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Anyone dissapointed with Oshgosh?
I'm building a wood and fabric plane and would have loved to talk to
others about their planes but there were none to be found. I looked for manufacturers of wooden kits but only Fisher had the gonads to show their product. If the wood kits are as good as we are led to believe, why don?t they show us what they have to offer? I was told by my EAA adviser, that all I would have to do is finish the plane and show up and I would win every award given to the wooden builder. Now I know why. Very Disappointed Lou |
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#3
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"Ron Wanttaja" wrote in message ... On 14 Aug 2003 17:48:02 -0700, (Lou Parker) wrote: I'm building a wood and fabric plane and would have loved to talk to others about their planes but there were none to be found. I looked for manufacturers of wooden kits but only Fisher had the gonads to show their product. If the wood kits are as good as we are led to believe, why don?t they show us what they have to offer? Cost, most likely. We had a recent post that a small booth in the swap-meet area was about $1500, and a small display booth inside the hangars was over $2000. I don't know how much an outdoor display spot is, but suspect it's over two grand, as well. Add in the expense of transporting your wares and people, finding housing for your employees, etc. I have been going to OSH for the last 5 years, but I get the distinct impression that the EAA is screwing just about everyone it can screw. For instance, airplane camping and admission for the whole week runs into the hundreds of dollars. What do you get for it? Overcrowded shower facilities that are usually filthy and poor bus service from the North 40. That's all. And then they have the collection box for more money when you get on the bus... Food prices are way out of line too. At least gas was $1.99/gallon this year - amazing what a little competition will do. So where does all this money go? Or am I being unrealistic. Either way, please tell me - I sure would like to know. Or is the EAA just another greedy commercial enterprise? -- Jim |
#4
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On Fri, 15 Aug 2003 01:19:01 GMT, "Jim Vadek"
wrote: I have been going to OSH for the last 5 years, but I get the distinct impression that the EAA is screwing just about everyone it can screw. For instance, airplane camping and admission for the whole week runs into the hundreds of dollars. What do you get for it? Overcrowded shower facilities that are usually filthy and poor bus service from the North 40. That's all. And then they have the collection box for more money when you get on the bus... Food prices are way out of line too. At least gas was $1.99/gallon this year - amazing what a little competition will do. So where does all this money go? Or am I being unrealistic. Either way, please tell me - I sure would like to know. Or is the EAA just another greedy commercial enterprise? I think it's just a reflection of higher costs, especially in fuel, insurance, and security. It's not just Oshkosh, we've seen the same complaints here about SnF and Arlington, and the situation is the same for the large non-aviation events as well. The bathrooms smell bad at Safeco Field, too.... Ron Wanttaja |
#5
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I'm building a wood and fabric plane and would have loved to talk to
others about their planes but there were none to be found. Well... the Grand Champion plans built airplane this year was a (wood) GP-4 built by Bernie Griffin. In the ultralight area, they were working on the wood wings of something or other, and there were a number of all wood planes there. There was a workshop devoted to woodworking, I believe. I saw at least two Falcos, one of them Reserve Grand Champion from two or three years ago, and there were lots of planes that had wood wings to go with their steel tube fuselages in the aerobatics area. Not to mention the antiques that had wood wings. Ed Wischmeyer |
#6
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It's just a sad truth that Oshkosh isn't affordable for the purveyors of
the small plans-built aircraft that got EAA started. The Broadhead Pietenpol Fly-In usually happens a week earlier than Oshkosh, and it's located in Wisconsin just like Oshkosh is This sounds more like what I want from a homebuilder flyin. Maybe if they don't mind some "outsiders" this little get together could be promoted to others building planes from plans or very basic kits. I don't see anything wrong with some Piets and Tailwinds in the same gathering and maybe the Piet owners wouldn't mind a little diversity. I have no need of, or desire to put up with, all of the non aviatiion comercial BS that has infested Oshkosh and don't plan to return until the ballance shifts back to the HOMEBUILDER. This year was my best Oshkosh experience in a long time. I stayed at home, took the time and money I would normally have spent in Wisconsin, and worked on my plane. Got a LOT done. All my brother got was rained on...... |
#7
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In article , Ed Wischmeyer
writes: I have been going to OSH for the last 5 years, but I get the distinct impression that the EAA is screwing just about everyone it can screw. For instance, airplane camping and admission for the whole week runs into the hundreds of dollars. What do you get for it? So where does all this money go? Or am I being unrealistic. Either way, please tell me - I sure would like to know. Or is the EAA just another greedy commercial enterprise? First, EAA is a 501(c)3 corporation, i.e., charitable, tax exempt. Where did your money go? Some of it goes to keep the dues down and to run an organization that can, on the same day, attract and impress the Secretary of Transportation, the Administrator of the FAA, and the Chair of the NTSB, not to mention a couple of senators and representatives -- and to help protect your freedoms to fly by working with the regulators, not just the Congress. Then there's the free airshow, free workshops (which include free material to practice on), the free forums, the free portapotties, the free onsite health care, free delivery from town of prescription medicines, and the most comprehensive set of exhibitors to visit with, plus the work during the rest of the year to get Sport Pilot through so lots more people can fly, the work on making aviation gasoline available after tetraethyl lead goes away because of economic issues. Bear in mind that the facility only does two events per year (it's rented out to Ducks Unlimited for their annual shebang), so there are expenses that cannot be amortized year around. Other folks have compared prices to "comparable" events with results favorable to the EAA. Best advice? Get plugged in, get a volunteer job. It's lots more fun that way. Ed Wischmeyer, volunteer for 9 years Well Said Ed. Bob Reed www.kisbuild.r-a-reed-assoc.com (KIS Builders Site) KIS Cruiser in progress...Slow but steady progress.... "Ladies and Gentlemen, take my advice, pull down your pants and Slide on the Ice!" (M.A.S.H. Sidney Freedman) |
#8
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Food prices are way out of line too.
Ha ha! I just went to a state fair that smelled worse than OSH and a funnel cake's five dollars, onion rings $4. Bitching about Fair Food is like grousing about these young kids and their rock music. Just marks ya as an old crank. Pack a sandwich. |
#9
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Huh? I didn't see a single money box on any of the busses I took this
year...The shower facilities were just as crowded 28 years ago when I started going to Oshkosh. I know it sounds expensive, but have you ever gone to Disney for a whole week? I can almost guarantee Disney for a week would be more expensive. Scott http://corbenflyer.tripod.com http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ParasolAirplanes Building RV-4 Gotta Fly or Gonna Die! Jim Vadek wrote: "Ron Wanttaja" wrote in message ... On 14 Aug 2003 17:48:02 -0700, (Lou Parker) wrote: I'm building a wood and fabric plane and would have loved to talk to others about their planes but there were none to be found. I looked for manufacturers of wooden kits but only Fisher had the gonads to show their product. If the wood kits are as good as we are led to believe, why don?t they show us what they have to offer? Cost, most likely. We had a recent post that a small booth in the swap-meet area was about $1500, and a small display booth inside the hangars was over $2000. I don't know how much an outdoor display spot is, but suspect it's over two grand, as well. Add in the expense of transporting your wares and people, finding housing for your employees, etc. I have been going to OSH for the last 5 years, but I get the distinct impression that the EAA is screwing just about everyone it can screw. For instance, airplane camping and admission for the whole week runs into the hundreds of dollars. What do you get for it? Overcrowded shower facilities that are usually filthy and poor bus service from the North 40. That's all. And then they have the collection box for more money when you get on the bus... Food prices are way out of line too. At least gas was $1.99/gallon this year - amazing what a little competition will do. So where does all this money go? Or am I being unrealistic. Either way, please tell me - I sure would like to know. Or is the EAA just another greedy commercial enterprise? -- Jim -- Scott http://corbenflyer.tripod.com http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ParasolAirplanes Building RV-4 Gotta Fly or Gonna Die! |
#10
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"Ron Natalie" wrote in message ... "Ed Wischmeyer" wrote in message ... I'm building a wood and fabric plane and would have loved to talk to others about their planes but there were none to be found. Well... the Grand Champion plans built airplane this year was a (wood) GP-4 built by Bernie Griffin. Was that the red one that was on the Sport Aviation cover? Had a brief chat with him. I don't understand why the original poster could find any. All you have to do is cruise the airplane parking area (hint, don't forget to look in the showplane camping area) until you come up on an owner. They're usually glad to talk to you. I remember spending an entire afternoon talking to Jakie Yoder about his GP-4. ********************************************* Yes, I agree that their were wood airplanes to see, but I also see one part of his complaint. I have (in past years) wanted very much to talk to the owners of a specific few aircraft, but no matter when I went by their planes, they were never there. I would suggest that on the cards that everyone hangs on their props, there be a space that would say something like "times to talk to the owner", and ask that everyone put at least one time per day that they would be willing to be at their plane, to answer questions. I know not everyone would go for it, but it would be nice for those that would. -- Jim in NC-- |
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