Gentlemen,

 

This just in from Jeannie Schneider, the homebuilt parking area manager at AirVenture:

 

The homebuilt parking area on the west side of the long north/south taxiway will be reduced this year because of the set-back requirements for the Thunderbird airshow. Jeannie advises that her team will designate and try to hold an area off taxiway P1 for Lancairs. This is just to the north and west of the area we’ve traditionally used. (For those who have been there before, the east end of taxiway P1 is where Lancair and other companies staged demo flights in past years. No guarantee of a parking place in our “designated area,” depending on when you arrive, but they will do their best. See advice below if they are sending you elsewhere after arrival…

 

There is a large paved pad at the west end of taxiway P1. It doesn’t have room for all of the Lancairs after she parks the EVOs and other larger aircraft that need to park on a hard surface. I suggest we ask Jeannie to put the EVOs on the pavement and the rest of us off the pavement in the immediate vicinity. Your feedback on this area appreciated ASAP. I also suggest you shut down on the hard surface, or immediately after pulling in the grass if required, and let us push you where you need to go. Not only does it take a lot of power to taxi in the grass--more if in the mud!!--but the chance of a prop strike is just not worth it.

 

Jeannie suggests that you make a sign that says “HBP LANCAIRS” instead of the standard “HBP,” for display after clearing the runway. Also, signs made with a pencil on brown cardboard just don’t cut it…make the lettering as large as possible, black letters on white paper… Another suggestion from yours truly--if you’re not being directed to where you want to go, follow the flagmen/flagwomen anyway--to wherever they want to take you. Shut down and then advise Jeannie’s crew where you really want to go. They will get you there! Verbally negotiating a taxi route from the cockpit of a running Lancair works about as well as the hand-lettered cardboard signs…just saying…

 

Some other points: read the AirVenture Oshkosh NOTAM, and bring a copy along in the airplane if you’re planning to fly in. A good, qualified observer is really handy to have, especially if you encounter one of those aviators who decides at the last minute to fly over and check out the activity at Whitman Field, but didn’t bother to read the NOTAM--“what NOTAM…” According to the controllers, they get 2-3 of these PER DAY during AirVenture. These fellows tend to scatter the otherwise orderly arrival flow all over Wisconsin in a dis-orderly fashion. Also consider using the “Warbird Arrival” and keep the speed up. Be prepared/plan to be diverted or put in holding…for an extended period if there is an accident.

 

And to repeat, do your best to comply with the air and ground controllers’ instructions. It’s easy to fly over from Appleton after the dust settles-literally, or to taxi to the desired parking area…unless you land at the seaplane base.

 

Judy and I look forward to seeing you there! If you’ll send me your name(s), tail number and arrival date, I’ll post a consolidated list to the LML and pass it to Jeannie.  She’s promised to take care of all Lancairs who let her know they are coming-especially those who bring tribute!  J

 

Bob Pastusek

N437RP, a Lancair IV-P