Paul8661
08-07-2013, 03:12 PM
2013 was my second time at AirVenture and, like the first visit, I thought everything was great. Because of a busy work schedule I had to squeeze everything into a single day so there were many things that I just couldn’t do. Here’s a chronologic rundown of my visit and my impressions:
· VFR Arrival – Arrival followed the NOTAM to the letter; the pilots in the pattern did their part well, the controllers were friendly, polite and professional and the ground crew’s instructions were clear.
· CAP Cadets – Friendly, helpful and well instructed.
· Parking Volunteers – As soon as I exited the plane a fellow greeted me with a hearty “Welcome to Oshkosh!” and a handshake, what a nice way to start the day.
· Portable Johns – After a few cups of coffee and the flight to Oshkosh, finding clean and abundant facilities was much welcomed.
· Busses – Friendly drivers and good scheduling, waiting time was short.
· Gates – There were an adequate number of cashiers and the line moved quickly. Again, the staff was friendly and helpful.
· Food – Had breakfast and lunch, I thought the food was pretty good and fairly priced, there was no trouble finding a table. Remember that this is an aviation fair and not a gourmet restaurant or health food store.
· Display Planes – Awesome
· Vendor’s – Who wasn’t there?
· Trams – I had no problem getting on and the waits were short.
· Airshow – WOW!
· Airshow Spectators – I didn’t notice many unoccupied chairs at the front of the flight line. I chose not to carry a chair around all day and opted to sit in the grass to watch the show, several people in chairs on the flight line offered to exchange places with me so I could see better. It wasn’t necessary; I could see fine but I did appreciate the gesture.
· Attendees – Met some interesting people who all share a common interest.
· Departure – Well organized and safe, waiting time for takeoff was reasonable considering the large volume of arrivals and departures.
How many days until the 2014 show? I’m ready
· VFR Arrival – Arrival followed the NOTAM to the letter; the pilots in the pattern did their part well, the controllers were friendly, polite and professional and the ground crew’s instructions were clear.
· CAP Cadets – Friendly, helpful and well instructed.
· Parking Volunteers – As soon as I exited the plane a fellow greeted me with a hearty “Welcome to Oshkosh!” and a handshake, what a nice way to start the day.
· Portable Johns – After a few cups of coffee and the flight to Oshkosh, finding clean and abundant facilities was much welcomed.
· Busses – Friendly drivers and good scheduling, waiting time was short.
· Gates – There were an adequate number of cashiers and the line moved quickly. Again, the staff was friendly and helpful.
· Food – Had breakfast and lunch, I thought the food was pretty good and fairly priced, there was no trouble finding a table. Remember that this is an aviation fair and not a gourmet restaurant or health food store.
· Display Planes – Awesome
· Vendor’s – Who wasn’t there?
· Trams – I had no problem getting on and the waits were short.
· Airshow – WOW!
· Airshow Spectators – I didn’t notice many unoccupied chairs at the front of the flight line. I chose not to carry a chair around all day and opted to sit in the grass to watch the show, several people in chairs on the flight line offered to exchange places with me so I could see better. It wasn’t necessary; I could see fine but I did appreciate the gesture.
· Attendees – Met some interesting people who all share a common interest.
· Departure – Well organized and safe, waiting time for takeoff was reasonable considering the large volume of arrivals and departures.
How many days until the 2014 show? I’m ready