What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

World record RV taxi duration? 1.5 hours...Oshkosh

AlexPeterson

Well Known Member
Last Thursday, I flew the 6A from my home base in the northern suburbs of Minneapolis to Oshkosh. I left at about 7:30am, expecting about a 1.5 hour flight, including the Ripon/Fisk approach. All went well, and I followed a couple other aircraft up the tracks. The three planes ahead of me were sent to the 36 approach, but I was told to continue NW to join a close right downwind for 27. Winds were something like 030 at 8, so a slight tailwind. I landed (I hope no one has video of the final approach...), and was instructed to exit the runway to the right. I had my HBP sign in the windscreen, and was directed to proceed back east on the taxiway which parallels 27, just on the north side of 27. The intention is to get us back east far enough to take the taxiway south, join runway 23, then west on the taxiway to HBP. Except... there were about a million departures going on, as many who wished to leave Wednesday evening, but were delayed overnight due to weather, ended up leaving Thursday morning. I was in line with planes departing 27 as well. It took almost an hour to get back east far enough to get to the head of the line. The controller then proceeded to clear me for takeoff on 27. I keyed my mike and said "no sir, I landed and am trying to get to HBP!". "Alpha Pop, proceed down runway 27 and exit to the right."

OK, this is reminding me of one of those sci-fi movies where time keeps repeating itself!

Upon my second runway exiting, I told the first flag person "hello again, remember me?". I saw some t-hangars directly north, and firmly announced to this friendly guy that I was going to taxi over to them and shut down, which I did. Anyway, I and the plane cooled down a bit, and after maybe 20 minutes I started up, taxied back to join the conga line. By this time, those directing traffic towards rwy 27 had realized what was going on, and kept the departing taxiing planes on the right side of the taxiway, allowing those of us going south to be able to.

To be clear, no one was at fault, it was just one of those "stuff happens" moments. Or hours.

Total hobbs time until landing: 1.5 hours. Total hobbs time: 3.0

The oil temperature stabilized at 230F, the cylinders stayed below 360 or so. About 1000 rpm seemed to be optimal for managing these temperatures. I kept the boost pump on the entire time, as I didn't dare not to! I had a long departure taxi time at Sun-n-Fun once, but this was a new personal record.

412dE06HO1MBaBtnThQJ-w-zGgfkIXmMwIUtD_3WMlYzm2a9-TQiFO1gotT3lKmBFEVsGnPgybhirRop6K8YVUfZGuvpYKLTgge0aoLzQLPM5FK0jnCoA1xH1BRnApnczsqMtuvVoR8oN38mpFWuqAGuP5ccCii4qyEexsPvQzPuJG49fw0aYjR2woRzTRPtuuYj86eGh54VuV9mCEpbQUct-XfWYJXReXNMY2XNPnJJAY6zFF54r_jB9Ed2GKYD8Kz_HRHF6ShcnU8Qu0yyVRWD_NanydSLq9jxJb8KMohTi1t7OzEqpkBxD0oo18pPuSpsH_lqLWtpDYyrqWLQTWgfyS5VE-vJZYLiKGTRFf0ypiOruniEebNqnAZi_qg5CLYL3Gmbh-8aDCcW-NeJ_VQTL5dRgKTRO8fTcW3IF6ibUyAC0-ryBpGZoL3G0gnI6JA5SLdOIb0LFxJlHXu4tToL78MFLVF70tNbYpAf3ifyDZUeB8_rfoCC2qcSyRz6KkbG_cOzzncN-mGdNgqoajToBPNbqsJ67zX9ALQbZ-kSykmfPNVJGDyeyvF9YgyqdCtGojeGPmowrTCu4o16uBz4KUq7KT8VvW6efs0ZfgLOlprSRF89vTjK=w768-h480-no
 
And I thought we had it bad on Sunday. We arrived on 27 just as the Mooney mass arrival came in on 36. We turned north off of 27, then were directed back on to the grass next to the taxiway and watched all 51 Mooney's taxi in front of us. After that, we were back on the taxiway and allowed after another delay due to arrivals to cross 27. We logged 30 minutes of taxi time before we made it to HBP.
 
Know the Feeling

8 years ago I was flying a Cessna Aerobat. Flew in with and behind some light sport aircraft that were OK'd to park at the Ultralite field but I was assured by one of the more vocal friends in the group that I would be able to park my Cessna by the SeaPlanes S of the Ultralite Field. After a lengthy Taxi to just East of the Ultralite field, a flagman noticed I didn't have floats (this wasn't going to be as easy as they said and if I had some cardboard I would have jumped out and made some). I asked about vintage and the flagman put his hand on his hat and went back and looked at the dataplate while braving my prop-wash. Radioed the serial number in and we sneered at each other for about 5 minutes. the radio call came back......I was DENIED.

Taxied all the way over to the Hilton on the N. Side of 27.

Your taxi map isn't that bad considering. Not certain it was a full 1.5 hrs, but close.

it was my first time and I learned a lot......those that talk the most usually know the least.
 
Last edited:
Look at the positives Alex - you can call the Guinness folks and apply for the record!!

When we do photo or test missions in the mornings at OSH, we usually recover on 27, and I always sort of try to touch down on the left side of teh runway so that a left exit is the quickest way to clear the pavement. I just sort of fade off that way, and the ensuing taxi becomes much shorter, since we're always headed back to the show area. I really like getting the first dot because you can turn off directly on to the paved 23 - assuming they have left room!
 
Oshkosh taxiing

Alex, I'm sorry to say I have you beat. Can't remember the year (maybe 2010)but I taxied my Cardinal for 2 hours mostly due to a lot of aircraft and poor VFR weather. Had a similar experience a few years before that too, well over an hour running the engine on the ground. I now fly into Sheboygan WI to attend the show because of circumstance beyond anyone's control.
Rick
C-GDMH
 
Alex, I'm sorry to say I have you beat. Can't remember the year (maybe 2010)but I taxied my Cardinal for 2 hours mostly due to a lot of aircraft and poor VFR weather. Had a similar experience a few years before that too, well over an hour running the engine on the ground. I now fly into Sheboygan WI to attend the show because of circumstance beyond anyone's control.
Rick
C-GDMH

Always a party pooper... ha! This still might hold as an RV record!

Alex, you not running an EarthX battery by chance are you?

Nope - PC680 recently moved to front, lower right side of the firewall.
 
Always a party pooper... ha!

This year I set a personal record for the shortest taxi times. Landed Friday on 36L, straight to HBC, nobody to follow but the parking crew. Departed Wednesday from the first intersection (blue dot, Brown Arch) on 18R. May have waited 30 seconds at the warbird intersection. The one RV in front of me got a near instant departure, and I was maybe 15 seconds in position and hold.

Heck, I waited longer for an escort out of HBC than it took to taxi out and fly past Fond du Lac.

BTW, interesting sight on the way out. I was southbound at 1300 and watched a DC-3 go by northbound, higher and 300 yards to the left. Cool. Only at OSH.
 
Last edited:
I watched arrivals on Sunday as a form of entertainment and noticed all 27 arrivals had to exit the runway to the North. It seems all the rain made the South side of 27 unusable.
 
This year I set a personal record for the shortest taxi times. Landed Friday on 36L, straight to HBC, nobody to follow but the parking crew. Departed Wednesday from the first intersection (blue dot, Brown Arch) on 18R. May have waited 30 seconds at the warbird intersection. The one RV in front of me got a near instant departure, and I was maybe 15 seconds in position and hold.

Heck, I waited longer for an escort out of HBC than it took to taxi out and fly past Fond du Lac.

BTW, interesting sight on the way out. I was southbound at 1300 and watched a DC-3 go by northbound, higher and 300 yards to the left. Cool. Only at OSH.

After my long taxi, Jeff Point put me in the farthest NE corner of the RV parking area, so leaving that evening was whatever it took to taxi down to 36, unimpeded. Maybe 5 minutes?

vh9NVbpkAB1vbQFnOqLosvxYNlh0xX_iMr8NszgYIn1rh0TrUdiqJRP_r74Vd4m2Z4nZiZRm8XU_6TcmHyjTpaGWNP6kso6SuVGtBSgEQ6iTH_batlmOY_6GmXpKr075fd6m_tZ78wddFApUpJ31EKJuScaBucnpzZ8hUCzDE2KHFUwFaX4lMrkncdgJasPIfM0I0Q4ImiJ18J1VfaUIA1WZ3hRvXS5Sv6C1VbK2s7rSrNXxU9LqqsQEq9PWOfpSN1kNzCJzpESHMXeOVO2kxVO3EnHEPLgb_Q7L1HGKR4kobZ9Vcb-kVNkvORx3FJkDWFbFC450P6PqRaC_PaM3i6_cnkC2E_StMmZEwyB1FH12L_g24fXbNlLHQgrTxtWC_yLyZXZm8BKcLUI2_SdZkfx6ii4Hd7PtbRcWs9nMKz5ErYR2Qj9oYeT4RsKHGuUSXASRuhTwtWAZ-lOXQ20y1xn2nUjwqDEa_MmXp4Eaq3dKr8G_dODSooYeHAsGOiyuTv677K18w7jNcTW-zaX0FLgCo7WGWtsM2TBQtLbk_z19yjXyQ_73sL5iZjwQ-i0HOdOO_pF-DsLeQB8uwigCXn_yejx3fWBxadU4WEe5w2Qk1HxR8HKLzQpLJfmeUnkwPI59Hx0IRUy_qA=w680-h510-no
 
Last edited:
Just be glad you own it. Never had a taxi that long, but 45 min taxi at SnF in a rented aircraft hurts.... We joked a few times about shutting down and taking turns using the tow bar to pull it along.
 
This is the reason I won't accept 9/27 for a homebuilt.

Fantastic show this year. Sunday afternoon obviously more attendees prowling the grounds. With HBC expanded it was a bit deceiving with plenty of grass still vacant, but riding Friar Tuck's bus showed the North 40 in all its filled in glory.

Thanks to Jerry and the volunteers. My wife appreciated the reserved handicapped parking in recognition of the hitch in her git-along. The lady next to us was on crutches!

John Siebold
 
I watched arrivals on Sunday as a form of entertainment and noticed all 27 arrivals had to exit the runway to the North. It seems all the rain made the South side of 27 unusable.

That started sometime in the afternoon while I was watching. The South side of 27 had turned a bit mucky.

After that, the only airplane I saw leaving the runway to the South was the Fairchild FC (the big radial engine antique that parked in the Federal building) which groundlooped off the runway to the South (right towards me for a second) and caused me to crease my folding chair's seat.

And I'm pretty sure I can top the 1.5 hour taxi story. I taxied for a lifetime the day the Breezy had the fatality on 36 a few years ago.
 
It is got to be frustrating when you made it All the way in and landed and within sight of parking only to not be able to get across a runway. My long taxi have always been for takeoff. Been fortunate always on 9/27 to have left into grass on arrival. They need to deconflict landing and taking off traffic on 27. Maybe taking landing traffic up to taxiway F around to E and the cross to J if that is possible.
Last year on leaving I was in line for 40 min waiting in line to take off on 27. No progress as runway was temp closed for some reason. Finally A nice guy on a scooter came over and directed most of use to go to 36. Waited there for another 30-40 minutes as a bunch of warbirds had been directed down that way just a few minutes before we were. Plus all arrivals were coming on 36 as well.
A few years ago they had us all shut down for 30-40 minutes as they had a corsair coming in with only 2 green gear lights.
 
Last edited:
Thanks to Jerry and the volunteers. My wife appreciated the reserved handicapped parking in recognition of the hitch in her git-along. The lady next to us was on crutches!

John Siebold

Hey John,
I was next to the lady on crutches, the yellow/blue 7. I chuckled when I first parked next to the handicapped sign, but when I saw her on crutches, it was validated. I enjoyed talking to your wife about Idaho. My wife & I will be spending the summer there next year.
 
Oshkosh taxiing

"Always a party pooper... ha! This still might hold as an RV record!"

Alex you are more than welcome to keep that record......;-)

Rick
 
Follow up to the long taxi...

Imagine my surprise when I took the cowl off for an oil change and found this on my backup (only purpose is to run the second ignition) battery:

zQIuHDS-RFbgOLZO7FgzRiL6G4ZUlM94D6j-N1I1vrQCfeo9cvIdQMjy3q92cg1LB87wNT9ztuknH7sUDW5bWsl53VvlcNg9odY3nd5_ihb5Jde1ExXrsJW0Qm7ngyWt9pe2sgbj-yXbyRn0Kyr9gsXTclvyzLY9rDJa49MIN7PciHTwfMCKSkPa0utm-W6lwLWOlj2WrbL69OBMsnZ6wSFKWeIU73Hw9oqMRKyZKz054clWUl6wR4Ym8ujpgduhw-pLcloyyOXd3GC9BVv7HuyNps0YewcmmYTscGyNY5S3K25Pb-qy_KGjw5aIWwp1XhalGgUP5ksMBbgmIdOTPLKT874wgcADGo3o4n-mFeXp-URAmj1vsmTKAOCqxt3kWaPdGim1qGO2kwLJVl4FYfNgI1__KHZrkvKYg9WpgeGJsU2-ZeFrYjnTFvYYFulEKar0TiS9GWi6uPq7I2x4V5UOJ3sCsvwoogXwAJ2glwMPJLJHtQHy5Lj_9X-KyOPqkhVoQ7famPdH4CmImxb31lQ3VZo35JjWTOA32g1QU_Hyt4Azei3TduDtKXAYeR1Yl4Ecj1fqzBI4c2TcaVE4MdFNkJR2nVI5kqyA7D_kluCA2wv8YDpi=w712-h533-no


lDiWF-_l-RFL9cedmn7GjBsRyzv2wujXeK-h_cCPzVHo6pOnwG7BiFqXROubak0lQ7ZWRI63iYGYs9B3dTPlhJk0aU6qZQK1EtcdwLdJVkbwIpxd6PPFq6y4HtO6QY6MFj-l0ejDwZjPTeHPR3k7WlOtVZFpZS9QhwUZy-xOFzHTShMd-9iCAAqq8cxm22AZn7Vj6Qiy0sBLOGcT-eoWrGDPMLNAhkPBY-ftBwq5GANEiY1l815h52shMdjCAHr3LAMoHf8MbdPiJmFyUQmAZl6Lu7sNrjp1en7N87YvrF-nREizyIY-ZufC2xkiwuZWs0nqjSWslwl1pruDA5Swjk_i48SsS7elYImZov-nrmNdko-4hNgbKJpVdb4BzacaT4Y3zhFIO6bqzV1miqMIx7IfyXgli2DoC_9HIxu9hvDVVvmfr-VAK0M4VZxNQmjitR6TgbPBZuFab_Ne4POFi7E5Q0hhMx2LW57Pb_CDoR-op4fgEm0DvqTL5pLXjtFAn7m88WF78jN8dAd76xjrQAAEvvsLgA6rW9x8yodhF3MWS9s9NHF9YEMvuVEHnlcl6l7hs2F4NMIPYfFDBpmEZlAjm7JMrQYGs3-hsS8aA4cP07kU8qQU=w712-h533-no


It seems almost certain that this happened during the 1.5 hours of ground ops in 80 degree OAT at Oshkosh.

The battery is a Panasonic glass mat model UP-RW1220P1. Voltage is at about 12.75, so it is still basically functioning. I won't bother with a capacity check on it.

The Odyssee PC680 main battery is free from any visible distortion. Both are mounted on the forward side of the firewall. The PC 680 is low on the right, the heat damaged one is on the left, just below the upper motor mount attachment point.

It would be interesting to know what polymer this battery's shell is made from.

Obviously, I'll replace the battery. I'm also going to put a small thermocouple on it, and attach it to it with something slightly insulating. I'll simply connect it to my Fluke handheld inside the cabin. I want to understand what sorts of temperatures it normally sees. I might modify the hold down cover for it to be blast-tube able. While I'm at it, I'll put one also on the main battery, as well as in a few other areas at or near the exit.
 
Back
Top