Image courtesy Wikimedia user Kogo, licensed under GNU Free Documentation License.
Anyway, with less than two weeks until the show, the Airventure Info Guide is avaiable. The guide lists all the hours, shows, and other nice-to-know information for those planning to attend. It has some bulk thanks to the daily schedules of forums and presentations, which you may find helpful in narrowing down your daily plans. Additionally, there is a big full color map of the grounds and exhibitor layouts so you can find your way to whatever event or exhibitor strikes your fancy. The document is about 64 pages in length and is searchable, in case you are looking for something specific.
The second item, which I intended to address yesterday, is that the CAF B-29 “FIFI” (the only one flying) will be flying in to Oshkosh this year. They are giving rides the weekend before Airventure at Chicago DuPage Airport. If you’ve got the cash, seats range from $595 for a seat in the rear section to $1495 for the Bombardier’s seat, you should definitely make a stop at the airport and take a ride. If you’re not in to the big bombers, $1495 will also buy you some time aboard a P-51.
The last item, which is kind of sad, is the mid-air at Duxford. During a formation display a P-51 (Big Beautiful Doll) and a French Douglas Skyraider (check the link for a photo of the Skyraider post-collision). While I hate to see a P-51 destroyed, the pilot parachuted to safety seconds before his plane smashed into the ground. No one was injured, and the the Skyraider was even able to land, despite missing a decent portion of the the right wing. As the pilot of the P-51 put it, he “got out at extremely low level, but then the motivation was extremely high.” I’ll say. I’m glad nobody was hurt, but it is sad to see such a beautiful plane destroyed.
For more photos of the collision, see the Daily Mail’s write-up or watch the following from the BBC: