One Of Air And Water

By ANN Correspondent Tyson V. Rininger

Although the annual festivities at Oshkosh have come to end, the Vette Seaplane Base, named for owners John and Susy Vette III, are still worth mentioning in terms of next year's plans. Endless taxi-ways, unmarked runways and gorgeous lakefront sunsets reward the floatplane pilot who opts to land at this seaplane base. The experience is even more worthwhile when you consider the camping and camaraderie many will enjoy during their stay with campfires, karaoke, the annual fish-fry and so much more. Let's face it, a Grand Caravan, a Helio, even a Cessna 182 looks just plain cooler with floats!

Vivid green grass, lush foliage and moss-laden shores welcome visitors and campers to what some call, AirVenture's beach house. A cove nestled away from the sometimes-vicious northwest wind protects the many seaplanes as they sit calmly facing the filtered breeze. This peaceful cove plays host to over 100 seaplanes each year from the antique S-38 to the new Russian Beriev. Other seaplanes that don't want to get their feet wet can park at Wittman Field near the ultra light area, but who would want to do that?

In the-mid 1800's an old road leading to a now extinct sawmill village named Perryville once dissected the floatplane area. Steamers frequented the area to take on lumber for shipment. Ezra C. Fahrney who's father, Dr. Peter Fahrney, once sold elixirs of presumed medicinal value eventually acquired the land. In 1931, the Vette family took ownership of the 27 acres along the shore of Lake Winnebago.

One of the "Early Birdmen," John Vette Jr., owned and flew quite a wide variety of aircraft including an amphibious Duck for the navy during WWII. After the war, Vette opened a business just south of Oshkosh close to the family farm. Employees, Al Ziebell and Bill Brennand soon developed a friendship over their fondness for fishing along the lakeshore. By 1949, they found it to their advantage to have a boathouse near the shoreline for storing there gear hence, 1.9 acres of Vette land was purchased around the inner harbor. With help from Ziebell and others, Brennan built ramps to better store the newly acquired Piper J3 purchased in 1957.

When the Experimental Aircraft Association moved their convention site to Oshkosh in 1970, a few members flew their floatplanes here and managed to get rides to Wittman Field as needed. By 1973, EAA founder, Paul Poberezny negotiated with Brennand and Ziebell to begin a seaplane base operation for EAA visitors during the convention. As EAA helped with improvements to the grounds and transportation to and from Wittman Field, attendance rose steadily. So unique was the area that Norm Petersen began to write aviation articles about the aircraft and high spirits here each year helping the area gain additional popularity.

Hosting some 20,000 daily visitors during the AirVenture week, the seaplane base is more than just a destination location. This is a community offering safety seminars, tips for better water landings and of course a show and tell of the coolest floatplanes. Campers are treated to the ever popular Saturday Night Watermelon Social which follows the annual Floatplane Parade at Wittman field.

 
Getting to the sea base from Wittman Field couldn't be easier. Once you've finished checking out the seaplanes on land just south of the ultra lights, hop on board the shuttle and ride down to the cove. If you have your own seaplane and want to take part in the activities, bring a tent, some marshmallows and lots of stories. When it comes to the seaplane base, atmosphere, beauty and serenity are the sought after attributes that bring people back year after year.

(Special thanks to Chairman Paul Seehafer for his assistance along with WetTrike pilot and owner Morris Smith for the aerial views.)

FMI: www.airventure.org, www.wettrikeinc.com