Camping at OSHKOSH

linuxjim

linuxjim

Pre-takeoff checklist
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JJ
This will be my first time to Oshkosh, first time taking the plane on a camping trip and first time taking our 3yo beyond the pattern, so should be interesting.. We'll be going in Friday and heading back out Sunday. After fuel, family and other necessities you have about 70lbs left. What do you bring? After the tiny tent and air mattress of course.
 
Are you talking two nights or Friday the 17th until Sunday the 26th? Big difference.

Take plenty of towels and some rain gear. It always rains or spits off and on. Take some warm clothing or cover ups because it can get surprisingly chilly. It can also get surprisingly hot. So pack for hot and chilly and wet.

Sunscreen or a big hat and something to keep the toddler covered up. And the most comfortable walking shoes you've got. Edit in: CHAPSTICK! for the love of all creation take some chapstick. :)
 
linuxjim said:
This will be my first time to Oshkosh, first time taking the plane on a camping trip and first time taking our 3yo beyond the pattern, so should be interesting.. We'll be going in Friday and heading back out Sunday. After fuel, family and other necessities you have about 70lbs left. What do you bring? After the tiny tent and air mattress of course.
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Ponchos, bug spray, lightweight folding chairs, styrofoam cooler, ear plugs, toiletries, flashlight (midnight loo runs), tie-downs, appropriate bed linens, ibuprofen, shower shoes, big hat, sunscreen, something to read, copy of the NOTAM, parking sign, small toolkit, clothes for warm weather, clothes for cold weather, clothes for everything in between.
 
Yes. That would be 2 very different scenarios. It will just be the weekend. 2 nights of camping. How about food, coolers, cooking? We have a large tent. 10 man stand up, but it seems that tent space is somewhat limited?
 
linuxjim said:
Yes. That would be 2 very different scenarios. It will just be the weekend. 2 nights of camping. How about food, coolers, cooking? We have a large tent. 10 man stand up, but it seems that tent space is somewhat limited?
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There is a camp store that has almost everything at silly prices. There are also free busses that circle back and forth between Target and the field and Wal-Mart and the field about every 20 minutes. We land, set camp, and catch a bus for food/drinks/sundries. Works pretty well.
 
linuxjim said:
Thanks Kyle. That is useful. What do you mean by parking sign?
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Have a large window sign prepared that designates the parking area you desire. For instance, a sign with HBC = Homebuilt Camping. All of the options are listed in the NOTAM.

You will display this sign in the window and show it to the ground traffic directors who will route you to the appropriate parking area.
 
kyleb said:
Have a large window sign prepared that designates the parking area you desire. For instance, a sign with HBC = Homebuilt Camping. All of the options are listed in the NOTAM.

You will display this sign in the window and show it to the ground traffic directors who will route you to the appropriate parking area.
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And please, for the love of God, don't write your sign with a fine point ball pen. Us flight line ops guys can't walk up to your windscreen to see your tiny little writing. Just print out the sign from the website.
 
nddons said:
And please, for the love of God, don't write your sign with a fine point ball pen. Us flight line ops guys can't walk up to your windscreen to see your tiny little writing. Just print out the sign from the website.
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I have a hell of a time with the sign really. It's not easy to hold it in an open cockpit airplane with the prop blast, and whenever i'm holding it, my hand isn't on the throttle.

I also can't see the people who are wanting to read it sometimes. It's like they forget..if they can't see my eyes..I can't see them.

If I stick it anywhere on the windscreen then I can't see anything anymore to taxi. So it's an awkward game of trying to maneuver to see if someone needs to see it then trying to hold it as the wind tries to either rip it out of my hand or flap it all over the place to where it can't easily be read.
 
jesse said:
I have a hell of a time with the sign really. It's not easy to hold it in an open cockpit airplane with the prop blast, and whenever i'm holding it, my hand isn't on the throttle.
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Would duct tape letters on the cowl work? A quick point at them when somebody looks should do the trick.
 
linuxjim said:
,,,,,,have about 70lbs left. What do you bring? After the tiny tent and air mattress of course.
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Helinox folding chairs and matching table. About 3 lbs each and easily carried in a back pack. Check you tube, buy at Amazon. You can thank me when you get back! :yes:
 
Most open cockpit planes are pretty easy to sort out (they're either going to homebuilt or vintage typically). For people without signs or illegible signs we have two modes:

I have a large sign that says "CAMPING WITH AIRCRAFT?" if it's just a matter of determining that. Otherwise we'll stop you and approach from the behind the wing and shout the question.
 
I packed food to cook last year. I froze a case of water bottles to keep everything else cold and when they thawed I drank them. A very nice young lady will come by and sell you ice if you need it.
You will have to register your cooler when you check in. Actually, if you are leaving Sunday you may not have to check in but that is up to you. There was a problem with the wind throwing loose coolers into planes a few years back so they keep an eye on them now.
 
We bring coffee (JetBoil and an Aeropress). I don't move too far without it. We've brought full camping supplies in the past but really now we pass. Someone in our campsite makes a grocery run and grabs some fruit and muffins and cereal and the like so those who insist on eating first thing in the morning can have there's.
 
cgrab said:
I packed food to cook last year. I froze a case of water bottles to keep everything else cold and when they thawed I drank them. A very nice young lady will come by and sell you ice if you need it.
You will have to register your cooler when you check in. Actually, if you are leaving Sunday you may not have to check in but that is up to you. There was a problem with the wind throwing loose coolers into planes a few years back so they keep an eye on them now.
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Register your cooler? I've never heard of that before.
 
jtheune said:
Register your cooler? I've never heard of that before.
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Large coolers are banned for the general public. To differentiate the ones that campers have in their campsite from ones lugged in through the main gates, they give campers "cooler passes" (stickers to put on the cooler). In fact, as long as it's confined to your camp site, I've never ever had a problem. I've never had a sticker on mine.
 
jesse said:
I have a hell of a time with the sign really. It's not easy to hold it in an open cockpit airplane with the prop blast, and whenever i'm holding it, my hand isn't on the throttle.



I also can't see the people who are wanting to read it sometimes. It's like they forget..if they can't see my eyes..I can't see them.



If I stick it anywhere on the windscreen then I can't see anything anymore to taxi. So it's an awkward game of trying to maneuver to see if someone needs to see it then trying to hold it as the wind tries to either rip it out of my hand or flap it all over the place to where it can't easily be read.
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What I've seen works best is slipping the sign inside one of those clear plastic 8 1/2" x 11" sleeves that you can get an office supply place. It's stiff enough to make it easy to read when you lift it off your glare screen for one of us to read.
 
nddons said:
What I've seen works best is slipping the sign inside one of those clear plastic 8 1/2" x 11" sleeves that you can get an office supply place. It's stiff enough to make it easy to read when you lift it off your glare screen for one of us to read.
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EAA has printable signs on their website. Works great.
 
70 lbs extra isn't much. I vote to keep some margin with the weight and buy some stuff there.
 
I glue my HBC and VFR (for when I'm ready to leave) signs on opposite sides of a piece of cardboard so it's easy to wedge between my windshield and glareshield and stays put while taxiing with the canopy slid back.

Last year was the first time ever they made me put a cooler permit sticker on my cooler. I thought it was pretty silly to require it on a small cooler that barely holds 8 bottles of water and stays in the tent 99% of the time.
 
Neal Howard said:
I glue my HBC and VFR (for when I'm ready to leave) signs on opposite sides of a piece of cardboard so it's easy to wedge between my windshield and glareshield and stays put while taxiing with the canopy slid back.

Last year was the first time ever they made me put a cooler permit sticker on my cooler. I thought it was pretty silly to require it on a small cooler that barely holds 8 bottles of water and stays in the tent 99% of the time.
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What the hell is a cooler permit sticker?
 
jesse said:
What the hell is a cooler permit sticker?
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As explained elsewhere, the campground patrol is charged with stickering coolers. The point is they don't want daily traffic to bring in huge coolers - only small ones. But if you're camping, you get an exemption (and a sticker). I've always had a cooler in camping and never had a sticker, but depending on if the sticker folks, your cooler, and you all run into one another simultaneously at the campsite, your cooler might get a sticker...
 
Thanks everyone. LT - I just ordered my new Helinox chairs. Should be here in plenty of time. :) How's the food situation there? If we brought some breakfast food and other easy items, are there food vendors to grab lunch or dinner? How about fires?
 
linuxjim said:
Thanks everyone. LT - I just ordered my new Helinox chairs. Should be here in plenty of time. :) How's the food situation there? If we brought some breakfast food and other easy items, are there food vendors to grab lunch or dinner? How about fires?
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Fires are verboten! A small propane camp stove or burner is o.k. .... I think. Open fires and avgas don't mix very well....

The only food I remember my son and I wishing they had more of was green things like salad. After about three days of Wisconsin cheese, you kinda need a salad.

We were not the only ones wanting a nice soup and salad bar. I overheard several people expressing the same angst. I told my son if someone opened up a nice salad buffett with soup and light fair on the grounds, they would clean up. ;)
 
I made breakfast every morning (eggs, bacon, hot chocolate). My stove ran on mogas just like my plane. I ate lunch at one of the pavilions and mixed dinner out and making dinner depending on how tired I was and where I was when I was hungry.
 
linuxjim said:
Thanks everyone. LT - I just ordered my new Helinox chairs. Should be here in plenty of time. :) How's the food situation there? If we brought some breakfast food and other easy items, are there food vendors to grab lunch or dinner? How about fires?
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The food the past couple of years is 100% better than it's ever been. Rather than allowing one or two local catering houses (Zaugs, DJs) come in and serve things, they contracted different out different sites to a bunch of smaller local restaurants and caterers. Food's been pretty good in my opinion. Better than your average state fair fare.

For breakfast, there's also the Tall Pines Cafe down in Vintage. This is a operation of the Vintage volunteers.
 
linuxjim said:
Thanks everyone. LT - I just ordered my new Helinox chairs. Should be here in plenty of time. :) How's the food situation there? If we brought some breakfast food and other easy items, are there food vendors to grab lunch or dinner? How about fires?
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I show up with nothing other than a laptop, cell phone, charger, tent, blanket, and pillow. Mostly because that's all I can fit, and barely at that.

Everything else I need for the week I buy while I'm there including food. There are plenty of food options but almost none I would say are particularly healthy.
 
Just pulled the trigger on a cot, don't think it'll be here in time though. I think I've decided against the little encamp stove, that open flame makes me very nervous around all those airplanes. Cold food it is.
 
steingar said:
Just pulled the trigger on a cot, don't think it'll be here in time though. I think I've decided against the little encamp stove, that open flame makes me very nervous around all those airplanes. Cold food it is.
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Yeah, the food options have gotten so much better anyway.

Biscuits and gravy at Vintage in the morning.

Lots of choices at lunch.

Several on campus options in the evenings or hitch rides to a supper club for a taste of WI.
 
All good info. As it gets closer, I'm starting to wonder what happens if conditions don't support VFR. Is my ticket to camp with the plane good for Camp Scholler if I have to drive?
 
Anyone have the link to how % full the parking is? Can't find it on air venture site.

Sent from my SCH-R970 using Tapatalk
 
Another good question. I've prepaid for camping. What happens if it's full?
 
linuxjim said:
This will be my first time to Oshkosh, first time taking the plane on a camping trip and first time taking our 3yo beyond the pattern, so should be interesting.. We'll be going in Friday and heading back out Sunday. After fuel, family and other necessities you have about 70lbs left. What do you bring? After the tiny tent and air mattress of course.
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You leave the 70lbs empty as a safety buffer.
 
Thanks Henning. I think I'm good on the weight. I'll be taking off an additional 90lbs lighter on fuel giving me about 150lbs in the baggage compartment. Leaving 4hrs of fuel for a 45 min flight. The only way I'm putting 150lbs in the small compartment is if I pack my brick collection. It is a Super Viking after all.

Does anyone know if I can camp in camp Scholler if we have to drive due to weather? And what happens if aircraft camping is full? Will my prepaid ticket get me in or am I SOL?
 
A buddy of ours put camping into perspective.... he said..

"if you don't mind living like a refugee for a week, waiting in line to take a shower, waiting in line to eat, waiting in line to take a crap, sleeping in a hot tent like a homeless person ... camping is for you! :D;)
 
txflyer said:
A buddy of ours put camping into perspective.... he said..

"if you don't mind living like a refugee for a week, waiting in line to take a shower, waiting in line to eat, waiting in line to take a crap, sleeping in a hot tent like a homeless person ... camping is for you! :D;)
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I'll say this, it was my first year camping at Airventure. Both my wife and I were nervous about it since we're not campers. We were pleasantly surprised at how nice the facilities were.

We never waited in line to crap, shower, or eat. The shower facilities were tight but clean. The toilets were on par with a typical restaurant (I'm not a public crapper... like my friendly confines, so it was emergency use only for me).

We would both do it again.
 
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