Two Mooney aircraft touch down in Oshkosh as part of the mass arrival.  Photo by Phil Weston

The Mooney Caravan Saturday afternoon marked its 10th anniversary when 38 of the single-engine aircraft noted for their speed and efficiency made a group arrival at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2007.

"We had perfect weather for the flight," said William Rabek, an air traffic controller from Atlanta who led the group flight in his 1981 M20J 201. "It was a little bumpy because of the thermals, but on a beautiful summer day like this, that’s not a problem."

Riding right seat with Rabek was a first-time visitor to AirVenture: his new bride, Katie.

"This is beautiful!" Katie said, surveying the sea of airplanes moments after landing. "Flying over Wisconsin was the prettiest thing I’ve ever seen."

Every year, the Mooneys come from all over the country, gathering in Madison, Wisconsin, for a cookout, socializing, and preflight briefing the day before the Caravan.

"We insist on proficiency, of course, but we’re not as tight a formation as perhaps the Bonanzas," said Rabek, alluding to the Bonanzas to Oshkosh flight that served as the Mooney Caravan’s inspiration. "We have a little more spacing [between airplanes]. We’re flying what we call a cell formation."

"The pilots have gotten better every year," said Don Maxwell, who’s been on all but two of the Caravans, of his fellow flier’s proficiency at forming up. Maxwell, who brought up the rear of the formation in his 1966 M20E, owns a certified Mooney service center in Kilgore, Texas. His three passengers included Rachel Driver, also from Kilgore, who’s working on her pilot certificate. "This is my first time," she said, still wide-eyed moments after landing. "It’s incredible."

As the new arrivals spoke their fellow travelers were busily setting up tents and welcoming each other to aviation’s mecca.

The aircraft make the flight from Madison to Oshkosh at an altitude of 2,500 feet and an airspeed of 125 knots. This year the fleet ranged from M20C models from the early 1960s to the newest member of the Mooney family, a 2007 Acclaim, a turbo-normalized aircraft with a cruise speed of 238 knots and outfitted with a Garmin G1000 glass cockpit. The airplane is on loan from the Kerrville, Texas-based manufacturer.

"It’s a well-built airplane and it’s economical," Maxwell said, explaining Mooney owners’ fanatical loyalty to their aircraft. "They’re maintenance-free and just wonderful airplanes."

David Keller of Muncie, Indiana, was making his first trip to AirVenture in his 1967 M20C. He heard about the Caravan from fellow Mooney owners at his home field.

"It didn’t take much convincing," said Keller. "They just told me about it, and I said, ‘Yeah, I gotta do that.’ I wouldn’t consider not doing it again," he added.

"We take special care with our first-timers to make sure everyone understands the procedures, and pair them with veterans," said Rabek.

"Every year we get more organized," said Henry Hochberg, who flew his turbocharged 1988 M20K 252 from Woodinville, Washington, with his friend Pat Carey, who was making his first trip to AirVenture.

"I thought it was quite fun," said Carey.

Anyone interested in finding out more about these airplanes can find them parked in Rows 527-538 in the North 40 airplane camping area. Information about the Caravan is available at www.MooneyCaravan.com.