Summer is here and fly-ins are sprouting up all over the country. While most of them feature homebuilts, very few center on a particular brand. For close to ten years, EAA Chapter 1384 in Westminister, Maryland has hosted the Mid-Atlantic RV Fly-in, drawing in RV aircraft from the Maryland, DC, New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia areas. Usually held the day before Father’s Day, the fly in is popular with RVators, who build and fly the most popular series of amateur built aircraft devised since the Wright Flyers.
This year, RV attendance was down as a result of 22-knot crosswinds. However, the intrepid aviators that made their way to Carroll County Airport in Westminister, were rewarded with blue skies, moderate temperatures and the joy of gathering with their tribe. RVs were parked along the single runway. Other aircraft attending the fly in were certainly welcomed, but parked inconspicuously. EAA Chapter 1384 RV pilots Steve Koziol (RV-9A), Mike Bullock (RV-7) and Peter Barrett (RV-8), along with other chapter members, wrangled planes (with the help of the local CAP squadron) cooked burgers and dogs and hosted a safety seminar. Under the chapter tent, RVators got the chance to swap stories, building hints and operational advice. Quite a few of the attendees had just finished their aircraft and this was the first fly in for their new creations. It was a formula for educational camaraderie and just plane fun.
