What is the Most Well-Represented Make at Oshkosh?

Jay Honeck

Jay Honeck

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Jay Honeck
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Someone asked me today if there were more RVs at OSH than any other make. I confess, I have no idea, although it sure seemed like it.

Anyone? Are Cessnas still #1, or have RVs overtaken them?

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While I was at Oshkosh I didn't visit the N40 camping area so I can't say for sure that RV's were the most represented. Just judging by the home built camping though I would say it's hard to beat. My guess is 85% of the home builts were an RV. Canard aircraft made up probably the second largest percentage followed if not tied by Sonex.
 
Jay, I don't really think you have to ask that question. RV hands down.

No empirical data to support that, just the vast amount of space they take up on the north end of the field.
 
There were what, 8-10K airplanes on the grounds? Maybe 7-800 RV's? I'd guess market share means that 30% of the rest (or 2000+) were of the Cessna variety.
 
EAA asks "Type aircraft" when you check in. You would think this would be a report from their database?

When we first started going to OSH, it was mostly Cessnas, followed by Pipers, followed by everything else.

Now, it seems like RVs, Cessnas, Pipers, Cirrus...and everyone else. But the grounds are so big it's hard to get a true picture.

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I would guess Vans as the most common make. I thought I read it someplace, but I can't find it.
 
I think its V-Tailed Bonanzas;) In all seriousness, why wouldn't it follow the actual ratio of GA aircraft in the country. Last and only time I was there was 3 or so years ago and I don't recall that many RVs on the North 40. There are a lot but I have a hard time beliving that 80% of the planes at the show are Vans. Thats a huge percentage. I'd actually think that no one single make comprises above 50% of the planes there. But as Jay said there is no evidence. If EAA really collects that stuff they should publish it.
 
A different question: Since it is an EAA event, are experimentals represented better than in the GA fleet as a whole?
 
AdamZ said:
I think its V-Tailed Bonanzas;) In all seriousness, why wouldn't it follow the actual ratio of GA aircraft in the country. Last and only time I was there was 3 or so years ago and I don't recall that many RVs on the North 40. There are a lot but I have a hard time beliving that 80% of the planes at the show are Vans. Thats a huge percentage. I'd actually think that no one single make comprises above 50% of the planes there. But as Jay said there is no evidence. If EAA really collects that stuff they should publish it.
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I'm not for certain that you were referring to my post, but if you go back and look again I said 85% of the home builts were RV, not the show as a whole.
 
NoHeat said:
A different question: Since it is an EAA event, are experimentals represented better than in the GA fleet as a whole?
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Not even close in the N40. While there a few RVs and other experimental in the N40, almost all of the RVs park with the RV section so it appears they are very numerous. Without hard data, I would have to say Cessna of various flavors are the winner.
 
Don't know or can't comment about the whole show, but the Basler ramp sure looked like the Cirrus factory. I was amazed.
 
AdamZ said:
I think its V-Tailed Bonanzas;) In all seriousness, why wouldn't it follow the actual ratio of GA aircraft in the country. Last and only time I was there was 3 or so years ago and I don't recall that many RVs on the North 40. There are a lot but I have a hard time beliving that 80% of the planes at the show are Vans. Thats a huge percentage. I'd actually think that no one single make comprises above 50% of the planes there. But as Jay said there is no evidence. If EAA really collects that stuff they should publish it.
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Because those that goto OSH are a subsection of the overall community. Total fleet numbers would be a poor representation of the numbers who show up, the event on attracts certain types of people.

If we could filter FAA registration based on single ownership vs club or leaseback, then we might have something to go on.
 
Just get a high resolution copy of that aerial photo of Oshkosh and start counting. ;)
 
asgcpa said:
Don't know or can't comment about the whole show, but the Basler ramp sure looked like the Cirrus factory. I was amazed.
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Yeah, I saw that, too. I don't know how the Basler ramp guys ever found anyone's plane.

What is it with Cirrus? Don't those guys camp?
 
wanttaja said:
They're afraid of open flames. :-)

Ron Wanttaja
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Well, me too, for that matter. If anyone had an open flame near me in the North 40, I would say something. (We have everything from a microwave to a 12-cup coffee maker -- but no never a stove with an open flame!)
 
I really think the homebuilts, especially the RV's are the future of GA. NOT the Sport Pilot stuff.
 
Anthony said:
I really think the homebuilts, especially the RV's are the future of GA. NOT the Sport Pilot stuff.
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I agree.

With 9,000 RVs flying, and more and more of them being flown by 2nd and 3rd owners (I'm the 2nd owner of mine), the RVs are becoming mainstream airplanes, offering performance at a very affordable price.

We are very, very happy with our RV. :)
 
Experimental planes are the future of aviation. The Feds too heavily regulate the certified aircraft. It's nonsense that a 40-50 year old airplane can't be upgraded with proven new technologies just because someone doesn't have deep enough pockets to go through the STC process. You have 100 mph airplanes flying around with antiquated instruments and radios while 200 mph RVs are all over the place and even in Ifr conditions.
 
LoxaBagels said:
The RVs are LSA...and so are most of the experimentals.
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:confused: No, sorry, most RVs break the LSA speed rule by a fair bit on both the top and bottom ends, as does much of the rest of the EAB fleet. I think only the RV-12 is LSA.
 
Jay Honeck said:
I agree.

With 9,000 RVs flying, and more and more of them being flown by 2nd and 3rd owners (I'm the 2nd owner of mine), the RVs are becoming mainstream airplanes, offering performance at a very affordable price.

We are very, very happy with our RV. :)
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That's approaching spam can status. :)
 
asgcpa said:
Don't know or can't comment about the whole show, but the Basler ramp sure looked like the Cirrus factory. I was amazed.
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Haven't been there myself, but I know why it's that way.

Cirrus owners are parking there because of the cost of repairing their wheel pants, which fit tightly around the wheel. The metal brackets inside them tend to break when taxiing on rough grass, or over the edge of the concrete onto the grass. To a lesser extent, the fiberglass fairing itself also can break. It's cheaper to pay for parking on Basler's ramp than to repair broken brackets or broken fiberglass. Removing the pants would be an alternative, of course, but then you've got the hassle and expense of getting a new weight and balance. So overall, paying Basler to park might be the easiest and cheapest solution for some of those owners.
 
Henning said:
:confused: No, sorry, most RVs break the LSA speed rule by a fair bit on both the top and bottom ends, as does much of the rest of the EAB fleet. I think only the RV-12 is LSA.
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The RV-12 has a Rotax 912ULS engine in the kit. The newest product is a factory built SLSA from the RV-12 kit.

http://www.vansaircraft.com/public/rv12.htm

Don't know which of the RVs are being counted at the airshow, but the RV LSA is becoming a very popular aircraft for Light Sport.
 
LoxaBagels said:
The RV-12 has a Rotax 912ULS engine in the kit. The newest product is a factory built SLSA from the RV-12 kit.

http://www.vansaircraft.com/public/rv12.htm

Don't know which of the RVs are being counted at the airshow, but the RV LSA is becoming a very popular aircraft for Light Sport.
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Like I said, the RV-12 is the only LSA RV, you said "The RVs are" that would include RV 3,4,6,7,8,9,10,& 14 as well, plus the Harmon Rocket.
 
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Grum.Man said:
I'm not for certain that you were referring to my post, but if you go back and look again I said 85% of the home builts were RV, not the show as a whole.
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I probably was. Thanks for the clarification! Or actually pointing out that I botched what you posted.:yes:
 
Geico266 said:
That is a very good question.
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I think experimentals and other unique (or somewhat unique) aircraft are better represented than their overall market share. Why? Because they are enthusiast aircraft and Oshkosh is still (largely) an enthusiast event.
 
Jay Honeck said:
EAA asks "Type aircraft" when you check in. You would think this would be a report from their database?
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Only matters if you "check in." The non-campers often don't bother. But if the RVs are only in the hundreds of quantities, I'd have to believe there may be more 172's there (between the North 40 and Vintage).
 
I dunno, the North 40 was pretty thick with Skyhawks. There were lots of RVs, but you also tend to notice them. i wouldn't be the least surprised if Skyhawks were the most numerous. I know there are a lot of RVs out there (and likely to be lots more) but there are still more Skyhawks.
 
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