Monday, September 13, 2010

Get your tickets here . . .

Advance ticket purchases are once again available online for admission, camping, food, etc.  

We offer these as a convenience to those attending and feel that it offers you the following advantages:
  1. guaranteed to have a ticket when there are limited amounts available; or 
  2. limit the amount of cash that you need to carry as we do not have ways to process credit cards
  3. speeds up the registration process once you arrive

IMPORTANT - On the flip side, we do not offer refunds for unused tickets - for any reason.   This event is a fund raiser for the airport's operation fund since it does not receive federal, state, local, grant, or stimulus funding.  So, any unused tickets proceeds will go towards the airport's operation fund to absorb disasters such as last year's rain-out and to keep it going for future generations to enjoy.

Drive In Admission Ticket - $15 per person 
*   12 and under free with adult
*   Good for entire weekend

*   Limited to first 750 sold 
Fly In Admission Ticket - $10 per person 
*   12 and under free with adult
*   Good for entire weekend
*   Currently not limited on number sold 
Shuttle bus tickets - $6 per person per round trip
*   Only goes to Clifty Inn Lodge

*   Reserved for fly-in guests only 
Friday night dinner ticket - $15 (requires reservation) 
Saturday night dinner ticket - $12.50 (requires reservation) 
Auto Camping pass -  $15 per vehicle
*   Friday noon until Sunday 4PM  
*   Limited to 30 spots 
*   One vehicle/tent per spot  
Fly In Camping pass - $15 per plane
*   Friday noon until Sunday 4PM
*   Currently not limited on number sold
*   2 tents per plane max 

Purchase tickets by clicking on the following links:
CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE VIA OUR ONLINE STORE USING PAYPAL
CLICK HERE TO MAIL IN A FORM WITH A CHECK


Deadlines for purchasing advance tickets:
  • ALL Mailed In tickets:  Received by Thursday 9/16
  • Admission, Shuttle Bus, and Camping passes:  Noon, Wed 9/22
  • Fri & Sat Meal Tickets and Reservations:  Noon, Fri 9/17

After I purchase my tickets, what happens?  

The tickets will be available at the event.  Please bring your receipt with you and be willing to show your id, if asked, to receive your tickets.  They will be at the following locations:

Pre-purchased admission tickets & camping passes can be picked up at
*  Main Entrance gate for those arriving via car
*  Pilot Registration Tent for those arriving via plane

All pre-purchased meal tickets and shuttle bus tickets will be available at the Pilot Registration tent.

Around the world in an RV-7


Detlef Heun and Liliana Tagliamonte are flying this RV-7 around the world over the next two years.  Their expansive route is impressive in many ways and to fully appreciate it, you must visit their website.


During the two weeks prior to Oshkosh, Detlef and Liliana stayed with us here at Lee Bottom to rest up and ended up insisting on working around the field.  Here's a photo of Detlef giving the mowing rig a good workout.


We're not sure how Detlef ended up in all these photos but here he is again.  On this day, we found them parked under the legendary Oshkosh brown arch and while there, Detlef pulled out a Lee Bottom Flying Field decal and affixed it to their flying machine.  We are extremely honored that they would want to carry our logo with them around the world.  Knowing all the amazing work they put into this modified RV-7, it is extremely gratifying to know we earned a spot on its very slick finish.

Our Fly In Sponsors Are The Best

The following is a list of sponsors for the 14th Annual Wood, Fabric, and Tailwheels Fly In to be held September 25, 2010.  Please support this great group as they have gone out of their way to help us make this event one of the best yet.

This group was founded by Jed Keck a few years back after the National Biplane Association decided to call it quits and go home. Jed's organization is rapidly increasing in size and his online collection of biplane photos, stories, information, and legends is hard to beat. Each day, it seems, he ads more and more to the collection of anything and everything biplane. But Jed's greater goal is to have a group of biplane enthusiasts around the world that will carry the flame for these wonderful old planes and perhaps hold a worldwide biplane fly-in on the same day each year where ever they may be. We want to thank the IBA for sponsoring our event and we hope you will take a look at his group join up.  http://www.internationalbiplane.com/

Poly-Fiber Aircraft Coatings
Poly-Fiber is today’s premier covering and paint system for antique, classic, and homebuilt aircraft.   Take a look around any at any gathering of these aircraft and you will see what the system has to offer.   Over the years I have flown a great many planes covered with Poly-Fiber and have never seen anything but great results from the system.    A big thanks goes out to Poly-Fiber for their continued support of our kind of aviation. http://www.polyfiber.com/

Randolph Aircraft Products
Randolph Aircraft Products' nitrate and butyrate dopes are made right here in America and are still the choice for recovering jobs that require the ultimate in authenticity.   Furthermore, a lot of people out there have shown original dope systems can be just as slick as newer processes and thankfully Randolph continues to supply these time tested products to the aviation community.   A big thanks goes out to Randolph for their continued support of our kind of aviation.http://www.randolphaircraft.com/

American Air Campers Association
There is a new association dedicated to pilots and families with a passion for camping under the wing - American Air Campers Association (AACA). Founded by long-time pilot and camping-enthusiast, Don Abbott, the American Air Campers Association is the culmination of five years of research and planning.  If you love camping with your plane, have thoughts of camping with your plane, or are curious about the possibilities of camping with your plane, check this group out. They have a wonderful staff, a great group of advisers, and will help you get the most out of any air camping experience.  http://www.americanaircampers.net/

Signature Engines
Signature Engines Inc. is a well known and respected aircraft engine overhaul shop that stands behind its service.  Based at Lunken Field, Cincinnati, this shop believes so much in what they do that they have been known to take on the FAA to stop questionable methods allowed by the same.   If you want an engine you can trust, give Signature Engines a call.   They care about their customers and do what it takes to put the best product out the door.    We cannot say enough good about them. 

Aeronautical Charters, Inc
Maybe you have an important meeting to attend, family to see, or maybe you just want to get away with as little hassle as possible.  If this is you, maybe you should give ACI a call.  Based at Page Field in Ft. Meyers Florida, this charter company offers a varied fleet of aircraft to meet your every need.  Offering charter flying throughout the USA and beyond, this company offers personal service that many find missing in most of today's charter operations.  Reliable personable service is what you get at ACI and we highly recommend them for your charter needs.  http://www.goflyaci.com/

Maverick Insurance
Maverick Insurance, founded in 2004, offers something for just about everyone.  With locations in Kentucky, Indiana, and Illinois, this company has grown significantly in the past six years by building close personal relationships with their clients.  But perhaps most important to you is the fact that they also offer aviation insurance.  If you have a wide range of insurance demands and find yourself in need of someone that can handle it all, give these folks a call. 

Thatcher CX-4
This airplane has been getting a lot of good press and for good reason.  This simple, easy to build, single seat aircraft looks great, apparently flies very well, and is cheap to build.  Furthermore, a local guy, Peter Beck, has been making kits that I hear are the cat's meow.  Every now and then, when everyone is going all crazy over new technology, new materials, and gee whiz gimmicks, someone comes along to offer a truly inexpensive fun plane to own.  This is the CX-4.  Look for several of these planes, including the company demonstrator, to be on hand at the fly-in.  The demo plane will be in the vendor area and the guys will be there to answer any questions.  Also, be sure to thank them for the sponsorship. http://www.thatchercx4.com/

Jeff Lumpkin (Quality Assurance Management, Inc.)
Pilot and quality control expert extraordinaire.  Contact Jeff if you have a project in need of a professional quality control service.  http://www.pqam.com/

Merstitch International
If you own a piece of clothing with our logo on it, you may have wondered what company would dare take the responsibility of stitching such a detailed, multi-color logo for people who are very picky about such things.  If so, that company is Merstitch International.  Mike Merrell, the founder, has done every piece of Lee Bottom logo embroidered clothing ever created and along the way helped with printed shirts too.  If you would like some of the same high quality work for your company, you should not hesitate to contact Mike.  He has experience with large corporate accounts, small operations like us, and everything in between.  In addition to that, he has a pilot's license. http://www.merstitch.com/

Alcorn Goering and Sage, LLP

Alcorn Goering and Sage, LLP is a local general practice law firm with extensive litigation experience, representing a diverse group of clients. One of the partners, Wil Goering, is quickly becoming one of the hardest working members of the Lee Bottom Family and has helped us in many ways. This year he offered to help raise sponsorship funds, find volunteers, be a volunteer, take photographs, drive a shuttle bus, and just about anything else. During our time working with Wil, we have found him and his law firm to be well respected and are glad to have them as a sponsor. http://www.agslawyers.com/

Derrick Engineering, Inc
Dave Derrick and his company, Derrick Engineering, Inc, have been volunteering their efforts here at Lee Bottom for as long as we can remember.  If you have a construction project that involves anything dealing with the movement or use of water, Derrick Engineering, Inc, is the place to call.

Anderson Sales and Service
This locally owned company has been providing the fly-in with John Deere Gators for over 4 years.  They carry a wide variety of equipment:  from Gators, to ATV's, to customized Honda Goldwing Trikes, to weed trimmers and mowers.  It's a family owned business dedicated to customer satisfaction and they carry the best equipment money can buy.  If you need something they have, we encourage you to give them a chance at your business. http://www.andersonssales.com/

Reed's Orchard and Farm
This locally owned farm, in the same family since the 1800's, produces a wide range of crops but it is best known for the amazing peaches grown there.  Yet these are not the reasons they make the sponsorship list.  This family and some of their kids, have been part of the Lee Bottom Family since way back when.  A few of them have even volunteered at every fly-in to date starting when they were as young as six years old.  Whenever we need some heavy lifting or special assistance that only a group of intelligent farmers could offer, they always come to the rescue.  Be it equipment, bush hogging, manual labor, paper work, or even controlled burning, these folks have continuously offered us a great deal of sponsorship through the use of their minds and backs.  There are no words that can thank them enough.

Work kampers

Debbie and Carey's motorhome looking out of the runway
Every year, it seems that we are fortunate to have work kamper volunteers to bail us out in the time of need.  This year is no different.  A couple weeks back, we received an email from Debbie Smith and Carey Kriger asking if we needed any help in ramping up for the fly-in.

Unfortunately, they said they could only be here for 3 weeks and would have to miss the fly-in.  That didn't seem right to have helpers working on an event that they would have to miss but they assured us that it would be a fun time for them and so they came to help out.  Fortunately for us, Debbie is a glutton for manual labor and Carey has a knack for anything requiring mechanics or engineering.    

Currently we are introducing them to a rural lifestyle and they are helping us out tremendously.   We'll be sad to see them go this week; but in the meantime, if you stop by and see them out slaving around the field, you might offer to take them flying or at least thank them for the long hours they have been working to help us make your event even better.

Larry, Sharon, Pam, Ginger, Kirk, Rich
Many of the Work Kampers we've hosted over the years have become long term friends and we know that many of you have also become friends them so we thought we'd give you an up date on two of the couples.

A few weeks back, we had dinner with Pam and Kirk Wood (2005 season) and Larry and Sharon Hagen (2009 season).   All are doing well!  Pam and Kirk are still enjoying the work kamper lifestyle and have many interesting stories to share about their adventures.  While, Larry and Sharon have settled down a little and purchased a small house about 45 miles away from us.  They still have their motorhome and enjoy traveling but they are now closer to the grandchildren and enjoy visiting with them as much as possible.

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Send A Message To Washington (Part 2 of 2)

The guy who owned Lee Bottom Flying Field before us was named Fritz Hagemann. Fritz was one in a million; a truly unforgettable man possessing a great way with words. When he spoke, you remembered what he said.
Gone from us ten years now, I still sit and think of the many conversations and debates we shared before he passed. These were unforgettable times and because of them, the thought has at times crossed my mind that I'm glad he is not alive to see what our has become of our country. He was honorable and self reliant, he cherished freedom, and despised nothing more than the ideology held by the majority of those in Washington today. He was also my friend with whom I saw eye to eye on all but the most trivial things. Therefore, with him in mind, this year we are going to offer a new service at the fly-in.
In an effort to offer you some background on this service I offer the following. Years ago, during conversations between Fritz and myself about the state of things in Washington DC, Fritz would often get so worked up, he would say, “IT’S TIME TO SEND A MESSAGE TO WASHINGTON!” and into his office he would go to do so.  Some time later, he would emerge feeling better about himself and the state of things in general.
Thinking that many of you might also be so worked up that you might want to send a message to your representatives in Washington, we have decided to give you the chance. When you arrive at the fly-in, look for these words, “SEND A MESSAGE TO WASHINGTON” affixed to booths around the airport. When you see one, please step inside to send your message. It’s what Fritz would have done. (Note, this service works sitting or standing).

Whose Team Are You On (Part 1 of a 2 Part Series)

Pilots, I believe, are inherently freedom oriented. Created to capture the freedom of birds, manned flight is at one time both an act of freedom and quest for freedom.  And here in the home land of freedom, it should be no surprise to future generations that this is where that freedom became a successful reality.  Sadly though, we pilots have known far longer than the general population that freedom is under attack.
Yes, it is easy to see that it was aviation’s symbolic role in freedom that made it such an effective weapon in the hearts and minds of Americans on 9/11.  But often it is more difficult to accept what our own eyes are telling us when it is our very own citizens on the attack.  Is it the curse of thinking the best of people, or maybe that we are lazy, or more likely our unwillingness to face reality that keeps us from accepting what we see?  Whatever it is, I know that aviation has long served as a test bed for politicians wishing to gauge the willingness of a people to bequeath their freedom to others.  Most terrifying though has been the eagerness of our sport and our leaders to hand it over.  This my friends CANNOT continue if we are to survive as a sport and a nation.  You are either for freedom, or you are against it.  And, it is time we all decide whose team we are on.

IMPORTANT FLY-IN INFORMATION - RSVP's REQUIRED FOR DINNER

This year, once again, we will be holding the very popular "Early Arriver" dinner on Friday night.  So, for those of you who don't want to mess around with the traffic on Saturday, we are inviting you to come join us for dinner, music by the The Rascals of Ragtyme, a movie on the hangar wall, and a bonfire for some great fire-pit flying.  In 2008, 150 planes and over 400 people attended this part of the event.
                                                               
Then on Saturday, if you find yourself worn out from watching all the planes and you just don't have enough time or energy to make home, you are invited to join us for another dinner that night. 


If you'd like to attend the Friday and/or Saturday night dinners, it is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT you make a reservation so that we will know how much food to have prepared. 


This year, these meals will require a RESERVATION FEE of $5.


The providers of these meals require us to guarantee food amounts. And since we are responsible for paying for the guaranteed amount no matter what happens, we need an accurate count. Please note that the cost of all meals is passed on to you at our cost and we do not charge the caterers/vendors any fees to attend the event in order to keep your costs minimized. Furthermore, we have chosen to require the reservation fee instead of increasing the price of the meals in order to cover no-shows and other circumstances which might require out of pocket expenses. The reservation is required to attend the meal and the small fee is credited to the total price of your meal when you arrive.

FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER
Country Style Ribs
Grilled Citrus Chicken
Broccoli & Cauliflower Casserole
Smokey Beans
Hash Brown Casserole
Rolls
Dessert
   Drinks (diet coke, coke, sprite, iced tea, coffee, and water)
A cash bar will also be available for wine and beer.
The buffet style dinner is $15 per person.
The reservation fee is $5 per person
and is credited to your dinner ticket purchase.


SATURDAY NIGHT DINNER
Pizza
Salad
Pumpkin Pie
Cold beverages
The dinner is $12.50 per person.
The reservation fee is $5 per person and is credited to your dinner ticket purchase.
Both dinners are open to anyone and everyone
but a RESERVATION IS REQUIRED
to attend and 
must be made by Noon Friday, Sept 17


Both dinners start at approximately 6:30 PM.

Click here and go to "Tickets and Reservations" to RSVP

PLEASE PASS THIS INFORMATION ON TO ANYONE YOU KNOW WHO MIGHT ATTEND.