Oshkosh: Taking the house with you

[yvesg]

Some of you already know that we plan to attend AirVenture this year for the first time. We are planning to camp under the wing (although I do not think the tent will fit there). Wife is the kind of lady that would bring the whole house with her. The Mooney is not the best to carry volume and weigth... so here are my questions, more precisely:

- Did anyone remove the back seat in order to allow more volume and weight?

- If you did, how is it done? Do we need to remove the front seat first?

- Is it legal? I am assuming that if a proper weigth and balance is completed, it should be

Thanks.

Yves

[N201MKTurbo]

A Mooney will haul an amazing volume of stuff. Removing the back seat will not get you that much, just pile the soft stuff on the back seats and strap it down with the seat belts.

 

You can get everything you need at the show. Bring a light weight tent to keep the rain off if it rains, and a pillow and light sheet to cover yourself. It usually is not cold. Bring a folding chair for each of you and a cooler for the beer you sneak in. That is all you need. The show has plenty of food, and bathrooms and showers. Bring two pairs of shorts and two shirts and you are good to go.

[Greg]

Tell your beautiful wife to bring it all as long it is all her stuff.  big rubbermaid totes fit nicely in the back seat and load fast.    As for you wear one pair of shorts and bring another in a small plastic grocery sack along with your personal hygene stuff.  The rest of what you need you can buy at the show or Walmart.  Park on a high spot at the show as it is probably going to rain and you don't want to be down hill from anything.  Be sure to bring a couple fold up lawn chairs and an umbrella for the rain and some shade.  There is a good steakhouse just outside the Northwest corner of the airport, not a bad place to be close to.  There are two shower houses in the Northwest  end of the field, bring a couple towels.  there is free bus shuttle all around the airport and out to the seaplane base.  Gas for the plane off the truck is usually reasonably priced, however, if you order it be prepared to wait around the plane for at least an hour.  Last year they never did show up and we left with 1/4 tank and headed for nearest airport with fuel.  Also, bring some of those electronic mosquito repellers.  Solar power for the laptop or your phone would come in handy or at least be able to plug it in to the plane.  

[mooneygirl]

I love the space bags that you vacuum close.  The fluffy stuff like pillows, towels and bedding shrink down to about 1/3 size.  Mitch always says that I take everything too!  There is a Target pretty much across the highway, with a shuttle that runs to it from the North 40.

 

But I swear by the space bags by Ziploc.  I found that our pump for the air mattress has a reverse and it did a pretty good job of sucking the air out of the bags on the return trip.

 

For all of us:  PLEASE strap down heavy items such as tool bags, bikes, etc.  We don't want to lose a member of our Mooney family to a head injury from a flying tool bag.

[jetdriven]

Some of you already know that we plan to attend AirVenture this year for the first time. We are planning to camp under the wing (although I do not think the tent will fit there). Wife is the kind of lady that would bring the whole house with her. The Mooney is not the best to carry volume and weigth... so here are my questions, more precisely:

- Did anyone remove the back seat in order to allow more volume and weight?

- If you did, how is it done? Do we need to remove the front seat first?

- Is it legal? I am assuming that if a proper weigth and balance is completed, it should be

Thanks.

Yves

I have removed the back seat for maintenance, and it is a 2 hour job to R+R the thing.  You remove the front copilot seat, then the rear seat. Putting it back in is most of the work.

 

Have you considered not bringing so much stuff? There is a Target nearby and several restauants. We made 4 days in OSH with the baggage compartment full and the cooler full of food on the rear seat.

[yvesg]

I have removed the back seat for maintenance, and it is a 2 hour job to R+R the thing.  You remove the front copilot seat, then the rear seat. Putting it back in is most of the work.

 

Have you considered not bringing so much stuff? There is a Target nearby and several restauants. We made 4 days in OSH with the baggage compartment full and the cooler full of food on the rear seat.

I did consider it but she needs more reassuring which you guys are good at doing. When we were doing lots a camping, many years ago, we would even bring the large propane BBQ on the pick-up truck. I even recall once we took a trailer full of stuff. Firewood would also take lots of trunk room.

Now that she knows there is a Target (and some mentioned a Walmart) nearby, I think she'll be fine. Over ten years ago, when airlines would allow two checked-in baggage, we would always be near the limit.

With the new lower limits, she learned to bring less.. and I learned to tip Cuban baggage measurers to allow that extra few pounds of rhum on the way back.

Yves

[Steve Dawson]

Hey Yves,

Don't forget to bring some good tiedowns with you. After some problems with some aircraft being thrown around by some storms a few years ago everyone has to have their plane tied down properly. And they check.  I think they're $40 when I went 2 years ago. I still have them and they're great.

Byron's right about the 2 hours taking the back seat out. I've done it and it does open up the back for larger items. I brought my golf bag with me to go golfing with friends later as well as a 2 person pop-up tent, sleeping bags, small suit case and cooler. If I had a small bike it would of fit in there too. There are 2 bolts at the side of the seat and 2 at the bottom. Sounds easy but they're a pain to get at.

Just do your weight and balance.

[yvesg]

Hey Yves,

Don't forget to bring some good tiedowns with you. After some problems with some aircraft being thrown around by some storms a few years ago everyone has to have their plane tied down properly. And they check.  I think they're $40 when I went 2 years ago. I still have them and they're great.

Byron's right about the 2 hours taking the back seat out. I've done it and it does open up the back for larger items. I brought my golf bag with me to go golfing with friends later as well as a 2 person pop-up tent, sleeping bags, small suit case and cooler. If I had a small bike it would of fit in there too. There are 2 bolts at the side of the seat and 2 at the bottom. Sounds easy but they're a pain to get at.

Just do your weight and balance.

For the tie-downs, I got the EAA instructions and managed to make myself a nice set. I only had to buy the rods. It is a bit on the heavy side however I understand that it will be useful in Oshkosh and perhaps other future destination. I recall a trip we did to Gaspé Québec where we had to leave the Mooney beside a Pilatus worth several time my insurance liability coverage... with no tie down. Overnight, the wind picked-up quite a bit. I could not sleep...

Yves

[aviatoreb]

I love the space bags that you vacuum close.  The fluffy stuff like pillows, towels and bedding shrink down to about 1/3 size.  Mitch always says that I take everything too!  There is a Target pretty much across the highway, with a shuttle that runs to it from the North 40.

 

But I swear by the space bags by Ziploc.  I found that our pump for the air mattress has a reverse and it did a pretty good job of sucking the air out of the bags on the return trip.

 

For all of us:  PLEASE strap down heavy items such as tool bags, bikes, etc.  We don't want to lose a member of our Mooney family to a head injury from a flying tool bag.

 

But you guys need TWO mooneys to go to a fly in, right?!  :-O

[Becca]

Our packing: backseat fits large cooler, case of beer, pillows, plastic bag with snack fooda, plus everything we need in flight. Luggage area fits two large duffles, air mattress, tent, folding chairs, tools, tie down kit, etc. Byron also complained his wife isn't a light packer. My approach is to fill the volume available. We ended up going to my dads place after osh and then ferrying my brother somewhere so when we had a human in that seat the cooler got left behind..

[carusoam]

Perfect time to introduce the long body to the ministeress of finance. It comes complete with fold down back seats...

Thinking out loud,

-a-

[Bennett]

Fold down seats and removable rear seat backs in the later J models are a pleasure to use for two people with lots of gear. Paul. at LASAR, built a articulating rear seat back for my 261 that worked well for my long trips. I could take out the rear seat bottoms (I think we made these as split seats) and fold down the back part to form a reasonably flat floor for baggage and gear. The key was the articulating hinging that Paul designed.

[yvesg]

I guess I should tell you about our tent too... wife like large ones... large enough we could hold a MAPA convention in there....

Last week-end we went to visit my good friend Matt in Nashua NH, who is a pilot and this was supposed to be a return the same night... those of you know how bad the weather was in the East recently... we had to turn back when returning due to bad visibility and darkness and landed in Rutland Vermont. The next day, we could not take off due to IFR ceilings and the runway was NOTAM closed due to work on the runway. We rented a car and drove back home. I went back to retrieve the Mooney. on Thursday night, with the plan to camp on the airport (airnav says they have camping) so brought the tent. As I arrived there, it was 11PM, hot, raining, moskitoes... the camping site is 200 yards away and on reaching it noted a wooden pedestal (made to prevent getting floded in the tent). The pedestal was about 8 X 8 feet by 8 inches high. Upon unfolding the tent, the base is 12 X 8. Its the type of tent that needs tension at the base ,for all this to hold up... I became VERY upset. Since I am a grinder I did not give up (could have called it quits and drive to a nearby motel) . Took over an hour to set it up... fighting with the elements and cursing.... inventing new ways to make this thing stand up... I should have taken a picture!

Yves

[DrBill]

The only time I removed the seat was to fit an Air Compressor back there.  Then I put the seat back and bottom along the pilot side since I'd need them on the way back.  For what you need, Just pack it in the available spaces.  I'll have a spot at VAC and an tent in the plane if I plan to stay longer than my reservations.  Arrice Sunday and plan to leave on Thursday.

 Bill

[Becca]

I guess I should tell you about our tent too... wife like large ones... large enough we could hold a MAPA convention in there....

Last week-end we went to visit my good friend Matt in Nashua NH, who is a pilot and this was supposed to be a return the same night... those of you know how bad the weather was in the East recently... we had to turn back when returning due to bad visibility and darkness and landed in Rutland Vermont. The next day, we could not take off due to IFR ceilings and the runway was NOTAM closed due to work on the runway. We rented a car and drove back home. I went back to retrieve the Mooney. on Thursday night, with the plan to camp on the airport (airnav says they have camping) so brought the tent. As I arrived there, it was 11PM, hot, raining, moskitoes... the camping site is 200 yards away and on reaching it noted a wooden pedestal (made to prevent getting floded in the tent). The pedestal was about 8 X 8 feet by 8 inches high. Upon unfolding the tent, the base is 12 X 8. Its the type of tent that needs tension at the base ,for all this to hold up... I became VERY upset. Since I am a grinder I did not give up (could have called it quits and drive to a nearby motel) . Took over an hour to set it up... fighting with the elements and cursing.... inventing new ways to make this thing stand up... I should have taken a picture!

Yves

 

I guess I should tell you about our tent too... wife like large ones... large enough we could hold a MAPA convention in there....

Last week-end we went to visit my good friend Matt in Nashua NH, who is a pilot and this was supposed to be a return the same night... those of you know how bad the weather was in the East recently... we had to turn back when returning due to bad visibility and darkness and landed in Rutland Vermont. The next day, we could not take off due to IFR ceilings and the runway was NOTAM closed due to work on the runway. We rented a car and drove back home. I went back to retrieve the Mooney. on Thursday night, with the plan to camp on the airport (airnav says they have camping) so brought the tent. As I arrived there, it was 11PM, hot, raining, moskitoes... the camping site is 200 yards away and on reaching it noted a wooden pedestal (made to prevent getting floded in the tent). The pedestal was about 8 X 8 feet by 8 inches high. Upon unfolding the tent, the base is 12 X 8. Its the type of tent that needs tension at the base ,for all this to hold up... I became VERY upset. Since I am a grinder I did not give up (could have called it quits and drive to a nearby motel) . Took over an hour to set it up... fighting with the elements and cursing.... inventing new ways to make this thing stand up... I should have taken a picture!

Yves

 

The tent thing is really funny.  All I had was a small lightweight two person backpacking tent, which we took to Osh a couple years ago.  Byron isn't much of a camper so has never been stuck out in a tent in inclement weather, and we had great weather and didn't really spend any time in the tent and it was fine.  However, knowing we had a few flying camping trips ahead, I bought a slightly upgraded four person tent from REI that's taller (e.g. you can stand up in it) and has room to put your bags and such, and a little covered awning enterance.  It stows up in abou tdouble the size of my backpacking tent and is a little heavier.  But its really still quite a modest car-camping style tent.  But I feel like if we had a rainy morning or something, we'd be grateful for the space.  He ranted, raved, and complained about how I was "expanding" what we needed to take too much.

[jetdriven]

Next year we are taking an A36.

[RocketAviator]

Next year we are taking an A36.

img_0260.jpeg

I'll loan you my Saratoga....... If I still have it by then  LOL!

[N601RX]

I went 2 years ago on Delta.  I put the all camping stuff and other things I needed in a large suitcase.  It contained everything I needed for 3 days. Purchased food, drinks and ice when I arrived.

[Hank]

Our packing: backseat fits large cooler, case of beer, pillows, plastic bag with snack fooda, plus everything we need in flight. Luggage area fits two large duffles, air mattress, tent, folding chairs, tools, tie down kit, etc. Byron also complained his wife isn't a light packer. My approach is to fill the volume available. We ended up going to my dads place after osh and then ferrying my brother somewhere so when we had a human in that seat the cooler got left behind..

 

What you are missing is that Mr. & Mrs. Yves have a short-body. C-model. Cargo compartment is wider side-to-side than its length along the fuselage [length is about the same as the seat bottom cushions].

 

My wife & I pack the cargo to the roof [canopy cover bag on top to hold everything down], then fill the backseat up to the headrests. This all fits with room to spare in the trunk of her Corolla, or it did before the deer decided we don't need that car anymore.

 

It has been good experience for my wife, learning to travel light in a short-body. I can go off for three days with a single airline carry-on bag; she fills the remainder of the space in the plane, sometimes with stuff in her lap. "What does she take" is the wrong question, as the list of things she leaves at home is shorter. But she's improving; she used to fill the trunk and back seat of the car! And we do manage [after a couple of years' practice] to keep my flight bag in reach, with room for a small dog crate on the backseat when our 9-pound poodle goes with us.

 

Practice, practice, practice! Have you thought about buying a small car, Yves, to help her learn to pack lighter? Please leave firewood at home, you won't be able to bring enough. Is a fire necessary in July? Beside a bunch of airplanes??

 

My baggage area will fit two medium duffles, small tent, small air mattress, tools adn canopy cover; tie downs live on the hat rack. That leaves room for a cooler of beer [no ice] on the back seat, along with flight bag, purse, and assorted small items. Folding chairs are a luxury that may not fit. Short bodies always run out of cube first, except when hauling people, books or construction material.

[N9201A]

The air mattress/reverse vacuum bag trick is a good one.  One year I brought a portable power source and while inside my tent the air pump blowing up the air mattress had drawn some attention -- when I emerged my neighbors asked whether I had been vacuuming my tent!

[yvesg]

Thanks for the advise Hank. We did the list and will set priorities. Stuff with low priority might stay in the car at the airport... will see. We'll weigth every item and put in an Excel spreadsheet. About the car.... we own Japanese cars each... when we travel abroad, I have a roof container for the light large stuff like pellows, sleeping bags etc... can't really put that in the Mooney.

Question: Are the nearby stores gouging prices because of Oshkosh? If not, we'll buy as much as possible over there.

Yves

[Dave Marten]

Question: Are the nearby stores gouging prices because of Oshkosh? If not, we'll buy as much as possible over there.

Yves

 

There is a Target and a grocery store w/in about a 15 min walk from the North 40.  The last few years EAA has actually been running a shuttle bus back and forth to stores from the North 40 campground. No price gouging and stores have been well stocked. Community is very supportive and friendly.