Oshkosh - 2018

I flew out last night and stayed in De Kalb overnight so I didn’t have to pack a dew covered tent and fight the Wednesday mass departure crowd. Got back to NC before the convective activity started. Was hoping for a nice tailwind but ended up with more of a wind out of the West.

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N92D
 
tyndall said:
"For your safety...."

BS. It's the EAA. They just don't want your money to get wet.
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Uhh, no. You can’t fly a night airshow in this...

(Screenshot is from a friend who’s there. Not mine.)

OSHALERT: Showers & storms will continue through 11pm. Lightning, heavy rain & wind gusts to 40 mph are expected. Seek safe shelter!

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And they just sent this...

OSHALERT: Update - Strong winds and heavy rain approaching EAA. Seek shelter now!
 
denverpilot said:
And they just sent this...

OSHALERT: Update - Strong winds and heavy rain approaching EAA. Seek shelter now!
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We were already manning the shelter at the HOPS party to keep the entire thing from blowing away when that one went out. It felt like home to me. Now I get to ride a bus and find out if my new tent and Claw tie downs live up to the hype or not. I definitely feel like I am getting the maximum Oshkosh experience. Hours in a hold, severe weather, and whatever tomorrow brings.
 
iamtheari said:
We were already manning the shelter at the HOPS party to keep the entire thing from blowing away when that one went out. It felt like home to me. Now I get to ride a bus and find out if my new tent and Claw tie downs live up to the hype or not. I definitely feel like I am getting the maximum Oshkosh experience. Hours in a hold, severe weather, and whatever tomorrow brings.
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Have you had the infestation of aircraft sized mosquitos after you yet? They looooove me when I go. I’m covered in welts for a month back home. :)
 
denverpilot said:
Have you had the infestation of aircraft sized mosquitos after you yet? They looooove me when I go. I’m covered in welts for a month back home. :)
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That’s my state bird back home so I wouldn’t even notice. I measure my blood health by how tasty those buggers consider me to be.
 
Looks like I timed my departure just right. M-T and Wed morning were awesome weather wise. There was heavy morning dew that let small drops in my tent. I can't imagine what a mean T-Storm would have done. I brought garbage bags to put my stuff in, then planned to sit in the plane to stay dry.
 
There was a funnel cloud in that storm too. Never touched down, but it was trying.
 
Pfffffft. Last night was easy. But, I saw the weather coming in, pre-staged at what looked to be the dry picnic table at the HBC pavillion: bourbon, ice, bottle of Petit Sirah for M'lady, chairs just in case the airshow went off. Invited some friends from VAC. Got a 15% airshow: parachute jump, Beech 18, Wall of Fire got lit off, because, what the heck, the fuel is sitting there anyway. Eventually the BONE did an unrestricted burner spiral to some altitude in the teens with wings swept forward. That was cool. Pretty good rainstorm, not much wind. My quality tent kept things dry, plane only took a slightly extra strong tug to get it out of the ruts this morning when we left, safe home now. A good evening with friends under the shelter of the pavillion, sorry to have missed the HOPS, but the forecast dictated that.
 
eman1200 said:
Camping it is.
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We got an Air B&B. We had a group of 8 share a 5 bedroom house (2 couples, 4 singlet) and overall cost was $360/room for three days, way cheaper than hotels. Five minutes from the main gate. Definitely going that route next time we go too. Having a kitchen and a place to hang out, shower, drink etc was priceless. Tons of great options on there even for just renting a single room or smaller house.
 
Anybody got a lockdown on the 'good' spot for airshow viewing this afternoon? I have acquired one of the concrete benches outside vintage cafe, but not sure I can iron-butt till the airshow starts in an hour.
 
CJones said:
Anybody got a lockdown on the 'good' spot for airshow viewing this afternoon? I have acquired one of the concrete benches outside vintage cafe, but not sure I can iron-butt till the airshow starts in an hour.
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I’ve always just done the lawn chair right up against the front rope thing slightly offset from show center. :)

That bench is fine though. You won’t miss anything up high from way back there but there’ll be a lot of people in front of you and the foot traffic on the road there in front of you won’t stop much.

All the area between the airplanes to your east will fill in with people. If you can grab a trash bag and don’t have a chair, I’d go further east and sit in the grass.
 
denverpilot said:
I’ve always just done the lawn chair right up against the front rope thing slightly offset from show center. :)

That bench is fine though. You won’t miss anything up high from way back there but there’ll be a lot of people in front of you and the foot traffic on the road there in front of you won’t stop much.

All the area between the airplanes to your east will fill in with people. If you can grab a trash bag and don’t have a chair, I’d go further east and sit in the grass.
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Honestly, I rarely stopped walking for the airshow the previous 5 times I've been here and usually use the time to browse the exhibit halls whike the crowd is out. Not really shopping for anything this year, so not sure what to do with myself. Ha..
 
CJones said:
Honestly, I rarely stopped walking for the airshow the previous 5 times I've been here and usually use the time to browse the exhibit halls whike the crowd is out. Not really shopping for anything this year, so not sure what to do with myself. Ha..
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Hahaha. I know the feeling.

Plus after days of walking you kinda get used to it and figure if you’re not walking somewhere you’re probably going to be late for someone’s party or something. :)

Really bummed I couldn’t make it this year. Or last. This has to change.
 
After walking 8 miles a day, I sat in my chair sucking down brews and watched the show from the backcountry VAC. Afterwords, I walked up to the Ultralight field to watch the STOL competetion

Me want a SuperStol that took off in 54'
 
Was in Osh Mon, Tues, and Friday this year. Now the wife and I are watching the Night Air Show via internet on the giant tv at home. (Could you have even imagined that 20 yrs ago?). What am I going to with my time for the next year, waiting for OSH 2019?
 
Well, there's no big rush to get out, thanks to the storms to our South, so we are enjoying our last morning in the chalet, sipping coffee and watching the Mustangs and Spitfire depart.

Another great OSH. It was wonderful seeing everyone again!
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Just booked a room at the University for next year. My 76 year old dad wants to go, and when I suggested camping he said "I'm not taking a dump in a porta potty". Confirmed for a non-AC room, on the waiting list for an AC room. Reserved the flying club 172, hoping I have something more capable to fly out by then. Planning on getting to OSH Tuesday morning, departing Friday sometime.

Can't wait!
 
Groundpounder said:
Just booked a room at the University for next year. My 76 year old dad wants to go, and when I suggested camping he said "I'm not taking a dump in a porta potty". Confirmed for a non-AC room, on the waiting list for an AC room. Reserved the flying club 172, hoping I have something more capable to fly out by then. Planning on getting to OSH Tuesday morning, departing Friday sometime.

Can't wait!
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I'm with your dad on that one. The restroom situation this year was a step down from last year.
 
Flocker said:
Don't give up. My wife booked a hotel last Sunday morning (day before the show) in Fond du Lac. Called the hotel directly. No minimum on number of nights. Couldn't believe it! There is a daily shuttle from FDL to OSH.
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How long a ride on the bus? How often do they run?
 
Groundpounder said:
Just booked a room at the University for next year. My 76 year old dad wants to go, and when I suggested camping he said "I'm not taking a dump in a porta potty". Confirmed for a non-AC room, on the waiting list for an AC room. Reserved the flying club 172, hoping I have something more capable to fly out by then. Planning on getting to OSH Tuesday morning, departing Friday sometime.

Can't wait!
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Just for info, the shower building closest to the camp store and cafe has flush toilets.

I did the UW dorm thing one year (had a 71 year old friend with me who is like your Dad - "no $@#&## way I am sleeping on the ground..." :rolleyes:. UW does a fine job and you can get a good breakfast in the cafeteria there. But I found the shuttle was a PITA, especially if you stayed late to attend any of the Theater in the Woods evenings - and most years there is at least one or two of those evenings not to be missed. Uber/Lyft might be a good alternative though.

I think the biggest difference for me staying at the dorm vs camping with the airplane is I felt more like a tourist and not really a participant at Oshkosh.
 
Rcmutz said:
How long a ride on the bus? How often do they run?
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They run at least every 30 minutes and can get pretty full early and around 4-5 o’clock. Ride takes ~20 minutes or less depending on traffic. This year the transit system got all new buses according to a local I talked to. Air conditioning and nice seats, if you get one. $3 round trip.

Cheers
 
GRG55 said:
Just for info, the shower building closest to the camp store and cafe has flush toilets.
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Yea, I checked that out, and it made me vomit. They were all plugged up and overflowing. Plugged up flush toilets is far ghastlier than a portapotty.
 
sarangan said:
Yea, I checked that out, and it made me vomit. They were all plugged up and overflowing. Plugged up flush toilets is far ghastlier than a portapotty.
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Sounds like they had a rough year all around at Oshkosh this past week. Last two times I've been ('15 & '17) that facility was kept remarkably clean and functional, considering the number of users, and it was nice improvement from years ago imo.
 
sarangan said:
Yea, I checked that out, and it made me vomit. They were all plugged up and overflowing. Plugged up flush toilets is far ghastlier than a portapotty.
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Yup the water hour cutoff at one point.
Caused a lot of bathroom problems.
 
Groundpounder said:
Just booked a room at the University for next year. My 76 year old dad wants to go, and when I suggested camping he said "I'm not taking a dump in a porta potty". Confirmed for a non-AC room, on the waiting list for an AC room. Reserved the flying club 172, hoping I have something more capable to fly out by then. Planning on getting to OSH Tuesday morning, departing Friday sometime.

Can't wait!
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Another solution to that is an RV in Scholler. Less problems with night and overnight activities, but you don’t get to fly in.

Technically there are companies that will pre-deliver an RV to Scholler, and you could fly in and park in GA Parking, and walk/tram to your home away from home in Scholler, also.

I haven’t run this by my co-owner yet, but the ideal would be one group flies in, the others drive a largeish RV up, and then swap the airplane and RV keys for the return trip. Everyone sleeps in non-tent comfort, on the field, enjoys the night life without leaving the field for a week, and everyone gets to fly.

Unless we can get our hands on a C-130. Then we’d just sleep in the plane. :) :) :)
 
X3 Skier said:
They run at least every 30 minutes and can get pretty full early and around 4-5 o’clock. Ride takes ~20 minutes or less depending on traffic. This year the transit system got all new buses according to a local I talked to. Air conditioning and nice seats, if you get one. $3 round trip.

Cheers
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Thanks for the PIREP. Seems like this might be a better option than flying directly in and dealing with the cluster...
 
Rcmutz said:
Thanks for the PIREP. Seems like this might be a better option than flying directly in and dealing with the cluster...
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"The Cluster" has happened on two weekends in the 25 years I've attended Oshkosh. Both occasions were largely weather driven. I don't want anyone to have the impression that the arrival is a cluster every year.
 
kyleb said:
"The Cluster" has happened on two weekends in the 25 years I've attended Oshkosh. Both occasions were largely weather driven. I don't want anyone to have the impression that the arrival is a cluster every year.
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Yeah... seems like this year was really bad compared to other years.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
I'm with your dad on that one. The restroom situation this year was a step down from last year.
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I was impressed with the deluxe trailer potty at HBC, and the mobile showers...a big trailer with a bunch of separate lockable rooms. They're lined with stainless steel--my friend calls them "human parts washers":D--and plenty of hot water with good water pressure. Sinks with mirrors were built into the back side of the trailer. Big improvement over Scholler last year with the sorta YMCA communal shower setup.

It was really fun to jawbone with other pilots at night over at the HBC pavillion while recharging our cellphones.

Brought a propane coffeemaker but never used it, as there's fresh coffee at the Pavillion.

Next year, shoes that are more waterproof are a priority. I hate prune foot!
 
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