by Susan Dusenbury, VAA President, VAA 5721, EAA 55229
At the writing of this letter I imagine that many of you are making preparations for your annual sabbatical to Oshkosh for the convention. All of us here at Vintage headquarters are doing the same only more so. We are basically “going in all directions” to get everything organized and in place. Of interest to all of you, of course, are the events that will be taking place in the Vintage area.
As usual, we are expecting a vast array of pristine airplanes to grace our flight line. I hesitate to list the planes as some are still in the final stages of restoration and may not be completed in time to fly to AirVenture 2018. Some restorations in the past have literally been finished during the week of the convention and then flown in for the latter part of the week. I’ve always said that I can walk down the vintage flight line and get a whiff of drying paint.
Among our special events this year will be a WWI encampment with original (Not replica!) WWI fighters. A host of Travel Airs will be flying in on Sunday, July 22 as part of the American Barnstormers Tour. You certainly do want to see these beautiful biplanes. We are expecting 10-12 Travel Airs that are flying in with this tour. The owner of a DH-4 has committed to bringing this very rare two-seat biplane light bomber first used during WWI to AirVenture. The DH-4 will be parked with the WWI encampment. There is just way too much planned in Vintage this year for me to list in this letter.
Please scroll down to view currently scheduled 2018 activities at Vintage or click here to view a printable copy.
All of you are invited to join your officers and directors for a meet and greet/town hall meeting with donuts and coffee on Monday, July 23 in the Vintage Hangar from 7:30-8:45am. Join us later that same morning at 11:45 for the dedication of the Vintage Charles W. Harris Memorial Park which will take place in the park area located behind (to the west of!) the Vintage Hangar. Don’t miss this one! The program will open and close with the Ladies of Liberty (Think Andrews Sisters here!) singing some very popular songs from the WWII era. Vintage Day is held every year during convention on Wednesday.
A Vintage fund raiser will be held in the Vintage Tall Pines Café on Vintage Day from 11:30 am-1:00 pm where Steve and crew will serve hot dogs, apple pie and ice cream. Later that afternoon at 5:00pm VAA will hold its annual membership meeting followed by our annual Vintage Picnic at 6:30. Tickets for the picnic will be on sale in the Red Barn Hospitality Center. Alert! There is a cutoff on the number of tickets being sold. Do not wait until the last minute to get your ticket if you really want to be there!
As I said earlier, these are just a few of the many activities that will be happening at Vintage during AirVenture 2018. Stop by and join in. Vintage is the fun place to be!
VINTAGE AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION EVENTS – AirVenture 2018 (Updated 04-16-2018)
Special Events
- Fun and Affordable Airplane Showcase. Location: Across the paved road to the east of the Red Barn
- World War I aircraft encampment. Location: Across the paved road to the east of the Red Barn.
- Vintage milestone anniversary aircraft: Cessna 170, Swift, Hatz Biplane, Cessna 175. Location: Type club parking area south of the Hangar Café and west of the paved road.
- VAA Town Hall Meeting. Location: Vintage Hangar. Meet and talk to the VAA officers and directors over coffee and doughnuts. Monday, July 23, 8:00 -8:45 am. Coffee and doughnuts starting at 7:30 am.
- Dedication of the “Charles W. Harris Memorial Park”. Location: Behind the Vintage Hangar. Monday, July 23, 11:45 am. The Ladies for Liberty will be performing.
- Youth Day. Tuesday., July 24, 8:00 am-Noon. Vintage Hangar: Youth Forums. 11:00am-Noon. Interview Circle: Interviews with young aviators.
- Vintage Day, VAA fundraiser lunch. Location: Tall Pines Café. Wednesday, July 25, 11:30 am-1:00 pm. Hot dogs, apple pie and ice cream.
- Vintage Annual Membership Meeting. Location: Tall Pines Café. Wednesday, July 25, 5:00 pm-6:15 pm.
- Annual Vintage Picnic. Location: Tall Pines Café. Wednesday, July 25, 6:30pm. The Ladies for Liberty will be performing. Tickets on sale at the Red Barn.
- Ladies Day at Interview Circle. Thursday, July, 26, 11:00 am – Noon. Interviews with ladies in aviation.
- Vintage Lindy Awards Ceremony. Location: Vintage Hangar. Saturday, July 28, 6:00 pm.
Pre-Convention
- Tall Pines Café. Sat., July 21 and Sun., July 22. Open for breakfast (6:30-9:30 am) AND supper (4:30 pm-7:00 pm).
- Vintage Red Barn. Hospitality. Lemonade and popcorn. VAA history on display. Information desk. Sat., July 21, 1:00 pm-5:00 pm. Sun., July 22, 9:00 am-5:00 pm.
- American Barnstormer Tour planes. Arrive Sunday, July 22, midday.
- Red Barn Merchandise Sales. Sunday, July 22, 8:00 am – 6:00 pm.
Daily Events
- Aircraft Judging: Monday, July 23, 9:45 am through Friday, July 27, Noon
- Vintage Bookstore. Location: Behind the bleachers. Monday-Friday 9:00 am-4:00 pm.
- Vintage Hangar – Forums M-F 9:00 am – noon, Type Clubs M-F Noon – 5:00 pm
- Vintage Red Barn. Hospitality. Lemonade and popcorn. VAA history on display. Information desk. Mon., July 23-Sat., July 28, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm. Sunday, July 29, 9:00 am-3:00 pm.
- Vintage in Review at Interview Circle. Bill and Myrt Rose Park. M-F. 11:00 am-Noon. Daily OX-5 engine run and Ladies for Liberty will be opening the program every day.
- Tall Pines Café. Mon., July 23-Sat., July 28. 6:30 am-9:30 am. Breakfast.
- Hand propping demonstration. Location: Just west of the bleachers beside the Bookstore. M-F. 10:00am and 1:00pm. (Except Mon., 10:00 am and 2:00 pm.)
- Metal shaping workshop. Location: Vintage Hangar South door -Metal shaping workshop M-F
- Vintage Charging Station. Sun., July 22-Sun., July 29. 8 am-5:00 pm. Closes at noon on July 29.
- Red Barn. Merchandise sales. M-T-Th-F: 8 am – 6 pm. Open to 8 pm W & S. Closed at noon July 29.