Story and Photography by Barbara A. Schmitz
Steve Taylor and his team have been playing one big chess game this EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, and it’s been a winning game for those attending the weeklong convention and fly-in.
Steve, EAA director of facilities, and his team have had to expand Camp Scholler three times, reposition a parking lot, and move an admissions gate as crowds came in larger than the present facilities allowed.
“Making changes on the fly is the nature of the game,” Steve said. “It doesn’t pay to get distraught about it since it just means that it will take longer to complete and make it more difficult for people to buy in [to the change].”
Steve said the campground was expanded into property that EAA had set aside for future use. “We had planned to use it for parking, but that changed rapidly as the influx of campers came into Camp Scholler.”
He estimated their crew added about 1,500 camping sites, and he thanked the campers for their patience as they waited in the registration queue so they could add trash containers and portable toilets, and get the campsites properly marked in the new area.
“It’s just easier to do those things before the campers set up,” Steve said. And thinking of the logistics before the campers move in also allows them to make sure things make sense and flow properly, such as how people will get to the gate or buses, or ensure admission is prepared for an influx of people.
And once people start arriving, staff has to be there to position them so fire lanes are maintained and the space is used efficiently, he added.
Steve said he always has ideas how some of their land could be used when it is needed. “It’s like a chess match. If I make this move, I have to think what will happen next. But it’s fun, and I enjoy this. We have a great team of support staff and maintenance … that do whatever needs to be done.”
Many of the changes made this week were in EAA’s long-term master plan. “We’re just institutionalizing things a little bit earlier, and we’ll use this as a test model to see how things work.”
Steve said he thinks the Green Lot, just off Knapp Street Road, south of Ultralights, will give visitors good access to the site from the south. In addition, they won’t need buses to take people to the grounds since they can just walk down Knapp to get to the trams. The area is also home to the extended camping area.
By Tuesday afternoon, the lot was ready for use, he said. Steve estimates there will be room for 3,000 cars in the lot, which will likely be used starting Friday.
“We’re in good shape,” Steve said, admitting there still may be more surprises. “After all, this is AirVenture and it’s always an adventure. But this is where the long days pay off. All of these changes are made for the members, to make their experience more valuable and enjoyable.”