Kyleb wrote:
I think this was a microburst which hit the homebuilt campground and the Forums and Workshop area hardest.
There were probably a half dozen aircraft in homebuilt camping with minor damage. The Fokker replica and the Thunder Mustang, an RV-12 that tipped back on its tail, a couple of Kitfoxes that bumped into each other, some dinged control surfaces due to a lack of adequate control locks, and probably a few more bumps and scrapes I didn't see first hand.
Probably 1/2 the tents in the homebuilt camping area were damaged or destroyed (including mine, which was damaged, but useable). My neighbor's tent was trashed and all of their stuff was soaked. Many others were in the same boat. At least 3 rows of porta potties in different locations around the campground were turned over, and those of us in Kent White's metal working demonstration in a tent near the Forums area got a big scare - the tent appeared very close to coming down with about 40 people inside.
From where I was in the Forum area, it appeared to be a microburst, with westerly winds at the start, changing direction over the next 2-3-4 minutes. I have no idea what the wind velocity was, but I was very concerned about having an upright, flyable aircraft when I returned to my campsite.
I heard the tower clocked gusts up to 70 mph. I was in the Federal Pavilion, and my dad and I both commented that it was probably the hardest rain we had ever seen, you couldn't see 12 feet ahead of you. Luckily, our campsite got by unscathed, but the dumpsters in Scholer were filled with ruined tents.
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