Sea(Plane Base) of Tranquility

AVweb continues its coverage of EAA AirVenture 1998 … .

Path thru woods to seaplane baseThereis a reasonably well-known annex to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh which relatively few peopletake the time to visit. The seaplane base. As a result, it is a refuge, a place of sanityaway from the frenetic pace of the main venue on Wittman Regional Airport. Even theapproach for someone coming by bus or car from the main part of the event is pleasant, itis a stroll down a wooded lane.

Here a few dozen seaplanes have circled the bay in Lake Winnebago, then lined up withthe wind, hushed down final and slid onto the water, then taxied to the small, triangularinlet where the others of their kind are moored. Depending on the congestion at the docks,the arrival can either taxi in or be met by one of the small boats used as launches andtowed in.

Amphibian in mooringOnce at the dock, the airplane is unloaded by helpful volunteersand all baggage placed in a large, wheeled cart for transport to either the forestedcamping area or a vehicle. When the airplane is unloaded, it is towed to a mooring whereit joins a mixed collection of gently bobbing seaplanes and flying boats.

The pace is relaxed. The number of airplanes is large for a collection of seaplanes,but paltry when compared to the main convention. That means there is time to savor everytakeoff, every pattern and landing. The grassy areas around the inlet have also beenplanted with numerous flower boxes, adding to the civilized atmosphere. Those standingaround the flower boxes and on the shoreline watch every airplane movement, for there isusually time between aircraft moving, time to contemplate that last takeoff in by the LakeAmphibian which started to porpoise but was saved by the pilot; to think about howgraceful the Grumman Widgeon was on approach and touchdown. Aircraft taxi at nearly idlepower, for that is the way seaplanes move around without overheating the engine, so thereis time to frame that photograph, to enjoy the brilliant paint job on the Cessna 185, togaze at the Fleet biplane on floats which has seen so very many summers.

Activity around the dockSigns note the time and place fora fish fry and a corn roast are posted all over. People saunter to better vantage pointsto look, to take pictures. There is a Rogollo wing ultralight, on floats, pulled up on thebeach. It elicits many second looks and expressions of wonderment that it could get offthe water. Few of the onlookers were alive when Aeronca and Piper were building airplanesof comparable horsepower in the 1930s and putting them on floats as well.

The homebuilt group is well-represented, for, after all, this is the EAA. It isfascinating to see that the lines of some of the homebuilts are enhanced by the additionof floats. Even more grace is added.

Water landingPeople talk to each other as they stand near the shore and watch aPA-12 set up for its landing in somewhat choppy water. They do rate and evaluate theperformance of the pilots, but that is the birth-right of every pilot, everywhere. Still,the comments are not harsh. There is collective admiration for the handling of the Cessna170 as it makes a final turn into the wind and touches down, a bit of awe as the taxiing185 cuts it engine and just loses headway as it gently touches the dock. There is acollective gasp as the Lake begins to porpoise, lifts prematurely off the water, splashesback down and the nose starts up again. The horrible feeling that disaster is about to bewitnessed goes away as the pilot tames the airplane, rises into the air and beings a slowclimb. Conversations restart and people move casually to another vantage point for thenext act in the relaxed ballet, each wishing that he or she could have flown in here amongthe trees and serenity.