Oshkosh Parking

[flickroll]

I have been to Oshkosh about 6 times, once in a Citabria, and the other times in a Bonanza. I have always camped in the North 40, except once when I was lucky enough to snag a room at the AmeriSuites the day before I flew to KOSH. That was a LUCKY find . A massive thunderstorm arrived about an hour after we got in the room and it POURED that night (this was probably 2005 or thereabouts). People were bailing water from their tents all night long.....

This year I will be flying my -8 to Osh and plan to camp. A couple of questions:

1. Which sign do I display for the ground handlers if I want to park with all of the RV's and Rockets that congregate close to the forum pavillions?

2. Assuming it is OK to camp there (is it?), how close are the showers to this area?

Thanks

[N941WR]

Jim,

Bring a sign that reads "HBC", that will be all you need. Heck, there are only RV's at OSH, so parking next one won't be an issue.

Just kidding, they don't group the planes by type but most of what you will see in HBC will be RV's.

Showers are close, clean, and never seem to run out of warm water.

See you there.

PS. Bring tie downs. You can buy a used bicycle over at Good Will for making your beer runs. At the end of the show you can donate it back for more than you paid. Ya gotta love OSH!

PPS. Tyvek makes a good, light weight ground cover to place your tent on.

[tommylewis]

1. display HBC for routing to home built camping

2. portable shower trailers were right there last two years

[sprucemoose]

The other two posters hit it. Have a big HBC sign and show it to every orange vest that you see. The procedures aroutlined in the Oshkosh NOTAM. You do have the NOTAM, right?

FWIW- the area around the forums buildings are not for camping, the camping area is further to the west. The area around the forums buildings will probably be changing a little bit this year, but those details are still not quite finalized.

[flickroll]

Originally Posted by sprucemoose

You do have the NOTAM, right?

Yes I have the NOTAM............... As noted in my original post this will be my 7th trip to Oshkosh. My question was so that I would know which sign I will need to display to park with all of the RV's.

[scard]

Never too early for the Notam. It has been printed and parked on our coffee table for almost a month now. It is getting quite worn since we don't let non experimental pilots in the house . I figure, about the time that the pages won't stay together anymore, it will be time to load up and head to Oshkosh.

[flickroll]

Tom & Bill, thanks for the insight. I thought 'HBC' would be the sign to get directed to the RV area, but wasn't sure. One thing for sure about Osh, you can count on rain one or more days or nights. As the Boy Scouts say....'Be Prepared' On my stuff to bring to Osh checklist (which grows each year), besides bugspray, sunscreen, handheld, cooler, chairs, flashlights, batteries, etc., etc., etc............I always have at least two pairs of sneakers/walking shoes. Learned that lesson the hard way during the first trip in 1995.....walking around in wet shoes ain't a lot of fun..... Speaking of bugspray....I think the mosquito must be the Wisconsin state bird. Those little b***tards are hungry, aggressive, and in large supply

[flickroll]

Originally Posted by scard

Never too early for the Notam.

I had the EAA send me the booklet version of the NOTAM. A lot handier than having it printed it out on 8 1/2 x 11.

[sprucemoose]

Originally Posted by flickroll

Yes I have the NOTAM.

Jim,

No disrespect meant, if you took it that way. I'm glad you have and read the NOTAM. I meant that kind of as a note to everyone who reads this. You would be amazed at the number of people who fly into Oshkosh without ever bothering to read the thing, or think because they read it 10 years ago they are good to go.

To dig a little deeper into your question- in the Homebuilt Camping area, we try to park like types together for the most part. However, because it is impossible to predict how many of which type will show up on what day (beyond some general guesstimates based on history) it is impossible to keep them all together. So you might end up with little islands of different types scattered around within the campgrounds. I can almost guarantee that if you show up in an RV, you will be camping with other RVs. Even if there is a Glasair stuck in between them once in a while for variety.

[N941WR]

Bring a headlamp like one of these.

They are most useful when using a port-a-jon after dark.