Bugs Of The Volkswagon Variety, That Is
By ANN Contributor Rose Dorcey
As you're walking around AirVenture 2004, you're more than
likely to hear this: "Red 3, Red 3, this is Green 1, come in."
The colorful call signs are assigned to an equally colorful
fleet of Volkswagen Beetles operated by EAA, a tradition that
stretches back more than three decades. A rainbow of VW "Bugs" is
the chief form of transportation for many EAA staff and
volunteers.
So what's the color code? It's well known around AirVenture that
Paul and Tom Poberezny drive the red VW's; Paul is known as Red 1;
Tom is Red 3. The tradition of using the brightly colored vehicles
started in 1970, when the fly-in moved from Rockford (IL) to
Oshkosh. Looking for a fun and easy form of transportation on the
grounds, Will Schaik and Paul Poberezny went down to Barney's VW
Shop in Oshkosh and purchased the first two. The bugs were such a
hit that more bugs were used the following year. Today, a fleet of
about 35 of the multi-colored bugs can be seen on the grounds, all
of them donated to the organization by dedicated friends of
EAA.
Gary Doehling, South-Maintenance Supervisor at AirVenture, said
that in addition to the red VW's driven by the Poberezny's, there
are yellow, green, brown, blue and white, light blue, and orange
bugs with white checkers. The colors represent their purpose. Ron
Scott, Chairman of the Communications Center, drives a green bug.
Security personnel drive yellow VW's, orange with white checkers
are on the flight line, blue and white bugs and their drivers are
aircraft greeters; and light blue are the welcome vehicles.
Doehling and his staff have more than 30-years of combined
experience in maintaining VWs. It's experience all of them gained
while working at EAA. The crew of Dave Jarapko, John Lowell, and
Austin Doehling, Gary's son, designate May as VW-month; they begin
maintenance on the fleet at the beginning of the month, with a May
31st deadline. "We need to have them ready to go by mid-June, as
sixteen of the bugs are used for the annual Miss Wisconsin Pageant
Parade in Oshkosh," the senior Doehling said.
Maintaining that fleet is no small task. Working from a full
service auto shop on the southwest corner of the AirVenture
grounds, the crew said the Beetles require "a lot" of brake-work
and many tune-ups. Parts are sometimes hard to find. "We go through
spark plugs like you wouldn't believe," Lowell exclaimed. Jarapko
agreed, saying they go through nearly 130 spark plugs each
year.
The bugs generally arrive as hardtops, according to paint shop
supervisor Bernie Case. Of course, all of them must have their
sheet metal roofs stripped off -- to be transformed into the
popular vinyl-top convertibles. Case said they occasionally receive
a donation of an original VW Beetle convertible.
Donations of VW Beetles that are in good condition are gladly
accepted. Volunteer opportunities in South Maintenance are also
available.