Warbird Information Exchange

I just got a letter from the CAF re the show at Midland. They are not paying for or supplying any fuel for most private warbirds for the show this year.

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Bill Greenwood
Spitfire N308WK

Appox. 15 years ago I started gathering data to build a flying reproduction of the Laird Super Solution. The Florida Sport Aviation Antique and Classic Association "FSACA" had during the late 1970's and early eighties almost completed a replica and it was given to EAA Oshkosh to finish. EAA decided not to fly the plane and it is to this day stuck in the museum. I thru a very close personal contact with a national EAA director tried to get the data that FSACA had sent north with the solution project to Oshkosh. I finally got a hold of the guy who at the time was in charge of pioneer field at OSH. To the man's credit he started our third phone conversation with "Mike, I am ashamed to be having this conservation but we have all of the information you need here at OSH. I just came out of Tom's office and he personally said no we can't allow you to have it. Tom ,Paul and an Attorney EAA director Charlie Harris had had a meeting concerning EAA liability and decided EAA could not release aircraft data such as my request reguardless of waivers signed. The only way they would release drawings was if say you had a WACO Taperwing and ground looped it thus needed a gear leg drawing. I lost a lot of respect for EAA over this issue. I had Christmas eve dinner with one of Matty Lairds grandsons in the late 90's and he had the wing plans. That along with my Florida drawings/photos solution connections could have pulled it off but by then the guy from washington state was already well along with his replica. EAA is a business nothing,more nothing less.
The wrist band issue does not surprise me. Eric, since you are not providing a wrist band for Christy this year, I would think two would suffice.

Bill Greenwood wrote:

I am going to fly Midland again this year. I feel honored to be included. The fuel cost is very burdensome for them but they have been gracious enough to include me in the Korea and Vietnam segment, flying with Rick Sharpe. It's my favorite show of the year. Great people, great planes=great show.

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Eric

"I spent most of my money on alcohol, women and skyraiders....and the rest of it I just wasted."

D17s wrote:

Mike,

It took me about a half an hour of head scratching to figure out who I possibly knew that would know Christy and even remotely know what the Laird Super Solution was. Ironically, the flying Super Solution was at Creve Coeur for a while a few years back. Christy sat in it and that's all see talked about for a year.

BTW, 22 years of dealing with her was great training for managing a collection of warbirds. They both require vast sums of money and never work when you really want them to.

Eric

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Eric

"I spent most of my money on alcohol, women and skyraiders....and the rest of it I just wasted."

Oshkosh...

Only flew in twice and would go back anytime (just missing the time).

There is just nothing else like it.

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Michel C
Thousands of a/c pics at Passion-Aviation

I'll bite, did the CAF lose their fuel sponsor this year? Is it not the Fina airsho anymore?

Not an official answer but I'm pretty sure the Fina sponsorship is in dollars and not gallons. With the increase in fuel cost, the money doesn't buy as much fuel.

Randy

Just for that crack I'm gonna come and eat all yoru cheese and talk smack about your football team

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"I knew the jig was up when I saw the P-51D-20-NA Mustang blue-nosed bastards from Bodney, and by the way the blue was more of a royal blue than an indigo and the inner landing gear interiors were NOT green, over Berlin."

I came to OSH for the first time 1990...didn't get back until '97 and I volunteered that summer. Have been volunteering every year I get back, this year is #10 (being self-employed, sometimes you can't turn down a job that happens during OSH).

I am not a pilot (unless you count my widdle blue 5.6 liter stealth roadster). I originally came to OSH with my Dad for the planes - I burned through over 25 rolls of film that first summer. Now its for the friends I have made there, the good people I meet by chance there and the opportunity to help share aviation with others that brings me back. I take a lot fewer pictures each summer but have many more good memories.

IMHO, the current EAA Warbirds President, "T6 Rick", "gets it" and, with a goodly number of Warbird Directors is working hard to improve the OSH Warbird experience for everyone.

Stop by Tom's Trailer on the Warbird Flightline & ask for "Radar" - I'll be happy to chat with one & all.

I'm sorry. It's okay for midland to want you to pay, because the fuel cost is 'burdensome for them', but its not okay for Airventure? I must have missed something in the translation.

Also - you probably will enjoy Midland more, since your interest is obviously ONLY warbirds... HOWEVER we also fly a Korea/Vietnam segment, and would love to have you be a part of it. How often do you get to fly with a Mohawk and/or Caribou? You'll find the people in our area are exceptional.. both pilots and volunteers.

Definitely stop by the camper parked next to the showers - just behind (or in front of, depending on perspective) the T-34's. Colloquially known as 'Tom's Trailer', this is the line crew 'watering hole' after hours. ww2john is our own Radar O'Reilly....

Give it a shot before you diss it...

P51Dfltln wrote:

Yes, you missed something in "translation". CAF Airsho is paying my fuel expenses, from STL to Midland, 1200 gallons of fuel. I wouldn't ask for any fuel from Airventure (it's the same for everyone) which is 500+ gallons for a round trip. But, to be clear, it's not really about money, I fly the Skyraider often "just for kicks" around the Midwest. I just don't see the wisdom of asking aircraft to participate in a display and not providing admission for the crew.

And you are also correct, my primary interest is warbirds. I also like the Vintage aircraft. I couldn't care less about GA and homebuilts. As I said in my original post, I have attended Airventure twice in a warbird, so the "try it before you 'dis it" argument doesn't hold water.

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Eric

"I spent most of my money on alcohol, women and skyraiders....and the rest of it I just wasted."

A skyraider has a crew of 6? Come on dude. I don't see why an airshow should have to give everyone that can pile into an airplane a free pass. They are giving two passes per engine. SO that covers you and maybe a friend/wife/girlfriend/kid/, whatever. So who else is going? Some firends? Let them man up and buy some tickets. If someone told me, Hey you can go and fly into Oshkosh in a Skyraider, but you have to buy your own tickets for each day, I would be all over it.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Director

EAA, WOA Fight Potential Warbird Noise Restriction In Stalled Senate Bill
June 19, 2008 — A proposed noise restriction on jet Warbirds contained in the U.S. Senate’s FAA reauthorization bill will not likely see passage into law anytime soon, according to Washington sources, but EAA and the Warbirds of America are nonetheless working behind the scenes to make sure it’s removed. The proposed new restriction in the FAA Reauthorization Bill S.B.1300, currently stalled in the Senate, would tighten noise restrictions on privately owned jets and could ground many warbird jets.

The Senate bill provision prohibits a civil subsonic turbojet with a maximum weight of 75,000 pounds or less to operate to or from an airport in the U.S. unless in compliance with stage 3 noise levels. A few general aviation jets and many more warbird jets do not comply with Stage 3 noise restrictions, but fall under less restrictive Stage 2 standards. Warbird owners and enthusiasts fear that imposing Stage 3 standards would ground those aircraft.

In the House version (H.R.2881) EAA and the Warbirds of America were instrumental in getting aircraft with experimental certificates exempted from the Stage 3 standard. That exemption includes virtually all jet Warbirds.

“Since there is no movement on the Senate version of the FAA Reauthorization Bill right now, there is little opportunity to amend it to include the exemption for experimentals,” explained Doug Macnair, EAA vice president of government relations. “EAA and Warbirds of America are working with Congress on this issue, urging Senators to support the language of the House version that exempts aircraft with experimental certificates, including warbirds. At the appropriate time we will also be working with the House/Senate Conference Committee that will eventually produce an FAA funding bill for the president to sign.”

The Senate bill has been stalled in Senate committees over general aviation user fees and other non-aviation-related provisions. Senate aides say there is little chance that the Senate will act on the bill before this fall or before next year.

Meanwhile, Congress is expected to extend FAA’s existing budget - possibly into 2009 - by the time the current extension expires on June 30, which will keep the agency in operation until a new bill is passed. Under that budget extension, no new noise restrictions will be in force.

Chino gave 10 passes to the B-17... If Eric came all the way to the west coast, I'd give him a ticket for each cylinder if that is what it took!

Good for them BDK, but I feel that is above and beyond. When we flew the C-123 To Geneseo, I think we had to buy all of our tickets. When I take my Charger to a car show, I don't get free stuff to take it there. It's my personal toy. I am getting the enjoyment out of people seeing it, and me driving it. Oshkosh is fun, a vacation, a time to get out and be around people that all love the same thing. It's the atmosphere of the world's greatest aviation celebration. If that isn't worth $20.00 a day to you, then you shouldn't be there.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Director