Oshkosh 2004

Oshkosh 2004

Friday, July 23, 2:30PM...Skyler and I have lunch with Glenn at Satchmo's and then go to the airport. Weather is looking okay and we decide to launch. Les Hekkeila is still not home, but we're hoping he'll come.

We've packed enough clothes to stay til the end of OSH plus one.

My capable First Officer is asleep 30 minutes after takeoff.

When we got to Dixon, we have to explain who we are and that we've arranged for hangar space...not a good start. I consider going on to Popular Grove, but wait to see what happens. We finally kick a Warrior out of his hangar and go to the hotel. Then it's off to Skylers favorite restaurant, Pizza Hut for a large half-cheese and canadian-bacon and cheese pizza. They give me my beer for free! Looks like we made the right choice.

Saturday, July 24, 10:00 AM

Out to the airport an 8:30. We have a small repair to make on a fairing. One of the landing gear fairings has slipped down and we need to bring it back up to cover the strut. No big deal, just lots of screws and it's back in place in an hour.

Skyler and I make two low approaches to the airport and then fly circles above the town.

A whole bunch of Yaks/Nanching Cj-6 come in for the airshow. There is also a B-25. Les Hekkeila has called me and said he's mechanicalled and won't be able to make it. Bummer.

Lots of people look at our airplane and say how beautiful it is.

We go to the hotel and have sandwiches from across the street.

We're ready to go to Oshkosh.

Sunday, July 25, 11:00 AM

Up we go to Oshkosh. We have to do a 360 before reaching Fisk because a Murphy is going to slow. We land on 36L and turn off right where we want to be. The parkers lead us to a spot alongside the fence and we start to unpack. Five minutes later they come back and ask us if we'd move. Seems like they have a bunch of Howards coming in and our row is reserved. No problem, we move a row closer to the showers and food.

We set up our tent and supplies. Sky has said he wants to camp out under the wing this year, so since it's just him and I, I agree. We're all set up in 30 minutes.

I'm really not grimacing, Sky just caught me in mid-smile.

Monday, July 26, 8:00 AM

First day here, so we'll just go looking around.

Skyler took this picture...the boy knows a good composition when he sees it


Tuesday, July 27. A busy day. We lather up in sunscreen then head up to the museum and Kid Venture. Skyler always has a blast here and this year is no different. He flies a flight sim, builds a model rocket and two balsa-wood planes and then convinces me we need to go for a helicopter ride. How can you say no to a kid like this? We go to see the Warbirds tonight. Not much here as of yet

We're parked in the 6th row from the right, the bright red airplane in the short row in the middle of the field

Wednesday, July 28, 8:30 AM We go wander through the Antique/Classics today. A Fairchild 24, Spartan Executive and a Culver Dart are on the top of our list

Thursday, July 29. Today we go through the Exhibit Buildings. Skyler impresses the folks at the Smithsonian Air & Space Booth with his knowledge of airplanes. They ask him to come out and be a docent!

Later we meet aerobatic pilot Mike Goulian. We stop by Chuck Yeagers tent, but he isn't there.

Friday, July 30. We go and get Gen. Yeager's autograph today. Chuck is in a great mood and treats Sky as if he's his Grandson. We also meet Kyle Guyette from the Discovery Wings Channel series Learning to Fly. She's very nice and autograph's Skylers logbook...her first autograph.

Later that night, we have Oshkosh S'mores Fest 2004. Jenny Frautschy brings her friends Beth, left and Emily, right, to the cookout. A special thanks to Kathy Ernst and HG Frautschy for running to the store and getting us S'more supplies. Later the kids play catch with a ball and run footraces along the flightline.

A special thanks to the girls for letting Skyler win and for being big sisters to him.