The common reaction upon revealing that you’ll be at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh is often, “But what if it RAINS?” Well, it’s not an “if”, but rather a “when”. A week-long event, mostly held outdoors, is bound to encounter a soaking at some point. The truth is, there are numerous choices to pursue at the show even if it starts to rain.
Rain provides the ideal opportunity for indoor shopping or to handle inquiries that you’ve been postponing. The exhibit buildings are brimming with vendors that you might never come across unless you’re driven indoors. Make a note of where you spotted the Genzu knives or plane-shaped jewelry, as it’s easy to confuse Hangar A with the D building. The EAA Wearhouse is well worth a visit, as are the FAA and other Federal exhibits.
The EAA Museum is perpetually on our “gotta-do-that-sometime” list. So, why not bring it forward if the sky starts to darken? You might have visited the museum before, but you likely haven’t witnessed its latest expansions and the exhibits are constantly changing.
The workshops and seminars are all conducted under cover. Check the listing in AirVenture Today and go acquire some knowledge while you’re not strolling around the grounds. Speakers and demonstrators relish rainy days because the crowd of half a dozen in fine weather can multiply to a much larger audience.
If there’s nothing else to do, a period of precipitation gives you an excuse to browse the news or do some Googling. It’s also a great time to search for a company you’ve intended to investigate or study the layout map to figure out who’s where, so that you can resume your journey without retracing your steps when the skies clear.
A bit of down time isn’t entirely bad. We often think we need to control every minute driven by our screens, but sometimes nature reminds us that our plans are subject to change, at its will. Just enjoy the rain.
