French invading Oshkosh 2014

french22

french22

Filing Flight Plan
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Apr 5, 2013
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french22
Dear all,
Sometimes SantaClaus exists: as I was complaining about AZ not being an option for this summer, my wife just ordered, demanded, my son and I to attend Oshkosh 2014. Just the two of us. :yes:

She said something about "her being fed up of me whining about it every time and couldn't stand that anymore" (who said that I used the right strategy :rolleyes2:)

The fact is, we'll be there this summer to have our "father and son pilots week - no rule, no prisonner"

Now, I have to organise our trip and plan a bit in advance. We're just few thousands miles away (in France actually) and it won't be just a matter of "jump into the car and off we go". I'm not sure we'll stay for the whole week, but we'll spend at least 4 days there - I want to keep 3 or 4 dedicated days for actual flying.

The planes tickets won't be an issue but the accommodation could be. I know that some of you favour having the tent under your plane's wing to be right into the thing but first, I don't own any plane and second, I'm too old (and snob maybe) to live in a tent (actually never did that during the last 40 years).
Is there any option you could suggest? My only constraint is to be able to sleep in a dry clean bed and have access to clean showers / private toilets. Hotel, motel, B&B to recommend? How far away should I be ready to go? A French pilot I met some times ago told me that he was staying 50miles away and went back and forth everyday to the airshow.

Sorry if my questions sound to "rookie" for some of you, but I have no experience at all going to such event and want to make our stay a memorable one.

Thanks for all
Thierry
 
I was only able to plan three days ahead and got a room in the
dorms at Appleton College, 20 miles away. Nothing fancy, a
bed and a shower.
Dave
 
It's easy ! Fly into Chicago because the cars will be cheaper to rent. Then it's about a short three hour drive to Oshkosh. You can ALWAYS find rooms available at reasonable rates in either Sheboygan or Appleton. Both are just a quick 25 to 30 minute drive to the show. Bienvenue, profiter !
 
d.grimm said:
I was only able to plan three days ahead and got a room in the
dorms at Appleton College, 20 miles away. Nothing fancy, a
bed and a shower.
Dave
Click to expand...

Check the Airventure Housing website.

http://airventure.org/planning/where_to_stay.html

Dorms in Oshkosh are closest and run about $75-80 US per night. Dorms at Appleton are about the same price but they want a minimum 3-night stay in advance. Rooms are set up for 2 students, so there are twin beds, include linen & towels. Typical college dorms with common bath/showers. There's bus service everywhere.

Getting to Oshkosh can be expensive. Flights from anywhere to Chicago are reaonable but that last leg into Appleton (commercial) is really expensive. I often fly into Milwaukee, rent a car & drive 1.5 hours to Oshkosh but I don't think Milwaukee has international flights. So it's rent a car in Chicago. There are commercial flights from Chicago to both Appleton and Green Bay.

An alternative - there is bus service from Chicago to the Oshkosh area so you may be able to avoid renting a car.

There are hotels in Oshkosh but anything that doesn't have strange, tiny, creatures (bugs) are very expensive. Appleton & Greenbay are much more reasonably priced, and again, bus service everywhere.

Check the Hotel/Accomodations site - there are many homeowners that rent out a room, sometimes the entire house.

Be aware that the site is not always up to date, even days before the show. Many of the hotels don't want to list on the site and want you to make reservations directly with them.

Whatever you do, make reservations NOW! You can always release the car & hotel reservations with no charge. You can reserve at the Univ of Wisconsin-Oshkosh dorms now, and get a full refund up to the week before the show.
 
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I prefer Appleton,never had a problem booking a room ,bus system to the show is great.
 
Be adventurous, rent a plane to fly in and use a tent, although if you post a request for accommodation on a few pilot boards like this, I'm sure someone will have a room for rent in a local house within walking distance. The tent is more fun though at OSH. If you can find an older plane to rent and get onto one of the Vintage section lines, you'll be very close to all the activity areas.
 
"Be adventurous", you bet. Can you imagine the scene: a strong french accent over the tower freq, repeating continuously "say again, uh, say again".... I know it's called Air Adventure but the poor guys there don't deserve this one :)

Kidding apart, arriving there in plane would be the ultimate fun, but for safety's sake I would go with an experienced pilot.

MESSAGE TO THIS BOARD: if any of you plans to go there flying and has 2 spare seats for me and my son, I'm your man. Sharing costs obviously.
In the meantime, I'll check the Appleton accommodation option or a B&B in Oshkosh (but site won't open before next month)

Thanks for your comments. Keep feeding me with your experiences.
 
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I have stayed in a house a couple of times, decent setup. About a 5 minute drive from the field, lady picks up and drops off, breakfast included. Very clean and comfortable, no air conditioning, but window fans work well.
 
I have booked a room in Appleton for my son and I. Appleton is about 25 minutes north of the field. I live in Chicago and the drive isn't bad. You might also consider flying into Milwaukee.
 
french22 said:
"Be adventurous", you bet. Can you imagine the scene: a strong french accent over the tower freq, repeating continuously "say again, uh, say again".... I know it's called Air Adventure but the poor guys there don't deserve this one :)
Click to expand...
people fly in from all over the world. Last time I departed in between a 421 from Belgium and a Saratoga from Brazil. Besides, you do not speak over the radio, only listen. A pilot with a wired-shut jaw could fly in and out of OSH no problem.

Whatever type of airplane you own you might try the respective type club that does a mass arrival. If you have a mooney then you are probably out of luck <g> but if you have a bonanza Cessna or Comanche you can probably find seats to ride in during the formation arrival and then have people to camp with.
 
french22 said:
"Be adventurous", you bet. Can you imagine the scene: a strong french accent over the tower freq, repeating continuously "say again, uh, say again".... I know it's called Air Adventure but the poor guys there don't deserve this one :)
Click to expand...

I have a somewhat accented foreign friend, who happens also to be french, and I would say that in the rapid fire environment of OSH you are showing good judgement in not flying yourself in. If you are a competent pilot I'm sure you could understand the environment and the rules quickly, but the radio comms are fast and furious and I don't think you would have much fun (which is the point after all).

If you are looking to do some flying in the area, I suggest either circling Lake Michigan or heading west to the Mississippi. Around the lake there are tons of airports and great views of one of the largest lakes in the world. Heading west you can follow the Wisconsin river to the Mississippi through an area called the Driftless Area. It's an area of southwest Wisconsin that is wooded, hilly and beautiful as the glaciers went around it during the ice ages.
 
Thousands of people fly into OSH, everyone does it the first time once, many foreign accents on the ground, nobody talks in the air, you just listen, the instructions are very simple. Read the published NOTAM, have it with you.
 
@iHenning: indeed, I will try to come by air this time or a next one. It's part of the dream too.

But my first time won't be as PIC, I would feel better to experience that from the right seat. I've listened KOSH frequencies on LiveATC, and I caught most of it. But only "most". So more experience is needed.

@RW2: thanks for flying suggestions, that's something I will check too.
 
A pity the OP can't camp. Often there is a POA spot where several people from POA camp together and have lots and lots of fun.
 
Camping is the best way to do OSH, lots of fun stuff happens in the wee hours...
 
french22 said:
* * * * *

Thanks for all
Thierry
Click to expand...

Mr. Henry,

I have been a huge fan of yours for some time. I loved watching you play at Arsenal during your heyday. Still enjoy watching you in New York. Enjoy Oshkosh.
 
LOL

I'm not Thierry Henry. Just another Thierry (less fit and older).

However, I must give credit to Mr Henry of making my first name more understandable abroad.
 
I can't imagine 20-30min each way every day. Went I went last year with my dad we had a camper. I stayed the whole week, we left each morning early to ride our bikes to the gate, and left late each night...... still didn't see everything Oshkosh had to offer. That 30 minute drive each way takes 5-6 hours of quality Oshkosh time away from you. Rent an RV or something if you cant camp. Personally camping in some form or fashion(under the stars, tent, camper, or RV) is the only way to do Oshkosh I think.
 
Do try the B&B section. We have wonderful memories of B&Bs in Oshkosh!
Marc
 
I've only camped a few times and OSH is easy. No need to cook with food a hundred meters away! The showers and bathrooms were cleaner than anything I expected. If I recall they cleaned them two or three times per day as well. Originally we planned to camp to save money but after the week at OSH I would have to say it is the only way to get the full experience.

With this much notice you should be able to find someone to fly with you and your son.
 
french22 said:
"Be adventurous", you bet. Can you imagine the scene: a strong french accent over the tower freq, repeating continuously "say again, uh, say again".... I know it's called Air Adventure but the poor guys there don't deserve this one :)
Click to expand...

I was there while the tower was landing everyone on 9. A Mooney came in from the East, trying to land on 27, with 4 Quebecois aboard. We did have a hand-held radio tuned to the tower. The Mooney was low on fuel, also.

It was an interesting few minutes.
 
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