polypoke: Aviation

Joe Nall 2008

Thu, 15 May 2008 02:45:57 GMT

Hot on the heels of Hal's article about his recent scale aircraft ventures, I too have experienced the excitement surrounding scale flight. This week is the annual event known as Joe Nall held at Triple Tree Aerodrome in Woodruff, SC. I would put this event in the class of Oshkosh for large scale remote controlled aircraft enthusiasts. It's just one of those events you have to experience - words nor pictures really tell the whole story. People come from all over the world to enjoy fellowship with their peers in this hobby. Here are a few pictures from today.

In the picture above, the gentleman in red is Quique Somenzini also known as the godfather of 3-D. He gave a stunning performance of his Pitts Python 100 (which is based from the Pitts Model 12), including a new maneuver where the top ailerons move in the opposite direction of the bottom ailerons, acting much like air brakes. From what I gathered from the announcer and the crowd's reaction, this flight characteristic for the Python has not been seen in public. Quique also brought along his scale version of the Turbine Toucan - and yes, it has a true turbine engine!

Pat Hartness, the owner of Triple Tree has a few vintage full scale aircraft on the field, including this very well maintained Stearman PT-17.

Finally, this is a beautiful scale Beaver that is made out of 100% Aluminum and was flown to Joe Nall in a huge crate from Germany. There are over 12,000 rivots and has real working lights! I did not get to see this bird fly, but she sure is impressive sitting still! If you have any interest in this type of flying, then Joe Nall is the place to be mid-May each year.

US's top 10 busiest airports

Sun, 13 Apr 2008 03:47:42 GMT

CNN has just posted the 10 busiest airports for 2007. I find it quite interesting that two of them, #1 ranked Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and #9 ranked Charlotte Douglas International Airport (which I am flying from tomorrow on my journey to Seattle) are both within a 2.5 hr. drive from where I live. :-)

Oshkosh: The Spirit of Aviation

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 14:14:13 GMT

EAA has produced a very professional 17 minute video capturing some moments from EAA Airventure in recent years. Harrison Ford narrates the piece entitled Oshkosh: The Spirit of Aviation and explores what makes Oshkosh the Mecca for aviators and aviation enthusiasts alike year after year. Like many mention in the video, AirVenture is something that every aviation enthusiast should experience at least once in his/her life. You will find no greater collection of people sharing a common love for aviation than there. I've been fortunate enough to have attended 4 times (2001, 2003, 2006, & 2007), and I cannot put into words the awe I have experienced each of those years.

Beauty of FlightAware

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 01:24:58 GMT

Have I mentioned lately how much I love FlightAware? Probably not, but I cannot think of a single "real aviation" site that makes my heart race more than FlightAware. One of the forum members at Eaglesoft's support forum posted this today and I just had to mirror it here...

This is the flight path of N750CX, a Citation X interesting enough being one that has the new eliptical winglets. Would this have been as impressive if flightaware did not exist? I think not!

South Carolina Breakfast Club 2008 Schedule

Sat, 26 Jan 2008 01:44:25 GMT

Here is the full SCBC schedule for 2008:

January 13th - Eagle Aviation, Columbia Metro Airport (KCAE)
January 27th - Greenwood County Airport (KGRD)

February 10th - Sumter Municipal Airport (KSMS)
February 24th - Lancaster County Airport (KLKR)

March 9th - Alan Smoak Field (PVT)
March 23rd - Easter

April 6th - Summerville (KDYB)
April 20th - Broxton Bridge, Ehrhardt, SC (SC55) Turf

May 4th - Green Sea, SC (S79) Turf
May 18th - White Plains Plantation, Lexington, SC (SC99)

June 1st - Rock Hill Airport (KUZA)
June 15th - Cheraw Municipal Airport (KCQW)
June 29th - Rowan County Airport, Salisbury, NC (KRUQ)

July 13th - Palmetto Air Plantation (PVT)
July 27th - Anderson Regional Airport (KAND)

August 10th - Aiken Municipal Airport (KAIK)
August 24th - Berkeley County Airport (50J)

September 7th - Columbia Owens Downtown Airport (KCUB)
September 21st - Laurens County Airport (34A)

October 5th - Woodward Field Airport, Camden, SC (KCDN)
October 19th - Barnwell Regional Airport (KBNL)

November 7th - Orangeburg Municipal Airport (KOGB)
November 16th - Mt. Pleasant Regional Airport (KLRO)
November 30th - Fairfield County Airport, Winnsboro, SC (KFDW)

December 14th - Rudy Branham Field, Darlington, SC (6J7) Turf
December 28th - Twin Lakes, Graniteville, SC (SC17)

Arrival: 7:30 - 9:00 AM
Breakfast: Between 9:00 & 9:30 - 11:00 AM
Departure: 11:30 AM

South Carolina Breakfast Club 2008 thru February

Sat, 12 Jan 2008 03:50:58 GMT

Here is the SCBC schedule for 2008 through February:

January 13th - Eagle Aviation, Columbia Metro Airport (KCAE)
January 27th - Greenwood County Airport (KGRD)

February 10th - Sumter Municipal Airport (KSMS)
February 24th - Lancaster County Airport (KLKR)

Arrival: 7:30 - 9:00 AM
Breakfast: Between 9:00 & 9:30 - 11:00 AM
Departure: 11:30 AM

I'm going to try and attend the Greenwood breakfast and I'll get the full schedule to post then!

Aero-TV Live!

Wed, 02 Jan 2008 22:57:21 GMT

Fresh with the start to the new year, Aero-News.Net launches Aero-TV.net with daily video coverage of aviation related topics. They kick things off with a look at Mooney's new Acclaim Type S. In addition to posting embeded content on their site, they are also mirroring their content on YouTube. Be sure to bookmark their site and visit often!

Cessna acquires Columbia Aircraft

Tue, 27 Nov 2007 23:03:45 GMT

Some of the biggest news out of the aviation community in quite some time comes out of Bend, Oregon with the announcement that Cessna has won the auction of Columbia Aircraft Manufacturing by default for 26.9 Million. This comes as great news to fans and owners of current Columbia aircraft. Cessna made it clear from the beginning that they intended to maintain status quo by continuing production of new 350s and 400s and also upholding warranties of current aircraft. Check out Aero-News for more information...

[EDIT]It appears that Cessna has released an official Public Release regarding the acquisition of CAM. What I find most interesting is the fact that the Columbia 400 and 350 will now become Cessna 350 and Cessna 400.

Look Ma' ... Winglets!

Fri, 28 Sep 2007 01:17:22 GMT

Fresh from the announcement at NBAA, the Citation X prototype retrofitted with elliptical winglets from Winglet Technology LLC made its maiden flight on Tuesday, September 25th. For more information, check out this press release. (Image courtesy Cessna).

Big news out of Cessna

Mon, 24 Sep 2007 23:52:24 GMT

It seems that Cessna has been making a lot of news lately. I hear through the grapevine that Cessna will have an announcement regarding the Citation X this week at NBAA. They have already made news with the introduction of a G1000-equipped Caravan. And I just learned that Cessna has signed a letter of intent to purchase now bankrupt Columbia Aircraft Manufacturing. The acquisition of CAM by Cessna is not set in stone, though. Bidding procedures are being drawn up to allow other interested parties to submit offers in an auction to be held sometime in November. I find it quite interesting that the very manufacturer's aircraft that graces the cover of the October AOPA Pilot magazine has declared bankruptcy. Hopefully Cessna will help Columbia rise from the ashes and become competitive once again!

BruceAir, LLC joins the spaces blogosphere

Sat, 15 Sep 2007 01:27:56 GMT

Please welcome Bruce Williams' BruceAir, LLC to the Live Spaces blogosphere! Make sure to check out the videos that he has uploaded to his Skydrive account. Bruce has published a great book entitled Microsoft Flight Simulator as a Training Aid: A Guide for Pilots, Instructors, and Virtual Aviators that I highly recommend reading if you are interested in expanding your virtual aviation experiences into the real world. Hopefully Bruce will use his blog as a vehicle for more tips, techniques, and sample flights.

Incredible STOL demonstration

Wed, 15 Aug 2007 03:39:24 GMT

Okay, so it has been a few days since I've posted anything. I have been a very busy lately with odds and ends around the home, modeling work, and everything in between. Also, I haven't really run across anything that I really felt the urge to write about ... until this evening. Check out this YouTube video:

Yep, that is an Aviat Husky doing some pretty stunning STOL maneuvers in what appears to be a fierce headwind. Sure, this video has been online since March of this year. I have not seen it, so chances are some of you have not seen it either. If that isn't enough to impress you, I encorage you to check out these other STOL demonstrations courtesy of our friends at YouTube:

C150 short field take-off and landing
Zenair 701 demonstration
PC-6 short landing

P-51's not in formation during accident

Thu, 02 Aug 2007 21:57:28 GMT

Aero-News posted today that the preliminary report from the NTSB states that the two P-51 aircraft involved in the incident on July 27th were not in formation. Situational awareness seems to be the culprit in this accident.

I was on the grounds at the time of the incident, but I did not witness it first-hand. At the time, I was walking from the Warbirds section where I had met up with Dan after he had flown in Aluminum Overcast. We arrived at the flight line and noticed that no aircraft were flying, and Roy pointed us toward the end of runway 36. We could barely see that 'Stang' was nosed over and fire trucks were surrounding another section of the runway.

My sincerest condolences to the Beck family in this time of tragedy. I hope other performers will take away from this incident to be extremely careful and aware of surroundings.

Uncontrolled Airspace Podcast #40

Wed, 01 Aug 2007 00:20:47 GMT

Uncontrolled Airspace recorded episode 40 live Sunday morning July 29th at EAA Radio's studio. They discussed many of the events of AirVenture 2007 while aircraft from every genre can be heard in the background departing runway 18. It is well worth the listen.

AirVenture 2007, a recap

Tue, 31 Jul 2007 21:53:57 GMT

Set-up on Sunday ended on a high note. Monday kicked off the week in grand fashion, with 100s of eager attendees getting their first glimpse at the Acceleration Expansion Pack demo we had installed the previous day. The only "working" aircraft in the demo was the F/A-18A+ Hornet, and almost immediately became the single favorite aircraft of the week. Monday night, we all were invited to the annual Rubber Chicken Party (Hal has a picture here). I did not know what the story was behind the party, so I did a bit of research and found this blurb on Patty Wagstaff's news page: "AirVenture ... started with the traditional Rubber Chicken Party, which is hosted by our friend, Brent Blue, from Jackson, Wyoming. Brent has the party every year to celebrate his birthday but I've yet to see a birthday cake from him. I think next year the PWAS crew will have to supply something HUGE and fitting for such a fabulous host. The party is by invitation only so we will not reveal the whereabouts, but suffice it to say it's a great way to start the Convention."

Tuesday was my day "off" from working the booth, so I spent some time with Ron walking around the grounds, visiting various aircraft manufacturers. Brett got a hold of several fligh tline pavilion passes, so that afternoon Hal, Brandon, and I watch the airshow in comfort. The day was rounded out with an enjoyable evening of watching Top Gun at the Fly-In Theater. We were invited to watch the show in the VIP section (Hal's description is priceless) which made for an even better experience.

Wednesday, I had booth duty in the afternoon, so I had a chance to further explore the grounds around Oshkosh on my own that morning. I had a great chat with the pilot who flies the homebuilt NXT aircraft Relentless. With the Acceleration pack coming with some Reno racing, the NXT sure is an appealing design...

Thursday, I was on morning duty, so readied myself very early and sat watching the inbound aircraft landing on RWY 9 as I ate my bagel. Customers in the booth continued to find the F-18 to be the hit of the show. I was often asked if we had an F-22 available, and I had to reply with a reluctant "no, but there is one available at Alphasim" response. My afternoon was spent along the flight line watching the airshow performers have their way with their aircraft. That evening, some of us enjoyed a nice dinner at Fox River Brewery in downtown Oshkosh. Others enjoyed an evening with the Eagles and then some.

Friday, was much like Thursday, with my having booth duty in the morning, so that I could enjoy the airshow that afternoon. Unfortunately, events suddenly changed immediately following the mock Reno race. As most have heard about by now, two P-51 aircraft collided on the south end of the field on RWY 36, causing one of the pilots to be fatally injured. At first I thought that they would have cancelled the rest of the airshow, but after a two-hour delay, they picked up and had the rest of the show. By that time, though, I had already made my way back to the Super 8. We all were invited that evening to a sponsor's event on the deck of the Hilton, which was a pleasant way of ending an eventful day.

Saturday, my last full day in Oshkosh, was met with beautiful weather and low humidity. I again worked the booth in the morning, so I had a chance to watch the F-22 perform its demonstration that had been cancelled on Friday. What an amazing aircraft. The taxpayers have certainly gotten their mojay's worth with that aircraft. We all took things kind of easy that night, having a few burgers on the deck of the Hilton for dinner. Hal, Roy, Dan, and I decided to take one last stroll around the grounds on the "cart." I got a few spectacular shots of a P-51D beautifully reflecting the setting sun. Voices from "Empire of the Sun" sang in my head as I was capturing the shots..."P-51 - Cadillac of the sky!!"

Sunday morning, I packed my bags and stowed them in the rental car as I strained to get a final glimpse of the airfield, which by now had become quiet desolate compared to very early in the week. I had to leave fairly early to make my flight out of Green Bay, so I only had a chance to say parting words with Katy and Dan. And off I went up highway 41 northbound. I listened to my scanner for as long as range held out, and then it finally fell silent... I returned home late that afternoon. Christy & Christy Lake had gotten back from N. Myrtle Beach just a few hours before I arrived. As things around the house return to "normal," the memories of the week at AirVenture 2007 will last.

This year's experience tops last year's by leaps and bounds. Thanks again to my Microsoft colleagues who value my companionship enough to have invited me back.

AirVenture in full effect

Thu, 26 Jul 2007 21:48:29 GMT

So this is day 4 of AirVenture 2007, and I have not had a moment to post anything. Shame on me. I have some excellent photos to share, but I have no means of uploading them to a computer and shrinking them appropriately (no photoshop on this PC). But Hal, on the other hand, has been doing an excellent job of reporting on the event. Go see his latest posts...you will not be disappointed!

Oh...I met some really great people with AndysAirplanes.com. It is a great program designed to attract 3-8 year olds into learning about aviation. I'll have to get Christy a copy to show her students when they get back into school this fall. Check 'em out!

Uncontrolled Airspace Podcast

Wed, 18 Jul 2007 00:52:50 GMT

While searching for some information regarding AirVenture, I stumbled upon this great general aviation podcast called Uncontrolled Airspace. The latest episode features a survival guide (Part 1 & Part 2) to AirVenture by aviation columnist Rick Durden and other great discussion related to the event. Check it out!

Plane & Pilot takes a look at the Columbia 400

Tue, 17 Jul 2007 23:35:24 GMT

Plane & Pilot magazine reviews the Columbia 400 in the August '07 issue just now hitting newsstands across the nation. Author Jeff Berlin PIREPs his experience while flying one of Columbia Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation's latest 400s off the production line in Bend, Oregon. I encourage you pick up a copy, or for those abroad, check out the article online.

AirVenture Seaplane Base

Tue, 17 Jul 2007 22:37:47 GMT

The diversity of aircraft that can be found at EAA AirVenture is incredible. Everything from vintage warbirds to the latest business jets can be seen. One corner of the event hosts the seaplane genre of aircraft in a dedicated portion of Lake Winnebago known as the Oshkosh seaplane base. This trip will be my 4th to Oshkosh, and I'm embarrased to admit that I have yet to visit this unique aspect of AirVenture. I plan to rectify that this year by making it a point to see what it is all about. I hope there are a few de Havilland Beavers present as I would love to experience the sound of a WASP radial engine first-hand. (Photo courtesy Greg Young)

Boeng 7X7 compilation at KBFI

Thu, 12 Jul 2007 00:38:58 GMT

My good friend Roy McMillion has a very nice compilation of photos from the 07.07.07 gathering of all 7-Series aircraft ever produced by Boeing at KBFI, Boeing Field. Here is one from his collection that I found interesting. Do you see what I see?

07.08.07 Rollout!

Sun, 08 Jul 2007 10:25:00 GMT

Boeing is set to unveil the very first complete 787 Dreamliner today at 1530 hours PDT. There is going to be an incredible amount of news coverage of the event that is being simulcast across every known satellite system across the globe. For those who do not have access to satellite, there is a webcast available as well. Boeing has not presented a new aircraft to the world since 1994 with the introduction of the 777. Check out Aero-News' coverage of the event for more details!

AirVenture 2007

Sun, 08 Jul 2007 00:06:53 GMT

The annual "Mecca of Aviation" known as EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin is just around the corner. Hal's getting ready. He mentions getting a "staff" in order, and speaking of that, I was very fortunate to have been a part of last year's crew showing FSX off for the first time to the general public.

I must have made one heck of an impression upon Hal as he has asked me to help staff the booth this year - yes, I'll be there! Again we'll be in the Super 8 just at the end of runway 9, near what is affectionately known by attendees as the North 40.

When I get a better idea of when I'll be at the booth, I'll post the "tentative" schedule. I would love to meet any of my "60" readers who happened to be going to Oshkosh this year.

The Jet

Thu, 28 Jun 2007 22:41:06 GMT

The Jet. Cirrus Design unveiled their newest concept aircraft to the public today and it is nothing that I imagined it would look like. The V-tail is a nice touch. What do you think of it? I see they are continuing the tradition of dual doors, an uncommon feature of the latest VLJs. Will it be as successful as the SR-20 & SR-22? Only time will tell.

Barrington makes it home

Thu, 28 Jun 2007 00:01:43 GMT

Barrington Irving completed his around-the-world expedition this morning with an eventful arrival into Opa Locka airport. Ron Hamilton and Bob Hayes were two of several hundred people who greeted him with a huge celebration, complete with CNN and CBS news coverage of his arrival. Be sure to stay tuned as to more news surrounding Barrington's flight is sure to follow!

A trip to Sporty's

Sun, 24 Jun 2007 00:34:45 GMT

Roy was kind enough to invite me along on a flight to visit the home of Sporty's Pilot Shop in Batavia, Ohio today. It just so happened to also be a CFO fly-in where the AOPA Catch-A-Cardinal would be displayed with a (nearly) complete airframe.

The view of the appalachian mountains over North Carolina and Tennessee.

The view of short final into Batavia.

Roy and I were lucky to have run into Sporty's President Michael Wolf when we arrived, and he gave us a sneak-peek at the Cardinal.

Sporty's founder and Chairman Hal Shevers insisted that Roy's plane be parked next to their 2007 sweepstakes plane and with a wave of his hand, several Sporty's associates moved Roy's plane within seconds.

While we were waiting for the "official" events to kick-off, we saw this beautiful P-51D Mustang depart the field. We later spoke to the owner, and said the plane would be making an appearance at the Gathering of Legends.

This weekend marked the 150,000th hotdog given away by Sporty's in appreciation of their customers.

Julie Boatman taxied the Catch-A-Cardinal up to the main Sporty's terminal so everyone could get a closer look. She was kind enough to pose with the plane and I.

We were all surprised to see none other than AOPA President Phil Boyer fly in to get a first look at the Cardinal in a nearly-complete state. Julie was proud to show him the great progress first-hand. Phil and Roy enjoyed reuniting with a brief conversation.

And finally, Hal Shevers (on the left) and Michael Wolf (on the right) pose for a photo with me in front of the Sporty's Pilot Shop. What a great pair of gentlemen to host such a great event! If you are near Batavia, Ohio (I69) on any given Saturday, be sure to drop in for your free dog and check out Sporty's, it is a first class operation.

Griffin and a Cardinal

Thu, 14 Jun 2007 01:46:25 GMT

Before I get to the topic at hand, let me give some background on how things unfolded. My good friend Roy Wilbanks was out at the airport on Monday morning updating his GARMIN GPS databases when a slick Globe Swift taxied up to the FBO. Roy stepped outside to get a closer look and struck up a conversation with the gentleman who had flown her in. During the conversation, Roy asked where he flew from and where he was headed. "I came from Griffin, Georgia" said the gentleman. "Griffin, Georgia!" Roy exclaimed. "That's where that AOPA Cardinal is!" The man agreed. "Yes and my wife is in charge of that aircraft." It turns out the gentleman is the husband of Julie K. Boatman, technical editor for AOPA Pilot magazine, and project lead for the Catch-A-Cardinal sweepstakes plane. Roy then proceeded to let Mr. Boatman know that he was the recipient of the 2004 AOPA Win-A-Twin Comanche. Mr. Boatman had dropped Julie off in Griffin and was on his way back to Frederick, Maryland. It was blind luck that he stopped in Greenwood at the very moment that Roy was there.

Roy calls me and says that he wants to fly over to Griffin to see the Cardinal and meet Julie. Christy Lake had been under the weather earlier in the week, but she was okay to go to daycare and I had finished all of my household duties, so I was in the clear to ride along this morning. So we hopped into N204WT and took off.

Skies were clear with visibility around 10 miles, so we flew VFR.

When we arrived in Griffin, it was pretty easy to spot the Cardinal from the ramp, so we pulled up and parked next to the hangar. The Cardinal is currently getting an engine overhaul and other structural modifications and refinements.

Here you can see the thousands of signatures that were gathered at Sun-n-Fun. Jim Rhoads from Flight1 was one of the signatures I saw pretty clearly.

Roy and Julie posed while I grabbed a couple pictures of them together in front of the two aircraft.

On the flight back to Greenwood, we were greeted by numerous clouds that were hovering around our cruising altitude of 5,500 feet. It was great fun weaving around them to stay VFR legal. Check out how the prop looks like it is bent in my photograph. Pretty cool, eh?

It is not everyday you get to meet someone as famous in the aviation community as Julie K. Boatman. For the three years that I have been an AOPA member, I have enjoyed reading her articles. Getting close to the Cardinal was a treat as well. It sure is shaping up to be a very nice aircraft. If you are a current member of AOPA, perhaps you'll be getting a closer look from behind the yoke when they award it next February!

Barrington makes it to Alaska

Mon, 11 Jun 2007 22:26:51 GMT

Mike Singer has a nice write-up about Barrington's trek from Japan to Shemya, Alaska, complete with screen captures of his flight on the tracking map. Barrington made the trip Saturday, and wrote an entry on his blog describing the flight. Be sure to check it out! Experience Aviation is planning a welcome home gala on June 23rd in Miami. If you are fortunate to be able to attend, it surely will be a grand celebration!

Freedom Weekend Aloft 2007

Tue, 29 May 2007 00:40:19 GMT

Freedom Weekend Aloft took place this past weekend in the upstate of SC. Did I attend? No. The family and I were in Tennessee for the weekend. I'm sure Christy Lake would have loved to see balloons above, as "ballooooon" is one of her favorite words to say. Maybe next year.

Freedom Weekend has been an annual event in the upstate for as long as I can remember. It used to take place on the weekend of the 4th at Donaldson Center. My grandparents live in Mauldin, downwind from Donaldson, so there were many times where hundreds of balloons could be seen floating by the house. Ah, the days of my youth.

Coincendentally (or incidentally), the recognized founder of the modern-day hot-air balloon Ed Yost passed away on Sunday. One day I would like to ride in a hot-air balloon to see what the sensation is like. I hear that there is no breeze because you are moving with it.

Back to work on the CX & TC...

Turbine Toucan start sequence

Tue, 22 May 2007 22:33:13 GMT

David Kervinen of Infinity Entertainment, Inc. and creator of the venerable Turbine Toucan has just posted this video of the Turbine Toucan's start sequence. Take a moment to sit back and relax, & watch 750 horses in action! I don't know about you, but I cannot wait to see video of this bird taking to the skies.

Wings & Wheels Heritage Festival - Toronto, CA

Tue, 22 May 2007 05:05:11 GMT

Those of you lucky enough to live in or near Toronto Canada, there is an awesome aviation event taking place this weekend. The Wings & Wheels Heritage Festival will be held May 26th & 27th in Downsview Park, downtown Toronto. This year celebrates the 60th anniversary of the de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver. Over 20 vintage Beavers are expected to be on-hand, along with other various vintage aircraft, including the Tiger Moth. And where there is a Tiger Moth, ACES resident evangelist Hal Bryan is sure to follow, so be on the look-out for this guy. :)

I met Mike Goulian!

Mon, 07 May 2007 16:20:00 GMT

This weekend's Saturday show at Cherry Point was excellent! The weather held out for us, and made for a perfect airshow. It's too bad that they had to cancel the show on Sunday due to the high winds, but it was for the safety of everyone involved.

The highlight was getting to meet and speak to Red Bull Air Racer Mike Goulian in person. His performance was top-notch, flying a custom Extra 300SHP (the only one in the world). Here are a few pictures from the show...

Mike getting ready to taxi.

Mike wowing the crowd of thousands!

A day's job is done - now time to go sign autographs!

Mike, Christy, and Christy Lake posing for the camera.

Mike and your's truly. :)

We're Headed to the Cherry Point Airshow

Thu, 03 May 2007 14:48:56 GMT

I am very excited about this weekend! Christy, Christy Lake, and I are going to be attending the Cherry Point Airshow this Saturday. It has been a few years since I've been there, so I am looking forward to going back. This is the 60th anniversary celebration of MCAS Cherry Point and they have a stunning line-up of performers:

US Jet Aerobatic Team
USMC Harrier Jump-Jet Demo
Tora, Tora, Tora
USAF F-15E Strike Eagle Demo
USAF B-2 Stealth Bomber Fly-By
World Parabatic Swoop Team
Greg Koontz
Shockwave Jet Truck
Mike Goulian Aerobatics
Dan Buchanan
Greg Shelton
Canadian SkyHawks
Manfred Radius
Red Eagle Airsports
Art Nalls
Bill Leff flying the T-6 Texan
Dale Snodgrass
USN F/A-18C East Demo Team

Incredible F-22 demonstration

Tue, 01 May 2007 23:55:32 GMT

This is an absolutely incredible demonstration of the maneuverability of the F-22 Raptor as demonstrated at last weekend's AirPower over Hampton Roads. It is a bit long, but well worth watching the entire clip!

Rob Reider's AirShowCast

Sat, 28 Apr 2007 15:04:11 GMT

I'm always excited when I stumble upon a new aviation site. The great thing about my blog is that I get to share that excitement with my fellow aviation enthusiasts. I found AirShowCast this morning, and gave a listen to each of Rob's 6 episodes this year. Talk about great podcasts - Rob's experience as an airshow announcer really gives these episodes a very professional sound. I highly recommend it!

Subscribe to his podcast via Itunes.

GARMIN blog

Mon, 23 Apr 2007 17:26:06 GMT

Did you know that GARMIN had a blog? Until last Thursday, I did not. While searching for information on Sun-N-Fun, I ran a search through Technorati and this post appeared. I followed it, and saw that built into the post was a contest: name the barnyard animal sound in the intro music to their youtube video. So, I watched the video, and gave a reply with my answer.

I haven't really thought much of it since then. I figured that there were many others who followed this blog and had beaten me to the punch. Not so! I received an email this morning from a PR person from Garmin asking me to forward my shipping details, as I was the very first to reply to the post with a correct answer! How cool!! Sometimes it pays to take a chance.

[EDIT] - I got a mention in their last post. :)

The Latest from Lakeland...

Wed, 18 Apr 2007 22:27:24 GMT

Here are some of the highlights from Sun-N-Fun so far:

Epic Aircraft reveals two new single engine aircraft (Aero-News)
Cessna shows the Next Generation Piston concept aircraft (AVWeb)
Cirrus introduces Generation 3 of the SR-22 (Aero-News)
MXR introduces new MXS single-place aerobatic plane (Aero-News)
Avidyne introduces Envision line of avionics (Aero-News)
Embraer Phenom 300 mock-up on display (AVWeb)
ViperJet Executive edition unveiled (AVWeb)
Thousands sign petition against user fees (AOPA)
Mooney Acclaim sets speed record (AOPA)
The AOPA Catch-A-Cardinal is on display, showing the brand-new paint scheme (AOPA)

There's a lot going on, and it is only day two! Stay tuned for more headline summaries through the weekend.

Unexpected visitor overhead

Wed, 18 Apr 2007 17:23:32 GMT

While I was home this afternoon working in my office, I received a phone call on my cell - I looked to see who it was, and I was delighted to see that it was my good friend Roy Wilbanks. I proceeded to answer it and to my surprise, all that I can hear on the other end is what sounded like a wind storm.

"Roy? ... Roy? ... You there?" I asked.

"Owen! Owen! Are you home?" He finally spoke about 30 seconds into the call.

"Yes, I am home, where are you?" I asked, very puzzled.

"Step outside ... I'm in the J-3 flying up the lake at about 800 feet ... get your camera!" I heard him shout above all of the noise.

"Okay!" I shouted.

"I can't hear anything you're saying - I'll talk to you later on!" He shouts, and then the phone goes dead.

Christy Lake had spent the day at home with me, so I gathered her in my arms and grabbed my camera as we headed out the door. Sure enough, moments later, here comes Roy meandering up the lake, barely above stall speed. I managed to grab a couple of shots off as he circled overhead, with the one above being the best of 'em all. What a welcome & unexpected airborne visit. Christy Lake sure enjoyed it - the bright yellow of the J-3 made it really easy for her to see. I told her to wave and she just waved and waved, not really knowing why she was doing so.

Drop by anytime, Roy!

Sun-N-Fun just around the corner

Sat, 14 Apr 2007 00:22:13 GMT

The second largest gathering of aircraft for the U.S. happens in Lakeland, Florida every year around this time. The beautiful spring weather provides a wonderful backdrop to loads of excitement on the ground and in the air. AOPA will show this year's Catch-A-Cardinal publicly for the first time, and will host AOPA Day on April 20. EAA will have a significant presence there as well. They will have a member village on-site, forums & workshops, and an appearance by EAA President Paul Poberezny.

The skies will be alive each day with demonstration flights from today's hottest new aircraft manufacturers and an afternoon airshow that is sure to captivate the crowds. Scheduled performers include aerobatic artists Mike Goulian, Patty Wagstaff, and Matt Chapman. There will be numerous exhibitors showing the latest in avionics and other aviation related goodies. Unfortunately, Microsoft will not be on-site this year - they are busy getting SP1 completed and some other surprises completed as well. Stay tuned to polypoke for more on that...

My colleagues Ron Hamilton and Bob Hayes will both be present down there a few days (lucky dogs!). If you're lucky enough to be able to go this year and happen to bump into them, tell them hello for me! :)

Barrington makes it to Rome

Thu, 12 Apr 2007 21:55:12 GMT

It appears that Barrington is back on pace with his adventure flight across the globe, with registering his stop in Rome, Italy today. Be sure and keep tabs on his blog's photo gallery for new images - he added pictures from Madrid yesterday. Keep the blue side up, Barrington!

Hurray! Barrington is on the way to the Azores!

Sat, 07 Apr 2007 17:42:36 GMT

I just checked Barrington's tracking map, and I am delighted to say that he is currently enroute to the Azores! I certainly hope that the rest of his trek will now be smooth sailing, now that he's almost over the "hump" of the Atlantic. Great news to kick-off this long weekend, as I get Monday off. :)

Patty Wagstaff's new Extra 300S scheme

Fri, 06 Apr 2007 02:30:05 GMT

Keeping on the whole airshow theme for today, I recently learned of Patty Wagstaff's new paint scheme for her Extra 300S. It is a radical change from her former red, white, and blue scheme. I like it. The closest she'll be performing to me will be at Seymour-Johnson AFB in Goldsboro, North Carolina May 12th (the day after my birthday). I'd like to see someone repaint the default Extra 300S in FSX in this new scheme. Anyone up for the challenge?