Oshkosh Evening

[Bill Greenwood]

It is a beautiful evening in Oshkosh, excellent vfr. I am just on the north side of 9-27 and have been watching a few arrivals. The traffic is really light, all those guys who wrote the doom and gloom scenarios about the Fisk arrival should have been here this afternoon. No crowds that I see, and the parking on the south side of north 4o is only about half full, and only a few planes on the north side at all. Theres's one big group on the south side, think it may be Cessnas.

[Bill Greenwood]

It is about 10 am and it is a beautiful clear blue perfect vfr day, but there are almost no planes flying. The wind is light out of the west and I have only seen one plane, a Cub, coming in on downwind to 27. I don't know if there are weather problms elsewhere or just not many people and planes coming this year, but it is earily quiet, and north parking seems about 1/3 full. I haven't seen a single warbird arrive other than a couple of biplanes. I can't see 36/18 however from here.

[Wildcat_1990]

These are great updates, Bill. Keep them coming. We plan to arrive Monday morning around 11AM.

[hkyplr18]

We are parked down on 18/36. It's finally starting to pick up down here. It has been very quiet until an hour ago. Looks like its going to be a light turnout for osh 2012. Wonder why !!!

[Hal Bryan]

I can tell you that the numbers (units sold) for advance tickets and camping passes in particular are actually extremely strong - potentially record setting, though it's too soon to say that for sure.

[Bill Greenwood]

This a m when I was on the north end , I can't see 36 well, and a fair number of gen av planes landed down there.
The wind is stronger now, favors 27, still good vfr with high broken to overcast. Warm, but not boiling when you aren't in the sum.
The north 40 parking is now mostly full south of the runway, still some room on the north side.
Warbirds seems about 1/3 full, some neat stuff there, but not many Mustamgs or scores of T-6s,and sure needs some Spitfires or Hurricanes.
Kimd of nice to walk around today , no hustle and bustle.
The big RV formation , 40 , came in.
I had lunch with Jack Cronin and Ed Finegan, Mike Winefurter amoung others, saw Mike Burke, and Mike George whose Son Joe? is about as tall as Mike.

[Brian247028]

Bill - Thanks for all of the updates. We plan on coming Thursday & Friday. I'm pretty excited since this will be the second EAA I have attended. Last year we were there for a half day and tried to run around and photograph a lot of planes. This year we have a more focused plan. We also have to "try" and hunt down a plane we seen land on Saturday afternoon if it's still there.

Does anyone know when the main warbirds like Fifi, Glaicer Girl etc. arrive? It would be nice if this was posted on the website.

[Janet Davidson]

Brian - Fifi is here, flying overhead, but parked in Appleton on the NW side of the airport where they usually park the large freight planes. I gather there is a viewing area right next to where they are parked. I did see a P-38 flying over our house as well yesterday, but they didn't come close enough to see which one it was.

You might want to follow the 'EAA - The Spirit of Aviation" posts on facebook - the updates are coming in pretty thick & fast there, along with some great photos.

[dbarnes612]

Have to admit that I'm surprised by how light this forum traffic has been, prior to the start of the convention. On Airventure's Facebook page, lots of Likes but virtually no posts. And also just about zip from the Old School on rec.aviation.homebuilt.

[Brian247028]

Not a big facebook person but I will check it out. Makes sense on Fifi since they are doing the flights. I forgot about that.

[Mattmutz2]

I can tell you that the numbers (units sold) for advance tickets and camping passes in particular are actually extremely strong - potentially record setting, though it's too soon to say that for sure.

Are the numbers in?

[Joe Delene]

Hopefully you watched me land pretty close to the green dot. I should be up Thursday again for another go, as long as the weather cooperates. Kinda warm yesterday, but a GREAT time.

[Mattmutz2]

I can tell you that the numbers (units sold) for advance tickets and camping passes in particular are actually extremely strong - potentially record setting, though it's too soon to say that for sure.

Game over, everybody left. Do you have numbers now? Citizens of Oshkosh, the community that EAA exploits every year, we want to know. From convenience stores to restaurants, everybody knows it was a slow year. What is EAA's official answer?

[Mattmutz2]

Also, I've spent hundreds of hours in the finance office. Please show me the respect of not trying to give me what EAA accounting calls, "creative accounting"

[Bill Greenwood]

I think it is nonsense to say that EAA "exploits" the Oshkosh community. It seems to me that the area and the state enjoy the economic boost that EAA brings.

I don't know what attendance figures will be, but it was pretty good, certainly a lot of planes and people there on Fri and Sat.

We got back this afternoon, can't wait to go again next year.

[AndyNZ]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4NeTQhDQ94&list=HL1343624197&feature=mh_lolz


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4NeTQhDQ94&list=HL1343624197

Hi all,

Have a quick looksy @ my tribute for my first time @ Oshkosh this year. What a week. Had a damn good time. Where to start? Team RV's aerobatic display which blew me away, or Sean Tucker (am going to be @ his school this week for 3 days CAN'T WAIT), those Alabama Boys - loved their act or the chap in the Stearman. Not sure the general public had any idea how hard he was working, from an aerobatic freak: that was properly impressive. Especailly the slow roll, as he went inverted you saw the flames and the double bang bang as unburnt fuel spewed out.
Seeing Glacier Girl, been enammered with that aeroplane for many years and also finally meeting fellow IAC'ers including Melissa, Debby Rihn and Larry King and many others including fellow Pitts enthusiasts.

We flew my friend's silver tiger moth in and I camped out in the Vintage area. Partying with the S.African group @ camp scholler two nights running was a hoot, as was the SOS bar.... :) Also had a great time with Metro Warbirds down @ the ultralight area, those guys and gals were a great bunch. I am planning to compete (by compete I mean make up the numbers) @ the nationals next Sept then spectate @ the worlds a week later, but I Don't know if I can miss Oshkosh for a year and come back in 2014, it was way too much fun.

The only small disappointment for me, was that the 51 drivers really didn't do alot. The sheer numbers of them made it pretty spectacular, but here in NZ, Graham Bethel put's on a display in his '51 like no other. And those who have witnessed Keith Skilling in the Corsair will know what I am talking about to.
But having said that, the airshow acts themselves were all truly amazing. Melissa and Kirby had me on edge, with their 45 deg down lines...just wondering how many more quarter snaps and hesitation rolls they were gonna try and fit on each of these lines before pulling or pushing out....speechless.

I loved seeing the A10 and P38 together on friday evening. For some reason it was quite emotional seeing the two displayed in the manner they were.

What a week, you can bag EAA as much as you like, but they have created this. They have created this event and along with thousands of volunteers, team work, has put together this event. How they manage to make it run as well as it does, I am speechless, again.

Great job, had an awesome time and we will be back and fly in again. I am back in LA on tuesday - then off up the west coast to fly @ Tutima, and do a bit of sightseeing/visit a few mates along the way, then off home. I will be back next year, this is one helluva great country.

If there is anyone here who volunteered, or has done in the past, THANKYOU. :)

[Joe Delene]

Nice post Andy, I had a great time too.

[Hal Bryan]

Game over, everybody left. Do you have numbers now?

http://www.thenorthwestern.com/article/20120730/OSH0107/307300098/AirVenture-attendance-down-event-still-deemed-success?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE&nclick_check=1

If you read this article, you'll know everything I know on the subject.

[Hal Bryan]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4NeTQhDQ94&list=HL1343624197&feature=mh_lolz (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4NeTQhDQ94&list=HL1343624197&feature=mh_lolz)

Have a quick looksy @ my tribute for my first time @ Oshkosh this year.



Love it - nice work!




We flew my friend's silver tiger moth in and I camped out in the Vintage area.

Such a beautiful airplane!

[mcmurphy]

I stayed in Camp Scholler for the week and it seemed to be almost full. I did notice that there weren't as many aircraft in the North 40 at the beginning of the week. It looked like there were fewer aircraft in vintage and the South 40 areas as well. Walk-in attendance for the week seemed low, but there was a crowd there on Friday and Saturday.

[Treetop_Flyer]

When Stacy and I walked the exhibit halls on Friday, it seemed much more empty than previous years. Part of that might have been that the weather was nice so everyone was hanging out outside instead of in the halls. I'm not certain. The Aircraft Spruce booth was as busy as ever though. :)