The Big O Photo Jam

Saturday, August 03, 2013

The shape of the new age: GreenWing International's eSpyder debuts at Oshkosh as a production kit, with orders being taken. First deliveries of the $39,900 Experimental Amateur Built kit will come in the last quarter of this year. Production has already begun. I was privileged to be the only non-GreenWing staffer to be allowed to fly the Yuneec-powered e-craft at the Oshkosh show. I'll have a full report in next month's issue. Short tell: the Ultralight flight pattern briefing was far more intimidating than my flight, which even in a bit of windy/gusty conditions was, truly and literally a breeze. I snapped some self-images with my smartphone in flight...and could hear the simulated shutter click of the phone! Yep: it's that quiet. Imagine a large fan in your living room: about that loud, quieter than two people talking or around 51 db. It's a fun bird to fly too.

In the wee and foot-throbbing hours after wandering the highways and byways of the vast Oshkosh Airventure showgrounds all day, here’s a taste of some of the cool things encountered so far from my abbreviated visit – my 32nd year in attendance since 1981…and every year brings new wonders and old friends: threads of gold and silver.

jlawrence

""If it flies, it's cool"" pretty much nails the ethos of James Lawrence. Milestones along the taxiway include boyhood obsessions with airplane models and science fiction; first flight lesson at 15 (Piper Cub); cadet at the U.S. Air Force Academy, (class of '67); sailplane lessons in the California desert when he could afford it; built and flew his first hang glider (1973); magazine and book author and actor (TJ on tv's SWAT); former Editor (Ultralight Aircraft, Outdoor Photographer, Plane & Pilot); freelance writer/photographer since 1992; current LSA Editor-at-Large. Rents a local Piper Cub in Great Barrington; still loves the sky, from ground and air.