Preparing for Oshkosh 2017?

Matthew K

Matthew K

Line Up and Wait
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Broke Engineer
Hello all,

I've convinced myself I want to try to make it to this year's Oshkosh a.k.a. airventure. I'm right at the end of getting my pilots license, so by the time it comes I'll have been a pilot for a little while.
Now of course with the relatively small experience I'll have had, I'm hoping my instructor will be able to come along, if not them, someone else with more experience. There's a few articles out there on this, and probably countless posts, but I was wanting to hear what you guys thought.

This will be about a 800nm trip if we are able to fly direct, which mostly likely we won't, of course, but just as a baseline. I'll also be renting a Cherokee 180 for this, unless I am able to get my high performance rating before, and then rent a Cessna 182.

For those of you that have gone before, or are planning to go, what would you suggest I bring(and any other advice)? Ideally, I'd like to fly in and camp out, so I'll have to figure out how to pack lightly. Also, aside from renting and fuel costs, what other costs should I expect? Also, I don't think I'll be able to stay the whole week, so what part of the week should I try to be there for?

I'm also going to talk to my local chapter to see if anyone else is going, so that if anyone is, we could possible reserve a couple chapter spots.

P.S. I may add some more to this as I think of more questions.
 
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A buddy and I made that trip (from Atlanta) in my Tomahawk when I'd had my license for about 9 months. Very doable. Read and follow the NOTAM, be prepped for slow flight with the airplane loaded, and keep your eyes on a swivel. There are some dum(b) pilots out there. Between the Tomahawk (3? trips) and the RV-6 (12? trips), I've been there a bunch. Great event. You'll have a tremendous time.

You don't want to fly direct. You'll need a potty break and some food. Best to stop every 2-3 hours for bio breaks, then an hour from Oshkosh for a briefing, fuel, and a bio break. It isn't any fun to be in a holding pattern when you're almost out of gas or about ready to spring a leak.

Flying a Cherokee, my suggestion would either be to arrive on the Saturday before the show starts (maybe on Sunday, but traffic is worse then), or on the Wednesday during the show when some people have left and freed up some camping spots.

Bring a good tent and some sturdy tie-downs. About 3 out of 4 years a big thunderstorm or two comes through and destroys a few tents and occasionally damages aircraft that were not properly secured.
 
Watch a lot of videos, including @SixPapaCharlie about this.

The arrival is very nerve wracking. (My first was at 325 hours)

You may not want to do it the first time without a more experienced pilot on board.

Meanwhile, read the NOTAM. It's only 35 pages :)

Other than getting there and pitching the tent, the unexpected costs will be the (bad) food. Fuel isn't outrageous.
 
What year is your Cherokee 180. If it was manufactured in 1970 or earlier, you can always park in Vintage. You will pay $27/day (you pay from the time you set up until the end of the show, but if you leave earlier they will refund the unused days (over 3)). Food is a slightly higher end "State Fair" type augmented by a few close in restaurants. You'll need to buy your admission wristband. That's sort of the minimum.

As to what to bring, I suggest something (sandwiches or whatever) to eat the first evening. You'll be tired and the hike to the food may be daunting at that stage. Dress in layers. Temperatures run from downright frigid to beastly hot. Expect at least one good gullywashing thunderstorm to hit during your stay.
 
There are a number of threads here with suggestions on camping, etc.
Cash
Sunblock
Comfy shoes
 
Go.
It's awesome.
Read the notam and know it. It's not really that bad. Know what to do if they close arrivals, happened to us last year on sunday. (Fly around green lake)
Be sure to know your Vs0/Vs1 and watch your airspeed. You may have to manuever some at low altitude or get an adjusted dot to land on at last minute. They moved us up a dot in the flare last year.
And having another pilot, even if newer, or passenger really makes keeping an eye out.
 
kyleb said:
You don't want to fly direct. You'll need a potty break and some food. Best to stop every 2-3 hours for bio breaks, then an hour from Oshkosh for a briefing, fuel, and a bio break. It isn't any fun to be in a holding pattern when you're almost out of gas or about ready to spring a leak.

Flying a Cherokee, my suggestion would either be to arrive on the Saturday before the show starts (maybe on Sunday, but traffic is worse then), or on the Wednesday during the show when some people have left and freed up some camping spots.

Bring a good tent and some sturdy tie-downs. About 3 out of 4 years a big thunderstorm or two comes through and destroys a few tents and occasionally damages aircraft that were not properly secured.
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Good suggestion to come the day before it starts. Will definitely consider doing that. Thanks for the info on the weather.
Ravioli said:
Watch a lot of videos, including @SixPapaCharlie about this.

The arrival is very nerve wracking. (My first was at 325 hours)

You may not want to do it the first time without a more experienced pilot on board.

Meanwhile, read the NOTAM. It's only 35 pages :)

Other than getting there and pitching the tent, the unexpected costs will be the (bad) food. Fuel isn't outrageous.
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I am concerned about the arrival, that's why I'm hoping my instructor will come with me, he has over 700 hours I believe.
flyingron said:
What year is your Cherokee 180. If it was manufactured in 1970 or earlier, you can always park in Vintage. You will pay $27/day (you pay from the time you set up until the end of the show, but if you leave earlier they will refund the unused days (over 3)). Food is a slightly higher end "State Fair" type augmented by a few close in restaurants. You'll need to buy your admission wristband. That's sort of the minimum.

As to what to bring, I suggest something (sandwiches or whatever) to eat the first evening. You'll be tired and the hike to the food may be daunting at that stage. Dress in layers. Temperatures run from downright frigid to beastly hot. Expect at least one good gullywashing thunderstorm to hit during your stay.
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The Cherokee is a 1970 180E, so I assume that means I can park in Vintage? :) What can I expect in terms of washing clothes?
ChemGuy said:
Go.
It's awesome.
Read the notam and know it. It's not really that bad. Know what to do if they close arrivals, happened to us last year on sunday. (Fly around green lake)
Be sure to know your Vs0/Vs1 and watch your airspeed. You may have to manuever some at low altitude or get an adjusted dot to land on at last minute. They moved us up a dot in the flare last year.
And having another pilot, even if newer, or passenger really makes keeping an eye out.
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Planning on having another experienced pilot, and one in training, fly with me. That's why I'm contemplating immediately getting rated for the C182 so we can have some more useful load. Interesting to know they moved you up a dot right at the end :eek:
 
Whats been said above, be prepared to divert and memorize the Notam. Most any day arrival is just fine as long as you plan on being over Fisk at 7am. By 8 it is already busy, how ever it is not that bad except for the occasional dumb a** that cuts you off/ didn't read the Notam, or is totaly lost and starts making mistakes right in front of you. However those are really rare happenings. It is a bit nerve racking but well worth it just for the experience. Wed. is big traffic day as there is a large number of departures and arrivals.
 
A 1970 Cherokee can park in Vintage. I don't wash clothes, I just bring enough to last though there's a laundry just off field on the North 40 side (South Park and 20th).
 
I flew in two years ago as a low time pilot in my just finished homebuilt. The arrival was the easiest part. Before you go, practice flying to a bunch of airports you have never been to. Being comfortable at your home field and surrounding airports is alot different than flying into a new airport with unfamiliar terrain, different prevailing winds and runways. I flew into one airport in pennsylvania for fuel and didn't know the runway sloped significantly one way to the point that the locals normally landed upslope and took off down slope no matter what the wind was doing.

Practice slow flight and figure out a power and flap setting that lets you fly comfortably at 90 knots. Start practicing all your approached through downwind with this configuration. Practice spot landings too. They don't have to be exact but make sure if you aim for the first third or center point of the runway that is where your wheels touch down. Also practice changing your planned touchdown point while on short final. It isnt uncommon to be switched to a different colored dot all the way up to and into the flare.

The actual arrival isn't that bad. I stopped at Watertown (about a half hour out) to gas up and review the notam. The only hairy part is coming into to Ripon and getting sequenced. Planes will be converging on that point from all directions and altitudes so you have to keep your head on a swivel. Once in line it becomes easier as you just listen to the controller and follow the planes in front of you. Watch the videos on the eaa website as they will show you the whole approach.

Keith
 
I've gone since 2002 and this will probably be my last year. I've had arrivals that were as easy as my home airport and a couple of times where I thought I had pinched a permanent crease in the pilot's seat. Watch the videos and know the NOTAM. Then, never forget that your job is to fly the plane and don't even think about the 'audience'. If ATC gets all manic and tries to have you do something unsafe just say 'unable' and do that job that I mentioned. I wish I had video of the year I had to go around after being cleared to land twice. But ATC was cool about it and assured me they'd get me on the ground with no further drama, which they did.

As for camping, everyone seems to have their own way of doing things. I hate camping so I bring lots of stuff to mitigate the simulation of homelessness. A real tent and an air mattress are at the top of that list.
 
I'm not too proud....

First time I flew (in) my plane to OSH I was in the right seat and my friend/instructor was flying.
Second time I flew my plane to OSH I was flying and my friend/instructor was in the right seat.

Very happy with those decisions.

I have flown in and out of OSH many times since without him, but I am glad I did it the way I did. I also now, try to fly in Saturday before (pending wx). Way less craziness, and better camping spots located closer to the bathrooms and showers.

You can be prepared as you can possibly be, but the wildcard is all the other people. Keep your head on a swivel, know the NOTAM and obey it.
 
kmacht said:
Practice slow flight and figure out a power and flap setting that lets you fly comfortably at 90 knots.

Keith
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Keith's advise is great, but be prepared to fly at much less than 90 knots. Say you get behind a Cub or Champ and are stuck at 65 knots. Can you slog along at that speed, or do you need to bail out of line and head back to Ripon? What is the minimum speed you're willing to fly in the approach line? Pick a number and stick with it. Years ago, a Comanche crashed on final at SnF because he was stuck behind slow traffic, stalled and spun in. He probably thought "sure, I can slow down another knot or two". Arriving at the show isn't worth cutting your margins to nothing.
 
I found the audio of my 2015 OSH arrival. It doesn't really illustrate the mosquito swarm around me but I think it shows that no matter what the NOTAM says, you need to be flexible. I am the aircraft he's calling 'Cherokee'. (I have an Archer but I'm cool with just about anything other than Cessna.)

https://app.box.com/files/0/f/4035792563/1/f_34212444367
 
A couple of years ago they called me a "Tomahawk." I'm still not clear what it is about my Navion that reminded the controller of a tommy.

I usually arrive before the NOTAM. However, I'll give rides during the show, so typically I'll fly the Ripon transition about five times (if the passenger is a pilot and has never come in that way) or the Warbird arrival otherwise. Last year I took Snowbird 10 up and made him fly the Ripon transition.
 
tmcquinn said:
I've gone since 2002 and this will probably be my last year. I've had arrivals that were as easy as my home airport and a couple of times where I thought I had pinched a permanent crease in the pilot's seat. Watch the videos and know the NOTAM. Then, never forget that your job is to fly the plane and don't even think about the 'audience'. If ATC gets all manic and tries to have you do something unsafe just say 'unable' and do that job that I mentioned. I wish I had video of the year I had to go around after being cleared to land twice. But ATC was cool about it and assured me they'd get me on the ground with no further drama, which they did.
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Same with me. Was cleared to land on base when off to my right was a DC-3 was on final. Made the decision to go around. Thank God in was runway 36. Came around and landed on the taxiway runway. That was one I'll always remember....
 
Enjoy the trip. And if not comfortable with slow,flight, spot landings and lots of other airplanes close in the air, go to Appleton ATW or Fond du Lac. Bring tie downs no matter what. 3 squares 12x12 in of half in plywood to put under the wheels to keep from sinking into the dirt/mud.
 
murphey said:
3 squares 12x12 in of half in plywood to put under the wheels to keep from sinking into the dirt/mud.
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Now that's a handy idea! My must have when I'm camping is to have super squishy ear plugs. Stick those in and I'm in my own world. Last year it rained at night which was a first for me and it was rather chilly too. I slept like a baby.
 
Bring money, more than you think that you need. Double or triple it. Then bring more. Food is enormously expensive, like $10-15 for a hamburger. No cheese, no fries, no drink, just the burger. It makes commercial airport food look reasonable. I bring a cooler, get food from the Pick-N-Save and carry my lunch around.

Hat
Sunglasses
Handheld radio
chair
cooler
backpack
food/sandwich containers
I bring an air mattress for the tent.
 
No doubt the food is expensive (and mediocre too), but my experience is that the burgers are $6-8, and a full meal (burger, fries, drink) is in the $12+ range.

If you walk to just outside the main gate (and you can go in and out as much as you want, if you have the arm band), you'll find the Sacred Heart food stand where burgers, hot dogs, etc. are about 2/3 the "inside the gate" price.
 
Lots of good advice. I will just re-iterate something here as someone who has controlled the airshow for several years.

Stay in control of your plane. It sounds simple and foolish advice probably but depending on your exact time of arrival, you may be in the middle of more airplanes than you ever dreamed possible, the controllers will be talking a mile a minute, you may see war birds at initial above you, a guy on straight in you think is going to eat you up, get told to turn base when you think its early, get turned on someone's tail closer than you've ever done before, get told to land on one dot and then get told to change to another at a critical point, your passenger may decide to point and distract you at some awesome (to them) thing, etc. I've seen several incidents there (unfortunately fatal at times) due to the PIC stopping for even a second from maintaining control of the plane.

Now that my fatherly scare-tactic-in-the-name-of-safety rant is over, if you feel very confident in your ability to fly and precisely land, you will have an amazing time.
 
kyleb said:
No doubt the food is expensive (and mediocre too), but my experience is that the burgers are $6-8, and a full meal (burger, fries, drink) is in the $12+ range.

If you walk to just outside the main gate (and you can go in and out as much as you want, if you have the arm band), you'll find the Sacred Heart food stand where burgers, hot dogs, etc. are about 2/3 the "inside the gate" price.
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Kyle should know this, but the only reason to leave the grounds is to go toe Sos Bros tent for beers, and....the view. possibly the beers, view and music.
 
ChemGuy said:
Kyle should know this, but the only reason to leave the grounds is to go toe Sos Bros tent for beers, and....the view. possibly the beers, view and music.
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You can't give up all of the inside knowledge to the first guy who asks on a message board. ;-)

Seriously, our group has closed SOS brothers once or twice and had to reconstruct the event(s) the next day. I know that last year I spent a couple of blurry hours there with another POA'er, his wife, and one of my college buddies. I'm not sure which of us remembered less the next day. One year, about 10 of us somehow got locked outside the gates and had to go all "Great Escape" to re-enter the grounds and reach our campsites. Tremendous fun!

I had to do a little searching, but the "Great Escape" night did have some pictorial evidence. Also, the guys at SOS wouldn't let us take their balloon. Not sure why.

http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showpost.php?p=902352&postcount=110
 
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kyleb said:
You don't want to fly direct. You'll need a potty break and some food. Best to stop every 2-3 hours for bio breaks, then an hour from Oshkosh for a briefing, fuel, and a bio break. It isn't any fun to be in a holding pattern when you're almost out of gas or about ready to spring a leak.
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Having to pee would give a new meaning to the term "holding pattern".
 
It's a good idea to get fuel and make your last bathroom break before hitting RIPON. There are some nice airports in Southern Wisconsin that have cheaper fuel (not that you get gouged too badly at Oshkosh, but the turnaround time is pretty slow there) and you'll be ready in case some fool crashes ahead of you and they close the airport. I ended up parked at Brennand (79C) for a while when the Malibu crashed. At least they have a pool table and a bowling alley and other things to occupy your time while you're waiting.

My other favorites from the south are Capitol (02C) (they actually have sort of a fuel coop there, it's cheap). A couple of fast food places just off the airport (walking distance). Hartford (HXF) is another good close in stop.
 
flyingron said:
It's a good idea to get fuel and make your last bathroom break before hitting RIPON. There are some nice airports in Southern Wisconsin that have cheaper fuel (not that you get gouged too badly at Oshkosh, but the turnaround time is pretty slow there) and you'll be ready in case some fool crashes ahead of you and they close the airport.
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Those coming from the west should consider breakfast at Piccadilly Lilly at KLNR. Great staging area, great food, beautiful area.
 
We generally turn the corner around Chicago and stop at Aurora. The distance and fuel prices are a good fit for us.
 
We used KRZL in NW Indiana. Cheap fuel and easy access. Nice little FBO building with clean restrooms. Dont know about any other services though.
 
The MOA's to the west of KOSH......are they active? How often are they "hot"?
 
Has anyone ever flown the high pattern for the faster airplanes? I have heard it's a lot more difficult to get sequenced in when it's busy?
 
I don't buy it. You all end up at the runway at the same time anyhow. All the high pattern does is let you skip ahead over the tracks. Once they turn you towards the airport, if you're going to 36 you're going to have to get down in the flow pretty quick. If going to 27, you'll do that merge on downwind (keep it inside the blue water tower). You need to be prepared to sequence your stuff with people doing 60 knot approaches.
 
flyingron said:
I don't buy it. You all end up at the runway at the same time anyhow. All the high pattern does is let you skip ahead over the tracks. Once they turn you towards the airport, if you're going to 36 you're going to have to get down in the flow pretty quick. If going to 27, you'll do that merge on downwind (keep it inside the blue water tower). You need to be prepared to sequence your stuff with people doing 60 knot approaches.
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That would be impossible since I stall at 66 knots. Would just have to do a go around. At 90 knots I'm pretty blind out the front.
 
Grum.Man said:
That would be impossible since I stall at 66 knots. Would just have to do a go around. At 90 knots I'm pretty blind out the front.
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If you stall that fast, you will not like the low approach. About every other year, I'm at 70 knots behind a Champ or something. Fly the high approach. The folks in the tower will take care of your sequencing.
 
If you have a flight sim program on your computer fly the rippon, fiske aproach to all the runways several times on your pc before going to Kosh and it will really help you pick out the landmarks when you get there. It will seem very famiiar as though you had been there before. A friend and I did this before going the first time and it was really valuable. I could not believe how much easier it made it. What a blast the first time and every time !!!. I will remember the first time forever.
 
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