(Click of the slide show to see larger photos)
I only found enough time to spend two days at the EAA conference this year, but they were two great days. If you have never been there, you are missing a great event. This conference is for both pilots and those who do not fly but have an interest in aviation.
Events and things to do are, well, endless! There is no other word for it. There are programs for kids, adults and pilots. Pilots can attend seminars and receive credit for their work. The programs presented are awesome and interesting even if you are not a pilot.
EAA also presents the opportunity to meet other pilots and talk to "super pilots" who make a living flying upside down and doing things that appear crazy to the non-flying public. You can also take classes in building airplanes and talk to people who have built their own.
There is a huge campground surrounding the airshow. Thousands of people camp on the grounds and spend the entire week at EAA. I am fortunate to have a friend who spends the week at the camp ground and also keeps a liberal supply of "refreshments" to be enjoyed by the string of guest who stop by during the week. He keeps the refreshments in a full sized casket which he turned into a cooler. This makes for interesting conversation. At one point while I was at his camp site we were visited by a couple of guys who had built a motorized couch. So, suddenly there is a full sized living room couch with two guys sitting comfortably on it rolling past the camp site. Yes, pilots can be inventive. Or, perhaps they just have too much time on their hands!
The EAA grounds is a feast for anyone who loves to look at airplanes or watch them fly. There is airplanes that are brand new, or those that are from as far back as World War 2. There is almost every configuration of airplane you can imagine. You can get a close up look and sometimes talk to the pilots. You will be surprised at how anxious they are to tell you all about their airplane.
The one thing I always find inadequate at EAA is the food. It seems that every vendor on the grounds has the same mushy burger for greatly over inflated price. I would think that the visitors would be better served by allowing local service organizations to put up a booth and sell something that tastes close to food. But, bearing that in mind I save a lot of money by packing a lunch in my bag to avoid the tasteless food offered on the grounds.
The air show itself is non-stop all day and full of wonderful information and sights. The prepared air show generally runs from about 3:00 in the afternoon until 6:00 in the evening. The show is packed with excitement and action from beginning to end! You can find a comfortable seat along the flight line under a wing for the shade if you are early, or you can just stand where the sights are the best if you get there late. Either way, your senses will be filled with information through the entire program. The sky will be full of activity, the ground will shake and you will find yourself with your hands over your ears to block out the noise of screaming airplane engines and a smile the length of your arm on your face.
If you plan of traveling to EAA, be sure to think of room and board well in advance. Hotels within a hundred miles and further will be booked. There is a housing authority that you can use to find housing in local residences.
You will find EAA to worthwhile adventure!
