July 22-29, 2023 - AirVenture 2023
Essex Skypark Group
|
| I made it. I'm at the show! Except, it is Sunday, and the show doesn't start until tomorrow. Still, the homebuilt parking, homebuilt camping and the North 40 are packed with airplanes. |
| |
 |
|
|
This is our rental house near Fond du Lac. Four bedrooms, plenty of couches, and a pool out back (which we never used).
|
| |
 |
|
| Rear of the house. |
| |
 |
|
|
Of interest was this massive playhouse, which even had bunkbeds on the top floor.
|
| |
 |
|
| Rich and Nhu-An's residence in the North 40, with a nice view of air operations on runway 9/27. |
| |
 |
|
| Hanging out in the shade at the A&W food place on Sunday afternoon. |
| |
 |
|
| Still hanging out. |
| |
 |
|
|
Monday afternoon we were at the RV social hosted by Gallagher Insurance. Cold Spotted Cow beer was to be had in abundance and the price was right: donut.
|
| |
 |
|
| Among the hundreds of RV people, I met a few people I knew and a few I didn't, until now. |
| |
 |
|
|
|
| |
 |
|
| Mark showing off his multi-tasking skills at the RV social. |
| |
 |
|
| On Tuesday night Rich, Nhu-An and I attended Van's Dinner Banquet. It was a little subdued from last year, perhaps because of the heat, or maybe because Van couldn't attend, or possibly because the RV-15 wasn't the big news it was last year. In any event, the food was excellent and it was a fun evening. Here Van's Test Pilot is showing video of the RV-15's short takeoff and landing capabilities. |
| |
 |
|
| The main speaker was Ken Rieder, a repeat-offender who flies an RV-8 in Redline Airshows. We would see him fly on Wednesday in the night airshow. |
| |
 |
|
|
The other end of the room.
|
| |
 |
|
| Greg Hughes, Chief Operations Officer and spokesman for Vans Aircraft Company, speaks to the audience. |
| |
 |
|
|
The Rolling Meadows restaurant was close to our rental house and the airport. We liked having breakfast there so much we ended up eating breakfast there three times. Or was it four?
|
| |
 |
|
|
One disadvantage to staying in a house was having to drive to Wittman Field each day. Then we had no choice but to park in the Gray Lot which alongside Interstate 41 -- a long way from the flight line. Fortunately they had shuttle buses which took you from the Gray Lot to the Bus Park, near the entrance.
It was tough Wednesday night, after the night airshow, after a long day, walking on a Bataan Death March from the flightline all the way to the Gray Lot, in the still considerable heat, surrounded by hundreds of other people in the dark, and then trying to find the car.
|
| |
 |
|
| Flight planning Friday night in the kitchen. Joe and Amy (on the right) had joined us for one night. |
| |
 |
|
| Rich, a veteran of many airshows. He's fully equipped with the swag ballcap, water backpack and tactical sunglasses. |
| |
 |
|
|
Rich and Nhu-An in front of a spanking brand new Decathelon at the American Champion booth.
|
| |
 |
|
| Mark -- like so many at Essex Skypark a former Army helicopter pilot -- is in love with Vic Syracuse's Hummingbird Sikorsky-based kit helicopter. This helicopter was designed and certified by Sikorsky Aircraft as an S-52 but was never brought to market. |
| |
 |
|
| Group shot at the house. |
| |
 |
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|