Airventure doesn't get it.

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Mon Jun 23, 2008 8:44 pm

EDowning wrote:

Zach wrote:

Quote:

This isn't about wristbands and I don't think it ever truly was. If it was, Eric would accept my offer of giving him my own personal wristbands for his extra passengers and that would be that. I am an EAA employee offering Eric the extra passes he needs. In essence, I am representing EAA and trying to rectify the stated problem in the very first post of this thread. Now it has degenerated into a bash/defend EAA thread and as Eric has said himself, enough is enough...

Zach,

I really did appreciate your offer of the wristband (BTW, what I had asked for was 1 additional wristband for my crew chief, not 4 more, as several posted), I didn't think seriously about taking you up on your offer because I didn't realize you were an EAA employee, I just thought you were some kind-hearted soul (which you probably are) who was offering to buy me something I can clearly afford. You are right about one thing, this is not about money, if you can assure me that they will only go to disadvantaged children (and not T6 owners who act like children), I will buy 10 wristbands per day for the whole deal. PM me if you want to arrange this. You can distribute them as you see fit. We need more kids interested in warbirds, always.

I never really thought about bringing the T6 (also 2 wristbands) because there are usually tons of them there, and I doubt that anyone really cares about bringing another one.

Mustangdriver:
Whether your car is a clone or not really doesn't interest me. This is the wrong forum to discuss automobiles. You could however sell it and buy a warbird with the proceeds, L-4's (2 wristbands) are awesome, but if you want the most bang for your "General Lee" buck, I would suggest the Cessna UC-78 "Bobcat" it sips gas and it's worth 4 wristbands. I must also highly advise against the EA-1E Skyraider, total gas hog and only worth the same 2 wristbands as the L-4.

Thanks Eric, I wasn't trying to discuss my car just show how events can be similar. I hope you have fun at Sturgis with your motorcycle. YOu know the one that is O.K. to talk about and post pictures of on a warbird thread.

Dan K · **Posted:** Mon Jun 23, 2008 8:47 pm

T33driver wrote:

Ok now I feel inspired to chime in on this thread...110% for vintage Daisy 'cept she should arrive in a T-33.

You're nuts! Catherine Bach is a round motor fan...she told me so in a dream.

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Mon Jun 23, 2008 8:58 pm

I'd hate to tell you what she told me in a dream. She is actually a very nice person. I had the chance to meet her once. :lol:

garbs · **Posted:** Mon Jul 21, 2008 4:23 pm

Pretty amazing thread so far! With your permission I'll toss in my 2 cents, since in 5 days I'll be one of the guys in the Registration shack explaining why I have to follow the rules and can only give you 2 passes per engine and one pilot pack. I first came to OSH in 1974 and haven't missed a year since. This will be my 12th year in registration.

It's really too bad that this unfortunate situation has caused warbird owners to skip a great event. I don't fly, but I built all the models as a kid and I love seeing (and hearing) the old planes. That's why I volunteer - if I can make it just a little less of a pain to check in then maybe you'll come back next year. If your first impression when you get there is that it's a big rip-off, then we'll never see you back.

There are just a few things I know: (Opinions will be marked as such)

Maybe no one else hears it, but Rick Sigfried (and Mike before him), Bill Fischer, Bill Harrison, et. al., would LOVE to give out as many passes as anyone wants. I don't believe that WOA breaks even on this event, however, and they DO have to buy the passes from EAA. I guess the line was drawn at 2/engine some time ago. Yes, this policy might make it sound like we think it costs the same to bring a Spad as it does for an L-4. We get it.

Guys like Mark Clark get no special favors. I'm usually the one who gets to enter his 13 aircraft into the computer - takes a while since THEY'RE NEVER THE SAME 13 AS LAST YEAR...ahem, sorry.

The earlier post explaining that the planes need to be at our end of the field is also correct. Warbirds parked on the West Ramp get entered in to the data base but they get all of their credentials from the authorities down there. My guess is that the directors who made the policy felt it was only fair - if WOA is giving something "free" because you brought a plane, the plane should be displayed with the rest of them.

While I am sure that volunteers who work multiple hours in the other divisions get rewarded with free passes, I am *almost* certain that no one else gets anything but a prop card and a "Judge me please" sticker for bringing a plane. You do not have to pay to park a Warbird in the WB area at OSH.

We hear a lot of very interesting stories from people trying to work the angles every year. From "but I brought my plane last year" to "it will be here in 4 days" to "my boss (the owner) will kick my a$$ if I don't bring him one of those pilot packs". Hopefully we can let them all down easy. Remember the greeter's motto - "Don't yell at me, I'm a volunteer"!

Speaking of greeters, the process of "tagging" your planes with wire ties was born out of necessity. You'd be amazed how many times each year someone comes to the window and declares they just landed a T-6 (for example), and, no, they didn't see a greeter so they don't have a paper "chit". We round up a greeter in a Jeep or a golf cart and off they go - a few minutes later the greeter comes back and says that the guy had a sudden urge when they went past a row of porta-potties, never to be seen again.

Hopefully I haven't stepped on any toes, and I can only hope those who have had bad experiences in the past will give us another chance. If I may, I'll close with the following suggestions:

There's still time to pre-register. It does help since all of your contact info is already in the system when you arrive and we won't have to look you up if you leave your WOA card in the aircraft. No penalty for pre-registering and then not showing up (or bringing a different plane). Especially if you are going to be in one of the mass arrivals.

If you will only be there for 2 days, please take the 2 daily passes. Saves WOA some cash over a week-long wrist band.

Give us a cell phone number. The odds are low that there will be a problem with the plane - what you might miss is the opportunity to meet an actual veteran who has logged hours in your aircraft. Several times a year someone comes to the window with this story - a lot of those people walking the rows of T-34's are looking for a specific tail number that's in their logbook. We NEVER give your phone number out but we will call you to see if you are interested in a meeting. "No" is a perfectly acceptable answer.

Good weather and safe flying to all - hope to see you next week.

Chris Garber
EAA 98250
WOA 10652

Eric Friedebach · **Posted:** Mon Jul 21, 2008 5:39 pm

Chris, thanks for the input.

Like I’ve said many times before, volunteering at one of these events is hard work and in many cases a thankless task. I’ve been involved in running airshows in the past, and it is WORK!

They weren’t as large as OSH, obviously, but hey, we did have Art Scholl.

Bill Greenwood · **Posted:** Mon Jul 21, 2008 5:42 pm

I expect to arrive in my gen aviation plane so will have to buy wristbands. However, I intend to eat enough deviled eggs and brownies at Zachs to make up for any cost and come out even.

Zachary · **Posted:** Mon Jul 21, 2008 5:56 pm

Bill Greenwood wrote:

I expect to arrive in my gen aviation plane so will have to buy wristbands. However, I intend to eat enough deviled eggs and brownies at Zachs to make up for any cost and come out even.

MMMMmmmmmm!!!! Deviled eggs..... :twisted:

Zack

richkolasa · **Posted:** Mon Jul 21, 2008 6:55 pm

rwdfresno wrote:

I tell you one thing this isn't a great year for airshow organizers. The cost of fuel has not only decreased the profit margins for an event but it has reduced the amount of people willing to go to an event. .

With all due respect, I believe that you are mistaken. I think that airshows are seeing increased attendence this year due to so many people cancelling "family vacations". I think there was just an announcement on Airshowbuzz.com about this recently.

Still, it stinks how energy costs have been manipulated since February by speculators.

Rich

spookythecat · **Posted:** Mon Jul 21, 2008 7:06 pm

richkolasa wrote:

rwdfresno wrote:

I tell you one thing this isn't a great year for airshow organizers. The cost of fuel has not only decreased the profit margins for an event but it has reduced the amount of people willing to go to an event. .

With all due respect, I believe that you are mistaken. I think that airshows are seeing increased attendence this year due to so many people cancelling "family vacations". I think there was just an announcement on Airshowbuzz.com about this recently.

Still, it stinks how energy costs have been manipulated since February by speculators.

Rich

I believe I heard attendance at McChord this weekend was over 150,000.

EDIT: Reports for the two day attendance exceeds 377,000! WOW!

http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/militar ... ws_377_000

richkolasa · **Posted:** Mon Jul 21, 2008 7:36 pm

McChord shouldn't count, that was probably just the only day this year that it didn't rain out there, so people had to go somewhere!

Just kidding, don't get upset, I admire how you northwesterners deal with the rain.

Rich

Flyin Illini · **Joined:** Tue May 13, 2008 2:38 pm **Posts:** 148

I thought id throw my input here. i went to oshkosh from 1999-2001. At that age i was overwhelmed, but growing up and seeing how it is now, its nothing impressive from a warbirds standard, sure you get most of the exetremely rare especially this year with the camarillo Zero. But its how they treat the warbird owners. What different from Eric's skyraider to a 10 person crew of a B-17? No offense to the crews of them, but they pile people in there too. Id rather spend my money on true warbird shows that treat their participants right. TOM, Geneseo, POF, Indy. all great warbird shows! To take mustangdrivers advice...DONT GO...100% agree with you on not going!

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Mon Jul 21, 2008 8:29 pm

Unless you love all aspects of flying and aviation, you won't get Oshkosh. It's not a warbirds only airshow.

Flyin Illini · **Joined:** Tue May 13, 2008 2:38 pm **Posts:** 148

I know it isnt, why i said from a warbird *standard*

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Mon Jul 21, 2008 8:46 pm

I am in agreement with you.

JimH · **Posted:** Mon Jul 21, 2008 11:48 pm

we into OSH (Tondelayo) in 2006 and the first two things they asked us is "why are you here?" and "when are you leaving?"...

jimh

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