24 days of rain left plenty of water around.

Special to Pacific Flyer

Bringing together more than a half-million attendees and 10,000 aircraft is a daunting task even in the best of years.

Throw in unprecedented rains prior to that event, however, and the challenges heading into EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2010 made it unlike any of the 57 previous EAA fly-ins held before it.

“This was the most challenging fly-in we’ve had in my 35 years as chairman of the event,” said Tom Poberezny, EAA’s chairman and president.
Wittman Regional Airport at Oshkosh, Wis., was hit by more than 10 inches of rain in the first 24 days of July. As the July 26 opening day approached, the conditions complicated aircraft and drive-in camper parking, as large areas of the grounds typically used for parking and camping were under water or too soft to allow any weight.

Two things came to the rescue in time to allow a week long attendance total of 535,000 at Oshkosh, as well as more than 2,300 showplanes and 750 exhibitors. First was a break in the weather, as the rains stopped for much of AirVenture’s seven-day run through August 1.

Second was a never-say-die attitude among EAA’s volunteers and the surrounding community that created the space needed to welcome aircraft and campers.

“Our volunteers and staff brought tangible meaning to words like volunteerism, attitude and passion,” Poberezny said. “In addition, the Oshkosh community and surrounding region came through as never before to make sure airplanes and campers were accommodated.”

At the beginning of the week, many airplanes began their Oshkosh experience at surrounding airports in Appleton, Fond du Lac, Manitowoc and other nearby airfields. Large camping units, meanwhile, were shipped to sizeable hard-surface areas throughout Oshkosh until Camp Scholler dried sufficiently to allow them to park without hazards.

By the second half of the week, all the efforts had paid off, as a series of spectacular programs and activities created new memories for attendees.

“It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish,” Poberezny said. “And did we ever finish strong.”

DC-3’s diamond anniversary

A total of 40 DC-3s and C-47s descended on Oshkosh to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the venerable aircraft. Those airplanes came from throughout the U.S., as well as Canada and the United Kingdom, to be part of the commemoration.

More than 20 arrived in a mass formation on July 26 and parked in the warbird and vintage areas on the grounds, as well in the showcase AeroShell Square. Joining them were Clay Lacy’s rare DC-2, a DC-4 and a newly restored DC-7.

“For one week a year this is the Mecca of aviation,” said Mikey McBryan, who along with his dad, Joe, brought a DC-3 from Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, that is featured in the popular Canadian TV series “Ice Pilots NWT.”

“Everybody is here and every airplane is here, and if you do a show about aviation and you don’t have Oshkosh in it, you’re missing a whole big deal,” he said.

The B-17 bomber also celebrated its 75th anniversary at Oshkosh, with four of the four-engine Boeing machines on the EAA grounds during the week. More details and photos in September's Pacific Flyer. (Brady Lane Photo)

Sam Mason in his RF4D Motorglider.

Story and Photos
By Curt Fargo
There are a few airports in this country where aviation is more than just a hobby, it's a religion.

Santa Paula, Calif. (SZP) is one of those. Owned by its pilots, it houses one of the largest collections of flyable antiques (planes and pilots) this side of the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome.

Luminaries such as Steve McQueen and Gene Hackman kept their planes there and hung out on weekends. So did Kurt Russell and Reg Pridmore, national motorcycle road race champ.

One of the world's greatest aerobatic instructors, Sammy Mason, was based there and many pilots fly into the tiny field on weekends just to walk up and down hangar row and see planes (and cars and bikes) they've read about but never seen before.

So when it was announced they were going to hold their first airshow in 10 years in mid-August, many perked up and started making plans.

And it was a true airshow, with performers such as Rob "Tumblin Bear" Harrison in his Zlin, Darin Moody in a Great Lakes, Peter Poland and Tim Just in their Extras, Seamus McCaughley in a Christian Eagle, Chris Olmsted in a Pitts and even Clay Lacy in a Learjet.

The Southern California wing of the CAF sent over their Hellcat and Zero to stage a dogfight (the Zero lost, again), a Ventura County Helicopter demo'd a Water Drop, while Pete Mason flew as Dick Dasterdly in the Stearman and Dan Gray made a parachute jump.

More details and photos in the September issue of Pacific Flyer

In November 2000, Lt. Col. Carmichael was selected to fly the #3 position with 431 Air Demonstration Squadron, becoming the first female pilot to ever fly with the Snowbirds Aerobatic Team. Upon promotion to the rank of Major in 2001 and in her second year with 431 Squadron, she served as the team's Executive Officer.

The U.S. Navy's Blue Angels have never had a woman pilot but the Air Force Thunderbirds have had two. The first was Capt. (now Major) Nicole Malachowski, an F-16 pilot, was chosen in 2006. She was joined in 2007 by Capt. Samantha Weeks, who flew F-15Cs.

Both are now off the team on new assignments.

Lt Colonel Carmichael was born in QuÈbec City, QuÈbec in 1971. She began her career in aviation as an Air Cadet from 1984 to 1988. She enrolled in the Canadian Forces in 1990 and completed pilot training in January 1994. She was selected to remain in Moose Jaw as a Flying Instructor with 2 Canadian Forces Flying Training School (2 CFFTS), where she was awarded the A2 instructional category and served as the School Operations Officer and Standards Officer.

She subsequently flew the Bombardier-Canadair CE-144 and CC-144 Challenger Aircraft with 434 Combat Support Squadron in Greenwood, Nova Scotia, and then with 412 Transport Squadron in Ottawa, Ontario, in the VIP transport role.

In November 2000, Carmichael was selected to fly the #3 position with 431 Air Demonstration Squadron, becoming the first female pilot to ever fly with the Snowbirds. Upon promotion to the rank of Major in 2001 and in her second year with 431 Squadron, she served as the team's executive officer.

In 2003, she was posted to 3 Wing Bagotville to serve as the Deputy Wing Operations Officer but returned to flying in 2007, this time on the Canadian C-130 Hercules, flying Tactical Transport missions.

This year, she was promoted and appointed as the 431 Air Demonstration Squadron's Commanding Officer. This new assignment will mark a return to 15 Wing Moose Jaw.

She has accumulated, to this day, over 3200 hours of flying time and is married to Major Scott Greenough, a fighter pilot with the Canadian Forces, and they have two daughters, Georgia and Danielle.

Although the Canadian Air Force has CF-18 Hornets, Lt. Col. Carmichael has apparently never flown one. The Snowbirds use the two-seat CT-114 Tutor in their nine-plane act.

New Red Bull Chanpion

Australia's Matt Hall got the third podium of his career with third place in the 50th race in the sport's history while Germany's Matthias Dolderer finished seventh to the delight of the big home crowd. A total of 118,000 spectators watched the racing over the weekend, Red Bull said.

Two of the final three pylon races had been cancelled at the last minute due to logistical problems - the Portugal race due Sept. 4-5 and the August race which had been scheduled for Budapest, Hungary.

Bonhomme, who also won the 2009 championship, finished the six-race season with 64 points and two victories, in Abu Dhabi and New York. Arch, the 2008 champion, ends the year with 60 points and four wins, in Perth, Rio, Windsor and Germany. Britain's Nigel Lamb ended up third overall on 55 points.

Arch stopped the clock through the 15-gate track set up in the infield of the EuroSpeedway Lausitz race track in 1:12.30 while Bonhomme took second in 1:12.66 and Hall was in 1:17.41- hurt by four seconds in penalties. Lamb was knocked out of the Final Four due to a flat tire suffered just before take-off.

"It's very special," Bonhomme said, who let out a loud celebration cheer over his cockpit radio after he clinched the title. Bonhomme, the most successful pilot in the history of the sport with 13 career victories, admitted he was disappointed that he failed to beat Arch in the season finale.
He did get a record 13th straight podium with second place on the sunny afternoon in Germany.

"It feels good," Bonhomme said. "The key thing is that we won back-to-back championships, that's what I'm going to be taking away.
"I've been saying all year I've been relaxed and had stayed that way right up to this race. But I knew this race could make or break the whole championship. The day didn't go exactly as I planned but I'm very pleased about the whole year."

Bonhomme is the first pilot to win back-to-back titles and joins American Mike Mangold as the only two-time champion in the eight-year race history.

Arch, who now has seven career wins, pushed Bonhomme to the limits all season and kept the pressure on his British rival to the final round. Bonhomme had posted faster times than Arch all weekend and had won the Qualifying point earlier on Sunday. But Arch pulled out all the stops in the Final Four, posting a blistering time that Bonhomme could not match.

"I knew I could win the race because the plane is fast and it's a fast track," Arch said, taking great satisfaction about winning four of the six races this year. "We might not have won the championship but we have four races and have lots of track records this year. We're happy about that, it's a good feeling."

A resident of New Market, Md., O'Callaghan died when the sailplane he was piloting collided with another glider as both were returning to Uvalde' Garner Field Airport. The pilot of the second sailplane, identified as Ralph Bergh, landed without safely in a field near Batesville after sustaining damage to part of a wing, authorities said.

According to contest manager Kerry Huffstutler, both pilots were in the process of completing the day's set task and returning to the airport when their sailplanes impacted in mid-air.

"Ralph was heading in the opposite direction and saw three sailplanes," Huffstutler said. "He swerved and missed one and then hit the other."

A voice on the radio issue a "mayday" but they did not know who it was, she said. "It was very frightening."

The crash site is 15 miles south of Garner Field, which was hosting this year's 15-meter National Soaring Competition. The manager of the Leona River Ranch, Nyland Falkenberg, said the pilot was dead when he and others reached the scene of the crash.

Falkenberg said that U.S. Border Patrol agents found pieces of the sailplane that had been shed at the time of the mid-air collision scattered around the ranch. Huffstutler said the victim has been flying in soaring competitions in Uvalde since the first regional meet was held in 1985.

AOPA said O'Callaghan was affectionately known as "OC" (he raced as call sign Oscar Charlie and included the initials in the registration number on his glider) He was an active member of the Mid-Atlantic Soaring Society for many years and flew gliders from the club's bases in Frederick, Md., and Fairfield, Pa., beginning in his late teens.

He participated in national and international competitions and logged more than 6,000 hours aloft in more than 30 kinds of sailplanes, AOPA said.

Huffstutler said O'Callaghan has been flying in soaring competitions in Uvalde since the first regional meet was held in 1985. Pilots took a day off and were scheduled to begin flying again the following day in the contest that ended on Aug. 12.

The crash is the third fatality since Uvalde began hosting soaring competitions more than 25 years ago. Finnish pilot Anssi Passila was killed during the World Soaring Championships in 1991 and another pilot, Pete Burdulis, who was working as part of a crew during a national contest in 2001, died while flying on a day off from the sanctioned event.

Pine Mountain Lake Airport - the friendliest airport in the West!

This is the best residential airport for full timers as well as weekenders.  Something is always going on - from Rotary functions, fundraisers, party boat tours or lakeside BBQ’s.

Along with the airport we have a 200 Acre lake for cruising, fishing or water skiing as well as a championship Golf Course for the avid golfer in the family and beautiful Equestrian Center for the horse lovers!

The Golf Course has an excellent restaurant and 19th Hole Lounge overlooking the Sierras. This town offers fine dining and great shopping in its numerous boutiques and antique shops.

Something for everyone and only 1/2 hour away from Yosemite National Park!

This is a MUST SEE area! Fly in and look around - you might just want to stay!

Call Bruce ‘Red’ Rossio - the Flying Broker for your Real Estate Needs at 209-962-7156 office or 209-768-4830 Cell.

E-mail brossio@pmlr.com /  http://www.pmlr.com

Pine Mountain Lake Realty

An Agent Owned Company

18919 Main Street, Suite A, Groveland, CA  95321

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Click photo to enlarge

Scott Slocum is the photographer for a popular series of aviation calendars with beautiful models decorating photogenic aircraft. Every year he prints a "My Bombshells" calendar which has proven to be very popular.

See http://www.mybombshells.com for that and other items for sale.

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Indicates new listing this month.

Aug. 14-15: Santa Paula, Calif. Air Show, 80th anniversary benefit for SP Police & fire and Av. Museum of Santa Paula. See www.santapaulaairport.com. Military free.

Aug. 20-22: Oregon International Airshow, Hillsboro, Julie Clark.

Aug. 21: Austin, Nev. Fly-in and Lions Club all you can eat BBQ

starting at noon. Austin Airport (9U3). Contact Joe Dory

(775) 223-3613.

Aug. 21-22: Wings Over Wine Country, Santa Rosa, Calif. F-15, F/A-18, C-17, Aerobatic racing, numerous civilian airshow acts. Contact (707) 566-8380.

Aug. 21-22: 30th anniversary Wings Over Camarillo. Experimen-tals, military, vintage. Food, entertainment. Under 12 free. See www.wingsovercamarillo.com.

Aug. 27-28: Airshow of the Cascades, Madras, Ore. Contact Don Mobley (541) 815-5079 or see www.cascadesairshow.com.

Aug. 28: 6th annual Thunder Over The Coconino, Grand Canyon Valle Airport, 8-3, fly-in, car show, rides, tractors. Contact (928) 635-5280 or see www.valleairport.com.

Aug. 28: Lake In The Sky Air Show, Lake Tahoe Airport. Air show, military, warbird, amphibians. Contact Krista Eissinger at

(530) 541-0480. Or see www.lakeintheskyairshow.com.

*Aug. 30-Sept. 2: AIAA SPACE 2010 Conference & Exposition, Anaheim Convention Center and Hilton Anaheim. Theme: “Space: Imagine, Innovate, Collaborate.” Nerds only.

*Sept. 4-6: Vintage Aircraft Weekend, Paine Field, Everett, Wash. Antiques, warbirds, food, flybys, re-enactors, food, more. See  www.VintageAircraftWeekend.org.

Sept. 4-6: Cleveland (OH) National Airshow, Blue Angels, Red

Eagles, Patty Wagstaff, more. Burke Lakefront Airport. Contact (216) 781-0747, web www.clevelandairshow.com.

Sept 5: Lions BBQ & Fly-in, Trinity Center, CA. ( 530) 266-3216.

*Sept. 10: 3rd Annual Fox Field Airfare open house, Pancake breakfast 8-10, Aircraft, exotic cars 9-3, Contact: Bob Stambovsky, AirFare Chairman, (661) 816-5101.

Sept. 11: Super Safety Seminar, 0900 to 1600 PT, Gillespie Field Annex, SDAM, http://aviationsafety-sd.org/. Contact: Thomas Perkowski, (619) 321-8550, tperkowski@att.net

Sept: 11-12 Ð Land of Enchantment Fly-in, Moriarity, NM, spon-sored by EAA Chapter 179. Pancake breakfasts, plane judging, antiques, banquet. Contact machtwo@nets.com.

Sept. 11-12: California Capital Airshow, Sacramento, Calif. Mather Airport. Visit www.CaliforniaCapitalAirshow.com.

Sept. 18: Ramona, Calif. Open House. FREE (760) 788-3366.

*Sept. 24 Ð 26:  31st Annual Clear Lake Splash-In, Lampson, CA.  The oldest and largest seaplane fly-in in the Western United States. Please see www.clearlakesplashin.com.

Sept. 24-26: Chico, Calif. Air Show, Snowbirds, warbirds, jet car, military demos, vendors, food and more. www.chicoairshow.org

*Sept. 25: EAA Chapter One Open House, Flabob, Gala Banquet Dinner. Guest Speaker Jay Carter Jr. of CarterCopters. Pancake break fast, ventors, planes, more. Call (951) 68302309, ext. 104.

*Sept. 25: Celebration of Flight, Tehachapi Municipal Airport. $5 Pancake breakfast, aircraft displays, hot air balloon rides, airplane rides, av. arts & crafts. Contact (661) 305-7756 or 549-2895.

*Sept. 25: Sedona, Ariz. fly-in, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Buy 10 gals of fuel or more and get a USS Sedona hat. Display aircraft needed, free breakfast for fly-ins. See www.SedonaAirport.org.

*Sept. 25: Apple Valley Airport Air Show, CA. 9 -3. Static displays, flying performances and vendors. Adult admission is $2.00 and parking is free. (760) 247-2371

*October 9: 1st Annual Redlands Airshow. $2 admission, free park--ing, under 12 free. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Redlands Municipal Airport, Redlands, CA. Contact: Clif Hoover (909)864-6713

Oct. 9: Second annual Mustang Days, Nut Tree Airport, Vacaville, Calif. P-51s, warbirds. Sponsored by Travis Air Museum, Nut Tree Airport. Contact Larry Smigla (707) 437-2914.

Oct. 24: Wings, Wheels & Rotors Expo, Los Alamitos Army Airfield, Joint Forces Training Base, Los alamitos, Calif. Contact

(562) 598-6659 or see www.WWRExpo.net.

2011

*March 26: Riverside, Calif. Airshow. No further details, just saving the date. Contact (951) 682-1771.

Due to the overwhelming  response from my initial column -(isn’t “old curmudgeon” redundant?) - I’ve been asked to reveal more of my plans for the future.

Once I seize control, of course.

CONVICTED POLITICIANS

Any politician convicted of a felony - perjury, obstruction of justice, fondling pages, taking bribes, having affairs (a la’ Newt Gingrinch,Bill Clinton,  John Kerry, John Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson), whoever - shall be executed at dawn the next day. Their choice: sword, cannon, the rack or dismemberment. No appeals allowed.

If they somehow get the offense knocked down to a misdemeanor, we’ll just remove some limbs and brand “miscreant” on their forehead as they’re escorted out of office.

And on the judge who knocked it down from a felony, as well.

Not that I have anything against “Scooter” Libby, of course, or his boss, the ex-Vice-Emperor Dick Cheney.

SALUTING THE FLAG

All school children will be required to say the pledge of allegiance (including “Under God”) and salute the American flag every morning before prayers. Any rebel kid who thinks he’s too good, or his dad is a director of the ACLU or is just too stupid to know that millions have died to keep him free, shall be expelled for good. He can live with dad forever.

NO TAXES ON THE MILITARY

Have you ever tried to live on what the military pays you, especially after taxes are taken out? Have you ever watched your mom work three jobs so that all the kids can eat while dad is sent TDY for a year or more? Been there, done that and no T-shirt. Under my reorganization of the tax code (everybody pays 15% of their income, no exemptions, no loopholes, no offshore accounts) no one in the military will have one penny taken from their paycheck for taxes.

The poor bastards work 12 to 18 hour days, seven days a week, get yelled at by everybody with more rank than them (or even just more seniority), get shot at, blown up, lose limbs, eyes, ears, and what do they get? Walter Reed. Under my plan, everyone accepted for the military is automatically a hero and shall be treated as such.

FRIVOLOUS LAWSUITS

Lawyers who make a living threatening to sue small businesses for obscure violations of some obscure federal law, and take big settlements to stay out of court, shall be imprisoned and placed in a cell with a large man named Bruno, who was wrongly convicted because his lawyer was incompetent (and there’s plenty of them). Harvard Law School, Stanford (and especially Berkeley Law’s Bolt Hall) and other such establishments shall be converted to something useful - such as trying to save the planet. (Remember Shakespeare’s warning.)

CHURCH AND STATE

I would advise the Catholic Church that it’s no longer exempt from taxes (Baptists and evangelists as well) and owes the U.S. government $12 trillion dollars, payable with a cashier’s check. Today. (And none can file bankruptcy to get out of paying, either.)

Any more hanky-panky with the altar boys and the culprits can either be transferred to the antarctic or the Wisconsin National Guard after a suitable penance yet to be determined but definitely painful.

TV would be banned from showing preachers of any kind unless any money donated went directly to Mozambique, Darfur or Zimbabwe to buy rice. Anyone in those countries who tries to confiscate the money or rice for their own personal good shall be taken to the Lion enclosure at the nearest zoo for deposit.

SELF DEFENSE, ET AL

I’d make it a law that all citizens must be armed at all times (sort of like Texas and South Jersey).

There will be no speed limits.

Members of the U.S. Supreme Court will have to wear red blazers, funny hats and a red nose, in keeping with their constant comical decisions. No one over 70 can serve and they can be voted out for stupid rulings.

Miniskirts will not be optional, they’ll be mandatory up to age 40. After that, they’ll have to have a permit issued by a select board of observers.

Anyone who drives in the HOV lanes must have at least three passengers, all of whom are alive (except in South Jersey).

The next time anyone gets a recorded message that says “press one for English” the company that recorded it will be deported to Venezuela.

MTV is banned. Gold necklaces and wheels that continue to spin when the car is stopped are banned, Cadillac Escalades will explode if moved by anyone other than the owner. Anyone from any country caught here illegally won’t be taken to the border and released; they’ll be sent to the antarctic.

We have large ships wasting time and money now going to Iraq that will be available.

I have other ideas to improve life in this state and nation.

At most airports in the country, the tragedy would be noted, perhaps a memorial held and there would be an FAA or NTSB investigation to see what went wrong.

Not at beleaguered Santa Monica, Calif., of course.

A Los Angeles City Councilman Bill Rosendahl is not only trying to shut down the flight school the plane belonged to, Venice residents are seeking support to halt a variety of landing maneuvers, including touch and goes.

Davenport’s tragic crash at Penmar Golf Course has suddenly brought renewed attention to the general aviation airport from lawmakers, the airfield’s neighbors and local organizations that have been lobbying for increased safety enhancements and air quality studies at the airport.

Rosendahl, whose council district includes Venice, requested that the procedure Davenport was practicing be halted and the flight school where he was taking landing training be closed.

“I think it’s a safety issue that has got to be dealt with, and I would like to start by shutting that school down,” the councilman said. “This is not a location for training when you’re in a dense urban environment.”

Davenport, who was a licensed commercial pilot, was training at Justice Aviation, a Santa Monica flight school, to practice the maneuver.

But on July 20, the Venice Neighborhood Council submitted a motion at its  meeting to send a letter to a number of lawmakers asking to support eliminating the landing maneuver.

“People are afraid because many of them live over (she probably meant ‘under’) the flight path,” Laura Silagi, the chair of the local council’s airport committee, said prior to the board meeting.

“If you didn’t have (‘touch and go’ maneuvers) you would have a lot (fewer) flights over Venice.”

Santa Monica Airport Manager Robert Trimborn says the airfield has several restrictions on the various types of aircraft landings, including the touch and go procedure.

“We have restrictions on touch and go and ‘stop and go’ on weekends, holidays and weekdays, from one hour after sunset to 7 a.m. of the following morning,” Trimborn told The Santa Monica Argonaut.

The resolution approved by the council also wants to ban “taxi-backs.” The hourly prohibitions on landings do not apply to taxi-backs, and these aforementioned conditions do not apply in emergencies, where necessitated by safety considerations or when required by the Federal Aviation Administration, according to Santa Monica’s municipal code.

But Martin Rubin, the executive director of Concerned Residents Against Airport Pollution, says despite the limitations on certain landings, residents of Santa Monica and nearby Mar Vista and North Westdale are still at risk.

“Enforcement of weekend and hours of restrictions on ‘touch-and-goes’ does not remove the risks from the other practice flights,” Rubin declared. “Santa Monica Airport claims to be neighbor friendly, but the constant irritation of noisy piston planes flying around and around is not at all neighbor friendly to Venice and Mar Vista neighbors.” They’ve also come out against jets.

Like Rosendahl, Rubin cites the residential neighborhoods in close proximity of the airport as one of his reasons for requesting the cessation of the landing procedure.

“It is reckless to allow students to practice takeoffs and landings over a densely populated area,” he said. “Schools for pilots should be located in an area that minimizes every safety risk.” (Like, maybe, Alaska?)

Trimborn said Santa Monica Airport has a safety and noise abatement record that he and the airport’s employees are very proud of and one they work hard to maintain, the paper said.

“We have one of the most stringent noise abatement and operational restriction systems in the entire country,” the airport director said. “I would put our record against just about anyone’s.”