Introducing Staff, Stringers, Videographers, And People Who Make It All Work

Anyone who's ever been to Oshkosh knows that there are hundreds of events and activities as well as tens of thousands of people that descend (some quite literally) on Wittman Regional Airport in mid-summer. While we have a very hard-working and dedicated staff, ANN could not provide you with the extensive information we do without the help of some equally ... some might say more ... dedicated volunteers who give a week of their time to make sure you have the best possible coverage of the show. As we lead up to this year's edition of AirVenture, we'll be introducing you to the people that make all of that possible.

Maria Morrison: Stringer

Maria Morrison will be a news stringer for Aero-News.Net for AirVenture 2018. She has filled this position for six years previously, and looks forward to continue doing so in the future. She has never found a more exciting thing to do at Oshkosh then get a “behind-the-scenes” look as a reporter for ANN.

As a young child, Maria's family moved to Port Townsend, a small Victorian town 40 NM northwest of Seattle. This little seaport is where she began school, and will be a Junior in high school this fall. Achieving the only 4.0 in her Freshman class this past year, she has always enjoyed English in school and is considering following a career in journalism.

Maria's family has always been oriented towards aviation. Her mother is a local flight instructor, and her father flies for a large freight company, as well as flying EAA'S B-17. Since her flight training started in earnest four years ago, she have accumulated around 500 hours of flight time. Most of that time is logged in a T-41 Mescalero, the military version of a Cessna 172. Along with the Cessna, she flies Piper PA-18 Super Cub with her father and a Taylorcraft with the Port Townsend Aero Museum (PTAM). At PTAM, youth volunteers like such as Maria restore and maintain vintage aircraft, centered around the late 30's and early 40's. Volunteers also keep PTAM and the grounds in impeccable condition. Maria has recently become one of the mentors for fabric work. She teaches other youth how to cover, pink, rib stitch, and tape fabric. It is challenging but rewarding work.

Outside of school, Maria enjoys dancing, playing volleyball, and riding her horse, Tigger. Tigger and Maria have shown together for 7 years and enjoy riding on local trails. She also plays the piano for musical productions and is the High School's first-chair violinist. This year, she picked up Mock Trial, a club that teaches students acting and the law. Maria, acting as a lawyer, questions witnesses and gives closing arguments to a jury.

This will be her sixth year reporting for Aero-News.Net, but Maria has been coming to Oshkosh with her family for all her 18 years. She enjoy providing readers with a younger person's perspective, seeing Oshkosh through different eyes than adults. She has written about KidVenture, fun events and opportunities, and even where to find the best ice cream. Additionally, she has been able to interview amazing people such as Kermit Weeks, Bud Anderson, and Bob Hoover. She is one of the few ANN reporters who goes to the Reno Air Races every year, gaining prize interviews, such as one with six-time race winner Steve Hinton, Jr.

As a member of the ANN team, Maria hopes to bring a new perspective to AirVenture, filling in the public with information about interesting exhibits and aircraft. Stay tuned for more of her articles coming up on ANN this AirVenture, year, and for years to come.

(Image provided by Maria Morrison)

FMI: www.aero-news.net