frankh

frankh

Well Known Member
Hey guys I was reading the admission fees for OSH...It seems that EAA member admission is $22 a day (or $102 per week).

Then if you want to camp next to your airplane it will cost you an additional $19 a night (presumably for each tent)

Is that how others are reading this? or do you get a discount anywhere for being part of the whole experience so to speak.

I note Arlington (admittedly much smaller usually allows you to camp for free)

Frank
 
You are right. You also pay for the camping at the daily rate till the end of the week whenever you come, and get a refund if you leave before the end, but must pay for at least three nights.

Bill Greenley
soon to be 10 builder
 
Wow!

But you get to leave your car in the carpark for free?

Do I smell "rip-off" here?
Frank 7a
 
Why we pay. . .

You gotta remember all those guys walking the planes, and the security, and th--Oh, yea, they are all volunteers.

No one is really happy forking over big bucks for their week at Osh, but there are only two ways to look at it; rip off or supporting the best aviation organization on the face of the Earth. Personally, I think I enjoy myself more when I take the second attitude. And I go to enjoy myself.

Bob Kelly
 
I've always thought Oshkosh was the deal of the century. Think about what it costs to build and maintain the site. Several of us could probably retire on the grass mowing contract alone. And providing showers and porta potties for the hoardes of people? Not cheap, particularly for an event that only happens once a year. Don't forget insurance and a host of other expenses.

Running the numbers, for about $300, my wife and I can buy admission and camping for 5 days. Sure, the on-site food is expensive, but the bus service is free and nobody stops you from carrying armloads of of food back to the campground. So, for maybe $400, you can spend the better part of a week at Oshkosh if you don't mind going on a grocery run. On-site, you have access to incredible airshows, masses of vendors, free workshops and presentations, plenty of static displays, and 100,000 of the best people you'll ever meet. A heck of a value in my estimation.

Shoot, it costs me $350 in fuel just to get to the convention, and I spent $40,000+ building an aircraft worthy of flying there.

So I'm not gonna complain about a few hundred bucks of admission and camping fees.
 
The $19 per night camping fee is per A/C tie-down not per tent. Some of the tie-downs look like a Traveller camp.
Steve
 
When I think of all the ridiculous fees that are out there....cell phone tax recovery fees... license plate tabs.... $3 to go under Boston Harbor to get to the airport in a tunnel my tax dollars built... cable TV... $20 to park my car.... $7 in "handling" for my $4 order from a tool supplier....well... what I pay at Oshkosh for a single week is the least thing I'm concerned about.

If I could get out of all the other "fees" in the course of a year what I get for my money at Oshkosh, well, the world would be a better place.

folks can save money in areas too. Don't buy the lunches from the vendors...go over by the Bus tower to that stand that the church runs. Drive down to IHop for breakfast... go over to WalMart and stock up on bottled water and throw a bunch in your knapsack.
 
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Their sandbox!

In the greater scheme of things, the money discussed here is a drop in the bucket compared to the cost of construction, completion and ownership. Try $600 for two rooms, for two days, in Lakeland next week. Not complaining, I wanna play, so I'm gonna pay. Want to complain, your efforts are better directed at user fees, insurance costs, etc. I like my wine in a bottle, preferably a merlot.
 
Guess I'm more used to the NW model

Its not the sum total of the fees that irritate so much, more the principle of charging for the camping...I mean, part of the OSH experience is seeing all the airplanes...I.e you go to the effort of bringing your plane to be part of the show. Ok an airplane takes up a little more space than a car but carparking is free?..The only net cost to provide camping services is basically porta potties which I don't think cost anywhere near $9.50 (assuming 2 people per tent) for each person per day...And besides you have to provide them for the day trippers anyway.

But in the end you guys are right...If yer don't like it don't come, and it is the biggest and best show on the face of planet Earth.

The alternative is go to Arlington, camp for free and its much closer for me...But its much smaller.

I'll probably still go to OSH.

Frank
 
Buy a Warbird

Is it true that warbird owners get catered treatmant and reduced prices/fees for OSH?

I heard they don't have to pay admission to go see their own plane....

Todd Farnsley
RV-8 (Wings)
Fort Wayne, IN
 
Cost of Oshkosh

I have been up to Oshkosh about nine times and have thought that a lot of the fees charged like for ice or food was rather outrageous. But like most folks who have gone before, you plan on brining enough supplies to offset those costs, if you drive up to camp. As mentioned you go into town for a nice dinner and where else will you find all those vendors together so you can find anything you need or hearts desire? You can see how others are doing on their projects.

I always go way overboard in what I buy but do not regret it one bit. Heck, I have purchased a TIG welder, a MIG welder and a Plasma cutter from Miller just to have them and that 15% discount on Snap On tools makes that worth while too.

And just think how much you can really save going across the street to the Outlet Center. I can buy enough $50.00 tennis shoes for $9.95 at the BASS shoe outlet to last me several years. That alone is worth the trip.
 
The Warbird Association subsidizes their fees.
As far a free car parking; there's a reason for that. If they charge you, they are liable.
 
Car parking isn't free. I think it's $6. But i understand what you're saying, Frank, but I think EAA's position is some folks come by car and some folks come by plane and in the grand scheme of thing, what's the difference?

I suppose there's a case to be made that people come to see planes and you should get a break because you're bringing your plane. There's plenty of merit in that.

But I suppose the vendors could say people come to buy stuff and their bringing stuff to buy and they should get a break too (and, man, they don't).

As I started thinking about how to make these "breaks" work, I got to realizing -- again -- that everybody who goes to Oshkosh, has a little hand in creating what Oshkosh is. Sure, there's the usual kvetching about the corporatization and all that, but I don't pay any attention to the corporatization, I had no interest in seeing the Beach Boys or all that junk and if the EAA can make some money, and keep the price down, that's OK with me.

There *is* one break out there, I think. Volunteering. I *believe* -- and don't quote me on this -- that if you volunteer X number of hours, you get free admission. To me, that makes a lot of sense becuase if there's someone who earns their keep, it's the volunteers.
 
they do charge

Mel said:
The Warbird Association subsidizes their fees.
As far a free car parking; there's a reason for that. If they charge you, they are liable.
Click to expand...

From OSH website:

Parking Information
Daily parking fees in EAA lots for autos, motorcycles and *RVs - $7.

Guess their liable? :)
 
Mel said:
Sorry about that. I guess I was thinking about Sun-N-Fun.
Click to expand...

Not a problem. It would be nice if it was free. Lots of way to look at the entire picture. Bottom line, they have to make money and those that go, will pay. :)
 
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