It’s Not Just A Playground For Pilots Out There, Dad…
It was only Day One when the cherubic blonde child looked up at her motherand entreated: "When are we going to the playground, Mommy?" As Dadstrode ahead quickly, Mom looked down at the child and her sibling and saidsoothingly, "Not for a while, dear; Daddy is in his playground now."
But Mom may not have known that she could have acceded to her daughter’splaintive pleadings at the children’s activities tent in Camp Scholler, one ofthe many alternatives to plane games at EAA AirVenture ’99. Some of them aredevoid of airplane content, some are mere diversions from flying that still haveeverything to do with planes.
For example, if gawking at all those gorgeous antiques, classics,contemporaries, experimentals, ultralights and warbirds makes you ache for ashowplane of your own, you can start your project with a visit to the FlyMarket, where new and used plane parts aplenty are available to the savvyshopper — as well as technical manuals, engineering drawings, original salesbrochures and magazine ads, nuts, bolts, cables, cloth for covering, elderlyavionics, antiquated instruments, pooped-out props, overage gauges, andgeriatric gyros … whew.
…Shopping The OSH Superstore…
But, this was supposed to address alternatives to the aviation saturation ofOshkosh, so, also available in the Fly Market are: sunglasses, umbrellas,miracle mops, collectable memorabilia, novelty drink cups, posters and charcoaldrawings, magical crystals and flower-power stickers, flags and wind-catchingbanners, squirt guns — which should have sold out in Friday’s record heat andhumidity — funnels, hand tools, bumper stickers and stained-glass windowadornments, and assorted wind socks. Oops; there’s that air-head stuff again.
Another diversion awaits outside the B exhibits hangar: a big, inviting poolof cool blue water. Nope, this isn’t the new EAA swimming pool, but apromotional effort of the Bahamas tourism ministry, recruiting people to flytheir own little airplanes to the island chain just off the east Florida coast.Remember that heat on Thursday and Friday we mentioned earlier? Ninety-plusdegrees, 90-plus humidity made the Bahamian pool among the most-popularpromotions on the grounds, as people sought relief by sampling the scuba andsnorkeling gear in the waist-deep water.
…Where The (alternative) Action Is…
Farther north, pilots’ children and spouses gather at the Activities Centerto learn new craft skills, meet fellow flying widows — and escape Hubby’sflying-machine myopia at the same time. Each day these refugees from the flightline sample knitting, crocheting, decorating, sewing, and learn about airplanesand piloting in the Flying Companion Seminars.
Similar to the Activities Center is the Children’s Activities tent in CampScholler, where airshow orphans sample many of those traditional crafts projectsyou probably learned in summer camp. An airy, open shelter sited under the coolshade of sprawling trees gives the kids a place to be kids away from the hordesof too-tall adults watching airplanes rather than where they step. Hey, for theshortest humans, walking that flight line can be pretty intimidating!
If music can smooth your ruffled feathers, then the one-man-band performancesof perennial Oshkosh entertainer Jerry Sleger might prove the aural diversionyou need to replace the tune of Merlins running around in your head. With hisself-contained band-van parked near the Theater in the Woods, Sleger’s runningafternoon performances blend harmonies with the spice of airplane humor thatstops hundreds each day to listen just a little while, before they move on tothe next item on the itinerary.
Now it may not sound like a lot, but if rationed properly with heavier dosesof aviation, the alternatives of Oshkosh can help keep even the mostaeronautically immune entertained long enough for Dad to finish playing on hisplayground.
