• Welcome to the new Commander Owners Group Forums. Please bear with us as the kinks are worked out and things are tweaked. If you have any questions or issues with the new platform, please post them here.

a little place called ... Oshkosh!

N4843W

N4843W

New member
SE MI
Aircraft Year
1977
Aircraft Type
114
Reg Number
N4843W
Serial Number
14173
Re: a little place called ... Oshkosh!

I have said Oshkosh is changing and they do not have the planes that were there 10 years ago. The camp ground is much bigger than any time I have seen. But the total number of planes is way down from 10 years ago. The North 40 was not as crowded as the past. After they parked planes Saturday, they spread the planes out to make it look full.
There were many more light sports planes than the past. Fond du Lac had a good bunch of planes but I am told the out lying airports like Wautoma did not have many planes. One year we had 3 Commanders on that field.
The main hangars had wider isles and open booths.
They put a spin on it, called Marketing.
It was very good to see more Commanders this year than last.
 
Re: a little place called ... Oshkosh!

4th try-server keeps loosing my posts. Well having camped out N40 all week, most rows pretty full by Wednesday. However, stupid EAA sprayed the fiels with toxic pestacides and Camellia had severe allergic reactions and we spent nights at the dorms Thursday -Friday. Packed up Saturday spending night in my small backpacking tent from 1971.
 
Re: a little place called ... Oshkosh!

However, MY QUESTION IS:What did you buy or was tempted to consider buying from the venders.
I bought a Dual X170 ADS-B for $473 from Ifly, (others at $479.99), a tablet cradle, from Sportys, a new set of headphones, non ANR, for $105 with leather ear pads to close the sale, the cheapest Zulu were close to $700. Some metal polish and probably will upgrade my 96 Insight GEM 610 to the new G2 that shows all CHT and EGT (TIT) temps at same time vs having to cycle thru. With discounts and upgrade discounts, they quoted me $1,195. Danuel at EI gave me the green LED annunciator light to replace my red one, Wired to the Plane Power alternator, and also got the two Lamar relays for the gear pump for $35 ea. + the Teflon chaffing tape from Aircraft Spruce for the cowl nose mating surfaces. Anyone want some, as I had to buy the whole roll and only needed 14".
 
Last edited:
Re: a little place called ... Oshkosh!

Sherman said:
+ the Teflon chaffing tape from Aircraft Spruce for the cowl nose mating surfaces. Anyone want some, as I had to buy the whole roll and only needed 14".
Click to expand...

You'll need some again. I put it all around my bottom cowling and in that pesky front piece you had trouble with. It will need to be replaced again.

As for Oshkosh spending this yr, other than avgas, EAA meals, registration, and a motel Sunday night -- I got off cheap. Of course, the Avidyne guys really got me thinking..... which my wife says costs money. (I did buy her a pink "Wisconsin Aviation" cap at Madison). k
 
Re: a little place called ... Oshkosh!

Kelly
It was fun
It was big of you Dude, to buy your wife something.
Please do not brag about it at the Fly In. Some of us could be in trouble with our wives if they hear you spent big on your wife.
 
Re: a little place called ... Oshkosh!

Camellia thinks it was nice Kelly was thinking of his wife. . But she says your a nice guy. She enjoyed talking with Betty. Says your a nice couple. Kelly can attest that the new camping 'stuff' I bought (Queen air mattress, double 35^ sleeping bag, mats, Vestibule tent) and extra paddings, throws, end table, hassock, chairs, table -kept her cozy---until the pestacide sprayed field caused her serious allergic reactions. But now home, out of toxic environment, she admits Oshkosh was not all negative. She enjoyed the walking, our comraderie, the seminars we attended (especially Sid's and the Medical forum) and the flights (except for the engine glitch (inadvertently my fault).
 
Re: a little place called ... Oshkosh!

kgrant said:
You'll need some again. I put it all around my bottom cowling and in that pesky front piece you had trouble with. It will need to be replaced again. k
Click to expand...

OK, next time I pull the Top Cowl, will repaint the contact surfaces (do at annual every year) and add the tape all along. Thanks Kelly.

So great seeing, visting with you & seeing your beautful Commander.Hope your coming to Dayton.
 
Re: a little place called ... Oshkosh!

Scott,
I know it is not popular to compare things with the past and it is hard to fine old attendance numbers but I think it is important to know where we have been to plan for the future.
2003 AirVenture attendance 770,000
There were no exact numbers on the planes but they published "10-15,000 at Oshkosh and adjoining airports."
Another very good thing about this year. It was the best weather at Oshkosh that I can remember in 25 years.
 
Re: a little place called ... Oshkosh!

Pat- Fully agree with you on both perspective and weather. So many stroms just N and S missed us all week, and the pnes that did were just good steady downpours, no severe weather. Couple days the strong breezes did stressvthe fiberglass tent supports, but during the hardedt rains, we were always dry in or came back to find tge dome tent - totally dry inside. Yes blessed in that regard. The scars on 112HT are from a whopper of a storm that pulled our tarp supports out in 93 or 94 and dragged across the wing.
 
Re: a little place called ... Oshkosh!

Pat said:
Scott,
I know it is not popular to compare things with the past and it is hard to fine old attendance numbers but I think it is important to know where we have been to plan for the future.
2003 AirVenture attendance 770,000
There were no exact numbers on the planes but they published "10-15,000 at Oshkosh and adjoining airports."
Another very good thing about this year. It was the best weather at Oshkosh that I can remember in 25 years.
Click to expand...

Well, all of us know how much avgas costs now and that is a limiter ... but we are also just coming out of a long recession, so you'd not expect to be back at the peak years yet. Look at the demand for Commanders now compared to a couple of years ago. Night and day. I know at least 2 guys personally who have been having a helluva time finding a 114 they want to buy. Wait ... make that 3. Met one at OSH that is talking with Judi as well. In the North 40 around noon on Friday, there were very few open spots that I saw. Not a single one anywhere close to us. At least as tight as past years. Where they camped over by Basler this year? Don't know the answer to that. Flightlines were jammed full. They were turning planes away on the ATIS on Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning. I don't think they would do that for "marketing."

I also did not notice that the aisles were wider in the sheds ... maybe so ... but I did not see empty booth spaces. I know a couple of the exhibitors though and I will ask them. As far as planes, I always walk through the antiques and classics, like the Cessna 195's, Staggerwings, etc, and the warbirds. All seemed the same to me. Perhaps my glass-2/3's-full nature prevents me from seeing the reality. And I don't watch Fox News or listen to Talk Radio, so I am generally happier and more optimistic than most of you cranks!

Anyway, had a great time and was impressed with the energy and enthusiasm. The "Innovators" area was very cool and exciting. Despite the obstacles, there was so much positive. And the "unsolvable" 100LL problem is just about solved from multiple angles now. All the predictions of demise from that appear greatly exaggerated.

Y'all come next year!
 
Re: a little place called ... Oshkosh!

on gadgets.....
what's the best small audio gadget to deliver in-flight music ? Anything new at Oshkosh?
I need a replacement
 
Re: a little place called ... Oshkosh!

iPhone and earbuds under your headset... ;)
 
Re: a little place called ... Oshkosh!

I think I am getting ready to a standard XM satellite radio plugged into my audio in on the panel, anyone else using XM radio?

I got very close to ordering the new Sirius XM Aviation Weather receiver that also receives audio . I already have the Baron XM Link solution but that thing is a ton of wires, and no audio, so seriously thinking about the new small single unit receiver with a battery, but torn between that and just going ADS-B/Stratus route and a standalone XM Radio receiver.

Any thoughts?
 
Re: a little place called ... Oshkosh!

I have XM radio via a panel mounted 696 coupled with the aircraft's audio panel. All wires are behind the panel.

Depending on your subscription, it can get a little pricey. That said, well worth the price of admission on long XC flights, especially above 10K and into the teens, where the radio traffic is far less than at lower altitudes.
 
Re: a little place called ... Oshkosh!

One thing I noticed that was different from previous years was the lack of any real good buys on oil by the case.
 
Re: a little place called ... Oshkosh!

Got it at Phillips!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top