EAA AirVenture Oshkosh facts for kids
Quick facts for kids AirVenture |
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View of Boeing Plaza at EAA Airventure 2017
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| Status | Active |
| Genre | Air show |
| Dates | Typically the last full week in July |
| Begins | July 22, 2024 |
| Ends | July 28, 2024 |
| Frequency | Annually |
| Venue | Wittman Regional Airport Pioneer Airport Vette/Blust Seaplane Base |
| Location(s) | Oshkosh–Nekimi, Wisconsin |
| Established | 1953 |
| Previous event | July 24–30, 2023 |
| Attendance | 677,000 (2023) |
| Activity | Aerobatic displays, static displays |
| Organized by | Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) |
| Website | https://www.eaa.org/en/airventure |
EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, often called just Oshkosh, is a giant yearly air show. It brings together people who love aviation every summer. The event happens at Wittman Regional Airport and Pioneer Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, USA. There's also a special area for seaplanes on Lake Winnebago.
The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) organizes this air show. The EAA is a worldwide group for general aviation, and it's based in Oshkosh. AirVenture is the biggest event of its kind in the world! It lasts for a week, usually starting on the last Monday of July. During the show, the airport's control tower becomes the busiest in the world.
Contents
History of AirVenture
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The EAA group started in 1953 in Hales Corners, Wisconsin. Paul Poberezny, an aircraft designer and pilot, founded it. He began the group in his home basement for people who built or fixed up planes for fun.
Even though building planes at home is still a big part of the EAA, the group now covers almost every part of aviation. This includes planes for fun, business, and even military aircraft. It also includes aeronautics (the study of flight) and astronautics (the study of space travel).
The first EAA fly-in happened in September 1953. It was a small part of the Milwaukee Air Pageant. Fewer than 150 people visited, and only a few planes attended. By 1959, the EAA fly-in got too big for the Milwaukee event. It moved to Rockford, Illinois. In 1970, it outgrew the Rockford airport too. That's when it moved to Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
Paul Poberezny's son, Tom Poberezny, helped the event grow a lot. He was a world champion in aerobatics (fancy flying tricks). He became the chairman of AirVenture in 1977.
For many years, the show was called The EAA Annual Convention and Fly-In. In 1998, its name changed to AirVenture Oshkosh. But many people who go regularly still call it The Oshkosh Airshow or just Oshkosh.
Before 1997, only EAA members could go near the planes. Then, the rules changed. Now, all visitors can explore the entire show grounds. EAA AirVenture offers nearly 1,000 talks and workshops. It also has many sellers who bring aircraft parts and other goods. Big plane companies like Piper, Cessna, and Cirrus are often there.
The AirVenture show in 2020 was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
New Aircraft Designs at AirVenture
AirVenture has been the place where many new and exciting plane designs first appeared.
- In 1972, Richard VanGrunsven showed his Van's RV-3. This was a homebuilt plane that changed how people thought about plane performance. VanGrunsven later built more homebuilt planes than anyone else in the world.
- In 1975, plane designer Burt Rutan introduced his VariEze. This plane used a special design called a canard. It also showed a new way to build planes using glass-reinforced plastic. Many planes later used this building method.
- In 1987, Cirrus Aircraft showed their Cirrus VK-30 kit plane. This led to the popular SR20 and SR22 planes. These were the first planes to use all-composite fiberglass, digital cockpits (called glass-panel cockpits), and even a ballistic parachute for the whole plane!
Other cool planes first seen at AirVenture include:
- Frank Christensen's Christen Eagle II aerobatic biplane in 1978.
- Tom Hamilton's Glasair 1 in 1980.
- Lance Neibauer's Lancair 200 in 1985.
At AirVenture 2018, Jack Bally showed his Bally Bomber B-17. This was a one-third scale, single-seat replica of the famous Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. Mike Patey also showed DRACO. This was a highly changed PZL-104 Wilga plane, made for short takeoffs and landings (STOL) and bush flying.
How Many People Attend?
The EAA estimated that 608,000 people attended in 2021. In 2018, 2,714 visitors came from 87 different countries. About 10,000 aircraft were there, with 2,979 show planes. Also, 867 companies had exhibits.
In the past, attendance was counted by how many times people entered each day. So, one person visiting for 7 days would be counted as 7 attendees. For example, in 2006, the EAA estimated 625,000 attendees this way. But the actual number of different people was probably between 200,000 and 300,000. It's not clear if they still count attendance this way.
The huge number of planes arriving and leaving makes the Wittman Regional Airport control tower the busiest in the world during the show week. To manage all the planes, a special set of rules called a NOTAM is published each year. This guide explains how planes should fly safely. More than 4,000 volunteers help out. They work about 250,000 hours before, during, and after the event.
Economic Impact
The EAA AirVenture fly-in brings a lot of money to the Oshkosh area and the state of Wisconsin. In 1982, a newspaper reported that the fly-in helped the Fox Valley region a lot. The EAA thought it brought in about $30 million. The Oshkosh Convention and Tourism bureau estimated it was around $21 million.
In 1989, the Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce said that Winnebago County gained $47 million from the event. A study in 1987 also said the whole state of Wisconsin got $65 million.
In 2008, a study showed that AirVenture had a $110 million impact on the Oshkosh area. This included $84 million directly spent and another $26 million from other spending. The event also created 1,700 jobs and $39 million in wages for nearby counties. In 2017, it was estimated that the event brought over $170 million to the local economy.
Air Traffic Control
In 1961, the Rockford EAA airshow had 10,000 plane movements (takeoffs and landings). In 1971, the EAA airshow at Oshkosh had 600 planes and 31,653 movements. Today, AirVenture brings in more than 10,000 airplanes! Special air traffic rules are used to keep everything safe and organized. For example, in 2014, the special flight rules document was 32 pages long.
Air traffic controllers, supervisors, and managers from across the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) volunteer to work at the event. In 2008, 172 air traffic experts from 56 different places volunteered. They work at the airports in Oshkosh (OSH), Fond du Lac (FLD), and Fisk. They wear bright pink shirts so they are easy to spot!
In 2013, the FAA said it couldn't send staff for free due to budget cuts. The EAA had to pay $447,000 to cover the cost of FAA services. The EAA disagreed with this, but in 2014, they signed an agreement. They paid the 2013 costs and agreed to pay for FAA help for nine more years. This agreement meant the EAA would pay for services that the government used to provide for free before 2013.
Airports Used
- Wittman Regional Airport (OSH): Main airport for airplanes.
- Pioneer Airport (WS17): For helicopters and airships.
- Ultralight Fun Fly Zone: For very light aircraft, powered parachutes, and hot air balloons.
- Vette/Blust Seaplane Base (96WI): For seaplanes.
- Fond du Lac County Airport (FLD): Used for extra parking and if planes need to land somewhere else.
- Appleton International Airport (ATW): Also used for extra parking and if planes need to land somewhere else. It also handles customs for international flights.
- Planeacres Airport (2WN7): An emergency airport if planes need to land quickly near Fisk.
Technical Operations
A few days before the event, FAA technical teams arrive in Oshkosh. They set up temporary communication systems. This includes mobile communication centers and control towers at Fisk and Fond du Lac (FLD). These technicians keep the equipment working during the show. After AirVenture ends, they take everything down and store it.
Volunteering at AirVenture
EAA AirVenture relies a lot on volunteers. They arrive weeks before the air show starts. Their jobs include parking cars and planes, painting buildings, and helping set up concerts. Long-time volunteers often get free meals, t-shirts, patches, and free entry to the event.
National Blue Beret
National Blue Beret (NBB) is a special program for the Civil Air Patrol. It lasts two weeks, with the second week happening during the AirVenture air show. Young people (cadets) and adult members of the Civil Air Patrol can apply to join. They have to go through a tough selection process. Participants help with event tasks like guiding planes, managing crowds, and providing emergency services.
See also
In Spanish: EAA AirVenture Oshkosh para niños
- EAA Aviation Museum
- EAA Biplane
- Jack Pelton
- Project Schoolflight
- Sport Aviation magazine
- Steve Wittman
- Sun 'n Fun
- Tannkosh
- Young Eagles
