South 40 - 2nd class treatment

[Helen]

Who can I talk to about camping conditions in the South 40? I'm always told that EAA really wants vintage aircraft to come to the show and park in the vintage area so people can admire vintage planes but without a doubt we have the very worst camping conditions on the field over in the South 40. While the North 40 gets flush toilets, nice showers, sinks, a paved road with a full time bus, and this year even a restruant, (Camp Shuler is similar) all we get in the south 40 is some portable showers, and a foul tasting water truck. No sinks, no paved road (so the bus stops running as soon as it rains), no flush toilets, and this year they weren't even cleaning the port-o-johns which produced quite a lovely odor in 100 degree heat.

Any suggestions?

Helen

[Hal Bryan]

Hi Helen -

Posting here is definitely a good start. I'd encourage you to also email your concerns to feedback@eaa.org and it wouldn't hurt to copy vintageaircraft@eaa.org as well.

Regards,

Hal

[Cary]

Although as always, I enjoyed my annual week's visit to OSH, I'd like to add that there are several places where being treated as 2nd or 3rd or even last class is the norm, and halfway to Fond du lac isn't the only place. That's where I was camped last year, so I can make the comparison validly. The north side of the North 40 is similarly step-childed, compared to the south side of the North 40. I don't want to seem to be complaining exclusively, because there are a lot of positives about how things are run, but here are some thoughts on the complaint side of the ledger:

· There are insufficient potties placed way too far apart (note: they did seem to be serviced often enough).

· Truly it was closer to the permanent shower building (the old one) without cutting across the runway than where the portable shower trailer for the north North 40 was located this year--did anyone use it?

· Speaking of showers, how about longer hoses? It would be nice to be able to more adequately rinse off the south part of the ol' bod.

· In the past, there has been an ice wagon, which delivered ice even to the southern most part of the South 40--but no sign of the ice wagon in the north part of the North 40 this year.

· Being left multiple notes to register is annoying, especially when the tent is obviously tagged and the airplane is registered--but with a windshield cover, you have to look somewhere other than the windshield, folks--like maybe the pilot's window.

· Having a CAP cadet ask (albeit nicely) to move from the "taxiway" that hasn't been used for an hour is a little annoying and unnecessary, until the taxiway is actually in use.

· It's nice that the bus service takes over when the trams shut down now--but why is it necessary to unload a full bus at the North 40, instead of just delivering the passengers around the North 40?

· As many times as each bus was full this time, have the number of busses been cut back? It seemed so.

· If the "rules" require marshallers to bring in and help departing airplanes, where are the marshallers when it's time to leave? I didn't see anyone to assist departing aircraft after mid week, and although the CAP cadets directed airplanes into rows with empty slots, I didn't see any EAA volunteers after about mid week assisting to park aircraft.

· The rules require adequate tie-downs. Yet all I saw regarding enforcement of that rule was the tie-down vehicle going around hawking tie-downs--but plenty of airplanes which were inadequately tied down, including with the forbidden dog tie-downs and rope that wouldn’t hold light laundry. Had the mid-week storm lasted any longer than it did, I suspect there would have been some damaged airplanes.

Regarding other issues, I agree that some vendors don’t belong at Airventure, but where do you draw the line? I’d like to see some relevance to aviation as a required criteria for vending—I can buy sheets and pillows and mattresses elsewhere.

I don’t have a problem with the VIP tents—just wish they didn’t cost so much! It already costs an arm and a leg to fly to OSH, camp for a week, and register, so I can’t begin to justify sitting in an air-conditioned tent.

I find the “how to find it” booklet to be very confusing. I don’t have any idea how to improve it, but there’s got to be a better way. Perhaps putting the vendor booth numbers on the booths would help, but it might be helpful to list which building they’re in.

The vendor food is adequate, and it’s not so pricey as to raise any alarms—ever try to buy a hot dog at a major league baseball game?

I’d like to see more of the popular sizes for EAA clothing merchandise—it seems as if there are always a lot of left overs of odd sizes, but none of the popular sizes left after the middle of the week.

Cary

[RV8505]

Who can I talk to about camping conditions in the South 40? I'm always told that EAA really wants vintage aircraft to come to the show and park in the vintage area so people can admire vintage planes but without a doubt we have the very worst camping conditions on the field over in the South 40. While the North 40 gets flush toilets, nice showers, sinks, a paved road with a full time bus, and this year even a restruant, (Camp Shuler is similar) all we get in the south 40 is some portable showers, and a foul tasting water truck. No sinks, no paved road (so the bus stops running as soon as it rains), no flush toilets, and this year they weren't even cleaning the port-o-johns which produced quite a lovely odor in 100 degree heat.

Any suggestions?

Helen

Food for thought. The more you ask for the more money they have to raise and the more EAA changes. It ain't free

[baboss]

· Truly it was closer to the permanent shower building (the old one) without cutting across the runway than where the portable shower trailer for the north North 40 was located this year--did anyone use it?

· In the past, there has been an ice wagon, which delivered ice even to the southern most part of the South 40--but no sign of the ice wagon in the north part of the North 40 this year.

Cary

I was one of the first folks to hit the new shower in the N40 (between the Hilton and the Weeks hangar) early Monday morning and when we got there the attendant was trying to get someone over there to unlock them. I proceeded to the Red shower house and got right in.
A set of bike racks at the shower houses might be nice. I'll have to email that one in.
I saw no ice wagon in the N40 while I was there Sunday night through Tuesday noon. It was pretty easy to exit the fence by Friar Tuck's and hit the gas station. On sunday night they had plenty of ice.

[RickFE]

I have to agree with you Helen. The North 40 seems preferable to the Vintage Camping. I have a 1965 Six that we lovingly restored but I opted for the N-40 because the amenities seemed superior to me. I checked again this year just to see if I remembered it wrong but was glad I chose the North 40 once again. Plus, it is easier to bike to stores outside the gate etc. Next time I go, it will be the North 40 again.

[martymayes]

Food for thought. The more you ask for the more money they have to raise and the more EAA changes. It ain't free

And there is absolutely no way reallocation of resources could cover some of these minor request without adding costs?

[RV8505]

It all costs money. What should they reallocate? I guess they could raise the camping fees and charge more for water.

[martymayes]

It all costs money. What should they reallocate? I guess they could raise the camping fees and charge more for water.

How were the chalet's added without increasing costs?

[WtrSkr]

· Speaking of showers, how about longer hoses? It would be nice to be able to more adequately rinse off the south part of the ol' bod.............That sounds like a good idea until one imagines where that shower head might have been during shower before yours. I think the hose length is a few inches short to prevent some folks from giving a self colonic while showering.