Last Call -- Your Invitation to the 16th Annual HOPS Party

Jay Honeck

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Jay Honeck
We are just a couple of weeks out -- man, I can hardly wait!

This is your official invitation to our annual HOPS Party in the North 40 during Oshkosh Airventure. ("HOPS" stands for "Homebuilt, Owning, Piloting, and Student" -- the old rec.aviation Usenet groups that pre-date the modern internet.)

Mary and I are long-term EAAers, and this will be our 36th consecutive Oshkosh Fly-In! As always, this party will be held at our campsite in the North 40 aircraft camping area on Wednesday during the week of Airventure. This year, that will be Wednesday, July 25, 2018.

If you're wondering what it's all about, here are some pix from each year's event. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/...073741826.100000777116758&type=1&l=2c184c945a

It's laid back, fun, and allows all of us to put faces with the names we've seen on-line for years. Amelia's Landing Hotel provides the food, while "admission" is a six-pack of good beer from your hometown. Because we're from everywhere, this lets us all sample beers from all over the country. It's great fun!

How does one find this party, you ask, in a sea of aircraft? It's actually easy, with a bit of planning. Simply stop at the EAA booth at the entrance to the North 40, and either give them our name, or our N-number -- N14EG. They will vector you right in to our site.

Just remember that the EAA camping booth closes around 6 PM, so you should obtain the party location earlier in the day. (Someone usually posts it here as well.)

The party starts after the airshow ends -- we usually have a nice crowd watching the arrivals/departures that begin as soon as they reopen the airspace. Bring a chair if you can, as that's usually what runs out first.

If all else fails, look for the blood red RV-8A named "Amelia" in the North 40. It will probably be the only RV-8A out there! We also usually fly an enormously tall Texas flag over our site, so that should help to track us down, too.

Hope to see you there!
--
Jay & Mary

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Dang! Wish I were going this year. I think 2019 will be the year I make it back out to Oshkosh and will plan for a visit to the HOPS party!
 
Today was a great day for 55 minutes of intense OSH practice.

Flying around at 90 knots and precisely 1800' MSL always feels odd. Right hand tight, tight, tight landing patterns do, too.

I was clearly rusty in slow flight. Nailed it, after a few minutes of chasing speed and altitude.

Hitting the (imaginary) dot in an RV is almost too easy. :)

I'm ready for the Rwy 27 approach. This guarantees I will be assigned 18R. lol

See y'all in OSH!
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See you there. I know what you mean about piddling around at 90 knots, not so easy in the Mooney either. I'm supposed to fly in formation with another Mooney, but I have strong doubts it's going to happen.
 
So silly me opened my mouth about a year ago and volunteered to take a group of Boy Scouts scuba diving in the Keys the week after Oshkosh. Actually I volunteered to go as the 3rd adult and the other two bailed on me, leaving me holding the bag. Regardless, two weeks in a row out of work are not in the cards this year unless something changes very quickly.
 
See you there. I know what you mean about piddling around at 90 knots, not so easy in the Mooney either. I'm supposed to fly in formation with another Mooney, but I have strong doubts it's going to happen.

Formation flying is fun, but exhausting.

We used to fly LOOSE formation with folks from Iowa City into Oshkosh. By the time we arrived in the FISK approach, I was bushed!

I am truly excited to see you and China again, my friend. After 2017, I honestly didn't think it would happen again.

Better yet, my liver is fortified and ready for whatever you may dish out! :)
 
HI - I'm far from being a regular on here, but looking forward to catching up with you all since my first drop in 2 years ago. cheers :)
 
Have you ever said something that you wish you had never said? I have :(

I now only fly to OSH every second year, odd numbered years.
If you do bring your guitar all the way to OSH this year, I am going to be seriously sorry to miss that Andrew.
My sincere apologies for the offence.
 
I now only fly to OSH every second year, odd numbered years.
If you do bring your guitar all the way to OSH this year, I am going to be seriously sorry to miss that Andrew.
My sincere apologies for the offence.

No offense taken at all. I was just messing around. The regret I was referring to was admitting to liking Celine, and henceforth becoming the "Celine guy!" It's a heavy burden, lol.

I don't intend to pack the guitar for Osh, so you aren't missing anything. Not that you'd be missing much anyway. ;)
 
Gotta bring the guitar. Two reasons 1) united breaks guitars - you can show them how not do that 1) you play some wicked guitar.
 
Gotta bring the guitar. Two reasons 1) united breaks guitars - you can show them how not do that 1) you play some wicked guitar.
I plan to go hear the Hadfield boys on guitar at their forum session. Chris managed to get his all the way up to the space station without breaking it!
 
We are in Row 509, right up by Rwy 27.

We will have a big white chalet awning tent and a tall Texas flag. See y'all Wednesday!

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I plan to go hear the Hadfield boys on guitar at their forum session. Chris managed to get his all the way up to the space station without breaking it!

Clearly he didn't fly United...
 
The chalet is up!

Row 509, about 150 ' from Rwy 27. Coffee in the morning, beer in the evening.

If you see the Texas flag up, stop in!
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Beer and insect repellant. Not sure which is more important.
 
I gotta ask Jay because every time I see that picture I laugh. Is the guy with the beard and the green backpack with you or just some guy who wandered up to see what was going on? He just looks like he's first in line for something.
 
You folks have a great time. Got called home yesterday afternoon. I will be back in on the Friday Company trip, with a gaggle of high school kids in tow.
 
I gotta ask Jay because every time I see that picture I laugh. Is the guy with the beard and the green backpack with you or just some guy who wandered up to see what was going on? He just looks like he's first in line for something.
That's Nick, our friend who stashes ALL that stuff (in our trailer) in one of the barns on his family's farm.

Without him, we would be in a pup tent.

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Who’s the ROCK ON dude \m/ ?
 
We had a great turnout, and the storms held off until everyone was fed and beered! :)
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Jay, this was an off year for OSH for me, but after the year you just went through I think you and Mary deserve a great deal of credit and a PoA tip 'o the hat for pulling this one off! Happy to hear Mother Nature held off the deluge.

Everyone, enjoy the rest of the week and a safe journey home.
 
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How did the lights work out?
Awesome! We didn't get arrested! lol

(FYI: Jim made blinky lights for our big Texas flagpole out of two Corona beer bottles and some VERY bright LEDs.)

I posted a video of them in action on Facebook. They were so bright we had to turn them off during the night airshow.

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Awesome! We didn't get arrested! lol

(FYI: Jim made blinky lights for our big Texas flagpole out of two Corona beer bottles and some VERY bright LEDs.)

I posted a video of them in action on Facebook. They were so bright we had to turn them off during the night airshow.

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Kewl. Glad they worked out for you.

NOW, get thee to an aircraft surplus house or junkyard and get 4 Adel clamps (those are the metal clamps with a black rubber cushion around the clampy part). two to fit the beer bottles and two to fit the mast. Get a couple of screws and nuts to fit the holes on the clamps. bolt the two clamps for one bottle together and bolt the two clamps for the other bottle together. bingo. now you can take the bottles on and off at the beginning and end of the show instead of that horrible Gorilla tape. you are losing half your brightness in the tape.

Jim
 
Kewl. Glad they worked out for you.

NOW, get thee to an aircraft surplus house or junkyard and get 4 Adel clamps (those are the metal clamps with a black rubber cushion around the clampy part). two to fit the beer bottles and two to fit the mast. Get a couple of screws and nuts to fit the holes on the clamps. bolt the two clamps for one bottle together and bolt the two clamps for the other bottle together. bingo. now you can take the bottles on and off at the beginning and end of the show instead of that horrible Gorilla tape. you are losing half your brightness in the tape.

Jim
The whole set up is safely stored in the OSH trailer until OSH '19.

One of us will have to remember the Adel clamps. lol

Thanks again -- they were awesome!

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