Boy does it ever seem that I have been away forever, after Oshkosh I stayed in Michigan and perhaps the best thing I could do, missing the storms I did get a little damage and without the electric there was a food loss. NO big deal and consider myself fortunate.

After Oshkosh is the ASC Nationals at Three Rivers Michigan, and for the first time the airport put on the function instead of the ASC who since ninety-four relied on donations.

People who camped paid up without a murmur and vendors were happy, with one exception Gemini Powered Parachutes were unhappy and given there money back and asked not to return. All seemed to have a good time and did good business. Spectators paid to come in and they did not seem to mind either

Competitions with the Powered Parachutes went well as usual Bomb Drop, Lawn Bowling, Precision Landings, Etc with Top Gun going on all the time.

Different story over in the Fixed wing only seven aircraft competed though there were a lot more there, they do have a problem mixing, but that will get sorted out for next year, the guy who was in charge of competitions had another one which I believe he thought more important and last minute said he could not do Nationals, that throws a wrench in the program at that stage of the game, but everyone coped and he wasn’t missed.

During the Nationals two new directors for ASC where made. A new Fixed Wing Director. John Chapman, and I know he will do a great job he is a wonderful guy with lots and lots of experience, He replaces a guy who has two small children to bring up on his own, plus work, and changing jobs left him little time to do much else but be a super guy. Yours truly was voted as a Director at large, I have for many years been giving advice and some of it has been helpful, look at your license that was a my idea. USUA is still a bit of paper

From Michigan I went to Columbus Kansas for the total Powered Parachute Show called Extravaganza put on by the Powrachute Company. Each year they have tried to create a record for the most launches in the shortest time, they did beat one record but the winds aloft put off many pilots so the total number was not broken, to see one hundred and twenty one machines in the air at the same time is one heck of a sight. There were three hundred machines there; they also turn up also to win a free new Powrachute worth twenty thousand dollars, winning ticket drawn by Country singer and Little Rascal Pilot (Single seater) John Michael Montgomery. He made a grand entry in the dark in a Powered Parachute with first World Champion Eddie Johnson. I had to talk to them from the stage with an Icom Radio. Which was the last part of my duties which started twelve hours earlier, not only am I expected to commentate on the planes and what they are doing but M C the entertainment stage center and in the main tent seminars, a total of forty six events, and having to deal with the prima Donna’s I was pooped and that date eleven miles away with a bath and two miniatures J&E Brandies was really enjoyable.

They had the Jet engined, and the Harley Davidson, the jet did not fly and the Pilot of the Harley made a real bad mistake Twenty-five feet from me, and did quite a bit of damage, I got in touch with Comtronics and they let me have a helmet to present to him with OOPH’S Painted on it, he had two black eyes and a burnt arm, I am sure he would not have had the black eyes if he had been wearing a helmet. Also A Thunderbolt canopy from Canada got a tear, a big one, whilst spiraling down, pilot was Ok but the Destiny 2000 XLT machine was a right off.

The boys from Texas came in their hoards lead by Scott Hughes, and what could have been nicer for Stephanie Hinkle, she came up on my stage and I asked her to watch the guys from Texas who came down and landed a few feet away, and as they got out of the plane each unrolled a banner that said WILL   YOU   MARRY  ME, and Josh Wooding was at her feet on his knees. SHE said Yes!

There are two more shows, well three with ours,  Copperstate and Sebring in October. And yeah they do get harder!