Mid Week Arrival Timing?

Howdy, this is my first time to OSH in nearly fifteen years, and my first time attempting to fly-in. I can not wait!! I say 'attempting' to fly-in because I'm not sure what the best day would be to arrive after the show starts. I'd like to show on Wednesday or Thursday and leave Sunday. Does anyone have past experiences when the best times to arrive are, or where I can find that info? I read over the NOTAM and the webpage (and searched the forum a little), but specifics are hard to come by. Also, does anyone know where most of the Lancairs park, I'm assuming in the homebuilt camping? Thanks in advance for a newbie question.

There are separate areas for homebuilt parking and homebuilt camping. It looks to me that they do a pretty good job trying to locate the similar aircraft together. My recommendation is to try to get in well before the afternoon airshow or shoot for the window between 7 and 8 in the evening. The airport is shutdown for the airshow (typically 3-6 or so) but 18-36 and taxiway papa often gets closed down earlier if they've got some sort of demonstration flight going on before the airshow that merits it. Not much (if any) advance notice is given.

I would think that Wednesday and Thursday are pretty good days to try for. There are people who stay over the previous weekend and start pulling out by midweek. (Unlike people like us who arrive before the show starts and will leave the Monday after it shuts down).

The evening window is TOUGH and stressful. It is a small window and subject to all sorts of issues from weather delays to large volumes of departing aircraft.

I've gotten in during that window twice, but both times delays made it touch and go whether I/we were gonna get in before they closed the field for the evening.

That said, mid-week morning arrivals aren't bad. By mid-morning you can usually can snag a good parking place because someone departed.

If you are coming in on Wednesday or Thursday, you'll find that the airplanes have already started to thin out a bit and you will have no trouble getting a parking spot. If you are not camping with the airplane, then you'll likely park with the rest of the Lancairs on the near the north end of the flightline, in the area just north of Homebuilt Headquarters. If you are camping with the plane, then you'll be back in homebuilt camping. There aren't all that many Lancairs back in camping, but we try to keep the big heavy stuff like that as close to the hard surface taxiway as we can, so you'll likely be at the west end of taxiway papa-1 just to the south of it or somewhere near the large pad at the west end. This is unless you choose to park/ camp in the north 40 with the rest of the GA (non-homebuilt/ antique) planes.

As for arrival time- I'd plan to get there either early (before 11AM) or late (after 7PM, but before the airport closes at 8.) Things do get a little hairy in the couple of hours before the show, and in the 30 mins right after the show. By wede/ thurs there are more airplane departing than arriving though.

Like the original post, I will be returning to Airventure after many years. For me it will be the first time since 2000 and attemping to fly in around mid week. Thanks for every ones tips. I was also considering what best time to arrive, etc. Would like to see the mass cub arrivals on Sunday but probably won't be able to get there by then.


Really looking forward to it.

Thanks everyone for all the tips. I think I'll attempt for a mid morning Thursday arrival. I am planning on camping with the plane but am hesitant on taxiing it on grass as my plane has always been hard surface bound. I'm sure it'll be fine though. Thanks again!

Most of the time the grass is rock hard (and it will already be beat down by thousands of planes preceding you). Just take it slow and keep your eyes out.
Of course, the few years it pours weeks going into the show it can really be dicey. Keep your eyes on the flagmen but don't trust them. They do not necessarily know what your plane can do and I've seen a few guys drag tails crossing some of the swales. As we say if all else fails shutdown. We haven't found a plane we can't push yet. (And I've pushed the TRIMOTOR!)

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Originally Posted by FlyingRon

Most of the time the grass is rock hard (and it will already be beat down by thousands of planes preceding you). Just take it slow and keep your eyes out.
Of course, the few years it pours weeks going into the show it can really be dicey. Keep your eyes on the flagmen but don't trust them. They do not necessarily know what your plane can do and I've seen a few guys drag tails crossing some of the swales. As we say if all else fails shutdown. We haven't found a plane we can't push yet. (And I've pushed the TRIMOTOR!)

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Bingo on that, last year we pushed a Twin Beech and lots of other interesting craft. Also the morning arrival is a great time to show up. Less stress!

L