Oshkosh Plans 2018

M

mda

Initial Climb
We'll be at Oshkosh again this year.
We set up a comfortable campsite in the North40.

My intentions are to arrive on Saturday.
Sunday evening, we'll host adult refreshments and walk over to Durango's for dinner.
Please message me if you are interested.

All BAC members are encouraged to stop by for refreshments during evenings we are there.
Sat/Sun/Mon/Fri/Sat.
Maybe other nights if I can get away more days from work.
I'll post our row number when we get there.

Hope to see many of you there.

Mark Anderson
'73 Sundowner N24693
KRYV, Watertown, WI
 
I’m going to try to make it this year - but schedule will only allow a couple of nights. Right now it’s looking like Wednesday-Friday for me assuming the picnic stays on Thursday.
-=-
Mark
 
We're there usually Thursday through Sunday so hope to see you Friday. Kind of tough Saturday with the night airshow.
 
For those of us who have never been at Oshkosh but would like to attend, I got these questions:

1- Besides the main airport where all the activities take place, are there any other reliever airports nearby and perhaps less congested that are recommended ( and just take a shuttle bus or taxi to the main airport) and staying at a hotel?

2-Is Camping by the airplane at the main activity airport something that is enjoyable to do ( meeting new friends, hangar talking at night etc). I don’t have a problem with that, but I am not so sure about my wife ( she is concerned about things like restrooms, showers, security, restaurants at or near the camping site etc).

I have longed to attend, maybe this is the year😀👏!

Your inputs Are appreciated!

Arturo
 
I'm planning on getting there this year, I hear camping at OSH is an experience to have and the facilities have been improved.

OSH dates are July 23 (Monday) - 29 (Sunday). My plan is to get to a nearby airport on Friday July 20 then do a short morning flight to OSH on Saturday (21st) morning to camp under the wing through Wednesday, or Thursday, or Friday. There's good and plenty of info on the web and the EAA forums on camping under wing, the showers, bathrooms, etc. Fond Du Lac airport is a reliever and has camping too and there's a shuttle. The following is only what I've seen on other forums, there's food on site and I'm told places in walking distance, although it is all apparently expensive. Ubers/taxi's there too.
 
Thanks Mike, I am navigating thru the EAA site, the whole thing....too much info to digest.

Yes, the idea of spending some nights under the wing, meeting new people and exchanging experiences excites me and I love camping.

One of my big concerns is that after 2-3 days and when ready to depart I may not be able to due to traffic....I don’t know.

We we will see what is the best choice for us.

Arturo
 
Flying in to a reliever airport is good. Fond du Lac is the one I hear most often, but Appleton is not very far north. However I don't know if they have shuttles. Flying into Oshkosh is always a white knuckle event for me, but I love to do it. I usually have my ATP rated son as my first officer though and that makes it nicer. I think timing has a lot to do with how busy arrivals are and so if you go there earlier in the day you should have an easier time. Read the Oshkosh Notam over and over. I highlighted important things such as altitudes and frequencies. We always use the Fisk arrival. I can follow railroad tracks pretty good. I have camped by my plane in the North 40, but much more in Camp Schoeller. Camping by the plane is really nice. People are very friendly. Showers and rest rooms are within easy walking distance. They now have tents in the North 40 that sell basic food such as hampburgers, sandwiches, etc. There is a Friar Tuck's just outside the gate you can walk to. I seem to remember a pizza place a little further east. I've never known security to be an issue. Just don't leave valuables in your tent. Whether it be in the Nort 40 by your plane or camping in Camp Schoeller away from it, people at Oshkosh are generally very friendly and easy to get along with. Quiet hours start at 10 p.m. and sometimes a few don't want to be so quiet. We have a Sierra with the big baggage door so we bring our bikes to get around although you cannot use them on the Airventure grounds. There are trams and buses that will take you around. Most of these quit running in the evenings. You will pay for a minimum of 3 nights camping no matter what. If you stay less you will get a refund at the gate as you leave. One of the biggest issues is if it rains. It can get muddy in Camp Shoeller. Taxiing on the sod at the North 40 can be an issue, but if it is they will have people directing you around the soft spots. Be sure and have your signs made up per the Notam. that is an absolute must. You will need folding chairs for visiting as well as eating. We usually have some food with us and buy ice for our coolers. There is a grocery store within walking distance or several stores on the grounds that have popular food items. We bring collapsible water containers to get water for hand washing by our camp site. A collapsible camp table is also nice. If you fly in you are required to tie down your plane. Years ago we bought the EAA tie downs and anchors. We still use them but try to remember to bring something to drive them in and to pull them. The people who park you will ask if you have tie downs and if you don't will offer to sell them to you. Theirs are relatively inexpensive. Now that I have said this much, you probably will have more questions. Linda just mentioned that they do have a shuttle to the outlet mall you can take. Our experience is that we are so busy with Airventure we don't get off grounds much and are worn out by 5 p.m. when most people are leaving the air show grounds.
 
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Assuming our schedule is the same as last year, and I can get a camping spot, BAC will host a picnic lunch on Thursday at Camp Scholler. Burgers, brats, beer, etc.
 
Hi Arturo --

"Welcome to Oshkosh."
Hearing those words from Fisk or the runway controller make me feel all warm inside.
I've heard Fon du Lac and Appleton airports are very nice, but it's just not the same.

I live 40 minutes from Oshkosh, so I usually fly in twice each year,
once before the event (Saturday) and again on Friday evening.
. . . going home to work for a couple days mid-week.

If you study the NOTAM, Fisk arrival is relatively simple, just very different.
Make a kneepad checklist that will get you to Fisk, and be prepared for the unexpected.
The most difficult part is merging into a single file when Ripon is crowded, while also finding the railroad tracks, maintaining altitude, airspeed, and spacing.
I have flown in alone when Lisa is working and find I'm close to task saturation, tracking 5-10 planes.
Usually Lisa sits in the right seat going to KOSH, and she scans for traffic between 12 and 5 o'clock which takes a big workload off of me.
Instead of flying direct from the south, I approach Ripon from the southwest so the majority of traffic is on her side.
Ask your wife to scan for traffic.

Fisk seems busiest before and after air shows, but is quieter in the early morning.
To avoid a lot of traffic on arrival, spend the night at a nearby town in Wisconsin, relax, get a good night's sleep, and fly to KOSH in the morning.

We camp in the North40 each year.
The neighbors are great.
Lots of airplanes using 9/27 are fun to watch.
There are two buildings dedicated to restrooms and showers.
They have full indoor plumbing, hot water, sinks & mirrors.
Not like staying in a hotel, but MUCH better than your typical camping experience.

There is at least one restaurant in the North40, and several within a few blocks of the North40 . . . Chinese, Mexican, pizza, Friar Tucks, Hilton Hotel, bar food, fast food.
Our favorite is Durango's, a Mexican restaurant.

We bring a camp stove and cook many of our meals.
There is a courtesy bus to Pick & Save (groceries) and Target, or take the North40 bus to the hole in the fence and walk north 10 minutes.
Aldi is closer.

Theft has not been a problem for us.
Unlike camping other places, we commonly leave theft-worthy items on the table and expect them to be there when we get back.
The shower buildings have electrical outlets outside.
It's common to see dozens of cell phones and tablets charging there, unattended.
Apparently, airplane owners don't steal from airplane owners.

Hope you can make it to Oshkosh.
There is no other experience like it in the world.
I've heard it described as "Burning Man for pilots", comparing it to the annual art festival in Nevada.
That's a pretty fair description.
-- Mark
 
I have noticed that in recent years, parking for airplanes fills up quit a bit in the first half of the week. I think AirVenture continues to get busier. You may need to be prepared in case aircraft camping fills up, to park in general aviation parking if it is still open. You can then back pack your camping gear on trams to the non-aviation camping area. May take a couple of trips though. Not the best situation, but doable. The single biggest factor that affects aircraft camping and parking is rain. Soft grounds will reduce available parking as it did last year. We are very, very privileged as my son's air freight company is based at KOSH and I get to park my dinky airplane in a great big hangar.
 
Bob, That happened once and my head is still dizzy thinking that I had my puddle jumper in the same hangar as Harrison Ford's business jet. Has not happened since, but I can always hope. By the way everyone, try to make the BAC picnic at Bob's camper if you possibly can. They are great and the hospitality of BACer's just never ends.
 
Bob, How do you get such a great camping spot every year? Do you go in a couple of weeks in advance? I am, thinking of taking the motorhome this year.
 
Going to Oshkosh this year. Staying in Appleton and will shuttle each day. Not sure that this is the event that I want to do a "Hold me Beer approach". Plan on being at the BBQ on Thursday night. Hopefully I have better luck finding the group here than I had at Sun & Fun a few years ago. First time to the Mecca, so I'm really looking forward to it!
 
If you have problems finding Bob's camper, we should be there by then and you can call my cell 308-340-7283. They have been having the picnic at lunch, but there has been some talk about evening so will have to wait and see what they decide.
 
Opinions please...

We hope to fly in to Airventure again this year. In recent years we always camped in the vintage camping area. This will be our second time flying in in the Beech and our first time as BAC members. My question is... is there a better place to park for camping that might be closer to other BACer's or is vintage as good as any.
Thanks, Dean
218-590-3130
 
I can't park in vintage, but I think you are in a very good location when you are there. You are not as far from the AirVenture grounds and closer to the air shows. BAC'rs are usually spread out all over the place so I don't think I would spend much time on trying to find them. We just need a prearranged place to meet.
 
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