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OSH25 – Fisk Arrival and a Hot Night

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Photo by Logan Lynch

My coverage of Airventure continues! The weather was nice… mostly. The airplanes are amazing… always! And adventure is everywhere.

Tuesday

The day began in the most awesome way possible – we went flying! Mike (Flying and Life Podcast) decided to take his airplane out for a spin and he took me and Logan (my intrepid photographer) along. This meant I had to get up early. And I had to skip donuts. But it was soooo worth it!

Aerial view of the South 40

Mike camped in vintage near the South 40 so I hopped a bus and met him near his plane. Logan helped push it out of its parking spot and we all hopped in. Taxiing at Osh is almost as fun as flying (at least from the passenger perspective). It is cool to see Boeing Plaza from the airfield point of view. Also, until you fly you may not appreciate all the marshallers and ATC personnel out on the field, moving things along.

What a wind farm looks like from above.

We departed from 18R. The original plan had been to fly over Airventure but a layer of haze prevented that. So we flew around a bit then headed to Green Lake to get in line for the Fisk arrival. Mike got to “rock his wings” and then we headed in to land back on 18R. In case you were wondering, it’s quite a turn to final!

Flight path

After we landed we taxiied down to Mike’s campsite and parked the airplane back where it had been. I can now say I’ve flown the Fisk arrival as a passenger twice. Can confirm – it’s an amazing experience no matter how many times you do it.

A video overview of the flight!

The rest of the morning was spent in warbirds then back down to Mike’s plane to watch the air show. We were just off the end of the runway where we got some pretty great shots of the action – particularly of take-offs and landings.

Photo by Logan Lynch

Wednesday

The day kicked off with rain. I had hoped to get to the media center before it arrived but I was riding the struggle bus and just couldn’t get my act together. So… I was pretty wet by the time I got there. But I dried out quickly, helped along by donuts and coffee.

Photo by Victor Andrew Karrels – his first time using a “real” camera and taking pics at Osh. And he’s better than me already, dang it!

The rest of the morning was spent wandering through the Fly-Mart as well as the exhibit hangars. The Fly-Mart is an aviation-themed flea-market where you can find anything from aircraft parts to airline seats to memorabilia. They also have non-aviation items. I always check out the car-related booths to see if there is anything for my 1954 MG.

Photo by Victor Andrew Karrels

In the afternoon I attended a forum presented by the Airline Dispatchers Federation (ADF). Several of my friends were participating so I was pleased to see a large crowd in attendance. The rest of the day I spent dodging the heat – in the Lifetime Member Oasis (where there are free drinks and snacks plus AC and nice potties) and in the Media Center.

Drone tribute to Rob Holland.

The evening brought the first night air show of the week. In many ways it is the crown jewel event of Airventure. Even if you don’t care anything about aviation, you are going to love the night show. Every year I think EAA will not be able to outdo the prior year. And yet every year they manage. This year they added lasers to the already spectacular line-up of aircraft, drones and fireworks. If you can only visit Airventure for one full day, make that day Wednesday. I promise you won’t regret it.

The night show has it all!

That’s it for me for Osh 2025. I hope to be back next year and I really hope I see YOU there!

Osh Madness – 2025 Edition

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The view from the ATC tower during Osh week.

Well hello there, intrepid readers. If you are still lurking about on this blog I commend you! I’m sorry that I have been away so long. I was on a bit of a roll towards the end of last year. But then the holidays came. Then I got the flu. Then other life events happened. I woke up this morning to discover that somehow it is already July and Airventure Oshkosh is only a week away. Time to get a new post out! As usual there’s lots of interesting and exciting events scheduled for this year. Here are a few of the things I’m most looking forward to.

Pratt & Whitney Flying Test Bed (747SP)

You guys know how much I love big planes. (C-5!) You also know how much I love odd planes. (Super Guppy!) well the P&W Flying Test Bed is the best of both worlds. It’s a giant 747 with an odd growth on the side of its face. I cannot wait to see it!

Super Guppy

Goodyear’s Good Year

Goodyear is bringing not one but TWO blimps to Osh this year to celebrate 100 years of airships. I believe one of them will be in a retro livery. Hoping I can sneak a close-up look at some point during the week.

A Boatload of Bonanzas

OK, I don’t know what the official term is for a group of Bonanzas, but whatever it is I’m hoping to be there to see it in person when the Bonanza mass arrival happens on Saturday. This is a bit of a stretch goal. The arrival is scheduled for Saturday at 1:00pm and I’m going to have to hustle to get on location in time. Cross your fingers for me! My “phantastic” photographer Logan is back this year and participating in the arrival so even if I miss it, he’ll hopefully have pics to share.

Meow

Old Friends

The Connie is scheduled to return this year. So is the Flight of the Cats (Wildcat, Bearcat, Tigercat, Hellcat). And, as always, I hope to meet up with my dear friend Old Crow, the P-51 Mustang. I hope to meet up with many human friends too. Perhaps I’ll see YOU there!

Connie!

Keep an eye on this space during Osh week for updates. I plan to post lots of pics and video on social media as well so I hope you’ll check them out. I’m on:

Twitter (I refuse to call it “X”): @Jen_Niffer

Blue Sky: @Jen-Niffer

Instagram: @talesfromtheterminal

Stay tuned!

F-14 at the Sullenberger Aviation museum.

OSH24 – Mid-Week Report

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Conditions have been perfect for vapor! Photo by Logan Lynch

Confession time: I’ve been sleeping in my car. I folded the seats down, shoved my air mattress through the hatch and crawled in. On the down side it was a little cramped, but on the plus side I could not hear the guy behind me snoring all night. Another bonus is I didn’t have to worry about where to sleep when my tent broke during a brief bout of wind and rain on Tuesday.

Did I mention vapor? Photo by Logan Lynch

Monday started with a visit to the Textron media event. We found out that they have updated the panel in the Caravan, so Mike asked if he could take a look. In short order, Alex Hunt, Senior Technical Marketing Advisor introduced himself and walked us out to the airplane.

On the way he asked our names and where we are from. When I answed he said, Oh! I know you!” Apparently he’s seen some of my pics and he especially loves my 1954 MG. Needless to say I was quite surprised and very flattered. Aviation is a small world, my friends! The new panel on the Caravan is indeed quite lovely. The paint is nice too. So is the paint on the King Air that they brought with them.

Surprise visit from the Bone! Photo by Logan Lynch

The rest of Monday was spent watching the air show, spending time at the Lifetime Member Oasis, and checking out the planes on Boeing Plaza. The day wrapped up with the Props and Hops event hosted by Hartzell Propellor.

Love me some Corsair in the morning! And a movie star at that!

On Tuesday we began the day in the Warbid area where I found my friend Old Crow. The plane used to be based at the airport where I worked and it was always a highlight of my day to see it. I found out that it left the airport shortly before I did. It has been donated to an aviation museum in Florida.

Hawg vapor! Photo by Logan Lynch

We worked our way back to show center in time to see the Avro Lancasfer arrive. Belonging to the Canadian Heritage Museum, this is apparently the only flying Lancaster left in the world.

Photo by Logan Lynch

The absolute highlight of the day was watching the Italian Demo Team – the Frecce Tricolori – do a small demo for us before heading on to their next event. 11 jets flying together in formation with precision and grace. It was truly stunning. I am SO glad I got to see them. Truly an “Only at Osb” moment!

Photo by Logan Lynch

Wednesday kicked off with a Tram Tour of the Warbird area. I’ve always wanted to take the tour and let me tell you – it is worth the wait. Great way to see the amazing airplanes that have played such a pivital role in shaping our world today and learn a little bit about them.

Seen from the Warbird Tram

Tonight is the always-fabulous night air show. Details about that coming on the next post. Thanks again to Logan Lynch for all the amazing photos!

Seen from the campground last night – a preview of tonight’s show!

Corsairs and Connie

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Over the years you’ve heard me mention “only at Osh” moments. This refers to things that can only happen at Airventure. Every year there are at least one or two of these moments. This year’s “only at Osh” moment involved Corsairs and a Connie. And oh my goodness was it amazing!

I love the Corsair. It is easily my favorite WWII Navy aircraft. There’s just something about that bent wing. And the deep, throaty sound of the engine. While many of the remaining Corsairs are museum pieces, there are still a few that are flying, although it is unusual to see more than one or two at any given time. But then there’s Osh.

At Airventure this year there are at least nine of them here. NINE. All in flying condition. Six of them flew in the Thursday afternoon air show. It was AMAZING. There was an F-18 flying around too, but trust me – the Corsairs were the stars of the show.

But there was one party crasher who sneaked in to steal some of the limelight. Normally I’d be annoyed. But in this case I was thrilled because the party crasher happened to be a Connie. The Lockheed Constellation made its debut in the early 1940s. It was the first pressurised aircraft to enjoy widespread use commercially.

Today they, like the Corsair, are mostly museum pieces. In fact, I believe there are only a couple of them that are still airworthy. Never in a million years did I ever think I’d get to see one in flight. And then today I did. Only at Osh.

Do you love airplanes? Do you appreciate history? Do you believe in magic? See you at Airventure 2024.

Osh 22 Wrap-Up

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I looked at my Apple Watch fitness challenge for August and nearly fell over – I need to walk 171 miles this month to achieve the goal. What? Where in the heck did it come up with such a ridiculous goal? Then I realized that I walked 60 miles in 6 days during the last week of July, which apparently convinced my watch that I’m suddenly into massive amounts of walking. No, I’m not. It’s called Airventure. Even with riding trams and buses as much as possible, I still walk a lot. Everyone knows Osh is a marathon. Well, everyone except for my watch.

Osh is always an epic adventure and this year was no exception. The weather was perfect. The crowds were large. The aircraft were impressive. My feet are still tired. In a week that features one amazing event after the next, it is hard to single anything out as better than the rest, but here are a few of my favorites.

Hawkeyes!

I’ve never seen a Hawkeye in person before, so standing on the flight line as two of them flew in was definitely a special moment. I always love seeing something new! The also performed during one of the airshows.

F-18 Growlers

I can hear some of you now: “But Jenn – F-18s are nothing new. They’ve been doing airshow demonstrations for years. They aren’t special.” I know. I don’t care. I just like F-18s!

MiG-29

I nearly passed out when a MiG-29 showed up on Friday. Talk about something I never thought I’d see! It arrived with a team of L-159s and a business jet, all painted in variations of grey and white cammo. The planes belong to Draken International, founded by Jared Isaacman. The bizjet and L-159s landed fairly quickly but the MiG put on a bit of a show. First time I’ve witnessed a plane use a parachute upon landing.

Memorial Brick

Glen Towler knew pretty much everyone at Airventure, which was why he was known as the “Mayor of Oshkosh.” He traveled all the way from New Zealand to attend every year. Sadly, Glen passed away from cancer in May. Thanks to generous donations by friends, a memorial brick was unveiled by the Brown Arch. It is a fitting tribute to someone who loved the place so much.

Mid-day at the Oasis

Airventure unveiled a new perk for Lifetime Members this year – the Oasis. It’s a building just off the main walkway along the flightline where Lifetime Members and one guest each could go to relax, grab a snack and use the potty trailer. It was really, really nice. It quickly became our go-to meeting location and we often spent time there recharging batteries and resting our feet.

Night Air Show

The night air shows are always spectacular. Every time I see one I think they can’t possibly get any better. Airplanes with lights and sparklers at night? Amazing! Fireworks? Super! Airplanes with sparklers and fireworks at the same time? Jaw dropping!!

Maverick!

We wrapped up Osh 22 by attending a showing of Top Gun Maverick at the Fly-In Theater. Later estimates indicated an attendance of roughly 7,000 people. All I know is that the place was packed! The event kicked off with a fly-over and a presentation by Kevin LaRosa, the aerial coordinator for the movie. Kevin had never attended Osh before and admitted to being a bit blown away by the whole event. I had seen Top Gun Maverick twice in the theater, but seeing it again with a huge crowd of aviation enthusiasts was something special.

The end of Osh always makes me a little sad. It’s hard to say goodbye to my friends, most of whom I only see at Airventure. My feet are happy for the break, though. And, of course, it is never too early to start thinking ahead to Osh23. Hope to see you there!

Old Crow, the Dragon Lady and 20K Steps per Day

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If you’ve been reading this blog for awhile then you know: I’m a stalker. No, not people. I stalk airplanes. And when it comes to Osh there’s one airplane in particular that is the object of my attention: Old Crow. There are actually two airplanes with that name. I stalk the silver one.

I came by this obsession honestly enough. First of all, Old Crow is a P-51 Mustang. That automatically makes it amazing. Secondly, this particular plane (a tribute to the one flown by Bud Anderson) was originally owned and refurbished by Jack Roush of NASCAR fame. I actually had the extreme good fortune of spending an hour or so chatting with Mr. Roush in his motorhome at a race in Richmond a few years ago. We mostly talked about cars, but I couldn’t help noticing the P-51 models that he had on display.

Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, Old Crow lives at least half the year at my airport. The current owner keeps many of his toys at the FBO. (In fact, this gentleman’s airplane collection is one of the best things about working where I do.) It is not unusual to see Old Crow out and about, which is always the highlight of my day. Sadly, I’m always watching from a distance – usually the top of the parking garage.

However, at Oshkosh all that changes. Old Crow usually sits on display with the rest of the mustangs in the warbird area. I can walk right up to it and say hello. I can take a close look at that big propellor, marvel at the Merlin engine, and rest in the shade of its magnificent wings. Getting to visit with Old Crow is always a highlight of my visit to Osh.

In other news I finally got to see the U-2 yesterday. Oh my goodness what an airplane! It did several loops around the field and a couple of low passes. This particular one has two cockpits. Can you imagine what a ride along would be like? Wow! (Check out the Mythbusters episode in which Adam gets to do just that.)

For those of you wondering, my current step count after three days of the show (and two days of pre-show) is 86,371. This is actually a little bit lower than expected. That’s in part because the show was cut short yesterday due to bad weather. I’ll see if I can make up for it today. After all, I have a mustang to stalk!

Osh Returns

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As I write this we are less than two weeks away from Airventure Oshkosh 2021. With covid still a factor, Osh is going to look a little different this year. Even so, I’m super excited to get back to what is always THE aviation event of the summer.

Travel Plans

If all goes well I intend to head out on the 23rd. I’ll spend the night somewhere along the way and should arrive on the Airventure grounds in the early afternoon of the 24th. My first stop is always the Quonset Hut to grab my media credentials. From there I’ll drop my gear off at my room and then head out to begin the adventure.

Osh Plans

I have compiled a tight schedule packed with specific events I plan to attend… JUST KIDDING! I have tried to stick to a schedule in the past and tossed my plans out the window ten seconds after arrival. Why? For me the magic of Osh is in all those unexpected moments that I never thought I’d get to experience. Like the time I interviewed one of the Blue Angels. And the time I visited the tower. And the time I got to be a passenger as a friend flew the Fisk Arrival. I’ve learned to keep my plans to a minimum and allow myself the freedom to jump into whatever opportunities come my way.

The Activity

That said, there are some things I’m hoping to do while I’m there. (But no promises!) I’ve been wanting to try volunteering on the flight line. Perhaps this will be the year I make that happen. There is a presentation about the Space Shuttle that I’m hoping to attend. I’m looking forward to seeing some of this year’s featured airplanes including the Orbis Flying Eye MD-10 and the Samaritan’s Purse DC-8. I know one of the pilots of the C-17 that is flying in on Saturday. I hope I can be there to watch his landing! And, of course, I’m especially excited to see the A-10 demonstration team.

The People

What really makes Osh special, however, are the people. It’s the one place where I can totally geek out and be surrounded by people who feel the same way. I have friends who I only see once a year at Airventure and I’m really looking forward to seeing them again. It truly is an aviation family reunion.

That said, there are a number of international friends who won’t be able to attend this year. It won’t be the same without them – they will be missed! So will Launchpad Marzari, who hosted the annual Podapalooza event at the Pipistrel booth. Launchpad passed away recently in a plane crash. Aviation is a small community and he was such a big part of it. His passing leaves a hole that will be hard to fill.

The Shoes

Oshkosh involves a lot of walking. I mean A LOT. Even when I take shuttles and trams as much as possible, I still find myself walking many, many miles. So even though I’m not one of those people who starts packing weeks (or days, or even too many hours) in advance, I HAVE been thinking a bit about my shoes. I’m breaking in some new pairs and I’m seeking out some new insoles. Hopefully when Osh week arrives, I’ll be ready.

The Question

So what about you? Will you be attending Airventure this year? If so, I hope to see you there! If you can’t make it this year, keep an eye on the many camera feeds that EAA puts up. I know it’s not the same as being there, but it will at least allow you to see some of the action. Also, you can follow me on Twitter and Instagram for lots of pics and videos. And stairs trucks. Of course!

Spotter Sins and Fly-Ins

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A few weeks ago a friend and I watched airplanes together during our lunch break. We chatted while we snapped photos. During a pause in the conversation we looked up and saw something unusual approaching the other runway. By the time we realized what it was (a KC-135 doing a practice approach) it was too late for us to get to the other side of the garage. We managed to grab a couple of quick pics, but what could have been a great opportunity passed us by.

We looked at each other with dismay as we realized that we both had scanners, but neither of us was listening! Ooops! We had committed a major spotting sin and we paid the price. Make the most of your spotting moments by making sure you’re ready. Here are some classic errors that can cost you the chance to catch that special airplane.

Not Having/Not Listening to a Scanner

Since we’re already talking about it, let’s start here. I didn’t use a scanner for a long time. I just didn’t realize what a valuable tool it can be, especially for catching military flights or private jets which might not show up on flight trackers. Once I started using one my spotting game got a lot better. LiveATC feeds aren’t always available and don’t always capture the most useful channels. For example, at my airport LiveATC covers the approach and tower frequencies, but it doesn’t have the ground frequency which means you can’t hear taxi instructions. A scanner lets you program whatever channels you want and the reception is a lot clearer. If you don’t have a scanner, get one! And if you do have a scanner, don’t make my mistake and leave it in your car!

Forgetting to Check Equipment

How many times have you been set up to capture a long-sought-after livery only to have your camera’s low-battery light come on at the worst possible moment? I’ve had this happen many times! I usually continue with the shot while silently urging the battery to last just a few more moments. Sometimes I get lucky. Sometimes I don’t. The same thing happens with scanner batteries. We can save ourselves a lot of grief by taking a moment to check these things before we head out. And always carry spare batteries and extra memory cards.

Not Connecting with Other Spotters

Belonging to a spotter network is important. It can help you with everything from finding good spotting locations to choosing the right camera settings. Many spotters also work in the aviation industry and they often have really great insider information about rare airplanes or unusual liveries that are scheduled to visit. Plus plane spotting is just more fun with others!

Not Being Respectful

When chasing that perfect pic it can be hard to resist the temptation to sneak onto private property, or stand along the fence outside of the designated spotting area. You tell yourself it’s just this once for that one special airplane. The problem is, it only takes one person breaking the rules one time to potentially shut down spotting for everyone. Don’t be that person! Stick to designated locations. If airport security asks you to relocate, apologize and move right away.

Fly-In Season!

Warm weather and covid vaccinations mean that fly-ins are possible once again. After more than a year of being stuck at home with only virtual events to attend, the aviation world is ready to get back out there. On a recent Sunday I headed to the other side of the state to attend a fly-in that was held by a local EAA chapter. I was excited to be surrounded by airplanes and ready for a great day of photography.

I’ll admit I was a teeny bit apprehensive about crowds (or lack thereof), but I needn’t have worried. There was a wonderful mix of different types of planes and altbough attendance was strong, it never felt too crowded. I grabbed my camera and set off to capture the day. The field is bordered on one side by a raised levy. Not only did it offer a great view of the airfield below, but planes flew right over top as they departed. The perfect spotting location! Seeing an opportunity for some amazing video, I positioned myself carefully, lined up the shot and clicked the record button on my camera. And then the low battery light came on. And I realized I left my spare batteries back in the car.

DOH!!!

Wacko for Waco

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It has been a rough year for avgeeks. Pretty much every major air show and aviation event has been canceled or posponed until 2021. Aside from a few isolated fly-overs, aviation enthusiasts have had to make due with whatever airplanes happened to stop by the local airport.

In recent weeks, however, a few small events have popped up. I shrugged most of them off – we’re in a pandemic, after all. Who is going to show up? The chance of any event being worth attending seemed pretty low. Then last month I found out about a Waco fly-in being held a couple hours away at Waco Field. The day was gorgeous – blue skies, perfect temps. I had nothing better to do so I decided to take a chance and make the trip.

During the drive I mentally prepared myself to be disappointed. However, when I arrived at the destination and saw row after row of bi-planes and other vintage airplanes I nearly burst into tears for sheer joy. Finally! After more than a year I was once again surrounded by airplanes and avgeeks and it felt wonderful!

I started the afternoon by working my way along the rows of planes. Since this was a Waco fly-in, I was not surprised to see several of them in attendance. However, there were plenty of other types of planes on hand as well. One that caught my eye was the Grasshopper. It is actually a Piper J-3 Cub which was adapted for service in WWII. Another plane that grabbed my attention was a Great Lakes bi-plane. I just love the stance, the big round tail and splashy colors.

Next I visited the small museum located on the field. Inside were a number of exhibits dedicated to the history of Waco airplanes. Originally the Weaver Aircraft Company, the name changed to Waco around 1929. They developed a number of different airplanes including both open and closed cockpit bi-planes. During WWII they manufactured gliders which were used by the US Army Air Force as well as the RAF. The company folded after the war when the demand for civil aircraft didn’t increase as hoped.

I headed back outside in time to watch the RC air show. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from RC planes. Turns out it was pretty darn cool. They started with an aerobatic helicopter which did some pretty fancy flying that made me a little dizzy. This was followed by an aerobatic plane which performed the same loops and spins that one would expect from the full-sized version. Last was an RC plane built almost entirely for speed. It had a jet engine and they weren’t kidding when they said it was fast!

Once the RC show was over, the families moved off to the other side of the field for the candy drop. This was accomplished with another RC helicopter. I had never seen a candy drop before. It sure did look like fun! I opted not to get too close – in part to maintain social distance, but mostly because the Wacos and several other planes were taking off in preparation for the parade of planes.

The parade consisted of a series of fly-bys. An announcer provided details about each type of Waco as it made a low pass up the grass strip. Once the parade was over, the two bi-planes that had been giving rides all afternoon took back to the air. I’ve always been a bit hesitant about flying in an open cockpit, but I have to admit it looked like a lot of fun.

I headed home at the end of the day exhausted and sunburned but very happy. It was wonderful to be around airplanes again! Plus I found the perfect souvenir to remind me of all the fun. Perhaps best of all, I was able to support a small aviation museum and hopefully help keep it up and running for years to come.

Old Car, Older Airplane

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35792000_UnknownEveryone knows how much I love airplanes. However, I’ve always liked classic cars too. A couple years ago I inherited a 1954 MG TF 1500 from my father. It’s not the kind of classic car I imagined I might have, but the more I’ve gotten to know it, the more I’ve come to love it. When I found out there was going to be a Cruise-In/Fly-In nearby I was super excited. Spend the day at an airport with airplanes AND classic cars? Oh heck yeah!

In a regular car on the highway it would take around 40 minutes to get to the Cruise-In/Fly-In location. However, the MG doesn’t go very fast. And it doesn’t go on major highways. It also doesn’t go if it is too cold. Or too hot. Or too wet. Or… You get the idea. Thankfully the weather was perfect for enjoying the back roads. Sure the drive took twice as long but it was totally worth it!

IMG_5895The first thing I noticed when we arrived at the airport was all the cars – they had a great turn-out for the cruise-in!  There were plenty of American classics, of course, but there were some imports as well, including another old MG. There were also a lot of airplanes. The fly-in covered just about every aspect of aviation you can think of. There were drones and RC planes. There were flight simulators. The NASA “Journey to Tomorrow” traveling exhibit was there along with a shuttle astronaut who was signing autographs. Several university aviation programs had booths set up. And of course they had rides – a helicopter, a bi-plane and a C-47 were all coming and going with passengers on board. However, I was most excited about the Ford Tri Motor.

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I’ve been wanting to fly on a Tri Motor ever since I first saw one parked at my airport several years ago. There have been Tri Motor rides offered at other nearby airports and it’s always on my list of things to do at Osh, but somehow I’ve never been able to make it happen. I was not about to miss out again. I headed straight for the registration table and got signed up for the very next flight.

Production of the Ford Tri Motor airplane began in 1925. This particular plane, the “City of Wichita/City of Port Clinton,” was built in 1929. That’s right – the Tri Motor is 25 years OLDER than my 64-year-old MG! I always breathe a sigh of relief when the MG successfully completes a road trip without breaking down. And yet here I was, cheerfully boarding a much older airplane. Was I nervous? No, not at all.  Was I excited?  Absolutely!

 

As I climbed up into the plane I was struck by how different the interior is compared to commercial aircraft today. For one thing, it has wood paneling. It also has cushy seats similar to what you might find in an old movie theater. No issues with legroom here! I especially loved the big square windows which provided an exceptional view of the world outside. The taxi out and take-off were much smoother than I expected and as we lifted off the ground I realized that it has been over two years since I was last flew. Oh my goodness it was WONDERFUL to be back in the air!

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Me and my shadow…

We circled around the airport a few times and I was able to pick out many landmarks below. I was seated towards the tail so unfortunately I wasn’t able to see the cockpit very well. I did notice, however, that some of the gauges were out on the wing so the pilot had to look out the window to view them. This reminded me of the MG’s “side view” mirror, which is positioned up on the front fender. It seems odd, but it works! I spent most of the flight soaking up the thrill of being in the sky, and trying to imagine what it must have been like for the plane’s first passengers all those years ago.

 

Time flies (literally) when you are having fun and before I knew it we were back on the ground. Although the flight was over, the afternoon was just getting started – there was still so much to see and do!  I spent the rest of the day checking out the various planes, enjoying the classic cars and chatting with people about the MG.

If you’ve ever wanted to go for a flight but have balked at the cost of riding on a B-17 or B-29, you really should check out the Tri Motor. At just $75 it is quite affordable and trust me, it is worth every penny! But watch out – once you do it, you’ll want more. After swearing I’d never fly in an open cockpit, I suddenly find myself keen to try a bi-plane ride. Stay tuned!

Authors Note: Check out the latest episode of Podcasting on a Plane!  Host Brandon and I talk about my visit to the ATC tower at Oshkosh, my very first experience with an ATC simulator program and my adventures on the deice pad. We had a lot of fun so give it a listen!

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