Touted as the “World’s Greatest Aviation Celebration,” EAA Airventure takes place each summer at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Official dates this year are July 20-26, but many preliminary events will occur on July 19th. Also, numerous pilots and campers arrive earlier with the campgrounds being opened prior; (this year they opened June 26th).
“This is (one of) the world’s most unique gatherings and experiences,” Dick Knapinski, EAA Director of Communications told Oshkosh-based publication The Northwestern, “…There is nothing else like it in the world.”
The event attracts an average of 750,000 people each year with more than 10,000 planes and other aircraft flying into Wittman Field and other east-central Wisconsin airports. Attendees enjoy seven days of aerobatic displays, informative programs and hands-on workshops. This includes more than 2,600 show planes, 700 product exhibitors, and 500 forums and seminars.
Two air shows – afternoon and night – will occur on Wednesday, July 22 and Saturday, July 25. Over 75 total acts will perform.
As far as King Air, Beechcraft has promoted on Facebook in recent weeks that numerous King Air models will be displayed including the King Air C90GTx and 250. Also, as we mentioned last week, Rockwell Collins will have a 250 equipped with the new Pro Line Fusion touchscreen avionics system on display for the public to interact with.
Listed Highlights of AirVenture 2015 include:
- Air show tributes to EAA founder Paul Poberezny
- EAA honors the Apollo 13 crew on the 45th anniversary of the ill-fated moonshot
- Warbirds of America mark the 70th Anniversary of the Victory in the Pacific
- 108 skydivers attempt to set a world record
- Aircraft designer Burt Rutan, joined by brother and test pilot Dick Rutan
- Old Glory Honor Flight
- Tuskegee Airmen
- Airbus A350
- B-52 Stratofortress
- AV-8B Harrier
- First appearance of Goodyear Airship Wingfoot One at AirVenture
- Fireworks and the Wall of Fire
- John K. Moody, “father” of the ultralight movement
- Balloon night glows
- Dierks Bentley concert
- Actor/musician Gary Sinise and the Lt. Dan Band
EAA Adult member admission is $30 a day or $121 for a week-long pass.
For non-members, admission for adults is $45 a day or $75 for a two-day pass (must be used on two consecutive days; week-long passes are not offered to non-members).
Student admission (ages 6-18) is $19/EAA members, $24/non-members. A week-long pass for EAA member students costs $60.
Kids 5 and under get in free every day. The official website is https://www.eaa.org/en/airventure.