2010 National Biplane Fly In

Junction City, Kansas

June 3rd, 4th, & 5th

THE BEST FLY IN I HAVE EVER ATTENDED!!!

I left home very early on Friday morning June 4th. It was still pretty dark, and the sun was just coming over the horizon when I had the airplane out and was almost ready to go. My first fuel stop was Limon, Colorado. Not a very long leg, but I had just finished my annual "Condition" inspection and wanted to check everything on the Stampe. Anne drove this trip so we would have ground transportation in Junction City. She left home about 15 minutes before I took off. I passed her on the highway before I got to Limon. She passed me while I was getting fuel in Limon. The weather along the route was beautiful. Nice cool flying all the way to Hays. It was getting warmer there so I made the last leg in a short sleeve shirt and no jacket. The Stampe really likes flying at lower altitudes. My GPS speed leaving Colorado Springs was about 72 mph. On the leg from Hays to Junction City the GPS was showing 100 mph. This was only partially due to a tail wind. Junction City airport is 1100' ASL (Above Sea Level). I flew most of the flight between 500' and 1500' AGL (Above Ground Level).

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I made two additional fuel stops on the trip. The second was in Goodland, Kansas. While on the ground in Goodland Anne walked up to me on the ramp. I was really surprised to see her. She left before I did and again took the lead. My third fuel stop was Hays, Kansas. When I got to Hays, I called Anne on the cell phone and found that she was still about 10 miles out. She got gas in Hays and I believe she again took the lead for a short ways. I got to Junction City about 3:00 PM (their time) and Anne pulled in about 15 minutes later. The Stampe did as she was asked to do. Friday was a very good day. There were a number of Biplanes already there when I arrived. I had the only Stampe on the field. I am afraid that I did not get pictures of all the airplanes in attendance. In addition to the biplanes there were a number of other airplanes, some antiques, some homebuilt's, some Cessna's, etc. I am estimating that by the end of the event there were probably @40 to 50 biplanes and twice that many other aircraft.

For the past 23 years there has been a National Biplane Fly In held in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. They announced last year that they were done. This year the EAA chapter in Junction City announced that they were going to take it over. They had the help and support of several local aviation organizations including a nearby chapter of the Antique Airplane Association. I was absolutely amazed at the welcome I received. There were many volunteers doing everything that needed to be done. I was met coming off the runway with a cart sporting a "follow me" flag. I was parked by a guy with batons. Several volunteers approached after I shut down and welcomed me and ask if there was anything they could do to help me get tied down, etc. They also handed me a bottle of very cold (partially frozen) water. As soon as I got the Stampe secured there was a shuttle right there to take me to registration. When I finished registering there was the shuttle again to take me back to the Stampe. Things like this went on all weekend. When ever I needed something there were folks right there to help and to answer questions. When Anne arrived she was allowed to park on the field, near where the Stampe was parked. This made unloading and reloading things like our chairs easy and convenient. I am telling you that these people really know how to take care of pilots and their guest! There was no registration fee or admission fee for anyone. Early arrivals were on Thursday. Friday was arrivals and registration and a great dinner and baseball game at the end of the day. The baseball field was just across a pasture from the airport. We were delivered to the baseball field in a shuttle/wagon behind a pickup. Saturday was buddy rides and just hanging out with the airplane folks and the public. I met a guy who had been a DC3 test pilot. He also test flew the C 46 which I understand was the largest twin engine airplane ever built. Lots and lots of interesting people in attendance. The awards were given out at 2:00 in the afternoon and every thing wound down after that. It was really a great fly in!

Following I have grouped the airplanes present as best I can:

 

STEARMANS:

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WACOS:

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This was my absolute favorite airplane at the Fly IN! It belongs to and was flown to Junction City by a friend of a friend from Mesa, Arizona. It is a 1928 WACO. Really beautiful and expertly restored by her owner!

2010NBPFI 073.JPG (332175 bytes) 2010NBPFI 075.JPG (332011 bytes)

 

ACROSPORTS: 

2010NBPFI 012.JPG (360989 bytes) 2010NBPFI 066.JPG (416864 bytes) 2010NBPFI 019.JPG (248658 bytes) 2010NBPFI 004.JPG (286067 bytes) 2010NBPFI 033.JPG (335841 bytes) 2010NBPFI 016.JPG (333376 bytes)

 

OTHER BIPLANES:

The first two pictures here are of our Stampe which brought home an award for Judges Choice "Exemplary" Biplane! On Saturday while attending this fly in, a couple of very old friends of mine showed up. One drove from Smolan, Kansas, the other from Valley Center, Kansas. The third picture was taken by my friend Chuck Asbury (Valley Center) while I was giving him a ride in the Stampe.

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ANTIQUES:

The first picture is of a very nice 1936 Fairchild 24 with a Warner Engine. I once owned a '36 24G. Nice airplane, but underpowered in Kansas. I can imagine flying one in Colorado!

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HOMEBUILTS:

Very nice RV4 for sale:

2010NBPFI 024.JPG (259793 bytes) 2010NBPFI 025.JPG (272020 bytes) 2010NBPFI 085.JPG (349285 bytes) 2010NBPFI 086.JPG (403563 bytes)

I wish I had been able to take more homebuilt pictures. I was pretty busy on Saturday and simply did not get to that end of the field to take more pictures. There were a lot of homebuilt's there.

 

OTHER AIRPLANES:

I think the guy who owns the airplane in the first two pictures hangs around truck stops too much! :>' }

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THE AIRPORT AND OTHER STUFF:

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THE SURROUNDING AREA AND SOME PERSONAL HISTORY:

I was stationed at Fort Riley for 17 months back in '69 and '70. Since Fort Riley is now an "open" post we drove through and took some pictures. The first two pictures were of a house in Ogden where I lived during that time. It was small but in much nicer condition then. The First Capitol of Kansas is on Fort Riley. Also a house where Custer lived.

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The following pictures were taken on Fort Riley. The second one was the house where Custer lived. The third is the US Calvary Museum. When I was at Fort Riley they had a very torn and blood stained 7th Calvary Flag from "Custer's Last Stand" at the Little Big Horn in Montana.

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THE TRIP HOME:

I left Junction City around 5:30 am on Sunday. I stopped in Russell, Kansas, Oakley, Kansas, and Burlington, Colorado on the trip home. There were some rain showers east of Oakley. I first started to divert to the south, but it quickly became evident that around to the north would be better. Arriving in Oakley the runway was wet, but the weather was good. They do not have a card reader for fuel in Oakley so I had to get a guy from the truck stop to come over and unlock the pumps. That was time consuming. I beat Anne to Oakley, but when I arrived in Burlington, there was Anne, waiting on me! We left Burlington at the same time and I beat her home by about 20 minutes.

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CONCLUSION:

We brought home an award! Judges Choice - Exemplary Biplane

I was more than a little surprised. I see the Stampe as a nice airplane, but not competitive when it comes to showing. Still, I am very grateful for the judges choosing our airplane for this award. Here are a couple of pictures:

2010NBPFI 102.JPG (272936 bytes) 2010NBPFI 103.JPG (268967 bytes)

Finally I want to say thank you to my wife! After a long trip on Friday I found myself busy talking to people about the Stampe, and noticed that Anne was cleaning. She had a rag in her hand and was wiping down oil and cleaning bugs off the wings. I know that there are a lot of us who are blessed with "GOOD" wives, but I feel particularly blessed! Not a grumble, not a complaint, just pitching in and doing what needed to be done. The entire weekend and trip were the same way. The airplanes were great, the other pilots were interesting, the volunteers and organizers of the fly in were simply amazing, but particularly my wife made it a great weekend! Thank you Anne!

All in all this was a great trip. We really had a good time. This was the best fly in I have ever attended. Very well worth the trip! Could you picture a formation of EAA Chapter 72 biplanes and a formation of EAA Chapter 72 homebuilt's all  arriving at Junction City next year? Would that be great or what?