Crowd Fills Aeroshell Square To Great Rutan And Branson

By Robbie Culver

The energy level at EAA AirVenture 2009 ratcheted up another notch on Monday afternoon with the arrival of WhiteKnightTwo (aka "Eve"), the Scaled Composites creation for Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic space tourism corporation. About 2:40 pm the graceful, slender lines of WK2 appeared overhead with the EAA photo plane in tow. The crowd gathered on AeroShell square and along the flightline began to stir and animate as WK2 performed several high passes competing with an Air Force Thunderbirds F-16, and the Erickson SkyCrane, then entered the left downwind for Wittman field's runway 18.

All eyes turned to watch as the thin white wings banked just to the north of Wittman field, lining up on runway 18 right. The normally stoic crowd showed obvious excitement as WK2 began a slow descent to the runway.

As WhiteKnightTwo touched down, a murmured hush fell over the crowd - odd for Oshkosh, where the crowd is less prone to reaction. When it taxied up to the edge of AeroShell square and shut down, then energy level felt in the crowd went up significantly - there was a literal buzz in the air. Rutan and Branson greeted the crowd and introduced the aircraft.

Designed to take SpaceShipTwo up on revenue-carrying flights, WK2 is the first of a series of aircraft being produced for the fledgling space tourism industry. As in years past, Rutan brought his latest project as much to show the crowd what he's made as to recharge his own spiritual batteries and find renewed creative energy for his projects. Rutan has often commented on the energy he receives from attending Oshkosh, and this year has been no exception.

The arrival also means EAA has another first for its storied success at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, where aviation firsts and historic events continue to impress even the hardened Oshkosh veteran. With the Airbus 380 scheduled to arrive later in the week, Aeroshell square is already packed with significant aircraft. To put the arrival in context, it is historical "firsts" such as this that make the world's eyes turn to Oshkosh every year for EAA Airventure.

FMI: http://whiteknighttwo.net, www.scaled.com/projects/tierone