On Fri, 02 Jul 2004 02:02:54 GMT, Rob McDonald wrote:

Thanks for the comments folks. I haven't had my licence long. I think I am
a reasonably good pilot (so does Transport Canada apparently) but I
recognize that I have little experience, that was one reason why I was
leaning toward flying into another field. The other reason is that I would
have more flexibility to leave when I need to, since I understand that OSH
is closed for the airshow each afternoon.

If you can handle being relatively close to other airplanes and
following instructions such as lower gear now, turn base...Maybe make
base a steep slipping U-turn to the numbers...now, Land on the number,
or a quarter the way down on the dot, or half way down on the circle
by flying over landing planes or having them fly over you and actually
landing where instructed you should do well.

It is definitely not the place for the pilot who only does stabilized
patterns. You need to know your plane well enough to be able to do
what they tell you when they tell you and where they tell you.

Where it gets a bit exciting is when the plane ahead of you slows too
soon, or doesn't turn when told...or the guy behind has a stall speed
near your cruise...

We were listening to the tower from the home builders center and I'll
never forget the "Blue Bonanza...put your gear down now....Blue
Bonanza, turn base now....Blue BONANZA...TURN... BASE... NOW...
AWWWWHH...DON'T GO CLEAR TO THE LAKE! IFR Traffic on VOR 27 watch out
for a blue Bonanza with a base near the lake shore... Give him room".
(or something to that effect)

I wonder who owns a Blue Bonanza?

Then there was the time I flew in formation as a flight of two to land
on 36. The guy ahead of us landed and then stopped on the runway at
the first turn off.

OTOH IF you don't mind waiting till 7:00 PM or so to get out, they are
very efficient at getting planes out. I'd guess they run 4 to 6 a
minute on VFR departures. IF it's on 18 and they haven't changed,
they put planes on the right and left sides of the runway alternating
sides. It's straight out to 3000 and then you make your turn. Stay
in "your lane" and watch for traffic, particularly when you turn will
take you across the other lane. The more eyes looking out the windows
the better.

36 as I recall is a right turn out at or just prior to the
tower...climb to 3000 and follow procedure...or it used to be.

It all depends on your comfort factor. When it comes to flying close
to pilots I don't know mine isn't a high as it used to be.

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com

Rob