Bernie,

 

You are now forgiven for not being at OSH!  I would love to have been there, but being here at OSH tonight was also very memorable.  Tonight at the Theater in the Woods, Burt Rutan and Richard Branson announced the formation of a new company (The Spaceship Co.) to mass produce suborbital ships carrying up to 9 passengers!  First order is for 5 ships for a total of around $130,000,000.  A lot of tickets are already spoken for, and they introduced the first couple intending to take a ride on their honeymoon.  Interior will be designed to allow passengers to unstrap and float at 0 G for up to 5 minutes.  The design, Spaceship 2, will be an upscale of the existing design.

 

The White Knight (mothership) and Spaceship One arrived here yesterday on their way to the National Air & Space museum.  Burt, Mike Melville, Brian Binnie and Paul Allen were also on the program.

 

On an earthier note, I ran into Chuck Dunlap, and we counted at least 6 rotary powered aircraft here.  Tracy, are you coming or has the weather gotten to you?

 

My name can be found at the end of the Airventure Cup results.  My story is that I purposely pulled the power back so as to be able to help any stragglers.  More accurately, the 30-kt headwind and 100 F temps made any attempt for speed futile.  I chose not to join the die-hards down at corn-tassel height just to avoid the wind!  More excuses will come to mind as time passes.

 

Only been here three days, but it has been too hot, too cold, too dry and too wet already.

 

Bill Eslick

RV-6 13B 350 HRS