Oshkosh 09 Official Sign Up Thread

[MangoMike]

Welcome to Air Venture 2009.

This is one of the highlights of the Summer - hope you can make attend.

Directions to our camping hosts.

Marland and Pat Felker
1864 W. Waukau Ave.
Oshkosh, wi 54902


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Take the East Exit off Rt. 41 to Rt. 44. Make right at first light, then stay right at the "Y". Make left on Waukau Ave. It's about the 2nd driveway on the left, small entrance so pay attention. As the boys were saying it's a wide turn in.

There is water available.

Honeywagon can be called if you need its service. Fees apply.

Trash Dumpster on site.




This is the list of current attendees. Any changes please post them here.

Jon (A1)
JDUB & Rae (Jerry Winchester)


Granvil (grantracy)
Jim & Linda (Jelmore)
Ken (Bluevost)
Mark & Lorenda (dmark1)
(JasperJr)

Mike & Donna (mangomike)
Sawdust

This is in no way a structured event. So every day is a free day.

However here is a rough outline of what JDUB and I will be doing if you would like to join in.

There is also an opportunity to work with Jon and Debi at Pilots and Paws at their official booth. If you're interested sign up with Jon.

Friday Night

Trukman and Mango Arrive

Saturday

1pm Bonanza Arrivals (100 Bonanzas flying in formation 3 abreast) Probably Runway 36L

Moving over to the view the rest of the landings on Runway 9/27.

Spaghetti Dinner at the bus, all invited.

Sunday

Morning - JDUB & Mango Mike Omelettes to Order Breakfast. All Welcomed. This is a great way to start the day.

Plane spotting at Runway 9/27 next to the Bonanza contingent.

Good day to buy your tickets pre show. Booth located at the east end of the service drive (Wittman Road) by the bonanza parking (North 40).
Admission Fees:
http://www.airventure.org/planning/admission.html

Sunday night - Open.

Monday

Official opening day of Air Venture.

10:00am Visit Vendors

3:00pm White Knight Arrives Runway 36L
3:30pm Air Show starts w/ warbirds in review. Runway 36L. Bring a chair and water.

5:30pm Doobie Brother Free Concert at AeroShell Plaza

7:00pm Pizza Dinner at the bus. $10 per person. Salad/Pizza/Sodas/Beer

8:30pm Movie in the Woods - The Right Stuff

Tuesday

Visit Vendors
3:30 pm Air Show

2:00 am Sheep attack.

Dinner - TBD

Wednesday

Pack up, head home.



Recommendations:

EAA Museum
http://www.airventure.org/attractions/museum.html

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helicopter rides in a vintage Bell 47, with a complete ariel view of OSH. At Pioneer Airpark, next to the EAA Museum.

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Links:

Map of Airport: http://www.airventure.org/planning/AV2009_grounds_map.pdf

First Timers Guide: http://www.airventure.org/about/newbies.html

Daily Highlights: http://www.airventure.org/attractions/dailyevents.html

[sawdust_128]

Sawdust & C headed that way.

[Coloradobus]

Chris and I and our Airstream friends will not be attending. Maybe next year, tho. We were looking forward to this event, but since the monsoon season started early this summer, we are desparate to re-grade the yard to keep water out of the basement.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

I will have 5 extra tickets for each day. Obviously I cannot accomodate everyone, but they are available. I have them for the entire show, so if anyone is not going to be there during the dates Mike listed I will still have them for the remaining days. The only people who will get priority (and I doubt if they will be expecting them) will be pilotsnpaws pilots who will be manning the booth. So far no firm committments from any of them.

[Jeff Bayley]

I'm wondering about taking my H3-45 shell to Oshkosh and putting for sale signs (or lettering) to try and stumble across a buyer and towing my 22' Airstream to stay in. I've only been to the air show once but isn't there about 5,000 RV's that show up and 10,000 planes ? Maybe out of that masses I can snag a prospect. The year I went, my camping neighbor was in a piece of junk bumper pull but owned was loaded and bought a 1 million dollar plane at the show.

Does anyone know how early I should get there if I can break away in order to get a premo spot toward the entrance and on one of the main roads in order to get the maximum foot traffic exposure from people walking into the gate from the RV section ? Would two days prior be sufficient ?

[MangoMike]

Jeff,

If you park w/ the rest of the POG gang at Marland Felker's place there would be zero foot traffic visibility, unless you could sell it to Jon.

There are a number of homes on Waukau Ave, which leads to the main gates, but I would image all those spaces would already be allocated.

If you setup in Camp Scholler at least you would have the visibility of the rest of the RV folks.

Mike

[Jeff Bayley]

Mike-

I was thinking of trying to park in the RV / camping section but get up towards the front near the food tents and the on site store where people would be funneling in through that gate from the RV / camping portion. I was trying to say I wanted to park on a main road of the RV park, not a main road entering into the show (although that would be great, probably not allowed). I know you can get buried pretty far back down the side grass paths which is what it seems to say the spot you guys are at. I'm wanting to get her on main beat and path. Seems like there's actually a road they call Main Street in that RV section.

[MangoMike]

Jeff,

My guess it's first come, first serve on the sites.

We actually are on private property off of Waukau Ave.

Just put it on Craig's List.

MIke

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Jeff, I thought you were the wizard that could trade anything to ultimately get what you want? Are you still the founder and exclusive member of the TBC (In your case the THREE bus club)?

This is your chance. Trade that bus shell for whatever you can get to turn into money.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

I agree with Mike. That bus needs to sit at the front of Camp Schoeller and that is going to take getting there very early. I would surmise a week ahead might not be too early. You need to sign up to be an EAA member to camp there. If you are late and have to be in the back your traffic will be nil.

Ebay. That's the answer. Take what you can get, lick your wounds amd move on.

[rmboies]

Hey Mango,

B-O-B XX and I will unfortunately not be able to attend OshKosh.....hopefully someone can park in our spot! I know Jon needs help manning the Pilots N Paws booth so I am trusting ya'll to help him out--he will be the guy with the paw on his chest:D

We'll be with you in spirit!!

Debi and Bob-05, xx, etc........

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Jeff that H-3 45 DS shell makes it 4 right? Or did you get rid of one?

I am thinking about taking our bus to the airshow.

I have asked a very dear friend of mine if he would like to attend and does. All the walking around for displays would be out of the question he is close to 80.

He used to fly his plane in years ago and just sitting at the end of the runway for a day or so watching and participating would really be fun for both of us.

We will see, I will need a driver I think I got one. Deb will be staying behind and it would only be for 2 nights.

Jeff have you givin up on your Angola?

[jelmore]

Is there room for another in the POG bus lot, or should we look in the other RV parking? Definitely looking forward to the show. Jon, we'd be happy to help out if you still need it.

[MangoMike]

Jim,

I added you to the list. Should be plenty of room.

Mike

[Jon Wehrenberg]

We have a 10 X 10 booth, so unlike Sun N Fun where we had a 20 X 30 space with a 16 X 16 tent we will have limited booth space. That's good news and bad news.

The good news is I only have to set up a long table, a short table, put up a couple of banners and set out a couple of dog crates with some furry toy animals, brochures and I'm done.

The bad news is we don't have a big area to set out all the 10 chairs we had at S N F so it can be a gathering spot for folks to sit, rest and socialize. I doubt if we can have more than 2 folks in the booth at any time. We'll just have to see.

I welcome the help because this will give me a chance to go pee, see the other exhibits, eat lunch, or just take a break. I have no clue how many PNP folks are going to drop in and give a hand.

Building D, booth 4143

This to us is a big deal because this will be the kickoff to encourage pilots to register as transport pilots and to participate in our pilotsnpaws 5000, an event scheduled for Sept. 12 thru the 20th in which we want to transport 5000 animals to safety. While we are working on pilots, Debi is working on rescues to get animals to be transported. POG started all this with the seed money in Sevierville.

[michaeldterry]

POG started all this with the seed money in Sevierville.

The birth of PNP was before my time on POG, but it sounds like a fantastic story and an unqualified success! As a dog lover myself, the mission of PNP touches my heart in a big way. Keep up the good work, Jon! :cool:

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Lets not forget Debi and her contribution to PNP. She has been and still works like an Amish plow horse. She is the force behind the web site, and right now her focus is on getting the rescues to pair up and provide animals to transport for the PNP 5000. That is a massive effort, and she has worked hard and still has a lot of work involved in that part of it.

My role has been to focus on bringing more pilots into this effort, and starting with OSH I have to shift into gear.

What we did not realize and what few people see is the effort behind the scenes gathering media attention, dealing with the various personnel problems, reaching out to everybody that wants a presentation about PNP (Aug. 26 in northern IL, Sept 19 in Lancaster PA, OSH, and the AOPA convention in November), all in addition to the routine stuff, Deb handling all the heavy lifting on the web site and me usually flying 2 days a week doing transports. I don't know if she can pst a link, but tonight as this is being typed she is doing a live radio interview for a station out of Seattle.

[Jeff Bayley]

Is there anyone in Florida that wants to go to Oshkosh but not bad enough to spring for the gas expense ? I want to take my H4-45 Shell there and put a for sale sign on it. I'll caravan along with my other Bus and tow the 22' 2005 Airstream for you to stay in when we arrive. On the way home, you can stop and camp as much as you want with the shell and the Airstream (probably have to mostly do dry camping because of the length. I have generator for Airstream. If I went, I would go to MINN. about 600 miles away for a week and then turn south to come back. Could bring the H3 and pick it up from your place in Florida. I pay for all fuel or at least the 1,400 mile round trip (using Bradenton as the starting point)

[flyu2there]

Jeff,

As a many year veteran member of the EAA and a guy thats been to Oshkosh a time or two, do you really think this is the place to try to market a shell or a bus?

We are talking die hard airplane guys here that live and breathe the things, to most of them a Prevost is just another form of Winnebago, in fact Winnebago probably has better name recognition. Now, if you had a cherry P-51, a newly built Starduster, even a tricked out Lancair, that would be a whole new ball game. The vendors, and there are a bunch of them, are all airplane people. These guys for the most part would never consider driving to Oshkosh; this is a big fly in! Anyone who is anyone flies to Oshkosh (sorry Pogger's), the big kids bring their jets, the small fry's poke in piloting LSA's.

Personally if I was trying to sell one of these badly, NASCAR would probably be the place, certainly not Oshkosh. For whatever that is worth..


John

[Jeff Bayley]

John-

Thanks for the advise. Things aren't lining up for me to be able to go go anyway and it would probably be a big disappointment as you said.

Thanks

[flyu2there]

Jeff,

I certainly did not want to rain on your parade but after reading the posting and knowing the event quite well.........I think you made the right call. I would liken it to trying to sell a fish boat at Sturgis during bike week...IMHOP

Best,

John

[garyde]

Jeff,

..I think you made the right call. I would liken it to trying to sell a fish boat at Sturgis during bike week...IMHOP

Best,

John

Now that you might be able to do!:)

[jelmore]

Mike, we'll be there Saturday morning in time to get parked and see the Bonanza fly in. Can we bring something, like orange juice and something bubbly for Sunday morning breakfast?

Jim Elmore and Linda French

[meandmyprs]

Still without a bus waiting for a Marathon bunk bus to pop up. We had a great time last year and wish we could cruise up this year. I may pull a rabbit out of my hat and fly up so I will stop by the "camp" if I do...remember no generators past 10 PM :)

Brent

[sawdust_128]

We are hoping to be out of camp cannarozzi in the early part of the morning. Here is my cell (919-337-8145) and if you could give me a call about the later lart of the morning and give me a guiding hand inbound, I would appreciate. I will not have forum access after this session.

Thanks.

Ed & Cindy.

[Jeff Bayley]

Hope you guys are all having fun at the show. Sorry we missed it.

I wasn't going to say anything about this while I was there I was just going to do it nice and quiet. If I told people I don't know I might get turned in but since I'm not there......here goes. I'm only posting this for the people that told me not to stop posting my stories.

The day before last or maybe two days before, me and my buddy were one of the last ones making our way out of the fenced in show toward the RV park and we happened to pass the headquarters where they park and charge all the golf carts the use to get around. Maybe there were 50. Maybe a 100. It was right off the main walk way. Opposite the side of the walk way of the flight line as you would expect. We'll, it was unattended and I just got a little curious and poked around until one started. I don't remember if they had or needed keys but if they did need key's, it take long to see one with a key in it. I cranked it up (my buddy was far away watching but too afraid to participate) and picked up my buddy and man it was nice driving that golf cart back to my bus after walking all day. I just parked it in between my bus and another RV. The next morning I awoke to give myself a ride back to and around the show and discovered I had boosted one with a VIP sticker on the front that was the "All Pass Access". There are certain places that roped off and to enter some of those (few) areas mostly military I recall at the very end of the walkway it seems, well those areas are off limits to golf carts that don't have passes but we just saluted the good men as we drove my never stopping.

I guess it must have ran on gas because I used it all day. I went back and forth to my bus to get cocktails and cool off. It was pretty convenient. I never worried about getting questioned and I never did but I pretty much kept moving. Before I left, I put it back where I found it.

If any of you get sore feet from all the walking, now you know. Great for picking up chicks too. "Going your way, ya'll need a ride ?". Like falling off a rock really.

I know nobody else will want to do that, but if you do, I'll not only be surprised. I'll be impressed.

Tell more about what we are missing. Which rocket truck do they have at the show. Is a semi or that Chevy truck by Neill Darnell. Goes by Darnell Racing. If Darnell is there, find his Prevost and check out the fanciest double stacker you'll ever see. All carpeted and showroom like. Spent like over $100,000 just on the trailer.

[michaeldterry]

Fabulous story, Jeff! Keep 'em coming - pictures, too!

[MangoMike]

Great turnout at OSH this year on the Felker "back 40". Weather cooler and windier than usual, but great for plane viewing.

Nice group of POGgers.

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Entrance sign in Trukmans memory. We miss you buddy.

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Lined up and ready.

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Jon, Ken, JDUB watching the wave of 100 Bonanza's landing.

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Mrs. Mango and Rae

[MangoMike]

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"We don't need no stinkin' planes". Janet Zitter.

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"No Sheep attacks on this bus". JDUB.

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Never enough campsite lighting.

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[MangoMike]

THE FOOD!

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Team photo.

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The buffet line.

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Sunday night dinner provided by Janet and Ken Zitter after catching 120# of Lake Michigan fresh Salmon.

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Mangoette Danielle helping to cook the Zitter Salmon.

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Fresh dessert.

[dalej]

Thanks Mike for all the great photo's, looks like a good time.

It's good to hear from you!

Ken and Janet! how about the fish story?

Debbie, Jon, how's the P&P booth going, good interest I hope!

[bluevost]

Dale and others,

Never had a day of fishing like that in my life. You hear stories about days like this, but never had one. Janet and I chartered a boat and we left the dock at 5AM, lines in at 5:45. First fish in 10 minutes, then another, then a double. The skipper reset all the tackle and then a triple of all things. Janet and I could not reel them in fast enough. By 7:15 we had 8 quality salmon in the box. The limit is 10 (5 each angler). Number 9 in another few minutes, and then another double. Oh Oh, that makes 11. The skipper put it on his license. We were back to the dock and eating breakfast at 9:00. After breakfast the skipper filleted all the fish and put them in baggies for us. We had to buy a styrofoam cooler. On the way back to the bus we stopped at KMart and bought a vacume sealer and spent the afternoon packing the meat. I figure it was close to 80 lbs. of fillets. The biggest fish was 19 lbs., and the smallest was 9. What a day!!

Making our way (round about) to OKC,

Ken

[Jim Skiff]

Amazing Ken! Just amazing! and what a feed!

[dalej]

Ken,

What fun! Sounds like you'll have some great stories of traveling by Oct.

[MangoMike]

Jon is working the booth hard at OSH. Convincing the gazillion pilots here to sign up for rescue flights.


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Jon here with Sara, another Paws pilot and a FAA controller.

The dog in the pix, (neither Jon nor Sara) is not real, merely a prop for display purposes only.

More info here at: www.pilotnpaws.org

Note: No economic downturn at OSH. They're Twitter site just reported that the gates have just been closed for any more plane camping. Now that's an impressive 10,000 airplanes on the grounds.

[MangoMike]

Next to Granvil's knucklehead Harley.

The White Knight Two.

Designer Burt Ratan is either a genius or has been hanging around Jim C. too long. "Let's take a couple of airplanes and glue the wings together and hang a spaceship between them. How hard can it be?"



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It will cradle the actual spacecraft between the pods.

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The crowd loved it.

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Eve, named after Sir Richard Branson's mother. Although I'll bet you a Red Stripe she doesn't look like this.

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Great airshow going on in the background.


From Wikipedia:

"WhiteKnightTwo is roughly three times larger than White Knight, in order to perform a captive carry with the larger SpaceShipTwo spacecraft. The WK2 is similar in wingspan to a B-29 Superfortress.[5

Virgin Galactic has ordered two WK2s.[2] Together WK2 and SS2 form the basis for Virgin Galactic's fleet of suborbital spaceplanes."

[MangoMike]

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Donna and I sat next to this guy from Perth, Australia one day at lunch. Wonder if he had any luck w/ the rich widow.

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Airbus 380 did a great flyby at 100 knots.

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We've come a long way in just a few short years. DC3 in the foreground with a kid in the catbird seat.

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Next time you get the bus stuck in the soft campground sand. Just call for this Erikson Air Crane named Elvis. Used for firefighting, this one is setup to hold 2700 gallons of water.

[MangoMike]

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Beechcraft D-18

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Aerobatics that matched the smaller made for planes.

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Rae Winchester pointing the way to help the POG group find it's way back to the campground.

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[jello_jeep]

Great pics Mango Man! Keep up the good work!

[lloyd&pamela]

Mike these are great photos. We hope to make the airshow next year it looks like so much fun. I am still wondering what Ken and Janet were using as bait to have so many fish jump in the boat with them. Best to everyone.

[dalej]

Thanks Mike, always nice to see your photos. Makes us feel a little jealous though.

[jelmore]

Have to say this about Mike Anderson and Jerry Winchester ... great hosts. These guys know how to entertain. A really good time by all. We sure enjoyed it.

Here's some more pics from Oshkosh ... Jerry's ride gets tagged (girls just having fun), some of the fabulous machines at Oshkosh, Jon's birthday gets a celebration, POGgers didn't have to wait in line to park like this one, alternate camping vehicles.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimelmoreiii/sets/72157621807119115/show/

And for those at Oshkosh, here's the Doobie Brothers you missed.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimelmoreiii/sets/72157621928176370/show/

[grantracy]

I would also like to thank Mike,Jerry and their team. We had a great time due in large part to their efforts. Interesting note...Kim and I were in the middle of nowhere So. Dakota when we see the skycrane lumbering to the Northwest...presumably headed to it's home base in the Northwest.

[BrianE]

Granvil, Back in the ninties the Skycrane only lumbered to and from major airports. Jack Erickson had the machines flown from job to job in his Boeing C-97 Guppy. Over time however it became obvious the turbines in the helicopter were more reliable than the P&W 4360's in the Stratocruiser which now lives in retirement at Erickson's museum in Tillamook, OR.

[grantracy]

wasn't aware..how would you happen to know that bit of info?

[MangoMike]

It seems there was another Air Strike at Camp Osh.

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Plus the obligatory Sheep Attack on the A-1 mobile.

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The End

[garyde]

Hello to everyone at camp Osh. Thanks for all of the photos and comments. One of these days, I'd like to get out there. Looks like everyone had a great time. Good job on the sheep keeping as well.

[sawdust_128]

That's the sound of my butt catching up with me. Now that that's over Thank you to all for the great time at Oshkosh. Mango & Jdub, excellent hosting. We will get pictures up and out soon. A great time.

For those who said we would have enough in a couple of days, we stayed on until the day it ended.

What a great time. Just one issue. I gave the explanation as to why Jdub and Mango have such a large supply of those sheep. I've never seen such faces.

[Lawrence M.]

Mike, Jerry, Jon, Ken, Ed, Granvil, Jim, Thank you for making Sandy and I feel very welcome at OSH. It was our first time with POG and the best of many times at OSH. We signed up too late for OKC but are on the waiting list. Hope to see you all there!

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Larry, likewise. It was great meeting you and Sandy. You had the opportunity to see the short version of a typical POG get together and if that did not scare you away the full size versions can be easily handled.

Do your best to get to OKC, even if you have to park on the side of the road. There are going to be some great seminars and you will meet up with other Royale owners who can give you all the pertinent poop about your coach. All of us owners who have had our coaches for a while are great resources for coach specific questions.

JDUB and Mango have all those sheep because....(I cannot say because this is a family site). You ought to see their knee boot collection to go with the sheep.

[MangoMike]

Larry and Sandy tried to sneak into camp OSH, having been lurking on the POG forum for quite some time.

We pounced on them like Latinos on the Corona Kelly Bar.

I have to say they earned their sheep.

We had a great time with them at Camp OSH as JDUB and I always like a fresh audience. Our wives and close POG friends have already tired of hearing our same old stories.

[Jerry Winchester]

The Krakman (Truk4U) is the source of all things sheep related. Any sheep item is solely to his glory.

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[truk4u]

Dust Man,

This is Jdub's favorite place!:eek:


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[bonhall41]

Does anyone go to Sun n Fun in Lakeland, FL in April? If so, how does it compare to Oshkosh? Also, any suggestions on where to park the bus? On the official website it says max size at the site is 20' x 40' so we won't fit there. Thanks.

Bonnie

[Jon Wehrenberg]

We went to Sun N Fun this year as exhibitors. There is a campground area and there were 45's in there. Granville can give you specifics.

Because we were working Debi and Bob and I kept our coaches in a campground that was about 10 or 15 minutes away, San-Lan ranch I think. That way we had full hookups and could return to a cool coach.

[grantracy]

I go pretty much every year.They have fields to camp in but only two allow generators at night. As we get closer they will come out with a program and a map at which time I can tell you exactly where. As far as the site dimensions are concerned,I wouldnt worry too much. We take our 45' ( 50' if you count the lift) email me if you would like more info.