Every year for just one week, seemingly everyone in the world with even a tiny interest in planes focuses on one Wisconsin city. The Experimental Aircraft Association AirVenture Oshkosh fly-in has kicked off today, and the iconic airshow, which is one of the largest anywhere, is off to a great start. Oshkosh is the place to see some of the rarest and coolest planes in the entire world all at one airport. Here’s what I’m looking forward to seeing and doing this year.
The 2025 edition of the world’s greatest airshow will be my fourth show, and somehow, each edition gets better than the last. I’m not exaggerating about the greatness, either. Last year’s AirVenture featured these incredible numbers, from EAA:
Attendance
Approximately 686,000 – Highest total on record! (Previous: 677,000 – 2023).
Total Aircraft
More than 10,000 aircraft arrived at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh and other airports in east-central Wisconsin. At Wittman alone, there were 16,780 aircraft operations in the 11-day period from July 18-28, which is an average of approximately 113 takeoffs/landings per hour when the airport is open.
Total Showplanes
2,846 including: 1,200 vintage aircraft, 975 homebuilt aircraft, 337 warbirds, 154 ultralights and light planes, 82, aerobatic aircraft, 65 seaplanes and amphibians, 52 aerobatic aircraft, 23 rotorcraft, and 10 balloons.
AirVenture has set records for three years in a row with 2022 attendance at a whopping 650,000 people followed by 677,000 people in 2023. Over 40,000 of these people camp at Camp Scholler next to Wittman Regional Airport. For context, I live in a small city of 27,000 people, so for a week, the absolutely bonkers campground at Oshkosh is larger than some cities! All of these people represent nearly 100 countries, too, which is so awesome.
Wittman Regional Airport proudly displays “World’s Busiest Control Tower” on its tower every year and it deserves it. Keep in mind that all of the planes above flew in, and tons of them arrived at nearly the same time. For the week AirVenture takes place, the airport handles more air traffic than many of the most famous international airports in the world. It’s incredible that this event somehow works as smoothly as it does, and a huge part of that is due to the army of people representing EAA.
Much of the show runs parallel to runway 18R/36L, which runs 8,002 feet long. There’s also the 6,179-foot runway 9/27. If you haven’t been getting in your steps, AirVenture is perfect because you’ll be walking several miles just in an attempt to see everything on the grounds. Then you’ll have to hop in a vehicle and head to the seaplane base for even more action.
AirVenture has a lot to look forward to this year. If you like blimps, Goodyear brought two of them! From EAA:
The appearance of two airships marks a unique occurrence in the more than 50 years that Goodyear has brought its blimps and airships to Oshkosh. “There is no aviation event more ‘blimp-worthy’ than EAA AirVenture Oshkosh and to have two of Goodyear’s airships over the grounds will make this year unforgettable,” said Rick Larsen, EAA’s vice president of communities and member programs, who coordinates AirVenture features and attractions. “We have seen the excitement that Goodyear’s presence at Oshkosh has created throughout the years, whether it is flying during the air shows or even parked as a memorable photo opportunity on the grounds.”
Current plans are for the airships to participate in flying activities during the week, in both the afternoon and night air shows. When not flying, at least one of them is scheduled to be parked near the EAA Aviation Museum during the duration of its stay. Exact schedules will be released when they are finalized. “Goodyear Blimps have been a symbol of aviation innovation and adventure for a century,” said Michael Dougherty, chief pilot, Goodyear Airship Operations. “We can’t think of a better place than EAA AirVenture Oshkosh to celebrate our 100-year milestone with aviation enthusiasts from around the world.”
Although Goodyear’s aviation efforts began in 1910 with the creation of its aeronautics department, the first branded airship flights in 1925 marked the start of a legendary icon. The first blimp with a lighted sign came in 1930, while the initial aerial broadcast flights over the Rose Bowl began in 1955. The Goodyear airships moved into their most recent era beginning in 2011 with the debut of the semi-rigid Zeppelin NT (New Technology) airships that are used today. Goodyear’s airship participation at Oshkosh began in 1971 when America made an appearance at the EAA fly-in. Since then, it has been a regular visitor to the gathering, with its last appearance in 2021.
I’ll be taking a ride in one of these blimps on Friday!
But that’s not all, as this year packs so many different themes into one. The Air National Guard has a huge showing this year, as does the Douglas DC-3 and its variants, which are celebrating 90 years of flying. If that doesn’t tickle your fancy, maybe Pratt & Whitney’s Boeing 747SP engine testbed will excite you, or the sole operational Douglas DC-8 in America, the Samaritan’s Purse! I got to tour both of those latter planes, which you will read about later.
Even some of the earliest aircraft from the pioneer era are getting representation this year. In other words, there’s bound to be something that you like here. If there isn’t, you’ll still have fun, anyway, because AirVenture is just a great time.
This year, I towed in the family’s Heartland Mallard with a new Chevrolet Silverado EV Trail Boss. The truck hauled the 7,700-pound camper to the show on just a single charge, and you’ll read about that, later, too.
As always, feel free to stop by and say hi! This year, you’ll find me at 106th st in the new overflow RV parking at Camp Scholler.
EAA AirVenture Oshkosh runs from July 21 to 27. Daily tickets are $49 if you’re an EAA member or $68 if you’re a non-member. Veterans and active military pay $49, and youth 18 and under are free! Come on Sunday and it’s just $24 or $29, respectively. There are also multiple-day tickets that lower the daily cost, such as a weekly pass that runs $158.
A 747SP! Such a cool ULR plane from back in the day. I recall seeing those at airports like DFW back in the day. Such a cool timepiece… I was told I was a pax on one DFW to HNL as a kid, vague memories of a short cabin. At least I was able to be a 747-100/200/300/400 pax at various points that I do recall better. Still trying to angle for a 747-8 flight before they go away… Imagine what kind of range a 747-SP with more modern engines could pull off? That said, old bird and no one probably wants that hassle anyhow…
Pratt & Whitney Canada operates 2 of them out of YMX.
The one in the pictures still has the Korean Air artwork on the lower floor forward bulkhead.
Hey have to say that is a wonderful picture of you, you should use it on the Autopian staff picture for awhile. The photographer caught the light and wind great.
I lived in Northern Illinois for quite a while, and I always wanted to head up to Oshkosh to see the EAA show, but the idea of being around that many people in one place is just too much for me. I get that it’s an airport and there’s plenty of space, etc, etc, but it still makes me uncomfortable.
Can’t wait to hear about the Silverado EV, and
OMG YOU GET TO RIDE ON A BLIMP!!!
I certainly hope Pratt & Whitney would do the 747SP tours for the passengers who missed the chance to fly with 747SP or wanted to tick off the bucket list. 747SP is only 747 variation from -100 to -8 that I haven’t a chance to fly.
I watched some of the livestream last night and highlights today. The DC-8 and 747 were pretty awesome. Have a great time!
That Oshkosh show would be so much fun to go to, but I think the crowds would get to me. I went to a Concours even this weekend, and the cars were great, but I think I spent more time dodging people than actually looking at the exhibits!
My memories were all that it’s super crowded, but there’s just SO much space to wander around and
get chopped up by a propeller like Raiders of the Lost Arkbrowse row upon row of people’s personal aircraft. Many thousands of them.Slight tangent, but the background on the GY Blimp reminded me of a toy model I had as a kid. The model had an electric motor and light, and perforations in the side. It came with a bunch of sheets that allowed you to display various messages/designs as well as make your own. Hadn’t thought about that in ages.
Blast from the past, man! I had one too!
I have very vague memories of severely coveting that toy. I’ve been in love with airships for pretty much my entire life.
At least I was lucky enough to get the Lehman “Rigi” model cable car, another one of my many fascinations as a child.
Welcome to my almost-backyard! AirVenture is nuts in an amazing way. Enjoy.
Let me know if you and your wife need anything, or want a ride in my Crosley Speedster. I’m up the road in De Pere and have the week off.
Looking forward to it! My wife and I are arriving at Scholler on Thursday, along with several of our friends and their families. Unfortunately that means we might miss seeing the 747SP on display, and it’s equally disappointing that it’s scheduled to be replaced by a boring, pedestrian AA A321.
I’d love to attend one of these fly ins but it’d be a pretty big undertaking. My dad worked in the airlines growing up so I’ve always had at least some interest in aviation. I still have fond memories of Air/Space America ’88 which I attended as a kid.
PLEASE do a story on blimps!!
… and seaplanes!
Love the plane stuff but also can’t wait to hear how much goes wrong with the Mallard…
“10 reasons this $65k Mallard trailer is worse than every single homebuilt Rutan plane…”
I went a few times from 1990-93 or so and it was always amazing…the only public place my dad (who was there on business) would let me roam freely for hours, even though I was only 12-14 years old. It was a great time, but is also ironically a big part of why I never pursued aviation as a career. Sometimes seeing thousands of people who had each spent thousands of hours on their homebuilt aircraft was a little, um, too nerdy for mass consumption.
But the large static displays are always awesome, plus the actual airshow events which bring in a lot of the best of the world.
This was also well before the internet, and I was baffled how everyone in small-town Wisconsin was happy to leave town for a week and rent you their sh*tty apartment for just $300 a day 🙂