At OSHKOSH!!! (Also known as EAA AirVenture)

Tuesday, July 18

As I wrote in my last post, I was fogged in at Merrill Airport, only 88 miles north of Oshkosh, so Saturday I caught a ride (automobile) to Oshkosh and spent the day doing a myriad of volunteer activities, then caught a ride back to Merrill where I spent a 2nd night in the FBO.

To my delight, when I woke up Sunday the skies were blue and looked that way all the way to Oshkosh. (Thanks to the WINDY app.) So I packed up and took off. It was very bumpy, but there was unlimited visibility and no haze! More lakes, rivers, farms, forest. Delightful @ 1500-2000'.

Steve Krueger had given me very specific information about contacting ATIS 20 miles out to get their current weather information, and protocols for speaking to the tower. I was flying in before the AirVenture NOTICE was in effect. (From July 22 through July 30.) The NOTICE is 31 pages !! of protocols of how to arrive and depart from AirVenture. Planes are stacked 3 high as they arrive, and each has to land at a specific dot on the runway. By coming in early, I could land without worrying about anything but following the tower directions, just as I'd normally do flying into a Delta airport. It was easy!

So by Sunday late morning I was tied down and had my tent set up.

At Oshkosh at last!

I'm camping and volunteering in the Ultralight/Light Sport Fun Fly Zone.

Now, a few statistics about EAA AirVenture - usually referred to as "Are you going to Oshkosh?":

For the week of July 24-30, it will be the busiest airport in the world!

But for now, the fields are almost empty of planes. 

I'm having a relaxing time volunteering and enjoying the camaraderie with the other volunteers. And really enjoying NOT flying for a while! 

The rest of this week will be helping out at the Fun Fly Zone, and next week will be spent volunteering, as well as attending Forums, workshops, and buying t-shirts and other memorabilia.  I'll post every couple of days, sharing highlights. Dennis' friend who will be flying his (Dennis') plane here from Arkansas is planning on flying it in late next week. I'm not sure what Dennis is planning to do with his 40' coach while we finish the flight back to Oregon. He'll figure it out.

My track from Merrill to Oshkosh: