Saturday, August 21, 2010

Covering lesson of a different sort.

Sky and I went over to our friend Roger Teagarden's house this afternoon for a lesson on covering balsa-wood models. Roger offered a few precovering airframe finishing tips and then showed Sky how to prep the frame for covering. Sky's homework for the week is to do this prepwork and to come over next Saturday for the lesson on attaching tissue paper.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

New Job

As many of you know, I accepted a position with a freight hauler last month. Not with Fed Up, but with a smaller, expanding company. I'm starting out as a First Officer on a 747-200. They have professional engineers who have a lot of time on the airplane. I'll be doing mostly international flights.

I was told that class was starting either Aug 23 but it may be moved back to Aug 16th. I was about to crawl out of my skin yesterday when I finally broke down and called the Chief Pilot's assistant.

She said that managment had been in meetings all week and that class was not postponed yet and she didn't think it would be. She just didn't have to go-ahead to call and set up plane tickets and hotel rooms yet. I thanked her and told her I was ready to go at a moments notice.

I talked with one of my friends who works there yesterday and he told me that the bids for the 747-400 had come out.

She called today at noon to tell me the class had been postponed til Sept. 13.
I'm hoping the delay is to let them fill slots in the -200 caused by the -400 acquisitions. Two other freight haulers are hiring for heavy jets but I really want to work for these guys because I have at least 3 friends there.

Oh well, another 3 weeks to study the systems before I go to class.

Saturday, August 7, 2010

How many of you want a grass runway at Oshkosh?

Simple Poll. How many of you want a grass runway at Oshkosh? Just respond yes in a comment to this message. I'll give it personally to the new president of EAA.

I know this blog doesn't get out to all antiquers, but this will give me an idea.

Thanks and let the responses begin!

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

My world is awfully small.

So Skyler and I are sitting there Sunday night after the airshow, drinking beers (him =root, me=sam adams) when a green truck pulling a 5th-wheel trailer pulls out a couple blocks down from us. We wave and I wonder to Sky where they're headed to this evening.

The truck comes down the street, pulls in besides us and a guy hops out. He checks a couple connections, the trailer doors and lights. I ask him where they're headed to and he says "Louisville".

"You look familiar to me, ever work at Smokin' Hole?"

"Is your name Don?"

He goes back and tells his son to shut down the truck. "Scot Evanson".

"Oh my god." I turn to my son. "I've known him for 25 years, he used to be an instructor and Winona and then I flew with him at Package Air."

They grabbed a couple chairs and we talked until the 'squito's drove us out. They were headed south, hoping to make it to Chicago tonite.


Only at Oshkosh do you run into someone you haven't seen in 25 years.

Really have to hand it to the Oshkosh Crew and Volunteers.

They did a marvelous job with the less than ideal circumstances they had to deal with for this years fly-in.

There were a lot of people there along with a lot of mud and standing water but it didn't seem to damped anyone's enthusiasm. Aircraft parking was slightly messed up, but considering everything, no one seemed to mind.

Hats off to the crew, excellent job this year!

Oshkosh 2010 Report


Sky and I left home at 5:45 Friday morning for Spl'oshkosh.



Andy Parks and Andrew King discuss flying the Fokker's.




Beginning of the nighttime airshow. This was wonderful and they're planning on doing it next year.


Made friends with the cast of "Pearl" the movie. It's the story of a 13-year old Oklahoma girl who got her pilots license becoming the youngest licensed pilot in the US. We also met the songwriter for the music in the movie, including "Just one Dream". Incredibly nice people, they all loved the flying. David Mars, Ted Davis and Clay Adams did the flying for the movie.
Look up Pearl on facebook.




"You gettin' this camera guy. Order in the next ten minutes, and we'll send you an additional mini-shamwow!


The North Dakota Zero. It has an R-2800 engine and is built-up from three Zeros.

Matt Younkin does a routine in his Beech 18.


SNJ peel-off during the Warbird show. Not many warbirds there on the last weekend.

Chuck Greenhill's Mustang.


Wildcat dives out of the clouds Sunday afternoon.

The Zero on top of a smoke layer.

Sky takes a shower sunday evening.
Notice the mostly empty campground.

Sunday, August 1, 2010

Quick glimpse from Osh

While we're wearing our legs down to nubs at Oshkosh, here's a quick one to keep you happy. The Zero flying by right before the start of Saturday's night airshow.

This trip was more social, so it will be light on the airplanes I post. I'll put more up later.