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Help needed re AirVenture 2023

Janekom

Well Known Member
Patron
Dear RV Brothers,
Is is not easy to plan a trip from South Africa to be at AirVenture and I have decided to test the power of VAF.

I would like to ask a few questions. Right now three guys with the possibility of being joined by one or two US friends - obviously RV owners.

Buying tickets from Cape Town to Chicago was easy :)


1. Any ideas on how to travel from Chicago O'Hare to AirVenture and back again?

2. We are considering camping on site using a rental RV like this. Is this a good idea?

https://www.outdoorsy.com/rv-rental/kimberly_wi/2017_keystone_passport_166242-listing

Where and how can we arrange a site for this RV if it is a good idea?

If this is not a good idea, Looking at the various Dormitories, is the EAA site below the best to use?

https://www.eaa.org/airventure/plan-your-eaa-airventure-trip/eaa-camping-and-lodging/eaa-lodging

I know we ill get good advice from you guys. What can we offer you - a free RV flight when you visit one of us in South Africa ;)
 
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Book a flight from from Chicago O'Hare to Appleton WI. (ATW) there will be a bus at the airport that will take you right to AirVenture.

All dorms are booked. Best to camp on the grounds... you get full days that way.

See if you can arrange to have the RV motorhome dropped off at campgrounds. I think they are first come first served. But they have plenty of room, or at least they used to.
 
1. You can always just rent a car. Unfortunately, car rentals still appear to expensive, but the prices seem to be coming down a bit. They sold off their inventory during Covid which made inventory short and demand high.

2. I’ve use this company once before. They will deliver and pick up to Camp Scholler. With any of the companies, check to see if they provide a generator. You usually can buy a Honda generator on site, but then what do you do with it at the end of the week? There are sites in Scholler that provide electricity and water. They are limited in quantity and more expensive. Check the EAA camping site for details.

While the EAA dorms are usually sold out in advanced, you can add you name to the waiting list. There are usually plenty of cancellations in the weeks before the show.

There is a large contingent of South Africans that pitch tents at Scholler. They store tents and gear locally. They have an advanced team set things up for them. I don’t have any contact info. EAA may be able to provide some contact information. The group has been coming for as long as I can remember. I’m sure one of them can provide you how they provide transportation and logistics.

Most risky is to go to Walmart and buy a tent and camping supplies when you get to town. They tend to sell out quickly, especially if bad weather hits early like last year. Cabela, which is a local outdoor store, is about forty minutes south of town and would have a much better selection of camping gear. If you’re driving a rental car from Chicago, you drive right by it.









Dear RV Brothers,
Is is not easy to plan a trip from South Africa to be at AirVenture and I have decided to test the power of VAF.

I would like to ask a few questions. Right now three guys with the possibility of being joined by one or two US friends - obviously RV owners.

Buying tickets from Cape Town to Chicago was easy :)


1. Any ideas on how to travel from Chicago O'Hare to AirVenture and back again?

2. We are considering camping on site using a rental RV like this. Is this a good idea?

https://www.outdoorsy.com/rv-rental/kimberly_wi/2017_keystone_passport_166242-listing

Where and how can we arrange a site for this RV if it is a good idea?

If this is not a good idea, Looking at the various Dormitories, is the EAA site below the best to use?

https://www.eaa.org/airventure/plan-your-eaa-airventure-trip/eaa-camping-and-lodging/eaa-lodging

I know we ill get good advice from you guys. What can we offer you - a free RV flight when you visit one of us in South Africa ;)
 
Book a flight from from Chicago O'Hare to Appleton WI. (ATW) there will be a bus at the airport that will take you right to AirVenture.
This is one good option. Another is to take the shuttle bus from O'hare up to Milwaukee Mitchell airport, then pick up the Airventure shuttle from Mitchell. Coach USA has a regular hourly shuttle from O'hare, price around $35. This option is a little more convoluted but gives you more time of day options.

https://www.coachusa.com
 
I fly to Chicago, rent a car, drive to OSH and stay in a dorm room. Once you are there, shuttles will take you to and from the dorms. I found that was easier than the 12 hour drive to get there!
 
What sort of comfort level do you require? Everything around Oshkosh will be expensive and in short supply. One option would be to rent a car a Chicago, easy at the airport. It is around a three hour drive to Oshkosh. Stay at a motel a way out of Oshkosh on the way in and out. Pick up some cheap tents, sleeping bags and mats at some place like Walmart not near Oshkosh. The weather will be mild. There are hot showers at Scholler. When you are ready to leave discard or donate. The car will give you good access to local food and make it simple to get back to Chicago.

The RV sound like a logistical nightmare unless you can get someone to deliver, set it up and retrieve it.
 
The RV sound like a logistical nightmare unless you can get someone to deliver, set it up and retrieve it.
There are plenty of rental companies that do exactly this for hundreds of camping units at the show. I've never used them, and I'm sure you pay for the convenience, but it is a viable option that many people use.
 
We used outdoorsy last year and have booked again this year for an RV. There's a little bit of unknown just because these are personal RVs. Some will be better maintained than others, but overall I think it's a pretty safe option for housing.
 
Hi Jan,
I have been going to Airventure for many many years, even before it was "Airventure". I have rented every kind of accommodation imaginable including renting an RV and staying on site, and camping.

There is one option that I have used often, and that is the Valley Christian school. They have a shuttle to the Airventure, and provide dinner and breakfast. Also, it's air conditioned, and many of the dorms are not. Check it out. We usually rent a car at ORD and drive up when using this option as it gives us more dining flexibility. If going with a group sometimes you can reserve a whole room for everyone.

https://www.valleychristianoshkosh.com/eaa-lodging

Ed
 
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Oshkosh Camping

South African aviators have had their own dedicated camping area at Oshkosh for years, I don’t know if it still exists but it was a very big operation, either check with maybe the South African Flying club (or something similar??) or send a email to EAA and check with them.
 
… All dorms are booked...

UWOSH website says all rooms are booked but I got on the waitlist yesterday and got a room today.

Can’t speak to Valley Christian School but food and shuttle at UWOSH are excellent according to me. Will check out Valley Christian next year.
.
 
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Neil Bowden EAA of SA

Maybe check with Neil Bowden in EAA South Africa. If memory serves he may have been in the Joburg area and possibly in EAA Ch322

We met him on my last trip to OSH and He’d organised the SA contingent camping in Camp Scholler.

Don H
(SA born Aussie)
 
Thank you very much for all the advice and help.

I have checked out the airline tickets from Chicago to Appleton and it seems to be reasonable.

At this stage we are looking at the options available with the camper trailer.

Yes I know Neil Bowden personally and I am a member of Chapter 322. Talking to him as well.

The idea is to have the camper trailer delivered and parked close to the South African camp there and have some of our meals etc with the South African group at Neil's camp.
 
Thank you very much. We have booked with Outdoorsy - the reviews are good for the one that we have picked. It is in Appleton and will be delivered for us.
 
Oshkosh

Yes several friends of mine rent RVs (motorhomes)
Last year we didn’t fly but drove ours.
They delivered and set up the motorhome, you
walk across the street to the grocery store and
your set. Message me and I will do what I can
to get the contact info for the place that they
use. And I apologize before hand because now
we are on holiday in the desert digging bones
rocks etc. so we check our email sporadically.
And hopefully we will see you there!!
 
Oshkosh

The wonders of message boards
Just saw that you had already booked,
by the time we replied.
Great hope to see you there!!!!
 
Thank you Moe,

We are traveling in a bus with fellow South Africans from Chicago to Oshkosh.

Slowly but surely getting sorted out. I appreciate ALL the help.
 
The drive from Chicago is easy under 3 hours in light traffic on I94 all the way. or I41 to I91 (for a few miles) is suppose to be faster about 2.5 hrs but has tolls I believe. Rent a car or may be some Van's Member can give you a lift?

If you KNOW the dates and times you will arrive and depart out of KORD you may get someone give you a ride.

You do NOT need a rental car once you get to site. The RV should include a parking pass to park next to your RV. However a rental car would open up your opportunity to go to more restaurants. There are plenty of places to eat on the site and shopping areas off field nearby with free shuttle.

There is always UBER or LYFT.... You join (free) and use an app to get a car like a taxi, but the car and driver are privately owned. You pay through App and can see where the car is. The drivers are vetted and cheaper than a TAXI.

WAZE App is an active traffic, cop, road hazard (break downs, accidents) App. Great for cr

EAA has an APP to navigate on site.
 
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