The "Official" EAA AirVenture 2010 thread

[DocThrock]

Don't forget SWINE FEST.

And CHICAGO.

And Lt. Dan Band.

BTW, does "Barney Fife" know a certain aerobatress intimately? Yes, I'd like to re-open that can of worms!

And now back to your regularly scheduled discussion....

And that they've opened up the show to as many DC3 types as would like to attend???? (if the rift discussed on AVweb doesn't kibosh the whole shebang.....) Probably now over FIFTY!!!!

DocThrock, the pot stirrer....

[bdk]

On the first point, Brandon is quite correct: Oshkosh has more moisture than Chino. But that's why Chino is dry and dusty in summer, and Oshkosh is green and luxuriant. Besides, how could we grow mosquitoes the size of Hueys without some moisture? It's all in what you're used to: If you live most of the year in the desert, OSH will probably feel sticky to you.

Grew up in Chicago- didn' tlike it then!

On the second point, how many other fly-ins/airshows allow visitors free access to the display aircraft at night?

I'm of the belief that anything not specifically prohibited is allowed. Where are the signs? Where is the rulebook? Or do the guys in the golf carts make it up as they go along just to exercise their "authority"? I'm not talking on the warbirds flight line either which is roped off. Didn't seem to be a problem in Aeroshell Square 24/7. Of course this unwritten/unposted rule doesn't apply to everyone. Someone on this board had night photos from exactly the same area, but they were part of the WOA volunteer "crew."

I was "apprehended" by a group of WOA (of which I'm a member) thugs in a golf cart.

P.S. The entire homebuilt flightline is accessible as well as the aircraft in Aeroshell Square, but I guess those don't meet the value threshhold because warbirds are more important than anything else, including the warbirds in Aeroshell Square.

I 've got an idea. If you don't like Oshkosh, how about just not posting in the Oshkosh thread?

Didn't realize you were the official "hall monitor." There are good aspects as well as undesirable ones WRT Oshkosh. I guess this thread is only for the good ones? I apologize for voicing my opinion.

OK, I'll play by your rules: Gee, OSH is really neat-o! I can't wait to pitch a tent under my plane and sleep at the airport! Me too! Here, here!

P.P.S. Mudge, also love the Road America brats and corn on the cob.

[Zachary]

Good grief folks, please take the negative vibes elsewhere! Everybody has bad experiences at shows - heck, I've had trouble with security during AirVenture and I'm an employee, but you know what, seeing a gazillion (that's just an estimate) airplanes, seeing old friends and making new ones, and the Bikini Nights girls more than makes up for the bad experiences that might happen. BDK, I bet you a beer and brat that if you were to ask Spookythecat to take you around some night for shooting some night shots of the warbirds, he'd probably do it. Are there bad apples in security? Sure, but you've got to remember, most are just volunteers trying to do the best that they can. You've got to put yourself in their shoes - maybe before confronting you, the fellow you had the run in with may have just met an unruly photographer that was climbing up on the wings of the airplanes to get cockpit shots, maybe his mom just got hit by a Mack truck, or maybe he's just got a bad case of hemorrhoids - who knows for sure? All I'm saying is that it's a dang big event, with literally thousands of volunteers with thousands of different personalities trying to keep things going. For every bad apple you might run into, there are hundreds of good ones that could probably be your friends if you got to know them.

Zack

[Rauhbatz]

The Dixie Wing will be offering P-51 & T-6 (LT-6 honoring all Korean War vets) at Fond Du Lac just before, during and just after Oshkosh.

Pilots bring your logbooks as all rides are dual instruction; both a/c have controls in the back which makes for a memorable logbook entry.

Stop by the CAF tent and ask for Phillip or any of the Dixie Wing team to arrange....

More info about the a/c & ride pricing can be found at http://www.dixiewing.org

[JDK]

The crowds are nothing compared to the oppressive humidity (ever hear of 98 squared?).

I've visited Duxford in the snow, does that count? Certainly I've been lucky with my visits to Osh at it either not beeing humid or not noticing - last year was pretty mild. However if you want percentage humidity standing in solid rain at UK shows was certainly less 'interesting' in a good way than standing in a shed at Oshkosh.

A close second might be the evening security Nazis in the warbird area. I mean you never know what mayhem someone might commit with a camera flash unit...

I ...cof cof... was 'inadvertently' in an area I shouldn't have been - at least without prior permission and I was most courteously dealt with. As Spooky's touched on, I could also have made a prior arrangement to get some shots with him, my own being overbooked was the problem, not the oportunity. I also got some great shots (with the assistance of Stormin' Jr) elsewhere with no issues. There are other locations that even after a decade of attending as Press getting out after the show and shutdown is still a 'no no'.

Of course Oshkosh isn't perfect, but I've listened to a lot of complaints, and I don't share them, personally. I'll be going back.

Regards,

[Mudge]

I'm thinkin' about it. It won't be this year tho'. Summer is already planned and $$$ committed.

Mudge the wishy-washy

[JDK]

It'll be there next year. Maybe I will too. Not sure if that's an incentive or disincentive!

James
The sometimes present.

[mustangdriver]

I'm not the hall monitor, but it is the same thing every year. You said it yourself. Someone taking pictures who was a WOA member and (keyword) volunteer. If you want unlimited access at night to the flight line, go volunteer. They need the help, and I am sure you can get all the night pics you want. if it was my airplane parked out there, I'd be thankful in knowing people were looking after my plane. I had the honor of meeting many of the night security people, and they were all great. No attitudes, just making sure nothing funny is going on with any aircraft. There were just a great group of people.
Since you asked, this thread was started for the people attending the show and looking forward to meeting up, along with checking out the cool things that are going to be there. It was meant to serve those who are fans of the show and maybe can't make it this year, but can see pics here. This thread was not meant to serve as vehicle to complain about the show and be a downer to everyone else that looks forward to it.

So your main complaint is it's hot, and people in golf carts made you leave at night?

[mustangdriver]

That's it Mudge, drink our Koolaide!! Ha Ha

JDK-It was great seeing you there, it added to my trip.

BDK-No hard feelings, just a bunch of excited people about the show.

[spookythecat]

I'll admit, being a volunteer for night security certainly helps you get the night shots but it's not like i'm booting people out so I can be the only one to get them. Ask Mustangdriver. I've taken him out before and taught him some of what i've learned over the past years. I was planning on doing the same with JDK until he overbooked himself too. We often have professional EAA photographers who book nights out there and we make sure to avoid them as the jeep lights can ruin a shot. In the past few years i've actually been shooed out of Aeroshell Square at night so it may just be who you run across and how important they need to make themselves feel.

[mustangdriver]

Al, and his family have treated me as nothing but nice since my first meeting them a few years ago. They continue to treat me as if I was one of their old friends, and make the time to visit, chat, and share stories. Al, has taken me under his wing (pun intended) and shared techniques, and even help set up my camera for me so that him and I would get nearly the same shots. There was nothing in it for any of them other than my friendship. And that is what Oshkosh is about. it is more than just the airplanes. It's the people that add to it. I started going to Oshkosh when I was 15, and we knew no one there. Was it a fun show? Sure. But now we have friends up there, and it has evolved into an amazing adventure every year. One not to be missed. Like someone else here said, "Many of the best friends, I met at Oshkosh."

[bdk]

So your main complaint is it's hot, and people in golf carts made you leave at night?

No, I've just seen Mudge's heat tolerance before so I was concerned for him. It wasn't the fact that I had to leave, it was how I was TOLD to leave. I didn't argue, I just left and haven't been back so I guess everyone's happy.

I do like the camping atmosphere in the Scholler campground though. It is very kickback and folks are friendly. And just to be clear, the first time I went was in 1976 and I've probably camped there about 20 times so I know what Oshkosh is about.

[Sabremech]

Oshkosh is more than just airplanes. I've met and have become pretty good friends with many people there including quite a few on WIX. As much as I hate to admit it, I'm already feeling Oshkosh anxiety. I can't wait to hear early arrivals on line wishing I was there to see them. Oshkosh is unlike any Airshow anywhere in the world. There's not another one that I'm looking forward to the next one on the last day.
California is fine and I'd love to come out to the Chino Airshow at least once in my lifetime. It's a little to pricey for me to live out there and I'm no huge fan of beaches and earthquakes. I'll take Oshkosh and a couple of weeks of humidity any day.
David

[JDK]

bdk, fair point re Mudge's temperature-tolerance.

...I just left and haven't been back so I guess everyone's happy.

Pardon me, but you don't sound very happy about it.

Like the comments in the recent threads regarding the CAF, aviation does tend to attract type A personalities and larger-than-average egos, and we've all had bad experiences with people on an off day or people who'd frankly be more useful as ship-anchors.

Point is to set your own agenda and do what you want, and just go past the occasional small-minded idiots. I can't see the point in blacklisting an organisation for life for a one-off bad experience or when the management or culture has since changed. If there's a fundamental cultural or mission problem, sure. If you don't want to go back, of course it's your call. But it'd be daft for someone else to skip it because someone was mean to Brandon some time ago (much as we love bdk).

One of my other favourite venues has a support organisation that made me and my friend feel most unwelcome when we first pitched up as young and keen guys. It was an unpleasant experience, but that organisation learned it couldn't be an old boy's club with it's own section of fence at the show and has changed a lot, for the better (nothing to do with us, btw) and the organisation and venue are still there, still worth a visit and generally I've forgotten the 'hew-haw' bloke experience and remember the good stuff.

Regards,

[T33driver]

I'll admit, being a volunteer for night security certainly helps you get the night shots but it's not like i'm booting people out so I can be the only one to get them. Ask Mustangdriver. I've taken him out before and taught him some of what i've learned over the past years. I was planning on doing the same with JDK until he overbooked himself too. We often have professional EAA photographers who book nights out there and we make sure to avoid them as the jeep lights can ruin a shot. In the past few years i've actually been shooed out of Aeroshell Square at night so it may just be who you run across and how important they need to make themselves feel.

JDK overbooked at Oshkosh? Musta been the nightly tour d'cocktail partee. The arguments have won me: "Oshkosh doesn't color my world", "the volunteers don't buff my a$$ and let me climb on the airplanes". I've just cancelled the RV rental and my vacation. Instead I'm going to work overtime, redo my roof and think about all the chumps at Oshkosh who don't realize they're not having fun.