First Time Flying to Oshkosh - Some basic questons

[MustangAviator]

Hey everyone, I am planning to attend AirVenture this year for the first time. I have most of the planning complete but I am having a tough time finding some basic information. I will be flying my own aircraft out a Lake Renegade 250 and I am curious to know a couple things:

1) As an amphibious aircraft, can I camp in the showplane area? Do I even want to? Should I plan on camping in the North 40?
2) Do I need to bring my own tie down anchors? I know I need to bring rope but is there anything for me to tie that rope to?
3) What is typically the best time to fly in to ensure I get the fly-in experience? Saturday morning? Sunday morning? etc...
4) I can buy groceries and ice once I get settled in right? I do not plan on flying with coolers full of ice and food so I can limit the weight in the aircraft.

Any other tips or suggestions?

Thanks!

[1600vw]

Tips for flying into Oshkosh. Not sure if this has any of the info you are looking for.

http://www.eaavideo.org/video.aspx?v=4290459323001

Tony

[Wrongway Feldman]

You can start with the NOTAM (https://www.eaa.org/en/airventure/eaa-fly-in-flying-to-oshkosh/eaa-airventure-oshkosh-notam)
NOTAM webinar 1hr:27min (http://bcove.me/v4hrepls)
1) As an amphibious aircraft, can I camp in the showplane area? Do I even want to? Should I plan on camping in the North 40?
Check Oshkosh Seaplane Base (https://www.eaa.org/eaa/place/-seaplane%20base?id=8E69FBBE733D445FBDBED5FFDF976C6 3)
2) Do I need to bring my own tie down anchors? I know I need to bring rope but is there anything for me to tie that rope to?
Camping Guide pdf (https://www.eaa.org/%7E/media/files/airventure/planyourtrip/camping/av15_campingguide_8%205x11.pdf)
3) What is typically the best time to fly in to ensure I get the fly-in experience? Saturday morning? Sunday morning? etc...
The earlier the better.
4) I can buy groceries and ice once I get settled in right? I do not plan on flying with coolers full of ice and food so I can limit the weight in the aircraft.
Yes, for
GROCERIES & SUPPLIES
Jets Grocery and Café at the Red Barn Camp Store
and West Camp Store Store, and new for 2015, the North 40 Grocery. You will find coffee, fresh baked
goods, meats, produce, health and camping supplies, and famous Cold Cow milkshakes,Ice.
Camping Guide pdf (https://www.eaa.org/%7E/media/files/airventure/planyourtrip/camping/av15_campingguide_8%205x11.pdf)

[FlyingRon]

There is an amphibious parking area in the southern part of vintage (just south of the ultralight runway) roughtly abeam the threshold of 36L/R. You can park there (hold up a SP sign though most likely it will be obvious that you're an amphib and that's where you want to go). Or you can park at the seaplane base (in the water).

Yes you MUST bring tiedowns. There is nothing there but dirt. The vintage camping/parking area is essentially a hay field the rest of the year.

You'll park about the same place in SP regardless of when you arrive. It's less busy if you arrive earlier in the day on Saturday but it's really up to you. The show proper doesn't start until Monday.

Ice is available in several places on the field and Vintage has in the past had a gator with a freezer on the back that makes the rounds. It's also sold at the Tall Pines cafe (just north of the SP parking by the ultralight runway. There are also some just off the field camping people who sell it close by. Wrongway gave you the on field grocery options. You can always take the bus up to the Walmart as well.

[MustangAviator]

Fantastic information! Thank you very much fellas. I am making the trip from New Hampshire so it is quite the trip for us. :-)

Is there a preference in terms of location when deciding to camp between the North 40 or Vintage? I wouldn't park in the water.

We're looking forward to the trip!

[Wrongway Feldman]

Is there a preference in terms of location when deciding to camp between the North 40 or Vintage? I wouldn't park in the water. According to FlyingRon, amphibious parking area is at the southern part of vintage (just south of the ultralight runway).
If I had to pick between North 40 or Vintage, I'd pick Vintage, because you're not far from show center.
From Vintage you can see a lot more action. North 40 is kind of out the loop.
And you can eat breakfast every morning at Tall Pines Cafe run by the (Vintage Aircraft Association)
Which I hear has the best breakfast on the grounds, they just put in a new cement floor (grass before), new tent and expanded seating.
Click HERE (https://www.facebook.com/EAAVintage/posts/10152877280095009)

[FlyingRon]

I should point out, that the Seaplane area in Vintage is open to all seaplanes regardless of their age (i.e., you don't need to be a 1970 or older like for the rest of the vintage area...this is a relic of the days when all showplane camping was down in the vintage areas).

[MustangAviator]

Feldman, thank you for the information. That is exactly the type of data I was curious about with regards to the two locations.

Ron, thank you for clarifying the SP criteria. The Renegade 250 I fly was built in 1985. It isn't necessarily something that should be judged on but it certainly catches a lot of eyes, especially when I land it next to a boat on a local lake/pond. :D


I watched the video about the NOTAM and have briefed the NOTAM/camping rules. One thing that confuses me is the "dogleash" style tie downs. I'm not sure what style that is so I am not sure what style of tie down anchor I should be bringing. Any direction around that would be very helpful...

[CarlOrton]

The dogleash style refers to the popular (for dogs) item that looks almost exactly like a corkscrew. It's about 18" tall; you place it on the ground, start to twist it into the ground with the top handle, then, when it starts to get difficult, you use a bar, screwdriver, or whatever in the handle for additional leverage. You then clip your dog leash to the top handle. The trouble is, while good for restraining your dog, wind gust on your plane will rip it right out of the ground, depending on soil type and moisture level.

The best type is that which uses 3 long metal spikes that are driven into the ground at different angles. All spikes go thru a metal plate or legs of the attach point. Search for the trade name "The Claw". There are also ways to make similarly effective types yourself out of commonly available parts.

[Wrongway Feldman]

Here is a tip if you can fit it in your plane.
Buy one of these Collapsible Folding wagon (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Collapsible-Folding-Wagon-Cart-Garden-Buggy-Shopping-Beach-Toy-Sports-Blue-New-/191396682428?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c90219abc)
or a radio flyer wagon.
Use it to haul your GROCERIES & SUPPLIES.
It can be quite walk to the on-site stores,
a wagon would help with the heavy lifting.
More Options (https://www.google.com/search?q=Collapsible+Folding+Wagon+Cart&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=i46eVdLXHYeiNsWXtoAK&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAg&biw=1184&bih=628#tbm=isch&q=Collapsible+Folding+seat+Wagon+Cart)

[FlyingRon]

I've seen the doggie screws snap trying to be inserted into the Oshkosh soil if it's a dry year.

[MustangAviator]

I've seen the doggie screws snap trying to be inserted into the Oshkosh soil if it's a dry year.

I assume these are the ones (http://www.skygeek.com/the-claw-c-101-tie-down-claw-spikes.html?utm_source=googlebase&utm_medium=shoppingengine&utm_content=the-claw-c-101-tie-down-claw-spikes&utm_campaign=froogle&gclid=CO3Av-nGzsYCFQ2PHwodakINJQ). Damn, they seem expensive for a once a year use. What do they cost to rent at OSH?

[FlyingRon]

I've never seen them sold by the onesies before but both the Claw and the Storm Force are about $80 for a set (3 anchors, ropes, nails and the specialized hammer).

What I used for years were ones like these: http://www.amazon.com/Swing-N-Slide-NE-4521-Anchor-It/dp/B000I19DA4/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1436535780&sr=8-3&keywords=swing+set+ground+anchors

They seem identical to the ones Sporty's sells in boxes of three. I envision some guy sitting in the Sporty's back room repackaging the box of 4's into sets of 3.
They're sturdy enough but can be a bear to put in. I can tell you this, if you have an telescoping tow bar, do NOT use the tow bar handle to twist in the anchor. I've got one that won't telescope anymore and nobody has been able to unstick it. I subsequently grabbed a piece of steel aircraft tube from one of the junk dealers at the show and kept that in the plane to twist them in with.

Aircraft registration does have rebar tiedowns available for rent (well you buy them for like $20 and you get $15 when you bring them back). I would recommend you NOT rely on this. You may arrive after registration is closed (and it's a hike from the Amphib parking) and they don't have a hammer (Vintage or Aircraft Repair can sometimes make a hammer available if you leave suitable collateral). In emergencies we do have a few tiedowns in vintage (typically ones people have "rented" previous years and just abandoned with us) but really it's best if you show up with your own.

[Low Pass]

Couple of other data points. I have an old set of non-crimped, twist in "doggie" anchors that worked well for 12-13 yrs. Much stronger than the typical ones sold at Walmart. The key is not having the crimped section in the middle and having the upper ends welded closed. But to prevent hearing my buddies continue to harass me about using these, I bought some steel augers from McMaster Carr, 1/2" x 15". No doubt these are better. But they are a lot heavier. A little tough to install in the semi rocky Oshkosh dirt. But installed at a 30-40-deg angle to your rope, and you will alter the earth's orbit before removing. (Love that McMaster Carr Aircraft Supply!)

http://www.mcmaster.com/#ground-anchors/=xzric5

[Mayhemxpc]

I have a set of those anchors myself and agree 100% with everything Low Pass wrote. Getting them out again is almost as much fun as putting them in (which is what teenage sons are for -- captive audience at OSH, so I can get some work out of them.) Anyway, after two years of auguring through the OSH earth I made myself some tie-downs using 10 inch nails. There was a link to an article in Sport Aviation that said how to make them yourself. Work great and much easier to put in than the anchors (a little harder to get out than put in.)

[Wrongway Feldman]

EAA Tying Down Aircraft webpage with illustrations
(https://www.eaa.org/en/airventure/eaa-fly-in-flying-to-oshkosh/ground-operations/tying-down-aircraft)https://www.eaa.org/en/airventure/eaa-fly-in-flying-to-oshkosh/ground-operations/tying-down-aircraft

[Sirota]

Mustang Aviator, I bought a set of the basic "The Claw" (same as what Sky Geek sells) at Harbor Freight a few years ago. A neat story that might support buying the aviator kit from The Claw; Buying from Harbor Freight, I didn't get the neat "notched" hammer and bag. I stopped by The Claw booth at OSH a few years ago and asked if I could buy just the hammer. The sales rep said it came with the kit. I explained I bought the basic set from a retailer and he said, "the hammer come with a lifetime warranty". I explained again that I didn't break my hammer, I never had one and he said louder and staring me in the eye "the hammer comes with a lifetime warranty, if it breaks, just tell us and we'll replace it". Oh I said, "mine broke" and he reached under the counter and handed me a hammer. We need to support vendors that offer such excellent customer service. If I ever need to replace my set, I'll buy it from The Claw. http://theclaw.com/the-claw/aircraft-claw-c100.php

Dave Sirota