The Aero Experience at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2019: Overview Sampler

The Aero Experience coverage of EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2019, sponsored by Elite Aviation, continues with our second introductory post of the season. We have a vast amount of media and information to share in coming year, and our offerings will become more topical in the coming weeks and months. As mentioned in our first post in this series, we will report what we experienced in an informative and entertaining way and also strive to encourage and inspire you to participate in aviation as well. 

In this edition, we present another sampler of the vast amount of events, activities and aircraft interacting simultaneously from our arrival on Friday, July 19th, through our departure on Monday, July 29th. By opening day Monday, the grounds had dried reasonably well and the week would remain mostly dry with afternoon temperatures into the mid 80s. We start this overview post with a look at the main gate, bus park (to Museum and Seaplane Base) and the John Deere-powered trams that travel between the Ultralight, Vintage, Homebuilt and Warbird Areas. Also commonly encountered along the way were the EAA's VW Beetles used for on-site transport, including this one heading to one of the aircraft parking areas. 

      













The Brown Arch monument is prominently positioned along the main byway and behind the airshow crowd line. Here we show the Brown Arch framing Kyle Franklin as he flies Dracula in the final airshow; a memorial brick; EAA's CEO and Board Chairman Jack Pelton is interviewed on Sunday prior to the official opening; and another view of the EAA 50th year at Oshkosh aircraft display.

Another staple of the EAA AirVenture Oshkosh experience is the constant sound of helicopters overhead. There was a demand for these short helicopter tours over the main grounds all day, every day, throughout our visit (as there is every year). Operating from nearby Pioneer Airport across from the EAA Aviation Museum, they make a great impression on the general public and provide a nice camera platform for aerials of the grounds.

The daily airshow is another popular attraction to all audiences, and this year's lineup (each performer will be featured separately in future posts) was stellar. Some examples shown below include: B-25 missing man salute to the last living Doolittle Raider Dick Cole who passed away in April; the Shetterly Squadron; Sean Tucker and Jessy Panzer; the Twin Tigers; Kyle Franklin and the Shockwave Jet Truck; and a USMC F-35 taking off for some fly-bys before departing the field on Sunday. 

Boeing Plaza was again filled with a variety of (mostly Boeing) civilian and military aircraft throughout our visit (much more coverage coming soon). Featured here are the UPS Boeing 747; USAF Boeing KC-135R from WI ANG; new Boeing KC-46A; USAF Lockheed C-5M Galaxy; McDonnell Douglas and Boeing military jets - F-15C Eagle from the MA ANG and USN EA-18G Growler; and the legendary Beech Starship in which VIP guest Burt Rutan was flown to the event.

 

The tactical military aircraft not on display or flying in an airshow were parked on a separate taxiway out of public access. The Aero Experience was granted special permission to visit this area several times during our stay, and here is a sample of our coverage: the crew with A-10 Thunderbolt II, F-22 Raptor, F-35 Lightning II and a pair of T-6 Texan II trainers.

EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2019 provided space for many exhibitors to display and demonstrate their products. Some exhibits were quite elaborate, while others were a small booth in one of the four major pavilions. Here are just a few to add to our previous post, with many more coming in the future. Below are the International Federal Pavilion aircraft; HondaJet; Quest Kodiak; and homebuilt giant Vans Aircraft.

As the Experimental Aircraft Association, EAA was founded on the concept of the homebuilt aircraft. There were many homebuilt aircraft on display and around the grounds during the week, and we will have much more to share about them in the future. Here we have several examples: Vans RV-8A; Big Toot and Little Toot; Fisher Avenger; and Corbin Baby Ace on display during a presentation in the Homebuilt Area.   

Vintage aircraft were plentiful in the Vintage Area and around the grounds at various displays. Here we include some very recognizable types, including: Grumman Albatross; Douglas DC-3 Flabob Express getting a cylinder change; Spartan Executive; and Beech "Staggerwing."

Warbirds were also plentiful, and many were found in the Warbirds Area and flying in the airshows. The Warbirds Area offers a riding tour of the aircraft parked in the surrounding fields, and it was in high demand. Aircraft featured here include the North American T-6 Texan, Beech 18 and the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk tactical jet.  

Factory-produced general aviation aircraft were in their own parking area as well as mixed in among the others. Many can be seen during the first Sunday arrivals and second Saturday departures. Featured here are the classic Beech Bonanza; Cirrus SR20 reflecting the green dot on the runway; a Mooney M20 with a window sign indicating a preference for the Vintage Aircraft Parking area; and a Piper Comanche. 

The Aero Experience met up with our team partner, Patrick McAlee, and his aircraft, Pitts S-1GT the Blue Demon, from Wednesday through Sunday. Patrick McAlee Airshows-ExtremeFlight performs in airshows and outreach events throughout the country. Here we show Patrick visiting with the crowds during the airshow and displaying a scaled Spitfire blade with sponsor GT Propellers.  

We close this brief overview of EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2019 with a look at several special events held during the week. Here we feature the Monday morning Breakfast with Innovators session; a USAF swearing-in ceremony held on Wednesday in front of the F-35 Lightning II; the Veterans Appreciation Breakfast with guest speaker USAF Colonel Kim Campbell; and the EAA Volunteer Recognition ceremony held on Friday at the Brown Arch. 

We hope that our EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2019 series will be an enjoyable way for you to experience the nation's largest aviation event if you missed it, or help relive the experience if you were there. Check back often to our home page or scroll through our archives for more coverage of this and other Midwest Aviation events.