Oshkosh USA - July 2014

Oshkosh Wisconsin - United States 2014

In 2014 we had the opportunity to visit EAA AirVenture at Oshkosh, Wisconsin, an event that had been on our aviation bucket list for a long time. We had recently completed our Van’s RV-7A, so the timing couldn't have been better. After spending years building an aircraft, visiting the world's largest gathering of experimental and recreational aviation was something very special.
We stayed in Green Bay and drove down to Oshkosh each morning. The drive took about an hour and became part of our daily routine for the week. We were incredibly lucky with the weather, enjoying fine conditions every day until our final day, when a storm swept through and provided a rather dramatic finish to our Oshkosh experience.

What to see

Having just completed the RV-7A, naturally we spent plenty of time around the Van’s Aircraft display. After spending so many years working from plans, assembling parts and eventually turning a kit into a flying aircraft, it was great to be surrounded by other Van’s aircraft and builders. While there, we even ran into another Van’s builder from Perth. Travelling halfway around the world and then unexpectedly meeting another builder from home summed up one of the great things about Oshkosh—the aviation community can make a very large world seem surprisingly small. There was an enormous amount to see. We worked our way through most of the commercial displays, looking at aircraft, engines, avionics, tools and all the other equipment that inevitably interests anyone who has built an aircraft. We also spent plenty of time exploring the flea market, searching through aircraft parts, tools and all sorts of aviation bits and pieces. It was the sort of place where you could go looking for one particular item and lose an hour looking at everything else.

One excursion well worth making was out to the seaplane base on Lake Winnebago. It offered a completely different atmosphere from the activity of the main airport. Sitting beside the lake and watching seaplanes arrive and depart was a great way to experience another part of AirVenture and provided a welcome change of pace from the huge crowds at Wittman Regional Airport.

Hospitality USA style

The food was another enjoyable part of the experience. There was certainly no shortage of it, including plenty of opportunities to sample Wisconsin cheese and cheese-based products. After spending most of the day walking around the enormous AirVenture grounds, finding something good to eat was never difficult.

Highlights of the show

One of the highlights of the entire visit actually happened away from the aircraft displays. We had a great evening at the International Visitors Tent, where a BBQ was held for visitors who had travelled to Oshkosh from around the world. It was a fantastic night and a chance to sit down, relax and meet aviation enthusiasts from many different countries. Everyone had a common interest in aviation, so conversations came easily, regardless of where people had travelled from.

Of course, the aircraft were the main attraction. Homebuilts, warbirds, vintage aircraft, ultralights, aerobatic aircraft and modern general aviation machines seemed to fill every available corner of the airport. The flying displays were spectacular, but even outside the scheduled airshows there was always something happening. Simply watching the constant stream of aircraft arriving and departing was entertainment in itself.

What struck me most about Oshkosh was its sheer scale. Photographs and videos don't really prepare you for it. You can spend several days walking around the site, think you have seen most of it, and then discover another entire area you haven't visited. Our 2014 visit remains one of the highlights of my aviation travels. Having just finished building the RV-7A made the experience even more significant, as we were able to enjoy Oshkosh not just as aviation spectators, but as part of the worldwide experimental aircraft community.