Airventure / Oshkosh Cancelled

In a climate where we are being told the NFL MAYBE could start in September WITHOUT fans in the stands, how will a gathering like Airventure Oshkosh actually happen?

Thoughts?

Rich

Email from EAA a few min ago: Oshkosh Cancelled.

We Don’t Gamble, We Need A Sure Thing
AirVenture 2020 is officially canceled

My fellow EAA’rs. It is May here in Wisconsin, and unfortunately like many of you across the country, we are still under a stay at home order through May 26. Normally, this is the month when we start our preflight planning for EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. By this time, we should have begun ramping up our entire site in preparation for our July convention. Volunteers from across the country and world would have descended on Oshkosh. Together they would have formed work parties, our suppliers would begin start setting up tents and infrastructure. Our EAA staff would be printing wrist bands, campers guides, programs and an assortment of EAA collateral as full-on AirVenture execution begins.

But because of circumstances beyond our control, none of this can happen now. We cannot even get to the hangar so our preflight is left to watching the prog charts. While this certainly makes the ability to prepare for the event a scheduling problem, it does not preclude the bigger issue of predicting what will be the health guidelines in July. Right now, there are three phases that have been defined in Wisconsin as the recommended procedures. As I write this, we are not in Phase 1 yet. Phase 2 restricts gatherings to 50 people. Phase 3 allows for mass gathering with restrictions.

Our convention attracts EAA members not only from the U.S. but around the world. Today we cannot predict when we will be at a point that our event meets the all clear Phase 3 milestone for mass gathering with restrictions. As your leader, I see no clear path to meet our own requirements to insure the health and safety expectations our organization demands for our employees, members, volunteers, exhibitors and attendees. That includes sanitization, separation and personal protection requirements.

My conclusion is, like in any good flight planning, don’t take the risk. Therefore, I have no choice but to cancel AirVenture 2020. Together, we can come back stronger, safer and ready for AirVenture 2021 and create a memorable world class aviation event. Because of our dedicated and enthusiastic EAA members, our Association is strong. We know that at some point this storm will pass. And over the next 12 months we will continue to support all of you as we again, together, grow EAA in the Spirit of Aviation.

Respectfully,

Jack J. Pelton
Experimental Aircraft Association
CEO and Chairman of the Board

What about New Holstien?

Richgj3 said:

In a climate where we are being told the NFL MAYBE could start in September WITHOUT fans in the stands, how will a gathering like Airventure Oshkosh actually happen?

Thoughts?

Rich

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Rich, hope you don't mind, I changed the title of this thread.

sj

flylowslow said:

What about New Holstien?

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Oshkosh is much of the draw of New Holstein, but I plan to check with the city, etc. Off the top of my head I would say we are better off meeting around the country in small groups at remote places given this.

sj

Aaaannnd one of my pet peeves... Oshkosh is one word. When someone types "OshKosh", with the capital K, they are using a registered trademark of OshKosh B'gosh corporation, which sadly doesn't even exist in Oshkosh anymore. In fact, they are currently in the process of tearing down the original OshKosh B'gosh buildings near downtown.

Sorry for the thread-hijack, but working at EAA I get this all the time. Hopefully I'll still be working at EAA for next year's convention. We'll see....

jnorris said:

Aaaannnd one of my pet peeves... Oshkosh is one word. When someone types "OshKosh", with the capital K, they are using a registered trademark of OshKosh B'gosh corporation, which sadly doesn't even exist in Oshkosh anymore. In fact, they are currently in the process of tearing down the original OshKosh B'gosh buildings near downtown.

Sorry for the thread-hijack, but working at EAA I get this all the time. Hopefully I'll still be working at EAA for next year's convention. We'll see....

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Joe, I addressed your pet peeve... my apologies! Besides, it's NOT Oshkosh... it's "Airventure"..

sj

SJ said:

Rich, hope you don't mind, I changed the title of this thread.

sj

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No problem.......as long as you take the rap for spelling it with the capital K.

I think I should stop speculating here. I asked about SNF before it got cancelled and now this.

Liability driven, nobody wants the liability of having a big gathering. I be the lawyers are already researching for all the lawsuits.

Imagine trying to impose social distancing on the crowd, or sanitizing the portable showers and toilets.

SJ said:

Joe, I addressed your pet peeve... my apologies! Besides, it's NOT Oshkosh... it's "Airventure"..

sj

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Oh boy, don't get me started on that one!!

What SJ said....

SJ said:

Oshkosh is much of the draw of New Holstein, but I plan to check with the city, etc. Off the top of my head I would say we are better off meeting around the country in small groups at remote places given this.

sj

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Steve Pierce said:

Liability driven, nobody wants the liability of having a big gathering. I be the lawyers are already researching for all the lawsuits.

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Steve, just this morning I got in my inbox an advertisement for continuing legal education:

"Suing and Defending Covid-19 Insurance Recovery Claims CLE.
Tuesday, May 5, 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
90-Minute, Telephonic Seminar"

​

No, I'm not attending. So it goes....

Vic

txpacer said:

Imagine trying to impose social distancing on the crowd, or sanitizing the portable showers and toilets.

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I understand the difficulties in trying to sanitize the thousands of showers but the port-a-potties? Heck, I never used them last year. I just peed between your cub and Pierce’s tent.

Steve Pierce said:

Liability driven, nobody wants the liability of having a big gathering. I be the lawyers are already researching for all the lawsuits.

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and you're just a wee bit jaded on the legal subject.

More likely they evaluated the financial risk to go forward and risk getting shut down after putting out the crap-ton of money.

It's a business decision. They could have pressed on, full of hope and optimism, expecting it all to work out. If it doesn't, a last minute cancellation would be extremely expensive for all concerned. I expect they decided it was not worth the financial risk. Liability concerns are always part of the math, but not the major part.

OLDCROWE said:

and you're just a wee bit jaded on the legal subject.

More likely they evaluated the financial risk to go forward and risk getting shut down after putting out the crap-ton of money.

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It will be interesting to see how Sweden gets through all of this. I get the risks etc. I just wonder what the results would be if we went a different route although I do live in a rural area.

Campgrounds and camping are going to be crazy this summer.

Can't wait for the airplane camping trips with my family this summer!

Tim

Huh! There's an Oshkosh in Wisconsin, too? Who knew?:

https://www.airnav.com/airport/KOKS

Thanks. cubscout

txpacer said:

Imagine trying to impose social distancing on the crowd, or sanitizing the portable showers and toilets.

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I'd bet that my using those portopotties the last 29 years has built my immune system up protecting me from covid-19, or any other bug known to man

Glenn

I be the lawyers are already researching for all the lawsuits.

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My son's girlfriend is an employment lawyer. She tells me they're dealing with a workers compensation claim whereby the claimant says they were injured while working from home.

I had to laugh. I love it when BS of the modern world ties itself in knots.

behindpropellers said:

Campgrounds and camping are going to be crazy this summer.

Can't wait for the airplane camping trips with my family this summer!

Tim

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Are you on floats? The remote destinations are endless. All you need is enough gas for a round trip.