Commercial Travel To Oshkosh - Tips?

[Rauhbatz]

Trying to get to OSH & Fond Du Lac to help my CAF Dixie Wing colleagues with rides at Fond Du Lac and also my first ever visit @ 52 years young to Air Venture. Have a jillion miles but can only stay 2-3 days due to family/work committments.

Any commercial flying/airport/rental car tips would be welcome. Was thinking about Columbus OH-Appleton WI but any better travel tips would be welcome...

[richkolasa]

Don't go, it's very over-rated. Very few planes actually show up. EAA photoshops the photos. Not worth the trip....




PM sent!

Rich

[D17s]

Southwest Airlines to Milwaukee, WI rental car to OSH not that long of a drive.

Mike

[Rauhbatz]

Hey Rich...good to hear from you..your SBD pics from last year still figure prominently in my screen saver rotation!

I must admit Im a bit on the fence about going...my motivations are more to help out and hang out with my Dixie Wing compadres at Fond Du Lac....

[richkolasa]

An average line-up in "Fightertown" at Wittman is about 22 P-51s, 1-2 P-38s (two scheduled this year, but Glacier Girl will probably be on pavement), 2-3 P-40s, a couple of YAKs, a Spit or two, and maybe a few other types. And that's just the one area of the warbird area. No aviation lover should miss it if you have a chance to go.

Rich

[richkolasa]

PS - 20 minute ride from Fond Du Lac airport to Wittman. You can do both!

Rich

[Bill Greenwood]

Go, one way or the other. If you fly via Appleton, only about 20 miles north of Oshkosh, it's an easy drive and not much traffic usually. Also a cheap bus right to EAA every hour.
If you fly via Milwaukee, that is 90 miles south, aobut a 2 hour drive with traffic. You do go by Fon du Lac, 20 miles south of Osh.
There's also a cheap bus up to EAA from FLD about every hour.

[krlang]

Shannon and I also did Chicago, nonstop from BOS once. Wont do that again.

We got there at 1pm for a 3pm flight to St. Louis, it was cancelled twice due to t-showers.
She finally got to BOS at 4am, I went to OKC to get to ICT and drove into Wichita at 2am.

Appleton was nice, we also stayed at the college in town and rode the busses to and fro.

I miss the Wooden Nickel!

[phil65]

Kenny,

The 100 degree college?! “You don’t need A/C in Oshkosh, it never gets hot here.”
Good thing we didn’t stay at the college that much. Appleton was nice, and the busses were great.
How is Jet?
The Wooden Nickel misses you too!

Phil

[Dan K]

An average line-up in "Fightertown" at Wittman is about 22 P-51s, 1-2 P-38s (two scheduled this year, but Glacier Girl will probably be on pavement), 2-3 P-40s, a couple of YAKs, a Spit or two, and maybe a few other types. And that's just the one area of the warbird area. No aviation lover should miss it if you have a chance to go.

Rich

Rich raises a good point. The first-timer to OSH should realize that WWII-vintage aircraft will be parked at several different locations on the grounds. The largest concentration will be up on the north end. Certain warbirds of special interest (Glacier Girl, A6M, etc.) will be located at Aeroshell Square (the old "West Ramp"). Many of the PT and sometimes BT drivers prefer to locate in the vintage area (just south of Aeroshell Square). I guess the C-47s will pretty-much be everywhere. And don't forget that the museum typically drags the Mosquito, P-38, J2F, etc. outdoors for the week.

The sheer enormity of OSH is what sets it apart from all other aviation-oriented events (You'll either respond with "This is crazy!" or be convinced you've reached the first level of Nirvana...perhaps a little of both). If one of your plans is to witness the arrival of every warbird, forget it. Your brain says, "How could I possibly miss the approach of a B-25 or PBY or a flight of Skyraiders?", but I assure you, such is OSH. Check the warbird ramp throughout the day; you'll be amazed at what arrived/departed without your knowledge.

Have fun!

[Zachary]

With the addition of the new Warbird Alley ramp in Warbirds (nearly half the size of AeroShell Square), there will be a special effort to keep more of the warbird aircraft there, rather than on AeroShell Square as in the past. Dan's right though, the DC-3/C-47s will be everywhere.

Zack

[Rauhbatz]

All...thanks for the great travel and visit trips. Im hoping to break away from The Day Job for a few days to head there...

Thanks again fellow WIX'ers!

[richkolasa]

Kenny,

The 100 degree college?! “You don’t need A/C in Oshkosh, it never gets hot here.”
Good thing we didn’t stay at the college that much. Appleton was nice, and the busses were great.
How is Jet?
The Wooden Nickel misses you too!

Phil

I decided that we were close enough to check the advance forecast. WOW! If it holds, it will be another phenomenal event. 32 years there, 5.5-6 days a year average, I don't think 6 daily shows were totally rained out in that period. Paul Poberezny must be a saint, he seems to usually have a good rep with the man upstairs.

78-82 degrees, and only t-storms one day is the forecast for Monday-Saturday. Fingers crossed...

Rich