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OSH 2013 Pictures and PIREPS

PIREP?

We punched out of Polly Ranch as a two-ship with temp/dewpoint spread about a half a degree and lots of miserable looking weather starting near the Texas border. Forecast looks much better for tomorrow - except along the coast, so we decided to get out of Houston and spend the day at College Station watching to see if we can get around the backside of the mass, or just spend the night at our Condo here and press on in great weather tomorrow. Would be nice to get far enough today to cross RIPON early rather than with the mass arrivals in the afternoon...but hey, it all works if everyone follows the rules. And if we get to Wisconsin at the wrong time, there are lots of great airports at which to land and wait - KOSH doesn't close until 20:00 local - no need to all rush the door at once....

Who knows Doug - you might have company tonight if we get as far as the DFW area!
 
Y50

Thanks for the webcam link V! I was looking for those.

Paul when I went to Osh in 2006 with Jon B we ended up late and stopped at Y50. Super nice and great folks.

Ended up staying up late that night with stories and pizza and you know what to drink with pizza. 4 of the locals stayed and hung out with us and te the FBO manager. Great time.

Stopped on the way back for fuel.
 
8 so far

I counted 8 RV's in area 51. Love the web cams. The warbird cams
sweeps the area. Couldn't see Jeff P. yet :D
 
The view from Vans tent during the latest Friday afternoon storm. I promise that we'll have all this rain over and done with by Sunday

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Ok, we're ready. Time to go pack the airplane. Of course the "Chairman" has his own labeled special delivery. They all pass quality control in case you were wondering.

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Lack of piloting...bummer!

The two ships that were planning to leave KMOR this morning for KOSH have postponed until tomorrow due to the slow moving front between here and there.....:(

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I imagine this will stop or slow down most Southeast arrivals today:(

Oh well, at least I won't be in Jeff's way as he gets everything ready!
 
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Stuck on the other side of the pond (lake Michigan). Very low clouds and light rain. IFR all morning! Thinking about waiting till tomorrow morning.
 
Grounded

Hi Folks

Still at home here just north of Montreal (CYMX) waiting for the wx to move off.

Tried to leave yesterday and go as far as Flint MI. to get on the other side of the front overnight but weather moved in too fast and I didn't feel like going IFR in that kind of stuff..

Will try to make it as far as tuesday but will call it quit if not on my way by then..

Hoping to get there for the RV Social on monday night..

A++

Bruno
 
Yesterday was great

Arrived yesterday from AZ. Good flight except for the headwinds from kdux (near Dalhart) to Harlan IA. Sad only go only having a GS of 140kts. Arrived in Osh about 1745 local to nice weather and cool temps.

Flat out cold today. Glad I threw the Levi's in!!!
 
Planning to fly up nonstop early tomorrow morning to arrive around noon. Looking forward to another Osh with hopefully dry weather and not as much heat as FL. Plan to be at the Social on Monday for the first time to meet some of the people I see regularly on VAF.

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Left SC at about 1400 yesterday. Flew my first leg IFR into Indiana because I wanted to get up into cooler temps:
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From Indiana, continued VFR lower and slower picking through heavy showers and letting a nasty line of cells roll through OSH and ORD before getting into the area:
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I had to deviate fairly far west, however I was overnighting about 40nm west of OSH, so the deviations weren't too far from my course. Began to clear up as I reached my destination 63C:
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Can't say enough about the hospitality at 63C - thanks, Sheldon. I stopped short of OSH because I wanted to gas up, plus being a newbie to OSH, I wanted to fly in early this morning while traffic was light. Woke up to 50 degrees and BARELY VFR wx. Wasn't sure if I was going to make it in. Arriving at Fiske:
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Left base for 36L:
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Arrival at OSH!
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Home sweet home for the week:
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Was looking forward to leaving the heat of the southeast, but as someone posted earlier, it's been cold all day. Awesome to be here; looking forward to the week.
 
Despite the cold (high of 62) and occasional sprinkles, we did have some arrivals today. At the close of business there are 102 RVs in Area 51 and homebuilts camping. This is down about a third from last year (158) and very close to 2011 (108.). Given the weather around the country, 102 is about what's expected. If the weather improves tomorrow we are going to get absolutely slammed with arrivals. We are ready for it though, plenty of parking spots left.
 
Mikey, Tsam, Louise and I had a great flight across the country yesterday, arriving at OSH just ahead of the mass of Cessnas. Tucked Mikey into his "3,000 hour, 20+ Year old, homebuilt" parking spot in front of Homebuilt HQ, and Tsam is cavorting in Area 51 in the RV-3 Section. (I have no clue how the "Moose" managed to arrange to get us right next to the other -3 on the field...).

We ended up overnighting on Friday in North Texas at Mel and Ann Asberry's (Shortstop International Airport), launching into a smooth sky above a solid overcast that lasted exactly the width of Oklahoma and stopped for fuel when the Wx cleared in the NE corner of that state. A quick fuel stop at Lancaster, WI, then up to OSH where we got split between RWY's 36 and 27. I met back up with Louise after we had both tied down.

Hope to see many of you at the show!
 
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Please, get to your elevation BEFORE RIPON

While most of the trip was pretty smooth and uneventful I had a spooky incident just after leaving RIPON. As I approached RIPON, I made S-turns while lowering to 1800' msl and slowing to 90 kts. When I merged into RIPON and joined the conga line with someone about 1/2 mile ahead of me, it looked like a simple approach. However, a short ways down the railroad track, a plane dove down into line in front of me. Then another. Since they were flying much faster than the 90 kt speed, they then "hit the brakes" compressing the interval between our four planes. I pulled back to about 78 kts, put some flaps in, and came very close to pulling out for a re-entry. (The problem resolved itself when they suddenly pulled out of the line, perhaps realizing the problem that they had caused?)

The incident made me realize how incredibly important it is to get to your elevation and speed established BEFORE RIPON. Once everybody is flying the exact, same line over the railroad tracks, any descent or climb is a recipe for disaster! I had no clue those guys were coming down right over me and, no doubt, they didn't know I was so close under them. You are also admonished to not make S-turns past RIPON, so please get your elevation and speed established before RIPON.
 
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Here's a PIREP for you ...

EAA has done a lot of things to honk me off over the years, but THIS is the last straw!

The Breakfast of Champions -- Oshkosh Doughnuts -- are no more. They sell a tiny little bag of "mini-donuts" for five bucks. Bite-sized globs of mush. Yuck.

Seems that the EAA is determined to ruin everything that everyone loves. :-(

The only things they can't touch that remain good are Friar Tuck's and the Sacred Heart brat stand.
 
Arrived around 5 yesterday. My first time to osh! It doesn't get this cold in Georgia in winter! Wow. Went to fryar tucks and had my first spotted cow, nice. Will be here till wed. In HBC.
 
Berst Buy on field??

Got breakfast at one of the several Subways this AM, 6 in. egg, ham, turkey, bacon with trimmings for $4 ft long for $7. Also Sacred Heart over by the Bus Stop behind Admission Entry Gate best burgers/brats for $3.See u all at Dan's Monday Nite
 
Our flight of two made it! It was a challenge getting out of KMOR at 0630 this AM. Rain and bunch of low clouds. Solid undercast took us up to 11,500. We got off the undercast about Sumerset Ky.

Landed for fuel in bumpy and gusty conditions at Danville, IL. Gas prices too high!

Just north of Danville we had to get under the overcast down to 2900-2500ft. Last 125 miles at about 1500ft AGL.

30+ knot headwind almost the entire flight.

Very cool and windy here at Osh. Had a huge crosswind on 36L.

Parked and tied down:

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Our flight of two made it! It was a challenge getting out of KMOR at 0630 this AM. Rain and bunch of low clouds. Solid undercast took us up to 11,500. We got off the undercast about Sumerset Ky.

Landed for fuel in bumpy and gusty conditions at Danville, IL. Gas prices too high!

Just north of Danville we had to get under the overcast down to 2900-2500ft. Last 125 miles at about 1500ft AGL.

30+ knot headwind almost the entire flight.

Very cool and windy here at Osh. Had a huge crosswind on 36L.

Parked and tied down:

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Ha! Gotta love this information age...I was listening to LiveATC and heard him ask you if you were a flight. Now that I see your planes it makes sense as to who he was talking to when he said "Red and White RV, start your descent...Blue and White RV, start your descent". Have fun!
 
Driving (17 hrs.) to OSH but will be there for the first time with my Wife and Daughter! I even managed to snag a Hotel room. Finally after years of flying and building! Hope to make it by Wed/Thurs and Leave Sat evening.
 
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I lost my alternator over Ripon, fortunately I was following over RV's in.
I need a replacement for a 540. I'll start looking in the morning, anyone with ideas please let me know.
 
I lost my alternator over Ripon, fortunately I was following over RV's in.
I need a replacement for a 540. I'll start looking in the morning, anyone with ideas please let me know.

Pretty sure Plane Power(booth 1114) will have a booth. B&C (booth 1155)is usually there as well.
 
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That's my preferred choice, but not sure if it will require a belt swap.

Assuming your concern is with the sheave diameter - how about swapping sheaves from old alt to new???? Or calling your existing supplier (if it's possible that they're not at Oshkosh) and asking them to FedEx one to you. Or buy a nice used one at the Fly Market. Or there's always the Autozone in Oshkosh......
 
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Assuming your concern is with the sheave diameter - how about swapping sheaves from old alt to new???? Or calling your existing supplier (if it's possible that they're not at Oshkosh) and asking them to FedEx one to you. Or buy a nice used one at the Fly Market. Or there's always the Autozone in Oshkosh......

It's a stock Vans (old before PP) Alt. emergency aircraft repair is taking me to a rebuild shop as I type. I will rebuild this one and try to purchase a PP so should be covered either way. Just don't want to pull prop here in the field if I don't have to.
 
It's a stock Vans (old before PP) Alt.

If it's the stock Vans internally regulated 60A unit, it's an easy (and cheap!) replacement from the nearby NAPA or Advance Auto Parts; just have 'em search for a 1987 Suzuki Samurai... the hard part might be hitching a ride over there.
 
Tech troubles? Don't forget the Repair Barn

I get the impression that the OSH Repair Barn is not as well known as it deserves to be. It is located just beyond the Hangar Cafe and the southern terminus of the Red tram. That's in the Vintage area on the way to Ultralights. They have a huge toolkit, welding equipment, battery recharging equipment, etc. etc.

It is run by my own Chapter 75 from the Moline/Quad City area and I believe this is their 27th OSH. They operate on a voluntary basis so make a donation if you feel they deserve it. This is homebuilding so you do the work yourself (or your A&P does) but you could not find a more knowledgable and experienced bunch to help you out.

I am not on the team this year but the visitor's guide gives the contact number as 920-230-7795.

By the way, my signature address is correct - I happen to be in the 'international wing' of Chapter 75
 
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Grand island, niagra falls, buffalo NY, about to enter Canada airspace eh. :(
 
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Team Aerodynamix

Best performers of the entire week, from Friday afternoon.

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There was much excitement and positive comments from the crowd.
 
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Best performers of the entire week, from Friday afternoon.

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There was much excitement and positive comments from the crowd.

Thanks for the kind words. We love to hear the folks like our shows.

The photo's don't show scale very well, but think how large this formation really is. 9 wingspans of 24 feet each, plus 3 or 4 feet lateral spacing and from side to side it's about 240 feet, or 3/4's of a football field.
 
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