Aviation enthusiasts all over are packing their bags for the biggest industry event in the world, EAA AirVenture. For those planning to fly, the Oshkosh Specials page on GlobalAir.com currently has over 50 specials and deals from coast to coast, helping travelers find the best fuel prices on their route to Oshkosh. If you are headed to AirVenture for the first time, or even the 50th, here is what you need to know about 2023 EAA AirVenture.
Oshkosh Specials page
GlobalAir.com has been providing traveling pilots with fuel prices for 15 years. More than 50 FBOs across the country have shared the best deals offered for pilots headed to Oshkosh, Wisconsin with GlobalAir.com.
This year celebrates 70 years since the launch of the EAA and GlobalAir.com is proud to offer a place for pilots to get top deals on fuel, food and fun as they travel to AirVenture. Specials include complimentary snacks and drinks, waived ramp fees with fuel purchases and money off of Avgas. Take a look at the specials page when you plan your flight to Oshkosh to find the best deals across the country.
AirVenture guide
Be sure to take a look at a first-timers guide to AirVenture, on GlobalAir.com. Learn everything from how to get there to how to make the most out of each day at the event. The grounds are over 1,500 acres and there is a designated spot for everything. There is a dedicated area for warbirds, homebuilts, large aircraft are on display at the Boeing Plaza, drive-in campgrounds, fly-in grounds and a zone for ultralight aircraft.
Find out what to bring or not to bring and the different types of food, drinks and events offered. Whether it is your first time to AirVenture or your 40th, learn all that you can about the event to make this year, the best AirVenture ever.
8 tips before you fly to Oshkosh
For those flying in to Oshkosh this year for AirVenture, planning is crucial. Be sure to review important NOTAMs to learn any changes or restrictions during the week of the event. People will be flying in from all over and the sky over Oshkosh will be crowded, making planning and safety paramount.
Study various arrival procedures and familiarize yourself with published arrival and departure routes. Check frequently as some of these procedures may change before your departure date. Make sure you have all the necessary documents and registration before you fly and follow all instructions given by EAA staff or volunteers before or during your flight, they just want the week to run as smoothly and safely as possible for all involved.
Air Show lineup
One of the biggest draws to AirVenture are the spectacular airshows. Many top performers committed to the event months ago. There will be nine shows over seven days with two night air shows on July 26 and 29.
Performers and aircraft on the schedule include a Piper Super Cub, a P-51, a F-33 Bonanza, a Beech 18 and a F4U-F Corsair.
“Rosie the Rocketer” coming to Oshkosh
Rosie the Rocketer is a small plane with a huge backstory. The aircraft will be included in the warbird display this year. The Piper L-4 Cub flew in WWII, modified to hold six bazooka attachments. The plane was found in Austria in 2017 and restored to flying condition in 2020.
The iconic WWII warbird has been preserved with its original bullet holes and battle armor. The militarized version of a 1930s Piper Cub will be another representation of a great age in aviation.
Last flying Fairchild C-123 “Thunderpig” coming to AirVenture
The only surviving C-123 in flying condition will be coming to AirVenture from the Air Heritage Museum in Beaver County, Pennsylvania to celebrate “Vietnam Remembered – 50 years later.”
The Thunderpig was one of 300 built between the late 1950s and mid-1970s. It was primarily used as a cargo and troop transport aircraft. This C-123 was built in 1956 and serves at various bases around the U.S. and found in an aircraft graveyard in the 1990s. It has been restored to flying condition and will be a special piece at AirVenture this year.
EAA honors military aircraft with a display for each branch
The power of U.S. military aviation will be on full display at this year’s AirVenture. Every branch of the military will be represented with notable aircraft during the weeklong event. The list includes F-15s, a C-17 flying hospital, a V-22 Osprey and a C-130.
While many people enjoy the iconic vintage warbird displays at AirVenture, the current triumphs of the military and its impressive modern aircraft are also a site worth seeing. These are some of the aircraft that have helped to develop today’s U.S. Air Force personnel.
Warbird highlights
A variety of warbirds will be on display this year, along with new restorations. “Bonnie” a recently restored P-47D will attend as the first Thunderbolt in years. Bonnie likely the only flying Republic built razorback P-47 in the world.
A recently restored P-51C Thunderbird will also be in attendance. This aircraft is known for winning the 1949 Bendix Trophy with a record speed of 470 mph.
There will also be 10-12 Corsairs and a number of Vietnam War-era aircraft like the Cobra, Huey, A-1 and C-123.
AirVenture schedule
EAA released the daily airshow schedule for the upcoming event. Monday will include a Salute to Air Racing, featuring various Warbirds, a F-16, a T-28, and a Prometheus. Tuesday in Innovations Day with aircraft like a P-47, Cub, Extra 330SC and Warbirds. Wednesday honors women in aviation with WomenVenture and iconic female flyers like Patty Wagstaff in an Extra 330SC. Wednesday also features one of the night performances, with planes flying and a firework show.
Thursday is Corsair/Devotion Day, featuring various eVTOL aircraft, Cordsairs, Warbirds and modern military aircraft like the F-22. Friday will celebrate Vietnam War-era planes for the 50th anniversary. Saturday will have a performance from the Red Bull Airforce and the night show will feature more incredible flying and another fireworks show. The final airshow will take place on Sunday, finishing off a great week of impressive flying.
For the youth
AirVenture is an event for aviation enthusiasts young and old. The UAS4STEM competition is back for the third time, allowing students from ages 11 to graduating high school seniors to join teams and build an unmanned aircraft system to compete.
Each team will build their own unmanned aircraft system and compete against the other teams to complete a mission through many obstacles. This year will feature Beginner and Advanced division. The Beginners division will focus on the fundamentals of drone programming and flying and the Advanced teams will develop a mechanism to pick up and transport the items to various locations.
AirVenture hosts various events for kids, including KidVenture, hosted at the EAA Aviation Museum. This includes various activities for the kids like flying a radio-controlled airplane or a simulated B-25 flight experience and life-size replicas.
Tom Poberezny honored
Son of the EAA’s founder and the man behind the EAA’s Young Eagles program, the late Tom Poberezny, will be honored on opening day with the unveiling of a life-size bronze statue at the EAA Aviation Museum, placed directly across from a similar statue of his father, Paul.
Along with the statue unveiling, the EAA has announced a new special scholarship fund in his name to sustain Poberezny’s legacy in aviation. He was responsible for launching education initiatives like the Young Eagles program. The new scholarship will be administered by the EAA Aviation Foundation in conjunction with the EAA Young Eagles program to provide more aviation opportunities to some of the almost 2.3 million Young Eagles around the world. Both the scholarship and statue will be unveiled and honored on opening day of AirVenture.
CubCrafters drawing winner flies with Red Bull pilot
CubCrafters held an exclusive drawing for its investors, with one winner getting the opportunity to fly with Red Bull pilot Luke Czepiela. Czepiela was the pilot that landed a fixed-wing Carbon Cub aircraft on the heliport of one of the tallest buildings in the world, the Burj Al Arab Hotel in Dubai, UAE.
The winner of the drawing, which closed on July 18, will get a chance to fly with Czepiela at an AirVenture Air Show, flying over audiences at Oshkosh.
Textron donates Pipistrel Velis Electro to auction
Textron eAviation is donating the world’s first type-certified electric-powered aircraft, the Pipistrel Velis Electro, to an auction at AirVenture in an effort to raise money for charitable programs for youth. The auction is expected to feature about 20 items, with the Pipistrel Velis Electro as the big prize. The auction will help to raise funds for many youth-oriented programs like the EAA’s Young Eagles, which offers free airplane rides to youth ages 8-17 since 1992.
NASA’s cargo plane “Super Guppy” on display
Among the warbirds, homebuilts and aircraft displays will be the NASA Super Guppy, a unique cargo plane filled with a full-size test article of the Orion space capsule. The Super Guppy will be parked on Boeing Plaza Monday through Wednesday during AirVenture.
The huge cargo plane was designed to carry massive cargo, like spaceship parts, to different locations. Its cargo area measures 25 feet in diameter and 111 feet long.
The aircraft is being used to transport parts for the Orion structure, playing an integral role in the goal to bring people to the moon again, and eventually to Mars. Transporting oversized cargo is a problem for various industries, with the physical limitations of structures like tunnels, narrow roads, low bridges and power lines making overland shipment problematic. The Super Guppy offers another solution for transporting impressively large cargo, with impressive capabilities.
Drink up with the EAA
As the EAA celebrates its 70th anniversary, attendees can join in with a special, 70th Anniversary Commemorative beer. The beer cans will feature one of seven designs, each representing a different phase in aviation and the seven days of AirVenture.
The specialty beer will be available during the event on the campgrounds. The Kölsch beer is a pale bitter European beer and has its origins in Germany. The designs honor the history of aviation that has brought so many enthusiasts together at AirVenture.
EAA and Boeing extend sponsorship
Since forming a relationship with the EAA in 1989, Boeing has increased its presence to become one of the largest vendors involved in AirVenture. The new, three-year agreement will include retaining naming rights for the Boeing Plaza and the continued commitment to providing free AirVenture admission for attendees 18 and younger.
Other aspects of the sponsorship include management of Airline Crew Check-in, acting as the Presenting Sponsor for WomenVenture and the continued support of KidVenture.
WomenVenture
This year, women from all over the aviation industry will enjoy special programs and panel discussions to commemorate an impressive milestone. WomenVenture will celebrate 30 years of women flying combat aircraft at the gathering this year. Celebrations include a special panel featuring different generations of female military pilots, including members of the first group of female combat pilots and the current generation.
Events will be held throughout the week of AirVenture, with the majority taking place on Wednesday, July 26. EAA WomenVenture is presented by The Boeing Company and supported by many others in the industry like United Airlines and the U.S. Air Force.
Homebuilt aircraft honored at AirVenture
Homebuilt aircraft have been the foundation of the EAA since it was formed in 1953. This year, at the celebration of 70 years of the EAA, special anniversaries for notable homebuilt aircraft will be honored during the week.
Hiperbipe celebrates its 50th anniversary, the Midget Mustang celebrates its 75th and the Thorp T-18 celebrates its 60th anniversary. Other aircraft or homebuilt brands celebrating an anniversary include the Wittman Tailwind, Van’s RV-10 and Sonex.
90 years of the Continental A-40 engine
Vintage aircraft owners have plenty to enjoy at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh this summer, from the many warbirds flying or on display to a celebration for the engine that has become instrumental for general aviation. Owners and enthusiasts can celebrate 90 years of the Continental A-40 with the largest gathering of A-40 engines in the last 60 years.
The A-40 engine was introduced in 1933 and changed General Aviation forever. The affordability and accessibility helped to make GA what it is today.
Vietnam War Yellow Ribbon Honor Flight
Vietnam War vets will be honored in a special salute at AirVenture 100 vets will fly to D.C. to tour war memorials at no cost. The vets will then be flown back at the conclusion of the Friday afternoon airshow.
This is the ninth year conducting the Yellow Ribbon Honor Flight at EAA AirVenture.
Check out the Oshkosh Specials page
Before you plan your trip, make sure to check out the Oshkosh Specials page to be sure you are getting the best deal along your route. Enjoy your time at one of the best aviation events in the world.
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