Thanks for your follow up, Randy, and for having the time and patience to make sure your feedback is heard!
Thanks for your follow up, Randy, and for having the time and patience to make sure your feedback is heard!
Hal Bryan
EAA Lifetime 638979
Vintage 714005 | Warbirds 553527
Managing Editor
EAA—The Spirit of Aviation
Hal, I didn't mean that the problem was that the man in the truck didn't give us a ride. It wasn't that far to walk to the hotel. It was just that in all my 25 years of attending EAA, this was about the only time I ever encountered someone who was not friendly. Not the ride, but just his being there; he seemed to resent that people were having a good time, and was looking for a problem.
I never found out who or even if someone really did call him on his radio and send him over to hassle people. He certainly was not one of the orange shirt parking people.
Sorry, Bill - I got that. I just homed in (perhaps excessively) on the ride part of it because that's an area where we all try to lend a hand.
Hal Bryan
EAA Lifetime 638979
Vintage 714005 | Warbirds 553527
Managing Editor
EAA—The Spirit of Aviation
"Are you with me or against me?" Nineteen years coming to OSH, last 17 consecutively, and I have always been impressed with the treatment until three years ago. I now arrive with a large group on the Saturday prior to OSH and the group had always been well handled (2010 didn't count - we camped on the field without our planes because of the mud). It has been a treat dealing with Jim Casper, volunteer head of parking for many years. He is exremely knowledgeable, experienced, accomodating where he can be, able to give a valid reason for not being able to do certain things. But three years ago the working relationship with the person in charge of North 40 parking began deteriorating and reached a pinnacle this year. Trying to get a reason for the actions from some of the volunteers always brought the same reaction: "We know where she will park your group, but we can't tell you. And don't tell her I said anything or I will be in big trouble." Talking to the folks in registration brought their own disgust with how they as volunteers were handled. Numerous people not with the group had their own problems. Interestingly, all the turmoil on this thread has been caused by one person, but that one person is in charge of the North 40. With us or against us? We will see what next year brings. If it is not addressed, next year will be my last.
This probably isn't related, but I spoke with a county deputy down at Vintage early in the week, and she asked us to be on the lookout for a certain aircraft that was going to be seized when it landed - related to a court case. Maybe the "security" type thought the 182 was that aircraft. I'm sorry but I don't remember what make/model we were supposed to be looking for. Ron do you remember?
There was another horrific parking situation, not so much about the volunteers but instead the situation. The large Handicap Parking area outside the Main Gate after the rain was deplorable. It was bad enough to see rear wheel drive vehicles spinning in the mud, even front wheel drive had issues, but the absolute saddest sight was seeing so many of our aged and truly handicapped members / visitors trying to manuver on foot in and out of this parking area muck. Of course as the vehicle traffic increased the mud, standing water and deep ruts enhanced the problem, made worse by the next day. Sadly I only saw one EAA volunteer on an ATV ferry a handicapped individual to their vehicle and only that one time. Although I am not handicapped, I have a 4WD truck so after watching so many dismal attempts by so many I began to ferry some of these folks to their vehicles. (I had only returned to my truck to drop off items I had purchased). Thankfully I met and was able to thank multiple WWII veterans during this process. EAA should give serious consideration to it's many senior / handicapped attendees and consider properly grading that area of the parking lot for better drainage and even provide a packed gravel base.
Kyle responded: "One parking problem and you're not going back?"
That was an assumption that this was the first time I had a problem getting to row 557 to park and camp.
While we have been camping in that area since 1998 and attending Oshkosh since 1981 this is not the first year we had problems getting an OK to camp on row 557. In 2008 some of our group were blocked from getting there. Even one guy who got to the event on Friday(three days before it started). After we were not allowed to camp there in 2008 several of us wrote letters to some of the leaders at Oshkosh including some phone calls. We received no real satisfaction from our communications but had a feeling that we had gotten some attention to our problem. In 2009 some of us attended with hope that we would once again be allowed to camp in that area and enjoy our camaraderie (some of us stayed at home, though). The parkers in 2009 greeted us and welcomed us - no problems(we felt our communcations had done some good).
Of course 2010 was a problem created by mother nature and it is amazing how well the parkers were able to adjust and get folks parked at all. Thank you!
When we arrived in 2011 the parkers were even more determined that we could not get to row 557 than they were in 2008.
So my decision not to return was not based on "one parking problem" but by two years of parking problems. So the success we had in our comunications after 2008 was apparently "over-ruled in 2011. Why fight it? Just quit attending.
Thanks --- Lynn
Lynn,
I would encourage you not to give up. It's easy to throw the towel in and give up and I could understand if it were the flyin breakfast event down the road. However OSH is more than just a casual fly in. And, I totally agree with you, it's about the camaraderie and friendships we make and renew. Plus all the education, entertainment, shopping, air shows, etc.
This is an event, a freedom we have, an experience that we should not let someone take from us because they just have a thorn up their ass and are unreasonable. I'm SURE there are ways to make this work for you and it has apparently been successful in the past.
We need to aggressively work to solve the issue you have. We need to fight to either get rid of this one person that is over controlling or move her to some position where she doesn't have to meet the people. We need better leadership for the north 40 parking and let's fight for it.
http://www.airventure.org/volunteers/
Be a part of the solution.
Jeff Point
RV-6 and RLU-1 built & flying
Tech Counselor, Flight Advisor & President, EAA Chapter 18
Milwaukee, WI
"It All Started Here!"
Amazing it's so difficult to get rid of someone so obnoxious, damaging and controversial. Kind of the PC attitude that has created such awful employment laws over the years. Protects the wrong people....
So I only go every few years and ignore the very few stupid people, rules, and charges. Otherwise I wouldn't bother at all. Arlington and Copperstate aren't as big and so full of nonsense.
They say the fish stinks from the head. Maybe things will change now with a new head?