“There’s something for everyone at EAA AirVenture.”
Each year hundreds of thousands make the trek to Oshkosh for the Experimental Aircraft Association’s weeklong AirVenture. The event started as a small group of enthusiasts gathering in Milwaukee in 1953, but it soon grew and had to move to Rockford, Illinois in 1959. It was in Rockford that EAA began having warbirds, antiques and aerobatic performances. Attendance grew every year. By 1969, the event had already outgrown the Rockford area, and the move to Oshkosh was approved and executed.
It was in 1998 that the EAA Fly-In Convention became known as EAA AirVenture. It’s during that week in July each year that over 640,000 people (as of 2019) and 10,000 aircraft come to Oshkosh’s Wittman Regional Airport, becoming the busiest airport in the world.
I’ve been coming to Oshkosh for quite a few years, mostly working with various companies to promote and facilitate aircraft or other aviation product sales. With so many people from all over the world coming to one place, it’s incredibly economical to display that new airplane model, avionics package or whatever else you might want to show off. Plus, for the amateur homebuilt aircraft operators, AirVenture provides myriad opportunities to learn new techniques in building, access hard-to-find parts and accessories and build camaraderie with others. And the daily airshows and two nighttime airshows do a great job of getting kids (young and old) enthused about aviation and flying.
As I write this, AirVenture is just about to start, and I have a busy schedule trying to absorb everything I can in the few days I’ll be in Wisconsin. This year I am attending with a friend who started flying when I did in college but has never been able to get to Oshkosh for AirVenture. It’ll be a great opportunity to get a new perspective on the event and hear how it impacts a veteran aviator seeing it all with fresh eyes.
In this issue, we get to travel the world. Rich Pickett describes what it’s like to fly a Tecnam from the factory in Capua, Italy. Rich also provides some details of his travels to Mexico and shows us a unique FBO.
If you’re ever planning to fly to Mexico, it is always best to be as prepared as possible to minimize risks to the operation. Rick Garner breaks down all the little snags that can turn an otherwise amazing adventure into a nightmare.
Kevin Ware takes us back in time to the Florida Keys when aviation first grabbed his attention, then he fast forwards to the present and tries to recreate the wonder of the Keys for his wife.
This week at Oshkosh, I will see Raisbeck Engineering’s first public display of its EPIC Caravan. Prior to AirVenture, though, I sat down with Raisbeck’s Randy Groom to get all the details of the new product and other news from the historic company.
Mathew Keegan didn’t come from a family of pilots like lots of us, but flying was always on his mind. He worked on his flight ratings while in college and earned the private certificate the same week he graduated. Skip to today, Mathew is flying his Citation M2 regularly and he takes us through the process of how he got here.
Once again, my camera captured a historically significant twin turbine. This month’s Editor’s Pic provides insight into Wheels Up’s uniquely painted King Air 350i aircraft.
And finally, David Miller describes how to deal with the realization that you have too much airplane. Enjoy.
