Over the Front Seminar 2009 - Back to the Cradle

[Russell Smith]

Originally Posted by JFM

The stars have actually aligned and I'll be there. Really looking forward to it and meeting everyone.

Jim, any chance you could bring a copy of your MvR book with you? i tried to purchase one from the Byrds at the DPR, but they said they didn't have any.

russ

[JFM]

Hi, Russ

Appreciate your interest! You can try ordering one from RZM in CT, as they have them in stock now: Welcome to RZM.com- Your online source for WWII books & more! Top row of books, far right.

I recently came into one extra copy so if that doesn't work please let me know.

[Russell Smith]

done. Thanks for that, Jim.

Russ

[tcrean7828]

Mates,
Any idea as to whom from the 'drom will be attending (A list) - like to get my dance card in order?

ttfn

tcrean7828

tom

[hoodoo]

It was really great having League members out at Kingsbury on Saturday. The volunteers enjoyed immensely the group athough we were a bit overwhelmed by the quality of the guests. We felt like students giving an event to satisfy PH.D's , and we will have to wait to see how much they enjoyed it. It was great having folks out with such intense interest and knowledge (it's great having folks visit and educate us!) and also very nice to see some people on Saturday that were not POSSESSED by the annual Texas/OU game. Me, I am possessed by history stuff so I should not throw rocks from in front of my glass house.
We are sorry the field was too soft for flying (we went from a bad drought to two months of a lot of rain and that gumbo ground is either as hard as a rock or soft as a sponge), but I heard the Canuck's OX-5 and LeRhone rotary crank up. We were short volunteers so I and several league members spend about thirty minutes getting the Quad started....it was "cranky" and didn't want to go, usually it starts easy, but once started ran well as did a couple of our model T's (looks like we will be doing some fuel line/filter work). There was no time to take to remember names, I was going back and forth from the motorcyles, digger, and WWI helmets to the Quad and Model T's and it was an exhausting day for us but very, very rewarding. It is a visit that we volunteers will be long remembering. I wish it had been an all day event so more folks could have experienced the Quad and Model T's and had even more time to linger and associate. I am looking forward to
some of the pics that I am sure will be coming out here and there. I want to very much thank, the League for taking the time to visit us. Our updated website is: Pioneer Flight Museum
alsumrall2001@yahoo.com

[stephen]

I can truly say that this was one of the most enjoyable aviation "museum" experiences I've ever had, and easily more enjoyable that the League's past trips to the obsolete, "no-touch" museums.

It was obvious that the staff was out in force and bent on making us happy. Several antique vehicles were running and all the planes were pushed out onto the field for up-close viewing. I wish the airplanes had been flying, but we did get to enjoy hearing the Canuck's OX5 and the Tripe's Le Rhone.

My wife and I both agreed on what made this particular experience so enjoyable... I hope the Pioneer Flight Museum hears this loud and clear and never forgets it. We enjoyed the openness, the freedom, and the user-friendly atmosphere!!!! It was great to just walk unescorted anywhere we pleased without barriers, flight lines, caution tape or busybodies trying to childproof the world for us. We could sit in the old cars, look in the airplanes, touch them at will and generally be left alone. THAT IS PRICELESS.

And this is the future of museums. The WWI museum in Romagne is an open "touch" museum. Soon every museum will be going that direction if they want to remain viable. The highly regulated peer-thru-the-glass type of museum/air show/event is a thing of the past and visitors are losing interest in them.

Thanks for being smart enough to just leave people alone and let them enjoy the experience. It was truly awesome.

[tcrean7828]

Mates,
The OTF treasure day was outstanding to say the least. I enjoyed every minute I was there and was sorry to leave early on saturday, due to ticket schedules.

Thanks again - Russell, JMF, Stephen, Jon, Greg Van, Taz, Peter, Lance Bronnenkant, Jim Wilberg, and all the other people that I did or didn't get to meet and greet.

A little story that goes along with my saturday adventure: Left the hotel at 0420 hr got to the airport, went through the security lines and on to my awaiting plane. 0605 the airplane got airborn and wouldn't you know it, at approx. 500 to 1,000 feet a bird decided to play a game of chicken with the aircraft engine(left one) and ended up being flushed out the end as soup and feathers and of course, a small MayDay to return to San Antonio. The plane was awaiting maintenance, and technically good to go so no one tickets were expired and couldn't be transferred to another AC company.

At 1140 they told us we were on hold for the mechanics to show up and to hang loose. I went to the ticket counter to see if my connecting flight in Denver was still holding my seat, as the airline I was on did not have any flights to Omaha so they put me on a Con flight which was scheduled to leave at 1530hr, to Huston and then a 3.5 hour delay to fly out to Omaha.

I arrived back in Omaha at about 2130 hr and I was beat - what a day.

If I did not have the reading material that I had picked up at the OTF seminar to keep me occupied, I most probably would have gone nuts: Thanks Stephen Skinner for the ADD to the "Stand" and Jon Guttmann for his book "The Origin of the Fighter Aircraft" along with the handouts- fliers - my video/still pic recordings of the seminar and people who attended - to pass the time. Great books so get them while they are hot!!!!

Thanks Again everyone that was there for all of the signs of frendship that I received. I would not have missed the experience for the world.

BTW, I was seated behind the wings and therefore had an 85% chance of survival if the bloody plane went down. Getting onto the second plane, I was ahead of the wings and so statisticly speaking I was SOL if an accident happened - but sat by two Nuns on the first leg and two young things on the second leg - what can I say - my number didn't come up and I am safe and sound in my own bed with the wif'.

ttfn

tcrean7828@yahoo.com

tom

[stephen]

Okay everybody... the new video of our day at the Pioneer Flight Museum is now posted and available for viewing. Here's the link:

IndySquadron.com

Enjoy!

Stephen

[FliegerJG1]

That was really fun! Thanks for posting the video! Wish I could have been there.

FliegerJG1