Sunday, July 23, 2017
THE OFFICIAL DAILY NEWSPAPER OF EAA AIRVENTURE OSHKOSH
www.EAA.org/airventure
Can’t-Miss Events and Celebrations at AirVenture BY KATIE HOLLIDAY-GREENLEY
PHOTO BY ANDREW ZABACK
EAA AIRVENTURE OSHKOSH 2017 marks the 65th annual EAA fly-in convention, and this year’s lineup of events and attractions has something for every aviation enthusiast. The highlight of Monday’s evening entertainment will be the opening night concert presented by Ford Motor Company, featuring the Barenaked Ladies. The show begins at 6 p.m. on Boeing Plaza. Daily afternoon air shows will showcase some of the world’s best aerobatic performers including the U.S. Navy Blue Angels who will highlight the Friday and Saturday shows, and make an additional appearance on Sunday for a non-aerobatic demonstration.
All Together Now! Aircraft groups arrive en masse BY BARBARA A. SCHMITZ
EAA AIRVENTURE OSHKOSH is a weeklong celebration about airplanes and all things aviation. But for the hundreds of people who fly in as groups for an opportunity to park and camp together, it’s as much about renewing old friendships and making new ones. Three groups arrived en masse at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2017 on Saturday, and three other groups are scheduled to arrive today. CHEROKEES After departing from Waupaca, Wisconsin, Cherokees to Oshkosh became the first to arrive on the AirVenture grounds around noon Saturday. With 21 planes and 40 people from more than 10 states, this was their seventh year of flying in as a group,
said first-year lead pilot Tony Harding. About 33 planes originally registered for the flight, but the numbers dropped as people pulled out because of health, airplane, or work issues, he said. Their arrival was delayed by an hour because of the low ceiling, Tony said, noting that was really the only problem they encountered. But that’s because safety is the No. 1 thing the group preaches during their nationwide clinics. “We usually fly two to four wingspans away from each other, but if someone isn’t comfortable with that, we tell them to go to five wingspans.” To ensure safety, they also mandate that all pilots attend the formal briefing and fly sorties on Friday prior to the group flight, he said.
AirVenture 2017 is the year of the bomber as a host of current and former U.S. military bombers will be in attendance. A U.S. Air Force Boeing B-52 touched down in Oshkosh on July 20 and will be on display on Boeing Plaza throughout the week. It will also be joined by a B-1 and B-2 in a composite flyover Saturday. Following the group of modern bombers will be two B-17s, several B-25s, and two B-29s — FIFI and Doc — in a bomber parade.
MASS ARRIVAL / PAGE 10
HIGHLIGHTS / PAGE 3
PHOTO BY CHRIS MILLER