What a terrific week! I was Captain of the Beechjet during the EAA Airventure Airshow in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. It is the largest airshow in North America and the second-largest airshow in the world! Thousands and thousands of people in their airplanes come to Oshkosh for a week of aerobatic demonstrations, unveilings of new airplanes, and just to meet and mingle with pilots from all over the world. We left Sunday from Phoenix and stopped in Salina, Kansas for fuel. My passengers wanted to fly over the Oshkosh airfield, but we had to wait until after the tower and airport closed at 8:00 PM to do that. The airport we were parking at, Fond Du Lac, was located about 14 miles to the south and closed at 8:30 PM! So my timing had to be perfect to get us there in that half-hour window. It all worked out and was a blast!
Celebrities who are aviation nuts were there, including Harrison Ford and John Travolta. We had very long days, heading to the show each morning at about 7:00 AM (5:00 AM my time) and not returning to the La Quinta until after midnight each evening because of the fly-in movie shown on a huge, five-story, inflatable screen. I spent most of the day walking around looking at airplanes. Those of you who know me know I was in complete heaven! I also took the opportunity to sit and watch people, which is a favorite past-time of mine.
We left Fond Du Lac around 3:00 PM on Friday afternoon after a breakfast at Eclipse Aviation to hear about their recent changes (we have an Eclipse flying in our fleet and a few more ordered). We landed in Salina for fuel yet again, then landed in Phoenix after going around some weather at about 5:00 PM. It was a wonderful week with perfect skies and temperatures for the airshow. I have several tans lines and was even called "my little Mexican" by John when I got home.
Speaking of getting home, I had been dreading it because I only had one day to move from Phoenix to Mesa and didn't know how I was going to get everything finished in time. When I walked into my apartment on Friday evening, I discovered that John had secretly been moving my things for me all week so I wouldn't be stressed! He was even really sick but still spent one night making trips back and forth with all the big stuff. All we had left to do on Saturday was move my bed and a few boxes. That just illuminates again what an incredible man I am marrying! I am so blessed to have him and sure love him.
