Q: Flying in and out daily

[jhausch]

It is my understanding the field is closed during the airshow and that some arrivals are restricted during certain mass arrivals; however, generally speaking what are the times-of-day when one can fly in and out of AirVenture?

I am going to peruse the 2011 NOTAM, but thought I could ask here, too.

[jhausch]

OK - I just skimmed the NOTAM. It looks like earliest arrival is 7am and latest departure is 8pm. I've always noticed the big line-ups for departure after the airshow. Does a similar lineup occur around 8pm? What if you are 5th in line when 8pm rolls around....

Just curious...

[Chad Jensen]

The lines are generally long right after the show, but by the time 8pm rolls around, things have really slowed down. There are usually folks trying to get in around 8pm, but FISK cuts off the arrivals on time and landing elsewhere for the night is the alternative. Otherwise, it's a regular fly in outside of the times the airport is NOTAM'd closed. Come and go as you please...just practice extreme vigilance if you're just going to fly around the area and come back in. Have fun next year!

[Bill Greenwood]

Chad, things don't just slow down at 8pm, the field is closed to all flights.
You can fly in the morning, usually not much problem if its early.
But trying to fly out after the show can be a big wait, as I wrote about on airventuere topic,

[Chad Jensen]

Yep...what I was saying was that as 8pm approaches, most departures are gone and there usually isn't much wait at that point.

[jackhodgson]

For future reference... The other, and maybe more relevant, factor about "coming and going" during the fly-in is parking. Especially midweek, you will likely be parked in vastly different spots each time you arrive. And at the busiest times, you may be turned away if you don't have some sort of VIP (VIA?) parking arranged.

// Jack

[Chad Jensen]

Excellent point Jack...

[FlyingRon]

At least in Vintage, if you leave your tie downs, we know you'll be back and your space will still be there.
Do not press the limits of the show times either for the airshow start (while 9-27 may remain open until 3:30, taxiway Papa is frequently shutdown at 2PM to accomodate some pre-show flybys and airshow staging).
There's no way to get to the active runway from Vintage and much of the homebuilt area.

I've seen guys try to taxi out at 7:55 and not make it. Frankly it the airport is quiet and it's getting close to 8, I'd give a shout to the tower. The pink shirts on the mucows may close up by the time you get there, but the tower may clear you. We had to park a guy who didn't make it (fortunately, we had extra chicken left over from the volunteer dinner and ops managed to find him a spare dorm room and transportation into town).

[Jeff Point]

The same is true in Homebuilt Parking- if you leave your tie downs we will save your spot. This is within reason of course, ie. if you go for a day trip or overnight and return in the morning. Don't leave on Monday and return Friday and expect the spot to be there. Best to give the parking crew a heads up before you go.

[Jason Alexander]

If you're 5th in line at 8: tough. If you're 1st in line at 8: tough. I once heard the tower call that the airport's closed and a guy called in that he was taxiing out. They told him in a very short and unapologetic manner that he was to taxi back, park, and find a place for the night. This year's 2011 convention was unprecedented (for me, at least) in that one night after the airshow had been delayed and put things behind schedule, they actually extended the closing to 8:15, but that almost took an act of Congress! The pinkies were asking the airport manager for permission and the guys working the taxiways had to get a heads up. It wasn't that big a deal on our end, but it did cause some raised eyebrows.