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Thread: Parking in the North 40

  1. #1

    Join Date
    Jan 2013
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    Parking in the North 40

    Hello all,

    Many years ago, I used to go to Oshkosh and park in the North 40, around RWY 27. Then we started flying antiques or Contemporary, and we've parked in the S. 40 for many years.

    Now, however, I've bought a modern S-LSA, a SportCruiser, in an effort to save money on operating costs, and I'm guessing it will be sent to the N. 40...

    PROBLEM IS..........

    In the N 40, they T the planes together, mostly, for parking, and my plane is small.

    Why does that matter? Because I've had trouble, in the past, finding room to place the tent by the plane. If guy on one side places his tent on his right side, and the other guy places it on his left, then I have no where....... Depending.

    I enjoy the experience at Oshkosh, and enjoyed Rod, etc., but I am concerned about cramped conditions in the N. 40.

    And my views are not antiquated. I've gone up there to look every year, in my wanderings. I see they're still T-ing there.

    (By contrast, the South 40 rarely fills up, never has closed that I know of... It's the North 40 that fills, cramps, and T's.)

    Tks

  2. #2

    Join Date
    Jan 2013
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    32
    Oh, and I should say I'm probably more familiar than most with the parking at Osh, as I've helped them park in the South 40 many years in the past. There, they have wide open spaces, and they don't T planes, leaving more room for tents, etc.

    I know: they could re-allocate, change the years of manufacturer that determine parking and place more in the S. 40, fewer in the N. 40....And I DON'T MEAN TO TRY TO GET THEM TO CHANGE THAT, but I think I"m just putting this information out there seeing what ideas some of you have per the parking in the N. 40, for my SportCruiser. Me being smaller, means I'll be physically closer to the next planes, less room for tent, more congested, as it were....

    I value input from others, and I may get some ideas that are helpful.

    Thank you

    Jen

  3. #3

    Join Date
    Sep 2011
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    107
    I agree. I too have been badly cramped as to where I can place my tent....have to have it so close to the wing of the plane so that when it rains (as it often does) the water can drain down on my tent. This is in the home-built parking area, but it causes the same problems as eaajen mentiones.

  4. #4
    there is no rule that states you have to go to the north 40 if you fly a LSA
    I know several guys with Bonanzas that go to the south 40 because of the reasons you mentioned
    Some park on the flight line and camp near the trees in the vintage area.
    Lots of options
    The formation groups get packed together like sardines--we have learned to deal with it
    Kevin

  5. #5
    John Carrier's Avatar
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    Jul 2011
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    Thank you for your message and I can certainly appreciate your perspective. Understand that aircraft is parked in the order it arrives, placed in a location designated by Flightline Operations (FLO), based on appropriate signage (see the AirVenture NOTAM) and ground/weather conditions at hand.

    Yes, it does get tight on the N40. One of the main objectives in the N40 area is to maximize parking space. We do this to give the N40 experience to as many campers/parkers as possible. Garrett Nievin, chairman of the N40 FLO, stated it quite well in a November 2012 Sport Aviation article ("Right This Way"). "If we don't do a good job parking everybody efficiently, if we're sloppy and park planes wobbly and spaced apart, that's going to be a family and another family and another family that have to camp in Fond du Lac, and that's not the experience they want. They came here to camp at Oshkosh." With that said, it was observed that FLO did get a bit overzealous in packing some planes in. I have spoken to Garrett about it and they are reviewing their parking procedures for this year. Their goal in camping is a comfortable space (e.g., 6' or a bit more), between wings; however, parking is a judgmental activity and it's tough to be precise. The tailing will continue in most areas, except where space prohibits safe taxing or areas where larger/heavier aircraft are parked.
    Last edited by John Carrier; 02-12-2013 at 06:00 PM.
    John Carrier, EAA #877198
    Vice President, Information Technology
    Staff Liaison to the N40

    EAA—The Spirit of Aviation

    Phone: 920.426.6166
    Fax: 920.426.6865
    Cell: 920.379.4185

  6. #6

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    Jul 2011
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    You might try having a sign ready for the person directing you at your parking location that you have a 10'x13' (or whatever your tent dimensions are) large tent that you need room to put up. The person parking you can't read your mind, so a sign is probably the only effective way to communicate to them your needs.
    --
    Bob Leffler
    RV-10 Flying
    www.mykitlog.com/rleffler

  7. #7
    FlyingRon's Avatar
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    I believe they only T em in in the North 40 when it's particularly soupy and they've lost parts of the camping area and need to pack people in tighter in the remaining space.

    LSAs and other aircraft can only park in Vintage (South 40) if they were built in 1970 or earlier. Those Bonanzas have to be old enough. Some LSA's qualify (like the LSA Ercoupes). THings like Sport Cruisers need to go North. Yes we do look up the registration numbers in the FAA/TraponrtCanada databases to verify they're legal.

  8. #8
    I thought the south 40 was the area south of the show plane parking ( some people call it North fond du lac )
    Vintage was west of the taxi way in the area south of aero shell square--goes untill you hit the ultra light area???
    So your telling me that the south 40 is vintage????
    then what is the area beyond the curve south??

  9. #9
    FlyingRon's Avatar
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    Vintage parking is everything from the green Communications building / Red Barn down south with the exception of the ultralight/rotorcraft area over by their runway/barn. It covers both sides of the road all the way town to the south end of the field. There are a couple of VIP rows right up by the judges trailers. We park the planes there, but only after someone else in the EAA approves the credentials. Vintage divides it up into several regions which ends up being fluid from year to year: past grand champions, other select non-camping aircraft, non-camping aircraft, large twins, pre-1945 antiques, certain prearranged type club spaces, the 195's.

    A decade ago, it was Vintage parking and Showplane camping (homebuilts camped in there as well) and there was a 'vintage only' section there between the hangar cafe and the theatre-in-the-woods. The homebuilts got their own camping area up north, so it's all vintage now.

  10. #10
    John Carrier's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by rleffler View Post
    You might try having a sign ready for the person directing you at your parking location that you have a 10'x13' (or whatever your tent dimensions are) large tent that you need room to put up. The person parking you can't read your mind, so a sign is probably the only effective way to communicate to them your needs.
    You can try this, but don't assume it will be honored. FLO priority is safety, efficient traffic flow, and effective parking. Conditions will dictate what can be accommodated and FLO will really only be looking for official (see the AV NOTAM, Preflight Planning section) signage (e.g., GAC, GAP, and FBO). Best follow the rule of thumb - your tent should mainly fit within the span of one of your wings, understanding that there is some tolerance beyond (roughly 1 foot or so).
    John Carrier, EAA #877198
    Vice President, Information Technology
    Staff Liaison to the N40

    EAA—The Spirit of Aviation

    Phone: 920.426.6166
    Fax: 920.426.6865
    Cell: 920.379.4185

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