A fuel-less
question...
Q: Where can I get fuel
for my airplane?
J.B., Boston, Mass.
A: From Saudi Arabia?
That’s probably not what you meant. Here at AirVenture 2006, fuel is
provided by Basler Flight Service and Orion Flight Service. Basler has a
hangar just south of the Com Center, or you can watch for the white
trucks circulating through the parked airplanes like ice cream vendors.
High standards
Q: What is that red and
white tent that says NASAO on it near the tower and just west of the
Housing Information Center?
O.T., Michigan City, Ind.
A: Why don’t you step
in and see? They are pleasant enough people, and they’re not going to
try to sell you anything. In fact, you can pick up airport charts and
directories for most states. The acronym NASAO stands for National
Association of State Aviation Officials.
Director Henry
Ogrodzinski, who long ago was public relations guy for EAA, said the
organization predates the FAA. It was established in 1931 in response to
a need for uniform aviation standards, which, at that time, the federal
government declined to recognize. Its first president was Reed G.
Landis, a World War I ace. Now, every state has its own aviation
director, and now NASAO is looking ahead to the next 30 years, when
aviation is expected to increase threefold, Ogrodzinski said.
CGI is for wimps
Q: I see that the movie The
Great Waldo Pepper will be shown Thursday at the EAA Fly-In Theater.
Are those stunts real or are they special effects in that film?
N.N., Baltimore, Md.
A: They were all real.
This film was made in 1975, back when Robert Redford was a mere boy and
none of the special effects in use today existed. All of the close-ups
were done with the actors in the airplanes and in the air, even the
scenes with star Redford and co-star Bo Svenson climbing out on the
wing. Those, by the way, were done without harnesses or parachutes.
Sometimes director George Roy Hill, who was a Marine pilot, was flying
the aircraft. Also, Hollywood stunt pilot Frank Tallman gets a lot of
credit for the flying scenes in this flick. And, all of the aircraft in
the movie are genuine JN-4s, Sopwith Camels, and Fokker Triplanes. Catch
this at 8:30 p.m. Thursday at the EAA Fly-In Theater on its five-story
screen. It is at the north end of Doolittle Drive behind the camp store.
Barnstorm
Q: Why are there two red
barns on the grounds?
J.H., Portsmouth, N.H.
A: Actually, there are
three places commonly referred to by this agricultural nomenclature, so
don’t tell your spouse that you’re going to meet him or her at the
red barn, unless it you really want to confuse and annoy her. Or him.
And you probably don’t want to confuse and annoy her. Anyhow, two of
these red barns actually began life as real, down-on-the-farm barns. One
is the headquarters for the ultralight aircraft. Another is the Red Barn
store. Both of these were real barns. Also, the Vintage Aircraft
Headquarters often is called the red barn, too, though it simply was
built with what resembles barn boards and painted the color of barns,
which, of course, is red. Who ever heard of a purple barn? I’ll meet
you at the red barn, dear. And don’t be late.
Get your own
Q: I’ll not be
attending AirVenture 2006, and I would like to know how to get a copy of
One Six Right.
H.F., Knoxville, Ky.
A: We’re sorry you can’t
be here. We’re having a terrific time. You can order this film,
subtitled The Romance of Flying, online at www.OneSixRight.com
or by calling EAA Membership Services at 920-426-5912. If you order
through the end of July, $5 will be donated to the EAA Young Eagles
program. Buy it. Get those kids up in the air.
Oshkosh, by golly!
Q: How can I find out
what there is to do in this area?
F.S., Orlando, Fla.
A: This area is teeming
with entertainment. You could, for example, visit any one of the
numerous cheese factories in the vicinity and watch the cheddar age.
That’s one of my favorites. Or you could visit the 30-foot sundial in
Opera House Square in downtown Oshkosh, just to check your digital watch’s
accuracy. Truthfully, there really are a lot of things to do. Check with
the information booth near the lost and found. They can and will guide
you to things on and off the AirVenture grounds.
