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“ENJOY YOUR MAGAZINE”
Attending Oshkosh AirVenture was fun and a real ego builder
for me this year. I was at the event for about ten minutes and
someone came up and tapped me on the shoulder saying, “Hey
Ralph, how you doing?” To my surprise, it was Steve from
Tucumcari. He works at the FBO. As the days progressed, I kept
running into people I had never met before. They would see my
FLY-LOW shirt and remark, “Say, I read your magazine all the
time and enjoy it.” Then they would walk on. That happened often
this year. As opposed to last year, when no one recognized me.
The fact that there were almost eight hundred thousand people
who attended AirVenture from all over the world makes it even
more interesting. I guess FLY-LOW is becoming more popular in
the states we circulate than I realized. That’s good.. To find
so many readers at Oshkosh was, indeed, a pleasant surprise.
I AM AMAZED!
A pilot in his tail dragger airplane had to make an
emergency landing at the closed Meig’s Field in Chicago. There
was just a small blurb on the Chicago news. Of course, the mayor
said that it was the pilot’s fault and he must have been lost if
he was on his way to Oshkosh. I am amazed at the reasoning power
of that man. There was a group of Re-open Meig’s Field
supporters at EAA. I hate to be a defeatist, but I don’t think
much can sway the “Emperor of Chicago”. It appears the Daley is
the one who must be swayed, and that ain’t ‘a gonna’ happen.
Word is that the “Emperor” has won. Meig’s Field is now
history.. It will never be opened again.
BAD MONTH FOR AVIATION HISTORY
In this issue we have several stories about historic
aircraft crashes. One was the recently built Hughes Replica
Racer. I saw it fly at Oshkosh.. I photographed the sleek
beautiful plane, felt its smooth shiny skin. It was a beautiful
plane built with the plans that Hughes used to build the
original. It crashed in Yellowstone National Park on its trip
back home to Oregon from Oshkosh AirVenture. The loss of the
owner/pilot and plane is terrible.
Another loss in mid-July of the CASA 2.111, a replica of the
Heinkel HE 111, and its two pilots after the loss of the port
engine. It was on its way to Missoula, Montana. The Heinkel had
departed the home of the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) in
Midland, TX. The CAF has control or owns around 145 antique
Warbirds. The CAF Museum is a flying museum. That puts these
antique Warbirds in front of more people than it would if it
were locked inside a museum building. It also allows more
chances for destruction from natural or man made causes. This is
not to say that the same plane might not be destroyed in a
building as a tornado hit it. The losses will be felt. |
