L i g h t P l a n e Wor l d
Tis resurrected 1980 Volmer Jensen VJ-24 is likely the only example still fying.
Fun Fly Zone Roundup
What caught our eye
By Dan Grunloh
One of the changes noticed in the Ultralight/Light
Plane and Helicopter area on the south end of Wittman
Field is the nomenclature used by the flightline announcers. We were described as "down on the Farm"
for many years, but due in part to the new paved roads
and expanded activities, we have been rebranded as
the "Fun Fly Zone," a well-deserved moniker. Besides
ultralights and light planes, we have powered parachutes, paragliders, helicopters, trikes, hot-air balloons, and more electric-powered aircraft than can
be seen anywhere on the earth. Something is flying in
the Fun Fly Zone all day every day, except during the
afternoon air show. While most of the fly-in attendees
at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh spend the entire week on
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Vol.2 N o.9 / September 2013
the ground, we get to fly and have fun every day,
thanks to our slower speeds and reduced runway and
airspace requirements.
The number of spectators at the Ultralight runway
on the very first day of flying was nothing short of
astounding. Because of the economic recession, our
crowds had been a little light for several years, but
not this year. Perhaps the public has accepted that the
economic recovery will be slow and are now looking
seriously at the low-cost side of aviation. They weren't
all gawkers either. It was common for spectators to
follow fliers back to their tie-down spots at the end of
the flying session to ask questions.