Wingwalking: Don't Try This at HomeUnless Your Airplane is Parked!

This is part two of my interview with wingwalker Jenny Forsythe, part one is here.

World of Flying: Has there ever been a time when things went wrong in your act and you scared yourself.

Jenny Forsythe: I really haven’t had any truly scary moments with American Barnstormer. Rather, there has been a time or two when I find myself disappointed that I’m unable to do a particular stunt to my full capabilities. For instance, last year, at our first show of the season, we were dealing with a 30-knot on-crowd crosswind, which meant that Walt had to carry more speed and power to maintain more controlled flight. Our first full pass requires us to stand on one foot between the wings while holding onto the front wires with just one arm and the other arm waving above the top wing. With the extra speed and wind force, I got pushed back against the rear wires and fought to get back out from under the top wing for most of the crowd line length. Using that much more energy, early on in the flight, made the rest of the performance a little bit tougher than usual. In those kinds of cases, you tend to be all that much more aware of your body and you really think twice about your upcoming move and if you have the strength to safely make that move. So far, I haven’t had to bail on any performances or specific maneuvers, but that possibility is always there when things don’t go as usual due to weather or other uncontrollable circumstances. And that’s where the signaling mentioned above would come into play.

WoF: Is wingwalking a full-time gig or do you have a day job? If yes, how does that day job fit into your occupation as wingwalker.

JF: I have a BA in Chemistry and a MS in Geology. When I first started wingwalking, I was working full time at the University of Notre Dame as a research/lab technician. Eventually, the program’s funding ran out, so I concentrated on my airshow efforts for a couple years. With the downturn in the economy, I decided to go back to school and get degree #3 (Diagnostic Medical Sonography), so that’s what I’m working on now. I’m also pursuing part-time work, like substitute teaching, in the meantime. With our airshow duties generally running from Thursday through Monday on show weekends, it still leaves room for another job or volunteer work, which I’m also involved with. We do enough shows to keep recurrent with everything, but not so many as to keep us from being able to pursue other interests.

WoF: How many wingwalkers are there in the business, and what is the breakdown of men to women?

JF: Currently, in North America, there are seven teams that I would call “active” on the airshow circuit, plus a couple groups of “stationary” wingwalkers (one at the Flying Circus in Virginia, and one in southern Ohio). Six of those have only female wingwalkers, one has only a male, and our team and the flying circus have both. Around the world, there are another handful of teams with primarily females on the wing.

WoF: How much effort do you put into developing new routines and tricks to incorporate into your act? And how many rehearsals are involved to keep the act sharp?

JF: Our team is among the few that I’ve seen really evolve over the years, consistently adding in new “stunts” or maneuvers to keep things fresh and make our choreography anything but routine. I think part of that is because I’ve had the great opportunity to work with a variety of teams and I’ve learned different things from each, incorporating the moves that I think work best into our team’s performances. I’ve also spent some time studying old photographs and video to see what works best from the audience’s perspective – what poses/maneuvers are the most interesting and most visible from the ground. We also love when we’re able to get a good variety of photos and videos of our performances so we can do a self-assessment and evaluate what is or isn’t working so well.

My favorite “stunt” is the Daring Javelin Hang, borrowed from the Daring Damsels team of the 1980s (the team that developed, and only other team I’m aware of that ever attempted, this particular stunt). Even that one has evolved over the past two years that we’ve been doing it, moving from holding on with one hand as we had seen in the photos of the Daring Damsels, to completely letting go with both hands.

We always make sure we get a practice in before the start of the season, to “shake the rust off.” And if we go for long periods between shows, or if we plan to add something new into the routine, then we schedule additional practices. We also always take advantage, wherever possible, of the practice days at each show venue.

WoF: With the ever-present need to push the envelope, has there ever been a trick you considered performing that was too "over the top" and had to come out of the act for safety reasons?

JF: We haven’t tried anything yet that was immediately deemed inappropriate for safety reasons. There have been a couple things that have come out for other reasons, or at other times. One of them was the last pass we did in which Tyson stood at the right wingtip and I posed over the cockpit (behind the upper wing rack) – after doing that one during practice and at a few shows, Walt eventually came to the conclusion that, under certain meteorological conditions, it left very little room for error because it greatly hindered his right aileron AND his rudder controls. So, instead of performing that combination, we now keep Tyson at the right wingtip, but I do a different pose that keeps me in front of the top rack with my feet clear from hindering any rudder control.

An example of a maneuver that we practiced but threw out right away includes a Cuban Eight we tried with both wingwalkers on the plane. In this case, the issue wasn’t with safety, as the plane did the aerobatic maneuver just fine, but it required a great deal of climb time due to the extra drag of two bodies, and the extra altitude that was needed for the same reason. Thus, not wanting to bore our audience with needing two minutes to get to altitude, we chose to do a barrel roll instead (which requires much less initial altitude).

WoF: What is the most exhilarating part of being a wingwalker?

JF: The spectacular view from the wing is certainly one perk of being a wingwalker. There is absolutely nothing hindering your view and you get the real feel of the wind in your hair. The complete experience is actually quite difficult to describe and put into simple terms, because it is so vastly different from anything else I’ve experienced. One common misconception, I’d say, is that it’s an adrenaline rush. On the contrary, I find the experience of being on the wing much closer to meditation than a rush.

The other notable experience is that of being able to share a flight with another wingwalker. My pilot, Walt Pierce, is one of only 2 or 3 pilots in the world daring (and experienced) enough to regularly fly with more than one wingwalker. Looking over the nose of the plane and seeing your teammate (and good friend) over there, knowing you’re sharing that amazing experience, is certainly nothing short of special.

WoF: Explain the reaction you get from the audience after the show when they get to meet you in person. Has anyone ever treated you as if you're nuts for being a wingwalker? Are you?

JF: I get reactions of all types. I normally hop off the plane at show center (whether doing a solo wing walk or the dual act) and after a few swigs of water, immediately start signing autographs and interacting with the guests. Some people do think that wingwalkers are nuts, others attribute it to having a particularly large set of certain body parts (even if just metaphorically speaking for us females). Others express envy and ask about how and where they can learn to wingwalk (unfortunately for them, the only opportunities I know of for people to pursue wingwalking as a thrill-ride, is overseas). Most people are simply fascinated and will ask about safety equipment or what we felt during our very first flight on the wing, or how/why we got into it.

Being ‘nuts’ is definitely a relative term. Within the airshow industry, certain groups of performers find others to be ‘nuts’ – for example, several of the skydivers I’ve spoken with consider wingwalkers nuts for walking around on the wings, but we tend to think of them as being nuts since we see no reason to leave a perfectly good airplane. And I’ve found that goes for several of the various types of pilots, whether the extreme part of their flying is due to the type of aircraft, the low-level aerobatics, or the speeds they fly at. The thing to remember is that we’re each trained in a specific way to perform specific types of routines – when you’re familiar with something, it doesn’t seem so crazy – it’s the types of performances you’re not familiar with that seem mind-boggling because you generally have little (or no) experience with the specific talents and safety precautions in use.

Likewise, outside the airshow industry, it’s just a matter of personality and what you have come to know through your experiences. I don’t understand the desire of some people to sit in a cubicle for 60 hours a week pecking away at a computer problem any more than I do the desire of others to freeze their butts off and risk their lives climbing Mt. Everest. But there are people who find each of those activities rewarding and fulfilling, just as I find wingwalking to be.

In the Barnstorming World of Yesterday,This 'Jenny" Would Have Been a Bright Star

We've all been to air shows and seen wingwalkers. This rarest breed of air show performer is a throwback to the golden days of barnstorming, when in an attempt to get more paying townspeople out to Farmer John's pasture to watch a "Flying Circus", someone thought to tie his girlfriend onto the top of his Curtis JN-4 "Jenny" and fly upside down for a while at show center. It was indeed a gas, and everyone wanted more.

As the history of aerobatic performances matured, there were always wingwalking acts out there thrilling young and old alike. These daring flyers were usually female, almost always dressed sort of circus-ish in something made of spandex and were always doing things that looked as dangerous as they probably were.

Today, while we don't see too many 'Jennys' in a farmer's field at the edge of town, another 'Jenny" – wingwalking artist/athlete Jenny Forsythe – is doing her part to keep the fine art of wingwalking alive and thriving. She performs as part of the American Barnstormer act with also features Pilot Walt Pierce and wingwalker Tyson V. Rininger as part of the "Double Trouble" wingwalking act.

Recently, Forsythe stepped off the wings of Pierce's 450 horsepower Stearman "Ol' Smokey" to answer a few questions from World of Flying about what it is like to be a professional wingwalker. In part one below, Forsythe talks about how she got into wingwalking, the risks involved, and what it takes to handle the physical demands of such an act. She also explains what happens to the aerodynamics of an aircraft when a couple of humans are walking around the wings.

World of Flying: Describe your aviation experience, if you hold any licenses, ratings, tell us the planes you have flown, and talk about any aspirations to earn a license or additional ratings.

Jenny Forsythe: I have had the opportunity to take the controls of a variety of aircraft, including a B-25 bomber, and even had an “unofficial” aerobatic lesson in a Swift. However, I just recently started official (logged) flight lessons in a J3 Cub this past fall at Red Stewart Airfield in Waynesville, OH (it’s an amazing little airport dedicated to grass roots aviation – I highly recommend it).

WoF: How did you get involved in wingwalking?

JF: I knew some people involved with airshows and had started tagging along to shows with them in 2002, just acting as a grunt for two seasons. At the end of the second season, their wingwalker decided to retire, so I volunteered to become the wingwalker. As I worked with that team, and got to know other performers at the various shows and through the annual conventions, more opportunities presented themselves for me to wingwalk with other teams. For a couple of seasons, I worked double-duty with my original team and with American Barnstormer Walt Pierce. In 2007, I decided to devote all my time to American Barnstormer and parted ways with the other team altogether.

WoF: Tell us about your family and what they think of your occupation as wingwalker.

JF: When I first broke the news to my parents, my mom thought I was nuts and was actually quite upset with me. But, over time, as she saw how much I loved the airshows and she learned more about the safety measures we take – and saw how wingwalking was really bringing me out of my shell in many ways – she came to accept it. My more extended family is somewhat mixed – most think it’s the coolest thing in the world, but a few won’t even look at photos of me on the plane.

With being on Facebook the past year, I’ve gotten back in touch with a huge variety of people who knew me as an exceptionally quiet and reserved young girl in high school and college – I think those are the people who get the biggest kick out me doing what I do now.

WoF: Describe the risks involved in wingwalking and the safety equipment you use to minimize those risks.

JF: I use a system of tethers that won’t ever allow me to completely leave the aircraft in a worst-case scenario. They’re long enough such that I can freely move to wherever I need to move, but short enough that if I ever do need them in a fall situation, I won’t be too far from a surface to grab hold of or kick my feet up on in case a quick landing is needed. For the more advanced stunts I do – where I hang upside-down – an additional shorter tether is used for redundancy measures. That secondary tether is also used when I advance out to the N-strut at the wingtip since the primary tether doesn’t go that far (the second tether is always attached before the first one is detached).

I choose to use tethers for a variety of reasons, including the fact that it allows me to do the more advanced stunts that you don’t usually see others doing, as well as for the peace of mind of the audience. Most of the spectators have no idea during the performance whether or not I’m using such safety measures, but the fact is that if a wingwalker falls from a plane, without a tether, they’re not going to have to worry about anything ever again – but the audience will be traumatized by what they’ve just witnessed for years to come, in many cases. So, it’s not just for my sake that I choose to work with safety equipment.

In general, the biggest potential hazard to wingwalkers is probably birds – I’ve not heard of any actual bird strikes to wingwalkers, but I’ve heard of many close calls. With the speeds we travel at, a bird could potentially render a wingwalker incapable of moving or even unconscious – so again, the tethers would ensure that the pilot can do what he needs to do to land the aircraft without having to worry about the wingwalker slipping off the plane in such a case.

WoF: Wingwalkers always appear to be in great shape. Describe how strenuous wingwalking is, how much it stresses the human body, and how you work out to keep in wingwalking shape.

JF: We reach speeds in excess of 150 mph (and around 4 Gs - meaning my 140 lb. body feels like it weighs 560 lbs.) as we’re diving for aerobatics, but at the times that we’re doing the most moving about the aircraft, we’re probably traveling at 80-90 mph, depending on specific air conditions and whether there is just one of us or two of us on the aircraft at the time. Of course, at those speeds, your body is engaged in a type of resistance training as you move about or hold your body in a specific “pose”. In all honesty, because the type of movements we do in the air are so different from anything else on the ground, wingwalking is the best workout for wingwalking. Obviously, though, keeping in good general shape and keeping your flexibility up, along with eating right, certainly helps in the overall scheme of things. That said, I know wingwalkers of many shapes and sizes, as well as varying strengths. In my experience, generally speaking, the stronger and more flexible the wingwalker (regardless of shape), the more you’ll see them doing on the plane with respect to stunts and moving around (as opposed to just riding through aerobatics).

WoF: Tell us how you and the pilot communicate during the act. Who says what, who is in charge, and explain how tuned in to your movements the pilot has to be.

JF: From the pilot’s perspective, every time our feet contact the leading edge of the lower wing (or the surface of the top wing), it changes the flight characteristics of the plane. So, Walt REALLY has his hands full when Tyson and I both move at the same time since he’s then dealing with the potential of four feet stepping along the wings. The act is choreographed, of course, so we each know when we can move freely and when to expect signals – for instance, when I am about to transfer from the lower wing up to the top wing, I make sure I turn to look at Walt and wait for his signal (pointing to the top wing) before I begin my move. We also have additional signals in place for emergencies or for cases where it’s necessary to change something before the end of the routine; for example, if Walt needs us to look at him to get another signal to either stay put or move into the cockpit, he simply shakes the wings. If we need to get his attention, then simply by moving our foot on and off the lower wing a couple times, the abruptly changing flight characteristics do the trick and he turns his attention to us. Each team member has the authority to end the routine for any reason at any time. Though we have never had to use these signals to end a routine prematurely at an airshow, we discuss the signals and potential for their use regularly and have put them into practice during training (often due to another aircraft approaching the airspace).

A Triumphant Return Into a Glorious Sunset

I am writing this having just returned from one of the more memorable flights I have made in a long, long time. We aviators make lots of flights for all kinds of reasons, and each one is different than the next. They are all grand in their own way, and on this day, everything came together to re-define again why I aviate:

It has been 67 days since Katy and I enjoyed the rush of achieving lift under her big Hershey Bar wings and escaping the crust of this deteriorating planet. She went down for annual on 11.14.09, and it took until yesterday to get the logs back signed off as airworthy. It will not serve the goal of this post to dissect the reasons why a simple annual inspection on a fixed gear, fixed prop GA plane took over two months with no major squawks...no, this post is not about the past, it is about the present.

If you have ever been around an airplane owner who has a sick bird, the emotions surrounding that pilot can be like riding one of those old wooden roller coasters down at the Boardwalk. One minute you are pissed that things are not going well, the next you think it'll all be over and you'll be back in the air. That's been me for two months, trying to stay sane as false start after unexplained delay kept Katy grounded. But today, that all changed:

The Lycoming engine under Katy's cowl had been started only once in the past 67 days as far as I knew, because I had an oil change and the IA had to run it up and check pressures. But that might have been many weeks ago, so after a very VERY thorough pre-flight inspection, I carefully worked my checklist and introduced spark to gasoline inside the jugs. Katy fired up as if I had flown her yesterday, ran purrfect, and all systems were green. Since I also had a brake job and some avionics work done, I got permission to taxi around the non-movement area and stabbed the handle (Katy has no toe brakes) to seat the liners. I also tested all three comm radios with Eugene ground (two Kings and a hard-wired Vertex Standard emergency radio). I went over everything down to the security of the seats...everything.

Satisfied that the IA and Avionics Tech put everything back together correctly without causing further damage, I keyed the mic and hoped I could still remember how to use the radio. After jotting down taxi instructions, I was off to see if Katy and I still remembered how to fly:

The sky around Western Oregon today was dramatic, with a setting sun lighting up brilliant hues of pink and orange across low stratus set against the backdrop of distant towering build-ups over the Cascades. After receiving clearance to launch, I gingerly rolled onto runway 16L and gave Katy permission to become a rocket ship with one person aboard and half a load of fuel. Before I could even screw in all the power, she leaped off the runway, as eager as I was to get back to flying. I kept a quick scan going from engine gauges to radios and audio panel to flight instruments, checking to see if anything looked amiss. I was feeling giddy about having everything working perfectly when I noticed Katy was on her way quickly to 2,000 MSL. And with my promise to stay in left closed traffic in the 1,174 MSL pattern, I had to quickly get head back in game and try to keep the slop to a minimum.

When your plane comes out of a long maintenance bout, as a pilot, you want to know that everything is squawk-free. You want to believe all is as it was before the cowl came off:

My mission was twofold. First, I wanted to make sure the plane was fine, and then I wanted to get VFR current again with my required three takeoffs and landings. So the first lap around closed traffic was a shake down lap, was everything in the green...how's the oil pressure look...that sort of thing. With light winds of 210/3, I was amazed at how good this first lap felt. After a touch-and-go that seemed textbook, I went around again. But on this lap, my focus drifted from shakedown mode to awestruck tourist mode. I noticed that dramatic sky, the way the last rays of the winter sun slid effortlessly through the layers of clouds resting atop the Coast Range separating me from the mighty Pacific Ocean. The second approach felt perfect, so stable it was as if someone had painted the airspeed needle over the 80 mph tick.

With two laps down and Katy running as if she came out of Vero Beach yesterday, I slowed things down on the third and final lap to just enjoy the ride...one that was 67 days in the making:

Everything about this final closed traffic trip around the pattern was golden. So I just powered back, dropped all the flaps, and cruised. As I turned base to final pointing west coming to south, the sun was just slipping into the mountains for the night. The tiny sliver of fireball left showing was just enough to shower the underside of the 5,500 MSL cloud deck with an artist's palette of blues, pinks, oranges, reds, yellows and even a touch of a lusty sort of green. I wanted this final approach to last forever so I could cherish the scene before me. Eugene Airport in my windscreen, the almost psychedelic colors of the sky reflecting off the still water of Fern Ridge Reservoir just west of the field. It was magical, it was the reason I fly.

It was as if the aviation Gods were smiling down on Katy and I, rewarding us with one of those precious, priceless moments we flyers get to enjoy now and then.

Yes, Katy and I were back.

EAA Media Relations: 'Oshkosh'is Never Predictable and AlwaysKeeps the Organizers Running

In part one of this interview with Dick Knapinski of EAA Media Relations, we looked at how Team EAA de-briefs each year's Airventure, and how despite setting the bar high for last summer's show, and despite a rough economy, Airventure enjoyed higher-than-expected attendance. In part two below, Knapinski – aka @EAAUpdate in Twitter – discusses some of the things you didn't know about from last year's show, and what might be coming this summer to KOSH:

World of Flying: What projects are you working on for 2010 AirVenture that is going to whip AirVenture fans into a frenzy?

Dick Knapinski: Some of it we’re seeing already. The reaction to the Cherokee 50th anniversary, the 75th anniversary of the DC-3 and the B-17 and other events is already building in many areas, such as aviation discussion boards and so forth. Along with all that, suffice it to say that there will be things you’ve never seen before and things that you never thought you’d see again.

WoF: Tell us one thing great that happens in your office each year at AirVenture that makes you especially glad you have the job you do.

DK: Perhaps the most gratifying things that occur on a yearly basis are those comments and notes we receive from people that find their expectations are exceeded. Comments like, “I knew Oshkosh was big, but it was more than I ever imagined”; “My dad and I came, and Dad had the time of his life seeing the warbirds he repaired back in the war”; or “My kids are now total aviation junkies after two days at KidVenture.” Those type of comments make you realize that what you’re doing is bigger than an individual or an air show, because you’ve created a deeply personal memory for someone. And then there are the volunteers, both in our media area and throughout the grounds. I can’t say enough about what they do to make the event special. A successful event is very personal to them and it shows.

WoF: Tell us one horror story that always happens at every AirVenture, some bad situation you know is coming but you are not sure when...and what plans you have in place to solve this situation in 2010.

DK: There are always plenty. On an annual level, you always want the event to be safe. An accident is not only a disruption, but it’s a tragedy that must be addressed on several levels. Bad weather in Wisconsin in late July is always a threat, so plenty of time is spent planning for emergencies and making sure people and aircraft are protected as best as humanly possible. Then there are logistics issues – with something this large, they will occur, but you just don’t know where. For instance, the growing use of wireless internet and smartphones (who would’ve thought of THAT 20 years ago?) means creating infrastructure for people who may travel with only their airplane, a tent and their laptop. The effort in 2009 was not totally up to our expectations and we’re working on that for 2010.

WoF: Describe the level of excitement in Air venture’s Media operation leading up to the show, right up to opening day. Also, what is your work schedule like during the show, do you get to sleep much?

DK: In high school and college, I was involved in both sports and music. Anyone involved in either of those pursuits knows the nervous energy building up before the big game or the big performance. You hope you’re well prepared, you’ve been getting ready, but you can’t wait for things to get started because this is the moment you’ve been waiting for. When I drive over the Highway 41/44 interchange in the morning and see the North 40 filled with airplanes, I’ve told myself on more than one occasion, “OK, it’s game time. Let’s go.”

To answer your question; no, I don’t sleep much. But neither do a lot of other people, from our maintenance staff and security to many of the volunteer chairpeople. Personally, I’m typically on the grounds by about 4:30 am because the TV trucks arrive for the morning shows. The airport closes to traffic at 8 pm each day, and I usually don’t get off the grounds until 10 pm at the earliest for either work reasons or because I have aviation friends I want to see, too.

WoF: Tell us a really juicy behind-the-scenes story about AirVenture that the general public will be blown away to discover.

DK: Boy that’s tough, since there are so many stories that take place each year when you’re in the middle of the maelstrom. There are the fun things, where you might run into Harrison Ford or NASCAR owner Jack Roush among the exhibits, shopping for airplane gadgets, and people just let them be as a fellow aviator. Just a couple of examples from 2009: We had a movie company arrive on the grounds to shoot for two days. They were doing background shots for a major aviation-themed movie that’s due for release in 2012. They arrived on the Thursday during the event with 33 people, seven vehicles, a helicopter with a camera pod, a catering tent, and a 28-foot boom arm for aerial filming. The challenge was allowing them to get their shots with minimum disruption for everyone else who was here to enjoy the show, as it is a live event and not a movie set. The film crew planned for three days of shooting but got everything done in two because it went so well.

The other was the “race” between an aerobatic airplane and Paul Teutul of the American Choppers TV show. Longtime EAA member Ron Fagen had invited Paul to visit Oshkosh and participate. When the TV show production staff started doing research on AirVenture a day or two into the show, they suddenly realized that “Hey, this is a pretty big event!” and decided to do some show taping here. That meant clearing additional media people, approving camera positions with FAA, securing transportation and everything else for less than four hours of shooting – AND not disrupting the air show for everyone watching.

Those are the short stories. A couple of others are two-beer tales…

WoF: I believe the DC-3/C-47 mass arrival event will be a major draw in attendance this year. What do you predict will happen to attendance on Opening Day, Monday, July 26th, 2010 when this formation is due overhead at KOSH?

DK: Opening day could be spectacular in 2010. With all the early mass arrivals, the expected arrival of the Oshkosh Express 747 from Australia and New Zealand that day, an opening-day concert once again, PLUS an aerial arrival of DC-3s never before seen at any aviation show, and well…let’s just say it could be very big. There are tens of thousands of people on the grounds on opening day regardless, and if the weather’s good, who knows what kind of once-in-a-lifetime day could occur. All I know as an airplane person, I sure wouldn’t want to miss it.

Disecting and Promoting Airventure:'Oshkosh' is Really a 365-day-a-yearEvent for EAA Media Relations

When you really look deep into the soul of EAA's annual Airventure general aviation celebration, it is as much about people as it is about airplanes.

We already know going in that pilots and others in the aviation community are some of the nicest, good-hearted, friendliest people on this planet, the kind of people who will give you the shirt off their back if you find yourself in Wisconsin in late July and really need a shirt.

But Airventure is also about the people who make this mammoth event a reality. One of those "behind-the-scenes" EAA staffers that goes many extra miles to put this show together each year is Dick Knapinski of EAA Media Relations, who can be found on Twitter as @EAAUpdate. Recently, World of Flying tracked Knapinski down and asked him questions aimed at pulling back the curtain a bit on how EAA manages to organize Oshkosh each year, and how they strive to make this year's show better than last year's show.

In part one, Knapinski talks about how they debrief each year's Airventure, and how the 2009 show exceeded many of his office's expectations and goals.

World of Flying: Tell us about Dick Knapinski the pilot, how long you've been flying, hours, ratings and type ratings, airplanes flown and owned, and what got you into flying in the first place.

Dick Knapinski: I’ve always been one of those people who looked up when an airplane passed overhead, even as a kid. That habit didn’t make me a real effective shortstop, but it certainly hatched a love for aviation. I also spent many hours as a boy accidentally gluing plastic airplane model parts to my parents’ kitchen table. After some years away because of early career and family obligations, I came back to flying in 1996. I currently hold a Private Pilot SEL certificate and fly a 1967 Piper Cherokee 140, which should be great with the Cherokee 50th anniversary celebrated at Oshkosh in 2010. I also have some hours in an RV-6A and various other aircraft.

WoF: Who makes up the team that you work with in the AirVenture Media operation?

DK: We have three full-time people on the EAA communications staff, and all are involved with what happens at Oshkosh, naturally. We also add a college-age summer intern each year and overwhelm that person with aviation and public-event experience. In addition, one of EAA’s full-time staff from the publications office, Livy Trabbold, heads the group inside Press Headquarters on-site with an additional five volunteers between the front registration gate and Press HQ. They do a terrific job with more than 900 media representatives from all over the world.

WoF: I want to begin with having you describe the de-briefing process after each AirVenture. What do you look for, how you determine what can be improved, how you categorize what went right, and what went wrong.

DK: The de-briefing process begins even as each year’s fly-in ends. We get feedback from volunteers and area chairmen, then suggestions from staff members, and of course the thousands of comments, e-mails, letters and phone calls received from AirVenture visitors, campers, exhibitors, sponsors, support organizations and more. We also send out thousands of online surveys to visitors – both EAA members and non-members – to gauge overall reactions. Each comment/suggestion sent to us outside the surveys is important and we try to answer every one that is reasonable. We realize that each person has different expectations and goals of a trip to Oshkosh. All of this input gives us some trends of the good and bad and what will be the most important issues to address in the coming year.

WoF: Describe how you set the 2009 show goals, how they were surpassed, and what you think contributed to the success of the show in spite of the recession.

DK: We had entered 2009 with an idea that AirVenture would be at about the same level as 2008, which was a very good show. We also had a major site change and upgrade that needed to be communicated extensively, because we understood that if people were unpleasantly surprised by site changes or discovering things may not have been where they were in previous years. And we hold ourselves to some pretty high standards, a mindset that goes all the way to Paul Poberezny and the earliest days of the organization. The good news is almost every goal was met or exceeded. Attendance was up 12 percent over 2008, there were more exhibitors on the grounds, we were parking cars in areas we had never parked cars in previous years, and many more measurable results. Why? First, it was a great lineup of people and airplanes. Second, Oshkosh is more than just the lineup. There’s a reason I often call it “aviation’s family reunion,” because seeing aviation friends and sharing that experience with others is as much in the fabric of the event than any individual highlight. Third, even with the recession, there may have been a pent-up feeling of “What the heck, I’m going to do this for myself.” Or if a person was going to visit only one show, let’s make it the big one. It was also part of the trend in 2009 that showed air shows across the country had increased attendance.

WoF: Tell us one thing great that happens in your office each year at AirVenture that makes you especially glad you have the job you do.

DK: Perhaps the most gratifying things that occur on a yearly basis are those comments and notes we receive from people that find their expectations are exceeded. Comments like, “I knew Oshkosh was big, but it was more than I ever imagined”; “My dad and I came, and Dad had the time of his life seeing the warbirds he repaired back in the war”; or “My kids are now total aviation junkies after two days at KidVenture.” Those type of comments make you realize that what you’re doing is bigger than an individual or an air show, because you’ve created a deeply personal memory for someone. And then there are the volunteers, both in our media area and throughout the grounds. I can’t say enough about what they do to make the event special. A successful event is very personal to them and it shows.

I Love the 11:25

It usually happens about the time that the sports segment of the local news is wrapping up on our NBC affiliate. Blah blah blah Seahawks, blah blah blah Trailblazers, and then WOOOOSH, right over my house it comes.

The 11:25 (PM) is on time tonight.

For a born planespotter like me, living under the approach end of EUG runway 34L is a blessing. Watching planes fly over has been a lifelong passion, from the early teens when I’d watch 707s and Delta Darts depart FAT's 29R, to my twenties, when I’d pull off highway 99 near Atwater, California and wait for a B-52 inbound for Castle AFB to blast me right out of my shoes. Too cool.

I remember a time at a little airshow at Fresno’s Chandler Airport when a DC-3 (my favorite airplane) was firing up to depart. A small group of onlookers, including myself, had gathered aft of the tail feathers, and as the two large radials were coaxed to life, out belched the usual blue smoke, delivered quickly towards us by the wash of two large props.

As the propwash increased, people started bailing, fast. Soon, small pebbles and other miniature flying objects were caught up in the wash, and as the -3 throttled up to begin taxi, the blast into my face was incredible. I stood frozen in my delight, one hand on my hat and one hand on my sunglasses, which were getting sandblasted into a nice even blur on both lenses. The smell, the noise...it was heaven.

These days, I always keep one eye aimed up between the giant Douglas Firs that encircle my house, waiting for something tasty to come sliding down inbound to EUG, or be rocketing southbound towards Cali, or Cabo. Most days it’s a Regional jet, but when the Oregon Ducks have finished playing a home football game against another PAC-10 opponent, I can expect a chartered 767 to grace my sky as the other team launches for home after suffering their brutalization at Autzen Stadium.

There are also a few vintage birds that tease me some days, and the occasional Bell Jetranger is always a gas, even for a non-Rotorhead like me. But it really does not matter, as long as they keep flying over. And then there's one A-10 Warthog, so damned loud the dog runs for cover when it blasts the acorns off my trees. But in reality, living off the end of a commercial airport is a blast, as I look forward to my daily dosage of airplanes overhead.

Especially the 11:25. Without it, I would have no way of knowing that Jay Leno is about to come on. Or wait, make that Conan? No, wait, it's Jay. Um, no, Jay is at 10P, right? WTF, he's on at 11:35P? Huh? Jeez, who can keep up with the trainwreck that is NBC late night?

And while I have no idea who will be on after the news, one thing is etched in stone: When Skywest's 11:25 is late, I seem to always miss the funny part of the Tonight Show…and I hate it when that happens.

Guest Blog: First Date, First Flight

(note: This is another in my series featuring Guest Bloggers. Discover more of "cockeyed optimist" @Shelley Delayne on Twitter.

For more than a year, I had refused to let my friend set me up on a blind date with a life-long friend of her husband’s. “He’s got a great personality,” she said. “Really terrific guy! And he’s a pilot.” But nothing she said could get me to reconsider my “no blind dates” policy.

In mid-summer, while at her birthday party, I found myself chatting with a handsome and charming guy. Twenty minutes into a lovely conversation, we remembered our manners and introduced ourselves — and immediately, we both laughed and said, “Oh, you’re the one they’ve been trying to set me up with.”

A few days later, Dean called me and asked if I’d like to have dinner with him. Then he asked if the Burbank or Van Nuys airport was nearest to my apartment, so he could perhaps pick me up there and we could fly in his plane up to Santa Barbara for dinner.

(Note: If he hadn’t come with references from trusted friends, I’d have refused for fear of being charmed by a Lothario or ending up abducted to Tijuana. As it was, I agreed.)

Having never been in a small plane, I didn’t know whether to be excited or terrified. I went with excited, aided by Dean’s assurances that if I got at all nervous or scared, we didn’t have to fly; we could just eat dinner somewhere near the airport and it would be no big deal. Now I realize it was a litmus test, but it was nice of him to say otherwise.

When the day arrived, I met him at the airport and found myself standing on the tarmac next to a pretty little blue and white plane, my heart pounding, completely unsure what to think of this whole endeavor. Dean introduced me to his airplane, a Meyers 200D, showing me around the outside and pointing out the basic features of an airplane and explaining that inside the aluminum skin of this plane was a steel cage which made her very strong and very stable. He talked me through his pre-flight checks and asked how I felt about going for a flight.

By now, I was beginning to feel some genuine excitement and curiosity, so he told me how to climb into the plane after he got in and settled: to stand on the black area of the wing, grab onto the door frame but not the door itself.

Once we were in and seat-belted, he reached across and closed the door. He gave me a quick overview of the instrument panel, and gave me a headset to wear. I don’t remember what he said, since none of it meant anything to me yet, but I was very reassured by his willingness to answer questions and explain things. He asked if I was ready to go and I nodded.

Then he was yelling “Clear!” and starting the engine and speaking in gibberish on the radio and I was reminding myself to breathe as we began to taxi toward the runway. He was balancing a clipboard with mysterious scribbles on it and turning dials and flipping switches and a million other little things which are now part of a familiar routine, but at the time seemed incomprehensible.

Soon enough, we were rolling down the runway and were suddenly climbing upward into the afternoon sky. Dean explained the bumps of landing gear retracting and told me not to worry about little bits of turbulence as we passed over the hills. As I looked out the window and watched the traffic-clogged streets and the crowded houses shrink away from us and the blue sky stretch out before us, I was too thrilled to be afraid.

I’d flown on commercial flights, but nothing prepared me for the unique beauty of flying at this altitude: high enough to be lifted out of the everyday world, but low enough to really see everything on the ground.

When Dean said we were close to our destination, my face must have registered a little disappointment. He suggested we could continue to fly and land at another airport a little further away. He changed course and headed for Santa Maria. Landing made me a bit nervous, but Dean touched down light as a feather and I was soon grinning again. After dinner, we headed back and he flew a lovely scenic loop around downtown Los Angeles before returning me safely to the airport and my car.

My head was spinning with all this new knowledge: It had never crossed my mind that you could have a little plane and whenever you wanted to, you could get in it and fly somewhere just like that. That flying a plane can be as easy as a road trip only you can go lots further, much faster, without roads to follow or speed limits or traffic signs. That private airplanes did not necessarily cost a bazillion dollars. That there were little airports with restaurants right on the field and you could pop in and have a meal, just for fun. That flight is attainable, even for an ordinary girl like me. The freedom and adventure and beauty and unbridled possibility of it all seemed absolutely magical. It still does, every single time we fly.

For the record, my friend was right: Dean is a terrific guy with a great personality, and a fine pilot. The first time I climbed into his airplane, I was a stranger to him and to the whole world of aviation. Now, we're engaged to be married and I'm saving my pennies for my pilot's license and the radial-engine, tail-dragger biplane that I long to fly.

CONTINUING COVERAGE OF THE2010 DC-3/C-47 LAST TIME EVENTIN ROCK FALLS, IL.

FOLLOW THE EVENT ON THE OFFICIAL WEB SITE HERE

DOWNLOAD THE EVENT'S ARRIVAL INSTRUCTIONS (pdf).

07-21-10: If the big bump in traffic to this page is any indication, then the organizers of The Last Time event at Whiteside County Airport (KSQI) from Friday July 23 through Monday, July 26 will have a big success on their hands. Seems MANY people who are searching for the event are ending up here. So in the interest of prudent information delivery, if you are planning to go to this event, you absolutely need to click here to download the event's Arrival Instructions (pdf).

07-11-10: I am excited tonight that my plans to become "embedded" with the crew of Duggy are intact. I leave Friday 7/23 for Fargo, ND where I will meet up with this incredible airplane's crew, and begin reporting on just what it takes to move a vintage DC-3 around the country. I will focus on "inside baseball" stuff, blogging and photographing as we take Duggy down to Rock Falls for the weekend. Stay tuned to this blog from Friday through Tuesday 7/27 when I will be immersed in the world of DC-3s 24/7. This ought to be the trip of a lifetime, and through this medium as well as Twitter (@Av8rdan), I will take you along with me as I get up close and personal with "The Smile in the Sky."

06-04-10: While EAA's Tom Poberezny says the previously-scheduled "mass arrival" from the Rock Falls event 7/24 and 7/25 is "off," EAA released info yesterday saying they are indeed planning DC-3/C-47 formation flights on Tuesday, 7/27 at Airventure. From their website: "The latest addition is a DC-3 and C-47 "Max-Effort Day" on Tuesday, July 27, that will include formation flights and aerial displays from all DC-3 aircraft that wish to be flown that day. That includes groups of the aircraft type in both airline and military configurations, plus others. This activity will give more aircraft the opportunity to participate above the previously scheduled mass arrival on Monday, July 26."

06-02-10: Aero-News Network has a podcast interview here with EAA President Tom Poberezny discussing the formation flight that was planned into Airventure to open the show on Monday, 7/26. According to this report, the "DC-3 Mass Arrival into Oshkosh is off."

06-02-10: This is from thelasttime.org website, verbatim: The 75th anniversary of the Douglas DC-3 special reunion activities will occur at the Whiteside County Airport (KSQI) from Friday July 23 through Monday, July 26, 2010!. Be there and walk among these large aircraft parked together for the last time. Food, festivities, music, and static and flight displays, airplane rides, and media rides will take place all weekend long. See the world record formation flight take off and fly proudly overhead the departure airport on Monday July 26. This will be the most DC-3's and C-47's in the air at the same time since World War II! This is truly the last time in history that you will ever be able to see this! Come join us at KSQI for The Last Time.

05-28-10: I am being asked from numerous followers of this event what is going on in the dispute that surfaced in the last few days between the formation flight organizers and EAA. For the record, I am not in any way affiliated with thelasttime.org, the Rock Falls event organizers or EAA...I am just a journalist/blogger covering the event. I am not in contact with the organizers, and have no inside information about what is going on.

05-20-10: (via press release): Safety is paramount when it comes to any formation flight. The shear size of this historic event requires even greater collaboration, along with integrated communication and planning. The following group of aviation professionals has been assigned the responsibility of overseeing this Flight Operation to ensure that the highest level of safety will be achieved. This group consists of the following eight pilot consultants: Mike Filucci, Project Lead, Terry Calloway, Jim Goolsby, Dave McGirt, Ken Terry, Sherman Smoot, Pat McGinn, and Jon Goldenbaum. Together, these individuals represent more than 163,000 hours of combined flight experience.

04-28-10: Organizers of the "world's largest Douglas DC-3 Reunion" have launched a new Virtual DC-3 Reunion Board on their site. Just go here and click on DC-3 REUNION on the home page and enter your info. This is a great way to list yourself as "I am going" and reconnect with DC-3 friends from around the world. The feature has an extensive multi-layered search feature built in so you can do searches for DC-3 people that you're looking for.

04-08-10: One of the DC-3 owners flying in the formation contacted me and asked that I remind readers just how much it costs to fly these great vintage planes. It costs roughly $700 per flight hour for gas and oil, about $60,000 for an engine overhaul, $3,500 for a carburetor, and $1,600 for ONE TIRE! Needless to say, if you are in a place of financial independence and can donate to this event, you can contact the formation flight organizers with your intentions here.

04-02-10: An organizer of the formation flight contacted me with something that is in the works for not only this event, but also the entire 2010 Airventure. I cannot let all the cats run free yet on this, except to hint that while most of our attention has been focused on the aircraft making this historic flight, we will soon have a way to focus on the people of this great event. Please keep watching this space as the details unfold.

03-17-10: HUGE NEWS! As if a DC-2, several DC-3s and numerous C-47s weren't enough to make this formation flight the most significant aviation flight of the year (um...ever?), now the organizers have announced the addition of two more extremely rare models. Slated to enter the formation for the trip to Airventure show center on 07.26.10 is the only C-41 (N41HQ) and C-41A (N341A) aircraft ever made. Both are 1938 models and were built as "luxurious command staff transports" for Major General Hap Arnold. The C-41 is based out west at KOAK while the C-41A is coming in from Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Click here to read about the full list of vintage aircraft registered to make up this historic formation.

03-17-10: Info on the Formation Flight Staging Airport: M & M Aviation at the Whiteside County Airport (KSQI) in Sterling/Rock Falls, IL is the host FBO for this historic event. Organizers have posted the following info on the flight website:

M & M Aviation is full of anticipation, excitement, and awe at the advent of hosting the event for the weekend. From the first meeting, we began to focus on the challenges and goals needed to show our visitors our friendship, respect and our professionalism. This project, with all of its logistics, has been and will continue to be time consuming, but rewarding for all involved. As of now, we have succeeded in involving very dedicated and hard working volunteers, so that this historic event can also be part of the history of the Whiteside County Airport. During the time they are here, we will strive to treat all with the hospitality for which the Illinois Rock River Valley is famous. Plans include providing them with free transportation, food, beverages, and just about anything these visitors need. We have negotiated with the local hotels for great affordable rates for the weekend. Our celebration with them will culminate in “The Last Supper” which has been donated for all by one of our local businesses.

03-17-10: Another "Hero" FBO announced: Carlson Aviation at Chan Gurney Airport (YKN) in Yankton, SD is offering formation flight crews and pax free food, cheap fuel, wonderful facilities, and a great time.

03-05-10: The organizers of this huge formation flight have finally announced the identity of the 40th plane in the formation, and man is it a good one. Real all about it here.

03-04-10: The gaggle of 40 will assemble during the weekend prior to opening day at Whiteside County Airport (KSQI) where the entire gaggle is being welcomed by M&M Aviation. The public as well as media are welcome to visit this gathering and subsequent launch of all 40 aircraft as the formation will be built in the skies above this airport heading for Oshkosh! The existing world record formation for the type in formation is currently set at 27, set in 1985.

03-01-10: In one of the biggest developments to come out regarding this historic flight, a pair of "Hero FBOs" have made the formation flight's crews a tremendous deal. Dwayne Clements of Clemens Aircraft located at Stearman Field Airport (1K1) in Benton, KS is offering Conoco Phillips 100LL fuel at cost and free meals from the on-airport Stearman Field Bar and Grill to The Last Time DC-3 and C47 aircraft and flight crews. And Jerry White of Montgomery Aviation at Grissom ARB (GUS) in Peru, IN is offering a fuel discount, free dinner, and possibly free lodging for all DC-3/C-47 pilots and crew that land here. More information is here.

02.22.10: We've sort of entered a holding pattern on news related to this big event. I am told EAA and the formation flight organizers are working behind the scenes on a number of announcements, so please bookmark this page and pass it around to your friends and family who love these great vintage DC-3s and C-47s so everyone can stay tuned right here for developing news.

02.12.10: The organizers of this formation flight are getting close to announcing the details of the aircraft marked "TOP SECRET" on their site. This is the final of the 40 slots to fill up, and I am told "this aircraft is one of the most rare in the world." So, thinking caps on, go look at the site's attending aircraft page and see which aircraft have signed up, and try to figure out which DC-3/C-47 this will be. I swear I do not know, but if you think you do, email me here. [UPDATE: Just got word that the negotiations for this aircraft's participation is complete as of 02.12.10, and the name will be coming in an EAA Announcement soon.]

02.08.10: I have announced a gigantic personal achievement regarding this historic flight. Click here for details

01.29.10: Everyone reading this page loves great stories of the people who flew and crewed DC-3s and C-47s. These stories are now being told on the event organizer's web site in the Diaries page. Go there now and re-live some fantastic flying tales.

01.26.10: Organizers of the mass arrival are now saying as many as 16 DC-3/C-47 aircraft above the currently registered 35 aircraft have contacted them to be included in the formation flight to Oshkosh on 7.26.10! Due to logistics issues, they most likely won't be able to accommodate all of these, but World of Flying has learned that we can expect not 35 but 40 aircraft in the northbound formation flight KSQI to KOSH.

01.25.10: One of the mass arrival's "stars": C-GDAK - The Burma Star - is a 1939 C-47. In 1981 the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum at the Hamilton International Airport in Mount Hope Ontario Canada acquired the aircraft where it underwent a 14 month major restoration before it flew again in June 1982 and won the “People’s Choice Award” at the 1982 Oshkosh “Air Venture” show. The aircraft is powered by two Wright Cyclone 1820-202A engines and has accumulated 81,499 flight hours.

01.19.10: "Opening day [of EAA Airventure Oshkosh] could be spectacular in 2010. With the expected arrival of the Oshkosh Express 747 from Australia and New Zealand that day, and an opening-day concert again, the aerial arrival of so many DC-3s will make this a very big opening day." - Dick Knapinski, EAA Media Relations Dept.

01.17.10: While there are many DC-3s coming to the mass arrival, one that will certainly be the subject of endless photos will be NC17334, aka Flagship Detroit. This glorious example of a DC-3 is owned and operated by the Flagship Detroit Foundation, and is the oldest DC-3 still flying. It is also one of the best looking too. Learn more about Flagship Detroit here.

01.16.10: Seen on thelasttime.org: "The sights and sounds from these legendary airplanes is something not to be missed. It's going to truly be a once in a lifetime event. Please come join us at Oshkosh this July for this historic celebration." - Patty Wagstaff

01.15.10: As this event is generating a HUGE bill for many people including the organizers and DC-3/C-47 owners and crew, there are PLENTY of opportunities to help financially with a sponsorship. Info on how you can help is here.

01.12.10: Organizers of the mass arrival event have set up the "DC-3 Diaries" on their website thelasttime.org. This forum has endless stories of the people and planes at the center of this fantastic formation flight to Oshkosh.

01.11.10: According to the organizers of the mass arrival, the closest commercial airport to KSQI (the staging airport) is KMLI - Quad Cities International in Moline, Illinois.

01.11.10: This just came in from EAA's Communications Dept: Fewer than 100 of the aircraft (DC-3/C-47) remain airworthy in the United States, meaning that nearly half of the current fleet could be present at AirVenture 2010. The weeklong festivities at Oshkosh will also include historical and technical forums/presentations, fly-bys and a special evening DC-3 commemorative program at Theater in the Woods.

01.10.10: The DC-3/C-47 world in late July, 2010 will be centered around KSQI, aka Whiteside County Airport - Jos H Bittorf Field in Sterling/Rock Falls, Illinois. Find out everything you need to know about KSQI here. And at the center of that action will be M & M Aviation Services.

01.09.10: The DC-3/C-47 mass arrival organizers have posted "N" numbers of the aircraft registered for the formation flight from KSQI to KOSH on Monday, 07.26.10. Most entries on the site have photos, and as more information becomes available, detailed bios on planes and crew will also be linked to this page.

01.08.10: EAA has posted their story about the DC-3/C-47 mass arrival event on the Airventure website and it is a good one.

• • • • • •

At the annual summer spectacle of airplanes, brats and friendly aviators we know as EAA Airventure, aka "Oshkosh", you see things that can only be described as magical. You see the absolute best of the best of any airframe ever made, you see airshow acts that redefine what "bringing your A game" can mean. You see four

gigantic halls crammed with the hottest in aviator gear. And you see beautiful flying examples of your favorite airplane, whatever that may be:

To build up this post, I must tell the tale of my first Oshkosh. I wandered the four halls before walking through Aeroshell Square to the flight line. There, I headed south towards the vintage areas. I had just bought my first serious DSLR camera, Canon's 40D, and used up hundreds of frames worth of imaginary film as I strolled through line after line of glorious flying museum pieces. I let the day slip away and soon was mesmerized by the afternoon airshow. That was day one. On day two, I again went through Aeroshell Square but this time headed north and found the warbird section. But before I could drool on the estimated two dozen P-51 Mustangs, I saw one line of aircraft that made me literally stop in my tracks (not kidding about that). There, before me was maybe six DC-3/C-47s, standing proud, they were nothing short of majestic. I walked slowly around each one, taking in every rivet, appreciating each ship's graceful but strong lines. To this aviator, the DC-3/C-47 is king, there is no finer flying machine. Yes, some makes are faster, some way bigger. But nothing that has ever achieved lift can touch the storied, almost unbelievable flying history of this fabulous airplane.

Remember that I said SIX of these great planes at once, six. It was the highlight of any Oshkosh I have attended to date. Now let your mind go crazy, and imagine the following:

It's late July, 2010 at Oshkosh, and you and your family find a place on the flight line just after lunch, noticing the crowds have exploded this year for some reason. People are flocking to runway 18/36 en masse, everyone is excited. Soon, the crowd begins to crane their necks to the south, everyone is up on their toes. Then you see it, low and slow heading directly to show center, a large, dark flying cloud of metal, gasoline and history. As this mass of machines creeps slowly towards you, the shapes of the planes come into view. The crowd gasps, claps and goes freakin' CRAZY as they see not six, not a dozen, but 35 of the finest DC-3/C-47s on this planet flying formation overhead. The sound of 70 radial engines creates a never-before and never-again heard symphony, the wonderful sonata we call airplane noise. As this massive formation cruises by, you thank God and EAA for the chance to see this great show, as you are sure this is the last time so many examples of this storied craft will be together, in formation, in one place.

This is not a dream, it is real. A group of DC-3/C-47 owners and enthusiasts have organized the "mass arrival and reunion" for July 26 - Aug 1, 2010
 in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the DC-3/C-47. The event has been in the works for years, and I am honored to be on the short list of bloggers who have been contacted by the organizers to keep you informed of developments. And man, are there developments:

Originally, the group had set the number of planes at 25, and knew getting that many flying DC-3/C-47s to Oshkosh would be a challenge. But this week they have confirmed that number has swelled to 35 aircraft! And, according to organizers, EAA is making the 75th anniversary celebration and mass arrival their lead attraction for 2010. Tom Poberezny, EAA President, said "While the 
DC-3 helped make air travel popular and profitable in the 1930s and 1940s, the fact that it is still used around the world today is a testament to the aircraft’s design. We’re thrilled to welcome these iconic aviation legends to Oshkosh for AirVenture 2010. It's likely the last time DC-3 fans will ever see a reunion this large."

You can visit the organizer's website www.thelasttime.org and see exactly what the airplanes scheduled to appear will be. When I scanned this list, I spotted a few highlights:

One ship that is always a crowd favorite is "Flagship Detroit", a 1936 DC-3, and "The Burma Star", a '39 -3 will also be very popular. The beautifully-restored Bluebonnet Bell, a 1944 C-47B, will be the subject of numerous photographs. Then there will be Dan Gryder's N143D, a 1938 DC-3 that with more than 57,000 hours on the airframe, demonstrates the durability and longevity of this make/model. But my personal favorite will always be N1XP, aka "Duggy, the Smile in the Sky". Duggy is a 1942 DC-3 painted in brilliant yellow, sporting the largest smile flying since Pacific Southwest Airlines went away. If you can look at Duggy and not break out in a gleeful grin, you, my friend, do not have the soul of an aviator.

If you wish to get into the whole groove of this mass arrival and celebration, the entire fleet will be on display at Whiteside County Airport in Rock Falls, Illinois Friday - Sunday, July 23-25, 2010. The last formation flight is scheduled for Monday, July 26, 2010 with an engine start at 2:30 pm. All 35 aircraft will get airborne and join up for the one hour flight to Oshkosh. This is the main event and the signature feature of AirVenture 2010. A course to the show of 360° is anticipated.

And once the planes leave KSQI on Monday afternoon, the formation will all land and remain at Airventure throughout the week, with departures planned by each ship's owners. Other media only and public events are being planned at this time, and I can personally assure you after several conversations with the organizers that there will be plenty of great opportunities throughout Airventure to join in the celebration.

And, of course this effort is requiring massive amounts of money to pull off. If you are in a position to help with financial or "in-kind" donations, I urge you to click here and help these hard working people offset the endless costs that are piling up as this event matures.

Will I be there? Really, you have to ask? I already have a game plan cooking in my head to make this the most amazing Oshkosh ever. Yes, I did say "most amazing Oshkosh ever" in 2009 when they had the A380 slam the numbers into submission literally YARDS from my eyes. But this time, in 2010, it WILL seriously be the most amazing Airventure. After witnessing the mass arrival of the coolest plane ever, in person, there will be no way anything could top that.

I applaud EAA for standing behind this effort, because once the sky darkens with the sight of 35 DC-3/C-47s in formation, the bar will be raised so high, they will need to book in Amelia Earhart to do barrel rolls in the Wright Flyer, with Lindbergh at the mike calling the action to upstage a sky literally full of Gooneys.