EAA AirVenture Oshkosh
AirVenture | |
---|---|
Aerobatic displays, static displays | |
Organized by | Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) |
Website | https://www.eaa.org/en/airventure |
EAA AirVenture Oshkosh (formerly the EAA Annual Convention and Fly-In), or just Oshkosh, is an annual air show and gathering of aviation enthusiasts held each summer at Wittman Regional Airport and adjacent Pioneer Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, United States. The southern part of the show grounds, as well as Camp Scholler, are located in the town of Nekimi[2] and a base for seaplanes on Lake Winnebago is in Black Wolf.[3][4]
The airshow is arranged by the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), an international general aviation organization based in Oshkosh, and is the largest of its kind in the world.[5] The show lasts a week, usually beginning on the Monday of the last full week in July. During the gathering, the airport's control tower, frequency 118.5, is the busiest in the world.[6]
History
EAA was founded in Hales Corners, Wisconsin in 1953 by aircraft designer and military aviator veteran Paul Poberezny, who originally started the organization in the basement of his home for builders and restorers of recreational aircraft.[7] Although homebuilding is still a large part of the organization's activities, it has grown to include almost every aspect of recreational, commercial and military aviation, as well as aeronautics and astronautics. The first EAA fly-in was held in September 1953 at what is now Timmerman Field as a small part of the Milwaukee Air Pageant, fewer than 150 people registered as visitors the first year and only a handful of airplanes attended the event. In 1959, the EAA fly-in grew too large for the Air Pageant and moved to Rockford, Illinois.[8] In 1970, when it outgrew its facilities at the Rockford airport (now Chicago Rockford International Airport), it moved to Oshkosh, Wisconsin.[9] Much of the convention's growth and prominence on the world stage is credited to founder Paul Poberezny's son, aerobatic world champion and longtime EAA president Tom Poberezny,[10][11] who became chairman of the event in 1977.[12]
For many years, its official name was The EAA Annual Convention and Fly-In. In 1998, the name was changed to AirVenture Oshkosh,[13] but many regular attendees still call it as The Oshkosh Airshow or just Oshkosh. For many years, access to the flight line was restricted to EAA members. In 1997, the fee structure for the show was changed allowing all visitors access to the entire grounds.[14] EAA AirVenture holds nearly 1,000 forums and workshops,[13] in addition to their many vendors which bring a variety of aircraft supplies, general merchandise, and name brand sponsors such as Piper, Cessna, Cirrus, and many others.
The 2020 AirVenture convention and air show was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[15]
Historical aircraft debuts
AirVenture has hosted the debut of numerous revolutionary designs.
Other past notable designs introduced at AirVenture include Frank Christensen's
At the 2018 AirVenture, Jack Bally introduced his Bally Bomber B-17, a one-third scale, single seat homebuilt intended as a replica of the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress,[22] and Mike Patey introduced DRACO, a highly modified PZL-104 Wilga made for STOL and bush flying.[23]
Attendance
The EAA estimated the attendance in 2021 at 608,000 people.[24] In 2018, 2,714 international visitors registered from 87 nations. There were approximately 10,000 aircraft, 2,979 show planes, and 976 media representatives on-site from six continents, along with 867 commercial exhibitors.[25]
In the past, attendance at the event was tabulated on a daily basis rather than on an individual basis.[26] It is unclear whether this practice still exists at EAA Airventure. For example, in 2006 the Oshkosh Northwestern reported that attendance was estimated at 625,000 by the EAA.[26] The estimate was for total attendees each day, so one person attending 7 days would count as 7 attendees. The paper estimated that between 200,000 and 300,000 individuals attended the event.[26]
The large number of aircraft arrivals and departures during the fly-in week makes the Wittman Field FAA control tower the busiest in the world for that week in number of movements.[27] To accommodate the huge flow of aircraft around the airport and the nearby airspace, a special NOTAM is published each year, choreographing the normal and emergency procedures to follow. More than 4,000 volunteers contribute approximately 250,000 hours before, during and after the event.[28]
Economic impact
The EAA AirVenture fly-in has a large economic impact on the Oshkosh area as well as the state of Wisconsin. In 1982, the
In 2008, a UW-Oshkosh Center for Community Partnerships study showed a $110 million economic impact for the Oshkosh area. Of that, $84 million was direct impact with a $26 million multiplier from secondary spending. Additionally, the fly in provided 1,700 jobs and $39 million in labor income for Winnebago, Outagamie, and Fond du Lac counties.[32] In 2017, it was estimated that the event had an over $170 million economic impact on the surrounding area.[33]
Air-traffic operation
In 1961, The Rockford EAA airshow had 10,000 aircraft movements.[34] In 1971, the EAA airshow at Oshkosh brought in 600 planes and 31,653 movements.[35] Today AirVenture brings in more than 10,000 airplanes. Special air traffic procedures are used to ensure safe, coordinated operations. For example, in 2014 the special flight procedures NOTAM was 32 pages long.[36]
FAA air traffic staff, including controllers, supervisors, and managers, compete throughout the FAA's 17-state Central Terminal Service Area to work the event. In 2008, 172 air traffic professionals representing 56 facilities volunteered to staff the facilities at Oshkosh (OSH), Fond du Lac (FLD), and Fisk. They wear bright pink shirts to stand out in the crowd.[37][38]
Due to the
Host airports
- Wittman Regional Airport (OSH): Airplanes
- Pioneer Airport (WS17): Helicopters and airships
- Ultralight Fun Fly Zone: Ultralights, powered parachutes, weight shift trikes, gyroplanes, homebuilt rotorcraft, and hot air balloons
- Vette/Blust Seaplane Base (96WI): Seaplanes
- Fond du Lac County Airport (FLD): Diversion airport, additional parking
- Appleton International Airport (ATW): Diversion airport, additional parking, U.S. Customs and Border Protection processing
- Planeacres Airport (2WN7): Emergency diversion airport (Fisk approach)
Technical operations
Several days prior to the event, members of the FAA's Technical Operation team from around the Central Service Area arrive in Oshkosh to set up the temporary communication facilities (mobile communication platforms, Fisk VFR approach control and Fond du Lac (FLD) tower). These technicians maintain the facilities during the event and tear down and store the equipment after AirVenture ends.[citation needed]
Volunteering
EAA AirVenture relies heavily on volunteers[42][43] who arrive in the weeks leading up to the air show. The tasks they perform range from parking cars and airplanes, to painting buildings, to helping set up and tear down concerts and shows presented by the EAA. Long-time volunteers receive free meals, tee-shirts, embroidered patches, and free admission into the EAA AirVenture event.[44][unreliable source?]
National Blue Beret
National Blue Beret (NBB) is a
See also
References
- ^ "EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2023 attendance breaks record". thenorthwestern.com. August 1, 2023. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
- ^ "Town of Nekimi Demographic Data and Boundary Map" (Map). Wisconsin Gazetteer. HTL. Retrieved July 8, 2018.
- ^ "Seaplane Base Arrivals". Experimental Aircraft Association.
- ^ "Vette/Blust Seaplane Base (96WI)". Airnav.com.
- ^ Gustafson, David (2012). "Paul Poberezny's Three Great Accomplishments". Flying. Archived from the original on August 21, 2014. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
- ^ "EAA AirVenture takes flight for the future". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Archived from the original on October 13, 2008.
- ^ "EAA Notable Dates and Milestones". Experimental Aircraft Association. Retrieved August 1, 2014.
- ^ "The Early Years". Experimental Aircraft Association. Retrieved August 1, 2014.
- ^ "Home in Oshkosh". Experimental Aircraft Association. Retrieved August 1, 2014.
- ^ Aircraft Spruce. Retrieved February 26, 2015.
- ^ Godlewski, Meg (July 25, 2022). "Former EAA President Tom Poberezny Dies". Flying.
- ^ Goyer, Isabel (July 25, 2022). "Longtime EAA President Tom Poberezny Has Died". Plane & Pilot. Archived from the original on July 25, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
- ^ a b "The World Comes to AirVenture". Experimental Aircraft Association. Retrieved August 1, 2014.
- ^ Jones, Meg (July 27, 1997). "It's a bird; it's a plane; it's the Fly-In". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved August 2, 2014.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Prinsen, Jake. "EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2020 canceled due to coronavirus pandemic". Oshkosh Northwestern. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
- ^ EAA Aviation Center (n.d.). "1971 Van's RV-3". Experimental Aircraft Association. Retrieved February 26, 2015.
- ^ EAA Aviation Center (n.d.). "1975 Rutan VariEze Prototype – N7EZ". Experimental Aircraft Association. Retrieved February 26, 2015.
- ^ EAA Aviation Center (n.d.). "Cirrus Design Corporation VK-30 – N33VK". Experimental Aircraft Association. Retrieved February 26, 2015.
- ^ Gustafson, David. "Robert Goyer, Editor of Flying Magazine, Talks Homebuilding". Aircraft Spruce. Retrieved February 26, 2015.
- ^ EAA Aviation Center (n.d.). "1979 Stoddard-Hamilton Glasair 'Ham2'". Experimental Aircraft Association. Retrieved February 26, 2015.
- ^ EAA Aviation Center (n.d.). "1984 Neibauer Lancer – Lanair 200 – N384L". Experimental Aircraft Association. Retrieved February 26, 2015.
- ^ Ti Windisch (July 21, 2018). "Bally Bomber Drawing Attention in Oshkosh". EAA.
- ^ "Draco – A Beast of a Bushplane". EAA. March 2019.
- ^ Kernan, Megan. "More than a half million people visit EAA AirVenture". Green Bay, Wisconsin: WBAY-TV. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
- ^ Experimental Aircraft Association. "Overview". Experimental Aircraft Association. Retrieved July 31, 2018.
- ^ a b c Zellmer, Doug (August 2, 2006). "AirVenture attendance drops". Oshkosh Northwestern. Archived from the original on August 22, 2006. Retrieved July 31, 2014.
- ^ Jones, Meg (July 24, 2004). "EAA AirVenture takes flight for the future". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Archived from the original on October 13, 2008.
- ^ Experimental Aircraft Association. "EAA Airventure Facts" (PDF) (Press release). Experimental Aircraft Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 17, 2007.
- ^ Gross Domestic Product deflatorfigures follow the MeasuringWorth series.
- ^ "Fly-in has large impact on economy of region". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. August 3, 1982. Retrieved July 31, 2014.
- ^ Savage, Mark (August 1, 1989). "Fly-in gives area economies a big lift". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved August 1, 2014.
- ^ Jones, Meg (December 24, 2008). "EAA is huge boon to state". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved July 31, 2014.
- ^ Experimental Aircraft Association (September 2017). "AirVenture Contributes More Than $170 Million in Economic Benefit to Area". Experimental Aircraft Association.
- Flying Magazine. December 1961.
- ^ "EAA". Air Trails. Winter 1971. p. 4.
- ^ "2014 Oshkosh NOTAM" (PDF). Federal Aviation Administration. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 9, 2014. Retrieved July 30, 2014.
- ^ "The Show Begins at AirVenture Oshkosh". Federal Aviation Administration. July 28, 2008. Retrieved July 30, 2014.
- ^ "2014 Oshkosh NOTAM" (PDF). Federal Aviation Administration. p. 14. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 9, 2014. Retrieved July 30, 2014.
- ^ Namowitz, Dan (June 11, 2013). "EAA agrees to pay FAA to save AirVenture, amid outrage". Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. Retrieved July 30, 2014.
- ^ Experimental Aircraft Association. "EAA, FAA Reach Agreement on AirVenture ATC Costs". Experimental Aircraft Association. Retrieved July 30, 2014.
- ^ "EAA AirVenture Oshkosh NOTAM (2019)". Federal Aviation Administration.
- ^ "Be an EAA AirVenture Volunteer". Experimental Aircraft Association. Archived from the original on December 12, 2010. Retrieved December 23, 2010.
- ^ "Be an AirVenture Insider: Volunteer". Experimental Aircraft Association. Archived from the original on December 12, 2010. Retrieved December 23, 2010.
- ^ "Campers, Volunteers All Set up for EAA AirVenture". The Kathryn Report (Blog). July 2, 2010. Retrieved December 23, 2010.
Further reading
- Povletich, William. (Summer 2022). "The Little Fly-in That Could: How Oshkosh Landed the Largest Annual Aviation Event in the World". Wisconsin Magazine of History. Vol. 105, no. 4. pp. 24–37.
External links
- EAA AirVenture Oshkosh
- Experimental Aircraft Association
- "#OSH18 - EAA AirVenture at Oshkosh 2018" (YouTube video) - overview shows the scale of the event and a variety of aircraft & places