When:
• The official days are Monday through Sunday.
• The first Sunday is an unofficial day, but if you have your Monday wrist band on you can get in and take a pre-walk around the grounds
Who/Where:
• If you fly commercially, you can fly to Milwaukee, Wisconsin and get a rental car there. You can also fly into Appleton, but it’s usually more expensive.
• If you fly your own aircraft into Airventure there is a published NOTAM that you MUST download and follow! Operating at OSH is like nothing else on the planet and there are strict procedures that are specific to OSH, and are geared to keep you OFF the radios.
• The Oshkosh (OSH) campground (Camp Scholler), if you stay there, is like no other. They guarantee camping, it is so huge. Lots of bath houses, camp stores, port-a-potties, roads on a grid pattern, and it’s directly adjacent to the Airventure grounds.
• The down side to camping are the legendary thunderstorms and rains that sometimes hit the event.
• Camping at Camp Scholler:
o One camp site is big enough for a camper or tent, and a car. Only 1 tent/car is allowed per camp site.
o You pay up front for the entire week, from the day you arrive. When you leave, you get a refund for the days remaining.
o If you arrive by car you will go to the “Camp Scholler Camper Registration” entrance (see map) and wait in line (come early in the morning if you want to avoid the rush).
o There are NO assigned camping spots. You just drive around and look for one. The spaces closest to the grounds are usually already full by the first Sunday.
o If you fly in they are expecting you will be camping with your airplane, so you pay for your parking spot just like a regular camping spot.
EXCEPT “show planes” which includes your homebuilt. Those you don’t pay for a parking spot.
What is Airventure?
• Aircraft: here is some of what you will see there, parked in the grass.
o Owner-flown aircraft. They fly them in, park in the grass tiedown areas, and camp next to or under their airplanes.
o War Birds. They have their own area, and includes everything from WW1 replicas to WW2 bombers, fighters, reconnaissance, trainers, to Korean, Vietnam and modern era prop planes, helicopters and jets.
o Vintage. This includes any kind of “old” planes from the 1920’s through the 60’s (or so).
o Amphibs. There is a seaplane base off site that you can get to by bus. Other Amphibs park at the main event at the south end.
o Light Sport and Ultralights. These have their own grass runway on site and are located so they can operate all day long.
• Vendors: There are vendors under tents ALL OVER the grounds. There are also 4 huge hangars with hundreds of vendors displaying and selling their wares.
• Show Center (Boeing Plaza): At the end of the main drag (Celebration Way), this huge concrete plaza where BIG aircraft and really cool and interesting aircraft park. Some aircraft stay all week, but many are changed out each day.
• Opening Concert: On Monday night a nationally known band plays live at the Boeing Plaza. Your show admission gets you there; no added cost.
• Museum: At the entrance to the Airventure grounds is a world class aviation museum dedicated in large part to home building, but also a healthy dose of civil and military aviation history and aircraft. It takes at least a half day to see the whole thing. With your wrist band that’s free, also. It is a MUST visit!
• Across the grass runway from the museum is Pioneer Air Park where the sight seeing helicopters fly out of, and where KID Venture is held.
• Air Show: EVERY day there is an afternoon airshow. Some of the performers perform more than one day, but on the whole there is something different every day. These shows are awesome and last for 3 hours.
• On Wednesday and Saturday there will be NIGHT air shows!
• Food:
o Lots of food on property for eating during the day. The quality has gotten much better the last several years.
o For dinner we often eat off site at the local restaurants around the airport.
• Learning (all FREE):
o All take place under metal structures with chairs and multi-media, with some at the Museum.
o Forums: Lots of informational forums about airplanes, building, combat vets telling their stories, etc. HUNDREDS of these!
o Workshops: Hands-on demonstrations and instructions on every aspect of every type of aircraft building and maintenance.
• Fly In Theater: each night there is an aviation-related feature film outside on a sloped area of ground with a HUGE inflatable movie screen. Free popcorn is provided!
Links:
http://www.airventure.org/
https://www.eaa.org/airventure/plan-your-eaa-airventure-trip
https://www.eaa.org/airventure/eaa-airventure-schedule-of-events
http://www.airventuremuseum.org/
https://www.eaa.org/airventure/plan-your-eaa-airventure-trip/eaa-camping-and-lodging/camp-scholler
https://www.eaa.org/airventure/plan-your-eaa-airventure-trip/maps
OSH Tips:
- Look at the forum/lecture schedule BEFORE you get there to decide what things you really want to see/hear.
- Some of my favorite lectures have been:
- WWII vets talking about their experiences
- SR72 Blackbird talks
- Anything with Burt Rutan
- Historic flights
- Favorite hands-on (even if you'll never use them):
- Fabric covering
- Welding
- Mike Busch lectures on maintenance (HIGHLY recommended)
- HYDRATE! Bring/obtain a water carrying device. Don't depend on the drinking fountains alone.
- Each lunch at off-peak times
- Allow some quality time out at the War Birds section. Some of the big aircraft ask for something like a $5 or $10 donations to take a tour inside.
- While at the Warbirds, hang out under a wing close to the runway and watch the GA aircraft land. If you have an aviation radio it's even more fun when you can listen in.
- GO TO THE EAA MUSEUM! You need at least a half day to go through it. If you pick a rainy day everyone else will be there, too, so choose.
- On the event map make note of the flush toilet locations. They have been adding more each year. Needless to say they are much nicer than the port-a-potties.
- Bring a hat with a brim for sun protection, as well as sunblock.
- Eat at one of the nearby restaurants. One of my favorites is next to the Hilton Hotel on the other side of the runway (9/27) is the Hangar Bar and Grill. Recommended for quality and price (NOT decor)! They have a back deck overlooking the runway with a bar and often karaoke, if you end up waiting for a table (get there not long after the show closes and you won't have to wait).
- Go to the Fly-In Theater! If you can get a chair you will be more comfortable, but even a towel or blanket will do. There is free popcorn. There is always room, but for the really good movies get there early to get a good location.
- Partake of the other evening activities, like Theater in the Woods. There are often some REALLY good entertainment or guest speakers.
- If you are going to buy an event T-shirt, don't wait too long. They begin to run out of the most popular designs before the end of the week.
- If you are camping:
- Shower right after the show grounds close for the day, or right after the Fly-In Theater lets out. If you wait until the morning to shower you are going to be in for a long wait.
- Bring shower shoes
- Liquid soap is a better option. If you drop the bar soap you probably aren't going to want to retrieve it.
- If you pitch a tent, stay away from the major road (Schaick Ave). It's busy, noisy and kicks up a lot of dust.
- If you pitch a tent, stake it down WELL. During the day keep things you want to stay dry, either in your car if you have one, or raised up off the tent floor. OSH is famous for some of its thunderstorms.
- Meet people. If you see something or someone that interests you, stop to say hello.
- Have a battery-powered lantern, or an LED flashlight.
- If you are sound-sensitive when sleeping, bring ear plugs. There’s always noise of some kind in Camp Scholler.
- If you have electronic devices such as tablets or phones, there are charging stations on the Airventure grounds (next to the Vintage Red Barn). For a dollar or two (optional) donation you can leave your charger and device with them and they will charge it. Come back later and pick it up. There are also electric outlets at the shower houses, so many people plug in while showering. Lately there have been charging kiosks around the grounds, too.
- The on-site breakfasts are not going to win any awards (they never bothered me), but the best full breakfasts (eggs, pancakes, etc.) are at the War Birds Cafe and the one in the Forums Plaza on Waukau Avenue.
- The airshow is very similar each day, though there are certainly variations. Pick a day where you want to watch the whole show. Under the wing of an aircraft, for shade, is where you want to be, as close as possible to the flight line. But you have to get there EARLY; well before the show starts, to get a good spot. Everyone else is trying to get the same spot you are!
- Personally I like to wear a small backpack to carry things in, rather than carry around a bag in my hands. I also have a small, light collapsible camp chair that I clip onto my bag and carry around. Yes, it adds a little weight, but it's very handy.
- Use sunscreen! You can buy it there.
If You Fly In a Homebuilt:
- If you arrive in a homebuilt you can park in the general camping areas, or with the other “show planes.” There tend to be a few RVs there...
- Once you arrive, go to the Homebuilt registration building. You’ll get a welcome package. If you are camping in Camp Scholler you can grab a free ride there (it’s a long way away). Note you can also call them to get a ride back.