First thoughts: Oshkosh 2017

Sounds like what I tell everyone for the Sun N Fun arrival! Know it before so as to not concern yourself with it when you get there!

Are there hotels and such nearby that one might recommend instead of camping? I still haven't decided if I want to go the camping route or not! How many days is good for OSH? I was planning on arriving perhaps Thursday AM and departing the Monday (Day after it ends)
 
JustinD said:
So considering I've had my plane for what will be 5 years in March I've decided this is the year to take the trip. Thus I bid and received one of my weeks of vacation for 2017 over the week of Oshkosh. I'll be making the pilgrimage from Daytona Beach up to OSH in my 182.

Anything I need to know or should start planning now for a first time attendee?
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I've given up on the hotel scene. I love the Hilton but the last night I spent in it was over $500. So I'm gonna recommend a tent with a rain fly that goes all the way to the ground. I haven't been soaked and miserable since I gave up on department store tents.

I second getting familiar with the Notam and watching the youtube videos. I've held at the lake, been sent back around for an imaginary lack of spacing, diverted to other airports when they were full, had a go around after being cleared to land twice, and had my dot changed when the guy ahead of me muffed it badly. So I would add be prepared for last minute instructions that don't match the book and have it in your head that 'unable' is way better than killing yourself for an overworked controller.
 
Tflhndn said:
Practice flying at 90kts and holding altitude.
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There has been a lot of good advice in this thread, but let me highlight this one. Much of the advice given will make your time better. This one will prevent you from messing up everyone elses!

Seriously, it's not hard and hopefully you're a pro given that you're a CFI, but this skill manages to evade a surprising number of people every summer.
 
When practicing your 90kts at 1800', do it as close to your expected arrival weight and balance as you can.
 
JustinD said:
Sounds like what I tell everyone for the Sun N Fun arrival! Know it before so as to not concern yourself with it when you get there!

Are there hotels and such nearby that one might recommend instead of camping? I still haven't decided if I want to go the camping route or not! How many days is good for OSH? I was planning on arriving perhaps Thursday AM and departing the Monday (Day after it ends)
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Don't do hotels. Just don't.

The thing you don't realize is it's an airshow by day, but literally a small town that forms out of nothing for a week, full of people who love aviation.

The "party" just gets started after the airshow ends and the airport closes at night.

If you're doing the airplane camping thing in North 40, just go over and visit Jay's massive encampment.

If your camping in Scholler, stop by our giant encampment or anyone else's you know and hang out by the fire pit, talking airplanes all night.

You'll see invites here and elsewhere to come to all sorts of things. After hours.

Plus, the flight line isn't really closed at night.

Standing under some giant transport looking at all the stuff they've parked in the square at midnight in the mist, is part of the night experience too. As is "Dawn patrol" over to Warbirds just at the crack of first light for photos, if you're the morning type.

Camping means you get to live in "aviation town". Hotels mean commuting to it. Different experience altogether.
 
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denverpilot said:
Don't do hotels. Just don't.

The thing you don't realize is it's an ajrshow by day, but literally a small town that forms out of nothing for a week, full of people who love aviation.

The "party" just gets started after the airshow ends and the airport closes at night.

If you're doing the airplane camping thing in North 40, just go over and visit Jay's massive encampment.

If your camping in Scholler, stop by our giant encampment or anyone else's you know and hang out by the fire pit, talking airplanes all night.

You'll see invites here and elsewhere to come to all sorts of things. After hours.

Plus, the flight line isn't really closed at night.

Standing under some giant transport looking at all the stuff they've parked in the square at midnight in the mist, is part of the night experience too. As is "Dawn patrol" over to Warbirds just at the crack of first light for photos, if you're the morning type.

Camping means you get to live in "aviation town". Hotels mean commuting to it. Different experience altogether.
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So you're suggesting they rough it like you do? :)
 
What I'm getting from all this is upgrade to a grand caravan and turn it into an apartment! :D

But in all seriousness maybe I'll just do the camping then, probably the cheaper option to. Just pitch up the tent under your wing and what not? What about amenities like showering and such?

Excuse the noob questions. I've been to sun n fun many times but considering it's 80miles away I don't worry about all that aspect this much!

Thanks guys!
 
I camped for the first time this year and was very impressed with the shower facilities. Never even came close to having to wait in line. Phone charging was a different story. While I was very comfortable plugging my stuff in and walking away, there were times when there just wasn't an outlet available.
 
Dave Theisen said:
Phone charging was a different story. While I was very comfortable plugging my stuff in and walking away, there were times when there just wasn't an outlet available.
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That's why you take a power strip with you. :)
 
Sam D said:
So you're suggesting they rough it like you do? :)
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Hehehe. Mrs DenverPilot does like the fifth wheel, but I've done the North 40 in the 182 with a co-owner too.

Once she found out how fun it is, she hasn't not wanted to come, so it's one of her non-optional trips... so I try to keep her happy. Heh.

I can't find the original right now so here's a photo of a printout of a photo that's in my home office.

5509d4fb3275b37c8740739623ea1cdd.jpg


Jay doesn't exactly rough it over there in the North 40 either... heh...

The downside of the fifth wheel is towing it across Nebraska...
 
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Dave Theisen said:
I camped for the first time this year and was very impressed with the shower facilities. Never even came close to having to wait in line. Phone charging was a different story. While I was very comfortable plugging my stuff in and walking away, there were times when there just wasn't an outlet available.
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I have a couple of these and get 6 or so phone charges out of each. And if it does walk off while it's at the charging station you're only out $50. It looks like a joke when you see one but we disconnected the battery cable on my buddy's giant V8 and started his truck with it.

https://www.amazon.com/GOOLOO-Portable-10000mAh-GP03B-Flashlight/dp/B01EWV2W6C

I've never pursued it but I wonder if cobbling together a cigarette lighter interface would give an guy an option in one of those IMC 'end of the world' scenarios where the alternator fails and the plane's battery turns out to not be a strong as it was supposed to be...
 
Is there an overnight parking lot for cars? Thinking about flying in and camping, can't fit the whole family in the plane so the wife might drive instead. EAA website says no overnight parking in their lots.
 
FredFenster said:
Is there an overnight parking lot for cars? Thinking about flying in and camping, can't fit the whole family in the plane so the wife might drive instead. EAA website says no overnight parking in their lots.
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I don't remember there being any parking restrictions at the HUGE parking lot across from the North gate of the North 40. Would be nice to have your car staged there. Otherwise you can fly in and put your plane in Parking instead of camping and camp with your car. Still plenty of fun.

Other idea would be to have her drive to Appleton and take the bus South. It's not bad and it drops off right at FBO, where you can meet her and take a shuttle back.

Couldn't hurt to call the FBO and see if they sell parking permits for their lot. (Probably the best of both worlds)
 
In a pinch, there's overflow parking in camp Scholler at the gate just south of the campground main entrance. It's 100 mikes away from the north 40, but shuttle buses run out there all day.
 
Another thing to practice: Right hand patterns.

When we lived in Iowa, I used to fly precisely one right-hand pattern per year, and that was to Rwy 27 at Oshkosh, loaded to max gross. That always felt weird and strange in my Pathfinder, so I started practicing it beforehand and got more comfortable with looking across my copilot for the runway.

Nowadays, in our RV-8, right or left doesn't matter -- but if you have a 4-seater and don't fly them regularly, a few clockwise trips around the pattern in advance might be a good thing. YMMV
 
painless said:
In a pinch, there's overflow parking in camp Scholler at the gate just south of the campground main entrance. It's 100 mikes away from the north 40, but shuttle buses run out there all day.
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Just looked in the camp Scholler rules and they do list a parking lot for additional vehicles and guests, so that's probably where the car will end up! My plane is old so it'll only be a 25 mile walk from Vintage.
 
I plan on driving up this year. I looked it up and it's only like 6 hours away.
 
JustinD said:
Sounds like what I tell everyone for the Sun N Fun arrival! Know it before so as to not concern yourself with it when you get there!

Are there hotels and such nearby that one might recommend instead of camping? I still haven't decided if I want to go the camping route or not! How many days is good for OSH? I was planning on arriving perhaps Thursday AM and departing the Monday (Day after it ends)
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We always stay at the college or university(whatever it is) they open the dorms up for the show and you get a decent all you can eat breakfast with it and shuttles all day. Much cheaper can than a hotel as well.
 
Acrodustertoo said:
We always stay at the college or university(whatever it is) they open the dorms up for the show and you get a decent all you can eat breakfast with it and shuttles all day. Much cheaper can than a hotel as well.
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How does one go about booking these dorms?
 
The dorms aren't air conditioned so bring a fan with you if you go.
 
Don't forget, the dorms are not within walking or biking distance, so you must rely on public transportation off the grounds.

This severely limits your ability to participate in the all-important after-the-show social hours.
 
Some of the dorms do have AC, still not worth the hassle of transportation back and forth.
 
You can buy a lot of Uber rides for the difference in price between the HGI and the dorms.
 
Be careful in HBC... no telling what kind of low-life you'll be parked near in there!
 
Ravioli said:
Be careful in HBC... no telling what kind of low-life you'll be parked near in there!
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Hah! I resemble that remark.....This will be our third year in HBC and they haven't kicked up out yet......
 
tsts4 said:
Absolutely! I've got a new 4-person Cinch pop-up tent on order, https://www.cinchpopuptents.co.uk/ , plus a new 45qt RTIC cooler I got for Christmas. We'll be in HBC but I plan to make the rounds this year and see everyone.
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OK, I give up. Where's the pricing for those tents. I've skimmed the website several times and I'm 0-fer.
 
tsts4 said:
Kyle, try this site: https://www.kickstarter.com/project...-ultimate-pop-up-tent-solar-power-led-heat-co
These tents aren't cheap but I think they are better than what I've seen from Coleman and the like.
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Coleman stinks for anything but car camping. Fiberglass poles are the first give-away.

On the Cinch tent, I'd love to see a normal speed, closer shot of the tear-down/fold up process. We have a couple of beach thingies sort of like the Cinch, and (in occasional use, so we're not doing it right) trying to stow one of 'em is like arm wrestling an octopus.

I'll take a look at yours next summer if everything works out...
 
This will be my first year flying in. Drove in for years past. I was hoping to rent a cabin at Sleepy Hollow but they sold out already. They are celebrating 30 year anniversary of the Questair Venture so I can't miss it this year.
 
I really, truly, hate camping. But at Oshkosh I camp. It took a few years to learn how to mitigate the various discomforts that I dread but I get a little better at it every year. A real tent with a rain fly that goes all the way to the ground has made the entire experience ten times better for me. I've never tried the dorms so I can't speak to that. It's hard to put into words but sunset and sunrise in the north 40 just seem really special to me.

Every year I tell myself it may be my last, so enjoy it. I'm looking forward to 2017, rain, wind, and all.
 
I've camped out several times but never with my wife. I think Vintage is the place to be if you can get it because it puts you in the center of everything. That said the group camps in the north 40 have their benefits as well.

I've always had a Cessna so I put my tent under the wing but even with that you need the rain fly as others have suggested. There will be a big storm at some time during the week so research tie downs as well. You'd hate to be the guy who's plane flipped into someone else (I always take a look at how people around me tie down as well).

Sun And Fun doesn't compare, not even close. There is nothing like Oshkosh and since the first time I went everyplace else has been kind of disappointing.

Gary
 
GaryV said:
I've always had a Cessna so I put my tent under the wing but even with that you need the rain fly as others have suggested.
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We made it through 2 big storms and several inches of rain last year with my normal setup. The tarps serve two purposes. 1. Keep all the rain off the tents. 2. With the silver side out, keeps the morning and afternoon sun off the tents helping them to stay cooler inside.

Almost everybody around us last year had wet sleeping bags and wet clothes after the big rain Saturday night, while we stayed dry as a bone.

IMG_7833.jpg
 
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