"It Was Love At First Sight"

by ANN Correspondent Aleta Vinas

Not all Oshkosh memories are made at the flight line... or even during daylight hours. Some of the most fun at Oshkosh happens in the woods, after dark with the Oshkosh crowd that camps through the week.

Chuck Swain was bitten by the aviation bug as a youngster. Korean War pilot Frank Gietzel took Swain under his wing and showed him the joys of aviation. Swain attended the Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Technology program at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Swain married, took a job with the airlines and with wife Tina they started a family in Chicago, IL.

"As much fun as Chicago was to play in." says Swain "it really wasn't a good place to raise kids."

As luck would have it, Swain received a job offer, in his hometown, he quit the airlines and the family moved back to Beaver Dam, WI. Swain's job was at the local airport he frequented as a youngster.

Swain was working at Beaver Aviation for Paul Baker. To Swain, Baker is "one of the most amazing characters I've ever met. A well educated, soft-spoken gentleman. One of the finest people I've ever met."

Swain worked for Baker five years, then bought out the business. Baker then worked for Swain five years before retiring. Along the way Beaver Aviation and the Swain’s moved to Juneau, WI. One of Swain's employees, Eric Nelson has now bought out Swain and Swain is working for Nelson.

Swain has been in aviation for 37 years his retirement is not yet in the plan. Swain has been EAA member # 28215 since about 1962. In 1963 as a teen Swain was invited to his first AirVenture in Rockford, IL by "Hump Pilot" Joe Hankes.

"It was exotic and it was exciting for a 14/15-year-old kid. It was absolutely fascinating."

Swain has been going back ever since, through marriage... his wife's pregnancies... and the birth of two sons and a daughter.

Son Andy's first Oshkosh was in 1970. He was a month-old and Oshkosh had shifted to Wittman field. Older brother Chuck Jr. was 1 1/2, and it was a family affair -- Swain's wife Tina and the in-laws made the trip.

Swain ran into a friend who took him to see his camper. "He took me back into the woods" recalled Swain "and it was love at first sight."

Swain brought his camper up the next day and has been camping ever since. Swain's day trip turned into the entire week.

He claims the camping idea started out as a customer service. Many of his customers attended Oshkosh. Swain offered them the camper as a place to hang out until all the cars had left and the traffic died down. Soon after, the vendor's Swain purchased from would relax in the woods after a hard day of selling.

Swain does have some favorite times to point to. "That first one at Oshkosh when I discovered there was a whole different world there."

That first year was also the Alexander clambake. One of the neighboring camp families hailed from Boston, they had a clam bake with clams, oysters and other seafood and Swain was invited. Wanting to reciprocate, Swain had a brat-fry.

"What could be more Wisconsin?" Swain thought. The look on his friend's faces while Chuck fried the bratwurst, the onions and beer did not show the same enthusiasm... at least, initially.

Alexander tentatively tried a bite and all of a sudden, Swain said "I literally was fighting them off. They were cleaning off my grill." Days later, Swain saw Alexander at a local gas station buying bratwurst. The clambake brat-fry was now a tradition.

Another behind-the-scenes memory was the experimental couch built by Clay Adams. Adams an organizer of the Barnstormer Tour drove up to the campgrounds just last year in a 1950’s vintage aquamarine colored, Naugahyde couch complete with joystick, brake (sort of) and throttle.

As ANN reported, Swain took Wisconsin Aviation Hall of Fame president and ANN contributor Rose Dorcey for a ride on the couch. Adams promised "next year (2007) It's gonna seat 10."

Another highlight for Swain was meeting boyhood hero Scott Crossfield in the EAA gift shop of all places. Swain has also bumped into Jim Lovell on the flight line and was introduced to Neil Armstrong, who was there with Lovell.

Marital Strife

Tina Swain has a few of her own memories. When their daughter Molly was small Mrs. Swain had a Monday off from work. Her parents suggested a trip to Oshkosh to see Chuck. Mrs. Swain thought it was a great idea, she could help her husband pack up the camp and he hadn't seen Molly or herself for a week.

"He'll be so happy to see us," she said.

Besides, it had been a while since she had been to AirVenture. It was so long, in fact. "I went to the wrong clump of woods," admitted Tina. As they drove up, her husband Chuck was at the picnic table and there were six women there as well with DOT shirts on "doing everything but feeding him grapes," Tina Swain noted.

Upon exiting the car "those women scattered like cockroaches.” The first year, the Concorde visited in 1985 was a standout moment for Swain, and his wife. Says the Mrs. "I've seen things that have brought me to tears like the Concorde when it was there. That was so amazing."

Swain recalled the moment as well. At what is now AeroShell Square, Swain was with his wife and friends; Trevor Tompkins (a Brit who Swain calls his brother by choice), Charles William Anthony Collins (known as the Commander) and Bill Campbell.

They watched the British Airways beauty taxi up. Captain John Cook, opened the cockpit window and out came a US flag, on the other side unfurled a British flag. Swain saw tears in the Commander's eyes and Tompkins simply beamed with pride. Swain called it "one of those defining moments" for those who regularly camp in the woods. The defining moment had to be the invention and subsequent annual visit of the beer coffin. The campers take their refreshment very seriously. No silly little styrofoam coolers would do.

In 2003 Swain had a coffin modified -- lots of insulation, a pool liner and a drain – with a calibrated drip. The men that came to lay the pool liner took one look at the coffin and left... to grab their cameras.

Swain transports the cooler in the back of his Ford Pick-up. He’s received some strange looks, and even had a police car follow... but hasn’t yet been stopped. Once the coffin is laden with lager even six men can’t budge it.

Swain has found that the key to emptying the coffin seems to be to invite a Shuttle crew to partake in the golden ale. One crew reportedly helped put away a weeks worth of suds in one night. Not to worry, the supply is always replenished.

FMI: www.airventure.org