best time to arrive by air?

I'd say you've picked one of the potentially busiest times to arrive

If you can allow yourself the weekend to get there, aiming to arrive "by" Sunday evening, that will give you a greater window of flexibility for weather, traffic, pilot fatigue etc, etc.  The weekend is pretty busy too.  If you really want a quieter day, I'd aim for Tuesday or Wednesday, but then you'd miss all the fun of the preceeding Sat, Sun & Mon ...

If Monday really is the only day you can do it, try to get somewhere close (depending on where you are arriving from), the night before so you only have a short hop on Monday, and plan to be at the initial arrival point (Fisk or Fond du Lac) at the notam-d airspace opening time.

Thanks Janet,

That's just what I needed to know. Weather permitting,  we have a 9hour (airtime) trip; so I am shooting  for a  four hour (airtime) leg on Sunday  plus  clearing customs.  I plan on stopping KMNM for gas and to review the last leg.  Depending on arrival time and how busy it seems perhaps overnight there and continue on in the morning, Although getting in to KOSH Sun. evening would be nice.

I hope you have a good trip, and a great time at AV.  What are you flying here in?

Thanks. 

I'm flying a '76 Warrior. We're crossing NOrthern Maine, Quebec, Ontario and into the USA at Sault Ste Marie.

We're hoping to get to North Bay or the Sault  day one.

Are you going this year?

Hi Murray, that's quite a trip.  Hope you have a great time and enjoy the arrival and your time at Oshkosh.

Can you cross northern Maine before entering the USA at a customs airport?  I know next to nothing about Canadian border flying, and I assume you've checked this out, so I'm curious.  Want to make sure you arrive at Oshkosh without incident.  A border crossing "incident" would be no fun at all.  I live near the Mexican border, but I guess it's a different world down here.

Mike E

Mike,

I believe that when you cross into the US from Mexico, you have to clear customs at the airport nearest your crossing point.  Crossing from Canada, they are a little bit more flexible and may let you continue to the airport of your choice, but it is always worth checking with the USCBP folks to confirm.

Murray,

If you have time in Sault Ste Marie, one direction or the other, try to stop in at the Canadian Bushplane Heritiage Centre, if you haven't been before - http://www.bushplane.com/  You won't regret taking the time to visit it.

Are you coming from NB?  Or Newfoundland?  Whatever, that is going to be quite the trip!  I hope you have a great camera & good blogging skills 

We get to live in Oshkosh, 365 days a year.  The next few months, without a shadow of a doubt, are the best ones

Hi Mike,

This is my longest trip ever.

I've only over flown Maine once before but it wasn't a problem. You have to mention it specifically in your flight plan, and you have to be actually talking to Boston Centre (in this area) when you cross over in US airspace.  

I've flown into Maine once last summer.   I did the EAPIS   manifest. Because of the narrow arrival window I landed and did customs at the first US airport with customs (KHUL).   I read up on it beforehand and of course, I had read the horror stories  in the aviation forums.  We had a good experience.  The officers were waiting for us when we arrived ( we called ahead with our ETA).  They looked at our passports and aircraft documents, did a brief inspection of the plane ( it was a day trip so we just had a flight bag) and we were off.

The changes at the Canadian/US border had been quite stressful in this area. For my lifetime, the border has been just another piece of red-tape that interfered with the flow of goods and people.

EVERYONE SMUGGLED both ways.  Before drugs it was cigarettes and booze for personal use, clothing and anything cheaper in the states, and of course vice-versa though 90% was coming into Canada in this area.  It was a game.

We all have relatives and friends on both sides of the border. Many of us have dual citizenship.  Now it's a real international experience going into the States.  At first the guards were quite stoic and sharp, but in the last year or so  the demeanor has lightened and while they still do a thorough job, it's with a neighbourly approach.  

While the Canadian Customs is on the surface much less intrusive / strict than the US, they are changing.  A friend is a border agent and he is  doing weapons training because some Canadian Border Agents are going to be armed. Quite a change for Canada.  The longest undefended border has changed and it's sad.

Hi Janet,

Thanks for the tip on the museum.

I'm coming from CCK3 (Grand Falls) in New Brunswick.   It's twice as far as I've ever flown!  I'll have to see if my passenger will take pictures. 

The changes to your town must be surreal for a week.  I can't imagine the work it takes. 

It must be a great place to be a pilot.

Very interesting, Murray.  Sounds like you're well prepared.  Once again, have a wonderful trip.

Mike E

Murray,

I'm just looking at your route. That should be a really neat trip.  We quite often do Oshkosh via Drummond Island to Carp airport (near Ottawa).  Sometimes the headwinds come west bound are horrible going from Ottawa across the north end of the lakes, bumps and 30 - 40kts headwinds at all altitudes.  So make sure you allow enough fuel for that.  On the other hand, sometimes I've had a 230kts ground speed going the other way (in a C180!).  Very nice

Drummond Island is really pretty, but the fuel is a bit pricey, and it is a car garage, not an FBO, so their hours & facilities are not what you would normally expect for an FBO.  The USCBP folks are very nice & friendly tho', as are the garage folks.   Sault Ste Marie (US side - KANJ) is a really nice airport, with a great restaurant 5 mins drive/10-15mins walk from the airport - Abner's - great home cooking and nice staff.

I've stopped in Chippewa County once, folks were perfectly nice, but it didn't give the impression its really set up to handle GA.  The nearest buildings seemed to be prisons...  The only appeal for me was the fuel stop as Drummond Island was closed by then (thanks to sucky headwinds....)

We stayed at Gore Bay, Manitoulin Island last year and the folks there could not have been more friendly and hospitable.  Great place to stay.  The airport manager has a Cub on floats he flies to Oshkosh every couple of years.  Not much near the airport, but we were camping so that didn't matter for us.  At that point, they didn't have the internet, which was causing us problems with e-APIS.  As we have got to understand the e-APIS system better since then, we would be ok another time.

If you have to make a stop near Ottawa, Carp is really nice.  Very helpful FBO folks there.  Give them a hard time from me for not getting to AV - they promised to come last year  

You might consider coming down over Door County (Sturgeon Bay etc)?  Washington Island has a lovely grass runway, but no fuel.  The local EAA chapter keeps a van there for pilots' use, just put petrol in it.  And they have a great support set up for AV travellers passing through - I think they hold a Fish Fry the weekend before - check the EAA calendar..  Ephraim is a lovely airport, also great support from the FBO, and Sturgeon Bay ditto. 

I don't know Menominee so well, but Escanaba is a great airport, with helpful staff, a courtesy car and self serve fuel.

Janet

Hi Janet,

Thanks for the tips.  It will help in my planning, as right now everything is just names on a map. I'm hoping to stop for fuel and lunch in Ottawa (the farthest west I've flown myself), but probably Rockcliffe as there is no food at Carp or Smith Falls.

I landed at Carp last fall late in the evening and the place was deserted, but an EAA member came by and let me tie down for free at the EAA club house and then drove me into Ottawa to my hotel. (super nice guy).

I've put my planning on hold for a week or so  as we've been busy with our  highland games and festival . 

cheers