Air Zoo Pirep

Jim Rosenow

Line Up and Wait
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Jim Rosenow
Flew to Kalamazoo, Michigan today, and went thru the Air Zoo @ KAZO. Totally impressed with it.

A huge collection of very diverse aircraft, including many warbirds (Sue Parrish's pink P-40 is hanging in the entrance....for those of you who remember it all those years at Oshkosh). The gamut runs from a replica Wright Flyer, thru antiques and homebuilts, several Korean and Vietnam jet war birds, to an SR71.

Diversity continued with a section dedicated to space flight, and a special display area honoring the WASPs of WWII. There are several aviation-themed rides for kids of all ages, and some fully-enclosed, full-motion sims that let you play fighter ace. There's a nice cafeteria in the main building The food was good and a good value (for museum food).

You can taxi to the East exhibit building, and no fees of any sort, other than museum admission. The kicker?.... paid $3.20 for self-service 100LL before we left. It's hidden out of the way by the hangars on the SW corner of the field (thanks Garmin Pilot).

They have a web site for more info. No affiliation with the Zoo, or even Michigan for that matter :)

Jim

PS- Also found out why Cirri have the chute.....check the placque over the engine in the pic :)
 

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What does the plaque say? It's too small to read, and when I zoom in, it pixelates too much . . .
 
The problem with the Air Zoo is they quit flying their airplanes. Nothing sadder than a bunch of airworthy airplanes collecting dust. Don
 
Cirrus Mark III Engine.

I would take that as "Cirrus Mk III, Engine" rather than "Cirrus, Mk III Engine." That's just how I'm used to seeing things--item then version. But I know next to,nothing about Cirri other than they seem to come floating down rather often, and burn a lot when they don't . . . Oh, then there's the airframe life limit, and the fact that the majority of the plane must be white to keep the plastic from overheating, weakening, de-bonding, etc. And that I don't really want one.
 
The problem with the Air Zoo is they quit flying their airplanes. Nothing sadder than a bunch of airworthy airplanes collecting dust. Don

Oh, I thought they still flew some of them. It has been a few years since I was there. If true, it's sad.
 
So what was the old British Cirrus engine used in?
 
Avro 594 Avian IIIA, Cirrus Derby Racer and Great Lakes Sports Trainer 2T-1 :)

(I cheated...it was on the display).

Jim
 
Oh, I thought they still flew some of them. It has been a few years since I was there. If true, it's sad.

They haven't flown any of them for over 10 years. Too bad as they used to put the F4F, F6F and F8F up at the same time. They sold the F8F. Don
 
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