OSH chicken

[flyingcheesehead]

Gack.

So I really want to go to OSH this year. I think.

My one and only chance to do so, most likely, is Monday. All three club planes are available, as is my car if needed.

I don't think I want to do OSH solo the first time (well, AirVenture that is, I've been to OSH many times). I sent out an e-mail to the rest of my club to see if anyone else wants to go, and Monday is the ONLY day that nobody else can go! :-( My CFII is driving up on Wed, and he's working at his "real" job tomorrow, so he's out.

For those who've been to AirVenture: How tough is it to fly in? Am I being too chicken? Do you fly in solo? My biggest flying fear is a mid-air, and that much aluminum and plastic in the sky in one place plus trying to read the arrival procedures (Yes, I've read them already but there's too many details to really memorize it all) sounds like a recipe for disaster if solo.

Then I think about driving. Yuck. I'd be wasting an extra couple of hours on each end of the day. I'd probably only be there about 6 hours, and the admission fees are a bit steep for that short amount of time.



I may miss it again this year and that sucks 'cuz it's gonna be a great one. I even came home early so I could see SpaceShipOne at MSN but they locked it away in a hangar, no viewing allowed.

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

Kent
I would go. I went in the 70s soon after I learned to fly and I have been there solo twice, about 7 times total. I think you can really get worked into a lather by all the hype - those detailed procedures, the fast-talking controllers; talk of the sky full of airplanes.

Its really not that bad if you just get in the line, keep a good look out, and fly the airplane. Try to arrive at the least busy times. Have fun if you go!

 

[Dave Krall CFII]

Gack.

So I really want to go to OSH this year. I think.

My one and only chance to do so, most likely, is Monday. All three club planes are available, as is my car if needed.

I don't think I want to do OSH solo the first time (well, AirVenture that is, I've been to OSH many times). I sent out an e-mail to the rest of my club to see if anyone else wants to go, and Monday is the ONLY day that nobody else can go! :-( My CFII is driving up on Wed, and he's working at his "real" job tomorrow, so he's out.

For those who've been to AirVenture: How tough is it to fly in? Am I being too chicken? Do you fly in solo? My biggest flying fear is a mid-air, and that much aluminum and plastic in the sky in one place plus trying to read the arrival procedures (Yes, I've read them already but there's too many details to really memorize it all) sounds like a recipe for disaster if solo.

Then I think about driving. Yuck. I'd be wasting an extra couple of hours on each end of the day. I'd probably only be there about 6 hours, and the admission fees are a bit steep for that short amount of time.



I may miss it again this year and that sucks 'cuz it's gonna be a great one. I even came home early so I could see SpaceShipOne at MSN but they locked it away in a hangar, no viewing allowed.

It is actually morally wrong, for a competent pilot NOT to fly to a fly-in when any aircraft is available... the en mass arrivals and take offs are a blast !

 

[Butler]

You might want to visit the EAA.ORG website, download the NOTAM and study it before you go. If you do that, and maybe take someone along to help you keep a diligent watch for other aircraft, you should do fine.


Jim

 

[TangoWhiskey]

You might want to visit the EAA.ORG website, download the NOTAM and study it before you go. If you do that, and maybe take someone along to help you keep a diligent watch for other aircraft, you should do fine.


Jim

Last year they had a "photo arrival procedure" on their website that let you "fly along" and see the checkpoints in the air, as you'd see them for real... I thought that was cool and did a lot to make me feel comfortable with flying in there (although I didn't get to go!). One knew exactly what things would look like.

Do they have that available this year too?

 

[flybill7]

I flew into Oshkosh for the first time last year and Sun 'N Fun this year, solo. I heartily recommend it. It's not difficult and is exhilirating, at least it was for me doing it the for first time.

That said, get a hard copy of the Notam and know it cold. I even made a little checklist of what would happen from arrival at Ripon to landing, where I could expect to change frequencies, and what pattern I could expect depending on the winds. Because I had done my homework, the arrival went smoothly.

Also, fly defensively. Keep your head on a swivel. Expect other planes to cut you off -- just like driving on the highway! On my Sun 'N Fun arrival there were pilots obviously unfamiliar with the Notam. Hard to believe, but true.

Again, it's well worth doing, and if you prepare for it, it's not hard. If you're not willing to do the prep work, however, don't do it, because you're putting other at risk.

... Bill

 

[flyingcheesehead]

Made it - By car. :-/

You might want to visit the EAA.ORG website, download the NOTAM and study it before you go. If you do that, and maybe take someone along to help you keep a diligent watch for other aircraft, you should do fine.

Done, and done. Problem was I couldn't find anyone else who could go with me to watch for traffic, so it was solo or no-go.

Then, this morning the decision was made via TAF. The trip up looked OK, but there's only about a 3-hour window to depart OSH between the airshow and the field closing. In fact, tonight it was less than three, about 2230Z-0100Z. I think I made the right choice:

KMSN 260058Z 16011KT 10SM TS FEW060 SCT120 26/22 A2973 RMK AO2 TSB58 OCNL LTGICCA VC W TS VC W MOV NE
KMSN 260053Z 15010KT 10SM FEW060 SCT120 26/22 A2973 RMK AO2 SLP061 T02610217
KMSN 252353Z 15009KT 10SM FEW110 26/21 A2978 RMK AO2 SLP079 60014 T02610211 10306 20233 58026
KMSN 252253Z 10006KT 10SM FEW090 SCT100 25/22 A2981 RMK AO2 SLP088 T02500217
KMSN 252153Z 10004KT 10SM FEW010 BKN085 26/21 A2984 RMK AO2 TSB25E51RAE13 SLP100 OCNL LTG DSNT N P0005 T02560211

KOSH 260102Z 36008KT 2SM +TSRA BR BKN017 OVC060 22/21 A2978 RMK AO2 VIS 1 1/4V5 LTG DSNT ALQDS PRESFR P0008
KOSH 260053Z 30010KT 7SM +TSRA FEW016 OVC060 23/21 A2981 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT W-NE SLP080 P0037 T02280206
KOSH 260019Z 04004KT 4SM -TSRA BR SCT020 BKN070 OVC120 23/21 A2978 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT ALQDS PRESFR P0026
KOSH 260014Z 35003KT 1 1/4SM +TSRA SCT020 BKN070 BKN120 23/21 A2979 RMK AO2 VIS 1/2V5 LTG DSNT SE AND W AND NW P0025
KOSH 260009Z 00000KT 3/4SM +TSRA BKN022 BKN070 BKN120 24/21 A2981 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT SE AND W AND NW P0023
KOSH 260004Z 00000KT 1 3/4SM +TSRA SCT027 BKN120 24/21 A2981 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT SE AND W AND NW P0013
KOSH 252353Z 20011KT 10SM VCTS -RA FEW039 26/20 A2981 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT S-NW TSB51RAB46 SLP079 P0000 60000 T02560200 10322 20256 56020
KOSH 252253Z 14007KT 10SM CLR 28/17 A2981 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT SW SLP079 T02780167
KOSH 252153Z 12006KT 10SM FEW036 28/17 A2984 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT NW TSB07E32B37E52 SLP091 T02830167

I did go over near the runway and watch as the few planes that departed took off. By the time they made it to the runway, the only good way to go was east. I have no desire to run away from TSRA by going over the lake! I watched about 15 planes depart before it started raining a bit, and shortly thereafter I got very, very wet on my way to the car. There were thunderstorms most of the way home.

Last year they had a "photo arrival procedure" on their website that let you "fly along" and see the checkpoints in the air, as you'd see them for real... I thought that was cool and did a lot to make me feel comfortable with flying in there (although I didn't get to go!). One knew exactly what things would look like.

Do they have that available this year too?

They have pics and some animations of some points available in the ATC section. However, I now have a better idea... Before next year's show, I should have plenty of chances to go to OSH with this year's notam in hand and fly all the tracks and find all the points so I have a better idea of what it all looks like before next year's show.

I even made a little checklist of what would happen from arrival at Ripon to landing, where I could expect to change frequencies, and what pattern I could expect depending on the winds.

Great minds think alike... That's exactly what I was going to do!

Report elsewhere in a bit.

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

ah, the recurrent osh thunderstorm! Usually it comes at night when you are happily ensconced in your cozy tent... rain fills the low spots under your sleeping bag and the winds whip to 30 or more, sending things ..including unmanned tents.. all over the field. The next morning you try to hang out everything to dry, in the 95% humidity.