Airshows / Aviation Events

[chaseav]

Hi All, not sure if this is the right place but curious if anyone has been to any of the major recurring airshows on the east coast in their Airstreams. (Sun N Fun, Osh Kosh, etc) Or any other smaller shows that we could attend and bring our Airstream too. Heck, even a hot air ballon rally. Mostly curious as to whether or not any of these places accommodate RV's with at least electric on site.

[Thalweg]

I love airshows, however they're few and far between in our area, so when I can, I'm all over it. This year, it'll be Dakota Thunder at Ellsworth Air Force Base in Rapid City, SD on August 15-16. A couple of days ago, I told DW that we would be taking the AS to the Black Hills that week, and attending the airshow. She was less than excited, but I can't figure out why.

[sinjin]

Last time I was at Oshkosh they did not have electricity, don't think they have it now either. And it gets HOT in Wi. in the summer.

[68 Overlander]

Been to OshKosh and don't remember RVs but that was years ago. We flew in.

[thehandyman]

Picked up my brother and drove out to the CAF airshow in Midland Texas this past October. Stayed in the parking lot with other RV no hook ups.

[mimiandrews]

Oshkosh has no hookups. They do have a service that will come to your site to dump tanks and supply fresh water, or there's a dump station in the campsite. They allow generators daytime only except in one special area where they're allowed all night.
My info is old, but eaa.org probably has the info for next summer.

[ShinyPete]

I've been to Sun-n-Fun with our motorhome we used to have, not our Airstream. It is a huge, really interesting show! My best advice is to get on their website, all the details are there.

It seemed like they might have had some hookup spots, but it seemed that they were all full pretty early with vendors, volunteers, etc. We dry camped, and had to join the Florida Air Museum to do so. If I were to go again, I would volunteer and spend the whole week. Hope this helps!

[m.hony]

If you come a bit west to Columbus Air Force Base, Columbus, MS, there is a great Thunderbirds airshow every other year or so in March. There is a nice Corps of Engineers park nearby. We took the Airstream in March, 2014 and had a good time. Nothing is allowed in except lawn chairs and snacks. Everyone and all bags are searched at the entrance. We will take a child's wagon or a garden cart next time to haul our stuff. In 2012, I rode the Harley over for the day. It is a really good all day event.

[Tom_T]

Both the Blue Angels & Thunderbirds have websites with their annual schedules on for the current year's airshows.

Some will allow RV parking, but most are daily events (e.g.: 1 show for 3 consecutive days) & many are one military bases, which won't allow overnight camping, except for active/reserve & retired military personnel at an off-field RV parks on base (if any).

Likewise, I think that AOPA, AAA & other Av organizations + Aviation Week & other magazines also have airshow/events calendars on their websites.

You'd have to look at each locations' & sponsors' website or email for their camping set-up.

CAF down in TX is a great one for the vintage stuff, as is the annual Chino Airshow (CA) - but there you'll need a local campground or RV park, then unhitch & drive to the show & museum. ... & they're both not "east"!

BTW - most don't consider Oshkosh WI to be "east" - even if it it east of us on the west coast! ;-)

[Tom_T]

Originally Posted by thehandyman

Picked up my brother and drove out to the CAF airshow in Midland Texas this past October. Stayed in the parking lot with other RV no hook ups.

I'm going to send this pic to my buddy whose Dad was co-pilot of Enola Gay ... well technically he was the Captain/Pilot who was bumped to right seat when Tibbets decided to fly it himself!

Thanx for yet another Av pic for my laptop!

Cheers!
Tom
///////

[mefly2]

Check the region 10 website ...there is one in Canada for 2015.

[Niall Leslie]

If you're interested.
In Eastern Ontario and NY etc. there are the following:
- Old rhienbeck ( SP?) in NY - all Summer.
- A huge balloon festival in Quebec each July/August at ST. Jean Sur Richelieu
- Vintage Wings at Gatineau ( Ottawa ) each September.
- Plus - most gliding clubs offer " introductory flights " for about $100 - $150 Canadian and are very friendly etc. - For example at ours, Gatineau Gliding Club near Ottawa, you could stay the night with no problem if you were to go for an ' intro flight' and likely at least plug in at 15 A. and a water fill would not be an issue since day membership is included in the intro flight price ( plus good showers in the clubhouse!
You might find that actually flying yourself is worth trying rather than just watching????

best regards,

Niall Leslie.

[HiHoAgRV]

Originally Posted by mimiandrews

Oshkosh has no hookups. They do have a service that will come to your site to dump tanks and supply fresh water, or there's a dump station in the campsite. They allow generators daytime only except in one special area where they're allowed all night.
My info is old, but eaa.org probably has the info for next summer.

The campground is massive

[StreamNTyme]

Originally Posted by chaseav

Hi All, not sure if this is the right place but curious if anyone has been to any of the major recurring airshows on the east coast in their Airstreams. (Sun N Fun, Osh Kosh, etc) Or any other smaller shows that we could attend and bring our Airstream too. Heck, even a hot air ballon rally. Mostly curious as to whether or not any of these places accommodate RV's with at least electric on site.

There is a hot air balloon wknd near Greenville SC. Beaufort SC has a good air show in the summer. You will have to do a search to find out the info.

We do Oshkosh as often as possible; this year for a full week there. It is the best and biggest show in the states. We do not stay in the massive (3500 site) campground. We found something much nicer with shade trees, W/E and easy access to the show.

Have been to Sun 'n Fun too but it is nothing like Oshkosh. We also like to get to antique auto shows and vintage Airstreams.

Then we like to go to Farmers Mkts. and sometimes good Flea Mkts. too. So much to enjoy in our country, just not enough time. Safe Travels....

[Thalweg]

Here's a website that lists most of the airshows in North America. From what I can tell, it's pretty comprehensive. The website is dedicated to military aviation, but it also shows the civilian airshows.

MILAVIA Air Show Calendar 2015 - North American Air Shows 2015

[Foiled Again]

Well the Blue Angels will be in Virginia Beach September 19 and 20. N.A. S. Oceana backs up onto Holiday Trav-L Park, on General Booth Blvd. and you can see most of the show from there. Or get on the base in 5 minutes to the main gate. The RV park is nice but you always get "the sound of freedom" especially since almost all of the Atlantic Fleet Squadrons fly into and out of Oceana. Reservists during the summer too. And then there are "carrier quals" where pilots practice touch and go landings and arrested landings. Night carrier quals are especially dramatic - what little you can see.

On any given day there's a pull off spot on Oceana Blvd. just off base at the north end of the runways. When my nephews were little I had them standing on the bed of the truck waving at the pilots who were landing and taking off. They were so thrilled to get a wing waggle from nearly every aircraft. Got a couple of grand nephews who are now at that age. The pilots are very conscious of their role model status. (Oh and in case you don't remember, on April 6, 2012 a F/A 18 D crashed into a building of an apartment complex about a mile away from the base. NO ONE was killed by some miracle, and a disabled retired firefighter assisted in rescuing the pilot and navigator who stayed in the plane until the last second trying to get clear of the neighborhood.... so their consciousness of role model -is a lot more than "image".)

And if you go to NOB Norfolk, it's "impressive" to realize that one of the overpasses on the main road in is actually a runway. Gives you a moment's pause to drive UNDER a big cargo plane.

And the Thunderbirds will be in Seymour Johnson AFB in NC May 16-17
(Seymour Johnson - Bart Simpson would have a field day!)



Paula

[rmkrum]

Carrier Quals are best observed at a great distance, IMHO. I spent several deployments on an aircraft carrier, and believe me, it's total pucker factor every time a green pilot makes the final approach to your ship's rounddown, and looks a bit low....

We had almost as many accidents in Quals as we did in combat...

USS Ranger CVA-61 black shoe ship's company...




Sent from my pocket Internet using Airstream Forums

[gsmithii]

Originally Posted by chaseav

Hi All, not sure if this is the right place but curious if anyone has been to any of the major recurring airshows on the east coast in their Airstreams. (Sun N Fun, Osh Kosh, etc) Or any other smaller shows that we could attend and bring our Airstream too. Heck, even a hot air ballon rally. Mostly curious as to whether or not any of these places accommodate RV's with at least electric on site.

Every September Naval Air Station Oceana hosts the Blue Angels for a consistently fabulous show. The 2015 show is scheduled for Sept. 19-20.

The Blue Angels 2015 schedule is contained in:

http://www.blueangels.navy.mil/media...owSchedule.pdf

There are lots of camping facilities within a very short drive of the air station.

[chaseav]

Thanks all. I've been to most of the mentioned shows with the exception of OshKosh just never in an Airstream. We're definitely heading to Sun N Fun this year but haven't seen anything on their site about RV accommodations or even if they are allowed to park on the grounds. We can dry camp for sure though... providing they don't boot us. OshKosh's website did say that they do have RV hookups and some dump sites but just found that today.

We'll also be attending HeliExpo in Orlando (not an airshow but a convention) and staying in the AS at Disney's Fort Wilderness.

Thanks to whomever it was that mentioned Beaufort and Greenville. Those would both be close(ish) for us.

Keep the ideas and events coming if anyone knows of others!

[Spamcan]

For the record, Oshkosh does have some electric/water hookup sites (with sewer via pump truck)...I stayed in one for the duration of AirVenture 2014. That said, dry camping is the predominant option at Camp Scholler. I've done OSH a half dozen different ways, and I think camping is by far the BEST way to experience AirVenture.