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OshKosh 2005 What you are missing!
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Our first stop was at JackPot Nevada. The trip was uneventful, beautiful at sun up crossing the Sierra Nevada. Four little home built aircraft traveling in a very loose formation. Constant chatter on 122.75, keeping each other company as we traveled across the bleak landscape of Nevada. Fueling was fun with each of us comparing fuel burnt. Our next leg was Campbell Wyoming. Nothing to see but buttes and a trio of Chinese Nanchang heading to Oshkosh. This week almost any aircraft traveling east is a sure bet to be going to Oshkosh. The RV-4 required more fuel stops and was slowing the other aircraft down. The fuel meister at Campbell was missing as well so a wait for fuel was in order. It was decided that the three aircraft with larger tanks would fly out and fuel elsewhere. We would try to catch up later in the day and head into Oshkosh on Saturday. We had over six hours in the aircraft already and we were looking forward to an evening to relax and rest up. Gerhard Schmid, my co-pilot and navigator was having fun in the back seat. He did most of the flying and was not happy when the back seat Garmin GPS failed. He kept glued to the HSI and maintained the heading that was necessary to get to our next waypoint. The RV-4 was running great and we made very good time to For Dodge Iowa. The other RV aircraft made it to the home of Hormel meats in Minnesota. We could not reach that far north without another fuel stop so we headed a bit south and landed amid corn fields in Iowa. The hotel had an indoor pool and a good restaurant. The taxi ride was paid by the hotel as well so the stay over turned out to be a good one. I had landed at Fort Dodge before, a clean and new airport.
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On Saturday morning we accidentally slept through the taxi pickup. Breakfast was fast but good! We ended up getting to the airport late, about 9:00am. The flight day ended up having a weather delay though. At about 10:30 am we decided to drop below the clouds to get to Oshkosh. For 20 or 30 miles we saw that the visability decreased from 4 to 5 miles to 1 mile and then no visability. I finally pushed the nearest button on the KLN94 GPS and Scott Field Iowa showed bright on the color screen. Six point five miles heading 161 degrees, Com 128.00. We turned immediately and started looking. It was a welcome sight to see the narrow cement runway appear through the settling fog. The landing was a good one and we taxied up to the pump. Fuel meister again missing. A couple with a very nice Glass star was also holdup in the lounge. A room very warm and inviting with a couch, desk, TV, some chairs and a refrigerator stocked with sodas. A sign said, "soda 75 cents, honor system". We waited until Flight service advised some relief would be had if we flew to LaCross Iowa, up the Mississippi River about 30 miles. We took out and headed to La Cross, gaining altitude so we cout see the Storm. Directly in our way was serious cell with gray extending to the ground. A turn to the east reveiled another storm to the south east. We turned toward the East and gave the RV-4 license to speed. We ended up getting quite a bath, trying to beat a storm to our destination. About 30 miles from OSHKOSH we turned the lights off, transponder off and looked for the intersection were over 10,000 aircraft would meet to travel to Oshkosh and Wittman field. There they were, other aircraft, lights on and wagging their wings when the radio advised them to acknowledge. We did the same as were cleared to land on runway 9, running west to east. The landing was exciting, just a few hundred feet between aircraft, lined up for as long as you could see. We were flagged on to the RV aircraft parking lot and parked right next to the other three aircraft from Nut Tree. They arrived from the north earlier in the day, having missed the storms and excitement. MORE TO COME { :>) |
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Wisconsin Independent Christian Schools This is where I have stayed for 3 years. Clean, spartan, cheap and good breakfasts. For others click above. Wisconsin
Independent Christian Schools (7 miles from EAA site) Accommodations include bed linens, pillows, towels, washcloths and soap. Separate rooms available for families or groups and/or a large air-conditioned room that will house 12 men barrack style. Beds are roll-aways. Extras include: A large air-conditioned gymnasium for basketball and volleyball, multiple TV’s available for movies and news, free shuttle to EAA 2 times a day. Continental breakfast daily 6 am to 8 am. Cost is $45-$50 per night per person. For reservations or questions, call Jodi at 920.589.4041 or Lorie at 920.231.9704.
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