#OSH19

Once again, the Experimental Aircraft Association in July pulled off another great AirVenture fly-in at its home in Oshkosh, Wis. This years event had a little of everything, including torrential rain the Friday evening before Mondays opening day, nighttime air shows and lots of airplanes of every shape, size and purpose. Perhaps because the pre-show rain knocked everyone off-kilter-followed by mid-week heat-the overall event seemed to need more cowbell, but it definitely was worthwhile checking out all the new stuff and checking in with long-time friends.

Editorial Staff

Friday, August 30, 2019 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

The Experimental Aircraft Association's AirVenture fly-in in Oshkosh was a successful event with diverse aircraft and nighttime air shows, despite challenging weather conditions including torrential rain and heat.
The author's flights to and from Oshkosh involved careful navigation around thunderstorms, managing fuel stops to maintain personal minimums, and utilizing ATC for in-flight re-routes due to weather.
Despite weather-related challenges requiring route deviations, the author praised ATC handling and the "transportation value" of the flights, while expressing a desire for a faster, air-conditioned airplane.

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Once again, the Experimental Aircraft Association in July pulled off another great AirVenture fly-in at its home in Oshkosh, Wis. This year’s event had a little of everything, including torrential rain the Friday evening before Monday’s opening day, nighttime air shows and lots of airplanes of every shape, size and purpose. Perhaps because the pre-show rain knocked everyone off-kilter—followed by mid-week heat—the overall event seemed to need more cowbell, but it definitely was worthwhile checking out all the new stuff and checking in with long-time friends.

Like so many others, I flew my Debonair into KOSH, arriving the day before the Notam went into effect, one-stopping it from Florida at 10k and going around the west side of Chicago. I pulled up short of my planned fuel stop after an ATC re-route showed I would have less than my personal minimum of fuel available. Its weather had been going up and down all day, and there was a possibility of having to miss an approach and go somewhere else. I would have been left with less than 20 gallons to find another airport, and that’s just not enough for my thirsty engine.