AirVenture 2022 - Transit Home

Thursday morning.  All to soon, it was time to go home.  Some planes have already left but for the most part, homebuilt camping was still packed with planes.  It's nothing like last year when half the homebuilt planes were gone by Thursday.  Of course, last year they had that crazy storm Wednesday night that caused many pilots to bug out early.

I got up early -- not hard to do with the sun out by 6AM and a four-ship of P-51 Mustangs roaring overhead at 7am-- struck the tent, packed everything up, and untied the plane.  I walked to Homebuilt HQ and got my camper's refund, had breakfast, and returned to the plane.  Because we were scattered all over homebuilt camping and parking, there was no possibility of all four Essex Skypark RVs taking off together.  We decided to just try and start taxiing around 9am and rendezvous in the air somewhere south of Oshkosh.  It had rained a little during last night's airshow, and the plane was covered with dirt spots.  I had some time so I cleaned the plane.  Gotta look good at Oshkosh.
   
As you can see, homebuilt camping is still mostly full.
   
But Thursday morning is a popular time to leave.  It makes sense.  Many people like to see the Wednesday night airshow, then leave the next morning.  As Kitplanes writer Tom Wilson said:  "The cool kids at AirVenture tend to show early, hang around three days, then zoom home."  So when I exited Mustang Avenue, I joined a long line of aircraft taxiing to runway 36.  I would be in line for over 30 minutes.
   
I had time, so I took a few pictures from the taxiway.  Here's a shot of the area in front of Homebuilders Headquarters.  As you can see, the homebuilder showplane area is fairly empty.  I'm not sure why this prime parking spot area was so sparsley occupied.  Vintage and Classic showplane parking, on the other hand, were 100% full.
   
The famous Brown Arch with control tower in background.
   
Passing by the entrance to Boeing Square.
   
Passing by the T-6s of the Aeroshell Aerobatic team.   I was behind a Long-EZ or something similar: a composite, pusher, carnard type plane.  He must have been having engine overheating problems because he shut down his engine at every opportunity.  I could relate because with my black cowl, my oil temperature steadily rose during the long taxi.
   
Passing by the Classic Showplane area which as you can see is jam packed.
   

Getting close!  By this time my oil temp was at 240, only five degrees from red line.  Then they paused the takeoffs so that the 16 RVs that flew a mass formation flight every morning could take off.  Along with the Long-EZ, I shut my engine down.  The RVs were doing an intersection takeoff behind me, taking off in pairs, so it went fairly quickly.  Still, the short time I had my engine shut down gained me five degrees, and I was able to take off below redline.  Once airborne, my oil temps dropped rapidly.

You can see the portable, mini-control tower with pink-shirted controllers at right.
   
Looking back at the long taxi-line.  Somewhere back there an RV-8 chewed up the rudder and vertical empennage of an RV-4 in front of them.  Major bummer for two pilots.
   

Getting close!

The controllers were putting two planes on runway 36L -- which is wide -- at a time.  Launching the plane on the left, backfilling the left, launching the right, backfilling the right, and so on.
   
I snapped this hasty shot just after takeoff.  For runway 36L departures, you have to make a 150-degree right turn before reaching the control tower.
   

Looking back at the show:  mainly the Classic and South 40 parking areas.

Sort of like arriving at Oshkosh on Sunday, you know departing Oshkosh Thursday morning is going to be busy.  That said, it wasn't that bad.  I find the fast-paced launches exhilerating and fun.
   
Passing by the Seaplane Base.  I've only been there once on the ground, for a short time.  Maybe next time I'll spend a day there.
   

I joined up with Mark and Brian south of Oshkosh and Fond Du Lac.  They had snuck in at the tail end of the RV formation group and gotten airborne ahead of me.  I found them easily on ADS-B, had them make a couple of 360 degree turns, and soon we were a three-ship.  I must say ADS-B does have its moments.

Chuck/Chip took off after us and didn't catch up until our first stop at Port Bucyrus Airport.
   
I took some shots of Mark and Brian in close formation with the Windy City in the background.
   
The visibility was much clearer than it was on Sunday.
   
 
   
 
   
Passing by Porter County Airport.  We all had plenty of gas, and a tailwind, so there was no need to stop.
   
Rich and Nhu-An in their C-172 took off an hour or so before us.  We caught up with them in north central Indiana, just southeast of South Bend.  That's the C-172 to the left.  Mark passed by them ahead to the right, with smoke.
   
Looking down at Nappanee Municipal Airport (C03).  Rich and Nhu-An landed here to get avgas at a low price on the spectrum, just below $6.
   
This is what we like to see!  As I mentioned, we enjoyed a decent tailwind.  It's always nice to cruise over 200 mph.  We were headed toward Port Clinton Airport (KPCW), on Lake Erie, to have lunch at their on-field restaurant.
   

But then we decided to go to Port Bucyrus Airport (17G) instead.  They had a much lower avgas price than Port Clinton.  Plus they had a courtesy car so we could go into town for lunch.

Here I am looking down at Port Bucyrus Airport.
   
Chuck landed soon after the three of us.  I have been to this airport before, a year and a half ago, on my way to Minnesota to fly the Mississippi River.  I remember it as a good cross-country stop.  Kevin the airport manager is very friendly and helpful.  He remembered me from a year and a half ago.  They have a courtesy car.  They still have the friendly airport cat.
 
So, four RVs descended on Port Bucyrus Airport unannounced.   Here we are filling up with go-fly juice.
   
Parked on the ramp next to a duster.
   
And there's the friendly airport cat!
   
Backseat of the courtesy car, heading to the Old 30 BBQ overlooking a golf course for an excellent lunch.  Mark is still in shock from aviation overload at AirVenture.
   
Preparing to depart Port Bucyrus.
   
Passing by the FBO building.
   
And we're back in the air.  This time Chuck is leading the four-ship.
   
Chuck's RV-7A against a pretty backdrop of blue sky and white clouds.
   
There was a weather barrier over the Appalachians but we easily skirted through a hole.  Here we are passing north of a rain shower.
   
As we approached Baltimore, I checked out the Baltimore Raven's practice facility.  All NFL teams are having their training camps now.  As you can see, the parking lot is fairly full.  But everyone is inside on this hot summer day.
   
Approaching Baltimore.  I have taken this photo many times.  But this time it has a couple of RVs in it.
   
Turning final for runway 16 at Essex Skypark.  It's been a great trip!  My RV has now been to the show seven times.
   
 
   
Previous
Home
Next