AirVenture 2020 Oshkosh cancelled

[Double Back]

Just read from AVWEB that the Oshkosh Airventure 2020 has been cancelled.
Bugger. Would have been the first time I'd attended....
OK, it is by far not the biggest problem we have in aviation at the moment, agree...but still....it gets darker day by day for flyers.

[ATC Watcher]

Yep, got the message from Jack Pelton ( as an EAA member) explaining why. reading I feel like last year was maybe the last time I was able to attend and fly-in there, I cannot see 1/2 million people gatherings coming back anytime soon, . OSH will be back but it will likely not be the same for a long time to come . Very sad. .

[paulc]

Same here. Was looking forward to going as i have not missed one since 2006. However the airfare and accommodation and car hire are eyewateringly expensive it is pricing itself out of reach.

[student88]

Wise decision by EAA! It's hard to stay hygienic at Oshkosh at the best of times

[megan]

However the airfare and accommodation and car hire are eyewateringly expensive it is pricing itself out of reach

The vultures always circle where there is a buck to be made. The EAA had a policy, guess still do, that they would approve the prices of any on field items sold striving to keep it family friendly and avoid gouging. Remember one chap in the coke line up saying at a ball game you'd be paying three times the EAA price.

[Global Aviator]

Loved my Oshkosh visits and will be back.

Agree on EAA the only decision.

As for pricing, I never had an issue, maybe I spent a little bit too much time in the corporate hospitality .

Seriously though I think it’s one event that is not rip off focused, yeah some higher prices but considering what is involved. Some Air BnB prices do seem huge but when you split it between a group?

I feel for the city of Oshkosh and surrounds, the money that this event must pump
into the local economy is huge. I am sure it will be missed.

I can’t wait for my next Oshkosh.

[paulc]

Travelling from the UK the airfare was £1500 add the hotel at £100 per night plus car hire £550 it is getting expensive. The hotel , well a Super 8 20 miles away sticks a 1 infront of its usual room rate so if thats not a rip off i dont know what is.

[student88]

Originally Posted by Global Aviator

As for pricing, I never had an issue, maybe I spent a little bit too much time in the corporate hospitality .

I think I just rolled my eyes so hard that they nearly fell out of my face.

[ATC Watcher]

Expensive : common guys , remember what air venture is : a fly-in of EAA members . You can be a member for 40 $/ year, then as a member you can fly in , no landing fee, park your aircraft put your tent under the wings , use the toilets , Showers and all facilities, for 240 USD for the hole week.The price of outdoors drinks and food are standard US ones. and the Target supermassive on the North of the field has the same prices as rest of the States...
I have seen much , much worse.at other aviation events ...

[megan]

I thought the university dorm was the best place to stay, providing you can withstand the heat as no air conditioning when I was there, might be showing my age. Meal times in the cafeteria was the place to meet folk with experience from every facet of aviation, factory test pilots, airline, military, you name it, and cheap as all get out.

[no_one]

Originally Posted by megan

I thought the university dorm was the best place to stay,....

Naahhh the best place to stay is camped under the wing of the plane you flew in there......

[JEM60]

Did Oshkosh with a good friend [sadly deceased] every two years for 12 years. Stayed in Montello, Wisconsin in a motel. Lovely small town, lovely people, dirt cheap, 45 mile lovely drive on country roads [mainly] along the Fox river. Went there for 8 days each time. Absolutely loved it. Lovely memories!!. All prices on the field were fine as far as we were concerned. Had dinner on the way back to motel. Some of the best times of my life!!!.

[OttoRotate]

Three years running for me. So glad this didn't hit last year, what a great 50th celebration! Despite Swamp Scholler, there was an XP-82 in the air, Apollo crew on the stage, and lets not forget how long it took for my eyebrows to grow back after the fireball finale to the fireworks show.

Don't worry, OshKosh will be back, in one form or another. The spirit of aviation will never die as long as men seek to follow the birds.

[Pugilistic Animus]

Originally Posted by OttoRotate

Three years running for me. So glad this didn't hit last year, what a great 50th celebration! Despite Swamp Scholler, there was an XP-82 in the air, Apollo crew on the stage, and lets not forget how long it took for my eyebrows to grow back after the fireball finale to the fireworks show.

Don't worry, OshKosh will be back, in one form or another. The spirit of aviation will never die as long as men seek to follow the birds.

Sounds like Lampare Shells made by topping a container of kerosene with Flash powder. The only person allowed to produce them in the US for profit, is Al Knoblach of Little Big Shots. In Malta they use a butane tank to make them!

[ATC Watcher]

Originally Posted by Pugilistic Animus

Sounds like Lampare Shells made by topping a container of kerosene with Flash powder. The only person allowed to produce them in the US for profit, is Al Knoblach of Little Big Shots. In Malta they use a butane tank to make them!

I was also stunned by the finale "explosion" the heat wave before the sound , looked like a napalm bomb , but the fact that they allowed aircraft to be in the vicinity would indicate it was harmless but if someone in the know here can explain how it was done, it would be interesting.

[Pugilistic Animus]

Originally Posted by ATC Watcher

I was also stunned by the finale "explosion" the heat wave before the sound , looked like a napalm bomb , but the fact that they allowed aircraft to be in the vicinity would indicate it was harmless but if someone in the know here can explain how it was done, it would be interesting.

There are instructions on the web how to make Lampare Shells. The only person who holds an EX number on them is Al Knoblach of Little Big Shots in PA so he's the only one who can sell them. he will sell them to anyone with the proper license, as they are a 1.1G item

[ATC Watcher]

Thanks , i can understand Lampare shells, they are there to start most fireworks shows , but they are normally small and very , very loud. but this final one in OSH was different , it was huge in size, exploded on the ground, then raised . Remark the heat generated and relative low sound.
Look here from 03:30 :

You Tube

[Pugilistic Animus]

That may be a "cremora bomb" made by packing a mortar with coffee creamer and black powder...hence the name cremora. Generally, the opening to a fireworks show ( by many companies) is done with what are known as salutes which are simply shells filled with flash powder. Al Knoblach is also famous for those but he also makes round shells, which is what I focused on in my time with in fireworks....my shells took me an average of 6 months to complete but I had some quite complex layering and color changing fireworks...I really love fireworks.
PS it may also be propane effects which I have very little knowledge about...but I'm still going with a cremora bomb

[Pugilistic Animus]

I remember hearing or reading about the Oshkosh fly-in that OSH becomes the busiest airport in the world!

[JEM60]

What you have heard is quite correct!!