Oshkosh - 2018

I’ll be there. This year I finally booked early enough to get a room in Appleton. Don’t talk to me about camping...I’m married.
 
Business may have me up there this year. We shall see.

If I do come, I will definitely try to time it so that I'm there for the HOPS party. Of course, that would mean I probably will need to stay over-night. . . .
 
Hoping to fly in again this year. The past two years I've camped in HBC, which I'll probably do again, although I am considering a taller tent. Kind of a PITA getting dressed in a 4' tall dome tent. Last year's rain was the first time I've really been rained on there and it turned out fine. So far I've been lucky, and both years I flew in myself I made it in just before the arrivals went completely to sh##.
 
DaleB said:
Hoping to fly in again this year. The past two years I've camped in HBC, which I'll probably do again, although I am considering a taller tent. Kind of a PITA getting dressed in a 4' tall dome tent. Last year's rain was the first time I've really been rained on there and it turned out fine. So far I've been lucky, and both years I flew in myself I made it in just before the arrivals went completely to sh##.
Click to expand...
A friend of mine once told me to pack the biggest tent that I could fit in my plane. I have a 4 man tent just for me and I love it. Enough room to almost stand up, and room to put my sleeping bag in the back of the tent and have room to move around when getting up in the morning. Now that I think of it, since I'll be going in the 170 instead of my 140, maybe it's time for a 6-Man palace!
 
Jack, Kent Shook calls that a "Taj maTent."
 
We've gotten steadily larger in tents. We did have a 12 man 2-room tent but we decided to back down to a large Cabela's Arctic Dome which stands of to OSH winds better. We still have the other tent which is used on really cold nights for our evening social times and during the say it's where we set up the massage table.
 
I'm still using the 4-man LLBean Backwoods Lodge tent I bought for OSH about 1998. Best tent I have ever owned - stand up room, inner tent big enough for two queen size air mattresses and more. It has an integral stand up screened vestibule large enough for four lawn chairs and two beer coolers, to get out of the sun or rain (without being in the tent itself) or away from the mosquitos (the ones that bite, not the ones from de Havillland). No wind or rain has ever knocked it down despite it being tall in the center. Unfortunately they discontinued it sometime in the 2000s.

I hate backpack dome tents for airshows. I did that for years. They belong on the side of some glacier halfway up a climb imo.
 
I have the REI Kingdom 4 tent of something like that. It has standing room, quality build, and lots of storage.
 
I have one of these for moto camping trips

redverz-tenere-expedition-tent.jpeg
 
For those of you that don't camp often, a good tip is to buy a tent and set it up at your house before you go camping in it. Before my first camping trip to a fly-in, I bought one of those one-man tents (think coffin) because I thought I was going to enjoy sleeping under my plane. I got there with a brand new tent, opened the box, and there were no poles! Luckily some of the campers had driven in and gave me a ride to Walmart where I bought another tent. Turned out the one-man tent wasn't the right idea for me anyway!

Another good idea is to buy Scotchgard and spray all of the seams, especially on the rain fly.
 
Big problems with Osh is the field is unobstructed and gets all kind of wind. The first tent I took there was tiny and did look like a coffin, albeit one that had been crossed with a wind tunnel. After a particularly energetic storm one night I woke up to a field of blown down tents. Mine was the only one still standing in my vicinity.

Ever since then I've insisted on small dome style tents. They have their disadvantages, but they don't blow down and they don't leak. If you're in Scholler or some other part of the airfield it might not be so bad, lots of trees and other obstacles to keep the wind at bay. But out near the runways it just ain't so.
 
oh.. go on :) considering it the 100th RAF celebations and all .. just got to get some cheap international tix and ill be looking to come for the second time.. had to skip OSH17, but as it's my 50th this year.. why not spoil myself :)

As of the 20/3 flight tix booked and accommodation. all coming together :)
 
Last edited:
Hoping to make it this year, hopefully in a plane that I own! Have never been, but have been wanting to make the trip badly.
 
I can't wait. Might even have a booth again this year, after a couple years off.
 
Publication of the NOTAM is my yearly signal to start OSH planning. We are in the midst of a relocation to Florida so I was skeptical that we'd make the journey this year, but not only does it look like we're going to make it, my daughter stated she wants to go too-- unsolicited, right out of the blue. I was surprised but pleased!

This is our Cinch pop up tent with optional awning from last year in HBC. It worked very well--stayed completely dry through some pretty serious downpours.

6977D798-7DBF-42DD-B901-AC2A0FB7CBB0.jpeg
 
Very unlikely we make it this year.

If nothing else, going to try to wrap up this silly CFII prep and get OUT of the dang office to do it, and that’s higher on the priority list than OSH unfortunately.

If it’s like other years I’ve missed, I’ll be completely annoyed with and also happy with all of your photo and other posts.

So post away. We do need to see what @weirdjim and Jay come up with for “approach lights” to his tent and party now that the Texas LED Dildo has died... :)
 
denverpilot said:
Very unlikely we make it this year.

If nothing else, going to try to wrap up this silly CFII prep and get OUT of the dang office to do it, and that’s higher on the priority list than OSH unfortunately.

If it’s like other years I’ve missed, I’ll be completely annoyed with and also happy with all of your photo and other posts.

So post away. We do need to see what @weirdjim and Jay come up with for “approach lights” to his tent and party now that the Texas LED Dildo has died... :)
Click to expand...

I'm not going this year either and feel the same way!
 
Schedule finalized at last. Coming in Sunday, leaving Tuesday. Coming back in on Friday for a company day trip. Let the fun begin!
 
Got the approval today to fly-in Thursday and leave first thing Sunday! This will be my third time (2011 and 2012). Unfortunately (fortunately?), I’ll be in a Navy jet instead of my Twinkie (maybe next year?). Won’t be camping though, usually stay at the dorms as we don’t have room for tents, bags, etc. in the plane. Thrilled to death, but dang it looks hot up there too!
 
Kicking around making a quick day (or two) trip with a buddy and staying at Brennand. Anyone done this?
 
Looks like I may be able to make my first trip to Oshkosh in my own plane. Is it correct I can park and camp in the vintage area with my 67 Cherokee? Have placard on windscreen 'Vintage Area' parking?

Thanks
 
What's considered vintage?
Hopefully 72 if that area is closer the the bathrooms.
 
Looks like the cutoff might be 1970.

Marvel at row after row of Antique (built prior to September 1, 1945), Classic (built September 1, 1945 through 1955), and Contemporary (built from 1956 through 1970) aircraft meticulously cared for and restored through the decades.
 
Looks like the cutoff might be 1970.
Click to expand...
Yes, the date of manufacture needs to be before the close of 1970 to qualify for vintage judging, and hence parking in the vintage area.
There's no requirement your plane be mediculous enough or restored to be a judging candidate to park in vintage. We'll taket he butt ugly ones too as long as they're old enough.

Note that the Antique cutoff is essentially VJ day (end of WWII), Classics end with the first 172 built. Contemporary goes from 172 SN 1 up until whatever year Vintage decides is appropriate. It's moved up from 65 to 70 in irregular spurts over the decades I've been attending.
 
Arriving Wed and staying at UWO AC Dorm. Leaving Friday. Sorry to miss the HOPS party but I’ll be at the Sonex BBQ Wednesday night.

Cheers
 
I'm thinking of arriving Sat morning before, weather permitting. Leave here O-dark 30 and arrive by 0900.
 
Jay Honeck said:
Mary and I will be there on Sunday, for our 36th consecutive OSH fly-in!

And here's where it all began for us. Oshkosh 1983. The Tomcat before Top Gun! :)

19621159_1373343706034853_5392754699742125428_o.jpg
Click to expand...
Piker, my first one was 1973 and I've missed a few, but not many.

Jim (and Cyndi, this will be her 4th)
 
Wow.. Can't believe I'm actually able to post this, but it looks like I'll be able to do a day trip to OSH on Friday (and maybe Saturday if I'm feeling froggy)! Have to be in MKE for work that week and everyone else is flying home Friday morn. I think I'll stick around and *ugh* DRIVE north to the show for a day or two.

First time getting to the show after going for several years in a row from 2000 - 2005 and first time ever having to DRIVE to the show. Any tips for beating traffic to/from?
 
Cykoguy said:
Kicking around making a quick day (or two) trip with a buddy and staying at Brennand. Anyone done this?
Click to expand...

No I haven’t, but been thinking about it. This year’s plans are still in motion. I really should upgrade my old tent.
 
Since I’m in the middle of building an RV-14, I decided to fly in and go whole hog. I’ll come in Sunday and leave on Saturday. I am camping and would not mind tips on vintage vs. general aviation camping, since I have a 1968 Arrow. I want to fly in early to get as much access to helpful seminars and to minimize the chance of camping being full when I arrive.

I have to stay through Friday afternoon because I volunteered for the One Week Wonder project and they assigned me the Friday afternoon session. Here’s hoping that they get it done and the Friday afternoon people get to test fly it.

Is the HOPS party just one night or every night? I need to know how many six-packs to bring. One of our local breweries doesn’t have cans yet so I may have to bring a six-pack of growlers. Sorry about that.
 
I think the ‘official’ HOPS party is the one night, but plenty of other events to capture interest. I think that S.O.S. Tent is still up and running.

If weight is an issue you can always buy a few six packs locally.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top