Warbird Information Exchange

I'm a newbie at all of the Warbird and Airshow stuff. So, this is coming outta the brown starfish, and please take it with a big grain of salt, preferrably on the edge of a Margarita glass.

After talking with owners about a lotta things, one of the things I learned was that there are a whole lotta reasons not to fly an airplane. And, for the most part, they are all good reasons. Believe it or not, "Not Wanting to fly" is one of the best reasons ever. Doesn't matter how or why that decision comes about. Good enough for me.

Telling a guy he has to fly to be a part of the show, or if he doesn't fly, he is something less, well, just guessing, but there's probably gonna be a couple ten folks who will have a problem with that.

I've never been to OSH, I want to go one of these decades, but, if there is a "Performance Standard" that the high end guys have to follow, I have a feeling that by the time I get there, I'll be able to see the most awesome Lancairs and RV's, and every other kind "O" personal plastic egg shaped super weird human flying device ever made, and thats about it. yaaayyyyyyyyooooodoooodlesyyyeeeehhaaaaaa

Just my stinky two cents.

Orv Bob

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DEEP THOUGHTS BY KIDS:
"If we could just get everyone to close their eyes and visualize world peace for an hour, imagine how serene and quiet it would be until the looting started. Age 15 "


Deep Thoughts,
Jack Handy

Bob are you talking about the SWRFI or "Texas Fly In".. I think it was required to have a RV so many to be there. No wonder it went tits up. Can I say that?

Like I said, I don't have all the answers.

Gary

Heheeeee, Just talkin about OSH Ober. I like RV's. If I wanna see a lot of them I'll head on up to Marysville for that big airshow. The day I go to OSH, I'll be going for the warbirds, hopefully they'll still be there. If not, oh well, I'll just drive over to Livermore and get my fix.

Edit: I can't believe you said that and it worked. Thats tits man!

_________________
DEEP THOUGHTS BY KIDS:
"If we could just get everyone to close their eyes and visualize world peace for an hour, imagine how serene and quiet it would be until the looting started. Age 15 "


Deep Thoughts,
Jack Handy

Gary say it ain't so. Your our GURU and if you don't have the answers who does? I guess thats one of those answers you don't have.

You just answered your own question Ober. See? I reckon everyone's right...y'all don't need me afterall.

Gary

FYI - If you are there either at the start, or at the end, you get to see the planes fly - all of them, even the award winners. I have yet to see one 'trucked in'

If you have just spent 2 (or 3, or 6, or more) years, and $2M (or more) restoring a plane, and are not comfortable flying in the show... now you can't win a trophy? In that case, why even bother to come in? I suspect the only reason Mike V was allowed to bring the gorgeous Happy Jack to OSH at all was the chance to win the hardware to go with it...

Personally, I'd rather see the really good restorations come to OSH, and win, than not - for whatever reason.

As for the Sunday 'parade' - what about those who have business commitments and are unable to stay 'to the bitter end'?

And Bill - back when you were a low-time pilot flying OSH, I suspect there were fewer planes... as the number of planes grew, so did your experience. The newer owners definitely have lower times in type... and I would prefer the show to be 'safe' - at the PILOT's discretion - rather than the 'rules' to be judged.

There was discussion earlier about not winning a Warbirds award if the plane was not parked in the Warbirds area (i.e. spitfire). I happen to think that is wrong, as well... why shouldn't the most deserving/rare planes be spotlighted at 'show center', without punishing them with 'no award for you'?

my 2¢ worth

Rhonda, the suggestion to require a plane to fly in the show in order to win an award was not mine, and as I wrote it might be difficult to implement partly due to weather and possible safety reasons. Where they park is not too relevant, as one year there was a Battle of Britain theme and we parked at show center. I was not judged and I did fly in the show as did the CWH Hurricane.
MY focus is to improve the warbird show, to have some really special planes do what they are special for, not just be static. My focus is NOT to discourage them from coming for static or to be judged, it is to welcome and encourage them to fly.
As for what it was like when I began to fly there, I am pretty sure there were More fighters back then and more of the WW II warbirds. I recall there being about 30 Mustangs at one time. What has changed is now is perhaps there are more formations. I know we had some larger fighter flights in the early years such as the one led by Bill Ross than some of them now.

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Bill Greenwood
Spitfire N308WK

Not seeing them fly during the week is not a real big deal to me. What bugs me is guys who have them restored, they win at Oshkosh, and we never see the plane again!! Just like hot rods, if your gonna own it, drive it, or fly it!!

No trailer, or hanger queens wanted.

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"I love the smell of racing gas in the morning"
www.timadamsphotography.com