Tuesday
TuesdayOSHtalk (July 27, 1999) — The night before EAA’s AirVenture ’99begins, OSHtalk Hangar Flying for the Internet premiers as AVweb takes youunder the wing of a classic Beech 18 beside the runway at Oshkosh as the sun goes down andthe pilots gather to do what they do best — talk about airplanes and flying. Join us asRandy Sohn, senior check airman for the Confederate Air Force talks about the increasinglyacute problem of finding qualified pilots to fly the World War II transports and bombersas the pilot shortage intensifies. Listen to Carol Casper and Garrett Nievens, the EAA’sflight ops and parking gurus describe what to expect when you fly in to the AirVenture, aswell as a few stories of what has gone wrong and what has gone right as the hard-workingparking volunteers do their best to deal with some very wet parking areas. Listen in as AVwebcolumnist John Deakin discovers that he is sitting next to the folks who guided him threemiles along the only paved, dry route to the place where he could park his Bonanza. Hearhis disbelief as he learns that the people who amazed him with their ability to movedumpsters and walk wings are right beside him and hear him repeat what he said as he gotout of the airplane after reaching his parking spot: "If the ground weren’t so wetI’d kiss your feet." This is EAA AirVenture ’99 at its best, as the magic unfoldsaround the Coleman lantern and the pilots talk about airplanes, flying and why they keepcoming to Oshkosh. Listen to Tuesday OSHtalk (runningtime 51 minutes).
WednesdayOSHtalk (July 28, 1999) — Tonight our host,radio personality Tom Gresham learns that friendly fire has damaged his tent because oneof his friends forgot that Oshkosh etiquette calls for a pilot to pull the airplane out ofits parking spot hand, then turn it 90 degrees before starting up. Tom also discovers thatduct tape can repair even a badly damaged tent. Join us as Tom and co-host, AVwebcolumnist Rick Durden, discuss some serious issues of engine power management andoperations of high horsepower general aviation engines lean of peak EGT. Engine expertGeorge Braly joins with pilots who have extensive experience operating engineslean-of-peak — including Walt Atkinson, Stan Musik and AVweb columnist John Deakin— to poke a few holes in old wives’ tales of engine operation. We learn that the onlyreason the DC-7s and Connies could make those long flights and that Lindbergh could makeit to Paris behind a Wright J-5 was that those engines were always operated lean of peakEGT. Yes, we can do that with a number of general aviation engines, we just don’tknow it. Listen to a discussion of the reason the FAA has not been certifying some of themost recent, high-tech developments for general aviation airplanes. It’s not forreasons you may think, in fact, it is due to the budget cuts the FAA has suffered. We alsohear from EAA Chapter 78 president, Elaine Schmidt, rebuilder of two classic Cessna 170sas she comments on the way pilots are taught to operate smaller general aviation engines.She helps the group put to rest another old wives’ tale regarding "oversquare"engine operation. Listen to WednesdayOSHtalk (running time 59 minutes).
ThursdayOSHtalk (July 29, 1999) — As the sun goes down, AVweb’sOSHtalk gets underway while hosts Tom Gresham and Rick Durden fight mosquitoes which seemdetermined to locate victims and carry them away. Our hosts are first joined by GwenBloomingdale and Barbara Gard, owners and operators of a 1930 Stinson Detroiter that hasbeen in continuous service carrying sightseers over the Massachusetts coastline for 50years. They discuss the challenges they face keeping an ancient pelican operating and thefrustrations dealing with a public that assumes they are not involved with the airplanebecause they are women. Barbara, an A & P describes a little about what is involved inkeeping a 69 year old airplane flying day in and day out and why she comes to Oshkosh tofind parts to keep the airplane alive. While they do not bring the Detroiter to Oshkosh,partially because its cruise speed on 225 horsepower is only 80 miles per hour (notknots), they come because of the support they can get through the EAA’sAntique/Classic division. After the break the younger set sits in. Amelia Durden, age 10,recounts her day at the brand new KidVenture where she flew a control line gasoline modelairplane, saw a Bald Eagle, a Falcon and a Red-tailed Hawk up close, flew a full-motionflight simulator and had the chance to build Estes model rockets and describes some of thethings she saw but didn’t get to do such as make a model glider, create a tornado ina bottle and shoot straw rockets at the roof. She describes some of the excitement forkids at Oshkosh. Jordan Deschamps-Braly, age 20 then talks about what intrigues the moresophisticated knowledgeable young adult who is seriously interested in aviation. He findsthat he spends a lot of time looking at the incredible electronics being purveyed as welllooking longingly at the airplanes on the flight line. The final portion of the eveningstarts on a somber note because of the accident involving a Corsair and a Bearcat thisafternoon. We take some time to discuss what a pilot should keep in mind should he or shebe involved in an accident. On the panel are Brian Finnegan, an experienced accidentinvestigator now consulting in the field after several years with Cessna and Lycoming; Dr.Brent Blue, an ATP and Aviation Medical Examiner; Dr. Walt Atkinson, a highly experiencedpilot and flight instructor; and Armand Vilches, an insurance broker who holds commercialand instrument ratings. Together, this panel explores what a pilot is required to dofollowing an accident, what the pilot should not do and how to avoid doing somethingstupid after the dust clears. All in all it’s an intriguing evening as the full moonrises over the Twin Beech on Row 15 at EAA AirVenture. We hope you enjoy it.
FridayOSHtalk (July 30, 1999) — As the sky turns dark,co-hosts Tom Gresham and Rick Durden sit down with some a cross section of folks inaviation. First they talk with college students Angela Burgess, Adam Banninga and MattArbogast. These folks hold a number of certificates from private through instrumentinstructor. Two have been coming to Oshkosh for three years and we have a chance to hearwhy the EAA convention continues to be a draw to all ages, particularly those in theirearly twenties who are the future of aviation. After the break we speak with AVwebcolumnist Howard Fried as he chats about a number of topics including what makes a goodflight instructor and some of the experiences he has had in his years of flying. Finally, AVweb’sDr. Brent Blue hurries in fresh from a meeting of aviation medical examiners with theFAA’s aeromedical folks. He expresses his surprise and delight at suggestions made bythe FAA regarding medical certification and an attitude of realism regarding what shouldand should not be disqualifying for a pilot’s medical.
SaturdayOSHtalk (July 31, 1999) — The thunderstormsslashed through EAA’s AirVenture ’99 grounds late Thursday night and Fridaymorning, tipping over the plastic restrooms and destroying tents. Unfortunately, one ofthe victims was OSHtalk host Tom Gresham. Co-host Rick Durden moderates the show tonight,,and learns about the controversey that has developed in the wake of the inflight breakupof a T-34 at an air combat school. George Braly, owner of a Bonanza and a T-34, has beenfollowing the developments in the investigation and the shocking state of affairs in whichlong time airshow pilot Julie Clark’s T-34 wing spars were cut through without herpermission in the course of the investigation. George Braly and AVweb columnistJohn Deakin, who is also a Bonanza ower, give us the up-to-the minute report on the highlycontroversial situation. Then AVweb’s aviation medicine advisor Brent BlueM.D.joins OSHtalk again for the second half of the program. In light of the 102-degreeheat of yesterday, Dr. Blue discusses the effects of dehydration, hypoxia and carbonmonoxide on pilots, and also outlines how pilots can protect themselves against theirpotentially deadly effects. Listen toSaturday OSHtalk (running time 42 minutes).
SundayOSHtalk (August 1, 1999) — Join us for the last1999 session of OSHtalk as your host Rick Durden interviews Al Waddill of Groen BrothersAviation the company developing the Hawk 4 Gyroplane. This turbocharged 350-horsepoweraircraft is in the middle of flight testing for type certification under Part 27 of theFederal Aviation Regulations. Two aircraft built from production tooling are at Oshkoshthis year and drawing a lot of attention. Hear about the new gyroplane and its future onOSHtalk. Even though there are two days of AirVenture ’99 left, the number ofdepartures on Sunday evening give the impression that things are spooling down. The lastsegment of OSHtalk involves one of those good, late-evening hangar flying times whereOshkosh veteran Armand Vilches joins Rick Durden to look back at what Armand calls"the good, the bad and the ugly" of AirVenture ’99. Fortunately, most of itis good. Rick also discusses his impressions of Administrator Jane Garvey after meetingher for the first time and seeing her in action at today’s "Meet The Boss"session. OSHtalk will be back next year, we hope you are.
