EAA AirVenture Today - Friday, July 29, 2016

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Sponsor of the day

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Friday, July 29, 2016

Restore and Fly

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Snowbirds Go Camping

THE OFFICIAL DAILY NEWSPAPER OF EAA AIRVENTURE OSHKOSH

2 Million Young Eagles!

Full Schedule of Today’s Events

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www.EAA.org/airventure

THE ‘OTHER’ AIRVENTURE

Welcome to Paradise BY BARBARA A. SCHMITZ

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ou only need to walk the path lined with trees, tiki torches, and potted flowers once. As you come out to the picturesque cove along the Lake Winnebago shore, you know it is a place you will return to. Welcome to the “other” AirVenture grounds, the one that is less crowded and more peaceful. Welcome to paradise, otherwise known as the EAA Seaplane Base. While it is smaller than the regular air show and convention grounds, the Seaplane Base offers many of the same amenities and items you’ll find at Wittman Regional Airport: airplanes — albeit moored on Lake Winnebago, concessions, picnic tables, first aid, camping, musicians, exhibitors, and presentations. But it also offers more, including a cooling lakeside breeze, nighttime campfires, free pontoon boat tours of the harbor, and this year, a chance to see the Martin Mars up close.

PHOTO BY EAA PHOTO

As of Wednesday, 80 seaplanes and amphibians were already registered, well above the number seen at recent conventions, said Mary Leahy, Seaplane Base co-chairwoman. The number of people visiting the base is also up, likely because of the Martin Mars, the world’s largest flying-boat water bomber, Leahy said. Tim Klade, of Poynette, Wisconsin, and Kevin Kopp, of Pardeeville, Wisconsin, said they came to the Seaplane Base on Wednesday, in part to see the Martin Mars. It was the first visit there for both, even though they had attended AirVenture for many years. “I always plan to come to the Seaplane Base, but it seems like you look at this and you look at that, and then the day is gone,” Klade said. But this year, he made it a priority. “It’s so peaceful here that if I had a hammock, I could take a nap right now.” SEE PARADISE ON PAGE 3

Harrison Ford and Jodie Gawthrop made EAA history yesterday. For full Young Eagles coverage, see page 4. PHOTO BY JEANNIE GAINES

MEET THE FAA ADMINISTRATOR

Medical Reform Rules on Track

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he FAA is on track to draft new medical certification rules for pilots within the 180 days mandated by Congress in the FAA funding extension signed into law earlier this month, Agency Chief Michael Huerta said here at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh yesterday. “We know you are eager to get the rule in place, and we are committed to getting it done on that time-

line,” Huerta told attendees at the annual Meet the Administrator Forum. (The agency has a second six months to implement the rules.) In concert with EAA and other GA organizations, the FAA had already been working on medical reform, therefore, “a lot of work has already been done” on writing revised rules, he said. SEE FAA ON PAGE 3

The EAA Seaplane Base is known for its picturesque beauty and tranquility.


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