Back from Slosh Gosh by gosh.
First time ever to fly in and went alone since my wife did not feel up to it. Stopped for fuel sunday afternoon at Mauston/New Lisbon Wisc. 82C. 100ll was 4.05 and noticed my cowling crack running again. The FBO stopped by and opened the shop for me and I stop drilled the crack for the 2nd time and added a bolt and washer. It was too late to make Osh so decided to try monday morning. A friend of the FBO's gave me a ride to a Super 8 in his restored 1930 Model A . I went in style.
Monday morning I was 30 from Rippon when they announced they were only landing display or antique aircraft or those with reservations. Fon dulac camping was full, I could divert to Appleton but no camping was allowed there. Hey this sucks, I didn't fly to Oskosh to ride there in a bus. I turned around and went back to 82C to regroup my thoughts. On landing I called the EAA HQ and was handed off to the Home Built Camp ground manager. He told me some spots were drying out and he hadn't made the announcement yet but would reopen Homebuilt camping at 11:00 AM. After retopping my tanks I timed my arrival over Rippon for 10 minutes before 11. This time I was allowed to proceed to Fisk and before I got there they announced they were opening some GA camping spots and it would be first come basis so I got to go in, held up my HBC sign, and ended up at Homebuilt camping anyway. Sometimes lucky is better than good.

I wandered the grounds for all of monday and on tuesday met the crowd at the Hilton for lunch. Great bunch. Thank you to those who put it together. We need this to continue as an annual event if possible. After lunch I had a little trouble getting back onto the airport grounds, the guy at the gate said, Hey you.
Me?
Yeah you. Where's your wrist band?
What wristband, I answered. I don't have one.
They gave you a wrist band when you registered where is it?
What register? I never registered, I flew in. Been here since monday morning.
He called security and at this point I realized I must not have read far enough.

I got an escort all the way down to the Homebuilt registration booth near the brown arch. When I got that over with they looked at what I was flying and said they had never registered one like that. What is this Dream Aircraft Tundra? I told him I suppose he hadn't seen one because this is the first US completion and it's the first customer built one to fly to Osh. He called over a woman in charge of the Homebuilt Review. She asked if I would want to fly in that. OK, I said why not, after all I seem to be getting the full experience. I have just gone from ignorant felon to being part of the airshow at Oshkosh. Sometimes its better to be lucky than good.

Pilot briefing 9:00 AM wednesday morning. Twelve pilots heard the briefing that morning. The fly by would proceed as planned with take off on 36L. It would not be moved to runway 27 to favor the wind. The take off pass is in front of the crowd on 36L at 300', second pass would be between the runways over the grass at 500' and landing would be on 36 Right, which is actually the taxiway for 36 L. The whole pattern spirals to the right in two passes from the outside inward to the landing on 36R. He stated the crosswind on 36 was straight down the wing and if any of us had a concern about the cross wind that they should not fly. The Baby Ace had a bungee cord gear that was too weak and so he stepped out. At 1:30 we would be led out of our spot by volunteers on a motor bike and we would go to a staging area and fly at 2:30 at the beginning of the airshow.
An old guy on the scooter came to get me and said, I did this once, here's my advice: Try to put out of your mind that there are thousands of people, and pilots, good pilots, that are going to watch you fly and land today. Some people let that affect how they do. You should try not to think about that if you can. It messes up your landing so try not to think about it.
I don't think it went well for him. I told him thanks for the pointers and he led me to the taxiway where the controllers took over. I couldn't see enough planes, there should be 11 but I could only count 7 that showed and when we took off and went two times past the crowd, the twin engine sea plane I was following requested a landing into the wind on 27 then he broke off from our group and left me with a big gap between me and the next plane. I could see that the rest of them were on the runway and as the last plane in the group, I now had the crowd all to myself. What luck, because only SOMETIMES its better to be lucky than good.

Actually, truth be told, I was busy with the cross wind and from take off to landing, I concentrated on nothing else. The cross wind took my mind off the crowd and I made the best accidentally good two wheel cross wind landing I have ever made on asphalt. Asphalt is not my strong suit. I hope someone noticed but paid no attention to my late turn on the first pass that should not have extended past the end of 36L.

My rewards for having attended:
I got an invitation to fly up to Alaska to visit a friend.
Made the Dream Aircraft team happy, they are giving me a new lower cowling of thicker aluminum and then came to the camp ground, not once but twice, and went over my plane and did some adjustments and took pictures of mods that I did and will now use my plane to base future hard usage R&D on. I guess they found some one that uses it like they intended.
Saw some old friends, made some new ones and found that some of those work security.
Looked up as many BCP members that I could find at their booths when I got the chance and said hi. I even watched EZ flap demo his invention to others. Afterward I introduced myself and he asked me to stick around a bit to talk in between those that had questions for him. I know he will take this the way I intend it. EZ Flap, I don't care what they say, you're a pretty straight guy.

I had a good time and as a bonus got to fly home thursday under overcast skies through some light rain and dodge some fog patches and do it all at 500-1000' for nearly 500 miles. Canyon turns would be tough in Wisconsin.
Cattle were out this morning, got home just right.

Dirtstrip,
Outstanding story ! I'm glad you had such a great experience. Now I have to go to look up a Tundra!

Damn, I checked out the Bearhawk while at Osh but walked right by the Tundra - sorry that I did, looks like a sweet plane!

Haha! Nice writeup Dirtstrip. Ignorant felon.

Hey.......this thread is lacking pictures

Oh....nice write up!!

Now I have to go to look up a Tundra!

Ha! you and the rest of us. Looks like a great alternative to the Bearhawk with impressive STOL, general specs and value for the money. Unfortunately, I couldn't find but a couple videos of any flying....same for the Bearhawk though.

Has anyone seen any Ridge Runners at Oshkosh this year?

58Skylane wrote:Hey.......this thread is lacking pictures

Oh....nice write up!!

Taxiing out for the Home Built Review Fly By Wednesday's Airshow
[img]Home%20Built%20Review%20SloshGosh%202010[/img]

Take Off Order Line up. Seven planes show for Fly By in straight down the wing crosswind. Flags were flying straight out.
[img]SloshGosh%202010%20Back%20at%20Campground[/img]

Back at the Home Built Campground after the show.
[img]SloshGosh%202010%20Back%20at%20Campground[/img]

Ladies Love Taildraggers/BCP Lunch at the Hilton.
[img]Ladies%20Love%20Taildraggers/%20BCP%20Lunch%20Hilton%20SloshGosh%202010[/img]
For what ever reason I don't have a photo of the BCP group. Someone put one up that has one.

I finally got to Oshkosh Tuesday around 1:30, and by the time we registered, tied down, and set up camp it was after 2, so I didn't get to meet up with everyone at the Hilton. I ended up going with some friends in their Archer, but we did get into the North 40 and had an outstanding time.

Someday, I'll get to meet folks...

Got back home around 3pm, had something to eat & took a nap, then went out flying for an hour. Beautiful evening.

ASW

dirtstrip wrote:

58Skylane wrote:Hey.......this thread is lacking pictures

Oh....nice write up!!

Taxiing out for the Home Built Review Fly By Wednesday's Airshow
[img]Home%20Built%20Review%20SloshGosh%202010[/img]

Take Off Order Line up. Seven planes show for Fly By in straight down the wing crosswind. Flags were flying straight out.
[img]SloshGosh%202010%20Back%20at%20Campground[/img]

Back at the Home Built Campground after the show.
[img]SloshGosh%202010%20Back%20at%20Campground[/img]

Ladies Love Taildraggers/BCP Lunch at the Hilton.
[img]Ladies%20Love%20Taildraggers/%20BCP%20Lunch%20Hilton%20SloshGosh%202010[/img]
For what ever reason I don't have a photo of the BCP group. Someone put one up that has one.

That's a good start . But, I know you got more

dirtstrip wrote:I even watched EZ flap demo his invention to others. Afterward I introduced myself and he asked me to stick around a bit to talk in between those that had questions for him. I know he will take this the way I intend it. EZ Flap, I don't care what they say, you're a pretty straight guy.

Aw heck dirtstrip, don't say nice things about me, it might screw with my reputation. I'm getting used to this big black hat

Nice to meet several of you at Oshkosh, and sincere thanks for your moral support. Things are starting to go well, OSH broke me through #80 and nobody's unhappy. (Well except for one guy who I'm paying to be my loyal opposition, to keep me sharp )

Here's a great picture taken at the Cambridge, Minnesota airport on the return flight from Oshkosh when I diverted north around the twin cities to avoid storms.

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Re: Oshkosh 2010

Postby dirtstrip » Sat Jul 31, 2010 4:07 pm
Back from Slosh Gosh by gosh.
First time ever to fly in and went alone since my wife did not feel up to it. Stopped for fuel sunday afternoon at Mauston/New Lisbon Wisc. 82C. 100ll was 4.05 and noticed my cowling crack running again. The FBO stopped by and opened the shop for me and I stop drilled the crack for the 2nd time and added a bolt and washer. It was too late to make Osh so decided to try monday morning. A friend of the FBO's gave me a ride to a Super 8 in his restored 1930 Model A . I went in style.



My wife is from New Lisbon> have a number of relatives in area. Pretty area --- Lots of mosquitoes during summer . My Brother in law was (since passed) postmaster and knew everyone in small town.

I got fuel there again on the return trip. The weather ahead looked like I should stay the night again and I still diverted north the next morning. The FBO's name is Bill, a semi retired man who is also raising cranberries with his son and has built a new hangar just off airport. Hangared my plane in it overnight for free in case it hailed. He showed me his straight tail 180 on floats in there which he was readying for a trip this past Tuesday morning to go fishing at his cabin up in Canada. Says he flies 500' all the way. We had a good visit. The man is 78 years young and could pass for sixty.
Your family postmaster would have known this man I am sure. He asked if I knew Buzz Wagner from Clark. He had gotten Aeronca wing parts from him years ago. Buzz passed away two years ago. Clark is 28 miles from here. Its like momma always said, You gotta behave everywhere you go because somebody is gonna know somebody and it WILL get back.