Heavy Rains Prevent Aircraft Arrivals And Limit Camping

By Gary Risley

For early arrivals at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, Wisconsin, the event did not begin with a bang but with a torrential downpour on Saturday. The event, at least in the days just prior to the official opening, was labeled Sploshkosh II.

Sploshkosh I took place about 10 years ago. The Cherokees to Oshkosh group was the only successful mass arrival on Saturday. The Cherokees arrived at approximately 10 a.m. on Saturday, and approximately an hour to an hour and a half later the rains began with accompanying high winds. Everyone on the field was ordered to shelter due to the threat of tornadoes, hail, and high winds. The other mass arrivals were canceled.

One of the campers, Jack, a banker from Tyler, Texas, flew his Cessna Cardinal into Wittman Field on Saturday about 9 a.m.. He said that he learned about some wonderful features of his tent during the two storms that blew through the area. He first faced it one way, and the tent was flattened by the winds. He changed its direction before the second storm, but it was flattened once again. He spent Saturday afternoon in an Uber driving around town looking for new tent. Finding success, he erected his new tent and is a happy camper. “It was an adventure,” he said with a smile.

As of early Sunday afternoon, the field was closed to most aircraft unless they had tundra tires. The camping areas remained very soft and water continued to stand in many areas. As the afternoon progressed, warbird arrivals began, and late Sunday afternoon light general aircraft were permitted, but heavy singles and twin-engine aircraft were still prohibited.

It is anticipated that if the weather continues to remain dry, as forecast, AirVenture will be able to go off without a hitch.

Two other early arrivals were relaxing under the umbrella eating a meal near the flight line on Sunday afternoon. Jack is from North Carolina and his friend Jeff is fromRhode Island. "North Carolina Jack" is camped in Camp Scholler (a camping site just off the airport) which was also closed as of Sunday due to the tremendous flooding that had taken place in that area. Jack's tent collapsed and was soaking wet so he vacated for hotel room on Saturday night. He was able to return to his campsite with an all-wheel-drive vehicle on Sunday afternoon, but the conditions remain very difficult.Jeff, along with his wife who is a first-time visitor to AirVenture, chose the now-apparently better option of a hotel room in a nearby town.

Each of the three individuals interviewed come to Oshkosh for the simple love of aviation. North Carolina Jack was born into an aviation family, and his son and son-in-law proudly serve as aviators in the military. Jeff was "injected" with aviation, to use his term, as he grew up in a neighborhood surrounded by men who had been pilots in military service. "Banker Jack" has simply loved airplanes from childhood.  

Each of them also commented that they come to meet and be with people associated with aviation. It is for the people and the love aviation that they are willing to endure storms, rain, and sometimes sleep in wet tent or an airplane. Sploshkosh or not, people who love aviation love to be at aviation’s biggest event – EAA Airventure.

(Images provided by the author)

FMI: www.eaa.org