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Osh Kosh, B’Gosh, A Pilot’s Dream

By Max Grogan

Columnist

 

 

Back in the fifties, when I was the runty snot-nosed kid of a Georgia, red dirt, cotton farmer, I would read the Osh Kosh B’Gosh logo on the label of the bibbed overalls of some of the men doing construction work for my father on our farm.  They were black and white pin-striped and apparently preferred by construction workers of those days.  The Osh Kosh brand apparently announced “I am not a farmer.”, as I never saw a man plowing a mule or driving a tractor while wearing the Osh Kosh overalls.  My father wore the Big Mac brand.  They must have been cheaper, as it seemed all the hollow-eyed poor folks, cotton farmers and drunks around our deep south community wore that brand.  Big Mac’s were dark blue denim with big patch pockets on the back, and a place reserved for my father’s big, gold, Hamilton Railroad Watch up on the bib.

 

ed, Max included a lot of pictures of his OSH experience, too many to include here.  Picking the best photos to include in this article was difficult.  So I decided to direct you to Max’s Picasa web site to view all.  Captions are included, making it easy to follow along with his story.

      Click Me or http://picasaweb.google.com/kdkxbo/OshKoshAirVenture2007

 

It was only years later, as I began to acquire what maybe would pass for an education,  that I learned Osh Kosh was actually a town in the Midwest.  Then, a few years later, I became a pilot.  I discovered Osh Kosh was more than a small city, it was also a pilot’s summer heaven.  A place of reverence for those involved with aviation.  Those who did not go had dreams of someday making the trip.  I found there were many pilots who felt they must make an annual purification pilgrimage to their shrine in Wisconsin, like Hindus to the Ganges River.

 

As time went on I acquired more knowledge about the largest aviation expo in the world, held at Osh Kosh, and wondered what it was all about.  The more I learned the more curiosity I had about the event.  Eventually I decided I must see for myself what caused all the excitement for the aviators I knew who went north every year. 

 

Over thirty years went by without an excuse or opportunity for me to participate in the pilot’s biggest dream fly-in.  Until this year.

 

A couple of weeks before the 2007 AirVenture event, the official name for the Osh Kosh bash, I received a call from my friend Paul Mandel, a Baron owner at my home base.  He called to say there would be room for me in Osh Kosh, at his rented house, if I wanted to go.  I told him I could not commit and not to hold the spot for me.  He explained the spot would not be used unless I came.  He said the bed would be empty if I did not come and mine if I did.  Hmm.  No pressure.  No early commitment.  I just might go.

 

So, on a Saturday in late July, two days before official opening day of the event I decided to head north for my aviation equivalent to a “Ganges Purification”.  I quickly put together a list of stuff I would need to take.  I knew I would be parking in the grass, and tie-downs would be required.  I went to Home Depot and bought hardware I knew would more than suffice to keep my plane in place.  At least my tie-downs  would hold my plane until a high wind thunderstorm rained up-rooted high-winged Cessnas down on my plane.  I then packed a small tool kit, clothing, a hand-held aviation two-way radio, and drinks for my journey.  I also included bug dope and a wide brimmed hat and of course my full camera kit.  Oh yeah, I would need a portable chair for the afternoon air shows.  The chair was in my hangar.  So with all my stuff packed I made a trip to the airport and fueled my plane to the brim.  I loaded all my stuff inside and pre-flighted my plane.

 

Back home I went on-line and brought up the AOPA/Jeppesen flight planner.  The planned flight showed Wittman Field, the Osh Kosh airport, was 527 nautical miles (607 statute miles) to the northwest of my Knoxville, TN, home base, KDKX.  A direct route would take me east of Chicago and would barely miss the Class B airspace of the O’Hare airport known by pilots as KORD.  The estimated no-wind time would be 3 hours 27 minutes in my fast V35B Beechcraft Bonanza.  A quick check of weather sites promised cloud free weather and benign winds aloft.

 

I rose early on Monday, July 23rd, made coffee, filled a thermos, bagged a quick breakfast to go and headed out the door.  I was ready for adventure.  I reached the airport about 0545 and double checked everything from the day before and pulled my plane from my hangar.  Just before six o’clock I lifted off from the airport.  The engine was purring smoothly and I found myself smiling in anticipation of the excitement of new discoveries ahead.

 

At 8,500 feet the plane was leveled for cruise flight.  The mixture was adjusted for the lean of peak settings I knew would result in about 162 knots true airspeed.  ‘Though the plane will cruise much faster, this setting is used to maximize miles per gallon and saving of wear on my engine.  The three GPS’s were set for KOSH direct.  Once on course the auto-pilot, and its altitude hold, was engaged and it was time to relax and enjoy the scenery.  I poured the wonderful smelling gourmet coffee into a big mug and opened my breakfast bag.  Life was good.  Soon while watching below I saw the Tennessee mountains, then rolling Kentucky horse country, slowly give way to flat, tree-less Indiana corn fields.  Then, in the distance, Lake Michigan came into view and the Chicago skyline slowly appeared in the early morning haze.  For fun I decided to get a closer look and maybe a couple of photos of the big metropolis.  Climbing up to 10,500 feet altitude would clear the Class B airspace and allow flight over the Windy City.  I was soon overhead and looking down on the former Meigs Field Airport, the small-looking Sears Tower, and other tiny skyscrapers.  A few mediocre pictures were made and the plane was turned towards Ripon.

 

Ripon is a small town southwest of Osh Kosh.  All VFR planes must follow a mandated procedure for their arrival into the Osh Kosh airport.  VFR arrivals for Wittman Field must fly over the town of Ripon and then up a railroad track at either 1800 feet and 90 knots or 2300 feet and 130 knots.  I decided to mix with the dozen or so slower planes and lowered my landing gear and settled at 1800 feet.  While flying this mandated route, a pilot must listen for instructions and acknowledge them by rocking his airplane’s wings.  The guy on the radio said:  “V-tail Bonanza, you are cleared for the Runway 27 approach.  Rock your wings if you understand.”.  I rocked the wings.  The controller down below said:   “Great job Bonanza, keep your speed up and enjoy the show.”.

 

I flew the rest of the prescribed route and entered the downwind approach to the runway.  As I neared the approach end of the runway a controller said “V-tail Bonanza, turn base now.”.  I turned base and pulled off the power.  He then said “Bonanza, land on the orange dot and turn off the runway as soon as possible.”.  I looked and, sure enough, there was a huge solid orange circle down the runway a bit.  I concentrated hard and touched my wheels down in the very middle of the “dot”.  Before I could congratulate myself another controller urged me to exit the runway at the first available turn-off.  I did.  I had arrived amidst a flurry of planes, large and small, landing on three different runways.  It was exciting and unlike anything I had experienced.  Finding parking was the next order of business.

 

My friend had e-mailed me a copy of a Beechraft parking sign to display in my window.  This I put in view at the left front.  Then the confusion and fun began.  I taxied towards a young fellow waving orange batons, and pointed to my sign.  He obviously did not understand where the Beech parking was located.  He came in behind my propeller and put his ear to my small window.  I yelled I was to park in the Beechcraft VIP parking area.  He called on his radio, got an answer, and waved me to the west.  Soon I went through the same thing with another parking assistant.  He patiently explained there was an error and I must turn around, proceed east, then down the south taxiway.  I knew there were problems ahead for me as I was supposed to be on the north edge of the field in the northern  parking section near what is called The North Forty.  However, I complied and proceeded as instructed. 

 

As I neared mid-field I could not help but notice a huge, four-engined, C54 transport plane taxiing towards me.  I slowed and looked for assistance.  It soon appeared.  A parking assistant advised I was a conflict for the big plane and I would be diverted until all was sorted out.  He instructed me to turn up the west taxiway and to shut down my engine at the yellow line.  He said a tug would meet me.

 

As I taxied to the west I realized I was approaching AeroShell Square.  This is the very center of the field on the west side.  This area is reserved for the most important planes on display for the week or any given day.  There might be the latest military fighter plane or space ship for example.  The tug arrived and pulled me into the center of the display.  I got out and spoke with the tug driver.  He said it would be 45 minutes or so to get the C54 parked and he would be ready to take me out when the big transport was pulled in.  During this time I wandered around the immediate area and tried to take in the scene.  There were airplanes of every size and vintage within view.

 

This is the world’s largest aviation event.  Attendance is approximately 650,000 for seven days and approximately 10,000 planes fly into Wittman Field.  The sight is indescribable and one simply must attend to understand the scope of the event.  It is overwhelming to the aviation senses to see so many planes flying in and out and such a large number on display.

 

I assessed my situation: Here I was for the first time and, although by accident, I was parked in AeroShell Square!  My plane was parked among the Very Important Planes (VIP’s?).  As I wandered around I took photos in every direction and made sure I included my plane in several of the shots for “bragging rights”. 

 

Soon the big transport was towed into the square and I was towed out and cleared to go.  I made sure the parking assistants would send me back north as I wanted to park close to the FBO’s which are along the northern edge of the field.  Up there, finally, I found a nice area next to a Baron and pulled into place.  I unloaded my baggage and began to install my new homemade tie-downs.  As I was tying the plane in place a Cessna Skyhawk caught my eye in the row of planes behind me.  There was my hangar neighbor’s Cessna, N129S.  Don Miller is a friend at KDKX and wound up parked 50 feet from me.  What a coincidence.  

 

As instructed by Paul, I called after getting settled into parking with everything secured.  He said he would drive right to the plane and pick me up.  I wondered how he could do that as transportation on the airport during the event is restricted to official vehicles.  Soon he arrived in a rented, small, SUV.  Displayed on the inside left front of the windshield was an official bright orange EAA card making it an “official vehicle”.  Vehicles with that card allow a driver unlimited access to the entire airport.  I was impressed.  I was to find out Don, the person partnering in Paul’s house, has a long history of official business with EAA and he procured the card.  Wow!  How nice to not have to ride shuttles and busses and be able to park at EAA headquarters adjacent to the Square.

 

Paul and I drove to the parking area mentioned above and I began my exploration of the displays.  Every manufacturer of anything to do with aviation has a display area outside or a booth in one of the four major buildings.  Hundreds of vendors hawk their wares.  Every general aviation aircraft manufacturer has almost every product they make on display.  Some of them have very large and fancy display tents.  The array of new planes, avionics and all things aviation is mind-boggling and we were able to see only a small part of it before the air show began at 2:00 PM. 

 

For the air show on Monday Paul drove the SUV to the center of activity next to the announcers stand.  We pulled out our chairs and set up to watch the show.  By this time I had met each of the people who were Paul’s guests in the rented house. We lined our chairs up together and watched the show.

 

The show was awesome.  It was Beechcraft’s 75th Anniversary, and the 60th Anniversary of the Bonanza.  Beech was given a place of honor and opened the show.  There were two small flights of Bonanzas which flew over several times in different formations, one group had ten and one had eight Bonanzas.  I enjoyed that.  Afterwards there was an array of planes of every type, and some flights had over a dozen warbirds in formation.  Several aerobatic acts followed.  It was by far the best air show I had ever experienced.

 

After the show we went to the house which was only three miles or so to the north of the airport.  It was a very nice two story house whose owners rent it each year for the period during the show.  This gets them out of town during the high traffic time and they make a good sized chunk of cash in doing so.  I found my bedroom and stowed my gear.  I then cleaned up to go out for dinner with the other five people staying in the house.  Don, who bases his Baron in Kansas City, promised the best prime rib was not to be found in the steak capital but in Osh Kosh.  He was correct.  It was the best I’ve ever had.  The restaurant owner had a table waiting for us, even though they don’t accept reservations.  I continued to be amazed that I was benefitting so much from the connections of my hosts.

 

On day two my five house mates and I started with a nice breakfast at a Perkin’s Restaurant.  From there we rode into the airport, visited a short while with some EAA officials, and then dispersed.  We each went our separate ways to visit airplane displays and vendor booths.  I wanted to spend hours, not minutes, at some of the booths and displays, but there was not enough time.  In the afternoon we watched another of the daily air shows which was just as enjoyable as the first, featuring several new performers.


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I took some time before the show to catch a shuttle bus up to the North Forty camping area.  That is