Page 6 - July21T

It’s 2021, and it’s the summer of YES.
YES, we are back in the air and out into the world. YES, we are slowly eliminating the need for those pandemic-
related words such as social distancing, masked up, limited capacity and shutdowns. And YES, we’re setting our sights on EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
Like the Joni Mitchell song goes, sometimes you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone. Last summer, there was a gaping hole in my calendar and in my aviation life called Oshkosh. I missed seeing old friends; I missed the sights and sounds of the air show; I yearned to walk among the long rows of classic, antique and warbird aircraft; and I was even nostalgic for the often neurotic weather of northern Wisconsin. Okay, maybe not the steamy, humid part of the Wisconsin July weather experience, but the 75-and-dry days that highlight our AirVenture mental memory book.
by Dianne White
It’s a great regional event concept we invented pre- pandemic but had to mothball in 2020. But this being the summer of YES, we held our first Uncowled event and it was a huge success. Beyond the educational value, everyone simply enjoyed being together with like-minded owner-pilots who share their passion for aviation. We enjoyed a KC barbecue lunch and were treated to ice cream at the end of the day, giving us time to catch up on family news, flying stories and show each other the latest avionics or improvements that we’ve made to our planes. (No ice cream was dripped on any carpet.) While 2020 was the year of NO for most, it was the year of YES when it came to avionics upgrades and paint/interior transformations.
One quick story: Midway through the event, a man hesitantly stepped into the hangar and approached one of our hosts. Turns out he was a local member who happened
I got a small taste of what it’s like to be back to fun aviation events in early June when MMOPA and Mead Aircraft Services hosted a member event in Kansas City. Called MMOPA Uncowled, it was a one-day event where PA46 maintenance guru Kevin Mead took owners through a detailed walk- around of several uncowled aircraft to help them learn how to be better stewards of their aircraft, understand and see how various systems work together, and arm them with information to more effectively troubleshoot problems or an inflight emergency.
4 • TWIN & TURBINE / July 2021
Position Report
PHOTO COURTESY OF BRETT SCHAUF