The airport is named for a World War II fighter pilot who later became a community leader. The airport has both paved and grass runways and is home to one of most impressive antique aviation and automobile museums in the country.

The event runs September 7-8 and usually attracts hundreds of people who want to view and sometimes fly in antique aircraft or get up close to vintage machines. Admission is $20.

Camping is encouraged, and local and semilocal antique aircraft owners often set up a tent under the wing of their machines, not unlike the barnstormers of the 1920s and ’30s.

Getting there by air requires some planning, as visual flight rules are required. Pilots are encouraged to download the VFR reporting points information and to double-check the NOTAMs along their route because of smoke and TFRs due to ongoing wildfires.

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According to base officials, the storm produced wind gusts in excess of 50 mph. It came through early in the morning before the crowds had arrived, bringing with it lightning and rain.

The airshow held the day before had attracted more than 65,000 visitors, according to an U.S. Air Force spokesperson.

Of those injured, six were military medical personnel and four were civilian vendors. All were outside on the flight line when the damaging winds occurred. 

“Due to the timing of the inclement weather, spectators had not entered the event area,” the spokesperson said.

Additionally, some vendors reported damage to booths and the wind relocated many portable toilets. One building on base was struck by lightning, but there was no reported damage to the structure.

Because of damages to services, Sunday’s airshow was canceled.

Video of the show area during the storm showed flattened tents and chairs, and aircraft blowing across a water-logged ramp. There were no reports of significant damage to the larger aircraft on display. 

Airmen made several foreign object debris (FOD) walks looking for trash and parts of aircraft deposited on the ramp by the storm.

“Safety is always our first priority at McConnell, especially when it comes to hosting the community for an airshow,” the spokesman told FLYING.

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These are the kinds of things one learns when one must beg friends for a ride home from a distant rural airport immediately following EAA Airventure in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

Fortunately, this discovery did not stem from mechanical woes or becoming stranded due to weather. It was simply a function of playing musical vehicles as I dropped off my plane for its annual inspection on my way back home after a week of festivities at Oshkosh. Not wanting to leave my mechanic with 207 pounds of cargo with which to contend during the inspection, I carefully loaded all of my gear into the Crosstrek with little room to spare.

• READ MORE: When Unforeseen Circumstances Threaten to Derail Amazing Experiences

This year, the entire AirVenture experience was a study in cargo and packing. While I’d done it before, this year was perhaps the first in which my gear selection was completely dialed, with a proven selection of items to ensure my week in Oshkosh would be the best ever.

From tents to cots to power supplies to food, every piece was carefully considered and calibrated, making for a fantastic week. Besides creating a top-notch AirVenture experience, this also reinforced my philosophy that it’s best to purchase an airplane you’ll grow into rather than out of.

I didn’t always feel this way.

Early on in my journey toward aircraft ownership, I had nearly settled on the trusty yet tiny Cessna 140 or its simpler, flapless cousin, the 120. I loved the way they flew, and they were among the least expensive options available. They seemed to check all the boxes.

Eventually, however, I decided that for me the ability to take that epic, once-a-year trip was worth the higher purchase price and increased fuel burn throughout the rest of the year. Two years of pinching pennies and working massive amounts of overtime eventually enabled the purchase of my larger, four-place 170.

And even though I never carry more than one passenger, and even though I only fully utilize the cabin volume once a year, the effort was entirely worth it. Had I settled for the smaller 120/140, every one of my Oshkosh experiences would be completely different.

For one, the additional space allows for luxuries that can completely transform any camping trip.

Years ago, in my motorcycle days, I learned firsthand that while it’s possible to pack extraordinarily small and light, this comes with significant compromises. The lightest tents and sleeping pads on the market, for example, function fine but prioritize minimalism and utility over comfort.

Now, with my roomy 170 made all the more voluminous via the removal of the rear seat, I could afford to upgrade my Oshkosh trip accordingly.

Going through my mental list of past annoyances, I addressed each individually. Thin sleeping pad that leaves me aching in the morning? Guess I’ll just go ahead and order the plush cot. A few extra changes of clothes that allow me to present myself at evening get-togethers as a civilized person rather than a shipwreck survivor? Don’t mind if I do.

The extra space and payload also enabled me to bring two laptops and a second monitor, so I could work remotely in the days leading up to the big event. Suddenly, I was able to live and work from the airplane. All it took was some careful weight-and-balance calculations and a bit of strategic positioning of the heavier items.

• READ MORE: EAA AirVenture 2024 in Photos

The extra space transforms the Oshkosh experience for friends, as well.

Two years ago, one friend found herself sleeping in a pool of rainwater when her cheap tent succumbed to passing storms. This year, an airline pilot friend came straight to Oshkosh from a work trip without a tent or sleeping pad. In each case, the 170’s cabin allowed me to toss in an extra tent and sleeping pad from my aforementioned motorcycle camping days. For the cost of an additional 2.5 pounds of gear, each friend enjoyed their trip immensely.

It often makes sense to expedite one’s entry into ownership by selecting a small, inexpensive type to begin with. If, for example, one is certain one’s mission will always be limited to short local flights.

But sometimes, buying an airplane capable of something more—even if that something occurs only once a year—can make it all worthwhile.

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Many of the airshow’s attendees flew themselves into Oshkosh, Wisconsin, with  more than 10,000 aircraft making the annual sojourn, according to the EAA. Show officials noted that between July 18-28 there were some 16,780 aircraft operations at Wittman Regional Airport (KOSH). Many more pilots opted to fly to nearby airports and use ground transport to get to the show.

• READ MORE: EAA AirVenture 2024 in Photos

The grounds were always populated as around 40,000 opted to camp on-site in tents, trailers, and campers. There was a lot to see. The number of aircraft on display—recorded as 2,846 total—included 337 warbirds, 1,200 vintage, 975 homebuilt, 82 aerobatic aircraft, 65 seaplanes and amphibious designs, 23 rotorcraft, 10 balloons, and 154 ultralights and light aircraft.

“This year’s tagline was ‘Inspiring the Future of Aviation,’ and AirVenture 2024 certainly did that in countless ways,” said Jack Pelton, EAA CEO and chairman. “The mix of innovation, history, excitement, and fun that is a hallmark of Oshkosh was present throughout the grounds and made the event a memorable one, filled with numerous ‘Only at Oshkosh’ moments in the air and on the grounds.”

There was a lot to see and do, as a record 861 commercial exhibitors set up shop in the hangars and on the grounds, offering everything from training programs and airplanes to organizational memberships and products geared toward aviators and aviation enthusiasts.

For those who wished to add to their aviation knowledge, there were more than 1,600 forums and workshops on everything from using ForeFlight to picking the right aircraft for you.

Visitors

AirVenture is a worldwide phenomenon, as noted by the record 98 countries represented by the 2,581 attendees who registered at the international visitors tent.

Journalists from 836 media outlets from around the world roamed the grounds looking for news and features about the latest and greatest in aviation. Many of them provided content for social media. EAA estimates more than 23.9 million partook of the show virtually, noting total social media video views at 17 million—a 149 percent increase over 2023.

“More than 142,000 hours of AirVenture livestreaming and on-demand videos were viewed during the event,” EAA said.

Volunteers Make It Happen

AirVenture could not happen were it not for the thousands of volunteers who give their time and expertise to the show. This year nearly 6,000 volunteers contributed more than 250,000 hours, doing everything from parking airplanes to driving trams and helping the EAA staff make the mammoth event run smoothly.

Their work is greatly appreciated, according to Pelton.

• READ MORE: Oshkosh 2024 Notice Outlines Changes for Pilots Flying to AirVenture

“Over the past decade, and especially since 2020, we have seen AirVenture move to another level, as we maintain the heart of the event while adding programs and activities that appeal to aviation enthusiasts of all interests,” he said. “Kudos to our dedicated volunteers and staff who plan and adjust to make it work.”

In the meantime the EAA Aviation Foundation’s annual event to support its aviation education programs raised a record $2.8 million. The focus of the foundation is growing participation in aviation.

The Money Factor

AirVenture is a money maker. According to an economic impact study conducted by the University of Wisconsin in 2017, the show brings in $170 million for Winnebago, Outagamie, Fond du Lac, Calumet, and Brown counties.

Already there’s been discussion about AirVenture 2025.

“We’ve received plenty of ideas for next year, and a little bit later this summer, we’ll begin reviewing what might be possible for 2025,” Pelton said. “Our annual goal is to create a gathering of people and airplanes that is found nowhere else in the world and continue to improve the experience for EAA members and visitors.”

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The training provider also introduced two new free courses—Drone Part 107 Regulations and Private Pilot Ground Reference Maneuvers— in addition to a new YouTube playlist, How to Become a Pilot.

“It has been a great privilege to play a part in people’s lives when they are learning to do something so important to them, learning to fly,” said King Schools co-founder Martha King.

“Learning to fly changes who you are and how you think about yourself,” said Kings Schools co-founder John King. “We want to encourage as many people as possible to embark on this fun, exciting, and life-changing activity.”

In addition to the discounts, King Schools also announced it will offer two scholarships for flight instructors—the Women in Aviation International Martha King Scholarship for Female Flight Instructors and the National Association of Flight Instructors/King Schools Scholarship for Flight Instructors. Both scholarships are valued at $15,000 plus an additional $5,000 in cash.

A revamp of King Schools’ Cessna Sport/Private Pilot Course, featuring over 130 new videos designed to be clearer, more concise, informative, and entertaining, was also announced during the news conference.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AVweb.

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On Monday at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, Piper announced that it renewed its distribution partnership with the aerospace titan, making Boeing its exclusive distributor for key parts and components through 2029.

“We are thrilled to grow this partnership with Boeing,” said Ron Gunnarson, vice president of sales, marketing, and customer support at Piper. “In the coming year, look for improved response time and dedicated, Piper-specific CSR assistance.”

Piper has relied on Boeing as its primary spares depot since 2010. The latter maintains an inventory of Piper parts worth over $22 million and, according to the company, has a fill rate north of 98 percent on forecasted parts. Boeing’s Dallas-Fort Worth warehouse complements Piper depots around the world, including in Europe, to enable international shipments.

Separately, Piper on Thursday announced that it delivered four Pilot 100i’s to the Florida Institute of Technology (FIT), part of a previously agreed order for eight aircraft. FIT is a key customer for the manufacturer, operating a fleet of only Piper aircraft: Archers, Seminoles, and Warriors.

“What makes all of this even more meaningful is that a dozen of our alumni working at Piper helped build these planes,” said John Nicklow, president of FIT. “It’s a high-flying example of the power of a Florida Tech education in action.”

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Within the vintage community, a number of simple aircraft designs from Taylorcraft, Luscombe, and Aeronca haven’t surged quite like much of the market and remain a value for folks looking to get into aviation.

Walking through the Vintage parking area at EAA AirVenture, Vintage Aircraft Association (VAA) director Ray Johnson motioned to a taildragger parked nearby.

“A young guy or gal could buy something like this Taylorcraft, or a Champ, then fly it a ton to build their hours up and sell it without taking a big hit on the resale value,” Johnson said.

But as any vintage aircraft owner can attest, purchase price is one thing. Upkeep is another. To that end, on Monday morning VAA leaders conducted a ribbon cutting at the Charles W. Harris Youth Aviation Center.

The center, a hangar behind the flight line in the vintage aircraft parking area, aims to attract area youth for hands-on experience learning how to use basic and equipment to maintain and repair aircraft, while introducing them to pilots and mechanics. At the same time, they can learn about types of aircraft that can become an affordable entry purchase into aviation for learning to fly and building time.

VAA president Susan Dusenberry said building the youth hangar took a bit longer than her initial five-year plan. But the well-finished exterior and interior certainly gives hints as to the thought put into its construction while also managing rising construction costs over those years. Dusenberry said that while education is important, so is building a community.

“In addition to the things we want to teach, we really want to foster a sense of belonging to the participating youth,” Dusenberry said.

Given the significant generation gaps involved, it could seem to be a daunting task. But Dusenberry and the VAA leaders have tapped a cadre of advisers in their 20s to help develop the program’s curriculum to ensure that it can gain traction without the generational challenges a teenager might have while considering a program that’s headed up by folks who are, shall we say, considerably older?

Between the youth advisers and a very friendly atmosphere, the Harris Aviation Center should readily handle those challenges.

The center was half financed from the estate of Charles Harris and half through EAA member donations. Their plans borrow partly on the Youth Aviation Program (YAP) that the late Ron Alexander, former VAA director, formed at Peach State Aerodrome south of Atlanta.

The YAP, operating completely independently of any school, draws high school students from the surrounding community to help in restoring and repairing vintage aircraft. Their labor at the shop is paid out in the form of flight instruction with the flying club on the field. Several students have earned their private pilot certificate, and at least one received their airframe and powerplant (A&P) mechanic certificate.

More information may be found here.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on Plane & Pilot.

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While the commercial news was quiet, the airshow was far from it, with crowds everywhere.

On Wednesday, Sustainable aviation startup ZeroAvia revealed that it will be partnering with Dutch flag carrier KLM to attempt a test flight. This would be a flight using liquid hydrogen as fuel between two cities.

As for the timing for when such a test flight could take place, ZeroAvia founder and CEO Valery Miftakhov said that the partners are initially looking at 2026 at the latest.

Asked what kind of aircraft would be used for the test, Miftakhov said that he could not specify but that it would be similar in size to the ATR 72 or DeHaveland Canada DHC-8.

At the moment, ZeroAvia is steadily making progress, having successfully produced multiple turboprop engine variants. These have been fitted to aircraft such as the DHC-8 and Dornier 228.

Thai Airways Extends Agreement to Maintain Boeing 777 Fleet

Thai Airways signed a deal with General Electric (GE Aerospace) to continue to maintain its Boeing 777 fleet. The service provided by GE Aerospace is dubbed the “TrueChoice” service, which includes maintaining, repairing, and overhauling the Thai Airways GE90 fleet.

Thai Airways remains a loyal customer of GE Aerospace, having used the GEnx on its Boeing 787 fleet expansion and equipping its fleet of Airbus A321neos with CFM LEAP engines.

• READ MORE: Farnborough Airshow Kicks Off With a Handful of Orders

The Thai flag carrier’s CEO, Chai Eamsiri, said that GE Aerospace “continues to prove itself as the right maintenance provider for our GE90 engines. This agreement extension ensures comprehensive coverage for our engines well into the future.”

Airbus Makes First Aircraft Lessor Partnership of ZEROe Program

Airbus has revealed that it will be partnering with Avolon in order to study Hydrogen-powered aircraft and reduce emissions in the aviation industry. This is the first partnership with an active lessor in the project’s history.

The European aviation manufacturer’s environmentally friendly project includes four concept aircraft, with all four carrying under 200 passengers. Its main goal is to make the first hydrogen-powered aircraft by 2035 and then start selling these commercially.

At the moment, progress is heavily underway, with other partners, including London Gatwick Airport (EGKK) for infrastructure, easyJet, and Air Products, the world’s biggest supplier of hydrogen.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AVweb.

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During the public comment period after formal presentations, Tim Roehl, president of General Aviation Modifications Inc. (GAMI), challenged a couple of points made during the presentations of members and support staff from the End Aviation Gasoline Lead Emissions. He told the crowd—smaller than in previous years—that contrary to assertions made during the formal part of the forum, GAMI’s G100UL is indeed ready for distribution and sale.

Eliminate Aviation Gasoline Lead Emissions (EAGLE) initiative member Pete Bunce, president of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), stood up and dismissed Roehl’s assertion.

“I totally disagree, but that’s a discussion for another day,” said Bunce.

• READ MORE: GAMI’s G100UL Unleaded Fuel Successfully Powers Historic WWII Aircraft

In earlier comments, Bunce said his organization remains adamant that any new fuel will be approved through “transparency and a peer reviewed process,” which has traditionally been done through ASTM International.

“Transparency is so absolutely vital for us,” said Bunce.

Refiner Vitol Aviation has 1.3 million gallons of G100UL in tanks in Louisiana and says it has been completely vetted as ready for sale through its supplemental type certificate (STC). GAMI and Vitol have consistently said the FAA approval of an STC covering all gasoline engines on the agency’s registry satisfies all the regulatory and safety requirements to begin retail distribution of the fuel, but there are critics who contend it needs a consensus standard determined by an independent organization like ASTM to satisfy concerns about materials compatibility.

Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) president Mark Baker said his organization is using G100UL in a Beech Baron it operates and, based on the 200 hours of experience with the fuel, “GAMI is as good or better” than 100LL. He also said the process has to “move forward” to get the correct fuel.

• READ MORE: Cirrus Service Advisory Throws Fuel on G100UL Maintenance Debate

The balance of the meeting was a reiteration of the stated goals of EAGLE, which increasingly has become focused on maintaining the supply of 100LL. The existence of the commercial quantity of G100UL has prompted politicians in California and Colorado to try to ban 100LL in favor of filling airport tanks with G100UL. Legislative and legal initiatives in both states are moving through their respective processes.

Meanwhile, testing of the last remaining candidate under the congressionally mandated Piston Aviation Fuel Initiative (PAFI) is slowly progressing at the FAA’s Atlantic City, New Jersey, test facility.

About 23 percent of materials compliance testing, 25 percent of durability testing, and a few percent of several other categories have been done on Lyondell/Basell/VP Racing’s entry. It’s also been fully tested on the airframe of a Lancair Legacy and on a Continental TSIO 550K engine.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AVweb.

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