On Thu, 21 Jul 2005 13:06:25 +0000 (UTC),
(Paul Tomblin) wrote:

In a previous article, "HamGuy" said:
Finnally decided to quit reading about Oshkosh and want to expereince
it myself. What is the most important thing to expereince?

The credit card bills afterwards. Oh wait, that's not the most important,
that's the most shocking.

To me the best part of the week was shutting down my engine and looking
out at the thousands of planes parked around me, and saying "I'm finally
here!"

I've only been once, flew in with the Waco group in '95. Now that I
know what it's like, I'm not really inclined to visit again until I
finish my airplane and have something to talk about while I'm there.

I remember how we slotted in behind everyone after turning right over
Ripon and a few minutes later being able to literally see the landing
pattern, right to the end of the runway because it was clearly defined
by the 20 or 30 airplanes in front of us tracing the line from the
extended downwind, through base and to final.

Things got very busy as we approached on final, with airplanes taking
the runway in front of us and launching right up to short final,
including what appeared to be a T-28. At that point, an Albatross
took the runway and we had to add power and lift up over him, then
settle in front. We pulled off onto the right side of the runway on
the grass and seconds later the Albatross thundered by behind us.

A guy on a scooter showed up on our left wing and guided us to the
Theater in the Woods where the other Wacos were parking or had parked.

We had to pass through the crowd to get to it, there were many
thousands it seemed, lined up along the flight line watching the many
landing aircraft.

Quite the thrill to be a part of something so big, even if you weren't
really a part, just coming in to enjoy it.

Corky Scott