OSH has changed. Anybody agree?
My first Osh was in 87 and I guess I'll never experience anything as great.
Then the Experimentals were where they are now but back then that was show center right near the famous original EAA arch you had to walk through to get to the flight line and only if you were a EAA member or pilot.
Today show center is on Aeroshell Square and the Experimentals are in pretty much a back stage location.
It seemed like you saw Paul Poberezny everywhere riding in his red #1 modified VW bug shaking hands and meeting the members.
I haven't seen Tom in years unless I go somewhere I know he is appearing. I think EAA has shifted to where the big money is. I guess they have to to grow and fill a void for production planes that needed filling. They should change the meaning of EAA to the Expensive Aircraft Association.
It's extremely easy today to get caught up in the excitement and build a panel for a VFR only airplane that costs more than the plane itself.
Back in a 87 a guy insisted I sit in his plane out on the flight line. Nice Blue one. That was Van standing all by himself trying to sell kits. Didn't even know who he was but I ended up buying one of his kits.
Even got to shake hands with two young guys named Alan & Dale Klapmeier who had a really cool pusher kit called a cirrus they were trying to sell. They had a bigger tent this year.
Well I did find some deals this year. One from Aircraft Spruce when I finally got close enough to there counter through the crowds.
I guess a eye opener for me this year was in the Fly Market. It used to be fun to poke around over there. You could find darn near anything for a project.
This year there were a lot of empty spaces and few vendors selling actual aircraft hardware. I even had a cute young girl accost me in one of the aisles trying to get me to come into her tent to see her make a salad with some kind of contraption she was selling.
Airventure is hot, expensive, crowded and sometimes very muddy but dam I can't wait till next year.