Oshkosh - Reinvented

The following article appeared in the April 2020 issue of the American Bonanza Society magazine - www.bonanza.org

It was 2007 and I decided not to attend Oshkosh.  Attending since 1997, I thought I’ve seen it all and it got to the point where I was seeing the same airplanes, in the same spots, the same vendors with the same “stuff”.  Of course, the only thing that was new were the aircraft on display from the big aircraft manufacturers – totally out of my league, by a long shot.  Yes, they sure were fun to look at and if they would let folks peek inside, get a sniff of that new airplane smell, but even that was becoming “usual”, or maybe more appropriately unattainable and unrealistic. I had flown into Oshkosh VFR in beautiful weather, IFR with low ceilings, landed at Fond du Lac because of full parking and drove my car on those real bad weather days.  Yes, I figured - been there, done that - so I decided not to go. Besides, life was busy. I was instructing a lot, kids were heading to college, I just bought a new house and thoughts of slugging around the EAA grounds in a mix of heat, sun exposure and the occasional downpour didn’t appeal to me anymore. 

Just a month or so before Oshkosh that year, I received a call from a buddy of mine: “Hey, are you going to Oshkosh this year?”

I said “Nope – I can honestly say that I’ve been there, done that - I’ve seen it all”

He admitted that he wasn’t going either and mentioned feeling bad about it.  I shrugged it off.

Being a flight instructor and a general ambassador for aviation, a few weeks after Oshkosh, I was asked by more people than I can remember how the show was.  Nobody had any idea that I wouldn’t possibly go!  Boy, the guilt and shame started to settle in.  How could I not go? What happened? I realized this would have been my 10^th year of attending – the proverbial 10-years in a row badge – denied.

Fast-forward one year, and I had planned on not going again, but I received a phone call from that same friend on the week of Oshkosh:  “I know its last minute, but do you want to run up to Oshkosh for the day tomorrow?”.

Without hesitation, I said yes!

We flew up in his beautiful V-Tail Bonanza and we had a blast.  The same vendors were in the same places selling the same stuff.  I think I walked past the exact same beautifully restored aircraft, including a V-Tail Bonanza on my way in for the 10^th time.  But things were about to feel different – turning my been there, done that attitude on its head.  Walking through Aeroshell center, I ran into an old friend of mine and chatted for a bit. I thought this was kind of odd with the thousands of attendees, what are the chances I would run into someone I knew, but it happened about 4 more times that day.  I had some great laughs and realized what I missed was the camaraderie and seeing the folks that I don’t normally see other than at Oshkosh! 

I looked at some of the new aircraft and avionics – definitely stopping at the Beechcraft spot to check out the new King Airs that I really missed flying and doing a fateful stop at the ABS tent on recommendation of my uncle that had a B36TC. He wanted me to eventually get my BPPP so I can run him through the rigors.  I eventually did get my BPPP accreditation, but sadly, my uncle passed before I eventually got off of my rear to get it done.

There was a speaker just finishing up a talk in the ABS tent, so I looked at the roster to see what it was about.  I noticed there were quite a few topics that I was really interested in hearing and made a mental note to come back to the tent the following year. 

What just happened?  I’m already planning my trip for next year?  How did that happen?

The following year I did come back to the tent, absorbed the material, and found that there were all kinds of seminars and learning opportunities throughout the show!  I was hooked! Flight instruction seminars, avionics training, and I even learned how to weld!

The year after that, a student of mine offered the couch in his camper to me to stay multiple days.  You see, going to Oshkosh over that 9-year period, I never camped.  Camp Scholler was a whole other world. What happens when Oshkosh closes for the night?  The camping fun begins! I have camped with that student and a handful of flying buddies ever since.  Half of the Oshkosh experience happens after the show.

In 2020, I will be doing yet another thing I’ve never done at Oshkosh before – hold a BPPP Seminar in the ABS tent.

Some may be surprised at my eventual lack of enthusiasm that overcame me back in 2007, but I have talked to a number of folks that have gone through similar cycles.  My message to you is to not discount the camaraderie the event brings and the learning opportunities that are presented – for free!  The ABS tent is a perfect venue for this.  Socializing with your fellow Beechcraft aficionados and taking in some great material presented by BPPP instructors, vendors and other masters in the industry.  These days, technology is advancing faster and faster, so even the vendor booths are changing at a furious pace.  If you are on the fence about going this year, remember, the event is more than static displays and the airshow – try to reinvent your experience.