A trip to Oshkosh

Dick Trail, with a T-28 advanced trainer like one he flew 50 years ago. (Ann Trail/Courtesy photo)

"It was sort of like dancing with a fat girl -- a lot of fun but I couldn't quite get my arms around her!" So was my response to Ann when I returned this week from attending AirVenture, the largest aviation expo and airshow on earth. It is held every year at the normally sleepy municipal airport near Oshkosh, Wis.

For the week of AirVenture, Oshkosh becomes the busiest airport in the world. It is grassroots aviation from ultralights, helicopters, production aircraft, homebuilts, sailplanes, the new Light Sport aircraft, business jets, on up to airliners and modern military aircraft, even a remotely-piloted Predator all rubbing elbows together.

I have only been flying since 1953 and this was the first that I ever made time to attend the world-renowned event. As we drove onto the grounds my first impression was wow, two runways both lined with parked airplanes -- 2,652 registered as present.

A goodly number had a tent pitched under a wing. The parking lots contained thousands of cars and other large areas held motorhomes, fifth wheels and pull-behind campers of every description. Judy Allerheiligen told me that it appeared to her as Woodstock times ten.

The annual aviation bash at Oshkosh is the work of the Experiential Aircraft Association -- EAA. The organization got its start from individuals who wanted to create, build and fly their own private airplanes. One of those early designs was a 1929 wood-and-fabric craft capable of carrying a pilot plus one passenger and powered with a four cylinder engine taken from a Model A Ford. It was called a Pietenpol from the man who designed it.

And, yes, there was one of original airframes flown in and placed on display. Actually the Pietenpol is a popular design and is still being built today, but modern builders tend to use lighter, more powerful air-cooled aircraft engines.

Another design highlighted at this year's show was the T-28 that I flew as an advanced Air Force trainer 50 years ago. At least 30 of the venerable airframes showed, with 22 arriving in one large formation. All are privately owned and kept in meticulous condition. They roosted in an area set aside for "War Birds" which included the EAA B-17, plus an A-26, T-6s, P-51s, P-40s, a P-38, Spitfires, a Hurricane and even an Avro Lancaster bomber, the first that I've ever seen fly!

Marine and Navy aircraft were abundant, including a TBM torpedo bomber like one once flown by our own Pete Graff and past President George H.W. Bush. I noted examples of about every training and liaison aircraft that ever flew including the T-34s, T-28, and T-33 that trained me. And those were just the ones I remember seeing parked there.

I was particularly enamored with what they called Vintage Aircraft those flown in the civilian world from the early 1920s until 1950?? There was an Aeronca Champ like mine, only this one better than new. The old gent (my age) who had flown it in had taken three years to resurrect it and now possesses a work of art. Close by was a J-3 Cub, about the same year as the 1939 model I had learned to fly and the old gent (again my age) who owned and restored it had flown it all the way from California, 19 hours flying time enroute. Of special interest was a Pitcairn Autogiro, the only airworthy specimen alive today.

We were privileged to watch the brand-new Airbus 380, probably the largest aircraft flying in the world today, arrive and fly by several times before landing and being placed on display. It is so huge that it appeared to be doing 50 miles an hour as it lumbered overhead but we know its airspeed had to be at least 150 mph. White Knight II came also, it being the tug that will carry the commercial rocket ship carrying paying passengers into space.

About three hours each day are set aside for an airshow, most of which acts are performed free. After all, it is good PR, plus a great honor to be chosen to perform at the greatest aviation show on earth! We enjoyed the air show sitting in shade under a wing of a beautifully restored American Airlines "Flagship" DC-3. Frontier Airlines flew DC-3s into McCook during the 1960s.

I was privileged to fly the military version, the C-47 "Gooney Bird," toward the end of the Vietnam War. For an aviation addict like me the airshow was a great fix: single ship acrobatics, wing walkers, formation flights, engine noise, smoke, skydivers, they had it all!

I think every aircraft business, parts manufacturer and vender, more than 750 exhibitors, in the aviation world, was represented. Bratwurst and fresh cheese curds are Wisconsin specialties and there were food booths to satisfy every appetite. All day long, experts conducted workshops on every topic imaginable from welding, dope-and-fabric covering of aircraft on down to one on medical qualification, which I attended.

The whole expo is planned by experts and executed by thousands of dedicated volunteers. I was impressed that the grounds were kept as clean and sparkling as Disneyland. The $30 daily entrance fee kept most of the carnival crowd away, but those of us attending let not a scrap of paper lie. Everybody was polite! Strangers visited like old-time friends.

I spoke with writer Flying Magazine Lane Wallace, whose column I always savor, but I did miss Martha Lunken. No alcohol is sold on the grounds; a passion for aviation the only elixir needed!

It was interesting observing the crowd. The vast majority were white with, I'd guess, 20 percent women attending. Black, Hispanic and Asian faces were rare, a shame because all would have been accepted. A huge number of Canadians attended, plus Germans, French, English, Dutch, Australians, Brazilians, attendees from at least 30 countries registered. Passion for aviation is evidently a worldwide phenomenon.

Overall, attendance numbers were up this year except in the realm of business aviation. Our president and his liberal press have really bombed what recently was the most dynamic segment of our industry.

Of course, President Obama has access to his own private jet, Air Force One, but then he doesn't have to pay for those trips.

The big event goes on for a solid week but I was only able to stay two days. Sadly I departed before "the fat lady sang"!

Already next year beckons. I intend to be there for a week along with my happy flier Ann although she has already balked at the idea of tent camping!

That is the way I saw it.