Aug 9 Va airshow

[allen]

      There will be an air show at my wife’s little home town airport on August 9th. The airport is 6V3 located 90 miles west of Roanoke Va.

http://www.fly.tazewellcounty.org/

      This is a sleepy coal mining town with a rich history. Homer Hickam  grew up not too far from here.  Mathematician and Nobel laureate John Nash (“A Beautiful Mind” staring Russell Crow if your interested in a good movie)  also grew up not to far from here. Even ole Chuck Yeager grew up in the mountains around this part of the country.

      Three years ago I attended the show with my wife in a Cherokee and a friend who flew in his Cozy. The Cozy is still talked about to this day. It was such a departure from what a “normal” airplane looks like that it became an instant celebrity. 

      This year I will be flying my Long-Ez from Roanoke (KROA) in the early morning. A few members of our local EAA chapter plan to attend so we will have a Glassair III, RV-6 and possibly a Lancair leaving with me. The Cozy has expressed interest in attending again as well as the Long-Ez living up in Winchester.

      If you are interested in attending and would like to join us departing from Roanoke feel free to give me a call.  540.761.9552
Allen

[Drew]

Allen,
I will meet you out there at Tazewell (wx permitting)---this time bringing wife and daughter.  Did not know my airplane made that much of an impact---cool!

[allen]

Drew,

     If we can coordinate this right we may be able to meet enroute. Takeoff time is flexible for my group. A mass arrival would make a cool impression and my father-in-law could take some great photos of the arrival. 
     After I bought my Long-Ez I would fly out to see the in-laws and became fast friends with the airport manager. He said that he would get phone calls when I would fly in from people asking what it was that had just landed. Several times the callers would ask if it was the same plane from the air show (your Cozy).
   Jarrett, the manager, all but threatens my life each time I fly in if I do not bring the Long-Ez to the show this year. Of course I had planned on attending all along, but I did not tell him of the possibility that several other canards may attend as well.

   When we get a bit closer to the show and we have a relatively firm number I will call him and “reserve” some prime parking, much like he gave you the last time. 


 

[ramseyk86]

The Long-Ez living up in Winchester is still interested and planning to attend   Look forward to seeing you guys there!

Keith
N49DW

[Drew]

After getting back from Iraq (12 months away from flying) a couple of months ago, I have not flown that much.  The ORM in me is telling me to just fly as a flight of one.  My next formation work will be done after I get some more flying under my belt and when not tied to a fly-in event.

The logistics for me to get there will be an event itself.  I have started working in Lakehurst, NJ---the moving truck just got packed today and is on its way.  I don't have a place to hangar my plane in NJ yet---so I will drive down to Pax on Friday night (4 to 5 hours of driving), stay at the "Q" then fly over on Saturday morning.

[allen]

Keith,
   Good to hear from you! Last time we spoke you were working out some brake gremlins. I’m up at Winchester Memorial Hospital several times a month now and each trip I am reminded that I need to get back in touch with you. It will be great to finally be able to put a face with the emails so to speak.  Looking forward to meeting you my friend. 


Drew,
   Glad to hear that the furniture is on the way. Any idea how long you will be at this assignment?
   The two guys joining us from Roanoke are retired Navy pilots. The Lancair owner was an A-4 and A-7 driver while the RV-6 owner flew S-2’s before getting out and going over to the airlines. Both are great guys with more flight time logged in left turns than I have in my entire logbook. You three with undoubtedly have a lot to talk about.
   Your logistics are impressive.  I did not realize what was involved for you to attend.  What kind of flight time will this be for you?

   When I speak with Jarrett I’ll see if he will cut us a break on fuel. He has been very accommodating in the past. Under the circumstances he might be inclined to put out some bait for next years show since Drew’s Cozy was such a hit a few years ago. Either way, it won’t hurt to ask. 
 

[Drew]

To make the event (coming and going), it will be a little more than 3 hours of total flight time and about 9 hours of driving.

Are you staying the night in Richlands--or are you flying back?

Looking at getting a hangar at KBLM---and hopefully I can get someone to share with me.  Hangar cost up here are literally twice as much as I pay at Pax---and for the same size hangar---yikes!

[allen]

The plan is to come back to Roanoke after the show, weather permitting. You and the family are always welcome to overnight it here if you want to break up your 12 hour trip a bit. We have some good restaurants in town and an extra room; maybe not as glamorous as kickin it at the “Q”, but it comes with good company, cold beer. 

[allen]

The airport manager called me asking of I planned to attend the show this year. When I told him about the added company he became rather excited and has allocated all of us some premium parking together when we arrive. He also informed me that they will be offering discounted fuel but was unable to nail down the price at that moment.

He also said that should you guys elect to fly in Friday night they traditionally have a get together the evening before the show right there at the field. Sounds like some food and cold ones are involved and he was kind enough to extend an invite to all of us.
Saturday morning they will be offering some free breakfast if we arrive early enough, but I forgot to ask what time they will stop that. I suspect that they will have some squirreled away somewhere if we get in a bit late.

At the moment I am planning on a takeoff time from Roanoke of no later than 0830 with an overhead of roughly 0900-ish. But that is of course is not set in stone by any means.

One last point; the designator has changed for the airport. It was formally known as 6V3 and is now known as JFZ, I believe.
See everyone at the end of the week!

[Drew]

Just prepositioned up here at Lakehurst instead of driving down to pax.  I'll take the rockstar parking and whatever discount I can get my hands on.   I'll see you on Sat morning.

[allen]

What time are you both projecting that you will be arriving?

[Drew]

If I were by myself---around 0900---with family in tow---before noon.

[allen]

The NOTMS website is down at the moment, but the airport manager said earlier today that they are closing the field at 1100 for the show. I cannot verify this at the moment, but you may want to keep that in the back of your mind.

See you in the morning Drew.

Allen