Saturday 7/24 update #5: Drive-in camping

Campers are still lining up to check in at AirVenture. Tent campers are being allowed to find a dry spot of their choosing in the campground. They are encouraged to find a location and settle in instead of driving excessively in the campground roads.

With the conditions, the emphasis is on finding suitable locations, so the usual boundaries between handicapped, 24-hour generator and other areas are no longer being used.

The big rigs are still being held to the hard surfaces, in and out of Camp Scholler.

The volunteers are doing a great job on every level -- greeting campers, escorting them to positions and providing services to those who might find themselves "in a little too deep" on certain roadways.

Some areas in the campground, especially those on higher knolls that are receiving direct sunlight, are beginning to dry.

There's still more than a day to go before opening day, and with good weather forecast, the status is aimed at steady improvement.

Saturday 7/24 update #4: Aircraft arrivals

A sunny, breezy afternoon has helped the field conditions enough that we can start devising a plan for when we can start parking showplanes. The only question is when.

The goal today is to get showplanes, such as homebuilts and vintage aircraft, into position on hard surfaces near the flight line. That way, it will be easier to put them in parking and camping position as conditions allow.

The plan is based on areas that seem to be drying fastest. Homebuilts and ultralights would be brought in first, followed by vintage aircraft, then warbirds, and finally those who plan to park in the North 40. As we move showplanes off the hard surfaces on the north side, it will open more space for other aircraft there.

There is no exact time for that to occur, and it would be Sunday at the earliest. We are continuing to monitor each parking area hourly, and all parking will be done with the emphasis on aircraft and grounds safety. Inbound pilots can also monitor the AirVenture parking page at www.airventure.org/aircraft/parking_status.asp.

In other updates, the Mooney mass arrival has been scrubbed and those aircraft will arrive individually. The Bonanzas will land in Manitowoc instead, and then bus to Oshkosh. A truck with their camping supplies will meet them at the North 40, and they will have a tent camping compound in the North 40.

In addition, exhibitor aircraft are being brought in individually and palced on hard surfaces. The only aircraft that are delayed are heavier aircraft that will be exhibited on turf areas.

Saturday 7/24 update #3: Drive-in camping

Here's the latest on what's happening at Camp Scholler:

EAA volunteers are selectively placing tent campers in Camp Scholler on high ground. As conditions continue to dry areas of the campground, more tent campers can be allowed in.


All other camping units, including motorhomes, fifth-wheels, and pull-behind units, are allowed to register, then guided to hard surface areas off the EAA site for temporary parking. This procedure keeps those larger units from becoming stuck on the grounds, and also preserves the grounds.


We've been in contact with many people throughout Oshkosh, and had an outstanding response. You'll see units parked in the Aviation Plaza lot just northwest of the airport, the former Russ Darrow Kia lot across Highway 41, the former Sears/Kmart store on Koeller Ave., and other locations. Thanks to everyone who has pitched in welcome our guests. These areas should handle the camper influx today.


The campground is being assessed on an hourly basis to determine what areas are suitable for tents, and when larger units can be brought in.


Everyone's spirits have been great and almost everyone has been very understanding. And just to show the sense of humor hasn't been lost, we leave you with this photo from this morning, showing the "no-wake zone" along one of the roadways. Sun's out right now, and we still have 1.5 days until opening day to get ready!

Taking back control

Just left a meeting with all the aircraft parking and camping areas on the AirVenture grounds, and there's a little more optimism than during this morning's rain shower. Some areas are draining better than expected, but there's still a way to go before airplanes can taxi across the sodden sod.

You see here Tom P. discussing the options with the group. The priority for arrivals will be showplanes (homebuilts, vintage, ultralights, warbirds, etc.), while the airport will remain closed to parking and camping by other general aviation aircraft. The airport leadership found some additional hard surface area that can be used for parking showplanes. The warbirds area is also taking arrivals and parking them on hard surfaces, such as Runways 4/22 and 13/31 that are typically closed during AirVenture.


As Tom put it, "Before the weather was in control, now we can be in control."

As conditions get better, showplanes and exhibitor aircraft will have priority to be brought to grass and turf parking. Decisions on the mass arrivals will be made through Saturday, working with those individual groups and FAA. Just a reminder that updated aircraft parking information for AirVenture is available at www.airventure.org/aircraft/parking_status.asp.

Also, a note of thanks to the surrounding airports, such as Appleton and Fond du Lac, that are handling arrivals, too. They're doing great. The folks at the Manitowoc Airport have been generous with offering the facilities there and planning to bring people over, while the Cherokee pilots have found a home at the Waupaca airport and will bring motorcoaches over to the event next week. It's a great show of working together to make the event work.

The Show Must Go On

That's probably the best way to put it. Hi, I'm Dick Knapinski from the EAA staff, one of several people who have hijacked Steve Taylor's blog for the next few days to update you on what is going on throughout the AirVenture site. Steve's pretty busy racing around with all the extra needs on-site because of the rain we've received. Even in a normal year, Steve is "the hardest working man in show business" during AirVenture week, so we don't think he'll mind if we steal his space for a bit.


You may have heard that it's pretty wet in Oshkosh. You're right. It has rained a lot -- a record 10-plus inches in July, according to the local paper.


That's the bad news. The rain has altered what we're doing and how we're doing it to welcome the world to Oshkosh. For instance, as of this morning all aircraft camping and parking areas (transient, homebuilt, vintage, and ultralight) are temporarily closed. All ground operations are on hard surfaces such as taxiways. Protecting the airplanes and the grounds are the top priorities. We'll have regular updates on aircraft parking/camping status at the "Planning/Flying To AirVenture" area at airventure.org.


The good news is that the sun is out and the forecast looks pretty good for the next several days. Here's a current glance out one window at the EAA museum. There are still two days until opening day, who spirits are still high around here.




One quick word about our volunteers: Wow. They have been amazing, pulling extra shifts to keep things going under very trying circumstances.

We'll be coming to you during these final two days of prep to start, so follow us to see how things develop through the weekend.


Tom Poberezny just poked his head into my workspace. He read a John Wooden quote today he thinks is pretty apt for this situation: "Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out."

Pictures say thousands of words

Hard to believe that in one week, this gate will be open!


These days fly by so fast. That's usually the case when you're having fun ... and that's what we've been having the past several months in as we continue the on-going upgrades to the AirVenture grounds.

Along with everyone at EAA, I would like to sincerely thank our hard-working volunteers who have been lending helping hands over the past few weeks since Camp Scholler opened bright and early on June 25. As you probably know, we've had a little more than enough rain in recent weeks, so it's great to have dedicated individuals come together to pitch in wherever needed. It's another big reason in a long list of what makes AirVenture so special.

I know everyone is getting anxious to get into the grounds and experience AirVenture and all the upgrades. Instead of words, I'm going to let the pictures do the talking. We still have some landscaping and tidying up to do around the grounds (thanks to Mother Nature), but we should be all set to go by the time the gates open next Monday morning.

The new Warbirds in Review presentation pad has an early arrival ...


... and Scotts Warbird Alley has plenty of freshly laid sod ...


... surrounding the new addition to the Warbirds building.


The finishing touches are being applied to the area around and inside the North 40 shower building ...


... which will feature individual shower stalls ...


... as well as private showers accessible through solid doors from the outside.


North 40 residents will enjoy a new bike path from the Main Gate area ...


... leading to the North 40 aircraft camping area.


Expect less dust in several areas, including major roads in Camp Scholler, thanks to chip sealing.


Speaking of Camp Scholler, early arrivals are already making home in approximately 250 campsites with electric and water hookups ...


... and has several of the nearly 50 Wi-Fi stations and hot spots scattered throughout the grounds, like this one at the corner of Knapp Street and Schaick roads.


Exhibits are ready to be filled in this expanded part of Hangar C ...


... which now features indoor restrooms.




I hope you enjoy the improvements, and we'll see you at Oshkosh in a few short days!

Counting down the days

Greetings from sunny (and warm) OSH! The sun is back out after a few days of sprinkles (and a shower here and there), and work continues on upgrades to the AirVenture grounds that you all will enjoy. Thanks for your patience with the latest update. Understandably, we are hard at work readying the AirVenture grounds for your arrival shortly.

Hard to believe in just a few short days we will welcome the first campers into Camp Scholler for 2010. Crews are currently putting the finishing touches on some landscaping in advance of this Friday's opening. We're ready for the early birds!

Campers will now be able to plug in toasters or turn the faucet on if they so incline as the campsites with electrical and water hookups are complete. We've added electric and water to about 250 sites, which run 25x50 feet, and remember they are offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

Look for more of these upgraded sites to be added in the future, however we will still preserve areas for traditional campers who opt to "rough it" a little bit more.

Another highlight of our work this season is the expansion of the warbirds area and creation of Scotts Warbirds Alley. Our week-long "Salute to Veterans" is going to be a big one filled with numerous festivities, and this area is going to be a prime location to see warbirds from all eras on display for you to enjoy.

The area is shaping up as the 300x100-foot concrete presentation pad for "Warbirds in Review" is set (as you can see in Bonnie Kratz's photo below). Seeding has recently completed and sod is being laid around the pad and veterans tribute monument.


Speaking of the monument, this will be a sight to behold. Work on this permanent tribute is ongoing, but I don't want to give you too many details. I want you to experience it first-hand. This monument will be an everlasting reminder of the brave men and women who put their lives on the line serving our great country.

The Hangar C expansion recently was the benefit of a significant gift. The Kohler Corporation has generous donated fixtures for the newly installed restroom. This is just another example of the support EAA receives from regional corporations, and we truly thank Kohler for their commitment to making AirVenture enjoyable for all attendees. Additionally, we will be painting the interior steel in Hangar C later this week. You can see exterior of the expansion completed on the right side:


We are progressing with work on the new North 40 shower building that will be completed in time for opening day. Campers will enjoy this new benefit as now they don't have to trek down to the current transient shower to get refreshed.

As some of these other projects wind down, we'll turn our attention to finishing some recently started projects.

Speaking of the North 40, work on the new bike path from the North 40 to the Main Gate began two weeks ago and will be completed in time for AirVenture. This will now give bikers easy access to points between the North 40 and Camp Scholler.

As you can see below, we started the Vicki Cruse Educational Pavilion addition to the south side of the IAC building last week that will help support the aerobatic group's forums. The frame structure and roof are already in place, and this week we are installing the electrical and audio components. Once that's complete, we're then ready to paint and be all set to go.


You can expect it to be less dusty near the internal exhibits and around Paul's Woods that support bus routes thanks to the chip-sealing done on a few of the roads in those areas. This will reduce (but not completely eliminate) some of the dust that can whip up from time to time.

And last, but certainly not least (especially for those looking to stay "online" at AirVenture), we continue to upgrade and expand Wi-Fi coverage as we will now feature 45 Wi-Fi "hot spots" on the grounds. You'll be able to access the Internet or check e-mail whether you're in the North 40, along the flight line, in Camp Scholler, the Ultralight area ... and virtually all points in between. A map of the Wi-Fi locations as well as signs indicating hot spots will be released in the coming weeks.

Time to get back to work out on the grounds. We've got to install new seats and put a fresh coat of paint on the trams. Only a little over a month away remains before AirVenture's opening day. Can you feel the excitement?