150's and 172's about the only planes flying!!

Peter R. wrote:
On 5/4/2007 9:20:00 AM, Margy Natalie wrote:


Yeah, I sucker, I mean I get about 50 pilots to volunteer to work the
day. They stand next to their airplane all day while visitor come up
and ask questions and stare at their planes.


Ahh, I am sorry. I mistook your "fly-in spots" to mean any fly-in visitor to
the event, not those who volunteer their time and aircraft. Very neat idea,
there.

Do you only solicit volunteers at Oshkosh?

No, the Oshkosh thing wasn't my idea :-). This is only the 3rd year for
the event.

The first year I invited only people I knew really well who I was
absolutly sure wouldn't screw up in the ADIZ and class B. My agreement
with the airport was for 30 aircraft and it worked out fairly well,
although there was some overheating on departures (long taxi, delays in
getting off). We had 2 Harriers from the Marines (Pax River). 1 glider
trucked in.

Year two - I invited everyone from year one back and added a number of
aircraft that were suggested by the GA curator including some antiques
(read no transponders). The FAA was GREAT in working out flights of two
to get the non-transponder equiped aircraft in. The event went to 50
aircraft (workload for me more than doubled and this event is something
I put together in addition to my real job!). We had an F 18 from the
Navy (Pax River). We also added a hot air balloon, more gliders and
hang gliders (if it's trucked in it "doesn't count" in my 50 aircraft
agreement with the airport. Tower said "if your pilots ask for
intersection departures it might get things moving a bit better". So
pilots asked for intersections and if it would help move things along
them got them. Still we had some overheating issues (it's still a LONG
taxi no matter what).

Year three - I've lost my mind and gone to 50 AIRPLANES and up to 10
helicopters. My dance card is full with a waiting list. This is the
first year I've had more aircraft apply than I've had spots as I always
controlled the invite list more closely. I HATE telling people they
can't come. Of course the first two years I had last minute drop outs
and I'd have to hustle, this year it will be a quick email to the next
on the list. I have some really cool hot air balloons coming from NJ

http://www.skychariot.com/

I'm still looking for more gliders, hang gliders, anything than can come
in by truck.

I've got some really cool things that are still not rock solid. I'll
tell you about them when the ink is dry on the paperwork.

AND THAT'S JUST THE OUTSIDE STUFF!!

I always focus on the fly-in part of the day because I organize it. On
the inside of the museum is a full fledged family day organized by one
of the best - Gloria. She manages to get all sorts of individuals and
groups in for the day to provide educational activities and all sorts of
other cool stuff. Kids (of all ages) will have fun all day.

Jen- Our discovery station person manages to hustle up a ton of teenage
volunteers for the day to work lots of discovery stations (we make it
hard on her by timing this perfectly with our high school graduation
weekend!).

So even if the fly-in part gets rained out (I didn't say that did I?)
there will still be lots to do.

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE

On Sunday there is a huge car show accross the road at Sully Plantation,
hence the new marketing plan "Wings and Wheels Weekend".

So, if you happen to be in Northern Virginia that weekend (June 16) it's
a fun thing to do!

Margy

On 5/4/2007 10:07:23 AM, Margy Natalie wrote:

So, if you happen to be in Northern Virginia that weekend (June 16) it's
a fun thing to do!

An incredible event, it certainly seems. Congratulations on what appears to
be a lot of hard work paying off year after year.

I know my young boys would certainly enjoy attending and I need to give this
one some thought as to how to work it in.

--
Peter

Peter R. wrote:
On 5/4/2007 10:07:23 AM, Margy Natalie wrote:


So, if you happen to be in Northern Virginia that weekend (June 16) it's
a fun thing to do!


An incredible event, it certainly seems. Congratulations on what appears to
be a lot of hard work paying off year after year.

I know my young boys would certainly enjoy attending and I need to give this
one some thought as to how to work it in.

Thanks, It's growing every year and it is really fun and you're right, a
lot of really hard work, but worth it.

Also debuting this year for "Become a Pilot" (if we can get it done in
time) a C-150 inside the museum that, when staffed, kids will be able to
sit in and learn how to use the control surfaces. Of course right now
it's sitting in the barn, filthy and with no wings on. Guess what I'm
doing on Wednesday!

Margy

"Margy Natalie" wrote

Also debuting this year for "Become a Pilot" (if we can get it done in
time) a C-150 inside the museum that, when staffed, kids will be able to
sit in and learn how to use the control surfaces. Of course right now
it's sitting in the barn, filthy and with no wings on. Guess what I'm
doing on Wednesday!

Your old 150?
--
Jim in NC

Morgans wrote:
"Margy Natalie" wrote

Also debuting this year for "Become a Pilot" (if we can get it done in
time) a C-150 inside the museum that, when staffed, kids will be able to
sit in and learn how to use the control surfaces. Of course right now
it's sitting in the barn, filthy and with no wings on. Guess what I'm
doing on Wednesday!

Your old 150?

No, it was one that was donated to the museum by one of the curators but
was otherwise historically undistinctive. It was never on display and
has been bumped from the collection by Bill Kernsher's plane (which is
on the floor right now).

Margy has been fighting to get a 150 (either on display and/or at the
flyin) ever since the FRZ bust by one. She wants people to see
what a big threat they really are :-)

"Ron Natalie" wrote

Margy has been fighting to get a 150 (either on display and/or at the
flyin) ever since the FRZ bust by one. She wants people to see
what a big threat they really are :-)

Good point.

Now if you could get ALL of the senate and house down there to check one
out.
--
Jim in NC

Morgans wrote:
"Margy Natalie" wrote


Also debuting this year for "Become a Pilot" (if we can get it done in
time) a C-150 inside the museum that, when staffed, kids will be able to
sit in and learn how to use the control surfaces. Of course right now
it's sitting in the barn, filthy and with no wings on. Guess what I'm
doing on Wednesday!


Your old 150?
No, it was in the collection, it belonged to a former curator. The
museum was fortunate enough to get Bill Kerschner's 150 and there can't
be two of the same in the collection so the other one was transfered to
education. It's going to be very nice to actually have a plane that
kids can touch. It's going to take lots of soap and polish. It's a
very average 150 that's been in storage for 20 years or so.

Margy

Margy Natalie wrote:


Also debuting this year for "Become a Pilot" (if we can get it done in
time) a C-150 inside the museum that, when staffed, kids will be able to
sit in and learn how to use the control surfaces. Of course right now
it's sitting in the barn, filthy and with no wings on. Guess what I'm
doing on Wednesday!

Hey Margy, I bet Meridian could get that thing shiny in no time all :-)

By the way, Margy didn't mention it, but one of the stipulations of
being "on exhibit" is that you gotta stand around and talk about
your aircraft (which is not a problem for most aircraft owners).
Many of us have let kids sit in, work the controls, and get their
pictures taken in our aircraft.

One thing I observed and Jay and others who were there can also say,
unlike some disaster public fly-ins (the Dulles Special Olympics
Plane Pull event for instance), the public is REALY REALY well
behaved at these. First, I think that they are already in a
"museum" mind set, but the real key is that before they go out
on the ramp, they have to sit through a safety lecture about
not touching airplanes, dangers of propellers and the like.

Of course, a big hit (and oddly with the museum director as
much as with the kids) is our mascot, a four foot teddy
bear named Piper who rides in with me. The first year
he wore my Navion shooting down the Bonanza t-shirt (the
overall director of the Air and Space museum is a Bonanza
owner who declined the offer to bring his airplane to the
event). Last year he wore a shirt that says "Bears Fly"
shirt (mimicking the Woman Fly shirt I wear).

By the way, Margy didn't mention it, but one of the stipulations of
being "on exhibit" is that you gotta stand around and talk about
your aircraft (which is not a problem for most aircraft owners).

That was a wonderful experience for us. Mary and I put together a map
of the US, showing all of our far-flung cross-country flights, and
propped it up against the nosewheel pant. The four of us then just
stood there (like museum exhibits!) and greeted folks as they streamed
past.

Some of the comments and attitudes were priceless! More than one
person stared at us with that distant, disinterested look that one
gets after seeing too many museum exhibits. They would then stop,
look puzzled for a moment at Atlas, and then back at us. Then they
would see the map, showing Iowa as our home...

You could really see the gears turning, as they digested the fact that
we had flown into Dulles International in a vehicle no bigger than
their minivan. More than one person blurted out "You and your family
flew here from Iowa in *that*?"

It was a fantastic opportunity to show the general public that general
aviation is more than just flight for life helicopters and businessmen
jetting off to Aspen. I think we may have ignited a few imaginations
that day in folks who simply had never been exposed to GA.

One thing I observed and Jay and others who were there can also say,
unlike some disaster public fly-ins (the Dulles Special Olympics
Plane Pull event for instance), the public is REALY REALY well
behaved at these.

Yep, it's a great crowd. Almost too timid, really -- but that's
better than the alternative.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"