Mobilize the House against FAA ???

[Bill Berson]

Hi, Bill:

I can clarify that airplane number for you. That 10,000 number I've always been careful to say that is the total number of aircraft that come to the region specifically for the event. You're right in that when the airport is completely jammed with aircraft, it's a little bit over 5,000 airplanes. With weeklong movements, it's about 7,000-8,000 airplanes that park at Wittman during the week. However, there are also about 1,000 airplanes that park at Fond du Lac whose pilots shuttle to Oshkosh each day, and several hundred at Appleton in the GA parking area, too. Add in the hundred or so each in Neenah, Waupaca, New Holstein and other small airports where people land, and pretty soon the number easily tops 10,000. I use that as a conservative number.

Unfortunately, cancelling the event or boycotting unfortunately would send a message to no one – as the FAA or those above them do not care if that happens. We understand that those above are sending the FAA its marching orders on this as part of a bigger budget sequestration standoff. So, it’s more important that we keep the event going to show our resolve and unity – as well as provide the opportunities for all the aviation businesses that come to Oshkosh (by the way, 75% of those companies are American and 70% of those have fewer than 100 employees). AirVenture is their Black Friday and their Christmas season. Not having the event would effectively kill a number of those businesses and those jobs.

Thanks again for the question.

Thanks Dick, for those numbers,
I am not suggesting canceling the event at all. Just pointing out that the number of " businesses customers" that arrive by light airplane are only about 1 or 2 percent (5-10k vs. 500,000), the rest come by car. The GA pilots have always dealt with finding alternate transportation when the airport gets full (or 2010 "sloshkosh" when north 40 was almost vacant). Nothing new.
So if only show planes, for example, were allowed this year, it would hardly affect vendors.
I think some GA pilots might vote for something like this rather than cancel the complete event or just business as usual.

Thanks for listening.

[flibmeister]

Of course, EAA members are too smart and nice to take it out on the actual controllers.

Apparently, not all of them are:

http://www.pilotsofamerica.com/forum...highlight=pink

[TedK]

I did notice that I can't find a "Meet the FAA Administrator" forum this year.

Note to EAA: If we are going to pay to have the FAA provide ATC services, the we should demand a Meet the FAA Administrator session. I will donate $100 toward that!

(I wonder if I will ever get another clearance through the DC SFRA?)

[vaflier]

Note to EAA: If we are going to pay to have the FAA provide ATC services, the we should demand a Meet the FAA Administrator session. I will donate $100 toward that!

(I wonder if I will ever get another clearance through the DC SFRA?)

He will probably demand that we pay him and all of his expenses to show up.