• If You Are Having Trouble Logging In with Your Old Username and Password, Please use this Forgot Your Password link to get re-established.
  • Hey! Be sure to login or register!

2019 Oshkosh Review

C-YQK

Registered User
Call me OLD SCHOOL yeah i deserve it but after just returning home from the show one of the things most notable is ABSENCE!!!:-(

Gone are the days when the show was more about the builder along with new venders showcasing their new stuff

Now the show seems to be more of a tourist attraction, yes the noise of the jets is cool but in the A B C D hangers is mostly about flight schools and
furniture and empty booth spaces
Guess show management has priced out small business
Will i return,yes but likely will start going maybe every other year
 
Couldn't agree more with you C-YQK. I've been going since the early 80's and now only go every few years for the same reasons you stated.

On the plus side, it is now a great place to go if you want to do some car shopping or buy a massage chair :)

Paul K.
 
Yea, i used to go all week, now its only for a few days, and that's mostly to walk the vintage area.

For me, what will be interesting to see is how long the vintage aircraft stick around. Not only because its an aging fleet of planes but also the demographic. I dont see many people my age (under 30) interested in the older planes.
 
Last time I went was 1988. 100 plus degree temps, and the usual storms. I was giving Kitfox demo rides for Dan Denny, company founder. He slipped me 25 bucks for every ride I gave, and I gave a lot. Too many, I guess I got burned out on the crowds, heat, and long lines for even the porta potties. Since then, during the event, I make a special effort to make a epic flight in Idaho, Wyoming, or Montana. 32 degrees the other day at Henry's Lake! Breakfast at Bridger! RON in Butte, then on a cool Sunday morning a 9032' ridge landing near the Gravleey Range on the way home! With one brake, it turned out.
But I missed Oskosh, again, boo hoo. Best way is to have friends that go, with similar interests to yours, then debrief them upon their return.
 
Old Blue has a good point. 20 years ago nobody would sell their plane abroad. Nowadays all the American antiques are steadily being sold around the world.
 
I thought it was a good show but not what it used to be vendor wise, there were several that I wanted to meet with that were unfortunately absent.
 
I got there Sunday night and left Thursday morning. This is only my second time going, and first time flying in so maybe I am still quite enamored by the whole thing. I walked the ABCD exhibit hangars twice, spent some money at Wicks and spruce, and yea there was some hummingbird feeders and other random stuff that I was wondering why they were there. Spent some money at the fly market also, got a double inertia reel 4 pt harness for $19!

For me it was about the people and the airplanes. Matt Younkin, Kirby chambliss, patty wagstaff, Julie Clark in her final year.. Also very proud that SC.org was quite well represented at the STOL expo got to rub elbows with all those guys. I talked to Mikey McBryan and saw DTD, met and talked to Kevin Lacey, Randy Apling who is a real nice guy, Steve pierce, Kevin, Cory, Trent, Hal, Steve Henry, pops dory the list goes on...
Got to drool all over the twin mustang, and a bunch of other very cool planes.
Still pissing myself about the f35 pass at 100 ft and .94 Mach, and during the fray concert Monday night as the f22 was doing laps pointing his afterburners at the crowd and hammering around turns, all I could think about was I wonder how big his smile is right now?!
I had an awesome week between New Holstein and Oshkosh, had a tear in my eye as we passed Fon du Lac on the way home because I did not want it to be over! Already making plans for next year.
 
The weather this year was fantastic once the show started. Great weather for sleeping in a tent. Lots of airplanes of all types there. And LOTS of young people, which is precisely what Aviation needs right now.

A friend rode out with me.....took us three days because of thunderstorms, but a great flight nevertheless. Good company and a good airplane.....what more could you want? Wound up camped just down from a bunch of SC.org types!

On arrival, notam said field was closed except to aircraft with “Tundra tires”. My partner looked down at my 8.50s and asked if they were tundra tires. I responded that they could be......landed and taxied to parking.

i met up with many old friends, which, with the airplanes, is what Oshkosh is all about to me.

Yes the exhibit barns barns were a little thin, but there was still waaaaay more stuff to see and do than you could do in one week anyway.

And Airframes AK was there!! How cool is that?

You know what they say about the difference between a jet and a pilot: The jet stops whining when it gets to the airport.

Ill be back. And can’t wait!

MTV
 
Sunday morning I’m sitting in a friends yard 1.3 miles east of 18-36 watching the mass exodus going to the south. I would estimate half production half LSA homebuilt. Of the 100 plus that have flown over 2 Supercubs!! The mix of aircraft is the neat part.
 
On a positive side, here is one of our members who was very happy to be working this past week, Maj, Jake Papp in front of his office.

IMG_7887.JPG
 

Attachments

  • IMG_7887.JPG
    IMG_7887.JPG
    200.1 KB · Views: 318
Last edited:
One of the gyrocopter manufactures mentioned he didn’t go this year since it hasn’t helped with sales in the many past years of going, but it takes most of his staff away for 2-3 weeks in prep, travel and time at the show from building and selling. So can understand if it costs more than they make by attending.

Anyway, I prefer seeing the planes and events more too!

Dave
 
One of the gyrocopter manufactures mentioned he didn’t go this year since it hasn’t helped with sales in the many past years of going, but it takes most of his staff away for 2-3 weeks in prep, travel and time at the show from building and selling. So can understand if it costs more than they make by attending.

Anyway, I prefer seeing the planes and events more too!

Dave

Dave,

Agreed. I've spoken to a few of the vendors about this. The problem is that they often don't know when something someone saw initially at OSH caught their interest, and they eventually bought it. Those folks said they don't really expect to sell airplanes at OSH, but to get folks interested, and hope that interest will result in a sale later.

Nonetheless, exhibiting at OSH is expensive and takes a lot of people to prepare, transport and man an exhibit. As one manufacturer told me last year, "Hell, I can't afford NOT to come to Oshkosh, my customers all expect me to be there."

MTV
 
I go for the people. I walk through the buildings and look at stuff but I like looking at airplanes and talking to people. I go every year and have for longer than I can remember.
 
I go for the people. I walk through the buildings and look at stuff but I like looking at airplanes and talking to people. I go every year and have for longer than I can remember.
When Steve got diverted to talk to someone he saw walking the other direction (squirrel!), I told Cathy, "Just keep walking, he'll catch up. If you stop every time, he'll never learn."
 
I have not gone in three years but I am still stunned at what EAA is able to pull off. Sure it could be better here or there but I challenge any industry to have a better showcase than Oshkosh does for general aviation. They have to make the tent big enough to get the mass to cover their costs but still keep some kind of a theme. To me the military aspect goes wayyyyyy overboard but I know that is just me and yes their are vendors that seem out of place but if they see value then they are helping offset the price for the others. What I don't understand is having a booth and then staffing it with people who just sit and look at their phones. Those are probably the same companies that complain it isn't worth it.
Where else can you get 600,000 people together (an estimate I realize) together with at least some interest in flying? The volunteers and organization of that event is stunning to me. Thank you EAA for putting on an event where so many people with an interest in aviation can come to play.
 
I have been going to KOSH since 1983, not every year but most of them. In 2017 we had the Blue Angles roaring overhead from sunrise to sunset, what a bloody irritation. At least I got many images of them flying formation with DOC. The F35s, can they not fly without afterburners on? Apparently not. Does the military pay for a major part of this show, maybe I will ask but I sure hope they do.

Is the military at this show to try and recruit our youth? Unfortunately most of our youth at that show can no longer pass a hearing test so they are no longer eligible to serve.

It was nice this year to actually see some top level aerobatics rather than old airplanes with jet engines that can not perform a true aerobatic manuver.

Having the helicopter perform maneuvers well beyond what many current show planes can, that was great. A couple of performers going right down to the hard deck like used to be done, that was very nice to see.

Seeing a parade of homebuilts like they used to do, fine with me, there are even a few of us who still build our own planes still just as I did when I first went there and still do now.

But many of the "acts" placed in front of us, I would much prefer to meet up with Steve and talk shop with him, well if we could hear each other with the unnecessary noise above us.

And with all that said, this is by far still the greatest aviation show on earth.
 
Charlie N
I apologize if the "military" annoyed you. I spent 23 years of my life in the military so that you could attend Oshkosh and speak English. Afterburners still give me a woody. Others? Apparently not!

"Jet Noise...The Sound of Freedom!"
 
Last edited:
Charlie N
I apologize if the "military" annoyed you. I spent 23 years of my life in the military so that you could attend Oshkosh and speak English. Afterburners still give me a woody. Others? Apparently not!
They have their shows that our planes are not allowed in. 75 years ago my father was doing his 99 missions in a B-25 My uncle did not like his tour in the North African desert all so so you could play with your little jets. And I am still in the Airforce reserve.
 
I hope you don't have to endure "unnecessary noise" when you are doing Reserve duty. You sound bitter for one in the military.



They have their shows that our planes are not allowed in. 75 years ago my father was doing his 99 missions in a B-25 My uncle did not like his tour in the North African desert all so so you could play with your little jets. And I am still in the Airforce reserve.
 
Let's re-holster our pistols here fellers... ain't nobody needing to be shot.

sj
 
I'm a curmudgeon, I very rarely watch air shows anymore. The jet noise is annoying to me but I realize there are a lot of people who love that stuff. I did stand and watch when the Blue Angels flew over when passing through from one air show to another and the missing man always overcomes me.
 
Steve,
I admit that the post I responded to struck a nerve. I watched with rapt attention as the F-22 "burned" the crowd. Also as the Hog maneuvered almost silently. The "play with your little jets" pissed me off. I can give you the names of at least 12 mates that we buried during my career. Yes, we played occasionally. But the majority was training to stay alive or dodging bullets and Sams.

And that is all I have to say about that!
 
I am in the affirmative camp. Each trip to Osh is unique. This trip I had the pleasure of taking 3 first timers and I assume they will all return. Took my 83 year old father for what will likely be his last trip. Road in Doc with my son and friends. Saw the coolest fireworks show I’ve ever seen, met Mike Patey and saw Steve Pierces cub! And I spent close to 5K with vendors. Can’t wait to go back!
 
Back
Top