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Airplane Camping at Fon du Lac instead of Oshkosh for Airventure

jherzog

jherzog

Well Known Member
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I'm interested in flying into Fon du Lac and camping there instead of at Oshkosh this year. It looks like the EAA runs an hourly shuttle between the airports. In addition to avoiding all of the traffic, I'm thinking I might be a bit quieter at night for sleeping.

Any feedback on what its like to camp at Fon du Lac? Are there plenty of showers available? Any food on the field?

Thanks,

Jordan
 
jherzog said:
I'm interested in flying into Fon du Lac and camping there instead of at Oshkosh this year. It looks like the EAA runs an hourly shuttle between the airports. In addition to avoiding all of the traffic, I'm thinking I might be a bit quieter at night for sleeping.

Any feedback on what its like to camp at Fon du Lac? Are there plenty of showers available? Any food on the field?

Thanks,

Jordan
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I don’t know about camping, but I landed there one year a long time ago when the field was full at Oshkosh, and the bus to Oshkosh was $40 then. Likely more now. 🤑
 
MED said:
I don’t know about camping, but I landed there one year a long time ago when the field was full at Oshkosh, and the bus to Oshkosh was $40 then. Likely more now. 🤑
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Jherzog,
The camping has been allowed along RWY 9/27. The airport has previously closed that RWY. Unfortunately, that is the prevailing wind!
Daddyman58
 
MED said:
The daily bus ride from the university to the field went from $5 round-trip to $15 this year!
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Are you serious? $15 every day to ride the bus from the dorms to the field? No wonder I stopped going to OSH years ago. No longer worth the expense or the hassles.
 
Camping is East of the 27 runway end. Showers on the south edge. Bus at the FBO. Temporary tower. Early Sun before the tower opens very little traffic. You will see the camping area North of the FBO. Food is about 1 1/2 miles to the north.
 
Flew into Fond du Lac 2 years ago, just for aircraft parking. Local EAA Chapter provided golf cart shuttle to aid moving our considerable camping supplies to the shuttle bus. I tipped the young volunteer who aided us, but got scolded for doing so by a senior volunteer.

There was a food truck located in front of the Airport lobby, next to the shuttle bus pick up point. Shuttle buses are comfortable and roomy with air conditioning.

Aircraft parking on the grass is MUCH cheaper than on the ramp. Be sure to bring good tie downs for grass parking.
 
chaskuss said:
Flew into Fond du Lac 2 years ago, just for aircraft parking. Local EAA Chapter provided golf cart shuttle to aid moving our considerable camping supplies to the shuttle bus. I tipped the young volunteer who aided us, but got scolded for doing so by a senior volunteer.

There was a food truck located in front of the Airport lobby, next to the shuttle bus pick up point. Shuttle buses are comfortable and roomy with air conditioning.

Aircraft parking on the grass is MUCH cheaper than on the ramp. Be sure to bring good tie downs for grass parking.
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What really bothers me about this entire thread which basically gets repeated every year at this time of year is it just seems like we just finished the thread and here it is again starting up once again. I think there is some truth to the fact that life is like a roll of toilet paper, the closer you get to the end the faster it goes.
 
Norman CYYJ said:
What really bothers me about this entire thread which basically gets repeated every year at this time of year is it just seems like we just finished the thread and here it is again starting up once again. I think there is some truth to the fact that life is like a roll of toilet paper, the closer you get to the end the faster it goes.
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I did a VAF search about what its like at airplane camping at Fond du Lac before posting and found nothing, other than that its available. if I missed a more detailed earlier thread on the topic, please point it out.
 
jherzog said:
I'm interested in flying into Fon du Lac and camping there instead of at Oshkosh this year. It looks like the EAA runs an hourly shuttle between the airports. In addition to avoiding all of the traffic, I'm thinking I might be a bit quieter at night for sleeping.

Any feedback on what its like to camp at Fon du Lac? Are there plenty of showers available? Any food on the field?

Thanks,

Jordan
Click to expand...
OSH is pretty quiet at night. No problems sleeping other than the 85% humidity some nights. And your alarm might be two P-51s taking off in formation. Ah, dang!
 
Roadjunkie1 said:
OSH is pretty quiet at night. No problems sleeping other than the 85% humidity some nights. And your alarm might be two P-51s taking off in formation. Ah, dang!
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The morning P-51's are cool, but the non-stop pounding "music" and the noisy drunks wandering around your tent at 12:30AM are pure torture.
 
71459 said:
The morning P-51's are cool, but the non-stop pounding "music" and the noisy drunks wandering around your tent at 12:30AM are pure torture.
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Hmmmmmmmm............We don't have much of that over in Vintage....... 😊 We keep a pretty tight rein on things happening there. And it might be a more sedate group collectively. Most of us Volunteers are in a relatively small area and, since our day starts at 6, don't put up with much that keeps us up. Our Security is pretty good about getting things calmed down by bed time.....😑😴
 
71459 said:
The morning P-51's are cool, but the non-stop pounding "music" and the noisy drunks wandering around your tent at 12:30AM are pure torture.
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Hmm, apparently I've been going to a different Oshkosh than you. Guess if you're going to go with "pure torture" maybe you should consider a different place to spend your late July vacations.

Yeah, SOS Bros does put out some sound but they seem to be pretty good about maintaining a late night curfew. All in favor of local businesses making a buck. As for "noisy drunks wandering" can't say I've had that experience either. Most nights I'm so tired from a full day of activities , walking, and a few heaven-forbid cold beers I'm sound asleep early with not issues.
 
RogerH said:
Hmm, apparently I've been going to a different Oshkosh than you. Guess if you're going to go with "pure torture" maybe you should consider a different place to spend your late July vacations.

Yeah, SOS Bros does put out some sound but they seem to be pretty good about maintaining a late night curfew. All in favor of local businesses making a buck. As for "noisy drunks wandering" can't say I've had that experience either. Most nights I'm so tired from a full day of activities , walking, and a few heaven-forbid cold beers I'm sound asleep early with not issues.
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Only real bad part that I found at HBC was if you wanted to snooze at any time during the day was the darn noise of the helicopter giving rides
 
Norman CYYJ said:
Only real bad part that I found at HBC was if you wanted to snooze at any time during the day was the darn noise of the helicopter giving rides
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Funny I made that exact same comment in mid-May on the "OSH'25: The VAF Thread" . One fellow poster rather emotionally took great offense at my comments. Hope your comment is better received. :rolleyes:
 
RogerH said:
Funny I made that exact same comment in mid-May on the "OSH'25: The VAF Thread" . One fellow poster rather emotionally took great offense at my comments. Hope your comment is better received. :rolleyes:
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I have been there around 9 times and the last time was 2011 I don't know if that noisy thing is still there beating up the air.
 
To the OP - I’ve had several friends that camped, and continue to camp at Fond du Lac, and they prefer it. Main benefits are easier arrival and departure, plus the ability to arrive or depart any time of day you want.
 
Our group camped at FDL for the whole week back in 2010 - the Sploshkosh year. Yes, the arrival and departure was simple and easy. Facilities were not near as developed as Oshkosh. We had our own car so driving to/from Oshkosh was no big deal and the Hilton let us park in their lot during the day.
 
The first time I went to Oshkosh the north 40 was full and I ended up camping at Fond du Lac. It was quiet and easy to get in and out but you miss the whole Oshkosh experience. I would never choice it over onsite 🏕️
 
Scott Hersha said:
To the OP - I’ve had several friends that camped, and continue to camp at Fond du Lac, and they prefer it. Main benefits are easier arrival and departure, plus the ability to arrive or depart any time of day you want.
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Scott,
Good point.
Departing OSH during the windows of opportunity can lead to congestion, time crunchs for outbound flights.
Daddyman58
 
MED said:
The daily bus ride from the university to the field went from $5 round-trip to $15 this year!
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Wooo! They tripled the price over one year? Dang… and I seem to recall some years ago the dorm bus ride was 2-3 bucks, but that may have been 10+ years ago. I understand costs go up, but that’s a steep increase!
 
The daily shuttle service from UWO to the grounds will be done be a private company. We’re going to miss the big green city buses running practically round the clock…
 
I have been a regular at KOSH since 1981, and I prefer KFLD. It is easier to get in and out of KFLD when one wants to come or go, and I have found the aircraft parking, camping, and ground transportation to be well organized at KFLD.
Deft, ATP, CFII
RV9A
 
jherzog said:
I'm interested in flying into Fon du Lac and camping there instead of at Oshkosh this year. It looks like the EAA runs an hourly shuttle between the airports. In addition to avoiding all of the traffic, I'm thinking I might be a bit quieter at night for sleeping.

Any feedback on what its like to camp at Fon du Lac? Are there plenty of showers available? Any food on the field?
Click to expand...

I have never camped out there so to speak, but have been there during Airventure Week, pretty mellow compared to OSH camping and flight operations. As far as things to do at KFLD, not that much on field, but a lot of shopping, restaurants nearby, but you will need a car or Lyft, Uber... it's off a service road... There are some food carts for coffee and donuts in morning last time I was there early.

Oh yes as you say shuttles:.
"The shuttle service between Fond du Lac (FDL) and Oshkosh (OSH) for AirVenture is not free and has a cost. The Fond du Lac Skyport charges $12 per person one-way or $20 per person round trip. Nichols Bus Service handles the shuttle service and collects the fees. The shuttle service operates from 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM."

The $20 is not bad if you drove to OSH and paid for parking, $18 in Adv and $25 at gate! But flying into OSH is the real deal, and you don't have to leave the convention/airport. There are RED barn stores, food vendors. You will be on the field the whole time and max out your exposure. There are shuttles to the nearby shopping mall and those are free still (I think). Nothing wrong with KFLD, but it is not KOSH.
 
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jackking123 said:
The $20 is not bad if you drove to OSH and paid for parking, $18 in Adv and $25 at gate! But flying into OSH is the real deal, and you don't have to leave the convention/airport.
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Wow, $25 to park a mile from show center. Wow again.
 
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