llavalle

llavalle

Well Known Member
Next week will be my first visit to OSH. I'll get there on Sunday night and I'll leave after the Van's banquet on tuesday night.

So far, I've come up with a list of things to see, mostly vendors, during my visit.

-Van's booth, hopefully get a ride in a -9A, I've never taken a ride in any RV and I'm building one :eek:
-Avery Tools and Cleaveland tools : thanks both of them for the great service and pickup clecos, if they have some available
-Aircraft Spruce : to get clecos if the other ones do not have any
-Aerosport Power : to talk about engine choices and options
-Dynon, MGL & AFS to take a look at the EFIS
-Andair : FI fuel pump, selector valves
-Garmin : you know ;)
-Sensenish : to take a look at the new ground adjustable prop
-AeroLed : navs lights & strobes

I was hoping to see Classic Aero design be they are not on the Exibitors list.
http://www.tcsa001.com/tlife_supplemental/airventure/kiosk/view_list_of_exhibitors/index.php


I'd like to see the A380 that will land on Tuesday afternoon.

Apart from that, I'm clueless. I'll probably walk around and take pictures of nice RVs and talk with the builders...

Anything I'm missing? I know I can't see it all but if some of you can point me to obvious ones I'm missing, I'd like your input.
 
llavalle said:
Next week will be my first visit to OSH. I'll get there on Sunday night and I'll leave after the Van's banquet on tuesday night.

So far, I've come up with a list of things to see, mostly vendors, during my visit.

-Van's booth, hopefully get a ride in a -9A, I've never taken a ride in any RV and I'm building one :eek:
-Avery Tools and Cleaveland tools : thanks both of them for the great service and pickup clecos, if they have some available
-Aircraft Spruce : to get clecos if the other ones do not have any
-Aerosport Power : to talk about engine choices and options
-Dynon, MGL & AFS to take a look at the EFIS
-Andair : FI fuel pump, selector valves
-Garmin : you know ;)
-Sensenish : to take a look at the new ground adjustable prop
-AeroLed : navs lights & strobes

I was hoping to see Classic Aero design be they are not on the Exibitors list.
http://www.tcsa001.com/tlife_supplemental/airventure/kiosk/view_list_of_exhibitors/index.php
clear.gif



I'd like to see the A380 that will land on Tuesday afternoon.

Apart from that, I'm clueless. I'll probably walk around and take pictures of nice RVs and talk with the builders...

Anything I'm missing? I know I can't see it all but if some of you can point me to obvious ones I'm missing, I'd like your input.
Click to expand...

should be fun!
 
Fly Market!

A great place to pick up all sorts of "little stuff", like drill bits, Adel clamps, wiring bits and pieces.....you're gonna need lots of all this stuff, and you can find it cheaper than if you have to pay shipping on a bunch of different orders as you find out you need stuff to finish.

Paul
 
Don't forget the forums...grab the schedule off the web site. There are too many things to do. Prioritize
 
tcone1 said:
Don't forget the forums...grab the schedule off the web site. There are too many things to do. Prioritize
Click to expand...

Absolutely! The forums at OSH are a great source of info from industry experts. Oils, fuel, mountain flying, insurance, you name it they have an expert giving a forum.
 
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Since you are going to be so lacking on time...

I found that its very rare that you learn much from talking to vendors that you can't do just by calling them later when they have far more time and aren't so tired about answering the same questions a million times.

Consequently, I'd encourage you to spend as much time looking at how the 300+ other RV builders did things on their planes. At least make up a list of all the ideas you need for on your next subkit (most relevant at the fuselage and finish kit stages). Then take a million pictures. It's also a great place to get paint scheme ideas. Coming from Quebec, this is probably one of the few times you have to see lots of RVs in one place.

Like others said, the forums can sometimes be good.

Completely irrelevant to you this time but...
I've only been to Oshkosh once, but I spent 11 days there (the Thursday before until the last Saturday), and I never ran out of things to do. In my mind the best days to be there are the couple days before the whole show starts, particularly because that's when it's quietest, when the most diehard aviation folks are there, and it seems to be when most builders are interested in talking about their planes and showing you all their mods! Hopefully next time you can see more of it.

Have fun!
 
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Ironflight said:
Fly Market! A great place to pick up all sorts of "little stuff".....Paul
Click to expand...
I am often asked, even today where I got the KM610-64 Camlocs for my oil door. I lay claim to being the first RV'er to ever install them and I originally paid a kings ransom to my then FBO after inspiration struck and I researched the part number from a maintenance shop parts catalog. The Camloc is installed on C-172 oil doors. Later, as I casually shopped the FlyMart, I discovered the very same "surplus" Camloc for a mere fraction of what I paid. Fast forward several years and a hundred queries later....by now it is common knowledge that B&B, a small mom and pop operation that has pitched a tent at the Flymart every year I have attended has that KM610-64.
 
Demo Rides Go Quick

-Van's booth, hopefully get a ride in a -9A, I've never taken a ride in any RV and I'm building one
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Last year I went to Oshkosh on opening day. I got to the gate as they were opened at 7:00am. I went straight to the Vans booth, and stood in line. I was fifth in line. Vans didn't open their tent till 8:30am. So for that hour as I stood in line, I was able to chat with everyone around me about all the RV projects going on. Anyway, when the tent opened, everyone in line was there to sign up for the limited number of demo rides. I got the second RV9 time slot, which was on Wednesday morning. Don't know what the schedule will be like this year, but they don't do demo rides everyday in every plane. They rotate through a couple of plans per day.

It was my first ride in an RV, after building for over three years! LOVED IT!

Anyway, get there first thing Monday morning, or you most likely will not be able to get a ride.

I second the vote for the SEAPLANE base as an Oshkosh must see. Wait till later in the afternoon, when you are hot and tired. Take the bus over to the edge of the lake, and relax in the shade and watch the planes come an go.
 
Plan on attending one of the many hands on work shops also. Soldering, metal working, fabric covering, ect. You'r gonna learn something you didn't know, gauranteed!
 
While I really like the seaplane base, I won't second it--not with the amount of time you have. Also, the museum takes a half day to do right (and it is open year round.) IMHO, your best bet with so little time is to hook up with someone who knows the ropes. Do have a list of the booths you want to visit. There is an exhibitors list at the website. Go to http://airventure.org/exhibitors/Exhibitors.pdf and print it out. You need to really plan your time and have help if possible. What you have laid out will probably take most of a day. Give us a report when it is over!

Bob Kelly
 
Do the best you can

Since this is your first time at the "Big Show", try to follow your plan the best you can. The problem is when your hot footing it to some location and out of the corner of your eye you catch a row of pristine Beach Stagger Wings that you just have to see. :cool: Or maybe the first time you hear a gaggle of P-51's taking off together and you feel the goose bumps forming on your arms. :eek: You'll find yourself going in all different directions. :confused: Exactly like a kid in a candy store. :) Then all bets are off. It can be really tough to stick to your plan. Either way you going to have the best time of your life. Enjoy! If you miss anything,there's another AirVenture coming up in 53 weeks.:D
 
Avionics installers

If you haven't gotten to wiring yet, visit the Avionics installer booths. It's kind of fun to look behind the panels they have on display and see how beautiful the wiring is.

I love the fly market.

The hands-on workshops are awesome. Try your hand at tig welding or laying fabric on an airplane. Who cares if you don't need to know that for the rv?

The thing I've come to appreciate with Oshkosh is that you can make it a different experience every year just by choosing to go discover new things. Last year I brought my daughter, and she was bored to death with the exhibit booths where I usually spent hours. I wanted to make sure she was good and hooked, so I had to abandon my self-serving plan and go find the kid friendly stuff. I ended up uncovering yet another layer of Osh that had been invisible to me before - much more than just kidventure. She can't wait to go back.

I bet I'm not the only one already checking the weather predictions every 6 hours!
 
Alright,

Thanks to everyone for their input. I don't know what the sea plane base looks like but we have plenty of sea plane bases, here in Quebec. In fact, most of the time there is a single engine a/c over my house, it's a float plane!

I know that the vendors can be contacted afterwards but some things must be seen in real : EFIS for example.

I won't rush it to get a spot for a RV Ride, I'll just ask fellow builders for a ride when I get home if I can't get a ride at Osh.

I'll walk around every RV-9 I can find and take pictures of the canopy, pants, fairings, fuse...

The wiring is also a great idea. The fly market too. I need a few things (clecos, pitot mast, pitot - probably dynon AOA, safeair pitot and aoa install kits). I hope I can find it all. Coming back to Canada, I'm allowed a specified amount of stuff ($$$) that are exempt from taxes. Paying the 5% WI tax is better than paying the local tax!

Can't wait to get there... not I must return to work :rolleyes: I was in my break (yeah right :p )
 
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