So far the BAF Fly-In this weekend is still on. Sunday is an “also ran” date. I need some input on program. While I am ignoring long range Wx forcasts with great determination, I won’t pull the plug on BAF until Friday PM. Sunday might be available as a back up date but will be pretty low key, meet & greet type.
But, being optimistic, I need your input for Saturday. I have been trying for 3+ weeks now to arrange a tour of the Air Guard units here. No luck, no return calls, not even a live person (damned these voice mail chains!). I must conclude that, having just dodged a base closing bullet, and many of the personnel just back from the ‘land o’ sand”, that they are just not interested.
Plan B, however requires some thought. I had the idea that we could rustle up some wheels and go down into Springfield to the Springfield Armory National Historic Site. One hell of a museum of firearms (it was the first Federal Arsenal). There is also a Civil War Encampment going on this weekend. (Apologies to my Southron friends, this place did make most of the Federal rifles for that unpleasantness in the 1860’s.)
But to do this takes two items: wheels and time.
If all who signed up come, we will need to big vans, similar to that stealth ambulance that Brian got in Dayton. This will cost money. I don’t really want to request funds from BAC since this is just a single Fly-In and not a major Regional. But Brian and Cloyd may weigh in on this.
The second item is, perhaps more serious. Drive time to Springfield is only 25-30 minutes. Make that 1:15 round trip + fudge factor. It takes a couple hours to do any justice to the Museum. This makes departure time no earlier than 15:30, more like 16:00. Is this acceptable for those coming?
Perhaps we should just stay on the base and “groove” on each other’s vibes? Hey, we all had a hell of a good time chewin’ the fat at Dayton, didn’t we?
Let me know, thanks,
Steve Cote