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Oshkosh ?

gib

Active Member
I can only get vacation from the 19-25 of July. Is it worth going those days or will I miss the good stuff.
 
Depends

Whats the mission? Shopping for avionics, just watching airplanes and hanging out or are you a big airshow fan.

While building I loved being there for the open on monday am. Literally ran to suppliers to book an engine, get a free shirt etc. Fun. Also l dont care that much for the airshow, its fine, but drags on a bit, especially the years I took two little ones with me.

So, when I flew in for 2011, I flew in Sat, relaxed and enjoyed watching mass arrivals on sunday and the fun of the big open on monday. I packed up and got out of dodge tues after the airshow.

Othere come mid week and stay to the end as the friday and sat airshows are AMAZING. Seems like crowd changes mid week. Turns into more of an airshow fan crowd later in the week.

Just what I found, good luck. Anytime you go still beats working. Enjoy:D
 
Airventure is the 23rd through the 29th. Sounds like you'll see three days of the good stuff.
Seriously you will not see all of the good stuff. Go ahead and make your plans. You will not regret it.
Have fun.
 
Easy Answer: GO!

I first went 2 years ago and we only stayed for 2 days, last year was 3, this year... perhaps 4...... but they were some of the best 2-3 days of my life.

There is plenty of "Good stuff" every day....

If you are craving the airshow part, yes some days are different than other.... but you will still see a chulk full airshow everyday of some awesome performers.

If it is all the other stuff, then any day is perfect (Perhaps not the last day).

I do recommend however to plan it out on paper to roughly know what you are going to set out and do, because if you aren't careful you will catch what I call Oshko****is and end up walking the lines of aircraft and taking 8,000+ photos like I did last year (But that was my objective so its all good)

Go when you can because it's WORTH EVERY SECOND!
 
Opening day (Mon 23rd)
EAA has dedicated opening day in honor of Richard VanGrunsven
Van will fly the RV-1 into AirVenture
The RV-1 will be on display at ConocoPhillips Square where, in a dedicated ceremony, it will be received into the EAA Museum

Tuesday afternoon
A special program at Theater in the Woods honoring Van

Tuesday evening
Van's Annual Banquet

Keep your eyes open for something special from Team RV!!

Mark your calendar
Let's make this "Tribute to Van" a Thank You from the homebuilt community that will forever hold a place in aviation history.
 
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Airshow are ok but

I have seen a bunch of them. I am early into my build so I want to look at other RV's and get an idea on what extra stuff I may want to add. Also talk to some builders that can point me in the right direction and answer my many questions. Maybe even buy a show special or two. So it sounds like I will be there. Thanks for the input everyone.
 
Sat & Sun Before is great

I always liked going the Saturday and Sunday before. Less of a crowd, get to watch all the planes arrive, nice time to visit with old friends and other airplane nuts. Maybe I will see you there.
 
I flew in on Friday last year. Spent saturday and sunday watching everyone arrive and wandered around. Hit the vendors as the open each morning starting on Monday. Got out of there on Friday 0700...and would have been satisfied leaving on Thursday. I like going to things like this early, when everyone is fresh.
 
Trailer Camping

My wife and I flew last year and did motels. This year we would like to take our trailer. Does anyone have a rough idea of when the electrical hookup sites fill up. I realize there are not reservations and are just first-come-first-served. Would I need to be there the previous Wednesday? Thursday? or earlier?
If you have experience in this area, I appreciate your input.
Curt Anderson
-12 kit on order.
 
I've attended for the past 5 years, and every one of them was just the Monday thru Wednesday. 3 days of walking around that huge place is enough. Any more and my poor feet would be too sore and blistered to operate the rudder pedals for the flight back home to Texas on Thursday.
 
Would it be possible to have 1000 RVs there on monday when Van lands the RV-1.

That might be a tough one to pull off.

If I remember correctly, I think the largest counts of RVs attending so far, is around 500... registered at AirVenture for the entire week.

To double that number, and on the first day, would take some serious organizing and "marketing" efforts. Not to mention likely parking space problems in HBP.
 
I think that you just gave "Sprucemoose" a heart attack..... :D
Not quite, but certainly a good chuckle.

The most RVs that have ever been at Oshkosh at one time is about 400, back in 2009. The total number over the week is difficult to nail down, as a significant percent do not ever register (it's not required unless you are camping or entered in judging.) I suspect that 500 is a good estimate. Not 1,000 but not a bad way to spend a few days either.
 
My wife and I flew last year and did motels. This year we would like to take our trailer. Does anyone have a rough idea of when the electrical hookup sites fill up. I realize there are not reservations and are just first-come-first-served. Would I need to be there the previous Wednesday? Thursday? or earlier?
If you have experience in this area, I appreciate your input.
Curt Anderson
-12 kit on order.

Sleepy Hollow Farm is only 1/2 mile from the entrance gate. They have electric & water hookups, and a dump station. Google them and get a reservation. NOW.
 
Its official

I put in my vacation request and after a little begging it was approved. So looks like we are coming to Oshkosh. I think flying commercial to????, and staying at???? I have work to do to put this all together. A little help please. I did some checking and it looks like all the hotels around Oshkosh are booked.
 
I put in my vacation request and after a little begging it was approved. So looks like we are coming to Oshkosh. I think flying commercial to????, and staying at???? I have work to do to put this all together. A little help please. I did some checking and it looks like all the hotels around Oshkosh are booked.

Keep your eyes open. As we get closer to the date, some stuff may open up as people change their plans. I think the college dorms have space most years.

Of course there is always the camp ground which I love. You can stop by a Walmart on your way up and buy a cheap tent and supplies.
 
Tent camping is fine with me....but the wife is not to thrilled with it. Maybe a little more begging is in order.
 
Got lucky with an electric & water camping spot last year....

Our group rented a motorhome last year. Showed up Monday afternoon, stayed till Sunday morning. Great week. Not sure how he did it but last year one member of our group called for info about spots with electric hookups and found out there were a few left. The camping folks must have been in a good mood that day. They took our credit card info, we paid for the advance days prior to our arrival and the rest of the week and she went out and put a camping receipt on our spot, which was empty and waiting for us when we showed up a few days later. May not be their normal procedure and I can't say they'll do it again, but it worked for us. Having camped in tents the three years prior, I'd definitely rent a motorhome again. It was well worth the cost. Having the power and water hookups was very nice.;)
 
My wife and I flew last year and did motels. This year we would like to take our trailer. Does anyone have a rough idea of when the electrical hookup sites fill up. I realize there are not reservations and are just first-come-first-served. Would I need to be there the previous Wednesday? Thursday? or earlier?
If you have experience in this area, I appreciate your input.
Curt Anderson
-12 kit on order.

Last year, I got there Friday early afternoon (the week before the show), and the electrical sites were all filled. They told me they had filled up sometime Thursday.
 
Re: Sleepy Hollow Camp Ground

I just got an email from Sleepy Hollow in reply to our reservation request. They are full. We are on the waiting list.
Curt
 
All the places close to Oshkosh that I called today are already full. I guess I will start looking farther away. :confused:
 
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