The Inside Skinny On What Being An ANN Oshkosh Stringer Is All About

By ANN Senior Stringer Extraordinare, Gene Yarbrough

The annual gathering at Oshkosh is a right of passage or a pilgrimage to Mecca for many. However the rank and file public rarely have the opportunity to experience the FULL Oshkosh experience. Oshkosh, like onions and ogres, is a multi-layered microcosm within the enigma of the greater Wisconsin county in which it transpires. The Aero-News Network stringer has opportunity, and if so inclined, the access to every aspect of general aviation including the "behind the scenes" view few even know exist.

A typical day for an ANN stringer begins around 6 am with the cattle call for the drive over to Wittman field. If you are smart you have already performed your personal morning routines and are ready to drink from the fire hose.

Arrival onsite the first day (Sunday before opening day), is to finish setting up the ANN headquarters. Seasoned stringers will have already staked out their desk position and will setup tables, chairs, power, and all other accoutrement for their future duties. Newbies will get whatever is left over, pecking order matters.

The remainder of the day is best used to gather any newsworthy materials from EAA Press HQ and to begin visiting vendors and exhibit areas to get an early start on articles and stories. Stringers are expected to ferret out ideas and news articles that interest them personally or professionally, along with duties assigned by management. Sunday evening will be casual and relaxed, the calm before the storm.

Sunday night will begin the ritual divvying up of the following days news events, press releases, and press conferences. All stringers are encouraged to review the news events for the next day and volunteer for activities you are interested in or are within your preferred genre of aviation news. News events that are not bespoken for at the evening gathering will be assigned with prejudice after supper.

Monday is fervent with news activity. The HQ trailer will be a constant cacophony of typing, talking, doors opening and closing as people come and go. Stringers are autonomous and should take charge of their own destiny. Ideally you will have 3-4 articles already written, waiting for the opportune time to submit to the editing staff. As you move thru your assignments you will need to travel the grounds extensively, wear good walking shoes, learn the trolly system, learn the grounds maps, learn where your news stories are located, learn where press HQ sound stage is, learn where the porta-potties are (the good ones and the bad ones). The air will be filled with the strange, noisy, wonderous sounds of propellers and engines being tortured, jets deafening screams, air molecules being torn asunder, get used to it, you will miss it when its gone.

Tuesday-Thursday, rinse and repeat of Monday with ever decreasing article loads. Around Wednesday, depending on the news activity, the assignments will slack off. You are free to seek stories about that which you desire. Visit the vendors and exhibits, look for interesting things that appeal to you. Write news stories about any, and everything.

Here is the real secret of Oshkosh that the old stringers understand.

Oshkosh isn't just about things that fly. Its really about people, from the WWII pilot that may be making his last significant excursion from his house to re-live, just for a moment, the glory days of his youth, to the young person who just got his private pilot ticket and has flown several hundred miles in a J-3, to the military pilots assigned the "awful" duty of attending Oshkosh to talk to the public about flying the baddest thing in the air, to the widow visiting Oshkosh in remembrance of her husband that hadn't missed an OSH gathering in 50 years, her eyes full of tears - she sees him standing just behind that other person everywhere she glances.

Oshkosh encompasses every possible aspect of humanity, all thru a flying-colored lens. But, this is just the surface of Oshkosh, the belly of the beast is reserved for those adventurous enough to seek it out.

The public wanders around gawking at all the shiny metal and neat/cool gadgets on display all over the grounds, Oshkosh is the premier American aviation event and is chock full of everything imaginable. Many overlook the business dealings happening behind the scenes. Millions of dollars trade hands every year at Oshkosh, this is the place where the movers and shakers meet to make huge deals. Its difficult to get these stories, but they are there.

Another aspect of Oshkosh that is under appreciated is the access to government officials. The FAA has many personnel on-site and holds several conferences and meeting events every day. Accessing these individuals is fairly straight forward, getting useable information is another challenge altogether.

Oshkosh is a beehive of activity, but if you keep focused on your specific area of interest and complete your assignments, the experience can be life changing. If you think you have what it takes, come join us!

FMI: If you want to join us, apply to ANN Boss, Jim Campbell, ASAP