Oshkosh 2010 Pic Stream #6 - Seaplane Base Serenity (15 pix)

 In my 34 years of Oshkosh experience, I've only been to the Seaplane Base four times, and that's all been relatively recently. But just those four trips there are like giant steps moving me to the brink of getting a seaplane rating (never mind the financial obstacle currently in the way). The Seaplane Base at Oshkosh, and the people that operate out of it, are so intriguing to me that I feel an active draw to experience it... this feels kinda new to me as most of the cool stuff I've experienced has strangely just 'happened', but seaplanes are off in the distance, calling my out to me. The call is getting louder, and my ability to resist is about to breakdown : )

 After driving over the the base and parking, I walked down the beautiful tree-lined path that leads you to the gorgeous spot where water, land, and airplanes all come together. Along the way, you pass by some of the camping area as seen in this picture. Wow, what a place to camp! It just fits right in with how the whole Seaplane Base experience is very special.

  I had planned to get over to the base at some point during the week, but sometimes it's so hard to pry me away from the Wittman Field that it gets difficult to work it in. But this year, I had a catalyst. It was Thursday, and I'd been pushing my 'media cart' all over the airport for several days by this time, so it was getting more common for me to stop for short breaks to get some rest. During one of them, a guy named Tom saw the AirPigz graphics on the cart and since he's a fan of the site, he stopped to say hi. We had a great time talking, and when I asked if he flew in, he said he was with a group that flew into the Seaplane Base in and airplane I probably hadn't heard of... a Noorduyn Norseman. As it turns out, I did know what a Norseman is, and I thought wow, what an adventure his 12 hour flight down from Canada must have been! Anyway, he said they were leaving in the mornng at 8 am. I figured I should make a plan to be over to watch that depature.

  The Norseman crew was right on time with their 8 am departure, and I didn't get there early like I should have, which meant I didn't get to talk to anyone as they were actually just starting the engine as I spotted the airplane. I did get to watch it taxi back and forth thru the small bay area on the north side of the base as they warmed up the engine. It's interesting to see the operational differences that seaplanes experience compared to land based airplanes, like the simple fact that you don't warm up the engine by holding the brakes and sitting still.

 The picture here is shortly after the power has come up and the Norseman begins the take off run. With a long trip home and what I imagine was a cabin pretty full of people and stuff, the airplane was far off in the distance before I could see the wing dip a little as one float was lifted off the water, then followed right away by the other as the big ole seaplane became airborne.

 You can tell that this pic is from a really long way away, but I thought it looked cool with the small boat also visible. You can also see how the wings haven't leveled out yet from the float un-sticking procedure where one float is lifted out of the water before the other. This makes it much easier to get the water to let go of the airplane.

 I trust that Tom and the crew had a good trip back home to Canada.

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Oshkosh 2010 Pic Stream #2 - Sunshine & Avgeek Happiness! (19 pix)

AirPigz 'Bacon Party' Tonight!  5pm-7pm in Camp Scholler
( Lindbergh Ave at 43rd Street - click for map )

 The campground is definitely drying out, but the big Class A motorhomes still aren't being let in as of late Monday evening. Hopefully tomorrow the ground will have firmed up enough for them. My campsite isn't really all put together yet... I've been too busy with airplanes and stuff.

 My early morning trip into the show grounds went right by the fabulous Kirby Chambliss Red Bull airplane that was sitting right outside the Cirrus booth. The second Red Bull airplane on a stick was pretty cool to see in the morning air as well.

  Just to the south of Kirby's airplane was one of the 16 Cirrus SR20's recently purchased by Purdue University for their flight school.

 The Kodiak sitting on amphibious floats was looking pretty sharp in the early sunshine. I've got the camera on the monopod up in the air as I often do, which can make the airplane look smaller than it is... note that the wing is essentially at the height of the building roof. This is a big and tall package of an airplane!

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OSH10 Will Be The Best Oshkosh Ever! (Bonus CoolPix-Vintage)

(click pic for hi-res)    CoolPix - Vintage: the awesome Pitcairn Autogiro at OSH09

 It’s not a gimmick, as I said last year, the best Oshkosh ever is the one you’re at RIGHT NOW! With opening day just a week away, it won’t be long before the magical experience of gathering together with thousands of like-minded avgeeks, and airplanes of every imaginable kind, will turn Wittman Field into literally the best place on Earth.

 There’s no other place I know of where so many people gather in a creative, technical, peaceful, and respectful manner, and then do so for a whole week. No where. I’m blessed to be able to go all week again this year, which will also be my 34th Oshkosh experience. I joined the EAA in 1970, the same year as the first Oshkosh (the annual EAA convention was in Rockford, IL prior to moving to OSH), and even tho I was only 9 years old, I was at Oshkosh 1970 - thanks dad!

Airbus A380 stirring up lots of dust and attracting every eye at OSH09

 I get a chuckle out of the people that go for a day or two and say they saw it all. I’ll be there all week long, I’ll cover the grounds all day long, I’ll keep moving thru the evening, and then do my best to be back out there by 7:30 in the morning… and I’ll still only scratch the surface of what this event has to offer. If it’s just some airplanes sitting on a Wisconsin airport in the summer to you, then I guess a day or two will cover it. But Oshkosh truly represents the spirit of aviation, and no aviation event can inspire a person, in a thousand different aviation ways, like Oshkosh can.

A beautiful example of the highly unusual homebuilt Dyke Delta at OSH09

 If you’ve never been to the event, and you aren’t coming this year, I encourage you to keep watch of AirPigz.com during the week from Monday July 26th thru Sunday August 1st. I’m planning to post an update every night. Hopefully these posts will help to display the amazing diversity of aircraft and people that attend, and, what you’re missing. My biggest hope is that it will inspire you to make attending next year a priority. And of course, if you know how great Oshkosh is, but you aren't able to attend this year, please enjoy these daily posts... I hope they'll help you to feel like you're there on some level : )

The remotely piloted Predator B UAV at OSH09

 And if you’re are headed to OSH10, I highly recommend you dig deep and really take the event in (use the awesome, unofficial ’events scheduler’ at OSHplanner.com to help with that), and remember, because you’re livin’ it, OSH10 Will Be the Best Oshkosh Ever!

CoolPix - Racers: Jimmy Doolittle And The Perfect Curtiss R3C-2 Seaplane

(click pic for hi-res)

 If I understand the documentation correctly, the year for this picture of Jimmy Doolittle standing on the Curtiss R3C-2 racer is 1928. Hello? Can you really believe that it was just 25 years earlier that the Wright Brothers first flew their kind-of-awkward Wright Flyer? It was even a few years earlier than this picture was taken that this same Jimmy Doolittle won the 1925 Schneider Trophy race with this little piece of aviation perfection, being pulled thru the air by that cool prop at a speed of 232.57 mph. This stellar Curtiss airplane was actually the fastest airplane in the world in 1925, tho it was the R3C-1 version, the same airplane but with wheels installed, that set that record of 249.342 mph with Lt. Cyrus Bettis sitting in the cockpit. 

 Due to the shocking awesomeness of the aircraft that raced in the Schneider thru the 20's (and in the last year of 1931), I'll be doing a lot more coverage of the details relating to these airplanes over time. I've got a book from about 20 years ago that has loads of terrific info in it, and there's no shortage of amazing things to share about these stunning aircraft.

 But for right now, I suggest you click this picture so it's nice and big, and then slowly run your eyes all over this thing... just like you were right there, gently laying your fingers on it and carefully tracing its perfect curves. Imagine the smell of a 650+ hp liquid-cooled V-12 engine with still-warm oil leaking out of the joints. Breathe in the burned and unburned fuel smells that create a cloud of aromic perfection. Imagine for a moment what it would be like to sit in that cockpit and push the throttle forward... you are a race pilot!

 Please, don't miss the opportunity to experience this amazing airplane in your mind!

 And lastly, did you know that this was actually an Army airplane? Both the airplane AND the engine were built by the same people; the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company, and this was all done with the support of the military in the effort to promote better, faster airplanes. What an amazing time in the history of aviation. 

DVD Review: 'Obsession' - Inside Sport Class Racing At Reno

The 'Obsession' DVD is not for sale, but interested individuals or groups can
find out how to get a copy by sending an email to 77Obsession@gmail.com

 (7 pix)

 Scott Alair spent 2-1/2 years building up his Lancair Legacy which was like an obsession for him... to get the airplane built, and then to race it at the Reno Air Races. This DVD is a pretty detailed look at Scott's experience in the Sport Class racing his Legacy at Reno 2006. The airplane is named 'Obsession', and so is this approximately 50 minute DVD video.

 The video isn't for sale, but it is available to people who are interested in sharing this inside look at Sport Class racing at Reno with groups, EAA chapters, and more. It's very well produced, with a coherent story line, great video images, and it's narrated at times to make sure the story is well communicated. I really enjoyed it. It's both entertaining and educational. Send an email to 77Obsession@gmail.com for info on how to acquire a copy.

 All of the pictures below are screenshots taken from the video. 

 The video begins by giving a nice overview of what the Reno Air Races are about, which includes a good look at several of the Unlimited racers.

 Several minutes are dedicated to showing the Legacy while under construction. It's not a video on how to build the airplane by any means, but it does take the time to explain about how the airplane came to be.

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Raise Your Hand If You Like This 1974 BD-5 Promo Pic

(click pic to enlarge)

 I found this BD-5 promo pic in the Vol. 1 No. 3 edition of the 'BD News' publication put out in 1974. I've got a small stack of amazing Bede promo materials left over from the early 70's when my dad had purchased a BD-5 kit. He sold the kit before it was really even started and put a deposit down on two of the 'D' model airplanes, the ones that were supposed to be a factory built and ready-to-fly. Then shortly after, he traded one of the 'D' slots for an order on a BD-5 Jet. As it would turn out, none of these airplanes would ever be delivered... but at least I've got a stack of cool promo materials to show for all the excitement : )

 I thought this pic was particularly interesting. It shows Bede test pilot Les Berven cruising along at 90 mph with the canopy in the open position. It was actually the third in a series of pictures showing how easily the canopy could be opened in flight and how well the airplane flew with it there. The caption with this pic even mentioned; "At 90 mph the BD-5 feels only a slight draft from behind and even his baseball cap stays in place". It was a typical Bede promo that worked pretty well in stirring up more interest in the great looking machine.

 The BD-5 will always be a fascinating piece of aviation history. You can expect to see a lot more interesting pix and info that I pull out of those old promo materials in the next few months. And just to make it all feel kind of official, I'm adding a 'tag' for the BD-5 now as well. Maybe it will help inspire someone to truly make an 'electric' airplane like the BD-5 Micro was in 1971.

Why Hasn’t Somebody Built A 3/4 Scale OV-10? Hmmm?

 Unless you’re some kind of weirdo, you probably like the 1960’s era North American OV-10 Bronco almost as much as I do. It’s kinda insect-like while being a bit of a brute, and when you consider that awesome visibility from the front seat, it would have to be ear-to-ear grin inducing. So, I’m wondering; why hasn’t someone snagged a couple really tired, and cheap, Garrett TPE331 turboprops off an old Turbo Commander or Mitsubishi MU-2 and built a really sweet 3/4 scale, 2-place OV-10?

 Seems like a guy could build a stunning replica for a couple or maybe three hundred thousand bucks. OK, true, he wouldn’t be a guy with a regular bank account, but there’s a lot of people out there with more money than that wrapped up in homebuilt Lancair IV. And if you’re interested in stirring up a little attention when you arrive at an airport, I’m thinking a 3/4 scale 2 seat turbine powered OV-10 is gonna be pretty hard to beat!

 I can also see it being almost practical. You can figure about 1,000 high-time horsepower pulling around a nice sized airframe with a pretty roomy cockpit. Let’s say it has a fabulous rate of climb and a 250mph max cruise speed. You could easily keep the power back then and run with a 200mph economy cruise. And then you’ve got that awesome hinged cap at the back end of the fuselage that opens up so you can put all your camping gear, an extra 55 gallons of Jet A, and food for a week inside when you’re heading out to central Alaska... and then, the camping gear and a dead moose for the trip back. I figure about 1,500 pounds of cargo nicely positioned right where you want it, on the CG. Nice. Better not get too big a moose though. Lastly, enough fuel in the wing to run for a good solid 6 hours.

 So, there you have it. I’ve done my part by giving you the idea, cuz that’s all I can afford on this project. Now, someone NEEDS to build this dreamy 3/4 scale OV-10!

 Can I have a ride? Puleeeze! Must. Have. Ride.

 : )

Freaky Cool LUCY THM: First Flight Coming Soon

(click pic to enlarge)

 I posted several pix and lots of info on this very unique aircraft in my LUCY THM: The Fine Line Between Genius And Insanity post a couple weeks back.  Then I sent an email to the contact address on their website expressing interest in whether or not the machine had flown yet.  I got an answer back a few days later, which is now a little over a week ago, that said they were still doing some development work and that the first flight should be made before long.

 I've got a good feeling about this most unusual aircraft, but I could be wrong... I was pretty sure Clinton wouldn't get elected the first time, and I knew he couldn't get elected the second time!  Oh well, I think it's gonna be very interesting to see what the results are of the first flight attempts.  Feel free to keep an eye out with me by watching the LUCY THM website for updated info on flight testing.  Then I'll race ya to see who can tell Batman first that his airplane is finally flying : )

A Beautiful New Waiex (HOTY) Makes First Flight

Kip Laurie's gorgeous new Waiex with Jabiru 3300 power   photo: Sonex Aircraft

First flight for Waiex N111YX was on May 20, 2010   photo: Sonex Aircraft

 It’s kinda funny that just yesterday, in the Grand Slam Homebuilt post, I was saying how a lot of people don’t find the Sonex airplanes to be ‘electrifying’… and then this hot orange Waiex hits the scene!  It was built by Kip Laurie from Atlanta, Georgia, and the first flight was less than 2 weeks ago on May 20, 2010.  You may already know that I’ve been a fan of the taildragger Waiex for quite some time now, and even named it homebuilt of the year (HOTY) at the start of 2009!  BTW, a 2010 HOTY will probably be named at the end of this year : )

 I think the taildraggin’ Sonex is a fine airplane, but when you trade the straight tail for the V (and that tiny little rudder at the tail post!) I think an ‘ok’ airplane turns into a real hotty.  And Kip’s airplane, with that simple but awesome paint really brings the Waiex to life. 

 The fact that this little airplane can be built for under $30K puts it very close to Grand Slam status, but in my mind, that’s ultimately reserved for a single-seat airplane that can slash build and operating costs to about half of that.  It looks like the Onex (single-seat Sonex derivative) won’t be far from that, but it’s gonna need a V-tail option to have a chance of being electrifying.  So far I don’t see any mention of a V-tail for the Onex, but they are still very early in the development process. 

 But the real point here is that Kip’s orange and white Waiex is one fantastic looking airplane - great job!

Beyond Streamlining: Drag Reduction In The 21st Century

 A really fascinating discussion has been taking place over in the Hangar Talk forum at Oshkosh365 on ideas and concepts for the future of aerodynamics.  It's called Beyond Streamlining: Drag Reduction In The 21st Century, and it's being led by a very interesting guy named John McGinnis.  The post originated in November 2009, and currently it has 200 responses and well over 22,000 views.  It started out a little slow but it's gotten very popular!

 I've known John for about a year now, but we've yet to meet in person.  Oshkosh 2010 should change that as John will be presenting two forums this year, one on 'Bleeding Edge Prop Design' and the other on '21st Century Drag Reduction'.  If you have any interest in convention-challenging aerodynamic discussions, you should definitely check out both the O365 thread and John's forums at Oshkosh (here's the tentative schedule for John's Oshkosh forums.)

 My observation of discussions about aerodynamics has been that they're mostly a pride fest between people who are far more interested in making sure they teach the other guy that he's full of poo.  If you lace that discussion with a lot of confusion (both intentional and unintentional) and pepper it with several people who have absolutely no idea of what they are talking about, you wind up with a pretty bad taste in your mouth.

 Fortunately, John's discussion has been nothing like that.  He's got a great way of communicating what he's learned, and possibly most important, he's not afraid to realize that what we thought we knew might not be the facts, especially when clear, defining evidence presents itself.  He's also been doing a lot of research for a full scale project he's doing called Synergy that's currently entered in the 2011 CAFE Green Flight Challenge.  From what I know and can see, I'm inclined to believe that John knows what he's talking about and that he might be on the frontline of changing a lot of what you believe about aerodynamics.

 So go check out the 'Beyond Streamlining' thread at O365.  You can view it without signing up, but if you do sign up (it's free), you can even communicate directly with John thru either the forum or the internal email system.  It's all very cool stuff, and it's happening, once again, at the experimental grass roots level that have been fostered by the EAA for almost 60 years!