Has Given Free Rides For 19 Years

by ANN Correspondent Pete Tobin

After 19 years at the show and more than 8,000 free-rides happily given out, Arnie Zimmerman and his Breezy are pretty much fixtures at Oshkosh. 

"My favorite part of Oshkosh is talking to the people who've just gotten down from a Breezy ride, especially the children. Nine times out of 10, it is their first aircraft ride. They always have a big smile."

Observers unfamiliar with the Breezy design will often mistake his aircraft for an ultra-light... but, it's not. Due to its empty weight and the Lycoming 0-235, 118 horse-powered pusher engine on the back, a Breezy is actually classified as a full fledged aircraft.

Arnie has had so much fun in Breezys that he wore out his first one. His second, which he built himself, was completed in 1995. 

In addition to the 300 + rides per show that Arnie will give to the attendee of AirVenture, he will also fly several very fun little low-level pyrotechnic flight demonstrations... including smoke effects and simulated missile firings from an aircraft that is so slow, its airspeed indicator is a weather vane with only has two indications.

One is a rabbit. The other is a turtle.  

FMI: www.airventure.org