Volunteering at Airventure, Vintage Area

[egl88]

Since I'm finally retired and able to spend more time at Airventure, I decided to volunteer this year during some of my visit. The EAA Vintage web site indicates the flight line is where their biggest need is for volunteers, so I decided to submit my interest there. I submitted several emails over the last several weeks indicating my interest in volunteering, but have not heard back, not even an acknowledgement they received my email or contact info. I then called the EAA Vintage administrative assistant earlier this week, and she said someone would call me after I gave her my phone number. Still no word from anyone. Does anyone know how far in advance EAA airventure volunteer coordinators contact potential volunteers? I will be leaving to drive out to Oshkosh within a week, and I'd really like to finalize my schedule while I'm there. Thanks for any info anyone can provide.

[FlyingRon]

I can answer that. I've been volunteering in Vintage for the past 22 years. My wife pretty much runs the operations buidling there.

It's very simple to volunteer there. No need to register in advance. When you get to Oshkosh, we have volunteer trainings every day at 9AM and 1PM. You need to attend one of these. From there, we'll find you something to do. You pretty much work when and as long as you want. We have a variety of jobs from directing traffic on taxiways, stopping foot/vehicle traffic when we do road crossings, parking the aircraft, volunteer support in a variety of forms, etc...

We're sort of a big family. We have a mailing list where we talk about things all year long (I can send you the link to that). If you have any more questions ask me. If I can't answer them, I know who to ask and I've got their emails and telephone numbers.

Understand that there is precious little year round EAA staff. Just about everybody from the board on down is a volunteer.

[egl88]

Thanks for the info. I'll check in the first morning I get there to see where help is needed.

[RC Gregg]

My son and I volunteered with Vintage using the following link, and got a reply within a few hours. http://eaavintage.org/events/airvent...-with-vintage/

[deftone]

My wife and I have volunteered many times and the only year we had issues was when we decided to help out with vintage. They just didn’t seem to want our help and we ended up leaving and going back to warbirds. Not sure what happened and there were some nice people, just the organization of volunteers was hopeless. This was many years ago now, I’m sure it’s different now. Vintage has been booming the last few years.

[FlyingRon]

I can only speak for the Vintage Flight Line, but as I stated, we've never turned anybody away or failed to find them something to do. Our offices are across Wittman Road (the paved track down the middle of the airport) from the Hangar Cafe. The Vintage Volunteer center up in front of the red barn has been through a few changes of managment over the years, but they seem sane now.

[egl88]

My son and I volunteered with Vintage using the following link, and got a reply within a few hours. http://eaavintage.org/events/airvent...-with-vintage/

Yes, that is the link I tried several times (the link to volunteer for the flight line), but received no reply. I'll take the advice of FlyingRon and show up to the volunteer center the first day I'm there.

[ssteve1]

My wife and I have volunteered many times and the only year we had issues was when we decided to help out with vintage. They just didn’t seem to want our help and we ended up leaving and going back to warbirds. Not sure what happened and there were some nice people, just the organization of volunteers was hopeless. This was many years ago now, I’m sure it’s different now. Vintage has been booming the last few years.

I had a very similar experience abut four years ago when I "tried" to volunteer with the trams (I even provided a bio and list of referrals. All I received from Ms. Z was "Thanks, I will get back with you."
Crickets. Then more crickets.

[FlyingRon]

Yes, that is the link I tried several times (the link to volunteer for the flight line), but received no reply. I'll take the advice of FlyingRon and show up to the volunteer center the first day I'm there.

If you want to work Vintage Flight Line, come to our building (across from the Hangar Cafe) at 9AM or 1PM (we run training both times every day from now until the show closes). Training runs about an hour or so (you get credit for volunteering for that hour).