At 01:05 AM 7/30/2009, you wrote: >I think it would be GREAT if we spent the majority of he year >planning on attending Oshkosh, WI airshow, aka AIRVENTURE, to have >the planes that did fly in there spend the week rather than depart >on day 2 on a 7 day week. >Lee Van Dyke ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Lee's post has been mulling in my mind for the last two day and I'm not sure I can give an adequate response but here goes. The KR community operates on the financial fringe of the sport aviation spectrum. It would be nice if we all had the time and money to attend the worlds largest aviation event and spend the entire week. Unfortunately most of us have neither the time or money to do so. Oshkosh has grown to the size it is because it meets the needs / wishes of hundreds of thousands of people world wide. Even if you think it has outgrown what we wish it to be, you have to admit that a great deal of the advancement in sport aviation that we enjoy today came out of Oshkosh. I've not attended for at least twenty years now but the fact is that it draws people , aircraft, and vendors that you will see nowhere else. Many companies and vendors schedules revolve around Oshkosh. It can't be everything to everyone. As for the KR Gathering, this will be my twentieth consecutive year to attend and acting as host since 2004. I think everyone will admit that we enjoyed Lee's participation when he was able to attend. To say it is strictly a social event not only misses the bulls eye but misses the entire target. The social aspect is certainly a huge part of the Gathering as many of us get to see each other only once a year and it gives us a chance to catch up on relationships that were born at previous Gatherings. To make my point, I think Lee is forgetting the many hours spent on the flight line with KR's opened for inspection, picture taking, questions answered by the builders, and assisting fliers with problems that developed far from home. Then there are the hours spent by builders pouring over photo albums and getting ideas for there project back home, exchanging and selling parts and projects, and the several forums held to answer builders question. Stick time is given to the lucky few that can get it prior to making the first flight of their own project or in some cases rides given to wives and girlfriends of builders to help "grease the skids" of their project back home. Last but not least is the motivation factor the Gathering injects directly into the blood stream of builders as they see the KR's making high speed passes round and round the pattern. And if that were not enough, there is still the social aspect. Setting around the campfire in the evening enjoying the "root beer", the talk is still more KR's !! I am a bit puzzled by Lee's comment "I would have a good time flying to a CX4 group deal if BOB G would be there". That sounds to me like he would attend strictly for the social aspect of the event. Why then condemn Airventure and the Gathering for being strictly "social events"? I hope Lee's comments were strictly the result of a bad weather day when he couldn't fly his KR and that we see him at future Gathering. Have a good day........... Larry Flesner
