OSH09 Will Be The Best Oshkosh Ever!

Follow @AirPigz on twitter for details on official AirPigz 'Pig-Ins': Fri 7-31-09 from 10:30pm to midnight, and on Sat 8-1-09 from 4-6pm at the PigPen (my campsite) at OSH 09

 No, it's not gonna be the best Oshkosh ever because the A380 will be on site, or because Sully will be speaking about landing an airliner in the Hudson.  It won't even be the best Oshkosh ever because VirginGalactic's WhiteKnightTwo will be on display, or because of the vast site improvements (including flush toilets!)... it'll be the best Oshkosh ever, for anyone who's there, because the best one is the one you are at right NOW!

 Oshkosh memories are great, and I have really been blessed with a lot of 'em.   Like when the first version of the BD-5 (with the V-Tail!) changed the homebuilt mindset in 1971... of when the Vari-Eze first appeared in 1975... of when Voyager flapped it's long skinny wings in 1984 (before flying around the world!)... of the first year Concorde arrived in 1985... of when the Russian AN-124 wowed us with its massive size and mission of friendship in 1989.  The list of fantastic and awesome memories is almost endless! 

 But, they're still just memories.  What you experience 'in the moment' is what really counts.  And with the start of EAA Oshkosh 2009 just a little over a week away, I gotta say, my excitement for world's greatest aviation event is really starting to percolate!

 This is the one event that you should really make sure you make room for in your summer schedule (hopefully you have!).  So, if you're fortunate enough to be able to attend Oshkosh this year, here's a couple items to keep in mind while planning your stay:

 First: The EAA Apps website is a fantastic tool that'll really help you to find when events of all kinds are taking place.  It's the best, and easiest way to be sure you see everything that you're interested in.  You can search any day for a variety of event types (attraction, forum, movie, speaker, evening program etc) and plan your stay to maximize your time there.  In fact, you'll never really know how much you could miss til you do some searching there!

Oshkosh 1971 and the very first (V-Tail) version of the BD-5

 Second: I'm gonna have two official AirPigz "Pig-In' gatherings at the PigPen (my campsite) in Camp Scholler.  The first one is on Friday night, 7-31-09 from 10:30pm til midnight, just after Sully speaks at the Theater in the Woods.

 The second one will take place on Saturday 8-1-09 from 4-6pm, before the Air Racer Movie is shown at the Theater in the Woods.

 These very informal gatherings are just a chance to meet up with people and talk airplanes. I'm gonna try to have some snacks on Friday, and if things go well, Saturday will include grilled hot dogs and some other goodies.  We'll also have the AirPigz "funny money"prizes at 5pm for anyone who won some prize money in either a 'Caption Contest' or a 'Name The Plane' game on twitter.  I'm definitely looking forward to meeting lots of people!  

 The best way to stay informed about further details on these gatherings, as well as exactly where the 'PigPen' will be located, is to follow me on twitter. Click @AirPigz and follow me now if you aren't already.

 Here's one last thing to keep in mind about Oshkosh.  The best part of the event is really the people.  People who are brought together by a common bond of a love for flying.  There honestly seems to be something special about people who love breaking the chains of gravity to be able to look down on God's amazing Creation from above.  So, while the airplanes make it cool, it's really the gentle, caring and adventurous spirit of the people at Oshkosh that make it so special.

 I hope you're able to make it there this year... and I hope you realize that it's the best Oshkosh ever!

Oshkosh 1985 and the very first arrival of Concorde!

Oshkosh 1989 and Soviet "Glasnost" with the AN-124