2005 Extravaganza

[Parakansankid]

I see the extravaganza is being held in Hutchinson, KS rather than Columbus this year. Morris Yoder's place? Does anyone know if it is going to be anything close to the magnitude of the previous years? Who all on this list is planning on attending? Almost a month away, and I'm excited!

[lockdoc600]

Cody-

Last years event would be hard to top and I haven't heard of any big name country singers on tap for this year but I would bet it will be fun and informative. Anytime you get a bunch of enthusiasts together and give them a chance at a new ppc you can count on a good turn out. I go for the fun and fellowship more than anything else. It will be fun to fly someplace different this year and see some new country.

I'm sure I'll be going and probably bringing a friend this year too.....he loves to fly with me but hasn't made the leap for himself yet and I am hoping this will do it for him.

[sfluegge]

I am new to both this forum and the sport and have been looking for events where I could meet others and see as many different ppc's as possible so I am very interested in thisevent, can one of you please post the full event details or a link to more info??

Thanks!

Scott

[Parakansankid]

This fly-in is hosted by Powrachute, and is an excellent fly-in to go to. I went 2001, 2002, and 2003, but missed last years. There are always lots of very nice seminars packed with all kinds of information from engines, to regulations and all other issues facing the sport. They usually have good entertainment also. Weather permiting, there are lots of different planes flying and always lots of people to talk to. I don't fly yet, but I even have a blast at the extravaganza.
It is usually held in far eastern Kansas, but this year will be pretty much smack dab in the middle of Kansas (a nice drive from Florida!). The set date is Sept 15-18, which is just over a month away. Check out www.powrachutes.com Also read back in the events and photos section of this forum looking for subjects relevant to Kansas, or Extravaganza. Lots of pictures and stories from the event. Good luck, and welcome to the sport!

[Waltm]

This year's Extravaganza will be a little more low-key than last year's "Extreme-aganza". It'll be more about the flying with no headliner recording artist or all of the extra hoopla.

It's being run by Morris Yoder this year and, knowing Morris, he's going to have a very fun, VERY safe flyin. If you can make it to central Kansas in mid-September, do it!

Walt...

[vie]

The Extravaganza is on the same weekend as the final weekend of the state fair in Hutch. If you plan to stay in Hutch -- good luck unless you have an RV. Also there is entertainment -- I know Foreigner is at the fair on Friday night. I don' t know of the other entertainers.

[Ron Smail]

Sat. (8-6-05), Glen Herschberger and I drove out to Hutchinson to talk to Morris about helping with this year's Extravaganza Fly-in. I think that Morris has a good handle on everything and the flight field is larger then the one at Columbus. I also feel from talking with Morris that thing will be allot different then in past years. Some of the show-man-ship will be gone and things will be geared more for the pilots and not so much for the public. Don’t get me wrong, the public is invited. I personally like some of the changes and I'm looking forward to this year's New Extravaganza.
To think that anyone can put on the Extravaganza with the same style as Bill, Eddie, and Dawn would be almost impossible. I feel that this team did more for our sport then all the other ppc manufactures combined. That time is gone forever and a new era is now here and I'm looking forward to this years Extravaganza. Morris went over some of the events he has planed for the Extravaganza and I think the pilots will really enjoy them. Morris has some big shoes to feel and I think he is well on his way to filling them. I'm excited and hope to see everyone there. Ron

[135Boomer]

Hey guys been forever since I've posted. I have been in Oklahoma all summer training from a KC-135 Boom Operator to a C-5 Flight Engineer. I brought my PPC down with me so I am taking the opportunity to goto the Extravaganza. I will be arriving Friday evening sometime depending on when I get out of the class. The drive will be about 6 hours for me. I am looking forward to meeting some of you that I've chatted with on here for the past couple of years.
Joey Myers

[lockdoc600]

Hey Joey!!

I didn't make the connection till I was on the way home Sunday that it was you that I was flying with over to the Amish farms! We introduced each other on the ground but it clicked about a half hour later! The flight suit and the machine you fly should have clicked in my head right then.....and then when you told me your name it should have clicked again! Oh well.....it was still nice to meet you and fly with you.

Gotta get back to real life now!

Kevin

[135Boomer]

Kevin,
I didn't realize that you and lockdoc where the same person. I met 3 members from the forum this weekend. I had a great time despite only logging and hour and a half of flight time unless you count the time I spent flying underneath my kite in the 30 mph winds!! Hope you guys enjoyed the KiteBuggying demo :eek: That was a great flight over to the farms and the 50 + mph groundspeeds coming back were incredible. Walt showed me the picture on his GPS where he got up to 63!! .... Good times! Looking forward to see some pics posted on here.

[kilowatt]

I enjoyed meeting and talking with you, Joey. Your Kitebuggy demo was nothing short of spectacular. I was laughing the whole time. Wind conditions seemed great for that sport, too.

I hope you can make it again next year and I look forward to next year's event.

Kilowatt

[Dennis Bowers]

If the fellow that had the American flag hang under his ppc and was hovering over the field motionless for 30 minutes on Sunday a.m. reads this, could you fill us in on the mechanics of how you do that. I mean what kind of rope do you use? How long is it? How much weight do you hang from the rope? What kind of knot do you use to tie off onto your ppc with? How do you release the rope from the ppc once you're ready to doff it? How do you fold the weight, rope, and flag around each other so they deploy the way you hope they should?, etc. DB

[kilowatt]

He did a great job. It looked like an old iron "weight lifting" weight that he was using to hold the bottom of Old Glory. I would be interested in his procedure, too.

Kilowatt

[Waltm]

That was Linnus Campbell who had the flag tied under his ppc. You simply take a rope, attach a clamp at one end and a good sized weight (you'll probably need at least 25 lbs. Anything else will be too light and will just fly back into your prop. Ask me - I know) at the other end. Attach a quick-connect to your ppc and fold the flag in pleats. I don't know how Linnus does it but I'd just fold it and put it in a ditty bag attached beside me. After you get to altitude just throw the weighted end over the side.

*The weight is the key* to making this work. Use too light a weight and the flag will simply fly straight backwards and into your prop.

When you're done flying, a quick flick of the quick-connect link and the flag, line and weight will fall to the ground. As far as I know, that's just about the only safe way to get rid of it. That's what Linnus does - he finds a deserted area of the flying field and drops the whole thing. That's what I'd do also. I guess that you could try to pull it back up but that's up to you.

Walt...

[Parakansankid]

A good friend I had not seen in a long time was back on visit from the Air Force, and I was in a rush to get back home, but I did try to make a short (10-15 min.) appearance at the event saturday evening. I had spent most of the day at the Kansas State Fair, and finally broke away to go see if I saw anyone I recognized at the fly-in. I felt more out of place than anything due to the fact that I do not know what anyone looks like. I did see/talk to Keith Dial (who I have visited with before) for a short period, but he seemed busy.
Now that I am finally in a position to make my PPC a flyable machine, rather than something I keep dreaming about...hopefully soon I can show up to fly-ins like this and feel more like I belong, rather than a public spectator. Ya'll have a good one, and maybe next year!

[Waltm]

Hey Cody!

Don't feel like an outsider. I'd certainly like to have met you. We could have even taken a short flight! I was actually looking for you even though I don't know what you look like.

Walk up to people, introduce yourself and say "Hi". You might be surprised at how many there would have heard of the "Parakansan".

Walt...

[Keith Dial]

Sorry Cody,

You caught me at a moment when the candle burning at both ends had just met in the middle. I will try to be more congenial the next time. Let me know when you are ready to learn to fly, and maybe we can work something out. Later, Keieth

[vie]

Hey, Cody,

Too bad you couldn't spend more time in Hutch. But there's no sense in feeling left out -- We'd like you to join us for PowerFest 05 -- the PPC Rally in Beaumont, Kansas, October 13-16. You'll meet a bunch of great folks and have a great time as well -- most of them regional folks. Check it out at www.ppcpilot.com and click on the "PowerFest 05" link on the home page. I talked with someone at the Extravaganza that cancelled their reservation -- so there might even be a room left. Tell them you are with the PPC group when you call.

Hope to see you there. Keep heading into the wind,

Vie

[Dennis Bowers]

Thanks for tips on the flag drop, Walt. All I know is when that flag dropped down, it was one of the coolest things I've seen in a long time! DB

[Parakansankid]

Hey guys, I didn't mean to make it sound like no one was friendly. I just got away from the fair later than I wanted, and had a short time to be there. It also looked like you all were eating, or just finishing up, so it wasn't the best time either. Other wise, I would have taken more time to visit. I have been treated with nothing but kindness at the other fly-ins I have been to, and the PPC crowd in general is a nice, welcoming group of people. PowerFest sounds like it would be fun, and I will have to try and make it...and spend more time ! :D