WW1 airplanes at Oshkosh, huh?

[Andrew King]

Seems like a good idea at first, but really, EAA, inviting World War 1 airplanes to an airport with no grass runway?

http://airventure.org/news/2014/1403...kosh-2014.html

The antiquers have been promised a grass runway for several years now, and it's about time that somebody up there steps up and makes it happen. The grass area south of the end of 36/18 worked fine for the Pitcairn Autogiro and for the Air Mail airplanes, with appropriate limitations it works fine, and is much safer for the vintage types. Seems like the safety issue alone should make it a priority. If somebody's Fokker Triplane, even with brakes and a tailwheel, ground loops and ends up in a heap next to the pavement how will that look?



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[Floatsflyer]

Gorgeous replica full scale Albatross, DR1 and an SE5 were at Osh about 3 years ago, had their own exhibit space across from the Red Barn. They had no problems coming in. The oldest authentic aircraft I've witnessed at Osh was a 1919 DH4 with a skid. I saw it taxing in to Vintage. But you're right, the long promised grass strip is long overdue.

[Andrew King]

That was three Fokkers and an SE-5a at Oshkosh in 2010, and how did you determine that they had no problems coming in? In fact the only way the SE-5a was there was that it flew in to Pioneer Airport a few weeks early, was towed over for the fly-in, and then afterwards was towed back to Pioneer and flew out a few weeks later. The three Fokkers had brakes and tailwheels, and were flown by experienced pilots who didn't have to deal with crosswinds on the days that they flew. The DH-4 had been modified with brakes and a small tailwheel at the end of its tailskid, and I'm pretty sure it still landed on the grass to the south of 18/36. Now if you only want replicas that have been modified with brakes and tailwheels (which is OK), and can guarantee that the wind will be down the runway (little bit harder to do), then......



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[FlyingRon]

Umm, there are two grass runways at Oshkosh. There's the one at the Pioneer which is permanent, and for the past couple of years the Vintage guys have rolled/mowed/coned off a grass runway sort of in line and south of taxiway Papa.

[Mike Berg]

While I remember the 18/36 grass runway being mentioned somewhere I don't remember seeing it on the NOTAM but maybe I've missed it

[Andrew King]

Ummm, no, Pioneer Airport is not useable (or safe for WW1 types) during the fly-in, it's reserved for the helicopter rides and kidventure, and the grass "runway" south of 18/36 was allowed for a few years but was taken away 2 years ago and is not allowed to be used now. So during the fly in there are NO grass runways available at Oshkosh, except for the ultralight strip, again not a safe place for many WW1 types, and certainly not a safe place for a WW1 event, too short, and too crowded with dis-similar types.





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