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Requesting Runway at AirVenture

macrafic

Well Known Member
Hi Drew! I have flown into AirVenture many times and have always taken the ruwnway assigned by the controllers at FISK. Is there any way I can request Rwy 36/18 this year? Although radio "noise" is discouraged, can I talk to the controller when he/she assigns me and make the request?

Flying my RV-7A for the first time and would like to avoid the LONG taxi to the HBP from RWY 27/09.
 
Arrive early in the morning while traffic is light, and many times they'll ask you if you have a runway preference, that's your best bet.
 
Luck of the draw...
- Two years ago, I requested 36 and the plane ahead of me was assigned 36, which he didn't want, and I was assigned 27. The yakkity controllers left no time for pilots to speak up. Then again, there are always the idiots who get on the radio 10 miles from Ripon and ask for instructions...
- Several years ago, I requested and got 18. Took all of the 40 degrees flap on the Cessna to get down where I was requested.

And then... two years ago, I was following a Swift, mis-identified by ATC as an RV. Downwind to 27, really, really tight in, he turned base, but didn't turn final to 27, but aimed for 36, against traffic. There was fur and feathers on frequency as they steered him out of harm's way. Looking down at the "tower," I could see four sets of eyes watching the Swift, the frequency was congested, so I just went ahead and landed on 27 and turned off into the grass. Before I got off frequency, I heard the tower folks say no, you're doing it again...

A few days later, I was talking to a Pink Shirt (Oshkosh controller) and told him my story. He said that I had done the right thing, and that this happened a few times every year.

So be real careful! Know the NOTAM cold, have it in the cockpit, and be able to fly the most amazing traffic patterns you've ever attempted while all around you may be doing spectacular things, and not in the good sense.
 
Hi Drew! I have flown into AirVenture many times and have always taken the ruwnway assigned by the controllers at FISK. Is there any way I can request Rwy 36/18 this year? Although radio "noise" is discouraged, can I talk to the controller when he/she assigns me and make the request?

Flying my RV-7A for the first time and would like to avoid the LONG taxi to the HBP from RWY 27/09.

Uh, yes, good idea. The 3 planes ahead of me last summer all requested and got 36. Silly me thought maybe the pattern would be less crowded to 27, which it was. But...the 1.5 hour taxi from 27 to HPB was obnoxious.
 
You guys are getting me all excited!

I think next time I get the 1.5hr taxi around 27, I'll stop mid way somewhere to chat with a nice young lad that wants me to taxi faster. Maybe offer HIM a water and sit in the grass for a bit to "wait for the oil temps to come down". PIC! Just have to own it :).
 
If you get there early in the morning traffic is generally light and you can slip in a request without to much fuss. Your profile says Rochester, MN, so if you leave at o dark thirty and get there before 8 you should be fine. Watch out for the Cub mass arrival though, as they leave Hartford early in the morning and arrive at the same time. 100 airplanes going 70kts really corks up the approach!

DEM
 
You guys are getting me all excited!

I think next time I get the 1.5hr taxi around 27, I'll stop mid way somewhere to chat with a nice young lad that wants me to taxi faster. Maybe offer HIM a water and sit in the grass for a bit to "wait for the oil temps to come down". PIC! Just have to own it :).

Scott - I didn't have water to offer, but I did inform the nice guy halfway through the taxi jam that I was indeed going to leave the line and go shut down near some T hangars. He told me I couldn't do that, but I said I actually was going to do that, and did. I wasn't arrested, so I guess it worked.
 
Luck of the draw...
- Two years ago, I requested 36 and the plane ahead of me was assigned 36, which he didn't want, and I was assigned 27. The yakkity controllers left no time for pilots to speak up. Then again, there are always the idiots who get on the radio 10 miles from Ripon and ask for instructions...
- Several years ago, I requested and got 18. Took all of the 40 degrees flap on the Cessna to get down where I was requested.

And then... two years ago, I was following a Swift, mis-identified by ATC as an RV. Downwind to 27, really, really tight in, he turned base, but didn't turn final to 27, but aimed for 36, against traffic. There was fur and feathers on frequency as they steered him out of harm's way. Looking down at the "tower," I could see four sets of eyes watching the Swift, the frequency was congested, so I just went ahead and landed on 27 and turned off into the grass. Before I got off frequency, I heard the tower folks say no, you're doing it again...

A few days later, I was talking to a Pink Shirt (Oshkosh controller) and told him my story. He said that I had done the right thing, and that this happened a few times every year.

So be real careful! Know the NOTAM cold, have it in the cockpit, and be able to fly the most amazing traffic patterns you've ever attempted while all around you may be doing spectacular things, and not in the good sense.


Glad that was you and not me! I witnessed that episode from the ground, listening on a handheld. I was never more grateful to be on terra firma! I believe they sent Mr. Swift out over the lake for a bit of a time out after his second attempt at substituting 36 for 27, and he was successful at finding the correct runway the 3rd time. I had flown in Friday afternoon and was asked what runway I wanted. All very relaxed before the big rush.
 
Seriously - can you imagine the frequency if every pilot says “Oh, I know I ‘m not supposed to talk, but I think I’ll ask anyway....”?

If they ask you, you certainly should answer with your preference! But if they don’t ask, the NOTAM says that you don’t talk (except in an emergency, of course). We all know ‘that guy” who ignores the NOTAM, and we all talk about them later.

We all make it in to Oshkosh by following the NOTAM - not by making it up on our own, and if one guy states ignoring it, soon everyone will be.

The suggestion to arrive early in the morning is the best - they are much more likely to ask you then. My strategy? Arrive early on Friday - they often start asking what runway you want, where you’re from, how your flight was..... ;)
 
My strategy? Arrive early on Friday - they often start asking what runway you want, where you?re from, how your flight was..... ;)

I enjoy listening to those Friday/Saturday conversations on the radio from the Hilton deck. Even chimed in once: early Saturday evening they were asking if anybody inbound was on frequency. Finally they said "Anybody at all on this frequency?" I couldn't resist. I responded "Does the Hilton deck count?" They said "Sure...what can we do for you?" I said "Nothing; I'm just enjoying the chatter. You DID say anybody!" They laughed and told me to look toward the tower... and they gave me the green light! OSH controllers are the best in the business.
 
Yep.

I agree with Paul on this one. We have found that if you get there in off peak time they will in most cases ask you what runway you would like. If they are jammed and at peak, it make to much since to keep on your tows and not clutter the airways for everyone sake. Including yours.
Let all have a good time and be safe out there. Yours, R.E.A. III # 80888
 
OSH RUNWAY

As everyone said , if you arrive early on Friday, they usually ask you which runway you like...and sometimes it turns into an Oshkosh moment..

Last year, I went to Oshkosh with 3 friends of mine,myself with my RV-4, 2 in a Grumman and one in a Mooney...

Our friend in the Mooney was a first timer in Oshkosh and english being his second language , he was a little bit overwhelmed to say the least.

So when asked what runway he wanted, he answered back 37...:confused: You could have heard the controllers laughing in the background.. so they cleared the traffic ahead of him to land on 36 R and him to land on 37L ...

Needless to say, we are still bugging him on RWY 37 :)
 
I usually go in as lead in a 'flight', if they don't ask when I rock my wings, I usually quickly ask "flt of X RV's request 36", it's never been a problem.

They always seem to be happy to accomodate this as it clears a couple of us out the line quickly and we pretend to know what we're doing.
 
Good response all. It tells me what my options MIGHT be. Paul, I hear you loud and clear. I have flown into AirVenture many years and have never uttered a word. However, I will play it by ear this time. We are going in early (Thursday or Friday morning, depending on weather) and, if the controllers do not ask, or if the traffic is nonexistent or extremely light, I may risk it. Otherwise, I will just go with the flow. The other option I have is to go in IFR and make an approach request. Other years, they have automatically given me the approach to Rwy 27 (which makes sense).

The last thing I want to do is mess with Oshkosh traffic and proceduress!!!! I don't want to be one of THOSE (too many of them already)!

BTW, thanks for the stories. Many years, we have flown in on Thursday, set up camp under the wing (our pre-RV days), taken a cooler/chair/radio and sat on the flightline laughing at the chatter and the traffic/landings. We have commented many times that these 2-3 pre-show days are some of our favorite (amusement, relaxation, meeting new friends, etc.). The controllers are TOO nice and we thank every pink shirt we see during the show!!!
 
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