How Kandle goes to Oshkosh  by Doug Kandle

If you have never been to EAA’s AirVenture (AKA Oshkosh), then you should try to make it next summer.  Most years Sherry and I fly our Cessna out to Oshkosh and we have never been disappointed yet.  I think that most people I have spoken to agree that Oshkosh is the biggest and best aviation event of the year.  But only a few from here in Idaho make the journey.  This article won’t discuss the events that took place at Oshkosh this year as they are well documented in the EAA magazines (Sport Pilot, and Sport Aviation) as well as on the EAA web site.  Rather I would like to address some of the questions/issues that people have voiced to me over the years when expressing reasons why they are not going to attend AirVenture.. 

Costs – There are several things you can do to minimize the cost of a trip to AirVenture.  My 206 has long legs and I can plan my stops to minimize the fuel costs.  I use the AirNav website to find the best prices for fuel along my route.  This year I stopped in Torrington WY, and Iowa City IA.  Prices at both places were well below average.  In recent years Oshkosh has had two fuel providers on the field (Basler’s and Orion).  Both sell fuel for the same price and it is about the lowest to be found on your trip.  Before Orion came to the field, Oshkosh had some of the most expensive fuel on our trip and I would always try to fuel before I came in.  So if you want to save money, buy as much fuel at Oshkosh as possible. 

We typically stay in a motel for at least one night going to OSH.  It is usually hot in the afternoon and so we stop early.  Most of the small towns in Nebraska (mid way to OSH) have motels that will provide transportation from the airport.  Call ahead to a couple of towns just to be sure that you will have transportation when you land.  Around Oshkosh time, courtesy cars are hard to get.

Landing at Oshkosh – Landing at Oshkosh is somewhat stressful the first time, but it shouldn’t cause any real concern.  The NOTAM for AirVenture is published well before the event and is available for downloading from the EAA website.  It is a long (20+ pages) document.  Read the NOTAM several (many) times so you know where you will fly, at what altitude, and what speed.  Know what runway to expect and know what the controllers will be saying before they speak.  Every year (this year was no exception) we hear people on the radio who obviously didn’t read the NOTAM.  They call the tower 10 miles out and act as if this is “landing as usual”.  At Oshkosh you almost never speak on the radio, only listen.  Sometimes the controller will ask you where you want to park.  The only answers should be “GA Camping”, “GA Parking”, “Homebuilt”, or “Classic”.  If you have read the NOTAM and other EAA information, you will not only know where you plan to park, but you will have prepared a sign to place in the window to help ground personnel direct you to your area.

To land a light plane at Oshkosh you should know how to fly your plane at 90 knots and touchdown within 500’ of your intended point on the runway.  Be prepared to land, slow your plane, and get off the runway on the correct side.  Also, be prepared to be told to go around.  You don’t exit on a taxiway, but just turn off onto the grass (there are runway lights so watch for them).  When traffic is heavy they land 2 or 3 planes at a time.  Each plane is given a different colored circle on the runway to touch down at.   I try to keep to the side of the runway that I will exit.  A few years ago a 210 that was following us apparently landed rather long or fast and went zipping by just as I turned off of the runway onto the grass.  By keeping to the side you are going to exit on, you force anyone who is going to pass do so on the side you are not turning towards.  A passenger looking out the back window wouldn’t hurt either.

In past years we have always arrived at Oshkosh the weekend before the event started.  This year, for the first time, we came in on Wednesday after the event had already started.  Traffic was much lighter mid-week than it has ever been on the weekend prior to the start.  However, Monday or Tuesday may not be good days to plan to arrive as the camping may fill up these days.  People start to leave by Wednesday and then spots open up.  Of course, if you have a homebuilt or classic plane this is not an issue as only the “North Forty” ever fills up for camping.

Lodging at Oshkosh – Except for one year when we stayed at a B&B, we have camped in the North Forty.  I like camping because you have no reservations and therefore no pressure to make any schedule.  For us, camping at AirVenture is part of the total experience.  There are literally thousands of planes all around you, each with a tent beside it.   At 6 AM the first planes begin to take off.  Usually this includes a healthy number of war birds.  And just incase you can sleep through a P-51 departure; a jet or two will be thrown in for good measure.  In the evening we usually walk the flight line.  Often we take a 2-mile walk and there are planes parked 10 or 20 deep the whole way.

This year I am building a small plane and when it is completed Sherry and I may consider flying it to Oshkosh.  So in preparation for that flight I stopped at the EAA Lodging booth to find out what I could expect if we just showed up and needed a place to stay.  The person said that they have always been able to provide lodging to those who just show up.  Private homes, university dorms, and motels are always available at the last minute.  So, if you don’t want to camp, and you don’t want the pressure of a reservation, then land and walk over to the EAA lodging booth (located near the control tower) and have them get you a place to stay.  For details on EAA services at Oshkosh go to http://www.airventure.org.

I don’t believe that there is any other gathering of light, personal aircraft that even approaches what you will see at EAA’s AirVenture in Oshkosh.  Regardless of how you get there, it is well worth the effort.  But if at all possible, I highly recommend flying there.