Airports En Route to Oshkosh?

For those who flew into Airventure, I wonder if you found good places to stop along the way?

We stopped at Norfolk, Neb on the way out, Fuel was discounted to $5.18 inc tax, which was good, but the atmosphere inside was sort of cold and blunt. The line boy that did the fueling refused to clean my windsheild, said they did not do it there. There was some free food, like chips and spicy salsa or similar. They do have a free WSI computer which is my favorite weather source. Years ago they had a real restaurant in the terminal with commuter airline service. The terminal is vacant and run down now. I used to have good friend who was the line man there. It just felt like the economy there must be pretty slow and the people were sort of down too, not much spark or smiles. It was busy. There was a CAP plane there that I didn't recognize, it was sort of like a 3/4 size Caravan. I asked the cadet that was marshalling the plane out of the parking space what kind it was and he got a vacant look on his face and said he was new and didn't know. Maybe they keep that info secret from the kids for awhile?

Next at Prarie du Chen on the Mississippi River. Can't recall the fuel price, but at very nice guy at the FBO and a loaner truck if you wanted to run over the fast food place. Use care on the approach as it is a little tight with hills and antennas around. A pretty area.

In the Southwest we often stop at Winslow, AZ (KINW) on the way to AirVenture. They have reasonable fuel prices, but I just like flying over the meteor crater. Sedona, AZ (KSEZ) is also one of our stops. They have a good restaurant and nice scenery. Fuel prices are only OK.

In the middle of the country we found nice people and good fuel prices at Hugoton, KS (KHQG) and Red Oak, IA (KRDK). Free crew cars available at both places.

On the way back we landed at Socorro, NM (KONM) where we found nice people and reasonable fuel, even though the sectional shows the airport as having no services. That was our 4th choice after T-storms pushed out of the other 3. The bad part is there is no crew car and no taxi service in town. We were able to improvise, but could not really recommend it.

I stopped at Yankton, SD (KYKN) on the way out. There was no fuel discount as in past years since the city took over the FBO. The local EAA chapter had hot dogs and the chapter president was assisting at the self serve fuel island. Not nearly as welcoming as before.

On the way back, I stopped at Sioux Falls, SD (KFSD), as we have many times before. The FBO is very nice, with all the normal services, plus, a 50 cent a gallon fuel discount if you were on your way to or from OSH. I don't remember seeing that published anywhere. Also, they will call in an order to the local sub shop if you want and the food will be there by the time you get done with your briefing. What impressed me the most, though, is that yesterday I received a long handwritten card thanking me for my business. When was the last time you got a two page handwritten thank you card from anyone for patronizing a business?

02C (Capitol City) and CLI are great places to stop right before you make the final run into OSH. They historically have cheap fuel.
02C has a Culvers and a Subway (and some other non-chain restauant) right off the field. CLI has a shower, I've got one friend who heads up there during the show to get fuel and a shower.

We used to stop at Bluffton OH (almost exactly half way) or Smith Field in Fort Wayne but more often than not we go non-stop now that we have the big engine.

My votes go to:

Venture North Aviation and Bill Stone in Cloquet, Minnesota
http://www.venturenorthaviation.com/

Duncan Aviation
Battle Creek, Michigan
http://www.duncanaviation.aero/facil...p?facilityID=2

One small, one huge, but linked by friendly people, outstanding service and fair prices.

Marc

Dubuque, IA (KDBQ) is always a good last stop before Oshkosh from the west. Discounted gas, good service, maintenance available (as I found out the hard way), and the weekend before the show the T6's practice there, so you get to see the formations come and go and overhead. Occasionally some slight delay due to that, but the controllers do a good job of keeping things moving. Downtown Dubuque is an interesting place to stay too, there's a very good museum of the Mississippi down on the river.

Great Bend, KS (KGBD) was a good stop on the way home to the southwest this year. Excellent service, good gas prices, a courtesy car overnight, and some good places to stay and eat in town.

DeKalb in Illinios (KDKB) was our last stop before KOSH. It's outside of Chicago's Class B about 40 miles west of Chicage. Relatively low cost fuel, clean facility, friendly staff and free donuts. It was just another hour to Ripon in the RV from there.
We stopped in Dublin (KDBN) Georgia to and from OSH. Not the lowest price gas but a clean facility, WX 'puter, and helpful staff. Once again this year, they came through with the overnight courtesy car.

If your stopping for fuel at Dubuque, or Prairie Du Chien, your very close to Lancaster, Wi (73C), self-serve pump 100LL at $4.76/Gal! Fuel at my home base in Ohio is $5.86/Gal. No services at Lancaster so get lunch elsewhere. Those coming up through Indiana check-out Strake Co, (KOIX), nice facility, airport car, great people!

Joe
:cool:

KBUU, Burlington, WI is pretty good, $4.99 for fuel at the moment, about 80 miles south of KOSH.

If you're coming through Indiana, KTYQ (Indy Executive, the old "Indy Terry" airport for those of us who have been around more than a few years) is a good stop here in the Indy area. If you want a towered airport to yourself save a few pilots from the local college, there's Terre Haute (KHUF) as now that the ANG F-16s are long gone that place is a freaking ghost town but had good service the last time I was over there. Nice restaurant on field too last I checked.

After flying a Cub 550nm from Memphis to Oshkosh, I'm not sure I can remember all the stops! :D

KUNU (Juneau, WI) was our last stop prior to OSH. The staff was great and very helpful. Lineman (Keith) was awesome. Fueled our Cubs, added oil and fuel, correctly and about anything else we needed. He was knowledgeable and careful. Inside, they had a spread of cold cuts and sandwich makings and were selling ice cold 20oz softdrinks for $2 or water for $1. Fuel price was around $5.50, don't recall exactly.

They also had a laptop out of folks to check weather or read the OSH Notam.

My brother accidentally left his iPad laying on a table at the FBO. Keith brought it up and delivered it the next day. I ran into him later at the Steve Miller concert and we BS'd for several minutes. He is a young guy and loves aviation and it showed.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by N222AB

I stopped at Yankton, SD (KYKN) on the way out. There was no fuel discount as in past years since the city took over the FBO. The local EAA chapter had hot dogs and the chapter president was assisting at the self serve fuel island. Not nearly as welcoming as before.

On the way back, I stopped at Sioux Falls, SD (KFSD), as we have many times before. The FBO is very nice, with all the normal services, plus, a 50 cent a gallon fuel discount if you were on your way to or from OSH. I don't remember seeing that published anywhere. Also, they will call in an order to the local sub shop if you want and the food will be there by the time you get done with your briefing. What impressed me the most, though, is that yesterday I received a long handwritten card thanking me for my business. When was the last time you got a two page handwritten thank you card from anyone for patronizing a business?

---

We stopped there too... Great guys /gals, got the discount and after seeing a million Jimmie Johns commercials the front deck gal made the catchy phrase. I will call them, they are freaky fast".. They were fast.... and the sandwich was GREAT !!!

On the way back we stopped at Fort Dodge, Iowa and there was a local lady who had a nice layout of sandwiches and snacks and you could just pay as you saw fit. She was about to pack up as we arrived Sun moriing, said it was not busy but then 3 other airplanes, all from Osh, arrived. She was not a pilot, but her husband was, but sadly had recently sold their plane as they were getting older and used it less and decided to rent now.

The airport had a bit of an underused look to it, there was not even the usual phone to call Flight Service, but the FBO let me use their phone. Maybe it was just Sun or maybe the economy.

Fod is a good stop , has 2 big runways, no tower to hassle you, and even commuter airline service if you ever really needed to get out like in bad weather. The great FSS office just behind the terminal closed years ago however.

The best stop on the trip this year was at Poplar Grove, IL (C77) - Great grass runway, and even though they were busy with Oshkosh traffic, the staff was really friendly and helpful.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bill Greenwood

There was a CAP plane there that I didn't recognize, it was sort of like a 3/4 size Caravan.

---

Probably one of their GippsAero GA-8's: http://www.gippsaero.com/ZoneID=141.htm

The best stop for me was at Jackson County, GA (19A). I purchased gas for under $5.00 (I think it was $4.68).

I picked up a rideshare from there and dropped him off there. Unfortunately the price was so good, that they were out of gas on the trip back a week later. :( The Saturday going up there were people there and it was a pretty nice facility for a quick turn around.

I went to Kentland, IN (50I) also. The price was about .25 cheaper the night before but I arrived in time for a mediocre price. It is only 3500 ft, with quiet limited albeit nice facilities but I would be lying if I didn't say my dominant buying motive for landing is gas prices.

I think from now on I will call ahead on the morning I leave, vice a few days prior. I did that leaving Osh with the exception of 19A, because I asked them the week prior if they would have the same price and they said yes.

Biggest Lesson. It is probably worth a couple of confirming phone calls before leaving.:)