Oshkosh is full!

[FloridaPilot]

So it seems like this years OSH was the best one in a long time?

I haven't been, (Went to sun and fun on Sunday this year)

I'm planning on going next year. Are all of the hotels booked nearby?

 

[Jay Honeck]

So it seems like this years OSH was the best one in a long time?

I haven't been, (Went to sun and fun on Sunday this year)

I'm planning on going next year. Are all of the hotels booked nearby?

It was certainly the most aircraft we've seen in the last few years. I would say that this is the best indication that the economy is finally, truly recovering.

 

[txflyer]

A high stock market and maybe some of the older hands are passing down the chalice?

I noticed a lot of younger generation pilots like the next gen after the baby boomers are starting to come into their own with jobs and businesses and are able to afford to fly maybe?

I don't know, but it was a great turnout of planes. The T-birds were AWESOME! Locked formation flight like they were glued to each other. If you weren't there, you were square.


man.

 

[weirdjim]

It was certainly the most aircraft we've seen in the last few years. I would say that this is the best indication that the economy is finally, truly recovering.

Of course, Jay, according to you, all attributable to the Republican majority in the House. Obama and his henchmen in the Senate had no part in it.

Or have you seen the light?



Jim

 

[Jay Honeck]

Of course, Jay, according to you, all attributable to the Republican majority in the House. Obama and his henchmen in the Senate had no part in it.

Or have you seen the light?



Jim

Well, I don't want to send this to the Spin Zone, but it seems to me that our economy has recovered despite -- not because of -- any government efforts.

As with all economic cycles, the ship eventually rights itself.

BTW: Although it was a great show, it wasn't all roses at OSH. For the first time, an entire row in one of the big exhibit halls was entirely empty. We've never seen that before, and it surely cost EAA dearly. Also, the Fly Mart continued its death spiral, seemingly another 10% smaller. It's maybe half the size it was in 2002.

So, from where I'm sitting, economically the glass is half full. Others may see it differently.

 

[jesse]

It seems like arriving in Homebuilt camping on Monday is the best. They shove you way in the back corner, behind warbird camping, almost to the north 40. It's close to the north 40 showers and food plus closer to the show if you want to walk to it.

Really the only "bad spot" IMO is if you end up on the other side of the runway in the north 40. Although I suppose it is close to the Hilton but just too far from what I care about.

 

[weirdjim]

So, from where I'm sitting, economically the glass is half full. Others may see it differently.

That's the wonderful part about engineering ... for us the glass is ALWAYS full, sometimes with water, sometimes with air, and sometimes a mix of the two. BUt it is always full.

Another interpretation for a half-full glass is that the glass was WAY over-engineered.



JIm

 

[wanttaja]

That's the wonderful part about engineering ... for us the glass is ALWAYS full, sometimes with water, sometimes with air, and sometimes a mix of the two. BUt it is always full.

Another interpretation for a half-full glass is that the glass was WAY over-engineered.

Sorry, Jim, but to us Space Systems Engineers, the glass has a 100% design margin. We like design margin.

Ron Wanttaja

 

[CJones]

It seems like arriving in Homebuilt camping on Monday is the best. They shove you way in the back corner, behind warbird camping, almost to the north 40. It's close to the north 40 showers and food plus closer to the show if you want to walk to it.

Really the only "bad spot" IMO is if you end up on the other side of the runway in the north 40. Although I suppose it is close to the Hilton but just too far from what I care about.

Wow. They've really expanded HBC. Last time we camped with the RV, we were between the Mustangs and the exhibitors - close enough to the 'event' that they had to hold the rope to keep people from walking across the taxiway in front of us.

 

[jtheune]

What's funny is that there are groups here who choose specifically to camp on the North side of Rwy 27. I would not -- we always get here a day or two early, specifically to avoid that -- but some guys like it over there.

Jay; It's not a choice. Group camping is put over there regardless. We wanted to camp as a group ( with 16 planes and perhaps 35 people ) so we took what they would give us. We used to gather at a airport about 80 miles away so we could arrive together but the problem with that is not everyone can get there 2 days early to join the gaggle so now we go as a group and people can get there when they can.

 

[Jay Honeck]

Jay; It's not a choice. Group camping is put over there regardless. We wanted to camp as a group ( with 16 planes and perhaps 35 people ) so we took what they would give us. We used to gather at a airport about 80 miles away so we could arrive together but the problem with that is not everyone can get there 2 days early to join the gaggle so now we go as a group and people can get there when they can.

Well, what I meant is that you (and others) choose to stay "Up North" so that you can do the group corral thing.

Personally, I would forgo the group corral if it meant staying so far North, unless there were some other perks offered by EAA.

What we do is arrive as a flight of whatever -- as many as possible -- establish a basecamp, and then everyone just hangs out there. It doesn't really matter where the planes are parked.

 

[skyflyer8]

Does the south camping ares (south of 36) fill up simultaneously with the north 40? Or do they fill the north 40 first then start putting people in the south end? Do you end up in the south camping just by random luck?

I kind of felt bad for those way down on the south end. It looks like they changed the southernmost tram stop / seaplane bus pickup to be further north than before -- do you have to make a huge hike if you are stuck on the very south end? Or do they have a bus like they do on the north 40, running around picking you up?

Although it messed up people's plans, I'm sure, I was actually pretty excited to hear the airport filled up. That's got to be a good sign, after so many years of what seemed to be a downhill slump. I consider 2007 to be my best year business-wise, and it was downhill since... Perhaps the aviation world is back on the upswing, at least a little, now. Thank goodness.

 

[flyingron]

Does the south camping ares (south of 36) fill up simultaneously with the north 40?.

They are distinct entities.

There are essentially FOUR parking areas at Oshkosh:

1. Homebuilt (also called custom) which is along the 18-36 starting from the comm center north until it hits the warbirds, then it turns left and runs west. Camping is on the part that is west of warbirds.

2. Warbirds, no camping, tucked into the corner of 9-27 and 18-36

3. Vintage, which runs south from the comm center along 18-36 to the south airport boundary including a patch east of Wittman road (and south of the Theatre in the Woods). Various areas are carved out within Vintage for pre-WWII stuff, special displays (like the Valdez STOL ships and the Post War Boon display), parking and camping.

4. The North 40 starting from warbirds and wrapping around 9-27 until you hit the terminal building. Camping starts from the warbird end and parking starts from the terminal and the boundary is somewhat fluid.

Obviously you need to be a Homebuilt to park in #1, a warbird to park in #2, a 1970 or earlier to park in #3 (though we will take some homebuilt campers), and anybody who wants (or can't qualify elsewhere) to #4.

(of course there are a few more: the west ramp and display area, Basler and Weeks if you have prior permission, and the Ultralights)