Departing AirVenture 2019

Flying out of AirVenture is easier than flying in. It is still an adventure but, unlike arrivals, the waiting happens while sitting still on a taxiway instead of while flying at 90 knots (115 MPH).

Once I had my airplane all packed up, I got help from a couple of EAA volunteers to push my airplane up to the taxiway. I did not want to start my engine earlier for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, a spinning propeller is dangerous so we try not to do that near where people walk. Second, I did not want to risk blowing loose dirt or stones against the nice paint of planes parked near mine.

Here is a panorama of the departure line. Viewing this in the Google Photos album will let you pan around and, if you have Google Cardboard, you can see it in 3D: AirVenture 2019 Departure Line. You can click on the image below to view a larger version here on my blog but, trust me, it’s cooler to use a link to view it in Google Photos.

I ran through my before-flight checklists, started my engine, and did my engine run-up. When I was ready to taxi, the volunteer in the car at the left side of the photo (above) walked out and stopped traffic for me. Nice service, indeed, since it meant there was no fuss or bother about getting into the conga line.

Being in line at AirVenture looks like… being in line… except you get to watch airplanes taking off on runway 18R in rapid succession. Take a look at the left side of this video.

EAA volunteers marshal airplanes along the taxiway. While I was taxiing, I tuned my radio to 118.9, the frequency for the FAA air traffic controllers operating runways 18L and 18R. You just listen to the radio when departing AirVenture; the controllers talk to you but you don’t need to talk back.

“Don’t need to” does not mean you cannot reply. When ATC called, “Whitman Tailwind, line up and wait behind the taildragger…” I did feel compelled to point out that I was driving a Bede BD-4C. I mean seriously, the Whitman Tailwind is a nice airplane and all but….

Normally, when taking off there is only one airplane on the runway at a time. It does not matter how long the runway nor how fast or slow the airplane. If there is an airplane anywhere on the runway, no other plane is allowed to enter it or even taxi across it. Wittman Regional Airport (KOSH) is so busy during AirVenture (they averaged 127 takeoffs or landings per hour during the convention this year) that the FAA issues a special waiver, allowing multiple airplanes on the runway simultaneously and also allowing reduced spacing in the air. You will see that in the video below as the controllers (the folks wearing pink shirts are FAA air traffic controllers, not EAA volunteers) wave airplanes onto the runway one right after another. I keep following the taildragger in front of me. As soon as his wheels leave the ground, ATC called “BD-4 cleared for takeoff.” They then called “Taildragger turn to heading 150 for faster traffic behind you.” Watch the video and you will see him turn a bit to the left so that I can fly past.

After seeing the video, if you think that I leveled off low, you’re right. Departing traffic is restricted to 500 feet AGL (above ground level) until 5 miles away from the airport. This keeps us clear of the arriving traffic which is 1000 feet AGL, just 500 feet above us.

Once clear of the the KOSH class D airspace, a 5 mile circle around the airport, I climbed to 8500 feet and headed for home. After a completely uneventful flight, I landed back at KSET. As fun as AirVenture was, it was much less stressful to have the whole runway to myself 🙂

See also:

• Flying to AirVenture 2019
• AirVenture Show Plane