Flying Into EAA AirVenture At Wittman Regional Airport Can Be A Fun Adventure If Your Pilot Skills Are Tuned Up

For a recreational flyer, flying into Wittman Regional Airport during EAA AirVenture is part of the adventure. You’ll probably hear some wild stories about the arrival and departure procedures, but if you practice good cockpit/crew management it makes it a snap.

Obviously, good preflight planning is a must. There is a strong likelihood that you will end up in one of two VFR holding patterns over designated lakes as you approach the visual checkpoints of Ripon or Fisk on your VFR arrival. These patterns burn fuel so plan your flight with a nearby fueling stop, if needed, prior to making the final run at Wittman field. It’s common for surrounding airports to welcome AirVenture pilots with low fuel rates; this could be better for the pocketbook as well.

Let’s start off by considering some hints that could help a pilot who is flying into AirVenture without the help of the crew. The first thing to do after downloading the NOTAM is to just print it out, review it, and separated it into appropriate sections. There will be several pages that don’t even apply to your operation. Remember, you cannot get this NOTAM over the phone.

While the NOTAM provides all frequency and altitude information, it may be handy to transcribe this to an easy-to-read pocket card that you can write in an order of information that seems logical to you. Think ahead about cockpit organization.

If you are flying with a crew, and that could mean another pilot or a non-pilot passenger, they can be a help or a hindrance. Don’t assume another pilot can figure everything out in-flight. As the pilot in command you should meet with your copilot a few days before the event and thoroughly discuss the procedures. It’s also important to separate duties so that you don’t waste time both doing the same thing. It’s important to have duties and responsibilities well defined. Two pilots can mess things up if no-one is in charge.

A non-pilot passenger can be put to effective use with a little training and preparation. Your passenger can be trained to handle radio frequencies and visual checkpoints as well as how to see and identify other airborne traffic. Most non-pilots welcome this kind of training and responsibility, and may actually do a better job than your pilot buddy. Involve a non-pilot passenger in the NOTAM procedures and organization of the NOTAM information. This non-pilot passenger may even want to create their own set of notes.

The difference between an adventure that is fun and one that is terrifying is often determined by planning ahead. If you know anyone that has flown into Wittman regional airport during AirVenture, ask for briefing.

Remember, even if your trip to EAA AirVenture goes as smooth as silk, you will still have earned the right to tell your story by starting with the words, “There I was….

FMI: www.eaa.org