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BY ANGELA SATTERLEE AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF
DENNIS LANGE, EAA 198454, is from Fond du Lac, and he started volunteering at EAA back in 1979, became a member shortly after that in 1981, and hasn’t missed an AirVenture since his first year as a volunteer. “I took off for vacation for years to do this, and I enjoy it. At first, I wasn’t getting too much involved, but then after a while, it just snowballed,” Dennis said. He is now the chairman of special parking, mows the grass when it’s needed, and helps wherever he’s requested, no questions asked. “When they’re short, they give me a call, and I come in,” he said. Dennis also helps a lot with the vintage airplanes and has been on the grounds since February, helping with projects that come in and out of the Vintage area. One of the most recent projects he’s been assisting with was sandblasting and repainting a 1923 gas pump. He also was able to work on EAA’s B-17, Aluminum Overcast, that’s currently on display in the EAA Aviation Museum and said that was one of the highlights he’s had while volunteering at EAA.
Jim Smith, EAA 13439, from Eldridge, Iowa, has been an active member at EAA for 62 years. He was only 19 years old when he realized back in 1962 that fixing airplanes for other people was going to be a lifelong passion of his. At 81 years old, Jim is still volunteering his time to EAA and helping pilots because it’s something he loves to do. Jim is an emergency aircraft repair rep at AirVenture, which is operated by EAA Chapter 75 out of Davenport, Iowa, and he’s devoted his time to helping other people fix their airplanes for six decades, which has now made him an EAA Volunteer of the Year. “I was just a young whippersnapper, and I thought that’s the only thing you did was help other people play with airplanes,” Jim said. For him, airplanes were never really a career, or an occupation; they were always a vacation.
Kevin Smerling , EAA 104519, is a proud local Oshkosh, Wisconsinite. He’s been volunteering for EAA since 1980 but started attending EAA Oshkosh back in 1974. He learned about EAA when he was in high school, where one of his high school teachers, Phil Thrams, was a pilot. Phil paid for Kevin’s first year as an EAA member and even took him flying a
few times. Kevin felt that he needed something more to do during the week of AirVenture, so he began his volunteer path. Now Kevin is the co-chairman for flightline safety and dedicates his time every year. He keeps coming back for the people, especially the ones in his volunteer group. “The first day I went to volunteer, I got turned away,” Kevin said. “I went back the next day, and I’ve been coming back ever since. And I never let my chairman [Jim Moss, EAA 80553] forget that.” Kevin is honored to be recognized. “I’ve had quite a few mentors that helped me out and guided me through how to deal with people, and I owe a lot to them.”
Robert Hilleary , EAA 617847, is from Peoria, Arizona, and has been volunteering for EAA since 1993. He is now the chairman of Boeing Plaza. Bob is a retired Air Force military aircraft mechanic, and he started his time with EAA when he was an active-duty Air Force advisor helping Mike Williams in Madison, Wisconsin, back when Mike was the vice chairman of the West Ramp. Bob has many fond memories of his time as a volunteer and considers EAA a big family. He continues to volunteer to “get people interested in aviation, and to get the youth interested in aviation.”
PUBLISHER: Jack J. Pelton, EAA CEO & Chairman of the Board
VICE PRESIDENT OF PUBLICATIONS, MARKETING, MEMBERSHIP, AND RETAIL/EDITOR IN CHIEF: Jim Busha
MANAGING EDITOR: Hal Bryan
SENIOR EDITOR: Sam Oleson
PRODUCTION COORDINATOR: Emme Hornung
EDITORIAL STAFF: Robbie Culver, Jim Roberts, Barb Schmitz
SENIOR COPY EDITOR: Colleen Walsh
COPY EDITOR: Jennifer Knaack
PHOTOGRAPHER: Kaitlin Piette
PUBLICATIONS INTERN: Angela Satterlee
PRINT PRODUCTION TEAM LEAD/GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Marie Rayome-Gill
SENIOR SALES AND ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE: Sue Anderson
First ‘One Week Wonder’ Turns 10
BY BARBARA A. SCHMITZ AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF
EAA is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its first One Week Wonder during EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2024.
In 2014, more than 2,500 people shared the building experience when they helped transform a Zenith CH 750 Cruzer kit into a flyable aircraft in just seven days by helping pull rivets. Then, in 2018, 100 core builders and more than 2,500 others helped to build a Van’s Aircraft RV-12iS kit in the same time period. The last kit built during AirVenture was a Sonex Waiex, built in one week in 2022.
Charlie Becker, EAA’s director of chapters and homebuilding, said the idea to do a build project during the weekly convention came when he was on the phone with Sebastien Heintz of Zenith, whose dad, Chris Heintz, who had orchestrated the construction of a Zenith kit in 1976 during EAA’s only eight-day fly-in and convention. “I said, ‘Your dad did this and I always
“We’re talking to those who don’t appreciate how easy it is to build an airplane today with a modern kit.”
Charlie Becker
wanted to do this at AirVenture,’ and the idea just caught fire,” he said.
Charlie said the One Week Wonders have accomplished more than he ever thought they could. “The projects not only catch the attention of our members, but also the people who come through our gates. There’s a reason we don’t do the build projects in the Homebuilts area; we’re not talking to people who already build their own planes. We’re talking to those
who don’t appreciate how easy it is to build an airplane today with a modern kit.”
Charlie said that in 1976, the airplane was built mainly by skilled volunteers since kits were more primitive and people had to make a lot of the parts. “But today we have thousands of people pull rivets to show how easy it is to put one of these things together,” he said, adding that prefabricated parts are now the norm.
Charlie said EAA does build projects once every four years for two reasons. One is the amount of work they take by EAA and the kit manufacturer. Two, four years is the right cadence to get everyone’s attention, he said.
During AirVenture, the 2014-built Zenith CH 750 Cruzer was on display on Boeing Plaza Monday, and then moved and tied down in the Homebuilts area by other Zeniths for the remainder of the fly-in.
Charlie said the next One Week Wonder will be built during AirVenture 2026.
Notes on DELTAHAWK:
- First clean sheet piston engine design FAA certified in over 60 years.
- Use 40% less fuel on a typical mission to reduce cost and increase range or payload.
- Use non-leaded fuel. (Jet-A or Jet-A1, SAF, Diesel, or Bio-fuel)
- Reduce maintenance costs with 40% fewer parts and robust direct drive.
- Greater safety with robust mechanical fuel system which requires no complicated electrical system.
- More power at higher altitudes with both super and turbochargers.
- No mandatory reduction of power for cruise because max continuous = max horsepower.
- Simpler operation with single lever fuel and propeller control if desired.
OSHKOSH MOMENTS
IT WAS ALL AN ADVENTURE!
Flying in from Idaho
STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY
BY ROBBIE CULVER
AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF
PART OF THE allure of aviation is getting out of your comfort zone, embracing the adventure of every flight, and expanding your knowledge — the operative phrase is “a good pilot is always learning.” Gina Bosco flew her 1978 Cessna 152 from Caldwell, Idaho, across Montana, South Dakota, Minnesota, and on to Portage, Wisconsin.
“Once I left the area where I commonly fly, it was all an adventure — and that was like two hours in,” she said.
Gina enjoyed flying into places she had not been before (“which was all of them”), finding people who were friendly and helpful and “seeing how the route planning actually did play out. When it’s on paper, it’s one thing, but really flying it is not the same” as it is when you’re drawing it on a sectional chart, she said.
She stopped in Sheridan, Wyoming, for fuel and could see weather to the south of her planned route while looking at the radar. A convective SIGMET had popped up, which suggested heading north to put some space between her and the front. As with all cross-country flights, adjusting the plan to meet reality is part of the process, and much of the adventure.
An overnight stop in Spearfish, South Dakota, turned out to be especially memorable due to the fantastic service offered at the FBO. Gina had not been able to arrange a motel
reservation ahead of time, so she called while en route from Sheridan to Spearfish, and the FBO booked a motel for her. The FBO staff also arranged to preposition the airport crew car at the motel so she could make an early departure without worrying about how to get to the airport. Another example of the new friends we all find in aviation.
Portage, Wisconsin (C47) was “fantastic,” and the local EAA chapter “was great,” she said. Another early morning departure on Friday allowed Gina to fly in when the traffic on the FISK arrival was light. This was her first time flying in to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. She earned her private pilot certificate in 2019, and while she had attended twice before, flying in as pilot in command was a new experience. She is camping with her airplane in the North 40.
Gina purchased the airplane in 2020 and said, “I have been treating it as well as it has been treating me. I’ve done a lot to that plane — a lot of projects have been done. A lot of mechanical work, a lot of cosmetic work. It’s an act of love.”
Aerial adventures are full of great memories — flying over the Continental Divide following Interstate 80 at about 7,500 feet was a special one for Gina. She also mentioned crossing the Mississippi River for the first time, as well as seeing Minnesota from the air — she added that “agriculture is art.”
EAA AirVenture Oshkosh offers all kinds of aviation experiences. Gina was looking forward to getting some seminars in to expand her knowledge. Oshkosh is unique. “It’s just a good vibe. All of it,” she said.
It’s all an adventure!
Two-Thirds Scale TTP38 Volar’s Lightning
BY ROBBIE CULVER AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF
EAA’S AIRVENTURE OSHKOSH is a showcase for aircraft that are not found anywhere else. This year, an example of that is Jim and Mitzi O’Hara’s TTP38 Volar’s Lightning, N38PJ (TT stands for two-thirds scale). It’s the only one in the world, and you can see it at AirVenture in the Homebuilts area by the Brown Arch.
Jim’s nephew, William Presler, EAA 1049504, owner and operator of Volar Avionics, brought the aircraft to Oshkosh to show the world what his uncle Jim created
from scratch. William said that after Jim’s passing, “He had left it in his will with the ‘option to buy’ from his estate. It was a more than reasonable price ... and the money would go to Aunt Mitzi’s care” William said. “In many ways, he had left the airplane in my care.”
Building an aircraft from a kit is a lifetime journey. Scratchbuilding an aircraft from plans is next-level craftsmanship.
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But designing, engineering, and building a two-thirds scale replica from nothing except one’s own mind and willpower is beyond inspiring. It took 25 years of design, engineering, stress test calculations, and fabricating one piece at a time.
William said his uncle Jimmy was a lifelong aeronautical engineer and rocket scientist, and the design and build process could have deterred him “except his
clear and penetrating insight into the very nature of flight itself. I don’t know what else to say … somehow … he could just see it. I don’t know how to tell you this, but he could just see it. I know this. I saw it in his eyes.”
As William quite accurately said, “What he did was impossible. He built an airplane that wasn’t possible to build. Two-thirds scale. The world’s only TTP38.”
When William became custodian of this treasure of aviation, he began the journey to bring her back to flight. William said he and his friend Steve Michael “worked all day that first day just getting things cleaned up. Pressure washing the floor, scrubbing the plane, and throwing things away. We could start to see things a little better then.”
Things progressed slowly, and over the course of a few weeks’ work the airplane taxied again, followed by a “second” first flight. William’s immediate goal was to get the airplane to Oshkosh, as well as other air shows.
As Steve taxied the TTP38 up to the Homebuilts area in Oshkosh, I watched William’s face. The look was one of mixed emotion and pride. I asked him what the moment meant to him.
“Relief. Relief. So glad to see her here. What a beautiful moment … just coming full
Learn more about MOSAIC’s proposed rulemaking and EAA’s efforts to advocate for changes to make flying and aircraft ownership more attainable and affordable for you!
TUESDAY, JULY 23
ASK THE EXPERT
8 a.m.–12 p.m. | EAA Member Center
TOWN HALL—MOSAIC UPDATE
10–11:15 a.m. | EAA Forum Stage 8: GAMA
WEDNESDAY, JULY 24
ASK THE EXPERT
8–10 a.m. | EAA Member Center
MOSAIC AND WHAT IT MEANS TO FLIGHT SCHOOLS AND INDEPENDENT FLIGHT INSTRUCTORS
circle for this plane and for my uncle Jim’s dream!”
William, we are so glad you brought her to Oshkosh to share with us!
Be sure to check out the world’s only TTP38 and read the full story of “An Unbelievable Lifelong Project” by Budd Davisson in EAA’s August 2024 issue of EAA Sport Aviation
For more information and photos of the build, visit flyvolar.com/ttp38.
SATURDAY, JULY 27
ASK THE EXPERT
8 a.m.–12 p.m. | EAA Member Center
LEARNING TO FLY RECREATIONALLY: SPORT PILOT/LIGHTSPORT AIRCRAFT 2.0
8:30–9:45 a.m. | WomenVenture Center
MOSAIC AND WHAT IT MEANS TO FLIGHT SCHOOLS AND INDEPENDENT FLIGHT INSTRUCTORS
11:30 a.m.–12:45 p.m. | EAA Learn to Fly Center
MOSAIC FOR PRIVATE AND SPORT PILOTS
11:30 a.m.–12:45 p.m. | Forum Stage 11: DeltaHawk Engines
AROUND THE GROUNDS
EAA Member Helps Preserve History at National Air and Space Museum
BY ROBBIE CULVER
AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF
APRIL 1-6, 2025
VISIT BOOTH #3143 IN HANGAR C
ENTER TO WIN!
(2) 2025 Weekly wristbands
(1) Week of Sun n Fun camping
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(2) Passes to Living Water Boat Tour
HAVE YOU EVER wondered what it is like to work with some of our nation’s most precious and unique aviation arti facts? Imagine what it is like to help transport one of NASA’s X-15s, Amelia Earhart’s Lockheed Vega, or suspend the Spirit of St. Louis for display! The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum (NASM), home to much of America’s aviation history, is one of the only places a person can experience this.
Kristen Horning, EAA 1531122, is a museum specialist at the Smithsonian. Kristen works in the collections department’s collections processing unit (CPU), where she is a member of a team that manages, transports, and preserves objects that are already on exhibit or are currently in storage at NASM’s three locations. According to the Smithsonian’s website, “The core responsibility of the Collections Department is to properly protect and provide accountability for the artifacts in the National Collections held by the National Air and Space Museum.”
“I love the scope of our collection at Air and Space and the ability to learn something new about our nation’s history through the lens of the artifacts that I take care of.”
Kristen Horning
If you have ever been to the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center at Dulles airport in Virginia, or the NASM on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., then you have seen the amazing variety of history preserved for generations of Americans to learn from. It is the efforts of teams such as the CPU that keep these unique treasures accessible. The Paul E. Garber facility in Suitland, Maryland, is also used for the storage of artifacts,
although work has been underway since 2011 to relocate many artifacts to new, more climate-controlled facilities in Chantilly, Maryland, an effort that continues today.
Kristen has worked on projects involving disassembly and transport of the B-17G Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby from the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, back to the UdvarHazy museum.
PHOTO BY GLENN WATSON
She was also involved in the transportation of large aircraft between museum locations — including the Douglas DC-3, the Ford Tri-Motor,
the North American X-15, and Amelia Earhart’s Lockheed 5B Vega — as well as part of the team suspending Charles Lindbergh’s Ryan NYP, Spirit of St. Louis , in the museum on the National Mall.
She assisted in overseeing the retrieval and return of the Freedom 7 Mercury capsule that was on loan to the John F. Kennedy library, as well as delivering Jackie Cochran’s T-38 Talon to the Smithsonian’s restoration shop. Any one of these projects involves professional, well-planned work with very specialized processes.
Currently, the team is prepping for the next part of the National Mall building renovation, where NASM is halfway done with renovations. To get the rest of the museum ready, teams will work on prepping, transporting, and installing artifacts in new galleries that have not yet opened to the public.
Kristen has been working at the Smithsonian for seven years, after earning her undergraduate degree in history at the University of California, Riverside. She said she “scrambled to figure out what career I wanted to pursue. There was a small museum near my campus named the March Air Field Museum, and since I had always loved museums, I thought I should volunteer
WE LOVE OUR EXHIBITORS!
EAA is thankful for our long-term exhibitors and welcomes our new ones for 2022! EAA is thankful for our long-term exhibitors and welcomes our new ones for 2024!
50 YEARS
Aviation Jewelry.com H SUN ‘n FUN, Inc.
40 YEARS
Aircraft Tool Supply
Concorde Battery Corporation
CubCrafters Group H Floats & Fuel Cells, Inc
Para-Phernalia, Inc. H UMA Inc
University of North Dakota Aviation
WACO Classic Aircraft Corporation
Whelen Aerospace Technologies, LLC
30
YEARS
Aircraft Electronics Association
Aviat Aircraft Inc H Boeing Company (The)
CAV Systems H David Clark Company Inc.
Elizabeth The Gold Lady
FlightSafety International
FRASCA H G & N Aircraft Inc
Jeppesen, A Boeing Company
Lincoln Electric H NASA
Oregon Aero Inc H Parker
Piper Aircraft, Inc.
Superior Air Parts, Inc.
Wisconsin Aviation, Inc.
Women in Aviation International Yaesu USA
20
YEARS
Advocate Consulting Legal Group, PLLC
African Elephant Hair Bracelets by Safari Jewelry
American Legend Aircraft Company
Honda Aircraft Company, LLC H Horizon Hobby, LLC
MGL Avionics H Miller Clock Service, Inc.
North American Aerospace Defense Command
Plane Plastic Vantage Assoc H Powrachute LLC
SMR Technologies | Ice Shield Deicing Systems
Stewart Systems H ZClear Anti Fog Inc.
10 YEARS
Air Race Classic, Inc H Ballistic Recovery Systems, Inc.
Bristell Aircraft LLC H Dakota Cub Aircraft
David UHL Studios, Inc. H Flight Outfitters
Flying Legend USA Inc H Midwest Parajet LLC
National WASP WWII Museum
Original Safety Siphon (The)
Parkland College - Institute of Aviation
Phoenix East Aviation, LLC H PilotSafety.org
Porter
County Regional Airport H Prusa Research, a.s.
PSA Airlines H Rachel’s Jewelry, LLC
runway THREE-SIX H Silverlight Aviation
SoCo Swings H SoundEx Products / Plane Patterns
State of Minnesota - Aeronautics H Tanis Aircraft
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
Weldon Pump LLC H Willey Art
there and see what museum work was like. I immediately fell in love.”
Kristen added, “I started to learn about artifact collections work and found a passion for airplanes and women in aviation history along the way. After my volunteer work there, as well as at the San Diego Air & Space Museum, I decided to make a career of it. Around that same time, I had also decided that I wanted to work at NASM.”
Following a relocation to Washington, D.C., Kristen obtained her master’s degree in public history at American University while taking on various internships at NASM. It was during this time when she obtained an internship during graduate school in the collections processing unit, which several years later led to her current permanent job.
When asked what excites her about her current role, Kristen said, “There are so many things that excite me about my job.
WELCOME NEW EXHIBITORS
1st Pick Antiques & Vintage LLC H 360 Avionics H A Spice Above H A-10 Aviation Products H Academy of Aviation H Adept Propulsion Technologies, Inc. H Advanced Powerplant Solutions (APS) H Aerotranscendent Inc. H Aeroverse Media, LLC H Affection Above Aviation H Aileronics Inc H Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) H Airbility Inc. H Aircraft Components INC. H All American Gutter Protection H American Airlines, Inc. H Art-Craft Optical H Atlanta Air Recovery and Exchange H AV8 Realty H AV8R GEAR H Aviation Depot H Aviation International UK H Aviator Cookie Company H Barking Pixel H Bessie Coleman Foundation H Bluff City Aircraft H Brainomat LLC Brewer Brothers H Brown & Miller Racing Solutions H Buiqui Aerospace and Eagle Aircrat Flight Academy H Callsign Aviation H Capitol Technology University H CCFM AVIATION SRL H Cicare USA H Colorado Division of Aeronautics / Colorado Pilots Association H Co-Pilot Goose | AeroSys Technologies Inc. H CU Student Choice H DRMIDWEST LLC H EarthRoamer H Eastern Iowa Airport Aviation Workforce Development Campus H eDispatched H Elivate Aircraft H Elmarx Aviation Inc. H Enhanced Aero LLC. H ESC Photography LLC H Executive Aircraft / ARGON Aircraft H Fit 4 Flight Coaching H Flightclub.life H Fly-Inn, LLC H FP-PROPELLER srl H Gary’s Garage H Hangar H High Country Products, Inc H Icon Wallets H Jimmy’s World LLC H JME Technologies, Inc. H Kestrel Aerospace H KOMBI BRAZIL INC H Leading Edge PPG H LGM USA H Mac’s Custom Tiedowns H MasterPilot H MCE Aero H Midwest Eco Pavers LLC H Midwest Pepper Heads LLC H Nicholas Air H Nifty-Lift H NMDOT Aviation Division H NovoFlight Technologies H NUNCATS CIC H Oakley / Rayban H Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals H Orlican Americas - Eagle M8 H Pegasus H Pelegrin LLC H Phoenix Replica Aircraft H Pik West Insurance Agency, LLC H Pilot Mental Health Campaign (PMHC) H Pioneer Control Grips H Pitman
I feel very lucky to be a part of a team that manages and protects artifacts that are meaningful to the public and hopefully to future generations as well.”
She added, “I also love the scope of our collection at Air and Space and the ability to learn something new about our nation’s history through the lens of the artifacts that I take care of. We manage a collection that includes clothing, art, memorabilia, aircraft, spacecraft, and many more types of artifacts. And finally, I love the challenges involved in moving large, one-of-a-kind, and historically significant aircraft; each move is never identical, so it keeps you on your toes.”
As a first-time attendee at AirVenture 2023, Kristen said, “Oshkosh was a lot of fun! I have never attended before but always dreamed of going. I was especially excited to attend as a representative
of our museum to talk about some of the work that we do.
“I was overwhelmed by all the events and workshops and wished I had more time to attend them all! I guess that just means I will have to go back! The night air show was spectacular.”
A particularly exciting moment for Kristen was “meeting Patty Wagstaff in person and then watching her fly in the air show at Oshkosh. We have her Extra 260 on display in our museum, and before the air show all I could do was imagine what it looked like flying in her hands. I thought that her aerobatic flying at the show was so fluid, elegant, and of course, entertaining to watch. It was a certainly a highlight for me.”
As for her own aviation aspirations, Kristen “would love to become a pilot one day. My fiancé (who also works at the National Air and Space Museum) and I have dreams of building our own aircraft and flying it.
“There are so many ways you can make a career in aviation, whether that be as a pilot, engineer, or even as a museum professional who moves historic aircraft around.”
Kristen Horning
“During graduate school, I studied women in early aviation and was inspired to try out this flying thing. I figured that if I were to research and write about their stories, I should try to understand the experience and appeal of flying myself. I took a discovery flight in a Piper Arrow IV shortly before I graduated and absolutely loved it. That interest in flying only grew once I starting working at the National Air and Space Museum.”
When asked about what she would tell youths looking to become involved in
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
aviation, Kristen said, “If aviation is something you love, do not hesitate to pursue it. There are so many ways you can make a career in aviation, whether that be as a pilot, engineer, or even as a museum professional who moves historic aircraft around. Now, more than ever before, aviation is becoming more accessible to a wider variety of people.
“Also, a reminder that a plane does not know or care what gender you are when you climb into the pilot’s seat.”
The NASM will attend AirVenture 2024 and will have representatives from various departments of the museum, with the collections department (the people who work on restoring, conserving, and protecting the artifacts) in attendance.
Be sure to stop by Booth 327 in the Main Aircraft Display to see what your NASM has to share, and meet with and hear from the dedicated staff who work hard behind the scenes to preserve history for all of us.
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 by:
Make your dreams a virtual reality
Stop by to try our Driver Sim and fly our VR Plane!
Come to PenFed booth #270!
2024 Ford Mustang GT Coupe Premium 2024 YOUNG EAGLES ® RAFFLE
$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 2.3 million youths with a free first flight since 1992.
*Tickets can be purchased: (a) at the EAA Aviation Museum™ between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. daily (excluding holidays or when the Museum is closed) throughout the Raffle Period; (b) throughout Wisconsin at certain events during the Raffle Period; and (c) on the EAA® AirVenture® Oshkosh™ grounds during normal operating hours starting on Monday, July 22, 2024 with all sales concluding on Sunday, July 28, 2024 at 12:00 p.m. CT. The drawing will be held at 2:30 p.m. CT on Sunday, July 28, 2024 at the AirVenture Welcome Center, EAA® AirVenture® Oshkosh™, 3000 Poberezny Road, Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54902.
The 2024 Ford Mustang is provided with the support of Kocourek Ford, Wausau, Wisconsin.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVE SWARTZ
PHOTOGRAPHY BY HAYDEN SMITH
PHOTOGRAPHY BY BERNIE KOSZEWA
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From Hand Model to Homebuilder
STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY
BY SAM OLESON AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF
CALL HIM THE George Costanza of EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2024. Randy Rettler, EAA 1030161, may not wear oven mitts to protect his hands like George did in “The Puffy Shirt,” the 1993 episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld, but he does have experience as a hand model, specifically as one for an EAA advertisement for SportAir Workshops. Now, after utilizing the knowledge he gained at a couple SportAir Workshops sessions and a dozen years of
building, he has his own airplane — a pristine Van’s RV-9A.
An engineer by trade, Randy was building houses in the mid-2000s when the housing market collapsed and he found himself with little to do. Fifty years old at the time, Randy asked his wife Maggie if she minded if he went out and earned his pilot certificate. Certificate in hand, Randy started looking for an airplane.
“We started looking at Cessnas and other certified stuff,” Randy said. “I probably looked at 50 planes and they were all from the 1970s. They all needed a ton of work, most of which I couldn’t do because I’m not a certified mechanic. At some point the light went on that experimental is the route I got to go, build it myself.”
Deciding on the RV-9A because he wanted a cross-country-capable airplane as well as side-by-side seating, Randy, despite his engineering background, knew he needed to learn a lot before diving into the build. That’s when he decided to attend an EAA SportAir Workshop focused on sheet metal, where his hands were photographed and
later became the “face” of future SportAir Workshop ads.
“I never saw him take the picture,” Randy explained. “[EAA] ran it for years, but maybe not anymore. It’s old. I was embarrassed because obviously that’s not how dimple dies are used. They’re typically in a squeezer. … I looked at that for several months and I didn’t know it was my hand.”
In addition to the sheet metal class, Randy also completed a SportAir Workshop session on electrical systems. Those experiences helped him complete his RV over the past 12 years.
“PowerPoint presentations really don’t click with me too much before I get my hands in there, and that’s what I call shadowboxing,” he said. “‘Oh, that’s how these things work.’ That works for me. … That kit’s sitting at home in a really expensive box, and you don’t want to mess it up if you don’t have to. So why not spend the weekend going to a class that’s going to give you some skills?”
“Why not spend the weekend going to a class that’s going to give you some skills?”
Randy Rettler
In November 2023, Randy flew his completed airplane for the first time and just finished Phase I testing earlier this spring. Randy arrived in Oshkosh on Saturday morning. You can find his beautiful RV-9A in the Homebuilts area.
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INNOVATIONS
NASA, Electrified Aircraft Powertrains, and Sustainable Aviation
BY JOHN GOULD, NASA
ELECTRICALLY POWERED GENERAL aviation aircraft are no longer fiction. But larger electric airliners soaring in the skies above us represent a bigger challenge, and NASA is helping to drive that charge forward.
» Up to $20k in Tuition Reimbursement
» Up to $16k Longevity Bonus & Relocation Assistance
Through its Electrified Powertrain Flight Demonstration (EPFD) project, NASA is collaborating with industry partners to demonstrate electrified powertrain technologies by using existing aircraft that will be modified and flown with new systems and components.
Visitors at NASA’s AirVenture pavilion will get a better picture of what those modifications could look like. Through a NASA augmented reality experience, they’ll visualize fitting hybrid power systems in an airliner and learn how researchers are overcoming hurdles. The NASA Pavilion will also feature EPFD models and other information about the agency’s sustainable aviation efforts.
The project’s goal is to accelerate the transition of hybrid propulsion systems at the megawatt power level into short-haul turboprop aircraft carrying 30-70 passengers and regional single-aisle commercial airliners carrying up to 180 passengers.
Two demonstration aircraft are in development as part of the EPFD project and expected to begin flight testing in the next few years:
• GE Aerospace is developing a megawatt-class hybrid-electric powertrain for ground and flight tests. Boeing and its subsidiary Aurora Flight Sciences are partnering with GE Aerospace to support the flight tests using a modified Saab 340B aircraft in a single-aisle passenger configuration.
• magniX is partnering with AeroTEC and Air Tindi to test its hybrid powertrain installed on a modified de Havilland DHC-7 aircraft in a cargo-carrying configuration. A model of a magniX power system is on display at AirVenture.
These collaborations help enable a new generation of electric-powered aircraft to the U.S. commercial fleet within the 2030-2035 timeframe.
“NASA on Hybrid Electric Airliners” forum at 2:30 p.m. Monday, July 22, and the “Women at NASA” WomenVenture forum at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 24. “What we’re looking at is how to integrate the powertrain within the engine system and enable the performance needed from an energy storage perspective.”
Electrified technologies offer innovative solutions to making flight more sustainable — including lighter and more efficient motors, electronics, and materials that can help reduce emission levels and improve fuel efficiency. But EPFD is not the only NASA project pushing sustainable aviation down the pike. The agency is also developing the X-66 Sustainable Flight Demonstrator aircraft in partnership with Boeing; designing and testing a brand-new hybrid electric, small-core jet engine in collaboration with GE Aerospace; and researching new methods of high-rate composite manufacturing for aircraft. It’s all part of NASA’s Sustainable Flight National Partnership with industry, academia, and government to address the U.S. goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
LEARN
MORE
“NASA on Hybrid Electric Airliners” forum, July 22, 2:30 p.m.
www.airwis.com/careers
“NASA’s objective is to demonstrate feasibility of hybrid electric systems flying on large turboprop and narrow body aircraft,” said Gaudy Bezos-O’Connor, manager of the EPFD project, who will appear on the
Artists’ concepts of the GE Aerospace and magniX paint schemes for the hybrid electric aircraft they will fly as part of NASA’s EPFD project. PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF NASA
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5,124' Paved & Lighted Runway with VASI Helicopters Welcome
AFRL Showcases Advanced, Experimental Research Since the Beginning of Aviation
ATTENDEES AT EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2024 will get an up-close look at how the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) leads in the research and development of warfighting technologies for the Air Force and Space Force. AFRL will showcase its rich history in aviation with an AFRL Timeline, showing major accomplishments of the lab from the beginning of the Air Force to current operations, as well as an interactive touch display highlighting the X-15. Also onsite is the AFRL Robotic Dog to demonstrate its potential use as a security asset for facilities and extensive test ranges.
The Air Force Research Laboratory is the primary scientific research and development center for the Department of the Air Force. With a workforce of more than 12,500 across nine technology areas, AFRL provides a diverse portfolio of science and technology ranging from fundamental to advanced research and technology development. For more information, visit AFResearchLab.com.
Mission
The Air Force Research Laboratory leads the discovery, development, and integration of affordable warfighting technologies for our air, space, and cyberspace forces.
Vision
The Air Force Research Laboratory defends America by unleashing the power of innovative air, space, and cyber technology.
History
While the command’s heritage dates back to 1917, AFRL officially launched in 1997 to consolidate the four former Air Force laboratories and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research. The laboratory and its predecessors have overseen more than 100 years of research efforts for the Department of the Air Force and Department of Defense. With technology breakthroughs found in all of today’s
modern aircraft and weapons systems, AFRL has contributed to significant advancements in modern communications, electronics, manufacturing, medical research, and products.
Personnel and Resources
AFRL employs approximately 12,500 military, civilian, and contractor personnel, and manages a $7 billion portfolio of investments. The lab supports external customers and partners with industry while investing in basic research, applied research, and advanced technology development. As one integrated lab, AFRL seamlessly supports the science and technology needs of the Air Force and the Space Force.
Organization
AFRL has two types of directorates, functional directorates and technology directorates. Functional directorates provide specialized support, strategic direction, and oversight of the operations and business research, development, and innovation functions of AFRL. Technology directorates focus on development and innovations and are separated by technological capabilities. The 711th Human Performance Wing is made up of two units supporting a similar capability.
Locations
AFRL is headquartered at WrightPatterson Air Force Base in Ohio, with locations in 10 states.
Chloe Litteral, WAI 97226 American Airlines Engineering Scholarship
Victoria Waller, WAI 109848 The Anne Bridge Baddour Aviation Scholarship
Taylor Fabian, WAI 95695 Amazon Maintenance Scholarship
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 seven Red One Market locations today!
RED ONE MARKET CENTRAL | RED ONE MARKET SHOWPLANE
RED ONE MARKET NORTH 40 | RED ONE MARKET SOUTH 40
RED ONE MARKET SOUTH | RED ONE MARKET SOUTHWEST RED ONE MARKET WEST
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ALL PURCHASES SUPPORT EAA PROGRAMS AND PROMOTE THE SPIRIT OF AVIATION®
*While supplies last. GET YOUR COLLECTIBLE AIRVENTURE® 2024
Available for purchase at select Red One Market locations and select AirVenture food vendors until Sunday, July 28.*
PHOTOGRAPHY BY BERNIE KOSZEWA
PHOTOGRAPHY BY LAURIE GOOSSENS
Airbus’ NextGen to Provide New Type of Transportation Service
BY BARBARA A. SCHMITZ
IN ITS FIRST-EVER visit to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, Airbus brought a scaled mockup of its new CityAirbus NextGen, a fully electric aircraft meant to provide efficient air transport service in urban and suburban areas.
Balkiz Sarihan, head of urban air mobility at Airbus, said although North America will not be the first market to go to production due to their certification strategy, Oshkosh was the perfect place to let everybody know what Airbus is working on.
Balkiz said the idea for their new aircraft started off as part of their innovation activity. With the urbanization of cities and evolving technology, they started questioning if there was a new means of delivering people transportation services.
Their answer was yes, and NextGen is the result. It is an all-electric, four-seat vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft with a nearly 50-mile operational range and a cruise speed of about 75 mph. The NextGen also has fixed wings, a V-tail, and eight electric-powered propellers as part of its propulsion system.
The NextGen prototype was unveiled in Germany in March 2024 and coincided with the opening of the new CityAirbus test center in Donauwörth. Balkiz said flight testing will begin yet this year.
“We have a very rigorous testing methodology and schedule,” she said, noting they don’t give a production date, but rather work on it until it’s technologically ready.
“The idea for an efficient air transport service between strategic locations … originated from our belief that urban and advanced mobility can be moved into the sky to provide communities with additional ways to reach their destination,” she said, adding that passenger transport, medical services, or ecotourism missions are the likely uses for their new aircraft.
NextGen is based off two previous Airbus demonstrators that were 100 percent electric and helped to test the boundaries and distance of electric flight, she said. But the NextGen team also got feedback from helicopter and fixed-wing operators to determine just what they wanted in the new technology platform, she said.
“We wanted to keep it as simple as possible, as certifiable and supportable as possible … asking what does this mean when it enters into operation,” Balkiz said. The NextGen will fit on existing helipads, making the start of operations smooth without the demands for new infrastructure, she added.
Since they are building the NextGen in their helicopter facilities in Germany, Balkiz said the new aircraft will be first certified by EASA, the European Aviation Safety Agency, and then likely the FAA.
Balkiz said there is a lot of interest in this new product.
“There is interest, although interest globally is balanced with skepticism,” she said. “We as a collective need to be conscious of the fact that we are putting a brand-new technology, a brand-new flying concept, a brand-new architecture, in fact many new architectures into service in urban environments.”
She said Airbus takes that responsibility seriously, knowing that when you build a new type of aircraft based on disruptive technology, it also allows you to think differently. “You really are starting from a fresh, clean space, and that is what we ask for our operator partners too. But our main criteria is that it be technologically sound, which, of course, means safe.”
The Airbus booth can be found in the Main Aircraft Display area adjacent to Wittman Road.
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PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF AIRBUS
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ADVOCACY & SAFETY
EAA and Mental Health Certification
Part of the solution
BY TOM CHARPENTIER, EAA GOVERNMENT RELATIONS DIRECTOR
THE FAA’S POLICIES toward and handling of mental health cases has garnered plenty of scrutiny over the years from many corners of the aviation community. Having worked with plenty of EAA members seeking a medical certificate over my career, I am definitely among these critics!
Fortunately, this is rapidly changing. In the past year the FAA has implemented numerous reforms to help applicants with mental health issues, and many can complete the process without need for expensive evaluations or even special issuances. The FAA also chartered an aviation rulemaking committee (ARC) on the topic, which gave representatives of the community an opportunity to make recommendations to the FAA on further reforms. I had the honor of serving on this committee on EAA’s behalf.
Join me for two forums on this subject. Today at 11:30 a.m. in the Learn to Fly Center I will be joined by Federal Air Surgeon Dr. Susan Northrup to discuss the application process for common mental health diagnoses and all of the recent policy changes. Tomorrow, at the same time and in the same place, I will share some highlights of the ARC report and its recommendations to the FAA.
Additionally, you have an opportunity this week to help the FAA improve its evaluations for pilots who are looking to gain medical certification after certain mental health conditions or neurological conditions, such as stroke or brain injury. The FAA has identified a new neurocognitive testing procedure that uses tests that are more easily obtained and administered by specialists than the current test. To ensure an accurate and fair evaluation, the research team needs
healthy, currently certificated personnel to take the test to establish age and certificate-appropriate baselines for future applicants.
Your scores are confidential and will never impact your certification status.
Here are the criteria:
• To be eligible for this study, you must have flown or logged simulator time at least once in the last six months.
• For pilots with an FAA Class III medical certificate, the researchers are recruiting 115 pilots who are 30-64 years of age.
• For pilots with an FAA Class I or II medical certificate, the researchers are recruiting 14 pilots who are 60-plus years of age.
Participation takes four hours (including breaks) and involves completing two computerized cognitive tests related to tasks such as working memory, attention, mental rotation, and multitasking performance.
Participants will be paid between $300 and $500, depending on their level of airman and medical certification.
To schedule, call the research team at 405-954-2647, email cogstudy@faa.gov, or stop by the FAA Safety Center. You can also complete an interest form using the QR code below:
AVIATION EDUCATION RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS AND YOUTH GROUP LEADERS READILY AVAILABLE
BY PAUL MALOY, EAA DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION
DECADES AGO, EAA FOUNDER Paul Poberezny knew what he was talking about when he said, “Aviation seeds must be transplanted to future generations if we are to see our rich heritage passed on for others to see, to feel, to touch, to fly.” Paul inherently understood the vital importance of directly sharing aviation with youth as the mechanism to protect and grow the future of aviation and aerospace.
In making that prophecy a reality, EAA and many other like-minded aviation organizations have been working to create aviation/aerospace activities to engage youths at all age levels and making them available to school systems, educators and administrators, youth group leaders, and parents.
Educators attending AirVenture this year have multiple opportunities to learn how to introduce aviation into their classrooms. Yesterday, the second annual AeroEducate Educator Day took place, and the annual Teacher Day will be held on
Friday, July 26, both events hosted by the EAA Education team.
EAA’s Education Department is staffed by six professional educators with a cumulative experience of more than 50 years. This team is tasked with learning opportunities for youths, generally focusing on students in kindergarten through high school.
As such, the EAA Education Department is responsible for in-museum youth activities for schools and youth groups in the Youth Education Center, educational outreach in the region, hosting six Air Academy Camps in the summer, GirlVenture and Girls on the Fly events, and the rapidly growing online AeroEducate program.
“The reality is that most educators, formal or not, are not very familiar with how much science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) is covered when teaching lessons related to flight and aerospace,” said Danielle Schmick, AeroEducate program manager. “Or they think they need to be aviation or aerospace experts
to teach aviation STEM content. In truth, with the resources we have developed and make available, any educator or parent can be an excellent leader of our fun STEM enrichment activities.”
Alyssa Horpedahl, program manager of the EAA Youth Education Center added, “When children experience aviation, it often sparks a curiosity that can be nurtured by ongoing interactions such as Young Eagles rides at a local EAA chapter, completing an aviation or engineering merit badge, building and flying an RC aircraft, or any number of easy, hands-on activities.”
To learn more about educator aviation resources go to EAA.org/Education or AeroEducate.org/Teachers.
For one teacher last year, Teacher Day was just the beginning. “It was a lot of fun to see all the resources out there. I feel like I hardly scratched the surface and have many happy hours of exploring ahead of me!”
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AROUND THE GROUNDS
A Spotter’s Guide to Allied Aircraft of 1944
EIGHTY YEARS AGO, the world was five years deep in the greatest conflict in human history. While millions had died and many millions more had their lives completely upended, the end was finally on the horizon — at least in hindsight. By 1944, it was starting to become apparent that the Allies were gaining the upper hand in World War II. In the Pacific theater, the Americans had much of the southwestern Pacific under its control, capturing island after island and pushing the Japanese back. On the European theater’s eastern front, the Soviet Union was steadily overpowering the German Wehrmacht. And on the western front, the United States and Britain were constantly pounding Germany with strategic bombing raids and, along with Canada and several other Allied countries, launched the largest amphibious assault in history on June 6, 1944, during D-Day, the Normandy landings.
As we look back on the 80th anniversary of D-Day and the many crucial events of 1944 this summer during EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2024, you can expect to see a wide variety of aircraft that played roles during the “turning of the tide.” The following is a list of some of the aircraft that were in the service of the Allies during that pivotal year, and that may be in Oshkosh this year. 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.
B-25 Mitchell: The North Americanproduced B-25 medium bomber served in every theater of World War II and is most famous for its role as the aircraft of choice for the Doolittle Raid on Japan in April 1942.
P-40 Warhawk: The Curtiss-built P-40 was a prewar design that, while outclassed by German fighters as an air superiority fighter, served successfully in North Africa, the Southwest Pacific, and China, and continued to operate as a ground-attack aircraft in the war’s later years.
C-47 Skytrain: Like the C-45, the Douglas C-47 was developed from a civilian airplane — in this case the DC-3 airliner. More than 10,000 C-47s were built, and the type served as a troop and paratrooper transport and cargo aircraft, among other roles, throughout WWII.
L-2: Produced by Taylorcraft, the L-2 is derived from the Model D. It was introduced in 1941 and was used for liaison and observation purposes throughout WWII, though many of the aircraft were based in the United States for training purposes during the war.
Stearman Model 75: With more than 10,000 aircraft built, the Stearman biplane served as a primary trainer for prospective USAAF, U.S. Navy, and Royal Canadian Air Force pilots throughout WWII.
Fleet Finch: Introduced in 1939, the Finch biplane was used as a tandem trainer throughout the war, primarily by the RCAF in its Elementary Flying Training Schools as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan along with the Canadian-built de Havilland Tiger Moth.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVE SWARTZ
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MIKE KUTZ
PHOTOGRAPHY BY SAM SASIN
PHOTOGRAPHY BY LAURIE GOOSSENS
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANDY THOMPSON
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CONNOR MADISON
AROUND THE GROUNDS
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, because 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. Here’s a guide to some of these
airplanes that you’ll see as you wander the neighborhoods of AirVenture.
AIRCRAFT: NORTH AMERICAN P-51D/ CAVALIER MUSTANG PAUL I
The airplane that would become Paul I was built in 1944 and later acquired by Trans-Florida Aviation for conversion into a Cavalier Mustang, which entailed the removal of military equipment and the installation of extra fuel tanks, a second seat, and a taller vertical stabilizer. It was acquired in 1977 from the Pacific Military Air Museum and regularly flown by Paul for years.
EAA ARCHIVE PHOTO
Scholler Shorts
SCOTT AND ROBIN STEVENS from Corsicana, Texas, are attending AirVenture with their Australian shepherd Gypsy, and two 1-month-old rabbits Orville and Wilbur. Scott and Robin attended AirVenture on and off in the ’80s and ’90s, and now every year since 2001 when they started bringing family, while Gypsy has been attending since 2018. They have been volunteering for EAA since 2014, starting at the Fly Market so Scott would be able to see all the good supplies before they were taken. Since then, they have also volunteered at South Maintenance. Scott
and Robin remember when, in 2010, Camp Scholler was flooded under 6 inches of water, so they packed up all the things they could save, then left to go to Monroe, where they bought an airplane on the way home. This year, they look forward to seeing all their friends again.
ONCE FRIENDS, ALWAYS FRIENDS! This description fits the friendship between Dan and Jenny Ramsey and their dog Cleo from Edwardsburg, Michigan; Michael Marton from Toronto, Canada; and Chris and Linda Blaes and their dog Piper from Gallatin, Tennessee. Ever since they met at AirVenture, they look forward to camping next to one another
each year. Dan has been attending for 14 years and has been volunteering for EAA since the beginning, while his wife, Jenny, has been attending for 10 years. Michael, who is a Canadian pilot and also takes photographs during the event, has been attending for 16 years. This is Chris and Linda’s fourth year attending. Chris is a private pilot and owns a Piper PA-32 Cherokee Six, which is the inspiration behind Piper the dog’s name. Everyone loves seeing the mass arrivals, along with the night air shows, listening to Warbirds in Review, and making lifelong friendships.
Left to right: The Ramseys, Michael, and the Blaeses.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY TOM CROCKETT
PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVE SWARTZ
PHOTOGRAPHY BY HAYDEN SMITH
PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVE SWARTZ
EAA® Four Corners
From first-time visitors to seasoned attendees, new EAA members to Lifetime, and aviation enthusiasts and pilots, the EAA Four Corners has something for everyone!
EAA Youth Welcome Center
> Learn about youth activities on the AirVenture ® grounds
> Take your picture in a fighter jet cockpit and rivet your own keychain
> Explore EAA’s youth education opportunities
EAA Merchandise
> Pick up your favorite AirVenture souvenirs
> Commemorate EAA ® AirVenture ® Oshkosh™ 2024 with event apparel
EAA Member Center
> Join, renew, or become an EAA Lifetime member ™
> Explore EAA’s many member programs and benefits
> Get your photo taken at a photo op wall to commemorate your visit to Oshkosh
> Play a game of members-only Plane-ko
EAA Learn to Fly Center
> Enjoy daily “Learn to Fly” forums
> Take an introductory flight lesson on a Redbird flight simulator
> Apply for your student pilot certificate
> Ask our friendly volunteers all your “Learn to Fly” questions!
Meet Your Favorite Authors!
COME AND MEET the authors of your favorite aviation books! From 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., renowned aviation writers and notable personalities from the world of flight will be available in the EAA Wearhouse, located between the EAA Member Center and the FAA Aviation Safety Center.
9 a.m. — Lauren Dalzell Settles, Could I Be a Pilot? Evie’s Journey to Becoming a Pilot 9-11 a.m. — Jerry Burke, On the Grounds and Up!
10 a.m. — BJ Elliot Prior and Linda Lou Coombs Wiese, Behind My Wings
11 a.m. — Chris Henry, Final Mission: Personal Stories of the Lives Touched by EAA’s B-17 Aluminum Overcast Noon — Kent Smerdon, Flight Lines: Assorted Lies, Recollections and War Stories
1 p.m. — Mary Bush Shipko, Aviatrix, The Firsts: Women Pilots and How They Changed the Airlines, and Daring Mary: Aviation Pioneer
2 p.m. — Kenneth Katz, The Supersonic Bone: A Development and Operational History of the B-1 Bomber
3 p.m. — Eileen Bjorkman, Fly Girls Revolt
4 p.m. — Beverly Weintraub, Wings of Gold: The Story of the First Women Naval Aviators
5 p.m. — Judie Ohm, Turret Tales
Featuring a Continental C-85 engine, McCauley propeller, BendixKing communications transceiver and transponder, SureFly electronic ignition with a push-button starter system, an alternator and voltage regulator, and a useful load of 410 pounds.
Drawing will take place August 15, 2024 at the EAA Aviation Center – Oshkosh, WI. For complete rules, visit EAA.org/Sweepstakes
BLUE BARN
> 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
Today’s SCHEDULE
AVIATION GATEWAY PARK™
Precise Flight’s X3 Demand Boom Cannula is designed to provide easy access to oxygen without sacrificing comfort and performance.
Receive a free X3 Demand Boom Cannula when you purchase a X3 Oxygen Conserver.
Stop by the Cirrus Store on Celebration Way during EAA AirVenture for this exclusive deal.
For more than 50 years, Covington has remained true to the power of one. We are one family. Servicing engines from one manufacturer. With one guiding commitment: To build our company one relationship, and one engine, at a time. And, as the one and only family-owned Pratt & Whitney Canada factory-designated overhaul facility, no one knows the PT6A better. Call or visit us today. It would be our privilege to put the power of one to work for you.
SHARE
The SPIRIT of AVIATION
Give the Gift of EAA
Now is your chance to pass the aviation torch by gifting an EAA membership to someone you feel will help carry on the legacy of EAA founder Paul Poberezny.
To thank you for sharing this membership, you will receive the following recognition items for the corresponding number of Legacy Memberships gifted.
AROUND THE GROUNDS
PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVE SWARTZ
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CRAIG VANDER KOLK
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALEX MILLER
H H H H PLATINUM LEVEL SUPPORTERS H H H H
H H H H GOLD LEVEL SUPPORTERS H H H H
DeltaHawk Engines H Epic Aircraft H Honda Aircraft Company H Honeywell Aerospace Technologies H Lightspeed Aviation
Lycoming H Mars Wrigley H PenFed H Phillips 66 H Redbird Flight
H H H H SILVER LEVEL SUPPORTERS H H H H
Airbus H Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) H Aircraft Specialties Services H Cirrus Aircraft H Dynon
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University H Icom America H John Deere H Piper Aircraft, Inc. H Pratt & Whitney, an RTX Business H Wipaire
H H H H BRONZE LEVEL SUPPORTERS H H H H
AeroShell H Air Wisconsin Airlines H ASA (Aviation Supplies & Academics) H Aspen Avionics H Blackhawk Aerospace H Bose Aviation
Cleveland Wheels & Brakes by KAMAN H Co-Pilot Goose H Continental Aerospace Technologies H Covington Aircraft H Crewchief Systems
Delta Air Lines H Electroair Acquisition Corporation H GE Aerospace H Green Bay Austin Straubel Int. Airport
Gulf Coast Avionics / Pacific Coast Avionics H Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation H Hangar 22 Coffee H Hartzell Engine Tech H Hartzell Propeller
Horizon Hobby H Jani-King H JP Instruments H Lincoln Electric H magniX H McFarlane Aviation Products H NATCA H Pepsi
Piedmont Airlines H Pilatus Business Aircraft Ltd H Poly Fiber, Inc H PowerLift Hydraulic Doors H Red Box Tools and Foam / Priceless Tugs
Rotax iService and Training Centres H Siemens Digital Industry Software H SiriusXM Aviation H Skyryse H Southwest Airlines H Superflite
Superior Air Parts, Inc. H SureFly Electronic Ignition H Tecnam H Tempest Aero Group H True Blue Power H uAvionix H United Airlines
Van’s Aircraft H WACO Aircraft Corporation / Junkers Aircraft H Williams International Wing Aviation
Women in Aviation International (WAI) H Zenith Aircraft
H H H H COPPER LEVEL SUPPORTERS H H H H
American Airlines H B & C Specialty Products Inc. H CAE H DATC H Flight Outfitters H Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company H Oshkosh AeroTech
SOFTIE PARACHUTES by Para-Phernalia, Inc. H Starr Aviation H U.S. Air Force H UND Aerospace H VOLARE HANGARS AT PEGASUS
H H H H PATRON LEVEL SUPPORTERS H H H H
4imprint H Arena Americas H David Clark Company H Endeavor Air H EnerSys® H FliteTest H General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) GES H Honda Power Equipment H JSfirm.com H MATCO ALS H Ninety-Nines, Inc (The) H Pilotsmith H Scheme Designers, Inc H Target Oshkosh
Walkabout Hats H WILCO H Wisconsin Imaging, LLC H X-Plane
Young Eagles
the Next Generation Inspire
Flying Young Eagles® is more than just providing free flights for youths; it’s about sharing your passion for flight and igniting dreams. Stop by the EAA Blue Barn and learn about becoming a volunteer Young Eagles pilot!
Next steps also available at EAA.org/YEPilots
PHOTOGRAPHY BY HAYDEN SMITH
PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVE SWARTZ
PHOTOGRAPHY BY TOM CROCKETT
PHOTOGRAPHY BY BERNIE KOSZEWA
PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVE SWARTZ
ACROSS:
3. Builders of the Pusher, Jenny, Warhawk, and Commando.
7. Current pilots join combat veterans here to share stories. (Three words)
8. The bent-wing bird.
DOWN:
TUESDAY, JULY 23, 2024
4. The medium bomber named for a giant of airpower.
5. The Commonwealth called it Harvard, but here at home it was a _____.
MONDAY 7/22 ANSWERS
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TRY YOUR HAND at these trivia questions and find out. The answers, along with a new question, will be in tomorrow’s paper.
First flying in 1947, this quirky little airplane was designed for liaison purposes but was produced in very small numbers and never entered full-scale production. In 2017, the only known flying example visited AirVenture. Can you name the airplane? How well do you know
Aircraft Insurance 101: What You Need to Know Before You Fly
Cher Clare, AssuredPartners Aerospace
3:00PM - 3:45PM
Primacy in Training for Management of Emergency Situations
Jason Blair, Aviation Author 4:00PM - 4:45PM
Aviation Weather Q&A Panel
Dr. Ian Johnson and Gary Pokodner of FAA Weather Technology in the Cockpit; Danny Sims and Tammy Flowe of FAA Weather Research Program; and Nicole Stevens NOAA/NWS/AWC Science & Technology Infusion Meteorologist
TAKE FLIGHT
aboard one of EAA’s unique Flight Experiences
B-25 Berlin Express
$475 per EAA member
$495 per nonmember
B-25 Operations are located at the southeast corner of Warbird Alley
Bell 47 Helicopter
$65 per person
Helicopter Operations are located at Pioneer Airport behind the EAA Aviation Museum®
OSHKOSH MOMENTS
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 #OSH24 to possibly be featured in a future issue of AirVenture Today!
@Rbheap
3 1/2 days in heaven! Anyone else up here?
The girls are back in town
@thetheobaudry
Oshkosh- we made it to the pilot version of Mecca… That red square was slapped SO HARD ifyky #OSH24
We
@aubreysatlas
Let the fun begin! #oshkosh #osh #oshkoshbgosh #osh24
@Ohiodpe
A break from checkrides this week while at @eaa Oshkosh AirVenture. The best week in aviation. See you there?
@lexie_leigh_
made it to Osh Kosh
@bailey_cust
An Experiment in Optimal Learning
Pilot Proficiency Center (PPC)
Join us in improving the ability of flight instructors and aviation educators to deliver training more effectively. Engage in hands-on activities, flight simulation and connect with passionate pilots and instructors in a dynamic atmosphere that fosters discussion and a flow of ideas.
Today’s Workshops
Tuesday, July 23 @ 0800 - 1200 & 1300 - 1700
Mindset Matters Tammy Barlette
Delve into the profound impact of your thoughts on flying performance and gain valuable insights to elevate your aviation experience.
The Sweat Factor
Pete Reddan
Tomorrow’s Workshops
What is tabletop scenario-based training and how can that help us become more proficient as pilots?
Wednesday, July 24 @ 0800 - 1200 & 1300 - 1700
Where’d Those Transferable Skills Go? Adriana Barragan
Many of the skills required to master different aircraft are not only readily transferable but invaluable to your everyday flying. Explore how to best use these transferable skills to make us better pilots and instructors
Don’t Let Your Enthusiasm Exceed Your Energy
Rob Dumovic
In our workshop we’ll be using energy management concepts in all phases of flight to improve decision making with a focus on emergencies in all phases of flight.
