Compiled By The Staff and Readership of the Aero-News Network
and Aero-TV
For quite a while, we
have recognized the highs and lows inherent in the general and
sport aviation community. There are but a few places where that is
more a propos than at a major event like the recently completed
Oshkosh Fly-In.
It's hard to know what really is going to make a difference and
what really qualifies as exceptional unless you've been watching
this industry carefully for several years... as we have.
Over the last few years, ANN readers remarks have been heavily
incorporated into ALL aspects of this report, and not just the
Aircraft awards and such. Their contributions have been carefully
considered and (in many cases) incorporated into our annual
summation.
Our Annual Best Plane of the Year Selections (tentatively
announced after Oshkosh and finalized at year's end) will await the
end of the year but we will announce the nominees at this point,
with the proviso that our opinions may change as the year
develops.
So; here are our picks for the Best and Worst of this year's
Oshkosh... and why we think so...
The Patience Of A Saint Award
Larry Neal of Butterfly LLC, whose Super Sky
Cycle flying motorcycle was banished to the ultralight area because
it has rotors. After inviting him to speak at the "Roadable
Aircraft" forum, EAA then refused to give Larry a sticker clearing
him to drive the craft to the forum, despite its status as the only
fly-drive design actually on-sale to the public. Larry never lost
his trademark smile, and drove it there anyway. Larry has since
gone on to create a sensation at the annual biker rally in Sturgis,
and in the coming year wants to document a road trip along Historic
Route 66, and jump the Snake River Canyon. If he's ignored again
next year at Oshkosh, it will be a relatively small disappointment
in a very big year!
Best Marketing Slogan
'The Very Best Flight Deck in Aviation.' While
we have no doubt that this is a title/slogan that will provoke some
serious competition in short order from companies like Garmin,
Aspen and Honeywell (or L3... who has a REALLY amazing flight deck
right now that has yet to catch on), Avidyne's overtly boastful
slogan is an honest one... we've flown everything, and right now,
right here, NOTHING beats Avidyne's Release 9 for ease of use,
brilliant workflows/methodology, and truly inspired system design.
We really can't wait to see what tries to beat them.... but in the
meantime, we're flying the hell out of our R9-equipped
airplane.
Same Ol' Same Ol' Award
Czech Aircraft Works and the Sport Cruiser. At
the sparsely-attended press conference the company held, the staff
was barely able to feign excitement, and the buzz that surrounded
the re-launch of the aircraft was drowned out by the dust stirred
up by passing cars. Its hard to believe this go-round will be any
different than the last.
The 'Lazarus' Award
The Resiliency Of Today's Homebuilder. Yes,
Oshkosh is no longer the province of the homebuilder, the community
that allowed EAA to gain some semblance of international
prominence... but for some reason, they return in droves, year
after year, to celebrate their freedoms and enjoy the camaraderie
of their fellow fliers. Homebuilding is not what it was and the
experimental community seems to be on something of a decline, but
it will not die and WILL survive, because it is the most personal
form of aviation that I know of... the ability to build YOUR
airplane, YOUR way, On YOUR terms, and flown whichever way YOU want
to. God bless the experimental, homebuilt and sport flying
community... true aviators in every sense of the word.
Things We Got To See Because of Our Press Pass
Even better... ANN's Paul Plack got his picture taken at the
controls of the Carter PAV mock-up!
Best Kept Secret
EAA Kidventure. While our pilot population
continues to take hits each year, its nice to see one solid way to
get people enthused about aviation... by starting them early. This
is one small solution to a huge problem we face... in that the face
of aviation is too old, too white, too male, and getting rarer by
the day... getting kids involved, boys and girls of all ethnic
persuasions, is one answer to the solving of tomorrow's pilot
population problems... and I'll bet that EVERYONE involved has a
ball...
Grace Under Pressure
EACH of the GA manufacturers... who did their
best to put a good face on a bad situation and keep people as
enthused as they can be, in trying economic times, about the future
of aviation... with the hope that the market will come back bigger
and better once the folks in Washington quit screwing up the
works.
Best Way To Trash A $1 Million (or More) Bill
Cessna Caravan. The big problem with aircraft
ownership is that you immediately see what you don't have -- and
want more... when you have four seats, you discover your need for
two more... and when you can go 600 NM, you note that you really
want to go 800 NM (or MORE!)... and so it goes. BUT... a Caravan
kinda solves all that... load up ALL your earthly possessions, land
anywhere you like (almost) and really make an impression EVERYWHERE
you go. I mean, this is an airplane that not only gets you to the
party... you can take the party with you...
Best Placed Aviation-Oriented Bumper Sticker
"My Other Plane Is A P-51" -- seen on a tent
near a really un-Mustang-like ol' Cessna 140.
Highest Price Food Item
Most of them... there were SO many to choose
from. Hey Mister, can you break a $100 bill?
Best Food Deal
The $2.50 soft-serve ice cream comes at the
food court near AeroShell Square. The cute young ladies staffing
the counter obviously skipped class the day they taught portion
control, much to the chagrin of the folks selling overpriced Dove
Bars from nearby carts.
"Ya Gotta Be Kidding" Award
The continuing disappearing act of the once proud and
bustling lightplane area at the South end of Wittman
Field. In days gone by, this was THE place to spend a good
part of your week at Oshkosh... but this year the only difference
between it and a Ghost-Town is that the Ghost-Town makes more
noise. There IS a true interest and need for small cost-effective
ultralight and affordable aircraft... and this is the perfect place
to display them... if an effort is made to bring such manufacturers
and vendors back to Oshkosh.
Exercises In Futility 2009
Arguing For Fairness From The FAA. During the
'Ask The FAA Administrator' session this year, the discussion and
questions were a bit muted but no less frustrating as the FAA told
us as much as they wanted to, and mostly what we wanted to hear...
and for good reason... they really don't have to do anything else.
The current makeup of the FAA is NOT beholden to its users and
customers, but to a few politicians who couldn't care less (as
demonstrated by recent actions and inquiries) for the future of
aviation. This needs to change... there has to be some sense of
accountability on the part of the FAA to the aviation community and
their direct interaction with pilots needs to be based on
constitutional law... not administrative clown courts. While the
FAA holds all the cards, we're never going to get a fair shake...so
it appears that it's time to find legitimate means by which the FAA
has to be responsible to the constituency it serves. Expect to hear
more of this a mite later... as we think its time to dust off some
concepts we've been promoting for years... starting with the
Pilot's Bill of Rights.
ALL The Right Moves
AeroInnovate – Univ of Wisconsin and EAA
working together to educate aviation entrepreneurs on how to bring
their ideas to commercial fruition. Workshops included Top 10
Mistakes in Business Plans, Pitch and Mingle, and Lessons Learned;
www.aeroinnovate.org
Give It A Rest For Oshkosh 2010
The Ever-Tipping Balance Between "Old-Oshkosh" and
"Oshkosh--The Commercial Enterprise." Oshkosh has grown to
become an international sensation... on the order of the Paris
Airshow... but is it losing its soul in the process? The sweet,
friendly gathering place for all lovers of aviation is more
commercial than ever before, and many who used to love Oshkosh,
most of all, for its sense of Aero-Community, miss that most of
all. Oshkosh needs to redirect the balance between its necessary
commercial interests and its true service to its core membership
before the overt commercialism alienates EAA's greatest asset (its
members) into abandoning it altogether.