Planning a trip to Airventure 2022

[kyleb]

Also: Kobussen Buses has vans that function as taxis. I haven’t done that in 10 or 12 years, but I remember it being relatively inexpensive.

Quite true. We use 'em to make a big grocery/beer run. About $25 to have them take you a mile to the grocery store, wait 20 minutes, then drop you and your beer beside your airplane (Before Sunday, they can enter the aircraft camping areas).

 

[steingar]

Just a comment on this particular comment. I've flown and camped at OSH a few times, and the first time thought "hey great, I can come back to the plane in the middle of the day, relax, watch planes, then head back in for more". It happened exactly zero times. It very well could be different depending on where you park, but in the North 40, from some areas of the event it can take 40 minutes one way to get to your plane - even using the trams. No, after the first day I resigned myself to once I was "in", I was "in" for the day and would only go back to the plane at the end of the day.

There's quite a bit of truth to this. Most years I have an Oshkosh "job" (I teach Origami in the Craft Tent, I'm back this year!), and it provides lunch. Last year I didn't, and I found I enjoyed the hike to the N40 far less than years previous.

 

[Lowflynjack]

There's quite a bit of truth to this. Most years I have an Oshkosh "job" (I teach Origami in the Craft Tent, I'm back this year!), and it provides lunch. Last year I didn't, and I found I enjoyed the hike to the N40 far less than years previous.

I always camp in vintage because I fly old planes! A couple of years ago we got stuck in N40 because the grounds were flooded. I hated it! Vintage spoils you. I get to camp a lot closer to show center and it's a fairly short hike to events. I think planes built up to 1970 qualify as vintage... and yes, they check your n-number and will turn you away if your plane is newer than that!

 

[WDD]

So a 1969 182 M is vintage?

 

[Lowflynjack]

So a 1969 182 M is vintage?

Yep. From their website:

Vintage

From monoplanes to biplanes to triplanes to metalplanes, hundreds of an assortment of authentic and replica aircraft will bring you back to aviation's roots.

Marvel at row after row of Antique (built prior to September 1, 1945), Classic (built September 1, 1945 through 1955), and Contemporary (built from 1956 through 1970) aircraft meticulously cared for and restored through the decades. A record 1,420 vintage aircrafts were registered at AirVenture 2021.

 

[flyingron]

So a 1969 182 M is vintage?

Yes, Vintage parking rules follow the EAA judging rules. Airplanes built up to the end of 1945 are Antiques. Airplanes built from there to the end of 1955 are Classics, from there to the END of 1970, are Contemporary. Any of these can park in vintage as a "showplane" whether you choose to have it judged or not (or even if it is judgeworthy). Note the Contemporary ended at 1965 when I first started at Oshkosh and has moved up in uneven jerks over the years. It's been at 1970 for a long time now.

I run a computer system in the little operations building by the hangar cafe that we look up registration numbers of suspect aircraft to verify you are legal, though most of the parkers are pretty experienced about what is old enough and but they'll radio in to the "bellringer" for ones they are unsure of. The machine also keeps track of the reserved parking spaces for past grand champions, special exhibits, and VIPs.

 

[Pilawt]

I always camp in vintage because I fly old planes! A couple of years ago we got stuck in N40 because the grounds were flooded. I hated it! Vintage spoils you. I get to camp a lot closer to show center and it's a fairly short hike to events. I think planes built up to 1970 qualify as vintage... and yes, they check your n-number and will turn you away if your plane is newer than that!

FAA defines antique as "built at least 30 years ago" (FAR 45.22). That might have made sense back when that reg was written, but not so much now. My PA-32 is 44 years old, and it qualifies. Think about what 44-year-old airplanes looked like in 1978.

 

[flyingron]

FAA defines antique as "built at least 30 years ago" (FAR 45.22). That might have made sense back when that reg was written, but not so much now. My PA-32 is 44 years old, and it qualifies. Think about what 44-year-old airplanes looked like in 1978.

Only for the purposes of "Identification and Marking." You need to take the rules in context. I certainly have taken advantage of the 2" registration numbers on my "antique." Actually, mine are 3" but not the giant 12" ones otherwise required (and I stay out of the ADIZ).

 

[WDD]

Never considered myself "Contemporary Vintage" before - I'll have to tell my adult kids. I guess that isn't worse or better than "mid century" (no, not referring to any airplane LOL).

 

[RussR]

@RussR at the risk of sounding like a communist . . . What do you do once you are “in.”?

other than the afternoon air show.

Let’s say you know you aren’t buying a new plane. You aren’t building a kit. Probably not shopping at the air mart as a renter.

What do you do inside OSH outside of the air show? Seminars?

Many others have covered most of the things I might do, but let me blow your mind with something - I don’t go for the airshow! I barely even pay attention to it. I mean, I love airplanes and flying, but after a while for me, the airshow routines are pretty repetitive. Now if there’s something unique (like the jet-powered Waco for example), I’ll make a point to watch it, but otherwise I’m just not that interested really.

During the day I will attend seminars, learn how to weld or rivet or whatever, browse the vendors, find out about new products or airplanes, drool over them, and hang out with friends doing the same.

It really isn’t about the airshow for me. Heck, they could cancel the airshow and I’d still go. It’s about friends and learning stuff and getting to meet and talk to interesting people.

 

[Lowflynjack]

Many others have covered most of the things I might do, but let me blow your mind with something - I don’t go for the airshow! I barely even pay attention to it. I mean, I love airplanes and flying, but after a while for me, the airshow routines are pretty repetitive. Now if there’s something unique (like the jet-powered Waco for example), I’ll make a point to watch it, but otherwise I’m just not that interested really.

During the day I will attend seminars, learn how to weld or rivet or whatever, browse the vendors, find out about new products or airplanes, drool over them, and hang out with friends doing the same.

It really isn’t about the airshow for me. Heck, they could cancel the airshow and I’d still go. It’s about friends and learning stuff and getting to meet and talk to interesting people.

I'm there working for EAA and I'm the same way. I've seen it all and very rarely pay attention. They have photographers who love the airshow and focus on it, so I'm free to do my thing!

 

[tsts4]

We’ve car camped in Scholler and the last few years with our plane in HBC. Last year we flew in but rented a local RV and stayed in Sleepy Hollow. Sleepy Hollow, like N40 is far enough away from the action to make back and forths from campsite to show less desirable. Our solution (which admittedly won’t work from N40) was to buy a couple of folding e-bikes.

 

[flyingron]

What to do?

Watch the airshow.
Go look at the display panes on the West Ramp (whatever they call it this year).
Go to the Exhibit Halls
Go to the Federal exhibits.
Wander around the fly mart
Wander around the outside displays
Go to a forum or two
Go to one of the workshop buildings and learn something
Go down to vintage and learn metal forming
Wander around homebuilts/warbirds/Vintage and look at the planes.
Eat
Go to the Aeromart
Visit a type club for an airplane that interests you in the Vintage hangar.
Watch the airplanes takeoff and land
Volunteer (Vintage Flight Line volunteer training at our ops building across from the Hangar Cafe each day at 9 and 1 PM, only need to come to one).
Go to the EAA Museum
Take a ride on the Trimotor, helicopter.
Go down and watch operations at the ultralight/rotorcraft runway
Take the bus out to the seaplane base.
Eat
Come visit me after the field closes in my campsite and I'll share some wine with you
Take the vintage tour tram where you get a narrated tour of many interesting planes in vintage (Free)
Go to the nightly movie in Scholler
Attend an evening event at the Theatre in the Woods

...and just hang out with friends which is a majority of the reason I continue to go.

 

[Martin Pauly]

I always run out of time to do all the things I want to do, see all the things I want to see, and talk to all the people I want to talk to at AirVenture. And the last two times I've been on the field from the Friday before through closing day. Time goes by in a flash at AirVenture.

Finding fun and interesting things to do should not be a problem for any aviation fan.

I would add that the first day or two on the field can be confusing. I remember how lost and disoriented I felt when I first went to Oshkosh. It gets better quickly, but my suggestion for any first-time visitors is to plan for at least 3 or 4 days.

- Martin

 

[WDD]

This is on my bucket list for sure: flying to Oshkosh and camping/staying in the dorms. Seminars, riveting, vendor booths, and what not.

The flying into Oshkosh in all that traffic and landing on a six foot wide dot - all the procedures and waggling communication - yikes.

There should be a simulator package for X plane to train for it!

 

[Jim K]

We went with 3 of the kids last year, my first time. Spent half of our time at kidventure. They wanted to go back again, but I wanted to see some stuff too. I was worried they'd get bored, but they're asking to go again this year. I'm thinking I might go up early, claim a campsite and spend a day or two seeing the stuff I want to see, and then go pick them up.

There's a lot to see, and a lot to see that you can only see there. I had never seen a p38 in real life...I got to see one flying. You'd be excited to see a P51 anywhere... there's so many that it's almost boring. T6's are cool... until they wake you up every morning at 6 AM. Walk through a 747... talk to an Osprey or Warthog pilot.... you can see basically any airplane you can imagine. I even enjoyed walking through the GA parking and seeing the "boring" planes like mine. The night airshow and fireworks are worth the trip by themselves.

 

[40YearDream]

FAA defines antique as "built at least 30 years ago" (FAR 45.22). That might have made sense back when that reg was written, but not so much now. My PA-32 is 44 years old, and it qualifies. Think about what 44-year-old airplanes looked like in 1978.

So, according to that, 94.73% of the airplanes that today's students train in, and all those CFI-time-builders ride in, are 'antiques'. What a great way to prep the next generation of airline pilots!

 

[WDD]

Question to those who have gone before: How did you prepare - train for the arrival and departure procedures? Anything besides the dozens of you tube videos? Local EAA chapters have any orientation sessions, etc.

 

[flyingron]

I did my first Oskhosh in 1992 as a bucket list thing. Spent three days there playing Paul Bertorelli's chaffeur. Decided three days wasn't enough to see it all, so I came back the next year in the club 172 with my (now) wife who was a reluctant passenger. By the time the week was over, she was ready to learn to fly. By the next year, she was flying most of the way (wouldn't land at Oshkosh) with the ink still wet on her certificate. The next year she landed there in our Navion. We've not missed a year since.

 

[flyingron]

Question to those who have gone before: How did you prepare - train for the arrival and departure procedures? Anything besides the dozens of you tube videos? Local EAA chapters have any orientation sessions, etc.

Read the NOTAM. Read it again. Understand what it says. Look at the charts and maybe google maps to see the layout. Again READ THE NOTAM. Most problems come from people not reading the NOTAM. Go out and get proficient in the plane you're going to fly in, especially close in approaches (more often than not controllers are asking people to bring things in tighter rather than space more out). Practice putting it down on various places on a longer runway (piano keys, 1000 feet down, 2000 feet down).

In my case, we flew into Fond du Lac the first year, but I was fortunate that I was able to get up into the tower and also drive out to Fisk and hang out with the controllers there. This gave me the opportunity to see it from their end before I ever flew it.

 

[tsts4]

Read the NOTAM. Read it again. Understand what it says. Look at the charts and maybe google maps to see the layout. Again READ THE NOTAM. Most problems come from people not reading the NOTAM. Go out and get proficient in the plane you're going to fly in, especially close in approaches (more often than not controllers are asking people to bring things in tighter rather than space more out). Practice putting it down on various places on a longer runway (piano keys, 1000 feet down, 2000 feet down).

In my case, we flew into Fond du Lac the first year, but I was fortunate that I was able to get up into the tower and also drive out to Fisk and hang out with the controllers there. This gave me the opportunity to see it from their end before I ever flew it.

Plus practice maintaining heading and altitude at 90 kts, preferably at the weight you plan to arrive at. Flying the arrival really isn’t that difficult most of the time, especially now with all of the YouTube videos that show you exactly what it looks like. Arriving early in the morning can make things easier as the traffic tends to be lighter. I also recommend not trying to arrive immediately after a massive weather event that causes delays for a large geographical region— the day after such an event can be a real free for all.

 

[Sam D]

Plus practice maintaining heading and altitude at 90 kts, preferably at the weight you plan to arrive at. Flying the arrival really isn’t that difficult most of the time, especially now with all of the YouTube videos that show you exactly what it looks like. Arriving early in the morning can make things easier as the traffic tends to be lighter. I also recommend not trying to arrive immediately after a massive weather event that causes delays for a large geographical region— the day after such an event can be a real free for all.

And following railroad tracks. Those buggers are hard to see compared to roads!

 

[Possum]

What night are the POA sponsored gatherings???? I remember reading in last years Airventure posts that there were several functions organized by POA members. Planning my trip now and don't want miss anything.

 

[cowtowner]

Question to those who have gone before: How did you prepare - train for the arrival and departure procedures? Anything besides the dozens of you tube videos? Local EAA chapters have any orientation sessions, etc.

First time was last year. I practiced at a local field until I felt comfortable landing anywhere on the runway. I also went to Sun n Fun last year so it prepared me a little. For OSH, I came in the Thursday before the show started, made it a lot easier.

 

[RussR]

Question to those who have gone before: How did you prepare - train for the arrival and departure procedures? Anything besides the dozens of you tube videos? Local EAA chapters have any orientation sessions, etc.

A few years ago a former client asked me to do some Oshkosh-specific refresher training with her, since she was going to fly her husband and kids up there that year in their PA-32. She intially was asking just about practicing landings, but also asked what else I thought was important.

I reasoned that it's not just being able to fly 90 knots that's important, but being able to do it at fairly low altitude and navigate at the same time. And of course the spot landings.

So I actually drew up an Oshkosh-like arrival procedure into a local airport. Similar AGL altitudes, similar points to navigate to, similar distances involved. 90 knots at low altitude for the distance you have to fly at OSH seems to take a long time, so it's important to keep your concentration.

We found power settings and configurations that would work for 90 knots in their airplane, and it was a good practice session. Then did some spot landings with me changing the point each time.

A good workout, and she thanked me later as it apparently really made their arrival go much smoother.

So I definitely recommend some practice like this. And, of course read the NOTAM!

 

[kyleb]

Plus practice maintaining heading and altitude at 90 kts, preferably at the weight you plan to arrive at.

I recommend practicing at your arrival weight and establishing a minimum comfortable speed when you're practicing. In the RV-6, mine is 65 knots. If it gets slower than that, I'm outta there. Hard number, no exceptions.

You need that number, regardless of what you fly and you need to establish it before you get anywhere close to Oshkosh.

The other suggestion I have is to consider what you will do if there is an extended hold and you're gonna be stuck circling a lake or something. Your choice, but I won't do that. I don't like the risk profile.

 

[Brad W]

@RussR at the risk of sounding like a communist . . . What do you do once you are “in.”?

other than the afternoon air show.

Let’s say you know you aren’t buying a new plane. You aren’t building a kit. Probably not shopping at the air mart as a renter.

What do you do inside OSH outside of the air show? Seminars?

oh my.... I have been to Airventure several times and to Sun fun which is a mini version many more....and always I've fit your example. My 1st time at airventure was something like 7 or 8 days and I camped right there so almost every hour of the day I was doing something. Pretty much wore out a pair of sneakers.
on my first week there
I window shopped and daydreamed and learn what I might like to have some day
You can walk up and down every row of planes just to check them out and probably do that non stop for a few days...and that's not even the "show and display planes"! I surely didn't see them all....and there are some very unique ones.
Stroll down to the ultralight area for a bit and watch them fly
then get an ice cream
stroll through the EAA museum...which is world class in my opinion....maybe better than the main Air and Space museum in DC.
I listened to a talk by Gene Cernan, the last man to walk on the moon.
I enjoyed hearing WW2 aces Chuck Yeager and Bud Anderson talk for an hour and tell stories of fighting and shooting down germans, and all the test pilot stuff...and a few times during that week I got to see the two of them fly off in some borrowed P-51 mustangs! I guess they were off dogfighting each other over the lake....
I attended lectures on several interesting topics related to home building, and some just related to private pilot stuff
I enjoyed siting for quite a while a few times in the grass near the runway at the arrival and departure times just watching folks try to hit the dot...long lines of planes...great entertainment!
The static displays change out through the week, and they always have several big and interesting things there in the square. One evening after dinner.... crowds gone, most folks at some evening program or show...I was strolling around with a beer, checking out the interesting military and planes and some oddball stuff too....I paused and leaned against a 747 tire while I finished my beer looking up at that huge thing....nobody else around!
they have movies at night, they always have some talk or show going on at night.
they have a full schedule every day of famous people and not so famous people giving talks or teaching on all sorts of topics.
they have movies at night, big name concerts
and yes I shopped at air mart...lots of things for a renting pilot there, and non-aviation stuff too.
Oh I I didn't attend but there were classes I saw on cooking and such...I suppose oriented to the non-flying spouses that were there.
I think they have a marathon or it's probably a shorter foot race ...if you are so inclined
and besides all that...Airplanes are Cool!

 

[455 Bravo Uniform]

For what it's worth, outside of Oshkosh, I tend to be over camping in 1-2 days. We have quite a few events in Texas where we can fly in and camp and I'm usually ready to pack up after a couple of days of roughing it.

At Oshkosh, it's not bad. Yes there are port-a-potties, but you do get a private shower and they're quite nice. I take a battery to charge my phone and you'll find plugs around the camps you can use too. It's cool enough at night, you won't miss the AC. It's the only time in my life I've ever camped for 5-7 days and I've done it for 5 years now.

Yep, when your old Concorde sealed gel mat battery needs to be replaced, don’t recycle it immediately, put it on camp-phone-charger duty. You can charge multiple portable devices for more than a week and it won’t even blink. I just wire up a cigarette lighter receptacle and we plug our chargers or USB converters into that. I got a battery box for it so the terminals aren’t exposed, for safety.

 

[Groundpounder]

Question to those who have gone before: How did you prepare - train for the arrival and departure procedures? Anything besides the dozens of you tube videos? Local EAA chapters have any orientation sessions, etc.

I went and flew around at 90 knots in my airplane and recorded the power settings needed to achieve those speeds. Also practiced some short approaches coupled with spot landings. Read the NOTAM carefully, and watched some youtube videos of arrivals.

 

[Groundpounder]

Just a comment on this particular comment. I've flown and camped at OSH a few times, and the first time thought "hey great, I can come back to the plane in the middle of the day, relax, watch planes, then head back in for more". It happened exactly zero times. It very well could be different depending on where you park, but in the North 40, from some areas of the event it can take 40 minutes one way to get to your plane - even using the trams. No, after the first day I resigned myself to once I was "in", I was "in" for the day and would only go back to the plane at the end of the day.

That realization did let me pack lighter, though - the first year I brought all kinds of "lounging around" stuff. The next year I didn't bother.

I can see that. But at least I'd be able to still watch airplanes from my camp if I get bored/tired and want to call it a day. Didn't have that luxury from the dorms.

 

[Dave Anderson]

I'm planning a trip to Airventure this summer.

I've never been to Airventure before and plan to stay the week there. Is there anything important a first timer should know?

I plan to fly commercial and stay in a nearby hotel.

When do most people start booking the flights, hotels, cars, etc? After doing a quick search on Google, a few hotels either have almost no vacancies or already sold out their rooms in Oshkosh.

Some

I'm planning a trip to Airventure this summer.

I've never been to Airventure before and plan to stay the week there. Is there anything important a first timer should know?

I plan to fly commercial and stay in a nearby hotel.

When do most people start booking the flights, hotels, cars, etc? After doing a quick search on Google, a few hotels either have almost no vacancies or already sold out their rooms in Oshkosh.

We love doing Camp Scholler

 

[steingar]

I always camp in vintage because I fly old planes! A couple of years ago we got stuck in N40 because the grounds were flooded. I hated it! Vintage spoils you. I get to camp a lot closer to show center and it's a fairly short hike to events. I think planes built up to 1970 qualify as vintage... and yes, they check your n-number and will turn you away if your plane is newer than that!

I like the N40 because it’s a far shorter walk to restaurants to get dinner.

 

[murphey]

Question to those who have gone before: How did you prepare - train for the arrival and departure procedures? Anything besides the dozens of you tube videos? Local EAA chapters have any orientation sessions, etc.

Read and understand the NOTAM
Practice precision landings on a specific spot on the runway. Pick a spot 1000 ft. down.
Do it again, only now pick a spot 3000 ft down the runway.
And again, 6000 ft down the runway.
Read and understand the NOTAM
Both runways (and taxiways - you may be directed to land on taxiway) are 8000 ft.

 

[Ed Haywood]

I was pretty much a professional camper in a prior life, and have probably slept at least 1000 nights outdoors. Biggest mistake you can make is getting a cheapo tent. Nothing from Walmart or Coleman. A good quality mountaineering-grade tent will withstand any weather you encounter and keep you dry and comfortable. Look for a bathtub floor and overlapping rain fly. No house sized tents, keep it low, tight, and strong. REI sells excellent stuff.

 

[kyleb]

I was pretty much a professional camper in a prior life, and have probably slept at least 1000 nights outdoors. Biggest mistake you can make is getting a cheapo tent. Nothing from Walmart or Coleman. A good quality mountaineering-grade tent will withstand any weather you encounter and keep you dry and comfortable. Look for a bathtub floor and overlapping rain fly. No house sized tents, keep it low, tight, and strong. REI sells excellent stuff.

Amen.

I've always taken a quality tent to Oshkosh. The first time I took SWMBO, we dove into the tent one evening right as the first drops of a substantial t-storm arrived. We were nice and dry that night. In the morning, half of the campers around us sported destroyed tents and a bunch of wet stuff hanging from propellers, empennages, and the like. Those folks were the ones who brought $69 Coleman tents to the show. Far better to overspend on a tent and stay dry than to save a few bucks and have a bad experience.

 

[Brad W]

Yep, another supporter of the idea of spending for a decent tent here. Although there is a wide range of decent and for the rare/occasional use most folks don't necessarily need the upper side of that range ($$$$$)...the stuff made for ultralight backpacking and/or high altitude really severe conditions. (although I can see some of the ulralight stuff being great for flying in when weight is a concern).
I have one of the REI store brand tents, a little two man, and it is a very good compromise I think. ...and there actually is some of that retail junk that's good enough for a rare user, IF you know what you're looking for and if set up properly. I've seen a lot of that on both ends of the range of "junk" when I was volunteering with the scouts...saw some floods and collapses but also sometimes when they outperformed much better tents. Sometimes with no obvious explanation, and sometimes because of improper set-up. But sometimes a brand new coleman can outperform an old but much better tent. Advantage junk tents....disposable and easy to get a new one.

 

[flyingron]

Both runways (and taxiways - you may be directed to land on taxiway) are 8000 ft.

Actually, 3 runways. They put taxiway alpha into use during the show as 36R. Note that more often than not if you land on Alpha you'll be told to continue off the end (technically the runway ends abeam the control tower durin the show) and then make the either the hard left at A1 or route you around the (closed) diagonal runways to either the North 40/Homebuilts or back south on Papa. Here are the distances. Technically, you have another 1500 on 36L/R if you are rolling out before you come to the end of the runway. They don't want air operations for the N/S runways to go north of the tower.

Landing Distances Available
Runway 36L/36R threshold 6,300
Runway 36L purple dot 4,600
Runway 36L yellow dot 1,600

Runway 18R disp. threshold (blue dot) 6,300
Runway 18R yellow dot 4,700

Runway 9 (threshold) 6,100
Runway 9 white dot 4,300
RunwAY 9 green dot 3,000
Runway 27 disp. threshold 5,600
Runway 27 yellow dot 4,600
Runway 27 green dot 3,000

Preferred operations is to bring people in from Fisk along the east/west road to a left base for 36L/36R. Warbird arrivals come in on a 45 degree angle over the lake usually to 36R.
Arrivals to 9/27 continue up the railroad tracks and either turn final (you arrive about a 45 degree heading) to 9 or overfly the field and fly a right downwind (keep it in tight) to 27. IFR arrivals usually come straight-in on 27.

 

[murphey]

I was pretty much a professional camper in a prior life, and have probably slept at least 1000 nights outdoors. Biggest mistake you can make is getting a cheapo tent. Nothing from Walmart or Coleman. A good quality mountaineering-grade tent will withstand any weather you encounter and keep you dry and comfortable. Look for a bathtub floor and overlapping rain fly. No house sized tents, keep it low, tight, and strong. REI sells excellent stuff.

Quality tie-down stakes, not the crap that comes with most tents.

 

[aggie06]

I never saw the goodwill bikes last year. Arrived Thursday before the show and checked for several days, none to be had. Would have been useful.

Storm story, 2 poles on my 6’ dome tent flexed inward at one point, like the poles were “backwards”. My neighbor’s tent collapsed and the next one over was a cabin tent where the poles got mangled.

The goodwill store doesn’t do bikes anymore. In 2019, they lost the agreement with the prison that used to do the tuneups and get all the bikes ready to sell. Frustrating, but now you almost have to bring your own bike if you want to have one for the week.

 

[Ed Haywood]

Quality tie-down stakes, not the crap that comes with most tents.

With a good quality tent, stakes are not essential to withstanding weather. The rainfly and floor should overlap and fasten together at each pole end. The components form one integrated stand-alone structure. Stakes are needed only for accessory features like vents and vestibules, and to prevent the tent from blowing away when it is unoccupied. One good way to ensure this feature is to buy a four season tent, which is designed to be usable in the winter when the ground is frozen and snow covered.