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Oshkosh Early in the Week vs Later

ethand

Well Known Member
Early planning for the late July event to coincide with family trip to Michigan. Planning to fly my RV-10 there for the first time after visiting in 2016 and 2018 via the airlines.

My question is how good is the show later in the week? I realize I will miss the RV-10 dinner, Dan H beer night and the Sunday beer tasting (sad about all three) but are there other social events later in the week? Assuming some number of airplanes will depart before we arrive. All the vendors stay all week? Less presentations or workshops later in the week?

Hoping to arrive Thursday and depart Sunday.

Thanks for the input

E
 
Some (many? most?) of the vendors get tired and short-tempered later in the week - but the party atmosphere rolls on regardless.
 
Friday and Saturday are the big days for attendance by the local community, and the biggest airshow is Saturday, I believe. Many who fly in depart before the weekend to avoid the larger crowds. Plus, as someone else said, the vendors are exhausted. I believe they can?t leave until the show closes, however.
 
It seems every year the experimental flyin is early in the week. The RV activities, as you mentioned, are early in the week for that reason. Many bug out mid week. Best air shows are late in the week since that is when most of the general public comes. Every time I come late in the week I vow to come early the next year as I feel I missed many of the RVs.
 
Early if you have to cut it short!

When I depart HBP on the final Sunday afternoon it seems 90% of the Homebuilts are already gone.....

Concur with other posters, the time to see Homebuilts and pilots visiting HBP and HBC is the earlier part of the week. Of course daily weather is a huge factor.

Carl
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I'm planning to be there this year with the new -14A. Weather permitting, of course, I'll plan to arrive on Sunday and depart on Wednesday morning.

We'll probably find an AirBnB, but will need a rental car. Is there a rental agency on the field during the show?
 
I've always enjoyed the last weekend, although I'm not really a social person so missing the parties isn't a big thing to me. If it is to you, definitely try for early in the week as that's when all the organized ones are.

I haven't had a negative interaction with a vendor anytime during the week, but they certainly are more tired towards the end of the week. I've found if you just give them a little bit of grace on their lack of enthusiasm while they are answering the same question for the thousandth time that week they're still happy to answer any questions you have.

The huge plus for me late in the week is the arrival. You indicated it's your first time flying in, but I'm sure you've heard how much of a furball it can be the first Saturday, Sunday, or Monday especially if there's any weather involved. In my 4 fly-in trips I have arrived around 9-10:30 am on both Thursday and Friday and it's always been super simple ripon, fiske, right turn to 36, short taxi direct to HBC; no holds, no close calls, no sweat. Leaving before 8 Sunday morning, was always a quick taxi to 18 and little or no wait; the one year I waited until later Sunday, maybe 11am, the wait (20 min) and temps (pax and oil) got uncomfortable.
 
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I'm planning to be there this year with the new -14A. Weather permitting, of course, I'll plan to arrive on Sunday and depart on Wednesday morning.

We'll probably find an AirBnB, but will need a rental car. Is there a rental agency on the field during the show?

Yes, I have rented cars many times over the last 10 years but not in the last several. You need to make it over to the terminal building on the north side of the airport. One year the homebuilt welcome wagon drove me over. Other times I hopped the north forty school bus.
 
Many in HBP and HBC start leaving on Tuesday and Wednesday. I?ve left on Thursday morning the last four years.

It really depends on your objectives. If you want to see other RVs and socialize, the first half the week is better. The HBC corn roast is Wednesday, Van?s dinner and the Black Otter dinner is on Tuesday, and the Home builders is on Thursday, plus the others you mentioned.

With that said it?s nearly impossible to see all of OSH, even if you?re there all week. The activities are noticeably different between the first of the week and the end.
 
As long as you have decided to not stay for the entirety of the show you are going to miss something you wanted to see or do. I've found that I am about airplaned out after three days, so I choose early in the week because it seems that by Wednesday afternoon about half of the RV's already left.

If you go early in the week, you will find that arrival is much easier Monday morning than Sunday.
 
On one occasion in the 80s I stayed 'till the end. I'll never do it again. The reason is completely irrational but it is what it is. By leaving before the party is over, it is possible subconsciously to believe it is going on even while you are gone. Seeing the field empty and the event obviously over was enormously depressing.
 
On one occasion in the 80s I stayed 'till the end. I'll never do it again. The reason is completely irrational but it is what it is. By leaving before the party is over, it is possible subconsciously to believe it is going on even while you are gone. Seeing the field empty and the event obviously over was enormously depressing.




One funny thing. We had to leave our Sling 2 there when we all left to come home. My daughter was supposed to fly it home, but we couldn't get it out of the vendor's tent till Sunday. Well, we all left Saturday morning. I airlined back up to Appleton the following Friday and flew it home Sunday. When I got there, it was sitting out in the grass, TOTALLY all alone. I've NEVER flown in or out of OSH. I had to ask for assistance from the tower to get to Bassler, lol.
 
One funny thing. We had to leave our Sling 2 there when we all left to come home. My daughter was supposed to fly it home, but we couldn't get it out of the vendor's tent till Sunday. Well, we all left Saturday morning. I airlined back up to Appleton the following Friday and flew it home Sunday. When I got there, it was sitting out in the grass, TOTALLY all alone. I've NEVER flown in or out of OSH. I had to ask for assistance from the tower to get to Bassler, lol.

Plus one on it being really depressing on the last weekend, especially Sunday. I left on Sunday afternoon one time and never again. I few up to OSH prior to Airventure for a work weekend party in June. Told the tower I wanted to park by vintage as it would be closer to the Bender house where we were staying. Tower responded by saying he didn't know where specifically I wanted to go, but just go ahead and go where I want to!
 
As long as you have decided to not stay for the entirety of the show you are going to miss something you wanted to see or do.

For that matter, you can be there for the entire week+ and still probably miss something.

I still remember my first OSH trip, I went over the program schedule like I was planning the D-day invasion, trying my best to see and do everything possible. It became pretty clearly untenable after about day two.

From that I learned the advice that I give to every OSH first-timer: accept up front that you cannot possibly see even a quarter of everything. Make peace with that, then go pick a handful of can't-miss events, and let the rest of the schedule fall into place around that.

Some of this is just my personality. To me, it's not a vacation if there are regimented schedules involved.
 
I agree with many of the comments. First, there are less people early in the week, the vendors are fresh, and seem more willing to discuss questions with you. Or at least they have the time because people are not waiting in line to talk to them.

I have also stayed the entire week in the 90's and the last was depressing as some have said. To walk around the field and see empty spaces where a few days before those same spaces were filled with airplanes is depressing. I also vowed to never stay to the last day again.

I like everything about Oshkosh but the best part is to be there on Saturday or Sunday or both. You need (1) a chair, (2) a cooler full of beer, and (3) a handheld radio. Sitting out by 27 or 9, which ever is the active and watching and listening to the landing aircraft is great. Best part of Oshkosh. Last year I got cheated out of that experience because two storms hit on Saturday and they closed the field down until late Sunday afternoon.

My plans are to get there on Friday this year, and leave either the next Thursday or Friday.
 
Aeromart

Also in favour/favor of getting there early, depending on your interests, is the Aeromart/Flymart. I noticed it got pretty well picked over by the middle/end of the week and the best shopping was definitely at the beginning.
 
Last year was my first ever visit to Oshkosh. Arrived late Thursday afternoon and departed about 3:00 pm Sunday. There was no way that was enough time to see everything. As for late in the week, the vendors were all still in show-go-mode until after noon Sunday. It was obvious that the foot traffic had really declined a little after lunch for the vendors.

The only thing that was disappointing for me is I could have spent a day just walking through the homebuilt and vintage area just to look at everyone's planes. You could tell by the camping spots that probably 75% of the HB and vintage had already departed by Friday morning.

Despite the departure of many fly-ins, it was a great show and fantastic experience.
 
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