Airstrip close to Oshkosh?

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mxalix258

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mxalix258
Planning to head over to Oshkosh from Minneapolis in a J-3 Cub. Was thinking of leaving Sunday, camping at an airstrip fairly close and getting an early jump on the Monday arrival into Oshkosh.

Is this what others would recommend doing? Does anyone have any leads on a good strip that might allow camping the night before?

Thanks for the recommendations!
 
Fond du Lac is where most folks go to.
 
Appleton ATW if coming from the north
 
Would they allow camping at either Appleton or Fond Du Lac? or do most places get a cheap room in the area for the night? Ideally I'd like to camp on the field if possible.
 
Yes, Brennand, 79C. Highly recommended. Showers, coffee, fuel, camping. But don’t tell anyone; just our secret.
 
mxalix258 said:
Planning to head over to Oshkosh from Minneapolis in a J-3 Cub. Was thinking of leaving Sunday, camping at an airstrip fairly close and getting an early jump on the Monday arrival into Oshkosh.

Is this what others would recommend doing? Does anyone have any leads on a good strip that might allow camping the night before?

Thanks for the recommendations!
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Just be aware that many years the airfield is full by the late afternoon on the day before show opening (Sunday), and thus closed to further VFR arrivals. So you may not be able to get in Monday morning.
 
Yeah, Monday at 0715 over FISKE has been dicey the last few years. That’s been my usual M.O., which I may adjust this year. I’m thinking of trying later in the week, if I can hold off. The weather the week of is another consideration.

I hardly drive, but think of the oil I can take home with my truck?
 
I could go straight into Oshkosh on Sunday - but if it's been filling up by then maybe it's worth going later in the week? I haven't flown in before so I don't know the best plan. I am flexible on days, I could also try for an early Wednesday morning arrival? or maybe Thursday AM arrival?

If it's best to try and get straight into Oshkosh that weekend prior, I can try for that too. Just not sure how to weigh the options.
 
In 2016 I went on a Wednesday around 10 AM and the Fisk arrival was nearly silent, the controller was asking if anyone was out there, where ya from, etc. Made for a very stress free arrival. Got a great parking spot in the North 40 near the road and the showers too. Some of it may have been due to weather.
 
mxalix258 said:
I could go straight into Oshkosh on Sunday - but if it's been filling up by then maybe it's worth going later in the week? I haven't flown in before so I don't know the best plan. I am flexible on days, I could also try for an early Wednesday morning arrival? or maybe Thursday AM arrival?

If it's best to try and get straight into Oshkosh that weekend prior, I can try for that too. Just not sure how to weigh the options.
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I usually try to arrive on the Saturday before, or very early (cross Fisk close to 7:00 am) on the Sunday morning before show opening. Get on the ground, set up camp, break out the lawn chairs & beer cooler, tune the handheld radio to one of the Tower frequencies, and enjoy the show as the traffic builds. It's one of the most entertaining parts of OSH.

Arriving mid-week also works well from what I have seen. Usually by Tuesday afternoon slots are opening up as planes leave early. And mid-week is definitely quieter for arrival.

The worst time is Sunday mid-morning through the afternoon. That's why I like to be on the ground watching it.
 
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The OP wants to fly in Monday morning with a gazillion others who have the exact same idea. Last time I flew in Sunday afternoon I was nearly alone, I didn’t see another aircraft until I was downwind.
 
Tantalum said:
That's a REALLY cool little airport. Highly recommend. Feels like you're landing in a neighborhood, right into someone's backyard
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Yeah, when we were there (2016), a guy came down the line inviting everyone to a party at the house he was staying in across the old golf course. We didn’t go, but nice to be invited.

We arrived too late to get into OSH Sunday night, and Brennand was our planned diversion. We got up Monday morning to try to finish the trip, and before we could get to Fisk they announced OSH GAC was full so we went back. Finally got into OSH Wednesday morning.

To the OP, you’re only coming from MSP? I would be in the air at first opportunity Sunday morning to head to OSH, with planned diversion to Brennand or one of the other alternatives mentioned.
 
I'd fly in Sunday evening and set up camp only once. Evenings are in my opinion the best time to arrive at Osh. Monday morning could be a cluster.
 
Thanks everyone for the comments. In my mind, based on the slow cruise speed of the Cub I figured my best shot would be one of the first over Fisk right in the AM. Coming from Minneapolis, I wouldn't get to Oshkosh until afternoon at the earliest and thought it'd be risky with the traffic volume and my airspeed to try and sequence in.

I really like Brennand as an option, either as a stopover or an alternate - maybe I can try to head out sometime on Saturday, camp at Brennand Saturday night and try to get into OSH first thing Sunday morning.

This all of course assumes that weather will cooperate...
 
mxalix258 said:
Planning to head over to Oshkosh from Minneapolis in a J-3 Cub. Was thinking of leaving Sunday, camping at an airstrip fairly close and getting an early jump on the Monday arrival into Oshkosh.

Is this what others would recommend doing? Does anyone have any leads on a good strip that might allow camping the night before?

Thanks for the recommendations!
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To rephrase what others have said.

Arrive Saturday or Wed.
 
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Don’t the mass arrivals come in on Sunday? Is that schedule posted somewhere?

Count me as one that was also going to spend the night an hour or so out on Sunday and fly-in Monday first-thing. Now I’m rethinking this plan.
 
My plane fell behind in the shop, a few more days & the new ADS-B install ‘should’ be done. I will be checking Tuesday or so.
 
The cubs have their own miniconvention over at New Holstein (directly across the lake from Oshkosh).
 
Banjo33 said:
Don’t the mass arrivals come in on Sunday? Is that schedule posted somewhere?

Count me as one that was also going to spend the night an hour or so out on Sunday and fly-in Monday first-thing. Now I’m rethinking this plan.
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4 of the 5 mass arrivals come in on Saturday and 1 comes in Sunday.
 
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When ya’ll say it’s closed to VFR arrivals, do they just send you away at Fiske? How do you let them know you have a reserved spot?
 
I don't think the N40 has reserved sites. I believe it is first come first served.
 
Banjo33 said:
When ya’ll say it’s closed to VFR arrivals, do they just send you away at Fiske? How do you let them know you have a reserved spot?
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The arrival ATIS and the Fisk controllers. They don’t send you away per se unless the airport is totally closed for arrivals. For example, if N40 is full but GA parking is still available they’ll let you come on in but they’ll send you to parking, so it’s up to you in this scenario to decide whether to divert. Are you plane camping or over in Scholler? I ask because there are no reserved aircraft camping spots.
 
Where can we find the (“4 of 5”) “mass arrival” arrival times?
Thanks
 
tsts4 said:
The arrival ATIS and the Fisk controllers. They don’t send you away per se unless the airport is totally closed for arrivals. For example, if N40 is full but GA parking is still available they’ll let you come on in but they’ll send you to parking, so it’s up to you in this scenario to decide whether to divert. Are you plane camping or over in Scholler? I ask because there are no reserved aircraft camping spots.
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The ComancheTown group has a block of spaces reserved in VAC. I’ll be part of that group.
 
mxalix258 said:
Does anyone have any leads on a good strip that might allow camping the night before?
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Brennand is very close. Appleton and Fond du Lac also have camping, and some people will stay at those fields the entire week.

One that hasn't been mentioned is 63C, Adams County, 53nm from KOSH and 42nm from Ripon. Good facilities there, including a fire pit (away from the ramp, thankyouverymuch) and showers in the terminal, and very friendly people.

Tantalum said:
That's a REALLY cool little airport. Highly recommend. Feels like you're landing in a neighborhood, right into someone's backyard
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The former owner of Brennand once said it "has a 90 foot wide runway with a 20 foot wide paved centerline." :rofl: But it's definitely got that airpark feel to it, and you really are right near people's back yards. Just be careful if there's a westerly wind, as the hangars are pretty close to the runway and can really make the air squirrelly.
 
Banjo33 said:
The ComancheTown group has a block of spaces reserved in VAC. I’ll be part of that group.
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I thought the camping were first-come, first-served? Are you able to reserve spots somehow? Or is it just for groups of folks so that they can be together?
 
mxalix258 said:
I thought the camping were first-come, first-served? Are you able to reserve spots somehow? Or is it just for groups of folks so that they can be together?
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You can't reserve normal GAC spots, no. I think Vintage is a bit different, since they try to park each aircraft type in a group - You'll notice that all the Swifts tend to be in the same area, all the Comanches tend to be in the same area, etc.
 
Brennand Airport (79C) has had too much rain this whole spring and summer. The grass has had a lot of soft spots and even some standing water. Right now it is finally starting to dry out, but if we get mass quantities of rain again, we could have an issue. And you will likely need to park on the grass. The paved runway is 30 feet wide now not 20. There is an unofficial parallel grass runway marked out with yellow cones that I do not recommend using right now unless you have tundra tires. Not sure if I can NOTAM something closed if it doesn't officially exist, but anyway we might put some X's out there if this monsoon season starts up again. I recommend calling the owner Keith ahead of time to check on field conditions and where to park. He almost always answers his phone right away or returns a call quickly. He will be happy to hear from you. 920-376-0064 http://www.brennandairport.com/index.php/eaa-visitors
 
2019 Mass arrival schedule...

Saturday
1000 Cherokees
1130 Mooneys
1300 Bonanzas
1430 Cessnas

Sunday
0800 Cirrus
 
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