AirVenture 2018 (Oshkosh, WI)

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
See posts with no answers
R

RoadSchool

Active member
Joined
Sep 16, 2017
Posts
36
I see threads for previous years but don't see any recent activity. Anyone going to Airventure in Wisconsin? Any advice from those who've been (especially since the 2011 thread)?


I am particularly worried about the availability of hook up sites if we get there the weekend before/of starting--will they be out already? I read that people arrive up to a month in advance!
 
Hookups are likely to be gone well before you get there, so arrive with full fresh water tank and empty holding tanks, if possible. There is a service that can come around and suck out your tanks, but I don't know what it takes to schedule such a thing. You'll probably have a choice of generator running or not allowed, and whether generator is allowed 24/7 (which is what we did) or something like 7A-10P. Also possibly choices about pets. Busses run morning 'til night through the campground, taking you to the entrance gates, and you will probably be parked in the grass (or dirt). Be aware that if you get hard rains (thunderstorms are common there), it can get muddy in many areas, and a few folks have gotten stuck trying to depart before it dried enough. Lots of friendly, helpful folks around, too.

Once inside the gates, distances can be fairly long, but trams run to and from most areas, pretty much on a rough schedule. If you have an aviation radio receiver tuned to tower, it can be quite interesting to listen to tower while watching the aircraft in the pattern.

My last trip there was in 2012 - fascinating place. Hope DW will agree to us going back soon.
 
Larry N. said:
If you have an aviation radio receiver tuned to tower, it can be quite interesting to listen to tower while watching the aircraft in the pattern.
Click to expand...
Thank you so much!!

I sent my husband info on getting his HAM license. I'm surprised he doesn't yet have one and think he can pass the test with the least study and time. The page recommended a cheap Baofeng radio but I'll ask him to look at frequencies and consider air traffic as well. Much appreciated (that and the camping advice!)
 
For 2 meters and 70 cm, the Baofeng radios are not bad. I have a couple of them (among others), and they do mighty well, for being so inexpensive. And I use CHIRP software (with a programming cable of course) to program them from the PC, it's much easier than doing it manually on the keyboard. Of course that doesn't do much for HF, but it can be a place to start.

The Baofengs don't cover the aviation band, though. Some of the more expensive Yaesu, Kenwood and Icom radios do so, or there are various handheld scanners available. My favorite is the Sporty's JD-100 handheld scanner from Sporty's Pilot Shop, but it appears they've been discontinued -- still, there might be some used ones fairly cheap somewhere.
 
Larry N. said:
The Baofengs don't cover the aviation band, though. Some of the more expensive Yaesu, Kenwood and Icom radios do so....
Click to expand...
He's on the phone looking at precisely those right now. I'll forward all the info. Thanks!!
 
I wish I was going...does that count?

It's been a few years since I've been.  Never in the RV, though I'd love to.
My first trip ever up there was sometime in the late 1990's.  i tent camped by myself for I think it was 8 nights, maybe 9.  Got there a few days before official opening.  great time. Got lucky with a site right next to the gate close to the red barn.  It's where the flymarket is now, they've moved the fence out.  The only thing that would have been better was to be in the shade, but those sites were long gone....
Going early is worth it if you can.

Been back for a few day trips though, staying at a relative's lake house on Green Lake, very close but staying off site is not the same. Not even close.

Sun n Fun in FL is similar but significantly smaller.  Still, it's fun.  It's closer for me, so I've visited that much more.  Couple times in a tent..in fact it was there in my tent that I committed to going to Oshkosh that same year.  A couple times in the RV, and lots of day trips in...  I love taking my rv down.  So far it's just me, the family hasn't come along when I've taken the RV
 
Just off site is Sleepy Hollow rv park/farm which has full hook ups. We've stayed there twice for periods of four/five  days and enjoyed it a bunch. Nothing in the world like Oskosh!

Ernie
50+ year EAA member (99119)
 
My husband just got his technician's license! And the Baofeng is on its way. The cheapest radio that also covered the aviation frequencies was $170 so we're splitting the functionality between two radios for cost savings right now. So we'll have Wi-Fi, CB, HAM, and aviation radios.

I thought we were supposed to become sort of unconnected unsocialized people if we traveled. ;) lol!!

blw2 said:
I wish I was going...does that count?
Sun n Fun in FL is similar but significantly smaller.  Still, it's fun.  It's closer for me, so I've visited that much more.  Couple times in a tent..in fact it was there in my tent that I committed to going to Oshkosh that same year.  A couple times in the RV, and lots of day trips in...  I love taking my rv down.  So far it's just me, the family hasn't come along when I've taken the RV
Click to expand...
It absolutely counts! :D

I hadn't heard of Sun N Fun. I'll check it out! Maybe we'll meet up there one day!

I feel like Airventure must be one of those places you have to experience first to figure out the lay of the land, making a second trip more productive.

Ernie n Tara said:
Just off site is Sleepy Hollow rv park/farm which has full hook ups. We've stayed there twice for periods of four/five  days and enjoyed it a bunch. Nothing in the world like Oskosh!

Ernie
50+ year EAA member (99119)
Click to expand...
Thank you!!

When I get home I'll look at your profile to see if you have your flying/plane/builds info on it! :)
 
Wife, 19 year old Grandson and I arrived just a little before dark Thursday nite.  Checked in and just randomly parked in Camp Scholler for the nite.  Looked around and relocated this morning.  Last time here was 2016 ... aborted Class A stay, just Grandson and me in a small tent.  Note to self ... you can't handle small tents anymore! 

Wow, lots of changes in camping area since then.  Greatly expanded hook ups on east side of Stits,  at least electric, haven't had a chance to verify if they are full hookup.  We are on the west side of Stits if you're familiar, south of Cedar (near where the tree used to stand in the middle of the road).  Looks like no tents allowed on west side of Stits.  The 24 hour Generator area is gone, looks like most or all of west side are now 24 hour generator. 

They have added 3 or 4 new camp stores, one being on Stits just south of the shower house.

So lots of changes in last couple of years.


Howard, Kelly and Kenyon


 
I've been a pilot for nearly 20 years, and I've never been.  Someday...
 
pip said:
I've been a pilot for nearly 20 years, and I've never been.  Someday...
Click to expand...

My suggestion.  It's too late now for this year...but next year.  Commit now to making it happen.  Go for the full week if you can, or if you can't do that just one or two days if that's all you can swing...
or even more than the week.  I'd suggest that it's totally worth it to go at least a day or two before opening day. 
And definitely camp on site.  So much is missed if you stay offsite.

July 22-28, 2019
 
blw2 said:
My suggestion.  It's too late now for this year...but next year.  Commit now to making it happen.  Go for the full week if you can, or if you can't do that just one or two days if that's all you can swing...
or even more than the week.  I'd suggest that it's totally worth it to go at least a day or two before opening day. 
And definitely camp on site.  So much is missed if you stay offsite.

July 22-28, 2019
Click to expand...
:)) :)) :)) :))
Couldn't agree more. I've had my ticket for 35 years and have only been able to go once. Camped in Camp Scholler for the week. Was able to spend the week there with my son who now has his commercial ticket.  I get depressed every year reading and listening to what is happening at Airventure and I'm not there.
 
My suggestion.  It's too late now for this year...but next year.  Commit now to making it happen.  Go for the full week if you can, or if you can't do that just one or two days if that's all you can swing...
Click to expand...
I, too, concur -- don't wait another 20 years to go, but rather plan to go as soon as you can fit it in. I've been three times, once staying in a dorm in Appleton, once camping "under the wing" of a Bonanza, and once staying in Camp Scholler. The best experience was camping with the aircraft, and with the RV was next. It's an amazing experience, though, even if you have to stay off site.
 
I've made five trips up there since 2009.  Took the trailer twice and stayed in Camp Scholler.  I went for three days this year  with a friend and stayed in a Motel down at Beaver Dam, which is about 45 minutes SW.  I've never seen so many folks in Camp Scholler!  I was told it set a record and they're going to have to police how people park so they can fit more in.  As others have said, its unbelievably HUGE. 

All records were set this year.  For the airshow week it is the busiest airport in the world.  At one point, there was no room for more aircraft.  601,000 people attended this year, which was up 2%.  There were 19,588 aircraft operations over the 11 days from July 20 to 30, for an average of about 134 takeoffs or landings per hour.  The rarest aircraft in the world regularly fly in and are displayed.   
 
Oh, I think that I read that next year they will be celebrating 50 years of it in Oshkosh (before that they were in IL), so they might do up something special for that.
 
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Members online

Total: 618 (members: 16, guests: 602)

Forum statistics

Threads
131,923
Posts
1,387,498
Members
137,673
Latest member
7199michael
Back
Top Bottom