Air Shows & Events

I was in the middle of cooking spaghetti the othernight when the phone rang. It was Patty Wagstaff, the first ladyof Aviation! “So what did he have to say?,” she quicklyblurted out. Patty was referring to the fact that I had interviewedher arch rival, Sean D. Tucker, earlier that day about their upcomingaerobatics showdown at […]

Thereis a reasonably well-known annex to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh which relatively few peopletake the time to visit. The seaplane base. As a result, it is a refuge, a place of sanityaway from the frenetic pace of the main venue on Wittman Regional Airport. Even theapproach for someone coming by bus or car from the main […]

Youhave heard them in your headphones or on the scanner or on AVweb’s live RealAudiofeed. Those men and women who work with pilots to funnel more airplanes into WittmanRegional Airport at Oshkosh, Wisconsin for EAA’s AirVenture than fly into any otherairport in the world at any time are a fascinating set of human beings there […]

AVweb spoke with EAA president Tom Poberezny a week before AirVentureOshkosh 1998: AVweb: So, AirVenture Oshkosh is nigh upon us. Poberezny: Yes, actually we feel that is has started already withthe people already arriving AVweb: How crowded is it this early out? Poberezny: Usually the 4th of July is kind of the kick off. Earlyarrivals […]

As we sat under the wing of our airplane Monday afternoon, enjoying a constant flow of various aircraft landing in a seemingly unending stream on final approach to runway 27, a reporter from one of the area newspapers came by and asked us what made us come to Oshkosh. The answer was somewhat elusive in […]

For hundreds of EAA Fly-In devotees, theirannual pilgrimage is more than a week of air shows, vendor booths, and sunburns. It’s aweek-long visit to their second home at one of several commercial campsites within drivingdistance of Oshkosh. Individuals and families that camp off-site return year after year tonot only the same campground, but the same […]

One rejected takeoff, two precautionary engine shutdowns,a lost tire tread, and some other less serious events, and we’re here at OSH with thislovely vintage airliner. It was built for, and delivered to TWA in 1952, and served themuntil 1960, when it was converted to an executive interior, and sold to a constructioncompany. Later, it was […]

Watching the faces of 39 new aviators provided theassembled crowd of seasoned veteran flyers with new hope for ourindustry’s future. As the youngsters and dignitaries assembledthe noon day air was filled with pride. The pride was in boththe accomplishments of the students and of those that have givenof their time and finances to build the […]

A Merlin engine goes to full power,the shattering sound crackling across the aircraft camping area at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh.Your head snaps over, you take a look at the airplane and say, “Oh, just anotherMustang.” At that point you realize it is OK to go home. When the extraordinary in aviation becomes normal, you have been […]

It’s been a long time since I last visited the EAA Fly-In atOshkosh. Twenty-one years long, to be exact. Back then, I was visiting because myboyfriend at the time wanted to go see the airshow for a day. It was fun. I rememberpurchasing a visor and sunscreen because I forgot them, and I got a […]