That being said, with all the planes in the air and moving on the ground it was a very well organized event considering that there wasn't any type of ATC. It was all up to the pilots in the air! There were a few people on the ground that were marshaling the planes in to specific areas, but other than that it was all see and avoid. I was impressed!
I would have gone even if I wasn't hoping to spot a Bearhawk or two, but I can gladly say that I was not disappointed! When I arrived I parked where I thought I was going to set up camp and went and walked around to find the registration. As soon as I got to the first row of airplanes low and behold there was a bright yellow Bearhawk! I walked all around it hoping the owner was nearby and might see me and come up to talk about his bird, but no one ever came around. So I walked back to my car to set up camp. When I got back I realized I didn't like my spot because it was right between a bunch of RV's (not the airplane) and there was a clearing closer to the end of the strip that would give me a great view of all the approaching aircraft, and there was only one camper over there.
I got in my car and moved over to that spot and began to setup my tent. A lady was out playing with her dog in front of the camper that was near me. When she saw me she came over to say hi and introduce me to her dogs. After I got done setting up camp I went walking around again to register (I hadn't made it down there in my excitement on discovering the Bearhawk!) When I got back my neighbor and her husband were outside and he called over to me. I went and introduced myself and we started talking. While we were talking we got on the subject of EAA and homebuilding. I told him I was about ready to pull the trigger on a build. I had been trying to decide what I wanted and I had settled on a Bearhawk. He had a glint in his eye as I told him why I wanted that particular airplane and my plans on scratch building, and how I was exited to have found one here and I had been hoping to find the owner but had not seen him around his plane. When I finally shut up he said that he happened to know the owner of that airplane and he could get him to give me a ride in it! As he said that his wife pointed to him and whispered, "It's his!"
How serendipitous is that?!?! Of all the people to have set up camp next to! Needless to say over the weekend we talked about Bearhawks and he showed me around "Louisiana Crude" and answered a bunch of questions. The bad thing about it was that two airplanes came and parked right in front of him and set up camp, so he was never able to give me a ride in it. I was still stoked to have been able to see one in person. On Saturday another one flew in and I got to look around it too, though I never did meet the builder. I did look up the N-number and found out it won some awards at Oshkosh!
Overall, it was a great weekend!
I would have gone even if I wasn't hoping to spot a Bearhawk or two, but I can gladly say that I was not disappointed! When I arrived I parked where I thought I was going to set up camp and went and walked around to find the registration. As soon as I got to the first row of airplanes low and behold there was a bright yellow Bearhawk! I walked all around it hoping the owner was nearby and might see me and come up to talk about his bird, but no one ever came around. So I walked back to my car to set up camp. When I got back I realized I didn't like my spot because it was right between a bunch of RV's (not the airplane) and there was a clearing closer to the end of the strip that would give me a great view of all the approaching aircraft, and there was only one camper over there.
I got in my car and moved over to that spot and began to setup my tent. A lady was out playing with her dog in front of the camper that was near me. When she saw me she came over to say hi and introduce me to her dogs. After I got done setting up camp I went walking around again to register (I hadn't made it down there in my excitement on discovering the Bearhawk!) When I got back my neighbor and her husband were outside and he called over to me. I went and introduced myself and we started talking. While we were talking we got on the subject of EAA and homebuilding. I told him I was about ready to pull the trigger on a build. I had been trying to decide what I wanted and I had settled on a Bearhawk. He had a glint in his eye as I told him why I wanted that particular airplane and my plans on scratch building, and how I was exited to have found one here and I had been hoping to find the owner but had not seen him around his plane. When I finally shut up he said that he happened to know the owner of that airplane and he could get him to give me a ride in it! As he said that his wife pointed to him and whispered, "It's his!"
How serendipitous is that?!?! Of all the people to have set up camp next to! Needless to say over the weekend we talked about Bearhawks and he showed me around "Louisiana Crude" and answered a bunch of questions. The bad thing about it was that two airplanes came and parked right in front of him and set up camp, so he was never able to give me a ride in it. I was still stoked to have been able to see one in person. On Saturday another one flew in and I got to look around it too, though I never did meet the builder. I did look up the N-number and found out it won some awards at Oshkosh!
Overall, it was a great weekend!
