What year classifies you as a classic?

[brandon67e]

Does anyone know if there are plans this year or in the near future to move the year of the classic aircraft up from 71? I have a 71 Grumman Yankee and last year they stated that it had to be manufactured prior to 1971. That stuck me all the way up in the north 40. I miss having my airplane on the flightline and sitting by it and watching the airshow! I know every few years they expand it, just wondering when the next expansion is. Thank!

[champ driver]

The Classic category is defined as from Sept 1 1945 to December 31 1955.
You're thinking of the Contempory category which is from January 1 1956 to December 31 1970.
I can't help you on the rest of your question.

[Cary]

I miss having my airplane on the flightline and sitting by it and watching the airshow!Then you need to have a different airplane, one that you've hand-built which looks really superbly constructed with pain-staking craftmanship, or a perfectly restored round engine bird, and which you don't mind having scratched and dented and finger-printed by all of the looky-loos who don't give a rat for your airplane.

I fly a really nice, almost pristeen 63 Cessna P172D, which is not a show plane but which qualifies for "vintage camping". So I've camped in GAC (general aviation camping) and VAC (vintage aviation camping), the only 2 remaining choices in the NOTAM for camping on the field, and I've been in the North 40, the South 40, next to run-of-the-mill airplanes, next to extraordinarily spiffy airplanes, etc. But I've never been placed at the flight line, so that I could watch the airshow from under my own airplane's wing.

On the other hand, why would I think I should be able to do that? With some 10,000 airplanes flying in during Airventure week, more than a few must park/camp away from the flight line, regardless of their respective ages.

BTW, "all the way up in the north 40" is a whole lot closer to the action than camping in the South 40, which seems to be on the outskirts of Fon du lac--but regardless of where the volunteers have directed me to park, I've always had a blast at OSH. You can, too, even if you must park where you've been directed to park, just like everyone else.

Cary

[rawheels]

I know every few years they expand it, just wondering when the next expansion is

Probably not for a few years, at best.
2002 NOTAM had "prior to 1966" (I think)
2003 NOTAM changed the cut-off to "prior to 1968".
2010 NOTAM changed the cut-off to "prior to 1971".
If we are going on that schedule then you should see it jump to 1973 for the 2016 show!

According to this thread (http://eaaforums.org/showthread.php?3483-Parking-in-the-North-40/) the manufactured date hasn't changed more than 5 years in the last 20 years, and the VAA doesn't seem interested in increasing it much more.

Here is another thread from someone who would like to start a new parking area for Showplanes mfr'd 1971 and newer: http://eaaforums.org/showthread.php?3569-Modern-Aircraft-Association