www.PSFmagazine.com | October-November 2018 | 23 22 | October-November 2018 | Powered Sport Flying flights. Previous years I have volunteered the entire week at KidVenture. After attending AirVenture 20+ years, the last seven or so have been spent as both a volunteer and spectator, and more recently also as a freelance magazine reporter for Powered Sport Flying. What a great combination! Even though AirVenture is an eaa event, one does not need to be a member to volunteer; go online to eaa.org and type “volunteering” in the search panel. There are many benefits to volunteering, and most will save you money. Social activities abound during this week-long immersion into aviation. There were the Corn and Brat feeds three nights, banquets for eaa Chapter Leaders, Life Members, Young Eagle chairpersons, a Saturday Chapter Leaders’ breakfast, and daily chapter sponsored breakfasts in the Chapter’s shelter. My Australian friend, Hunter, could not make it this year but offered me his admission ticket to the International Visitors banquet held in the Nature Center. There I met Paul and Helen Goring and family from Lincoln, England and shared their table. At these gatherings one makes new friends, learns of European cultures, and visits with people throughout the world. Later I stopped in at the South African encampment of eaa Chapter 322 where I met Edna, who acted as a host. She explained the sign on their temporary cook shack stating “Plakkerfonetin” as meaning a quiet peaceful place. The 250 campers in their group were jovial but not too quiet with all their boisterous laughter filling the air. While there I spoke with people who easily became friends. I distinctly enjoyed listening to various English dialects and the countrymen’s local humor. By the way, they call the Bar-B-Q a “Bra.” They also had a unique way of identifying the women’s Porta-Potty to ensure it was a women’s only facility. No man would ever go near it. AirVenture people are friendly and willing to talk. I found it very interesting to meet people such as Karsten from Germany, and a group of men from Argentina. They included an R/C pilot, a gynecologist, a mechanical engineer, a software engineer, an organ transplant surgeon and the doctor-father of one of them. What a hoot speaking with them as we rode the tram! Aviators and their associates make up a valuable community from which we can gain knowledge, share experiences, and build camaraderie. In whatever manner we fit into this community, we all are renewed by the continued enjoyable “brotherhood.” Blue skies and tail winds to everyone. Man, I sure love this flying stuff! Paul Fiebich is an occasional contributor of aviation articles, flies an AirBike with over 1100 hours on it and volunteers at the Kansas Aviation Museum. • Top: South African ladies' potty. Middle: South African cook shack. Bottom: Something to buy or sell? The ultralight area's swap shop is the place to take your consignment items. Support Our Advertisers At AirVenture 2018, there was a celebration of the 35th anniversary of the Quad City Challenger II.
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