Why Oshkosh Matters (With CoolPix Marathon - 19 Hi-Res Images)

(click pic for hi-res)  Ray Hegy's El Chuparosa at Oshkosh 1970 (see original post)

 Oshkosh 2013 is fast approaching (July 29 - Aug 4), and I'm as excited as ever to be planning to attend. I was there in 1970 (as a 9 year old) when the very first Oshkosh took place at Wittman Field in beautiful Wisconsin. The annual EAA fly-in and convention was held in Rockford Illinois prior to Oshkosh and I was even at the last one of those in 1969. I've missed a handful of the events over the years, but I've attended well over 30 of them since that picture above of Ray Hegy's El Chuparosa was taken.

 Oshkosh has changed a lot over the years, but in the ways that really matter, it hasn't really changed at all. It's still people (lots and lots of people) who are in love with aviation gathering together to share that love with each other. It's goodness, discipline, ingenuity, and achievement all rolled into a week of learning, sharing, and enjoying. There's just nothing else like it... no other tool we have that does so much good for the world of general and sport aviation. That's why I believe that Oshkosh truly matters.

 I'm well aware that many people have frustrations at times with the EAA and the way Oshkosh is run, and while I've had the same kinds of frustrations going back even into the 1970's, I'm as convinced as ever that the EAA ultimately does a huge amount of good for those of us who love to fly. I can't imagine any other organization (or new group of people) who could, or would do better (or even as well) at fostering a genuine love for flying. So I hope you'll join me in being a big supporter of what Oshkosh does for us all... come to Oshkosh this year and be amazed, entertained, educated, and impressed. But please don't come expecting Oshkosh to do all that TO you, instead, come to Oshkosh and BE PART OF that process. Give, and share, and receive too. It's the human interactions that truly make Oshkosh the beautiful thing that it is.

 To celebrate some of the great avgeekery of Oshkosh, here's an extensive collection of CoolPix images I've captured since 2009 to get you primed and ready for the world's greatest aviation event. I hope you enjoy! Oh, and you might notice that I never ever call the event A**V******, it's Oshkosh to me and always will be. I look forward to the day when that ad agency concocted word is dropped from the EAA vocabulary. And hey, maybe they should go back to a logo that looks more like tho old one too : )

(click pic for hi-res)  Pitcairn Autogiro at Oshkosh 2009  (see original post)

(click pic for hi-res)  Airbus A380 preparing to depart Oshkosh 2009  (see original post)

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FREE Bacon! AirPigz OSH13 Bacon Parties - You Don't Even Have To Push A Button!

Push button and get free bacon? HA! The AirPigz OSH13 Bacon Parties can beat that!
 

AirPigz Bacon Parties!  Tue July 30 or Sat August 3 at Oshkosh 2013 (6-8pm)

 You've probably seen this humorous explanation of the pictogram found on those old-school World Dryer hand dryers, and that would be a pretty easy way to get some free crunch pig, but the AirPigz Bacon parties at Oshkosh 2013 can beat that... you don't even have to push a button!

 All you gotta do is show up at CampBacon (the AirPigz campsite in EAA's Camp Scholler) on either Tuesday July 30th or Saturday August 3rd between 6pm and 8pm to snag some free bacon. CampBacon should wind up in pretty much the same place as it's been the last few years, on Lindbergh Ave near Forest Home and 48th St. The exact location, including a map, will be posted several days before Oshkosh starts so you can know exactly where to spend some time chewing the fat while you chew the fat, avgeek style!

 I hope I'll see you there : )

The Rutan Boomerang at Oshkosh 2012 (see hi-res version of this pic)

CoolPix Triple Play: The Golden Glow Of Cubs At OSH12

(click pic for hi-res)  Camping Cubs in the evening sun at Oshkosh 2012

 The gathering of Piper Cubs at Oshkosh 2012 (and at Hartford Wisconsin the weekend before OSH - see great pix here and here) was a major highlight of my summer last year. A sea of Cub yellow to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the J-3 was most satisfying. And now that February has somehow turned into May, I'm just getting a handle on the idea that OSH13 will be here before you know it! (July 29-Aug 4)

 There probably won't be as many Cubs there this year, but there's no question that Oshkosh will once again be the greatest aviation gathering in the world. I look forward to Oshkosh more than any other event, year after year. I hope you've got plans to make it this year... and if you do, you better plan to attend an official AirPigz Bacon Party too! Details will be posted in June with the times and days of the two opportunities to have some crunch pig while hangar flying at CampBacon. Airplanes and bacon are definitely a perfect combo : )

 Below are two more great CoolPix images of Cubs that I captured at Oshkosh last year. I hope they give you a warm, glowing feeling inside for airplanes that drag their tail and are covered in fabric. Btw, Hartford Wisconsin will be the initial gathering and staging point for the 'round-engine rodeo' planned for OSH13. I enjoyed my time at Hartford so much last year that there's no way I'd miss this weekend gathering right before Oshkosh starts. I hope to see you there!

(click pic for hi-res)  A glorious sea of Cub yellow on the flightline at OSH12

(click pic for hi-res)  A tighter view of yellow Piper perfection

Poll: Awesome Or Ugly? Ed Lesher's Record Setting 1960's Era 'Teal'

The late Professor Ed Lesher in his early 1960's record setting homebuilt 'Teal'

 I have a pretty long list in my head of aircraft (and the people behind them) that I hope to do in-depth postings on at some point in the future. That'll most likely happen after I become somewhat wealthy and have lots of extra time - obviously, don't hold your breath! Anyway, Professor Ed Lesher (1914~1998) and his 'Teal' are definitely on the list.

 The all-metal homebuilt Teal that he designed, built, and first flew in 1965 was a significant part of my early years of Oshkosh from 1970 thru 1975. Seems like the airplane was always on display out on the flightline, and as a kid who really enjoyed unusual aircraft design, I spent a lot A LOT of time looking the airplane over. I'll say it right now, I love this little airplane and think it's off-the-scale awesome!

 Not only did the Teal look different, but it was quite effective in accomplishing the goals that Ed had for it: setting records. With its Continental O-200 100 hp engine, it was built to compete in the 500kg (1,102 lbs) class, and by 1968 Ed had captured the records for fastest speed over the 500 km (181.55 mph), 1,000 km (169.20 mph), and the 2,000 km(141.84 mph) distances.

Ed Lesher's Teal, part of the EAA Museum collection, on display at Oshkosh 2012

  Ed and his homebuilt Teal represent the amazing bridge between a talented tinkering man and expanding the envelope of aerodynamic knowledge that the EAA and the 60's and 70's embodied. I wish we could go back to that era right now, I miss it. (don't misunderstand, there's plenty of that going on today, but it was different back then, and I'd say it was better back then)

  So anyway, you know how I feel about the Teal, but what do you think? Is is Awesome or Ugly?

CoolPix: Closer Than You've Ever Been To The B-17 Yankee Lady!

(click pic for hi-res) Prop hub on #1 engine of the B-17 Yankee Lady at Oshkosh 2012

 I woke up to about 3 inches of snow in northern Indiana this Monday morning! Isn't it actually Spring now?? Hmm, global warming just isn't what it used to be (hehe) - no worries tho, I've got a couple unique CoolPix images from a warm and sunny day at Oshkosh 2012 for ya here. I admit that this ultra-close view is a little odd, but I thought being pulled in really close on the prop hub of the B-17 Yankee Lady (which I also got an amazing ride in back in 2010) was a nifty view of both the head on that bolt and the other aircraft parked on what we used to call AeroShell Square at Oshkosh. I think we call it ConocoPhillips Plaza, or Conoco Plaza, or Phillips Plaza, or something like that now. Anyway, in the reflection you can see the B-17, the Orbis DC-10, a C-5 Galaxy, the colorful stripes of a Southwest 737, and there's even a DC-3 in there but it's a little hard to make out.

 The image below is the one that I cropped from and it gives a little better perspective on the prop hub. This was a very happy moment for me when I captured this pic... I was both re-living my ride experience in Yankee Lady and I was on the best place on Earth, Oshkosh during Oshkosh. Wow : ) 

(click pic for hi-res)  The wider view of Yankee Lady's #1 engine prop hub

Video: Boeing Presentation On 787 Battery Problem And Fix (+ CoolPix)

(click pic to enlarge)  'Boeing' on the very reflective side of the prototype 787 at OSH11

Click here to see the full Boeing webpage on the technical briefing with additional info

 I've been pretty quiet about the Boeing 787 battery issue that grounded the fleet on January 17, 2013, but mostly because situations like this are really hard to comment on when you simply don't have access to the facts. Of course, lack of facts rarely stops the media from making all kinds of comments... while they profit all the way along regardless if what they are saying makes any sense or is even rooted in the truth. That's why I found this long, slow-paced, and potentially boring 1 hour and 34 minute video so fascinating, it's all about the facts.

See my recent post: Poll: Would You Ride The 787 On Its First Return-To-Service Flight?

 From understanding what the battery in question does on the 787 to a detailed explanation of the two incidents that led to the grounding, this technical briefing answers every question I can imagine about the issue. More important, it makes extremely clear what steps have been taken to retrofit the battery installation to prevent any such incidents from occurring again. The briefing took place last Friday in Japan (actually on Thursday evening EDT time) and was presented predominately by Ray Conner (executive vice president of The Boeing Company and president and chief executive officer of Boeing Commercial Airplanes) and Mike Sinnet (Vice President and 787 Chief Project Engineer) - and in my opinion, these two men have done a fantastic job of presenting the details of the problem and the Boeing response as the company has worked with the FAA to resolve the issue. 

 I feel this briefing presents Boeing as neither shaken nor cocky about the 787 program, but instead I see a company that has been diligent in designing and building the most advanced civilian aircraft the world has ever seen, and one that has handled an unforeseen complication with honesty and integrity.

 Boeing is currently well into the certification testing of the revised battery installation and the hope is that the 787 will back in service within weeks.

 I admit that you have to be a pretty hardcore geek for the inner workings of how technologically advanced aircraft are designed and built to enjoy this video, but given the importance of the subject matter to both Boeing and the flying public, I think this hour-and-a-half video is well worth the time invested in it.

(click pic for hi-res)  CoolPix of the Boeing 787 prototype departing Oshkosh 2011

CoolPix: Summer Dreamin' - Rutan Boomerang At Oshkosh 2012

(click pic for hi-res) Unique view of a most unique aircraft: the Rutan Boomerang at OSH12

 The combination of some bitter-cold winter air in my part of the world, along with not-enough-hours-in-the-day (too much day-job work to get done) led me to this unique view of Burt Rutan's Boomerang that I captured at Oshkosh 2012. I needed something quick to post and I wanted it to remind me of warm summer days... wow, this Boomerang pic hits the spot perfectly!

 Burt put this incredibly unique mid 1990's airplane in the hands of Scaled Composites employee Tres Clements who headed up a crew that restored the one-of-a-kind aircraft to airworthy condition in 2011. It was a fabulous treat to see the airplane at OSH11, and it felt like an old friend was back again at OSH12. It does my heart good to see people sitting in the grass using the Boomerang for shade on sunny summer day in Wisconsin. That's just one of the thousands of reasons why Oshkosh is the greatest place on Earth to me.

 You can learn more about the airplane at RutanBoomerang.com - and of course I recommend you click the pic to open up this CoolPix so it fills your screen. A closer look means you'll likely notice the airstair door, the windshield-plug-door for cockpit access (along with the retractable foot step forward of the wing), and the off-center nosewheel... which is not only off-center of the main fuselage but probably isn't really on the airplane's centerline. At least I don't think it is. Truthfully, I'm not sure Burt even knows where the true centerline of the Boomerang is! 

 Anyway, a great pic of an incredible airplane at the world's greatest aviation event : )

Oshkosh 2013 Gets Stung By Jerry Yagen's Mosquito?

(click pic to enlarge) Jerry Yagen's Mosquito recently restored by Avspecs in New Zealand 

 AVweb had a story yesterday about how the EAA was going to stand firm on their policy of not paying appearance fees to have specific aircraft attend the annual convention and fly-in in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. This has become an issue because it appears that Jerry Yagen, the owner of the Mosquito recently (and impeccably) restored by Avspecs LTD in new Zealand, has said he won't bring the Mosquito (and his new-manufacture Me 262) without being paid to do so. Hmm, really? Normally I'd just hear this news and then let my opinion rattle around inside my head, but as a guy who has covered this Mosquito extensively in the last several months here on AirPigz, I decided I have something to say.

 I'll start with the EAA. I have had my issues with the Experimental Aircraft Association over the years, (don't get me started, some of these issues are big ones to me) but in the end, I don't know of any other organization that has done so much for the true love of flying. I first joined in 1970 when I was 9 years old... I started scratch building an airplane on my own when I was a junior in high school and I've been to well over 30 Oshkosh events over the last 40+ years. The EAA and Oshkosh are good great for aviation, so I'm going to have to side with them in this issue with the Mosquito.

 I'm going to assume that the AVweb story is accurate, and as such, I have a hard time wrapping my I-bust-my-butt-for-30grand-a-year head around the idea that Jerry Yagen (who has more cash wrapped up in the Merlins on that Mosquito than I have spent in my entire 51 years on Earth) can't see fit to spend just a little cash to do what warbird owners have been doing for years and years... pay to bring their airplane to Oshkosh so us meager little commoners could admire them. Please don't misunderstand, this isn't class envy on my part... I have no problem cheering the fact that Mr. Yagen has had the opportunity to generate the kind of wealth that allows him to own an incredibly large collection of extremely expensive and rare aircraft, but to demand to be paid to show one or two airplanes at the world's greatest aviation event is just a bit stinky to me.

 I'll add that I have been also working my butt off the last four years in my spare time with AirPigz.com in an effort to bring the beauty and fascination of aviation to a younger generation. I understand the value of investing time and money in things that can have a positive impact on others. And, while it takes very little money to run this website, it does take a massive amount of time and energy on my part... and as many of you know, I still haven't figured out a way to generate any real income off the 25,000 plus people (and growing) that visit this website every month. It seems that if I was to use Jerry Yagen's approach, I'd just tell y'all pay up or I'm done. Well that's not how I operate. (and yes, it's very true that I did just over a week ago ask for some financial support for the my 1,000-hours-a-year work here on AirPigz. I raised $170, which brought the total income for the website in 2012 up to about $600) 

 My opinion on the Mosquito issue is in no way an attack on Jerry Yagen, but it is request for him to take another look at the principles (and financial realities) involved here and reconsider the value of spending the loose change it would take to put Avspecs' beautiful work on display at Oshkosh 2013 for the aviation world at large to enjoy and appreciate.

CoolPix: Piper Cub Perfection At Oshkosh 2012 (With Desktop Sizes)

(click pic for hi-res)  A J-3P (Lenappe radial engine) and a J-3C at Oshkosh 2012

 I propose a challenge: take any two Cessna 150's and position them however you like and then take your best picture of the two of them together... then put a hi-res version on the internet for the world to see. Will heartbeats quicken? How many people will say 'wow' in their head. How many will say 'wow' out loud? I suspect not very many. I say this not because I dislike the Cessna 150, it's a wildly acceptable little airplane. I say this because airplanes from the past had a passion and a love for flight engineered into them, and it's rare to find that today.

 I think this CoolPix image of the somewhat rare Lenappe radial powered Cub painted black and yellow with the iconic all-yellow Continental A-65 powered Cub in the fuzzy background makes my point. That image borders on art. But it's not almost art because I captured a phenomenal image but because those airplanes are just beautiful to look at. As wildly acceptable as Cessna 150's are, they are not very often described as beautiful to look at.

 I figured a nice avgeek reminder of the warmth of summer, the awesomeness of Oshkosh, and the beauty of the Piper Cub might be a really nice little pick-me-up for anyone experiencing some winter-like weather right now. As we look ahead to 2013 and set our sights on Spring getting back here so we can have more chances to get in the air, I hope this picture will help some of you realize that old-school airplanes like the Cub do more for the heart and soul (and stick and rudder skills) than our modern airplanes do. To push that idea even harder, I've made this image available in four of the most common desktop sizes so you can put it on your computer to help you get thru the winter. Enjoy : )

Two Piper Cubs at Oshkosh 2012 desktop pix:

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1366x768
1280x800
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For more Cub love, check out airpigz.com/blog/category/cub

Poll: Which Logo Best Represents The Experimental Aircraft Association?

 This is the same poll I put up almost a week ago in 3 Reasons Why I Should Be The New EAA President (And 3 Why It'll Never Happen), but the poll wasn't the focus of that post so I thought it might be good to make it easier for people to find it. Almost 200 votes have come in since last Tuesday and I have been extremely pleased to see that my retro logo is currently running at over 82% favorability! I'd like to see where the numbers are at with about 1,000 votes, so if you haven't voted in this poll yet, please do.

 The real purpose for this poll isn't to see if my particular version of the old original EAA logo is better liked than the the current one, it's really about seeing if there's a real desire within the EAA membership to see the organization return to its roots. That doesn't in any way mean shunning new technology for homebuilt aircraft, it's really all about how the organization is run and what it considers its primary mission to be. In my opinion, the EAA of 1970 was doing a much better job of representing its members than the EAA of 2012... and the logo battle is a pretty good graphic representation of all that.

 Oshkosh 1970: grass trampled around Ray Hegy's one-of-a-kind El Chuparosa