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

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"