EAA AirVenture Today - Sunday, July 23, 2023

FEATURED PHOTOS

OSHKOSH WELCOME TO

EVERY YEAR WE ASK, “How is AirVenture going to be more enjoyable than last year?” Yet, somehow, it always works out. Each AirVenture builds on the last — we connect with our old friends, add new ones, and our aviation family grows. This year promises to be no different.

AirVenture brings together all of aviation, with so much for people to see and do. There are air shows and aircraft on static display in each of our community neighborhoods — homebuilts, vintage, warbirds, aerobatics, and ultralights. There are places to eat, movies to watch, parties (planned or otherwise) to attend, and forums and workshops for hands-on learning. And then there’s the shopping, with vendors and exhibitors showing off the latest gadgetry.

We’re proud that AirVenture is a family-friendly event with so many activities — not to mention free admission — for young people. It’s vital that we continue to bring more people into the aviation

community, and experiencing AirVenture is the only way someone can see the whole landscape in one place. Our convention brings with it the understanding that someone can participate in aviation at any level, from being an enthusiast to a professional pilot, and everything in between, including mechanics, marketers, writers, accountants, designers, engineers, air traffic controllers — everyone who plays a part in our world of flying.

It takes a lot to set the stage for the magic of Oshkosh, and, of course, it simply couldn’t happen without our volunteers. They’re a precious commodity that have been the backbone of EAA for 70 years, and some families have been involved for generations. Be sure to thank them when you see them.

Every AirVenture is special, and this year will be no exception. I hope you’ll all agree, and I look forward to seeing everyone around the grounds. Welcome to Oshkosh!

TOP STORY

PHOTO BY CONNOR MADISON

PHOTO BY BERNIE KOSZEWA

DAILY

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Rescuing and Restoring Rosie the Rocketer

Bazooka

Charlie’s Piper L-4H

BY JIM BUSHA

This is an excerpt from the feature story by Jim Busha in the August issue of EAA Sport Aviation magazine. Complimentary copies are available at multiple locations around the grounds. At press time, Rosie the Rocketer was expected to be displayed at AirVenture Oshkosh 2023, barring any weather or other issues.

WHEN IT COMES to finding hidden treasures, sometimes the best place to look is right under your nose. Case in point was the discovery of a true combat legend, a modern David that once faced down a series of enemy Goliaths if you will

PUBLISHER:

— and it promises to be one of the most interesting warbirds at this year’s EAA AirVenture Oshkosh.

After reading a story about the exploits of Maj. Charles “Bazooka Charlie” Carpenter and his unusually armed Piper L-4H Cub named Rosie the Rocketer in a 2016 EAA Warbirds magazine article written by Maj. Carpenter’s daughter, Carol (Carpenter) Apacki, Joe Scheil, EAA 1109238, who is an airline pilot by day and serial number sleuth by night, discovered that this killer Cub, bearing serial No. 11717, was hanging from a ceiling in an Austrian aviation museum.

Probably the biggest challenge to the entire restoration was the manufacturing and mounting of the six bazookas. That was the one item that was not well documented as to placement and firing mechanism inside the cockpit.

Joe contacted his good friend Rob Collings of the Collings Foundation who had been looking for a documented European theater combat aircraft. That set the wheels in motion as Rob traveled to Austria to verify for himself that the Cub had survived. Rob and Joe found out that after the war, the Cub had been surplused in a German yard in September 1946.

From there, L-4H 11717 became HB-OBK with Heinz Wullschleger of Olten, Switzerland, and then moved to Austria in 1955. By April 1956, sporting yellow Piper Cub colors, the registration changed to OE-AAB when it became part of the Österreichischer Aero Club in Vienna where it towed gliders.

The airplane flew as a civilian airplane for a number of years before it disappeared into the Österreichisches Luftfahrtmuseum at Graz Airport in Austria in 1976.

In late 2018 Rob was able to convince the museum to sell the Cub to him. Loaded in a shipping container, it made its journey back home and eventually found its way into the caring arms of Colin Powers, EAA 65696, of Oregon who had a string of award-winning L-4 restorations under his belt.

Colin got the airplane on January 8, 2019.

“It was a mess as far as I was concerned,” he said. “The museum in Austria had acquired the airplane as a static representation. It had been used as a glider tug after the war. The fuselage was covered with a variety of stickers and decals all over it. They went ahead and stripped all the fabric off of it and slapped fabric back on it and painted it yellow. It didn’t look very pretty.”

Colin wanted to strip it down to bare wood and tubes as soon as he could. The reason? He wanted to verify the rumors and check it over to see if there were any bullet holes or other combat damage.

“I did find a very obvious bullet hole in the right wing,” Colin said. Besides combat damage, Colin also found some signatures and dates from Piper employees on some interior wood surfaces and wing spars. All the combat damage

ROSIE / PAGE 4

WARBIRDS

and personal notes have been preserved during the restoration.

Colin’s restoration marching orders from Rob were simple — bring it back to look exactly like it did in 1944. Colin knew there were plenty of replica parts available for Cubs, but he focused on finding original Piper parts.

According to Colin, probably the biggest challenge to the entire restoration was the manufacturing and mounting of the six bazookas. That was the one item that was not

More about Rosie and Bazooka Charlie

You can learn more about this airplane and the remarkable history behind it at a special Warbirds in Review presentation tomorrow, Monday, July 24, at 10 a.m. in the Warbirds area. Rob Collings, Joe Scheil, Carol (Carpenter) Apacki, and Jim Busha will be on hand to share the story.

In addition, Jim Busha will be signing copies of his new book, Bazooka Charlie: The Unbelievable Story of Major Charles Carpenter and Rosie the Rocketer along with his co-author, Carol (Carpenter) Apacki at the Authors Corner in the EAA Wearhouse on July 25 at 11 a.m. and July 27 at 11 a.m.

well documented as to placement and firing mechanism inside the cockpit.

“From my research of old photos and wartime newspaper clippings, I found that they apparently were mounted on a piece of plywood on the wing strut,” Colin said. “We didn’t have very good documentation on how that was built and what they used, so we had to fly by the seat of our pants on that one. I think the results speak for themselves, and they turned out like the photographs show.”

The replica M1A1 bazooka tubes are mounted up at an angle between 20 and 25 degrees. The firing panel with six toggle switches — three for each wing — is located on the upper left side of the wing channel, just above the pilot’s shoulder.

“It gives me a lot of pride that I was asked to perform this restoration,” Colin said. “But I can’t take all the credit. The reproduction of the nose art of Rosie the Rocketer was hand painted by Carol’s daughter, Erin Pata, in the exact location her grandfather had it painted 75 years earlier. To be able to do this and see it take to the skies again — not only for the Collings Foundation but for the Carpenter family — is one of my greatest honors.”

When the hostilities ceased in Europe in May 1945, many liaison aircraft remained and were scrapped or sold as surplus because it wasn’t cost-effective to send them back to the United States. All that was believed to have remained of the olive drab Piper L-4H Rosie the Rocketer were faded black and white photos and old newspaper clippings. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case, and the resilience of one valiant Piper L-4 and its pilot’s heroic exploits will forever live on.

PHOTOS BY JIM BUSHA

PHOTO BY U.S. ARMY

MOSAIC Takes Significant Step Forward

THE FAA LAST week publicly released a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) for the long-awaited MOSAIC package of aircraft certification. MOSAIC, or modernization of special airworthiness certificates, would expand the utility of light-sport aircraft and opportunities for sport pilots. Comments on the NPRM will be open for 90 days after the official date of publication in the Federal Register.

In brief, the proposed rule would increase most current regulatory parameters on light-sport aircraft (LSA). This includes the replacement of today’s arbitrary weight limit with a flexible approach that primarily uses stall speed, with the FAA’s stated goal to allow for larger, easy-to-fly aircraft of up to approximately 3,000 pounds.

For fixed-wing airplanes, the new definition specifies a “clean” stall speed (VS1) of 54 knots calibrated airspeed, a maximum level flight speed (VH) of 250 knots, and a maximum seating capacity of four occupants — all of which are increases over the current rule and are the only regulatory definitions given for LSA. All else will be governed by industry consensus standards, as is the case today.

Sport pilots will be able to fly any aircraft meeting the preceding definition, and they may continue to carry one person other than the pilot regardless of

seating capacity. New in this NPRM, sport pilots may fly aircraft with retractable landing gear, constant-speed propellers, and/or complex aircraft with appropriate endorsements. They may also fly at night; however, they will need either a current medical certificate or BasicMed certificate to do so. EAA intends to examine this medical requirement for night flying and propose an alternative in our comments.

There is much more to digest in the NPRM, and the EAA Advocacy team will be hard at work using the unique opportunity of AirVenture to continue the dialogue about this proposal and gain further understanding of its implications to the general aviation community. On the surface, MOSAIC promises to be every bit the game changer we had hoped it could be.

“MOSAIC had its genesis with a conversation between EAA and FAA officials nearly a decade ago, as we focused on safely creating more aviation opportunities for those who wanted to participate,” said Jack J. Pelton, EAA CEO and chairman of the board. “Now that the NPRM has been released, we are seeing the results of the hard work and effort that EAA and FAA have put into this gamechanging rule. We will continue to study it closely and supply focused comments to the FAA.”

PHOTO BY SAM SASIN

Honoring Tom

THE LATE TOM POBEREZNY, who served as EAA’s president for more than 20 years and was also renowned for his aerobatic and air show flying careers, will be honored with a life-size bronze sculpture to be unveiled on Monday, July 24, at 10:30 a.m. at the EAA Aviation Museum.

The Tom Poberezny sculpture will be unveiled in the entrance atrium of the museum, immediately across from a similar sculpture honoring his father, EAA founder Paul Poberezny. The ceremony takes place on the opening day of EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, the fly-in convention Tom chaired from 1976 until 2010, a period that saw the event become one of world’s preeminent aviation gatherings. Tom died on July 25, 2022 – the opening day of last year’s AirVenture fly-in – at age 75.

“Tom Poberezny was responsible for so many programs that engaged people in flight, including the growth of AirVenture, the creation of the Young Eagles program, and the introduction of the sport pilot and light-sport aircraft categories,” said Greg Anderson, retired EAA

executive vice president who led the private fundraising effort for the statue and a related aviation scholarship on behalf of the EAA Aviation Foundation. “It is fitting that a permanent remembrance be placed in the EAA Aviation Museum – a facility that was his brainchild as a worldclass home for EAA headquarters when it moved to Oshkosh in the early 1980s.”

The sculpture was created by famed sculptor George Lundeen, who has created remarkable likenesses of noted personalities over his 40-year career. The Tom Poberezny sculpture features Tom’s likeness in his Eagles Aerobatic Team flight suit, looking up at the Christen Eagle aircraft he flew as part of the team’s performances.

The associated scholarship will be focused on giving a former EAA Young Eagle an opportunity for further flight training. More details on the scholarship will be announced as they are finalized. Additional contributions to the scholarship fund are welcome by contacting EAA Aviation Foundation at donor@eaa.org or 888-500-5600.

EAA ARCHIVE PHOTO

Happy Anniversary!

A variety of aircraft are celebrating at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2023

EAA TURNS 70 THIS YEAR, but we’re not the only ones celebrating a birthday! Every year, EAA AirVenture Oshkosh becomes home to thousands of aircraft. Some of them are here to be displayed or perform in one of the air shows, while others form the centerpieces of thousands of campsites. In some cases, though, there’s another reason, one that’s cause for specific celebration — the anniversary of an aircraft type’s first flight or introduction. At the time of this writing, we know of several types that are here to celebrate this year. So, as you walk the convention grounds, when you see one of these airplanes, be sure to stop and wish it a happy birthday.

75 YEARS

90 YEARS

75 YEARS

MIDGET MUSTANG

ANOTHER TYPE CELEBRATING 75 years is the Midget Mustang, an aerobatic single-seater that was designed as an air racer. Inspired by the P-51, the Mustang quickly outgrew its racing roots and became popular as a sport airplane that homebuilders are still building today.

THE CONTINENTAL A-40 ENGINE

VINTAGE AIRCRAFT OWNERS will celebrate 90 years of general aviation powered by the first horizontally opposed four-cylinder aircraft engine, the Continental A-40. When the Continental A-40-2 engine was introduced in 1933, it changed everything — this little 37-hp engine gave birth to general aviation as we know it today and completely changed the affordability and accessibility of flying.

70 YEARS

CESSNA 170

MORE THAN 100 Cessna 170s are expected at Oshkosh this year, to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the first flight of the first production model. The high-wing, four-seat taildragger, developed from the popular two-seat 140, was a milestone model for Cessna in the years following World War II.

60 YEARS

WITTMAN TAILWIND

ORIGINALLY CALLED THE Flying Carpet, the Tailwind was a homebuilt designed by the legendary Steve Wittman for performance and efficiency. The design wrings extremely high performance out of relatively low-power engines. Hundreds have been built and flown, and the Tailwind enjoys a dedicated following seven decades on.

THORP T-18

WHEN JOHN THORP designed the tailwheel, low-wing T-18, he did it to prove it could be easier to build an airplane out of metal than out of wood. Hundreds of people agreed and built their own T-18s after Thorp published a series of articles about it in EAA Sport Aviation magazine. The example in the EAA Aviation Museum was the first homebuilt to fly around the world.

EXPERTS IN WHEEL & BRAKE TECHNOLOGY

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Cleveland Wheels & Brakes product lines have over 80 years of safe takeoffs and landings to our credit, making us one of the world’s most experienced, recognizable, and respected wheel and brake manufacturers.

50 YEARS

45 YEARS

SORRELL HIPERBIPE

THE TWO-SEAT HIPERBIPE is a sporty and aerobatic homebuilt cabin biplane whose wings are set at a distinctive negative stagger. The airplane is built using a steel-tube fuselage while the wings are made of stressed-skin wood. While the Hiperbipe was never built in large numbers, it maintains a distinctly dedicated following.

40 YEARS

WEEDHOPPER

THE WEEDHOPPER WAS built in the late ’70s in the early days of the modern ultralight movement. It’s a highwing, tricycle-gear design with a single tractor engine mounted ahead of the leading edge of the wing. Unlike many ultralights of the time, the amateur-built Weedhopper used a traditional stick for controls, as opposed to a weight-shift configuration.

40 YEARS

AVID FLYER

DESIGNER DEAN WILSON built the Avid Flyer as a modern homebuilt alternative to classics like the Aeronca Champ and the Piper Cub. Its light weight and excellent short-field performance have made the high-wing taildragger popular with grassroots backcountry pilots.

QUAD CITY CHALLENGER

THE CHALLENGER IS a tricycle-gear, high-wing pusher that can be built as either a traditional homebuilt light-sport aircraft or as a Part-103 legal ultralight. Challengers are popular and versatile, and can be seen on amphibious floats and skis as well as traditional gear.

25 YEARS

25 YEARS

20 YEARS

SONEX

WHILE JOHN MONNETT was already a prolific designer and builder in the late 1990s, the two-seat, low-wing Sonex was the airplane that led him to start the company of the same name, headquartered right here in Oshkosh. The all-metal Sonex can be built from plans or from a kit.

LEGAL EAGLE

THE LEGAL EAGLE is a high-wing, semi-open taildragger powered by a 30-hp 1/2-VW engine that embraces and embodies the idea of back-to-basics flight. It is fully Part103 compliant — hence the name — and is available as a kit or can be scratchbuilt from plans.

Get Hands-On

Homebuilding gets to the heart of EAA, and you can learn virtually every skill and gain the confidence you need to build an airplane while at EAA® AirVenture® Oshkosh™. Presented by Aircraft Spruce & Speciality and patterned after the highly successful EAA SportAir Workshops, these mini workshops let you experience a taste of aircraft building.

EAA AirVenture Oshkosh Workshops is sponsored by:

Presenting Sponsor Supporting Sponsors

by:

VAN’S AIRCRAFT RV-10

AFTER 30 YEARS in the homebuilt aircraft business, Van’s Aircraft flew the company’s first four-seat design, the RV-10, in 2003. The first customer received their first kit just four months later. Since that time, more than 1,000 have been built, and the airplane is a popular touring airplane, continuing to build on the company’s long legacy.

Learn from Experts

At the AirVenture Forums Plaza, the very best from the aviation world come together for one week to share their knowledge with you. Hundreds of innovators, authors, experts, and legends are on hand in the most comprehensive collection of aviation knowledge available anywhere, all at EAA® AirVenture® Oshkosh™

EAA AirVenture Oshkosh Forums Plaza is supported

EMERGENCY WEATHER SAFETY

FAA Meeting With Designees (Including AMEs) at AirVenture 2023

ARE YOU AN FAA DESIGNEE? If so, AirVenture is a great opportunity to ask your questions and catch up on the latest from FAA policy staff regarding your work on behalf of the agency. Please consider attending a Designee Listening Session at AirVenture, hosted by the AFS-600 Regulatory Support Division, which oversees most of the FAA’s designee programs.

Additionally, the Office of Aerospace Medicine and EAA Aeromedical Staff will host a meeting for AMEs present on the AirVenture grounds. Listening sessions are as follows:

DAR Listening Session Monday, July 24 10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m.

DME Listening Session Monday, July 24 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

DPE Listening Session Tuesday, July 25 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

SAE Listening Session Tuesday, July 25 2:30 p.m.-4:00 p.m.

AME Listening Session Friday, July 28 1:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m.

To attend a designee session, you must be a current designee of the type that corresponds to the meeting that you are planning to attend. Please RSVP to govt@eaa. org to confirm your attendance and receive additional meeting details.

PHOTO BY SAM SASIN

CONCEIVED BY PILOTS. DELIVERED BY ENGINEERS. NOW CERTIFIED BY THE FAA.

It started with a pilot’s dream to produce a modern, more dependable, more effıcient, more powerful piston engine. Then things got, well, complicated.

Rather than attempting to modify an outdated engine design based on obsolete metrics, we started from the ground up, focused on producing effıcient thrust rather than mere raw horsepower.

The new DHK180 is the result. Supercharged and turbocharged, it produces extraordinary torque and excels in both acceleration and climb, from the takeoff roll to exceptional altitude performance. It will change the way you think about your flight profıle. It also burns globally available Jet A and emission-reducing SAF.

There’s no gearbox. No camshaft, chains, lifters or pushrods. No valves or drivetrain. No complex electronics or myriad sensors prone to aircraftgrounding failure. In total, we eliminated 40% of typically vulnerable parts and electronics, and placed the remaining ones where they were easy to access and maintain.

Of course, manufacturing such a creation compelled us to also reimagine systems, processes, testing and production. Was it all worth it? You tell us.

The DHK180 is so elegantly simple, it defines a new era of general aviation power. The FAA has given its thumbs up. The next approval we need is yours.

EAA Aviation Museum Welcomes Two New Exhibits Along With Other Updates

THE EAA AVIATION MUSEUM is seeing some updates, as two new exhibits will open in the coming weeks. One will focus on the work of drafters who played a pivotal role in designing some of the most iconic aircraft of WWII. The other exhibit will showcase the career of Mike Melvill, the first commercial astronaut.

The Telling Gallery in the Eagle Hangar will be the home of AirCorps Aviation’s traveling exhibit titled Drafting: The Art of Aircraft Engineering in WWII. The exhibit provides a detailed look at the process of drafting aircraft designs during World War II. Original dra wings from the Ken Jungeberg Collection are displayed across the exhibit, showing detailed depictions of some of the war’s most iconic aircraft such as the B-25 and P-51. The Telling Gallery is sponsored by Fred and Barbara Telling.

To make room for the exhibit, WASP: Women Flyers of WWII has been moved to a new permanent location in the Eagle Hangar by the Link Trainer. The exhibit highlights the heroic women pilots who served their country by flying military aircraft to bases around the world.

The museum’s other new exhibit focuses on Mike Melvill, EAA Lifetime 53387, and his accomplishments over his career. Melvill is most well-known for flying Scaled Composites’ SpaceShipOne, an experimental spaceplane, on its first flight into space. The flight made Melvill the first commercial astronaut. Included in the exhibit are a pair of astronaut wings that were given to him by the U.S. Department of Transportation, his Robert J. Collier Trophy and Medal, and the horseshoe pin that was his good luck charm from his wife, Sally. The exhibit opens on June 23 and is located in the SpaceShipOne exhibit near the Eagle Hangar entrance. The Engle Collection, located adjacent to the Wright Flyer replica, has a new addition as part of the exhibit. A replica of Joe Engle’s X-15 suit is now on display. The suit was made by Hollywood prop and costume maker Ryan Nagata and includes lake bed dirt from Edwards Air Force Base to make the boots look worn. The suit adds to the collection of personal archives donated by Joe and Jeanie Engle from their careers in the aerospace industry.

PHOTO BY SAM SASIN

PHOTO BY SAM SASIN

New NPRM Proposes to Formally Restore Flight Training in Experimental Aircraft, Make E-LSA Eligible for Hire in Authorized Training Operations

A NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING (NPRM) from the FAA entitled “Public Aircraft Logging of Flight Time, Training in Certain Aircraft Holding Special Airworthiness Certificates, and Flight Instructor Privileges” was published recently in the Federal Register. Among several rule changes, the NPRM proposes to codify the ability to train, without any further FAA authorization, in experimental, limited, and primary category aircraft when the use of aircraft is not being offered for hire to a third party as part of the instruction.

Under the proposed rule, letters of deviation authority (LODAs) would continue to permit certain types of training where the aircraft is offered for hire. This has allowed and would continue to allow training operations to offer transition training to appropriately rated

members of the flying public where the use of an experimental aircraft is compensated.

Another significant rule change proposed in the NPRM is the removal of a prohibition on experimental light-sport aircraft to be used in compensated training operations. Over the years, this restriction has severely limited the availability of suitable aircraft for ultralight training. With an appropriate LODA, these aircraft would once again be legal for training prospective ultralight pilots. This is a long-awaited change first proposed in 2018 in an NPRM that was later withdrawn and combined with this new rulemaking initiative.

The NPRM, like most rulemaking documents, is complex. EAA is reviewing the document in detail and will provide appropriate comments. Once the NPRM is published, the FAA will accept comment for 60 days.

popular book: Engine Management 101

PHOTO BY SAM SASIN

Aircraft of the Vietnam War

THIS YEAR AT EAA AIRVENTURE OSHKOSH 2023, we’re commemorating the 50th anniversary of the official end of U.S. military involvement in Vietnam — honoring the remarkable aircraft of the era, the nearly 60,000 American troops who made the ultimate sacrifice during the war, and the thousands of Vietnam veterans who served their country valiantly in Southeast Asia.

We’re expecting to have a strong presence of Vietnam Warera aircraft at AirVenture Oshkosh this summer to honor those who fought in the jungles of Vietnam half a century ago. While

many of the most-famous aircraft from Vietnam have only one or two flying examples left (if any at all), we anticipate a number of the following aircraft, either still serving on active duty or in private hands as warbirds, will potentially make an appearance at AirVenture. Note: Not all of these aircraft will attend Oshkosh this year, nor at the time of this writing do we know definitively which ones will be attending, so keep your eyes open as you wander the grounds.

BOEING B-52 STRATOFORTRESS

INTRODUCED IN 1955, THE B-52 is still going strong for the U.S. Air Force and is expected to remain in service for decades to come. During the Vietnam War, BUFFs were the primary heavy bomber for the Air Force, taking part in Operation Rolling Thunder as well as Operation Linebacker II.

LOCKHEED P-3 ORION

ENTERING SERVICE IN 1962, the P-3 is primarily used for anti-submarine and maritime surveillance purposes — a purpose it served during Vietnam as well. Although the U.S. Navy is beginning to phase out the P-3 in favor of the P-8 Poseidon, it is notably operated by NOAA as a hurricane hunter.

LOCKHEED C-130 HERCULES

LIKE THE B-52, THE C-130 was introduced in the mid-1950s and is still very much in use by the U.S. Air Force, as well as the Coast Guard and numerous foreign air forces. Throughout the decades, the C-130 has been modified from its standard cargo iteration to also be used as a gunship, tanker, and electronic warfare, combat search and rescue, and special operations platform, among other applications. During Vietnam, the aircraft was used in many different ways.

LOCKHEED U-2

THE LEGENDARY U-2 DRAGON LADY was initially developed in the mid-1950s as a CIA reconnaissance aircraft for spying on the Soviet Union, eventually becoming incorporated into the U.S. Air Force’s arsenal. The U-2 was used for a number of spy missions over North Vietnam during the war. Almost 70 years after its introduction, the U-2 is still used by the Air Force as well as NASA for research purposes.

We offer hot coffee, doughnuts, fresh fruit, salads, sandwiches and much more.

Red One Market has everything you need to make your stay more enjoyable.

CONVENIENTLY LOCATED SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO LEAVE THE GROUNDS!

Head over to one of our six Red One Market locations today!

RED ONE MARKET CENTRAL* | RED ONE MARKET WEST *

RED ONE MARKET SOUTHWEST | RED ONE MARKET NORTH*

RED ONE MARKET SOUTH 40 | RED ONE MARKET EAST

*Cold beer and wine are for sale at our Central, West, and North Red One Market locations.

Moon Missions, Unique Aircraft

Part of NASA’s Presence at AirVenture Oshkosh 2023

AMERICA’S LEGACY AND FUTURE on the moon, unique aircraft, advanced aviation technologies, and a variety of presentations are among NASA’s highlights coming to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2023 on July 24-30 at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

NASA’s activities will be centered at its pavilion in Aviation Gateway Park, just northwest of the FAA control tower on the AirVenture grounds. Other exhibits and programs will be showcased throughout the week at various other locations as well.

Among the other NASA highlights at EAA AirVenture 2023 are:

• Monday, July 24, 8 p.m., Theater in the Woods: “NASA – The Next Bold Step” looks at the Apollo and Artemis programs, from the first steps on the moon to the next steps on the moon. Hosted by former space shuttle commander Charlie Precourt, the program will include NASA Administrator Bob Cabana, Apollo 16 astronaut Charlie Duke plus Gerry Griffin and Rick Weiss from the Apollo program, as well as Dr. John Blevins, Alex Kanelakos, and Dr. Ryan Watkins from the Artemis program.

• Tuesday, July 25, 2:30 p.m., Forum Pavilion 7: “Artemis Audience Astronauts” will cover mission and science objectives, prelaunch preparation, crew training, and human research objectives the crew will likely complete. Experts in lunar and Mars mission planning and spacecraft development will cover what crews can expect while living and working on and around the moon, and how long-duration Artemis missions will function as partial analogs for human missions to Mars.

• Monday-Wednesday, July 24-26, Boeing Plaza: NASA Super Guppy parked on Boeing Plaza. This unique cargo airplane carries large spaceship parts

from location to location. The airplane will also carry a full-size test article of the Orion space capsule.

• Wednesday, July 26, 11:30 a.m., Forum Pavilion 8: “Preparing to Fly the X-59” will feature NASA research test pilot David “Nils” Larson discussing preparations for the agency’s first flight of its X-59 quiet supersonic demonstrator aircraft. The unique X-59 aircraft is the centerpiece of NASA’s Quesst program, which seeks to open the future to commercial supersonic flight over land.

• Thursday, July 27, 8:30 a.m., Forum Pavilion 8: “NASA Wicked Aeronautics Innovation” focuses on the Convergent Aeronautics Solutions project, which explores various opportunities for aviation transformations for the good of American society. These high-risk expeditions aim to illuminate paths to desirable futures enabled by aviation, as well as the future of flight itself.

Other NASA programs and activities are listed in the AirVenture schedule of events, available online at EAA.org/AirVenture and via the AirVenture app.

EAA ARCHIVE PHOTO

EAA, Boeing Extend Agreement for Collaboration at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh

Hats off to

THE WORLD’S GREATEST AVIATION CELEBRATION®

EAA IS PLEASED TO announce the extension of its Platinum-Level sponsorship with The Boeing Company. EAA’s relationship with Boeing dates back to 1989, and Boeing’s presence has grown into one of the largest vendor footprints on the AirVenture grounds.

With this 3-year agreement, Boeing will retain the naming rights of Boeing Plaza, and continue its commitment to provide AirVenture admission at no cost to all youth attendees 18 and younger. Other components include Jeppesen and ForeFlight product representation in the Pilot Proficiency Center, management of the Airline Crew Check-in, presenting sponsor of WomenVenture, and continued support of KidVenture.

Commenting on the renewed agreement with Boeing, Jack J. Pelton, EAA CEO/chairman said, “Boeing’s involvement with EAA and AirVenture means more people can engage with aviation at Oshkosh.” Jack continued, “Boeing’s

support of our free youth admission allows families to enjoy our event and discover flight, while EAA WomenVenture inspires women to pursue their dreams, and Boeing Plaza is known worldwide for a gathering of airplanes seen nowhere else but Oshkosh.”

“AirVenture is not just a general aviation event; the commercial, business, and military representation is massive, which makes it a perfect venue to showcase our diverse collection of Boeing products and services,” said Brad Surak, vice president of Digital Aviation Solutions for Boeing’s Global Services business. Surak continued, “EAA is an organization with impressive global reach, and our collaboration is important on many levels. AirVenture is a platform that allows us to do many things – from assessing market interest of new products to inspiring the next generation of aviation professionals.”

What About These Other Airplanes?

A spotter’s guide to the EAA Aviation Museum aircraft around the grounds

EVERY YEAR, MORE than 10,000 aircraft fly to Wisconsin for AirVenture. Of those, nearly 3,000 are showplanes — vintage aircraft, warbirds, homebuilts, aerobatic airplanes, etc. — that are displayed around the grounds. But some visitors may notice other airplanes parked here and there that didn’t fly in at all; they’re part of the EAA Aviation Museum collection. Because our museum

exhibits rotate, many of these aircraft are only viewable by the public during AirVenture, spending the rest of the year in long-term storage on the convention grounds. Each day, we’ll highlight one of these airplanes that you’ll see as you wander the neighborhoods of AirVenture.

IN 1949, H.H. “PETE” MYERS bought a damaged Piper J-3C-65 Cub on floats. He removed the floats and sold them, and then started modifying it for aerobatics. Over the next several years, he made several radical changes, including replacing the original 65-hp engine with a 100-hp

Lycoming O-235-C, installing a set of clipped Taylorcraft wings, and shortening the fuselage by 3 feet. Myers and his PM-1 were fixtures on the Midwest air show circuit for years.

AIRCRAFT: MYERS PM-1 SPECIAL

PHOTO BY CRYSTAL PEREZ

H H H H PLATINUM LEVEL SPONSORS H H H H

H H H H GOLD LEVEL SPONSORS H H H H

DeltaHawk Engines H Epic Aircraft H HondaJet H Honeywell BendixKing H Lightspeed Aviation H

Lycoming H Mars Wrigley H PenFed H Phillips 66 H Redbird Flight

H H H H SILVER LEVEL SPONSORS H H H H

AeroShell H Airbus H Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) H Aspen Avionics H Cirrus Aircraft H Collins Aerospace H

Dynon H Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University H Icom America H John Deere H Piper Aircraft, Inc. H Pratt & Whitney H Wipaire

H H H H BRONZE LEVEL SPONSORS H H H H

Air Wisconsin Airlines H Aircraft Specialties Services H American Airlines H ASA (Aviation Supplies & Academics) H

Blackhawk Aerospace H Bose Aviation H Cleveland Wheels & Brakes H Continental Aerospace Technologies H Covington Aircraft H

CubCrafters, Inc. H Delta Air Lines H Electroair Acquisition Corporation H Flight Outfitters H GE Aerospace H Gulf Coast Avionics / Pacific Coast Avionics H Hartzell Engine Tech H Hartzell Propeller H Horizon Hobby H Jani-King H JP Instruments H Lincoln Electric H McFarlane

Aviation Products H NATCA H Pepsi H Piedmont Airlines H Pilatus Business Aircraft H Poly Fiber, Inc H PowerLift Hydraulic Doors H Red Box Tools and Foam / Priceless Tugs H Rotax Independent Service and Training Centres H Siemens Digital Industry Software H Southwest Airlines H Superflite H Superior Air Parts, Inc. H SureFly Partners H Tempest Aero Group H True Blue Power H United Airlines H Van’s Aircraft H WACO Aircraft Corporation H Williams International H Women in Aviation International (WAI) H Zenith Aircraft

H H H H PATRON LEVEL SPONSORS H H H H

B & C Specialty Products Inc. H Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company H

SOFTIE PARACHUTES by Para-Phernalia, Inc. H Starr Aviation H U.S. Air Force H uAvionix

H H H H SUPPORTER LEVEL SPONSORS H H H H

4imprint H Arena Americas H Crewchief Systems H DATC H Endeavor Air H EnerSys ® H FliteTest H General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) H GES H Global Aerospace H Green Bay Austin Straubel Int. Airport H Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation H

Honda Power Equipment H JSFirm.com H Scheme Designers, Inc H Sherwin-Williams Aerospace H UND Aerospace H Walkabout Hats H WILCO H Wing Aviation H Wisconsin Imaging, LLC

EAA would like to thank its sponsors for their support in making your convention special

Tour the Jurassic Park of AirVenture on the Warbirds Tram Tour

AS ONE OF the largest and most popular areas on the EAA AirVenture Oshkosh grounds, the Warbirds area can sometimes be overwhelming. To make things just a little easier, and to give visitors an overview of the staggering amount of warbirds on display, Warbirds Tram Tours are available on a daily basis beginning Monday, July 24, and going until Saturday, July 29. Oh, did we mention the tours are completely free?

Boarding for the tour starts around 7:30 a.m. at their base in Warbird Alley and ends around 2 p.m. in preparation for the daily air show. Throughout the 30-minute tour, passengers will go through 12 zones of aircraft (Warbirds Tram Tour Chairman Vic Krause described the Warbirds area as the Jurassic

Park of AirVenture), accompanied by a knowledgeable narrator describing the uses and events that the aircraft went through.

“[The narrators] typically have members of their family that were past veterans,” said Vic, EAA 292930. “They’re really militarily oriented as a family. … When they saw what we’re trying to do, they’d come up and say, ‘Hey, do you need anybody to work?’”

The Warbirds Tram Tours are, like much of AirVenture, run by volunteers, with about 40 of them involved in the operation.

TRAM / PAGE 27

2023 YOUNG EAGLES® RAFFLE 2022 Ford Mustang

EAA.org/YERaffle

$100 per ticket – Only 1,500 tickets available

Proceeds support the youth education activities of EAA, including EAA’s Young Eagles program, which has provided more than 2.2 million youths with a free first flight since 1992.

The 2022 Ford Mustang is provided with the support of Kocourek Ford,

Wisconsin.

Wausau,

*Tickets can be purchased: (1) at the EAA Aviation Museum™ between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. daily (excluding holidays when the Museum is closed) beginning on March 11, 2023; (2) throughout Wisconsin at certain events; and (3) on the EAA® AirVenture® Oshkosh™ grounds during normal operating hours from July 24, 2023 through July 30, 2023 at 12:00 p.m. All ticket sales will end on July 30, 2023 at 12:00 p.m. The drawing will be held at 3:00 p.m. on July 30, 2023 at the AirVenture Welcome Center, EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, 3000 Poberezny Road, Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54902.

PHOTO BY NICK MOORE

Between volunteers registering riders, loadmasters, narrators, and others, it’s an entire operation, with Vic acknowledging that it couldn’t happen without all of his volunteers.

Twelve years after starting the Warbirds Tram Tours, Vic and his crew are still going strong.

“We’d love people to come out,” Vic said. “We try to spoil the kids a little bit so they keep that fire burning in their belly for aviation. That’s our story, that’s what we do, and we’re having a lot of fun doing it!”

Throughout the 30-minute tour, passengers will go through 12 zones of aircraft, accompanied by a knowledgeable narrator describing the uses and events that the aircraft went through.

Returning major sponsors this year include Hartzell Propeller, Concorde Battery, Tempest Aero Group, and Covington Aircraft.

Though tram tours are completely free, donations are accepted.

PHOTO BY ANDREW ZABACK

EAA Advocacy at AirVenture

THIS YEAR AT OSHKOSH, be sure to stop by the Advocacy and Safety booth at

12 p.m. and from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. Additional times

search “Advocacy” in the AirVenture schedule at AirVenture.org or

listing of times.

At the booth, members of our Aeromedical Advisory Council and Legal Advisory Council will be providing advice in their respective fields. Experts on airport policy will be available to talk about topics like hangar use policy and setting up your own private airport, and you can also meet with flight testing experts to discuss task-based flight testing. We will also have general sessions to discuss anything else that is on your mind.

Our current schedule is as follows:

A BushCat Built by Jewelry

BY JADE MORRIS AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF

FINALLY, AFTER SIX YEARS of dedication and hard work, Rachel St. Louis, EAA 1161689, can display the SkyReach BushCat she built at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, financed fully by selling jewelry as part of her small business.

Rachel, now 21, became interested in aviation at a young age, ever since her first airplane ride in a Cessna 172 when her father took her flying. She knew that whether it was a career or hobby, she wanted aviation to be a part of her life. Rachel and her family have been attending AirVenture for the past eight years. Every year when Rachel and her family attend, the feeling of a supportive community fills Rachel’s heart.

“I come back to EAA every year simply because of the atmosphere,” Rachel said. “I was shown at the beginning that I was, in fact, doing something not many others set out to do at such a young age, and they supported me by publishing articles, sending people over, and always encouraging me to keep pushing, that my aspirations weren’t too big.”

Rachel credits one of EAA’s One Week Wonder projects as an inspiration. As a young girl, she saw how quickly an entire airplane could be built, and knowing she would be a part of the building and how fun that was to her, she was motivated and encouraged.

“I talked to the volunteers that were running that booth, and after listening to them speak about the build, I knew someday I could, in fact, build my own airplane; I just didn’t know what kind,” Rachael said. “It was truly amazing to know as a young kid an airplane that was flying in the air had my name on it.”

After realizing her dream was to build her own aircraft, she started to think about how to get funding for her project. Rachel decided to start her own small business and sell aviation-themed jewelry. When Rachel developed this idea, the EAA community showed her unconditional support.

“When I was first inspired to sell jewelry in order to get profits for my airplane, the EAA community supported me like I was their child,” Rachel said. “I was introduced to people coming and interviewing me, members of the board showing their support, the air show performers that had read about me, all while I had no idea I was doing or becoming anything special.”

“Each year, even if I had not made as much progress as people expected. I was still being praised and told, ‘You are doing amazing.’ The community understood I was still young and growing up, but what made me keep going was the support of my family and the aviation community.” — Rachel St. Louis

JEWELRY / PAGE 30

WHATEVER YOU FLY, EAA INSURANCE SOLUTIONS HAS YOU COVERED.

> General Aviation

> Non-Owned

> Flying Clubs

> Aerobatics

> Warbirds

> Vintage

> Powered Parachutes

> Weight-Shift Trikes

> Flight Instructors

> Aircraft Projects

Learn more at EAA.org/Insurance

While building her airplane, Rachel faced times when she had doubts. Her hometown was not huge in aviation, and she struggled to balance her social life and aviation dreams. One thing pushed her through the six years of building her aircraft until the end.

“The one thing that kept me going through all the years was the support from the EAA community,” Rachel said. “Each year, even if I had not made as much progress as people expected. I was still being praised and told, ‘You are doing amazing.’ The community understood I was still young and growing up, but what made me keep going was the support of my family and the aviation community.”

After all the support and love she received from the aviation community, her family and friends, and all Rachel’s dedication, she finally completed building her BushCat. All the money saved, hours put into building and branding her jewelry business, and the time spent at AirVenture solidifies how hardworking and determined Rachel is. Because of her love for aviation, she will graduate from Embry-Riddle

Aeronautical University with a bachelor’s degree in air traffic control and three minors in psychology, applied meteorology, and air traffic transportation. She is excited to show off all her hard work and how much of an impact EAA has made on her life.

“I believe EAA is different from other organizations simply because they care,” Rachel said. “It has shown me that even if you don’t know someone, just to have the support and the knowledge someone is rooting for you, or an entire group or organization truly cares and wants to help you succeed, makes everything that much more special. Going to EAA every year isn’t just a family trip anymore; it’s traveling to see family and friends and connect with others.”

PHOTOS COURTESY OF RACHEL ST. LOUIS

Air Force Air Education and Training Command to Highlight Aircraft, Personnel at AirVenture 2023

THE PEOPLE AND AIRCRAFT that develop all U.S. Air Force personnel will bring their resources to center stage at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2023, as the USAF Air Education and Training Command (AETC) is among the highlighted units at this year’s event.

“The Air Force’s Air Education and Training Command has a much wider reach than even most aviation enthusiasts would imagine, which makes AirVenture an outstanding location to highlight all of the command’s capabilities,” said Rick Larsen, EAA’s vice president of communities and member programs, who coordinates AirVenture features and attractions. “Those capabilities will be showcased in the air and during ground

presentations throughout the week at Oshkosh.”

Final announcements on participating aircraft and activities will be announced as they are finalized, but will include aircraft from throughout the Air Force. Along with aircraft displays and aerial demonstrations, AETC will feature diverse elements such as critical care air transport with a C-17, military working dogs, and explosive ordinance disposal. The Air Force’s Band of the West will also perform during the week.

“AETC is referred to as the First Command because nearly every airman starts at AETC, and we’re proud to be responsible for establishing the foundation for so many Air Force careers,” said

U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Brian Robinson, AETC commander. “Across basic military training, technical training, and pilot training, our force generators are developing empowered airmen who are advancing the U.S. Air Force’s strategic advantage to defeat our competitors. Oshkosh is an excellent opportunity for us to showcase AETC’s members and how we recruit, training, and educate the airmen our nation needs.”

Air Education and Training Command, with headquarters at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas, was established and activated in January 1942, making it the oldest major command in the Air Force. AETC’s training mission makes it the first command to touch the lives of nearly every Air Force member. Over the years, more than 25 million students have graduated from AETC training and education programs.

EAA ARCHIVE PHOTO

PHOTO BY SAM SASIN

PHOTO BY SAM SASIN

Designs

Connection

Mach Wilco, LLC H AirFleet Capital, Inc.

Flyer Association & Piper Flyer Association

Aloft Aviation Headsets H McFarlane Aviation LLC

- National Transportation Safety Board Rainbow Aviation Services H SteinAir, Inc Western Aircraft and Summit Aviation Mfg

Metal Products & Supplies

Wisconsin Airlines LLC

Radio Telephone/SatPhoneStore

FlyteCo Brewing H Forge Flightworks H Frontier Airlines H Frontier Precision H Garden City Aviation, LLC H Golf Aero Flight Training Center Grant Aviation, Inc H GrillGrate/Ecto Lifestyle H Hastings Air Energy Control Inc H High Tech Technology

Homestead Timber Frames H IAero Airways H IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers) H Infinity Flight Group

International Homes of Cedar H International Society of Women Airline Pilots H Ion Space Expeditions LLC H Justrite Safety Group

Ken McConnaughhay dba USAeroSports H Kilo Charlie Aviation H Lab One, Inc. H Latinas in Aviation H L’BRI H Lippert

Lundeen Sculptures, Ltd. H LX Navigation H Maule Air, Inc. H Mohawk Lifts LLC. H Myers Aviation LLC H National Aviation Academy

National Nuclear Security Administration-NNSA H NEO Aeronautics H Neoteric Hovercraft, Inc. H Neptune Aviation Services

Aircraft

Solutions Systems, Inc. FLAGPOLES BY UNCOMMON USA

Technologies LLC

University Aviation

PSRU’s LLC

LLC H EarthX Lithium Batteries

Pedals Inc H Flying Legend USA Inc

GoJet Airlines H LeTourneau University

Aviation Models

Airport Products Powrachute, LLC H Republic Airways

Engine Aero

MFG H U.S. Jaclean, Inc

World Famous Sunglasses/Andrew Constant

NetJets Inc H New England Aero Services, Inc. H NOAA/Search and Rescue Satellite Aided Tracking (SARSAT) Program

Noble Flight Simulation H Northern Lights Paramotor, LLC. H Olympus Machinery Group H Operation Backpack4Kids H Owyhee Aviation LLC

PHOTO BY SAM SASIN

PHOTO BY SAM SASIN

FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY

PHOTO BY SAM SASIN

EAA® Four Corners

From first-time visitor to seasoned attendee, new EAA members to Lifetime, and aviation enthusiasts to pilots, the EAA Four Corners has something for everyone!

EAA Youth Welcome Center

> Learn about youth activities on the AirVenture® grounds

> Register for AeroEducate™ and Young Eagles ® flights

> Take your picture in a jet cockpit and participate in a model airplane activity

EAA Merchandise

> Pick up your favorite souvenirs

> Commemorate EAA AirVenture Oshkosh™ 2023 with event apparel

EAA Member Center

> General event information, schedules, and maps

> Join, renew, or become an EAA Lifetime Member™

> Explore EAA’s many programs and benefits

> Learn about EAA’s rich history in a 70th anniversary display

EAA Learn to Fly Center

> Enjoy daily “Learn to Fly” forums

> Take an introductory flight lesson on a Redbird flight simulator (pre-registration required)

> Apply for your student pilot certificate

> Try out EAA’s Virtual Flight Academy at home simulator

> Ask our friendly volunteers all your “Learn to Fly” questions!

PHOTO BY SAM SASIN

PHOTO BY SAM SASIN

PHOTO BY SAM SASIN

PHOTO BY CONNOR MADISON

PHOTO BY ALDEN FRAUTSCHY

A scholarship has been established within the EAA Aviation Foundation™ to recognize Tom’s impact and help a new generation of aviation enthusiasts pursue their aviation goals. Contributions will extend the legacy of Tom Poberezny, who was dedicated to the world of flight and inspiring people of all ages to be a part of it.

Visit

DOWN:

1. British designer Geoffrey __ ________ (two words.)

3. Clyde, formerly of Travel Air

5. Air and ground are two types of this.

6. Builders of the YMF-7 and the Taperwing, among many others.

8. P/F-82 Twin _______.

ACROSS:

2. The Red Barn is home to _______ aircraft.

4. Angel Flight and Pilots N Paws both fly for public _______.

6. L-birds, trainers, fighters, bombers, transports, and more.

7. More than 6,000 people _________ at AirVenture each year.

8. Aircraft require regular ___________ for safe operation.

1. Which of the following is not the name of a pond on the EAA grounds? a.

2. In what year did we hold our annual fly-in at Oshkosh for the first time?

3. EAA’s Ford Tri-Motor was featured in what movie in 1965?

YOUR JOURNEY. YOUR OSHKOSH.

FROM FIRST ARRIVAL to final takeoff and everything in between, we want to see AirVenture through your eyes. Check out today’s featured social shots of the day! Share your highlights on social media using #OSH23 to possibly be featured in a future issue of AirVenture Today!

@kruegerphotos

The Thursday before AirVenture 2023 brings some familiar sites and spectacular views. #osh23 #piedmontproud @eaa

BLUE BARN

Your go-to destination for EAA Chapters™ and EAA Young Eagles® at AirVenture.

> Attend a forum about growing your chapter, engaging youth, and more

> Represent your chapter by placing your pin on the chapter map

> Become a Young Eagles or Eagle Flights volunteer

> Learn about chapter resources and best practices

> Connect with chapter leaders and EAA’s Chapters staff

@c_n_c_adventures

This is from our bike ride last night! We love that we are here at #eaaairventureoshkosh early enough to get to enjoy the camping area and scope out all the cool and unique RV’s that have arrived already!

@tcas_ra

Good morning, Oshkosh!

PHOTO BY SAM SASIN

PHOTO BY BERNIE KOSZEWA

PHOTO BY BERNIE KOSZEWA

PHOTO BY BERNIE KOSZEWA