Oshkosh 2024 - Who's going?

It's so weird. In years past, you could get beer at the bar/restaurants that were fenced in only and had security guards. Parker John's BBQ added alcohol to their menu this year and added the required fence and guards.

Now... you can now by beer in the on-field stores! So I'm not allowed to have it, it's prohibited on the field, but I can buy it on the field. Of course I bring most of mine in my plane, but it's still fun to think about.
You know, I noticed the beer and wine in the N40 store and totally didn't connect that with the rule prohibiting alcohol! I guess as long as you don't try to bring it through the main gate, you're good!
 
The EAA has always looked the other way within camp sites. I don't know what drove them besides money to start selling it. It's a bad idea in my opinion. Of course, they may have been forced to obtain a liquor license (ran afoul of a similar situation, if you allow people to drink on permises even if you don't sell it, you still need a license in many places) and figured if they had to go to that expense they might as well profit off it.

Of course, it doesn't help that they hire a bunch of minimum wage stooges to wear the yellow security shirts.
 
The EAA has always looked the other way within camp sites. I don't know what drove them besides money to start selling it. It's a bad idea in my opinion. Of course, they may have been forced to obtain a liquor license (ran afoul of a similar situation, if you allow people to drink on permises even if you don't sell it, you still need a license in many places) and figured if they had to go to that expense they might as well profit off it.

Of course, it doesn't help that they hire a bunch of minimum wage stooges to wear the yellow security shirts.
I'm guessing money is the only reason. Their pricing on the Final Approach beer this year made me mad. In their stores, it was $8 a can, or $16 for a six pack.1723222640672.png
 
In the past the stores selling beer weren't on the field, but they are now. I'm talking about the Red One stores in the camping areas. They're inside of the fence.
The odd thing there is that the fence is not the actual airport property line, and the property line itself is very weird.

The North 40 store is definitely on airport property. Oddly enough, the main Red One Central store just west of the Fly Mart is on airport property as well, even though it's outside the fence. The other Scholler stores are not on property, and I'm not sure about South 40 and Showplane locations. But obviously if they're all selling now, something has changed.
Yeah, I think you are almost certainly correct, all things considered, probably not a better realistic option. What I think I might do though is set an expectation of "must be present to win". Someone from the party must be there and set-up the site ...i.e. set up the tent or park the RV. So a person can show up and pick a spot for their "camping unit"...but not for their buddy who isn't there yet.
So, you want to have EAA have enough people to make sure that I'm there with my friends when we stake out our site? That's not particularly realistic IMO.
Also not great in my opinion for someone to come in, park their RV or set up a tent a week before the show and then go back home, only return on say Wednesday halfway through and stay for two nights and then vacate.
Not gonna get far with that argument with EAA. They have whole rows with hookups that you can't even buy - You basically donate money until they offer one to you - that house just a few fancy new Class A rigs, and most of them stay empty for the *entire* show. Really irks me, because they put them in our old camping spot.
You know, I noticed the beer and wine in the N40 store and totally didn't connect that with the rule prohibiting alcohol! I guess as long as you don't try to bring it through the main gate, you're good!
If you're a pilot, you can bring booze through the gate too. I don't know about the main gate, but the ones closer to the aircraft camping areas allow it - Again, if you're a pilot.
 
.......So, you want to have EAA have enough people to make sure that I'm there with my friends when we stake out our site? That's not particularly realistic IMO.
.......Not gonna get far with that argument with EAA......
Not even trying to "make an argument" with the EAA....and not even dreaming of any sort of expectation that they'd want to get into the business of policing such things....just that they should set the "rule" as an expectation or guideline...as a gentle reminder of good manners and fair play. I only expect them to expect attendees to be considerate, pick up trash, be helpful to others, etc....

Speaking of that, that is one thing that stood out to me in my visits to Airventure. It's been a few years and I don't know how it is now, but what I remember was that folks were pretty much all like-minded and helpful. Didn't really feel like there was ever a threat of getting stuff stolen if I turned my back to it for a bit. The grounds were generally trash-free... seemed like most folks would pick up a random piece of trash and toss it if they came across one (not only picking up after themselves but watching out for others too). Behavior you don't see at municipal airshows (what I call redneck airshows), or just in the world in general.
 
Speaking of that, that is one thing that stood out to me in my visits to Airventure. It's been a few years and I don't know how it is now, but what I remember was that folks were pretty much all like-minded and helpful. Didn't really feel like there was ever a threat of getting stuff stolen if I turned my back to it for a bit. The grounds were generally trash-free... seemed like most folks would pick up a random piece of trash and toss it if they came across one (not only picking up after themselves but watching out for others too). Behavior you don't see at municipal airshows (what I call redneck airshows), or just in the world in general.
No change, still that way.
 
3 round trips
13.2 hours
2 night airshows
4 happy kids
Several new friends
Great times with old friends
Perfect weather all week

This'll be a hard one to top. Absolutely amazing to get to see a Hurricane, Spitfire, and Lancaster together.

Kind of funny i got to see the Snowbirds and Frecce Tricolori before I've seen the Blues & Thunderbirds

Looking forward to sleeping in my own bed tonight.

View attachment 131885View attachment 131887View attachment 131886
Is our POA brick still there, or has someone defaced it?
 
Speaking of that, that is one thing that stood out to me in my visits to Airventure. It's been a few years and I don't know how it is now, but what I remember was that folks were pretty much all like-minded and helpful. Didn't really feel like there was ever a threat of getting stuff stolen if I turned my back to it for a bit. The grounds were generally trash-free... seemed like most folks would pick up a random piece of trash and toss it if they came across one (not only picking up after themselves but watching out for others too). Behavior you don't see at municipal airshows (what I call redneck airshows), or just in the world in general.
Absolutely one of the coolest things about AirVenture - The people who are there are all pilots and aviation enthusiasts, and generally the best kind. The few annoying, over-egotistical ones often don't come because it's hard to pretend you're a steely-eyed missile man when there are plenty of actual steely-eyed missile men present.

Between the people who show up and the fact that EAA does a really impressive job at nearly every aspect of running such a complicated event, the experience is really fantastic. I always say that I hope when I die, I go to Oshkosh, and I'm not really kidding. That's heaven to me.
 
Alcohol, bringing it, or buying on premises.

My impression is that if they bring their own, they ration the consumption, assuring they do not run out.

If they buy on premises, keep buying more, the credit card is never empty.

At Sun and Fun, a nearby group sent out for a refill of the beer cooler, those two volunteers walked a quarter mile to the shuttle to the gate, hired a cab, shuttle again, and walk that quarter mile again. The brought 4 12 packs, one in each hand. 48 cans of beer, for a dozen guys, so the consumption was slow, and they saved some for the next morning. Ice was sold on premises, and used lavishly by most around me.

If beer had been on site, they likely would have bought a six pack each hand when they headed back to the planes and grills at the end of the day, and some would have been distinctly drunk.


Separately, trash in the airplane camping was no existent when I was there.
 
I'm guessing money is the only reason. Their pricing on the Final Approach beer this year made me mad. In their stores, it was $8 a can, or $16 for a six pack.View attachment 132297
I had one of those at the restaurant in Vintage (with @SixPapaCharlie). It was pretty good. Unfortunately, after I left, a friend asked me of I could bring some home. So it looks like it was being sold by the six pack in the camp stores, but does anyone know if it was being sold off site.
 
FYI there’s numerous ways to get just about anything into the show whether you’re a pilot or not short of a tank, AFV, or MRAP without even trying. As for alcohol, EAA really doesn’t police the camping areas and even the gate security, depending on the gate and time , can be accommodating. Then there’s the numerous parties and even ersatz bars that spring up selling various concoctions from N40 down to Vintage. Not sure about S40 because I’ve never ventured that far South at night. In HBC we hold a beer tasting event with a 6 pack of your local brew entry fee.. I’ve been going to SOS Bros for years and years and if anyplace was going to be a focal point for trouble that would be it and yet there never is, so the fact you can buy a beer at one of the food places in the middle of the day in the show is a nothing burger IMO.
 
FYI there’s numerous ways to get just about anything into the show whether you’re a pilot or not short of a tank, AFV, or MRAP without even trying. As for alcohol, EAA really doesn’t police the camping areas and even the gate security, depending on the gate and time , can be accommodating. Then there’s the numerous parties and even ersatz bars that spring up selling various concoctions from N40 down to Vintage. Not sure about S40 because I’ve never ventured that far South at night. In HBC we hold a beer tasting event with a 6 pack of your local brew entry fee.. I’ve been going to SOS Bros for years and years and if anyplace was going to be a focal point for trouble that would be it and yet there never is, so the fact you can buy a beer at one of the food places in the middle of the day in the show is a nothing burger IMO.
I was wondering about how HBC & VAC work. Going into the show from N40 we have a gate with security and bag checks, but you guys are already inside that area. Is there any bag check/ wristband check for you guys, or is it all on the honor system? Showplane guys are more trustworthy than us spamcan rabble ;)

Along that line, N40 has some pretty big parties, and several fairly complete bar setups. Do things like that happen inside the fence?
 
I had one of those at the restaurant in Vintage (with @SixPapaCharlie). It was pretty good. Unfortunately, after I left, a friend asked me of I could bring some home. So it looks like it was being sold by the six pack in the camp stores, but does anyone know if it was being sold off site.
I believe it was available in the local area offsite. Perry sure I saw it at one of the grocery stores and saw it mentioned online.
 
I was wondering about how HBC & VAC work. Going into the show from N40 we have a gate with security and bag checks, but you guys are already inside that area. Is there any bag check/ wristband check for you guys, or is it all on the honor system? Showplane guys are more trustworthy than us spamcan rabble ;)

Along that line, N40 has some pretty big parties, and several fairly complete bar setups. Do things like that happen inside the fence?
Once we're inside the fence, we're on the honor system. But first, you have to scale the fence carrying several cases of beer. ;-)
 
I was wondering about how HBC & VAC work. Going into the show from N40 we have a gate with security and bag checks, but you guys are already inside that area. Is there any bag check/ wristband check for you guys, or is it all on the honor system? Showplane guys are more trustworthy than us spamcan rabble ;)

Along that line, N40 has some pretty big parties, and several fairly complete bar setups. Do things like that happen inside the fence?
All of the aircraft camping/parking areas are inside the fence. For N40 if you travel along the roads towards the show you ll come to security check points to transit to Warbirds or HBC where they will check for wristbands only. No such checkpoints for HBC, Vintage, or S40. So overall if you fly in it’s an technically an honor system I suppose.
 
The North 40 is inside the airport perimeter, but outside the "show" as far as admissions checks going (it's akin to parking in Scholler). The south 40 is inside the show as is most of Vintage and all of Homebuilt.

There's one small area of Vintage parking called the gated community which is actually outside the airport property that's separated from the road by only a low fence.
 
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