bkc3921

Well Known Member
Back from the big show, about my 20th trip...Would like to pay a tribute to my Oshkosh Heroes..Am I talking about the pilots...builders...vendors with their fancy tents, golf carts, and polo shorts?? The pin-up girls (with and without angel wings)??..No, afraid not...My Heroes are that great group of young people in the parking lots....from early in the morning to late at night, they do a thankless, non-glamorous gig in the heat and weather. They are mostly all very friendly, and present themselves like normal, decent kids....and kids like that seem to be in short supply these days...while many teens are out causing trouble, these young people are doing something positive in and around aviation...and they do a good job!!...Tell one of them "Thanks!" next year if you get the chance....Just my 0.02.
 
Hear, hear!

My 24-hour OSH first-timer thrash couldn't have happened without these fine and dedicated volunteers.

Left DLH at ~11pm Friday night, arrived at the dorms at around 5am (driving). 24 hour staffing made it possible to catch four or so hours of sleep, then board the bus which waited for us to make it from a block away. Driver didn't care that we were forward of the yellow line, either.

A speedy trip thorough the ticket line and entrance gates (no bag check hassles) and we were off. Saw as much as possible through the afternoon...thank you to those who answered my newb questions at Avery, Dynon, GRT, BPE, and Van himself who made sure I had a proper visual outlook from the cockpit of the -9A.

Bus back to (free!) parking and on our way for an 11 pm arrival. The efficiency and helpful attitude was a breath of fresh air. I'll be back next year and stay longer in an effort to catch the forums and classes.
 
Every day I saw the trash cans emptied, sweepers sweeping, security personnel, line people, and all the volunteers doing what they do best with little to no thanks. Sloshkosh was a real challenge due to soggy grounds. "Management" did a good job managing the situation as best they could to avoid a disaster. The show turned out pretty good because of all of their efforts.

Well Done to all 2010 OSH volunteers.

Thank you!
 
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Every day I saw the trash cans emptied, sweepers sweeping, security personel, line peopel, and all the volunteers doing what they do best with little to no thanks.

Well Done to all 2010 OSH volunteers.

Thank you!

I've been to drag races, stock car races, concerts movies, sporting events and just about every other kind of outing and NEVER have I come across friendlier folks than at Airventure. The volunteers and the attendees always find the trash receptacles are are polite.

Wish the rest of America would act like these folks.
 
Still the best...

There is nothing like it; Oshkosh is great, and the volunteers really had to work this year to make it that way. I have often said, "I would go to Oshkosh even if there wasn't a single airplane there." Well, it almost looked like that would be the case when I arrived. The combined total of aircraft in the north forty and south forty was... 2 airplanes. The HBP, warbird, and vintage areas had a few. Yet it was fun, and of course it improved when the grounds dried a bit. I saw volunteers doing things I know they weren't asked to do. Everyone pitched in. Oshkosh is special, and I pray it will remain so.

Bob Kelly
 
This is my second Oshkosh in a row. Will probably do something different next year, but we really enjoyed it both times, and continue to learn how to get around. No doubt the friendlest crowd I have ever been around. Anyone notice there is no horn honking? I was told my one bus driver, they are not allowed to use it, except in maybe a very serious situation.

Another thing I like is how almost everybody stops and waits while you get a pic, then they move on after you get it.

It?s amazing for an outdoor event that one can actually manage one million people this good.

The EAA people are almost universally friendly. Those in the blue shirts that get paid, tend to know considerably more than the yellow shirt volunteers though, that is for sure.

Only one guy I seen losing his composure that was working the event which was up at the entrance on Monday morning, and he kept yelling and screaming at most of the vehicles to keep moving or they would get stuck. He could have handled a lot of that better.

My only serious gripe would be the noise level that they allow in the camps. Our particular area around 2nd street and Elm eventually turned into an oval race track for those 2 cycle bikes and other cycles. There is a such thing as being too laid back when it starts causing problems for other campers. Both times at Oshkosh campgrounds I have yet to see a single security personal in our area. I let the EAA people at the entrance be aware of it, but it was on the day we left. Not sure if they ever bothered to do anything.

Overall, a job well done, and I would recommend this vacation to anybody.
 
Next time you see one of the volunteers, be sure that you pass along your thanks for their incredible dedication. It's easy to forget that Oshkosh exists because of the volunteers -- no matter how large the top-line revenue numbers, there is no way that any organization could put this event on with paid help.

The various crews that managed aircraft parking, marshalled planes for departure, parked cars, herded cats, and generally make the operation tick were all under extreme stress this year, but they delivered nonetheless.

A friend in the flightline operation said that this year was particularly challenging: "The one thing that breaks down the tolerance of the hardworking volunteers is not the work or the hours or the bugs or the environment or any of the other stressors - it's the very small but extremely abusive group of demanding people whose expectations are unreasonable during normal times, but insane this year. We've had to call the police over a volunteer being threatened and injured, and some strong people have been reduced to tears and outright quitting. The good news is that we've received more appreciation and gratitude this year than ever."
 
Agreed

The volunteers definitely make the event what it is.

Given the soggy conditions I was concerned parking on the grass. The marshals stopped me just as I got off the pavement and found a solid path to my parking spot. Then 8+ young aircraft pushers showed up to help push my plane. They made it effortless!

I also owe a huge thanks to the tram and bus operators. They had a very efficient operation going. I can't recall waiting long, if at all, to get a ride.

Good job volunteers!!