How NOT to fly into Oshkosh (Audio)

Jay Honeck

Jay Honeck

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Jay Honeck
Every year, someone posts this audio file, recorded during Oshkosh 20??, of an absolutely hapless pilot flying into the world's busiest airspace totally unprepared.

Thanks to the generosity of a fellow over on the Van's RV site, I've been able to add it to our massive archive of over 500 aviation video and audio files. Please listen to it, and learn how NOT to fly into EAA Oshkosh 2014.

See the whole site here: http://ameliaslanding.com/aviation_videos.htm

Listen to Sound Files here: http://ameliaslanding.com/aviation_sound_files.htm

Listen to the "How NOT to fly into Oshkosh" sound file here: http://ameliaslanding.com/images/Vid...eAtOSH_REV.mp3

It is truly appalling. I am astounded at how calm and helpful the controllers are!
 
Wow they sure were patient with him. Perhaps shoulda told him airport was closed lol
 
I used that audio clip a few years ago in a presentation on getting to OSH. It was pretty effective at getting the point across.
 
gismo said:
I used that audio clip a few years ago in a presentation on getting to OSH. It was pretty effective at getting the point across.
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Yeah, it's been around a while. It always aggravated me that I didn't have it on our site, as it is VERY educational, in a cringe-worthy way.
 
Listening to that, I kept waiting for the controller to let the guy have it.

It was probably better for all concerned that they didn't let him have it on the frequency, but it would have been good if they sent someone to talk to him after he shutdown.
 
Many of us say this every year: EAA should charge a $250 landing fee during Airventure, waived when you produce a copy of the NOTAM.

That would thin the herd of clueless goobers, pronto, and help to defray the ATC fees.
 
Is it really a common occurrence that people arrive without having the NOTAM?
 
dans2992 said:
Is it really a common occurrence that people arrive without having the NOTAM?
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Judging by what we've seen, year after year, the answer is sadly "More often than you might think."

Worse, lots of people seem to take the NOTAM as advisory. Every year, we seem to see a plane or three during the week, blundering directly over the center of the field at pattern altitude. This, of course, disrupts both patterns on Rwy 9/27 and 18/36, and for a few minutes chaos reigns on the tower frequencies.

I vividly remember one year (2004?) flying in as lead on a flight of 7 aircraft. We were on a side frequency chatting, when we overheard a guy READING THE ENTIRE NOTAM to his flight, over the air!

These guys were flying into the busiest airspace in the WORLD, and were hearing the NOTAM for the first time as they approached Ripon. Mary was apoplectic.

It boggles the mind.
 
Jay Honeck said:
Judging by what we've seen, year after year, the answer is sadly "More often than you might think."

Worse, lots of people seem to take the NOTAM as advisory. Every year, we seem to see a plane or three during the week, blundering directly over the center of the field at pattern altitude. This, of course, disrupts both patterns on Rwy 9/27 and 18/36, and for a few minutes chaos reigns on the tower frequencies.

I vividly remember one year (2004?) flying in as lead on a flight of 7 aircraft. We were on a side frequency chatting, when we overheard a guy READING THE ENTIRE NOTAM to his flight, over the air!

These guys were flying into the busiest airspace in the WORLD, and were hearing the NOTAM for the first time as they approached Ripon. Mary was apoplectic.

It boggles the mind.
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Knock on wood, but frankly, I'm surprised there are not more mid-airs.

My wife flew in with me a couple times, and there was so much traffic, I'm not sure she'd go back again. It made her nervous and she is a non-pilot.

One year, we departed into IMC (IFR of course) and the radio was so busy, I just thought to myself "I hope these controllers know what they're doing, because I sure can't see anything. A few of these guys sound like they're awfully close to our position..."
 
Jay Honeck said:
Judging by what we've seen, year after year, the answer is sadly "More often than you might think."

Worse, lots of people seem to take the NOTAM as advisory. Every year, we seem to see a plane or three during the week, blundering directly over the center of the field at pattern altitude. This, of course, disrupts both patterns on Rwy 9/27 and 18/36, and for a few minutes chaos reigns on the tower frequencies.

I vividly remember one year (2004?) flying in as lead on a flight of 7 aircraft. We were on a side frequency chatting, when we overheard a guy READING THE ENTIRE NOTAM to his flight, over the air!

These guys were flying into the busiest airspace in the WORLD, and were hearing the NOTAM for the first time as they approached Ripon. Mary was apoplectic.

It boggles the mind.
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There is a reason Cessna & Bonanza drivers do the mass arrival thing. They can't read and understand the NOTAM. ;). :rofl:
 
Careful. The Oklahoma Wonder Boy will be calling the FSDO about this on Monday morning as well. His vast experience will conclude that the arrival should not be allowed.
 
I was listening in one day and this Bonanza shows up like this on the tower frequency totally oblivious to the NOTAM. Tower just gives up and tells him to come straight in to 36L.

BO: Which one is 36L
TWR: It's the one with the big numbers on it and the dashed line down the middle.
 
We were sitting on "Vulture's Row" on 9, with handhelds and beer, watching the heavy inbound flow when 4 French-Canadians in a Mooney came in from the East, declared low fuel and a direct to 27.

It was an interesting few minutes.
 
EdLarkin said:
We were sitting on "Vulture's Row" on 9, with handhelds and beer, watching the heavy inbound flow when 4 French-Canadians in a Mooney came in from the East, declared low fuel and a direct to 27.

It was an interesting few minutes.
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That sounds like a great time. Having never been to Osh, I have to say the thought of getting there early, posting up with some lawn chairs, cracking some beers, getting out the radios and watching all the landing traffic sounds incredibly fun.:yes:
 
Irish_Armada said:
That sounds like a great time. Having never been to Osh, I have to say the thought of getting there early, posting up with some lawn chairs, cracking some beers, getting out the radios and watching all the landing traffic sounds incredibly fun.:yes:
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Absolutely. In fact, this is the BEST part of the day, every day, in the North 40 campground.

After the airspace reopens, we drag our chairs and a cooler full of beer up to the runway and watch in awe (or, occasionally, disbelief) as the ballet of arrivals and departures unfolds before us.

One year, when a 310's baggage door opened on the takeoff roll (which he aborted), it literally unfolded. Well, at least, his family's clothing did, for about 5000' on RWY 27... ;)

They had to line up 30 CAP kids and walk the runway for FOD, before they could reopen it...
 
Irish_Armada said:
That sounds like a great time. Having never been to Osh, I have to say the thought of getting there early, posting up with some lawn chairs, cracking some beers, getting out the radios and watching all the landing traffic sounds incredibly fun.:yes:
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Like Jay said, it's the best part of the day..

Sorta like NASCAR, everyone is waiting for "that guy."
 
I'll be out there watching Sunday afternoon for sure!
 
Nothing was quite like when we were walking back from town one night and I had my scanner with me listening to the tower. All of a sudden I hear the tower tell everybody on approach to immediately turn out over the lake, Concord on four mine final. BZZING...never saw such a quick response from a bunch of small airplanes. Seconds later I spot the Concord on final flashing his landing lights.
 
Jay Honeck said:
Absolutely. In fact, this is the BEST part of twas 27e day, every day, in the North 40 campground.

After the airspace reopens, we drag our chairs and a cooler full of beer up to the runway and watch in awe (or, occasionally, disbelief) as the ballet of arrivals and departures unfolds before us.

One year, when a 310's baggage door opened on the takeoff roll (which he aborted), it literally unfolded. Well, at least, his family's clothing did, for about 5000' on RWY 27... ;)

They had to line up 30 CAP kids and walk the runway for FOD, before they could reopen it...
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We were watching traffic land on 27 when the controller comes on with a voice 3 octives higher than she did just a second before. "High wing on final for 27 abort landing slide to the right and go around." " Low wing landing runway 9 abort! Slide right, go straight ahead, do no land on 9.". There were planes landings on 27 & 9. :yikes: The high wing landing on 27 said; " Well that was interesting". The controller said, not missing a beat; " Welcome to Oshkosh!". :rofl:

I would have liked to hear why the pilot of the low wing thought runway 9 was 27. :mad2:
 
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Geico266 said:
We were watching traffic land on 27 when the controller comes on with a voice 3 octives higher than she did just a second before. "High wing on final for 27 abort landing slide to the right and go around." " Low wing landing runway 9 abort! Slide right, go straight ahead, do no land on 9.". There were planes landings on 27 & 9. :yikes: The high wing landing on 27 said; " Well that was interesting". The controller said, not missing a beat; " Welcome to Oshkosh!". :rofl:

I would have liked to hear why the pilot of the low wing thought runway 9 was 27. :mad2:
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I knew a pilot in Iowa who is directionally dyslexic like that. Flying with him was...interesting.
 
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