JackeryStorytest

Joseph has a deep-rooted love for aviation. For the last 18 years, he annually visits the world's largest air show named "EAA AirVenture" and a gathering of aviation enthusiasts held in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. It has the busiest airport in the world for five days and can hold over 677,000 attendees. That's about 11,000 airplanes parked and camped at the airport.

1. Where are you from?  

My wife and I live in a resort in Northwest Illinois called Galena.

2. What's your background?

I'm a private pilot and retired engineer. I've been a perennial visitor to the world's largest air show — EAA AirVenture, in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. I think I've tried all forms of aviation, and this is just for scale. 

3. What do you enjoy doing?

For 18 years, I've been attending the world's largest air show — EAA AirVenture. I think I have only missed two in the past 18 years. It's a thrilling experience to fly in the air and travel the world.

4. What inspired you to start your aviation journey?

Oh, you know, I'm 70 years old. I grew up wanting to be an astronaut. So yeah, I've always actually spent some time in the US military not as a pilot, but as a paratrooper so I was I've been into aviation and aviation of one kind or another, all my career. And then later in my career, we literally were we're living two and a half miles from the end of the runway at a small suburban airport outside of Chicago. And the planes are flying right overhead and it's like, yeah, maybe I'll give that a shot. So I went over picked up my license. And 2003 I think 2004 later in my career when I had the consumable income to be able to afford it, because this is, you know, it's the fairly This is the first world sport, right?

5. What jackery product do you have? And how has it helped you?     

My daughter goes camping with her family, and her husband uses CPAP machines. She had to take a power brick to charge the CPAP machine, and these power stations are pretty cool. So, I started researching all the devices, and I came across Jackery. 

I bought a Jackery Explorer 300 Power Station and SolarSaga 100W Solar Panels. The portable power station has helped me keep small devices like iPhones, iPads, and more charged during my flying journey. I could recharge my cell phone 18 times with other devices. 

Honestly, what I love about Jackery power station is that it does not emit fumes like gas generators. I've brought a Jackery SolarSaga 100W Solar Panel to charge the power station and found it unbelievably great. My copilot and I have recharged a heater, iPhone, and Android phone with Jackery while ensuring it runs the CPAP all night. 

Not only did Jackery power station do a great job working and powering the device at night, it still had 30% of reserved power. Plus, with a SolarSaga 100W Solar Panel, I could recharge the power station in three hours or less. I connected the solar panels and the power station with a tiny little cable lock near the nose gear of the airplane. 

With Jackery, I can go for a week and a half without recharging the Jackery. Plus, it weighs only a few pounds, making it easy to carry. 

6. What is your favorite memory from out on your adventures? 

My favorite memory is from 2015 or 2016, when my son and I decided to go on a mountain flying trip in Colorado after obtaining my instrument rating. 

We teamed up with an instructor who was notably the dean of Search and Air Rescue for the state of Colorado. We flew to Boulder and underwent a full day of specialized ground school, relearning the things you think you learned as a private pilot.  

We visited six airports in and around the Rockies throughout the adventure, each presenting its challenges and high-altitude landings. We landed at the highest commercial airport in North America among our stops. 

The whole journey was captured on 4k video, and upon returning, we even put together an FAA-certified PowerPoint presentation on our experience. The trip was indeed phenomenal, and I believe it would be impossible without the instructor. 

7. If you could only pack the three most essential things to take with you on a trip, what would this be?  

Oshkosh is all about camping, as the hotel expense for a night is nearly $800. One must-have thing is the avionics that I usually carry on the plane. It typically includes systems and gadgets that let other people and aircraft track my location. 

Next, I would bring all the essential electronics and tools to prepare for emergencies like sudden engine breakage. In order to make my life simpler while camping, I need my Jackery Solar Generator. The main reason to carry Jackery is its portability and lightweight nature.