Well folks, it’s officially the happiest time of the year! And if you think I’m crazy for bringing up Christmas at the beginning of summer, don’t worry—I’m not completely off my rocker.
Because for pilots, EAA AirVenture Oshkosh might as well be the Christmas season.
If you’re still a little lost, allow me to explain.
EAA AirVenture Oshkosh (July 20-26) is essentially a weeklong pilgrimage to Mecca for aviation enthusiasts from every corner of the globe. Except instead of incense and robes, there’s the smell of 100LL in the air, cheese curds in hand, and warbirds rattling your chest each and every morning.
Every corner of the airport and campgrounds transforms into a family reunion where friendships are forged and renewed over bratwursts, oil stains, and late-night story swapping. It’s equal parts airshow, family reunion, trade show, and spiritual reset for people who believe airplanes are far more than just machines.
So whether you’re a brand-new student pilot hearing about Oshkosh for the first time or a seasoned aviator finally thinking about pulling the trigger and attending, you’ve come to the right place.
Choosing your arrival into Oshkosh
For a little background, I attended my first AirVenture in 2015 and have returned every year since—minus the COVID cancellation in 2020. Over the years, I’ve made the pilgrimage just about every way imaginable. I’ve flown into the show in everything from an Aeronca Champ to a Grumman HU-16 Albatross, driven in from as far away as Montana and Georgia, flown commercially into Milwaukee and Appleton and rented a car, and probably tried every method just short of hitchhiking.
Needless to say, there are a million ways to tackle AirVenture.
First-time arrival options
If it’s your first time attending, I’d strongly recommend either driving, flying your airplane into a nearby airport such as KATW or KFLD, or taking the airlines in. If you do decide to fly into a nearby airport, make sure to pay close attention to AirVenture-specific parking procedures, rules, and fees. Flying yourself directly into KOSH without ever having experienced the show before can be incredibly intimidating. It helps tremendously to first get a mental picture of how everything works, watch other pilots operate in the environment, and learn a few key rules of the road before diving headfirst into the madness.
Flying directly to Oshkosh
That said, I also know plenty of people who flew into Oshkosh on their very first visit and now refuse to do it any other way. If that’s the route you’re taking, please read the NOTAM—which was published last week—in great detail, preferably with someone who has flown the arrival before. Download it to ForeFlight’s Documents tab so it’s easy to review before departure and reference throughout your trip.
Watch videos of pilots flying the Fisk arrival, pack your patience, keep your head on a swivel, and make sure you have at least an hour of fuel reserve before even beginning the arrival. It’s not uncommon to end up holding for weather, mass arrivals, or while ground crews clear an airplane off the runway after a ground loop or other incident.
I’ll also be writing a much more detailed guide to flying the Fisk arrival using ForeFlight in the coming weeks, so stay tuned. Until then, go ahead and make sure your subscription is current and your charts are downloaded and updated.
Flying into nearby airports
If you decide to take my advice, flying into Appleton or Fond du Lac—either on the airlines or in your own airplane—is probably the next most convenient option. Bus schedules from KATW to KOSH can be found here, and shuttle schedules from KFLD to KOSH can be found here.
Lodging and Transportation
That brings me to my next topic: rental cars and lodging.
Staying in hotels or rentals
If you’re reading this for the first time and have decided to commit, you need to stop what you’re doing and book your hotel, Airbnb, Turo, or standard rental car now. I hate to say it, but the most convenient lodging options—especially those within 10 to 15 minutes of the field—are already long gone and are typically reserved year after year by the same groups of attendees.
For instance, there’s a Hilton just outside the airport gates, and those rooms are often claimed on the final day of the show for the following year by the same loyal crowd. It’s a great place to grab a drink at the bar, but don’t count on finding an available room.
At this point, your best bet for traditional lodging will likely be in towns such as Appleton, Neenah, Fond du Lac, or Omro. At this point, take what you can get when it comes to lodging and transportation.
Camping at Oshkosh
Another lodging option—and my personal favorite—is staying on-site at one of the campgrounds. I’ve tent camped and enjoyed the luxury of staying in campers with full hookups, and I absolutely love the convenience and camaraderie this option provides. There’s always something happening, always someone new to meet, and you simply can’t beat the proximity to the action. With on-site laundromats, stores, and decent shower houses, staying on the grounds just feels like part of the full Oshkosh experience.
For more information on camping at Camp Scholler, please visit this link.
No matter how you choose to make the pilgrimage, Oshkosh is one of those experiences every pilot should have at least once. And whether you arrive by J-3 Cub, airliner, RV, rental car, or bicycle, all that matters is that you made it there.
And if you’re planning on flying directly into the show, keep an eye out for my next blog posts, where I’ll break down the Fisk arrival in much greater detail—including tips for navigating the arrival with ForeFlight and making your first Oshkosh arrival a little less intimidating. Stay tuned.
