can happen; my favorite was hopping onto a tram headed towards the Ultralight area. The fellow next to me tapped my shoulder, stuck out his right hand, and said "Hi, I'm Joe Harrington." I about dropped my teeth, this was a fellow with whom I had been corresponding via e-mail for over four years! His two Zenith CH701 building friends were with him. How fortunate I was to have been wearing my button-emblazoned hat and AirBike Ace T-shirt. Otherwise, we would have visited while riding but never exchanged names. Small world! Fantastic encounter!
What to do
With six full days to spend at AirVenture, I made the most of it. Attending seminars, viewing movies, meeting celebrities, visiting the Sea Base, watching day and night air shows, wandering among aircraft and leaving notes stuck into their seams, amazed at the KidVenture activities, eating the Wisconsin vegetable (bratwurst) and much more. Those who have been there know what I refer to; those who haven't need to put it on their bucket list.
Lodging was at the YMCA with several other EAA Chapter 88 members. Cost varies with the size of your campsite but ranges from $30 for a two-person space to $50 for a four-person space. We camped on the air conditioned indoor "grass" soccer playing field and had access to all the Y's facilities. There is even a shuttle bus to the airfield.
Homeward bound
After driving to St. Paul, Minnesota to visit a son then and then traveling back to Derby, Kansas made my ground track a huge 2000 mile triangle. Passing through Clear Lake, Iowa, I stopped to visit Chris Duncan and Brian Ouverson. Chris now owns three airplanes and is an A & P Mechanic at Mason City Municipal Airport. Brian's favorite, among others, is to fly his Phantom.
Well, this is enough description about the event, the photos below will tell more of the story. Also, there may be an article in Powered Sport Flying magazine that could hold your attention.
Paul Fiebich
a.k.a. AirBike Ace
Once again, a driving trip to Oshkosh, Wisconsin to attend AirVenture was a combination of excitement, education, friendship, and exposure to new products to drool over.
Starting AirVenture
Arriving at the gate about 6:00 PM Monday I boarded several trams that made a beeline for the Ultralight area. For the next two hours, the evening flights of fixed wing, rotary wing, powered parachute, and powered paragliding aircraft began filling the air. The sound of two-stroke, four-stroke and electric motors could be heard everywhere. These sounds are as sweet to us LSP pilots as the radial engines are to warbird aficionados.
Among the highlights down on "The Farm" was meeting David Cooper, Director of Operations for TEAM mini-max. Previously, I had visited him in Niles, Michigan, this time he was a vendor displaying two aircraft. One was a mini-max and the other the Aero-Max. Both were for sale, the Aero-Max sold the first day!
David told me about the "Super-Max" which is in development. Among its features is a split elevator push/pull control cable, 28" wide cockpit and powered by a Hummel engine cranking out 72 HP! He is also developing a side-by-side Aero-Max. More power to this man as he continues the legacy Wayne Ison started.
While buying a donut in the Farm's gift shop, a fellow tapped me on the shoulder and introduced himself; it was Leonard Mulholland, designer/manufacturer of the Eagle and Double Eagle aircraft. I had spoken with him by phone about 15 years earlier, what a pleasure to finally meet the man. And he recognized me! Wearing the Lonesome Buzzards shirt probably helped.
James P Wiebe, whiz kid of Belite Aircraft, had two planes on display, one on carbon fiber floats. His line of lightweight electronic instruments will soon include an Angle of Attack device. If things go well, next year we plan to fly to AirVenture together. Anyone along the Wichita to Oshkosh route want to join us? It sure would be fun.
GreenWing International has continued to improve the performance of their single place ESSPYDER E280 electric Light Sport aircraft. Their Lithium batteries provide more than an hour of flight time (making full stop landings along with everyone else during demonstrations flights) with 2-3 hours of charging time. Both of their planes were featured during the daytime air show. They sounded like gliders going silently through the air.
For the rotorheads, Safari helicopters displayed their mock-up monocock, egg-shaped, streamlined, low-drag cockpit pod. They predict 100 MPH using the Lycoming 0-360 engine. It is a two-place machine that will fly during AirVenture 2014.
It's about the people
AirVenture is a place to meet people. During David Cooper's seminar I met people who may be on this board or soon will be. I sure promoted it enough. They are Roger Day, Tom, Spindler, Dana Poston, Ron Franck, Jeff Logan, Dave Conwell and another Board member whose name I cannot recall right now. Everyone was excited about building, flying, and asking questions. What a great place to share information.
Coincidences can happen; my favorite was hopping onto a tram headed towards the Ultralight area. The fellow next to me tapped my shoulder, stuck out his right hand, and said "Hi, I'm Joe Harrington." I about dropped my teeth, this was a fellow with whom I had been corresponding via e-mail for over four years! His two Zenith CH701 building friends were with him. How fortunate I was to have been wearing my button-emblazoned hat and AirBike Ace T-shirt. Otherwise, we would have visited while riding but never exchanged names. Small world! Fantastic encounter!
What to do
With six full days to spend at AirVenture, I made the most of it. Attending seminars, viewing movies, meeting celebrities, visiting the Sea Base, watching day and night air shows, wandering among aircraft and leaving notes stuck into their seams, amazed at the KidVenture activities, eating the Wisconsin vegetable (bratwurst) and much more. Those who have been there know what I refer to; those who haven't need to put it on their bucket list.
Lodging was at the YMCA with several other EAA Chapter 88 members. Cost varies with the size of your campsite but ranges from $30 for a two-person space to $50 for a four-person space. We camped on the air conditioned indoor "grass" soccer playing field and had access to all the Y's facilities. There is even a shuttle bus to the airfield.
Homeward bound
After driving to St. Paul, Minnesota to visit a son then and then traveling back to Derby, Kansas made my ground track a huge 2000 mile triangle. Passing through Clear Lake, Iowa, I stopped to visit Chris Duncan and Brian Ouverson. Chris now owns three airplanes and is an A & P Mechanic at Mason City Municipal Airport. Brian's favorite, among others, is to fly his Phantom.
Well, this is enough description about the event, the photos below will tell more of the story. Also, there may be an article in Powered Sport Flying magazine that could hold your attention.
Paul Fiebich
a.k.a. AirBike Ace
