Skates97 Posted May 1, 2020 Report Share Posted May 1, 2020 Received the email this morning. AirVenture 2020 UpdateView this email online We Don’t Gamble, We Need A Sure ThingAirVenture 2020 is officially canceled My fellow EAA’rs. It is May here in Wisconsin, and unfortunately like many of you across the country, we are still under a stay at home order through May 26. Normally, this is the month when we start our preflight planning for EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. By this time, we should have begun ramping up our entire site in preparation for our July convention. Volunteers from across the country and world would have descended on Oshkosh. Together they would have formed work parties, our suppliers would begin start setting up tents and infrastructure. Our EAA staff would be printing wrist bands, campers guides, programs and an assortment of EAA collateral as full-on AirVenture execution begins. But because of circumstances beyond our control, none of this can happen now. We cannot even get to the hangar so our preflight is left to watching the prog charts. While this certainly makes the ability to prepare for the event a scheduling problem, it does not preclude the bigger issue of predicting what will be the health guidelines in July. Right now, there are three phases that have been defined in Wisconsin as the recommended procedures. As I write this, we are not in Phase 1 yet. Phase 2 restricts gatherings to 50 people. Phase 3 allows for mass gathering with restrictions. Our convention attracts EAA members not only from the U.S. but around the world. Today we cannot predict when we will be at a point that our event meets the all clear Phase 3 milestone for mass gathering with restrictions. As your leader, I see no clear path to meet our own requirements to insure the health and safety expectations our organization demands for our employees, members, volunteers, exhibitors and attendees. That includes sanitization, separation and personal protection requirements. My conclusion is, like in any good flight planning, don’t take the risk. Therefore, I have no choice but to cancel AirVenture 2020. Together, we can come back stronger, safer and ready for AirVenture 2021 and create a memorable world class aviation event. Because of our dedicated and enthusiastic EAA members, our Association is strong. We know that at some point this storm will pass. And over the next 12 months we will continue to support all of you as we again, together, grow EAA in the Spirit of Aviation. Respectfully, Jack J. Pelton Experimental Aircraft Association CEO and Chairman of the Board Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steingar Posted May 1, 2020 Report Share Posted May 1, 2020 Me too. Wasn't planning to go anyway, too much virus on the loose. It won't be gone by July. Don't need to be stuck in a tent in a field sick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Ellis Posted May 1, 2020 Report Share Posted May 1, 2020 I just read this email as well. I was looking forward to my first Caravan flight. Well...2021!!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsxrpilot Posted May 1, 2020 Report Share Posted May 1, 2020 I, for one, am glad to see this. Even though Oshkosh is the highlight of my year each summer, I'm glad not to be going this year. It wouldn't have been the same anyway. This is a good and sensible decision. Just like good pilots do. Scrub the mission if it doesn't look good. 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ragedracer1977 Posted May 1, 2020 Report Share Posted May 1, 2020 The right call by the EAA. Too much uncertainty from the WI governor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsxrpilot Posted May 1, 2020 Report Share Posted May 1, 2020 Just now, ragedracer1977 said: The right call by the EAA. Too much uncertainty from the WI governor. Never mind the governor, too much uncertainty from the damn virus right now. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ragedracer1977 Posted May 1, 2020 Report Share Posted May 1, 2020 Just now, gsxrpilot said: Never mind the governor, too much uncertainty from the damn virus right now. We're all adults. There's more than enough data to know what the situation is with the virus. If it was being held, id go without reservation 3 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cferr59 Posted May 1, 2020 Report Share Posted May 1, 2020 There were 2 things I wanted to do now that I bought an airplane. Fly to OshKosh and fly to Burning Man. Both were unfortunately cancelled. Disappointing, but I don't think there was any other realistic choice. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsxrpilot Posted May 1, 2020 Report Share Posted May 1, 2020 13 minutes ago, cferr59 said: There were 2 things I wanted to do now that I bought an airplane. Fly to OshKosh and fly to Burning Man. Both were unfortunately cancelled. Disappointing, but I don't think there was any other realistic choice. I've done both, multiple times, and highly recommend it! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradp Posted May 1, 2020 Report Share Posted May 1, 2020 What a reasonable guy that Jack Pelton. As much as I’d love to go back, this is the prudent decision. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MB65E Posted May 1, 2020 Report Share Posted May 1, 2020 Jack is great!! Now my years attending will finally match my age. -Matt 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricJ Posted May 1, 2020 Report Share Posted May 1, 2020 Good call. The public health risk and economic damage risk is still pretty high, and there's no reason to tempt the probabilities. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seth Posted May 1, 2020 Report Share Posted May 1, 2020 (edited) It's a hard pill to swallow but the right call. With the uncertainty, how could you not cancel the event? It gave the vendors, speakers, prep, sponsors, everyone the proper time line to get ahead of not having the event this year and holding a successful 2021 Airventure. -Seth Edited May 1, 2020 by Seth 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aviatoreb Posted May 1, 2020 Report Share Posted May 1, 2020 4 hours ago, ragedracer1977 said: The right call by the EAA. Too much uncertainty from the WI governor. It must be the governor's fault. The most important thing in any crisis is to figure out who to blame. 3 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carusoam Posted May 1, 2020 Report Share Posted May 1, 2020 Logic prevails... The right decision... Not too soon... Not too late... Looking forward to see how technology can ramp up to help fill the KOSH void.... Hendrik / Flumag was tossing around some ideas the other day... There may be an ugly cloud over the field... Mooney pilots always have a plan C to support their Plan B.... It isn’t over, until.... Marauder’s team takes the stage... There is going to be some good things that will inevitably come out of this... PP thoughts only, my glass has been half-full for a long time... Best regards, -a- 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark89114 Posted May 1, 2020 Report Share Posted May 1, 2020 Unfortunately they had no choice. The political climate has scared everybody into retreating and waiting for government to save them. My guess is this corona virus scare is going to cost the US $5 trillion dollars, divided by 100,000 deaths equals $50 million per death. The $50 million number is way to high, human life simply isn't worth that much. I am sure the few humanists on this board will say what about if it was your loved ones, etc. but the decision was made by the media and a scared public based on little facts. As Stalin (supposedly) said, "one death is a tragedy, a million becomes a statistic." The cold hard economic reality is it will take us a decade to get out of this mess. The whole thing doesn't pass the reality test. What is the next crisis going to cost us? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carusoam Posted May 1, 2020 Report Share Posted May 1, 2020 I’m going with the media has me more scared Than the political climate... From the weather channel.... actual deaths nearby (county) The unfortunate part... travel is a main cause of the virus spread over distance... As far as bad data goes... the weather channel doesn’t know what to do with Canada... They have a gray color for data not available and a dark red for high level of Covid19 cases... Canada appears to have a wide spread Covid19 challenge that just defies logic... Best regards, -a- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danb Posted May 1, 2020 Report Share Posted May 1, 2020 Crap just canceled hotel... the virus is brutal, I just bought a new car in Pompano Beach and have to have it shipped to De, no way am I ready to get in a hotel not knowing who left there mark. Next month 50th anniversary cancelled Italy vacation. Currently canceling spring trips, hopefully July things may be clean although I’d be keeping my distance and be sanitary 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ragedracer1977 Posted May 1, 2020 Report Share Posted May 1, 2020 (edited) 2 hours ago, aviatoreb said: It must be the governor's fault. The most important thing in any crisis is to figure out who to blame. It was a knee jerk comment,I was upset, but it is his fault there is no certainty. The goal posts keep moving. Out governor isn't doing any better. I just wish someone would come out and give us a plan. What's the endgame? 2 more weeks every 14 days is a disaster. That said, cancelling OSH was probably the right thing to do, no matter what the Government had to say... Edited May 1, 2020 by ragedracer1977 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aviatoreb Posted May 1, 2020 Report Share Posted May 1, 2020 (edited) 2 hours ago, ragedracer1977 said: It was a knee jerk comment,I was upset, but it is his fault there is no certainty. The goal posts keep moving. Out governor isn't doing any better. I just wish someone would come out and give us a plan. What's the endgame? 2 more weeks every 14 days is a disaster. That said, cancelling OSH was probably the right thing to do, no matter what the Government had to say... I hear ya. Its definitely frustrating times. I am also frustrated because I hear people who should be doing something instead spending all their energy blaming instead - I didn't mean you when I said that btw. I have always liked the buck stops here quote and that seems to be a long lost sentiment. Anyway imagine from the stand point of the Oshkosh organizers the cost-risk that goes with planning such a massive event with uncertainty at hand. I mean even if economy is totally open in Wisconsin, does that mean that everyone will come this summer in a few short months. Many would. Many wouldn't.. Edited May 1, 2020 by aviatoreb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_H Posted May 1, 2020 Report Share Posted May 1, 2020 1 hour ago, ragedracer1977 said: I just wish someone would come out and give us a plan. What's the endgame? 2 more weeks every 14 days is a disaster. If the government shared the actual lock-down plans, most people wouldn't accept them. Two weeks is probably the maximum amount of time that the government believes most of the public will willingly accept without creating a conflict. Rinse and repeat. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davidv Posted May 2, 2020 Report Share Posted May 2, 2020 40 minutes ago, David_H said: If the government shared the actual lock-down plans, most people wouldn't accept them. Two weeks is probably the maximum amount of time that the government believes most of the public will willingly accept without creating a conflict. Rinse and repeat. Hmmm what does this remind me of???? how about the standard airline "30 minute" delay... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MATTS875 Posted May 2, 2020 Report Share Posted May 2, 2020 Next year will be a blast for sure. Much to look forward to 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
INA201 Posted May 2, 2020 Report Share Posted May 2, 2020 I think they could use their creative and volunteer energy to at least create entries into the various categories of aircraft. They could also put together a really memorable event that could be digitized so that every EAA member could be involved. I’ve always looked at challenges as opportunities if the possibility to do so presents itself. The Flight to Oshkosh is cancelled but the spirit can be harnessed with some creative leadership. Who knows.....let’s see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_H Posted May 2, 2020 Report Share Posted May 2, 2020 2 hours ago, Davidv said: Hmmm what does this remind me of???? how about the standard airline "30 minute" delay... This analogy is about as close as anyone could possibly get to describing this whole debacle. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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