Arriving early

Let'sgoflying!

Let'sgoflying!

Touchdown! Greaser!
Joined
Feb 23, 2005
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west Texas
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Display name:
Dave Taylor
Years ago, I got so sick of parking in row zillion that I started arriving a couple days early so no bus, I could just walk to the entrance.
When would I have to arrive in order to park on row 5?
 
My last trip in 2015 landed #5 after the airport opened Sunday morning and was parked in Row 23. I am assuming I can lower that number by at least 10 if I arrive 24 hours earlier?

I've been there earlier in the 1990s and don't recall it ever getting stupid busy until day before show opening.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
Surely Friday pm (the 23rd) is stupid busy?
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Not at all. Even Saturday is generally reasonable. Last year, Sunday was a nightmare. People who'd planned to arrive on Saturday were blocked by storms South of Oshkosh, and morning arrivals on Sunday were blocked by IFR. So when Wittman went VFR at 10:30 or 11:00 on Sunday, all of that pent up traffic arrived in a small time window. It was chaotic. I usually like watching landings. However, it was such a zoo, we watched for a while and left, not wanting to see the accident I thought was inevitable. (Thankfully, there were no accidents.)
 
Well I don't think there's a practical row #5. The North 40, is filled up (for campers) from just after the bus/tram/registration area back. People show up early (some actually come park the plane there and go home). Of course, you pay for camping from the DAY YOU SET UP until the end of the show (refund, subject to the 3 day minimum of days you don't use).

Homebuilts I think are sorted out by type.

Vintage camping pretty much goes the same way except that a few rows up front (north of the Hangar Cafe) are reserved for special things (past grand champions, and some themed displays every year). There are a few rows reserved for the heavy twins (Beach 18's and the like) and then camping runs back again first come, first serve.

I arrive the WEDNESDAY before and there are spaces available up front. They're usually gone by Friday afternoon.
 
I don't want to hijack the thread, but I have a related question. Last year, we got in the pattern around 8:00am on Monday AM when they announced on CTAF that day parking was full, unless you had a reservation.

What is "day parking" and how do you get a reservation for it?

When I Google it, all I come up with is information for driving in and parking cars.
 
kyleb said:
Not at all. Even Saturday is generally reasonable. Last year, Sunday was a nightmare. People who'd planned to arrive on Saturday were blocked by storms South of Oshkosh, and morning arrivals on Sunday were blocked by IFR. So when Wittman went VFR at 10:30 or 11:00 on Sunday, all of that pent up traffic arrived in a small time window. It was chaotic. I usually like watching landings. However, it was such a zoo, we watched for a while and left, not wanting to see the accident I thought was inevitable. (Thankfully, there were no accidents.)
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I always fly in on Saturday and did last year, albeit stopping in Rockford for awhile and dodging weather. Depending on the time you should still be close to the store and showers vs risking being on the north side of 9/27. This was what things looked like last year coming in
IMG_0021_zpsc9xqqnkz.png

We got in, got camp setup, then it rained for about 3 hours, then we went to bed and it about midnight the storm hit. It was interesting :)
IMG_7833_zps8dzz1l83.jpg

Camp location
IMG_7862_zpsbqc7ihqi.png


Let'sgoflying! said:
Hey how do you qualify for vintage? I have an old, er antique airplane
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The EAA defines vintage as "aircraft built between December 17, 1903 and December 31, 1970"
 
Where is Vintage, how do you ensure you get there? Is there an application process or a window sign? Do you have to wash the airplane?
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
Hey how do you qualify for vintage? I have an old, er antique airplane
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Vintage parking eligibility is based on the vintage judging rules. We have three categories:

Antique: constructed before August 31, 1945.
Classic: constructed September 1, 1945 through December 31, 1955.
Contemporary: January 1, 1955 up to December 31, 1970.

Your aircraft doesn't need to be of "judging" quality. The contemporary end date has been bumped up several times since I've been involved (it was at 1965 when I started), it doesn't just track the current year.

We have spotters on the line that are pretty good at dating the aircraft and we have a computer back in the ops called BELLRINGER that given an N number looks up the eligibility date.


The vintage parking is located south of the Comm Building (green roofed building about the center of the flight line). As with all parking, you get there by being eligible and holding up the appropriate sign (see the notam). VAC and VAP for camping and parking respectively get you to vintage. If you're too new however, it can result in you getting the full Gilligan on the taxiway system (a three hour tour, a three hour tour).
 
Vintage is great. You qualify.

So does your plane. :)
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
Where is Vintage, how do you ensure you get there? Is there an application process or a window sign? Do you have to wash the airplane?
Click to expand...

The Vintage window sign is downloadable as the bottom half of the OSHKOSH BOUND poster at www.rstengineering.com and then to the Oshkosh link.

Jim
 
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