Oshkosh Friday

And it rained and rained... 

July 30, 2004

One of the more interesting press briefing came today as Mike Melville (left) and Burt Rutan (right) discussed the first USA civilian flight into space.  Thus, making Melville the first non-military astronaut.  Considering that he admitted he hadn't finished high school, he has accomplished much.

The respect he has for Rutan was very evident in the press meeting.  These guys, with the financial backing of Paul Allen will make history on September 29th and within two weeks they will launch for a second time...   Burt Rutan said that, "We will be prepared for a third launch with in the two week period, should we not reach the altitude we need on the second flight." 

What happened to the Beech Starship?  Well, one made it to Oshkosh.  Many have been scrapped, given to museums, and this one still flies.  A child of the eighties.  It came, it went. 

The crowd came in spite of the rain.  They came expecting a good time and they got it. Mid-afternoon today (Friday), the sun came out and made a nice day for a air show.  The ceiling was low at the beginning, just like yesterday. 

That is life at an airport.

And they signed books.  I noticed that a signed autograph by Chuck Yeager would cost me $50.  Naw..  guess not..  Guess he has gone to charging for them.  I'll wait until I find one in used bookstore for $5.

This is not Chuck Yeager, by the way.  He is James Magellas.  His book is "All the way to Berlin".

My helicopter ride, scheduled for this morning at nine am, proved to be a soggy, scuddy, light rainy day.  Never the less, you take it when it is free.  This is the Main square before the people arrived..  The next picture is the pilots who flew in and camped along side their plane.  This was only on section where the camping existed.  To get them all, I would need a wide angle lens.  The flight was good and gave a bird's eye view of all the acres and acres of people that come to "Airplane City" each year.

Just "camping in the rain" is the song of the day.  You gotta give them an atta boy for it..  I still prefer my nice carpeted room with shower..

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Let us not forget the media.. bless our little hearts..

A new control tower was dedicated by Marion Blakely and others today for Oshkosh.  This will be an up to date tower finished by 2006 (we hope).  More on it on this PAGE.