No, sorry – not going to do the poetry thing. I’m way too busy getting ready for the big show – and the big trip! About 1500 miles to fly across this great land of ours – and that is just a warm-up for a week of visiting, trying out new equipment, seeing new designs, and maybe even pulling a few rivets (EAA is building an RV-12 in a week this year – with the help of many volunteers!). We’ve got new airplanes to see, old friends to visit with, and new friends to make – all in a week’s time. Truth is its longer than a week for the dedicated fanatics, and we’ll be leaving in just a couple of days to get there to watch the setup. You can even watch it now if you go to the EAA web site and search for their web cams. It was beautiful this morning, and the grass is green – just waiting for thousands of airplanes.
It really is Christmas in July for airplane nuts – there is so much to see and to do that you’ll never even begin to get to everything. Whether you’re shopping for parts and accessories or just planning to pitch your tent by your airplane and let the show come to you, the week will come in with a mighty rush and end before you’re ready… but every day will be packed. We’ll have a team of Kitplanes contributors spreading out around the grounds to bring daily coverage to anyone with an internet connection. so if you get stranded on the way by weather, you still don’t have to miss the happenings – just go to www.kitplanes.com and see what’s happening until you get there.
Above all, no matter how many times you’ve done this, please fly smart, avoid putting yourself in a place where you have to use you superior skill to get out of a place where a momentary lapse in your superior judgement tightened the pucker factor. And of course review that NOTAM one more time. Arrive at Ripon with plenty of fuel in case you don’t like what you see – then come back when the fur ball has passed. The arrival is just like weather – if its bad now, it will be better soon.
Keep that head on a swivel and enjoy the coming week – we’ll be looking for you!
