Tannkosh
16-19 July 2009
by Robert Rombouts, BelgiumWhy must it be blue sky, with a few safe-nice-white clouds, a temperature of 30° C, a wind blowing straight to Tannheim, and I guess a 100 km visibility or more, when I am driving on a crowded motorway instead flying to the Tannkosh fly-in? Stupid-grounded Robert, with no license, and perfect medical condition. During the 862 km full of roadwork’s trip, and looking constantly to the beautiful sky where I suppose to be, I was very sad. My intention was to stay two days and back on Sunday.
Arrived Friday morning at the airfield of Tannheim, grey clouds and very windy, I saw immediately a wonderful familiar plane, an “Ercoupe” standing on the runway opposite the entrance. Walking as soon as possible to the wonderful restored D-ENUC, I met Heiko Binder the new owner with his father, a Lufthansa engineer who likes the Coupe as his son. Heiko is a Lufthansa airline pilot. D-ENUC is a beauty, all silver painted, with a special designed Ercoupe logo, metal wings, a ingenious self-made front light and a fantastic black dashboard. Congratulation Heiko you can be proud of your 1947 Ercoupe, you did a fantastic restoration.
The Tannheim Fly-In is a European Oshkosh, hence the name “Tannkosh”. Already on Friday morning 400 aircrafts were on the field, but then because of the bad weather, and I mean bad, the planes did not arrive as normally expected. It is unbelievable to see all the different types and the skill of the pilots to join the meeting in this rotten weather. From Gyro’s, ULM to twins all are present; I met an Antwerp SV4 and the pilot-owner Raymond Cuypers, he intend to fly after the fly-in to Prague with his biplane. In addition, I met a few dear Antwerp spotters with cameras and notebooks who always find new registrations.
A Norwegian pilot with his Cessna did the longest flight, he had to try three different times and routes to arrive in Tannkosh, the weather was so bad.
Many shops, the length of the runway, with always the usual things you normally can buy on such happenings, I don’t have to explain. Very good acrobatic shows were displayed between the dark clouds and the intermittent rain.
Big beers, paprika potato chips and sausages, or the normal pilot’s food in those circumstances.The meteo booth was the busiest, with always the same question – “when will be the best time to fly back to ...”
On Saturday late afternoon, was the best opportunity for Heiko and his D-ENUC to leave, he arrived well at his base Reichelsheim - well done Heiko and see you soon with your immaculate Ercoupe.On Sunday, I drove back to Belgium and meet on my way Stefan Vatter at the Worms airfield. His D-EJOR was nearly ready when I visit him (now done, and did his first flight). Congratulation Stefan, a perfect restoration job too. Look at this unique-wonderful-beautiful Ercoupe twin’s, you both did a wonderful restoration, it is amazing, enjoy now your flying with this beauties.
By the way, Stefan also is owner of a Grob 115, I was afraid to step on the wing so nice and immaculate plane, outside and inside a show model, Stefan is selling this plane, if somebody is interested you can contact Stefan. stefanvatter@web.de
At the Worms’s airfield an other Ercoupe, D-EZII owner Dr. Holger Zinke is based, the hangar was closed and could not see the Coupe. It is a very friendly airfield with a very good restaurant, a perfect spot to organize an Ercoupe meeting.
The difference between flying or driving to an fly-in is enormous, as a visitor you feel so naked and not part of the pilot family, I hope to be soon back in the air, still some fly-ins are this year on the calendar.
Very pleased to meet Heiko and his father in Tannheim, Stefan in Worms, both enormous Ercoupers who did the Ercoupe spirit of keeping this wonderful timeless airplane in the sky where it belong.
Regards, Robert
