For most folks, Oshkosh, Wisconsin is best know for bib overalls, fire trucks and artery-clogging food. However, if you’re into things that fly, your most likely association with the place is the annual EAA flyin. For one week each year, beginning in late July, OSH becomes the busiest airport on the planet and doing a VFR arrival during the air show is something no pilot will ever forget. Fly to Ripon, get visually identified by controllers on the ground, follow the railroad tracks, monitor tower frequency, land on the assigned colored dot, stomp on the brakes and head for the grass and follow the flag men to parking–all without keying the mike once.
And for my dough, the only real way to do OSH is to fly in and camp with your bird, preferably in the north 40 (pix above). And with the exception of an ocassional shuttle bus trip to the airport terminal saloon for a beverage, it is 100% all airplanes, all the time. A sign of the tight economy: the show starts tomorrow (7/27) and as of tonight, aircraft camping is estimated to be 98% full.
OSH happens to be the only place we’ve ever been rescued by the Red Cross. One of those classic late afternoon mid-west thunderstorms really trashed the field. We returned from dinner with friends to find a.) good news; airplane still shiny side up and greasy side down and b.) bad news; tent & contents floating in about 6″ of water. Cots & wool blankets in a school gym worked quite well.