Pilgrimage complete for 2012..........              

I recently returned from my 24th trip to Oshkosh; as usual, a sensory overload.  A week at the show is at once too much and not enough.  On the flight back (airline until the -12 is finished), I'm always sunburned, tired, and a bit depressed that it's over for a year.  Amazingly, there were over 500 RVs in attendance.  I saw at least eight -12s there and had some interesting and instructive chats with builders.  The picture shows all the -12 builders in attendance at a pre-arranged meeting.  Joe Arluck was nice enough to coordinate this, even having prepared name tags for all of us which showed real name, VAF name, airplane number, and home town.  At 5-11, 155 pounds, I'm feeling a bit mass-challenged compared to the others (I'm the one labeled AeroDog -- my name on Internet forums).  Maybe that'll translate into some additional speed and climb rate when I'm done, but they'll get a smoother ride in turbulence due to the higher wing loading.  ;-)  Almost hidden behind us is N412RV, the airplane responsible for hooking me on these delightful flying machines when I flew it two summers ago.

Regarding my recent assertion that I'm definitely going to paint as I go:  As anyone who knows me can attest, once I've made up my mind, I'm iffy.  After discussions at Oshkosh, I'm (at least for now) planning to finish the airplane, complete the phase one flight test, then fly it to a paint shop and pay a professional to paint it.  This will cost more but save time, and, at this point in my life, time is my most precious commodity.