Author Topic: It may be a bad recession, but I saw plenty of disposable income last weekend! (Read 7788 times)

Gewehr98 · « **on:** August 08, 2009, 03:35:52 PM »

I took my annual pilgramage to Oshkosh, but this time I had my 8 year-old nephew in tow, as well as his grandfather.

The New Waco Company had a pair of 2009 Waco biplanes on display. Pretty spiffy, a brand-new plane right off the manufacturer's lot:

Of course, I have a soft spot in my heart for the classic Beechcraft Staggerwing:

There were warbirds aplenty, including a Spitfire or two:

And a very rare Westland Lysander:

More later...

sumpnz · « **Reply #1 on:** August 08, 2009, 04:02:53 PM »

VERY cool. I've been wanting to go to KOSH for a loooooong time. Friend of mine and his family are making their way home from there right now in his 170. Stuck in NB right now though due to weather.

lee n. field · « **Reply #2 on:** August 08, 2009, 04:05:31 PM »

New biplanes? I didn't know anyone was making new ones.

Boomhauer · « **Reply #3 on:** August 08, 2009, 04:08:06 PM »

Quote from: lee n. field on August 08, 2009, 04:05:31 PM

New biplanes? I didn't know anyone was making new ones.

Yep. Waco and there's some homebuilts...

And then you can hang a radial (new ones are built offshore, Russia and Eastern Europe, or an overhauled/used American made) on one.

RaspberrySurprise · « **Reply #4 on:** August 08, 2009, 04:33:58 PM »

I'd like a couple of WWII fighters built with modern materials like carbon fiber and the such to see what you could get out of one. It'd be a fun plane if you don't kill yourself with it.

Wow my spelling rocks today.

freakazoid · « **Reply #5 on:** August 08, 2009, 05:04:36 PM »

Sweet. I wish I had known about this event, I would of taken a special trip up there.

Boomhauer · « **Reply #6 on:** August 08, 2009, 05:06:59 PM »

Quote from: freakazoid on August 08, 2009, 05:04:36 PM

Sweet. I wish I had known about this event, I would of taken a special trip up there.

You can go next year. Oshkosh (or EAA Airventure, as is the "official title") happens every year and is the pilot's Mecca. Except we don't pray towards Wisconson. Well, at least most of us don't.

MillCreek · « **Reply #7 on:** August 08, 2009, 06:26:31 PM »

I am with Lee. I did not know that anyone was making new biplanes commercially. I see some homebuilts from time to time.

Regolith · « **Reply #8 on:** August 08, 2009, 06:42:45 PM »

Quote from: RaspberrySurprise on August 08, 2009, 04:33:58 PM

I'd like a couple of WWII fighters built with modern materials like carbon fiber and the such to see what you could get out of one. It'd been a fun plane if you don't kill yourself with it.

Some of the planes that race at the Reno Air Races are based on WWII models and use modern materials. Some of them have such a high power to weight ratio that they can out-climb most modern military jets.

Gewehr98 · « **Reply #9 on:** August 08, 2009, 07:46:54 PM »

It's true. I had a nice chat with the factory rep who displayed the two new Wacos seen in my pics.

http://www.wacoclassic.com/about.html

Chrissy · « **Reply #10 on:** August 08, 2009, 10:04:04 PM »

Oh wow, those are awesome pics! I think my sister went to this event a few years ago with her boyfriend. I know they went to Oshkosh and it was an airplane show of some sort.

Boomhauer · « **Reply #11 on:** August 08, 2009, 10:33:07 PM »

Quote from: Chrissy on August 08, 2009, 10:04:04 PM

Oh wow, those are awesome pics! I think my sister went to this event a few years ago with her boyfriend. I know they went to Oshkosh and it was an airplane show of some sort.

Speaking as a pilot, Oshkosh is "THE" airshow.

A small airshow is merely impressive. Oshkosh is overwhelming.

bedlamite · « **Reply #12 on:** August 08, 2009, 10:44:47 PM »

Quote from: Avenger29 on August 08, 2009, 10:33:07 PM

Speaking as a pilot, Oshkosh is "THE" airshow.

A small airshow is merely impressive. Oshkosh is overwhelming.

So much so that you really need at least a couple of days to take it all in.

Balog · « **Reply #13 on:** August 08, 2009, 10:48:39 PM »

Very cool. Thanks for posting. I bet the kid had a blast, great you could take him.

freakazoid · « **Reply #14 on:** August 08, 2009, 11:26:04 PM »

Quote

You can go next year. Oshkosh (or EAA Airventure, as is the "official title") happens every year and is the pilot's Mecca. Except we don't pray towards Wisconson. Well, at least most of us don't.

I can't. I am only in the area until I finish my school here then I will be shipped to somewhere else, I'm in the Navy.

Regolith · « **Reply #15 on:** August 08, 2009, 11:50:25 PM »

Quote from: freakazoid on August 08, 2009, 11:26:04 PM

I can't. I am only in the area until I finish my school here then I will be shipped to somewhere else, I'm in the Navy.

Get yourself posted on an aircraft carrier, and you won't need to go to the airshow.

280plus · « **Reply #16 on:** August 09, 2009, 07:08:40 AM »

I'd rather have the warthog... if I could fly that is.

Viking · « **Reply #17 on:** August 09, 2009, 07:33:02 AM »

Quote from: 280plus on August 09, 2009, 07:08:40 AM

I'd rather have the warthog... if I could fly that is.

Everyone can fly a plane. It's the landing that will often prove to be tricky

.

Gewehr98 · « **Reply #18 on:** August 09, 2009, 11:47:43 AM »

The poor kid was exhausted, but happy as a clam. Here he is with his grandpa warming up to an F-86 Sabre, same vintage as the one his grandpa saw service with during the Korean War:

This one's for LennyJoe:

Sikorsky S-64 SkyCrane, as used by Erickson for water-bombing (Quite the demonstration they gave, too!):

Honda's new bizjet, dunno where they're gonna put the fart can and Kanji stickers, but here it is:

As for being military and not able to attend, I took leave every year to make the pilgramage, or at least made the effort. What else are you gonna do with 30 days of annual vacation? (Granted, if you're stuck on a boat, that's a different story, but you wouldn't find me doing that, anyway...)

BMacklem · « **Reply #19 on:** August 09, 2009, 12:18:02 PM »

I love driving by Oshkosh every year that EAA has the event, I do NOT like how they close off the exits so they're EAA only.
I have to use that particular exit to get to one of my delivery stops just down the road, and they force me to go past to the next exit, then use the frontage road to come back a half mile.
I know a half mile is no big deal, but in the truck I use, it's a pain.
I do get a huge kick of sitting in our store there and watching the bombers do fly-bys.
I can't help but rubberneck to see all the planes and copters in the sky as I head towards there.

280plus · « **Reply #20 on:** August 09, 2009, 09:45:19 PM »

Quote from: The Viking on August 09, 2009, 07:33:02 AM

Everyone can fly a plane. It's the landing that will often prove to be tricky .

Fine, if I could land a plane!

But if I'm flying the Warthog can't I just eject instead?

Headless Thompson Gunner · « **Reply #21 on:** August 09, 2009, 10:08:39 PM »

Quote from: 280plus on August 09, 2009, 09:45:19 PM

But if I'm flying the Warthog can't I just eject instead?

So long as you only wanna do it once.

freakazoid · « **Reply #22 on:** August 09, 2009, 10:47:40 PM »

On that Honda Jet, is it just me or does it look like the engine stick UP from the wing?

I'll have to try to take leave next time. Shoot, at this rate, long hold times in between courses, I'll probably still be going to school here or I'll be in c-school in another state. The fleet is a myth.

Boomhauer · « **Reply #23 on:** August 09, 2009, 11:14:12 PM »

Quote from: freakazoid on August 09, 2009, 10:47:40 PM

On that Honda Jet, is it just me or does it look like the engine stick UP from the wing?

I'll have to try to take leave next time. Shoot, at this rate, long hold times in between courses, I'll probably still be going to school here or I'll be in c-school in another state. The fleet is a myth.

The engines are mounted on pylons coming up from the wing instead of the usual mounting point up and behind the cabin as on other business jets.

InfidelSerf · « **Reply #24 on:** August 09, 2009, 11:21:16 PM »

In the past 2 months I have seen 3 A-10 low ceiling flybys and one Apache.
Anyone have any idea why I would be seeing these aircraft. Whiteman is the only reason I can think of but it's a fair distance away.

The A10s give me goose bumps everytime. This last one had me running outside to see what it was.. it was so low I thought a plane wreck was going to be in sight.

News:

Author Topic: It may be a bad recession, but I saw plenty of disposable income last weekend! (Read 7788 times)