Bonanza's to Oshkosh 2012

OMG!  So excited!

The day was finally here.  I had a GoPro installed, camera in hand and perma-grin on my face.  Good to go in right seat, co-pilot position.

Bonanzas on the ramp at Rockford Airport

There was a breakfast, then a briefing.  I could barely concentrate, so don't expect words of wisdom in this post.  Besides, you got all that with the Pagosa Springs posts.

B2OSH knowledge quiz

Gathering for the pre-flight briefing at Rockford

  

Mark at B2OSH briefing

Going over the "Landing Phase" of the formation flight

With about an hour to go before start up, I shuffled around the ramp in the scorching heat, drinking in the view. 

Pre-flighting and element briefing

Capturing the event

  

Clean windows = better pictures!

Bonanzas and orange-shirts as far as the eye could see.  This was a family friendly event and as pilots made last minute pre-flight checks and had element briefings, their families, friends and passengers amused themselves with photo opportunities and relaxing under low wings... the only shade available! 

Keeping the kids entertained and cool in the shadow of the airplane

V-Tail beauties

Reflection of aircraft in the spinner 

I did the photo thing too, as you knew I would.  Then I touched up a couple of toe nails and admired the view from under the wing.  Every degree counted.

Chilling under the wing

Pre-flighting the co-pilot

Almost ready to start up

The view from under the wing of my favorite Bonanza

Then it was time to go!

Watching 116 bonanzas taxi out in order and line up wing to wing, nose to tail, 3 abreast on the runway, was awe inspiring and I have to say, a little emotional.  Listening to the radio, hearing "Element 1 is rolling", then 15 seconds later, "Element 2 is rolling" was super exciting.  We were Element (row) 19, so we still had a few minutes.

Lined up on the runway

Three abreast

I was not the only one out on the wing for pictures

Keeping cool 

The front elements take off, 15 seconds apart

I took those few minutes and stepped out onto the wing to try and take photos. Holy prop-blast!  I couldn't physically stand up and was thankful that the organizers had advised against wearing anything that could dislodge and be flung backwards!  It was all I could do to hang on to the camera.

Our take off roll

Element 19's lead airplane, piloted by Jerry

Beautiful formation flying by Jerry, Mark and Fritz

After takeoff, there were times I could see up to 15 aircraft in front of us and 3 following.  I can only imagine what it looked like on the ground, seeing a flight of 116 go by.

The flight took about 1 hour.  The first part was uneventful and smooth.  The second half saw some excessive radio chatter about other traffic in the vicinity of our formation.  We lost a bit of the ideal spacing that was initially established and despite the "snaking" that was implemented to adjust it, there were still some slight spacing issues as we got closer to Oshkosh Airport.

Making a right turn

  

Jerry flies by Rockford Airport as he turns north toward Oshkosh

  

Fritz flies by Rockford Airport

  

Element 19

Jerry's daughter and I take each others photo

Fritz and friends

Element 19 overflew every fix during the flight!

 But my favorite 'issue' remains the addition of a wingman during the flight!  Aircraft #117, it seemed.
One of the elements further back reported that they had 'picked up' another aircraft along the way.  Since we were on a discrete frequency and this other guy had not been briefed, there was no way to let him know what he had just joined.

I had to giggle when the leader of the element radio'd "What do we do with our extra guy when landing?"
Actually I have no idea what they did with him, but the landings were well coordinated and safe.  No worries!

"Element 19, gear down, lights on"

Inbound for landing at Oshkosh

High speed taxi onto grass

Each element leader and his left wingman touched down together on Runway 35.  The right wingman landed parallel on Runway 35R... On any other day, this was be called the taxiway!  We did a high speed taxi to the end and were immediately directed onto a grass taxi way and marshaled down to parking/camping.

Marshaled into tie  down/camping area

  

Push back and tie down

A flurry of activity

 Nothing would have prepared me for observing a sea of airplanes taxing into a field, shutting down, pushing each other back into tight lines, then pitching tents right along side!

Campers and aircraft as far as the eye can see

Bonanzas at Oshkosh!

There were smiles all around.  Kids were playing, drinks being drunk, the sun shone hot and bright in the midday sky.

We had arrived.  Welcome to Air Venture 2012!

My first Oshkosh experience had just begun.