Sorry for the very long post but I got a reply - from a human -- who actually read my letter !! First is a copy of my letter to the EAA. Second is the reply I got today.
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Hello, 8/13/18
As a long time member of EAA and an Oshkosh participant of around 50 times I would like to offer some constructive criticism. Over many years I have watched Oshkosh grow and grow and watched the EAA enact some very good solutions to problems as they arose.
In the last few years I have seen the movement of campers, especially from camp Scholler, become a bigger and bigger problem. For the first time this year I talked with bus drivers that were becoming irritated and passengers that were very irritated. It seems more and more campers are giving up on the bus transportation and bringing their own scooters, bikes, golf carts, etc. The incredible volume of all the above is clogging the roads.
I would like to list a few of the problems as I see them and offer some thoughts on solutions.
A solution: Buses from the flyin to the campground need to stop filling the middle aisle - just fill the seats then go.
Most of these suggestions require only a policy change to greatly enhance traffic flow. Bike paths would require some expenditures. Implementing these suggestions would greatly enhance traffic flow and the movement of people to and from the flyin. Your busing system would be able to operate the way it was originally designed to operate.
On another subject;
I completed your on-line survey last night but I have more comments than there was available space to add them.
The airshow quality is slowly going downhill. It used to be very fast paced and interesting. Now it is interrupted by long lulls in the action. The military segment is nowhere near as good as it used to be. Setting off giant firebombs enhances the show - - it is not, ‘the show.’ You need some different acts similar to The French Connection / The Eagles / Bob Herendeen / Art Scholl / Charlie Hillard / Wayne Handley / Sean Tucker / Leo Loudenslager - - - these pilots were worth every penny of admission - - they must have successors somewhere ? Watching 300 hp monoplanes go straight up then straight down for an hour or 3 different sets of teams flying the same T-6 aircraft doing the same maneuvers gets very boring very quickly.
My biggest complaint is the skydivers that dropped Wed. night before the 8pm-10pm show was cancelled. They looked like it was their first jump, total novices. They made several downwind landings, some landed what looked like a 1/2 mile off target. When they did land it was unbelievably fast to the point many of them skiid for 80‘ to 100’ before they were slow enough to run. A couple “face-planted” into runway marker cones. But the worst was their “hot-dogging” low turns bordering on disaster for them and anyone under them.
Thank you for your time,
Randy Echtinaw
EAA #64828
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Dear Randy,
Thanks much for your August 13 letter and suggestions, and especially thanks for your nearly 50 years of EAA membership. With our 50th consective year at Oshkosh coming nest year, we certainly have seen many changes on the grounds through the decades.
All the post-Adventure feedback goes to our senior leadership team as well as those leaders in the specific areas you mentioned. We use the feedback gathered after each year's event to create the priorities for the following year, as resources and budget will allow. One thing that is always true: It's impossible to knock over just one domino at Airventure. Every action creates a ripple effect that can impact many different areas.
We have discussed bike paths previously and ways to better separate pedestrian, bike and motor vehicle traffic. There are some challenges to conquer, such as possible elimination of campsites, enforcing use of bike paths and enforcing non-use by vehicles. But, as the campground grows and evolves, safe and effective movement of people and transportation is a priority.
The same holds true with the bus routes. We're open to any ideas for improvement; your timing is very good as that is one of the major items we are discussing as we look forward to 2019. I don't know what the future holds there, but it is being throughly studied this fall.
I'll pass your comments regarding the airshow performers to our air ops people. Something that is apparent is that there is a wide spectrum of opinions when it comes to the air show. One person's piece of heaven is nothing but noise to another. If you have specific ideas for performers that you would like to see at Oshkosh, let us know. We can get in touch with them at the ICAS convention in December.
Thanks again for taking the time to write. We all care about AirVenture and want it to be the best event anywhere. Many of the ideas on the grounds now started as suggestions from EAA members and visitors. We're always open to ideas.
Best regards,
Brian Wierzbinski
Executive Vice President, CFO
=======================================
Hello, 8/13/18
As a long time member of EAA and an Oshkosh participant of around 50 times I would like to offer some constructive criticism. Over many years I have watched Oshkosh grow and grow and watched the EAA enact some very good solutions to problems as they arose.
In the last few years I have seen the movement of campers, especially from camp Scholler, become a bigger and bigger problem. For the first time this year I talked with bus drivers that were becoming irritated and passengers that were very irritated. It seems more and more campers are giving up on the bus transportation and bringing their own scooters, bikes, golf carts, etc. The incredible volume of all the above is clogging the roads.
I would like to list a few of the problems as I see them and offer some thoughts on solutions.
- The bike population is smothering traffic. Riders from 3 to 80 years old are riding right down the middle of the road and they stay there not letting traffic pass.
- Battery operated carts are becoming more and more prevalent. They also travel down the middle of the road at a hefty 2 miles per hour really congesting traffic.
- Buses picking up in the campground and depositing at the flyin can be filled to the brim including packing the middle aisle. All the passengers are going to the same place and they are all getting off at once. Problems arise when they pack the center aisle moving campers from the flyin to the campground. I have ridden the buses a 1000 times and every time people at the back of the bus want to get off, passengers in the center aisle then have to depart the bus to let them off then get back on. This happens 2-3 times on every bus load. This dramatically slows the bus down. This problem really magnifies itself when the following bus catches up with the bus in front. They cannot pass because of the bicycle traffic going the opposite direction so they just follow each other. Many times a third bus will catch up so you have 3 buses traveling as a group and no buses running in a timely manner.
A solution: Buses from the flyin to the campground need to stop filling the middle aisle - just fill the seats then go.
- Buses fill at the flyin to overflowing then drive to the main bus lot to pick up more passengers even though there is no room for more - WHY? The drivers open the door and tell anyone there they are full and they will have to wait for the next bus. Passengers on the bus lose 10-15 minutes for nothing. There are never more than 8-10 passengers at the bus lot. They have waited just as long as we have for a bus and when one pulls up just to tell them the bus is full and they will have to wait longer - - many 4 letter words here - -
Most of these suggestions require only a policy change to greatly enhance traffic flow. Bike paths would require some expenditures. Implementing these suggestions would greatly enhance traffic flow and the movement of people to and from the flyin. Your busing system would be able to operate the way it was originally designed to operate.
On another subject;
I completed your on-line survey last night but I have more comments than there was available space to add them.
The airshow quality is slowly going downhill. It used to be very fast paced and interesting. Now it is interrupted by long lulls in the action. The military segment is nowhere near as good as it used to be. Setting off giant firebombs enhances the show - - it is not, ‘the show.’ You need some different acts similar to The French Connection / The Eagles / Bob Herendeen / Art Scholl / Charlie Hillard / Wayne Handley / Sean Tucker / Leo Loudenslager - - - these pilots were worth every penny of admission - - they must have successors somewhere ? Watching 300 hp monoplanes go straight up then straight down for an hour or 3 different sets of teams flying the same T-6 aircraft doing the same maneuvers gets very boring very quickly.
My biggest complaint is the skydivers that dropped Wed. night before the 8pm-10pm show was cancelled. They looked like it was their first jump, total novices. They made several downwind landings, some landed what looked like a 1/2 mile off target. When they did land it was unbelievably fast to the point many of them skiid for 80‘ to 100’ before they were slow enough to run. A couple “face-planted” into runway marker cones. But the worst was their “hot-dogging” low turns bordering on disaster for them and anyone under them.
Thank you for your time,
Randy Echtinaw
EAA #64828
========================================================================
Dear Randy,
Thanks much for your August 13 letter and suggestions, and especially thanks for your nearly 50 years of EAA membership. With our 50th consective year at Oshkosh coming nest year, we certainly have seen many changes on the grounds through the decades.
All the post-Adventure feedback goes to our senior leadership team as well as those leaders in the specific areas you mentioned. We use the feedback gathered after each year's event to create the priorities for the following year, as resources and budget will allow. One thing that is always true: It's impossible to knock over just one domino at Airventure. Every action creates a ripple effect that can impact many different areas.
We have discussed bike paths previously and ways to better separate pedestrian, bike and motor vehicle traffic. There are some challenges to conquer, such as possible elimination of campsites, enforcing use of bike paths and enforcing non-use by vehicles. But, as the campground grows and evolves, safe and effective movement of people and transportation is a priority.
The same holds true with the bus routes. We're open to any ideas for improvement; your timing is very good as that is one of the major items we are discussing as we look forward to 2019. I don't know what the future holds there, but it is being throughly studied this fall.
I'll pass your comments regarding the airshow performers to our air ops people. Something that is apparent is that there is a wide spectrum of opinions when it comes to the air show. One person's piece of heaven is nothing but noise to another. If you have specific ideas for performers that you would like to see at Oshkosh, let us know. We can get in touch with them at the ICAS convention in December.
Thanks again for taking the time to write. We all care about AirVenture and want it to be the best event anywhere. Many of the ideas on the grounds now started as suggestions from EAA members and visitors. We're always open to ideas.
Best regards,
Brian Wierzbinski
Executive Vice President, CFO
