Tomorrow is the final day of this year's Experimental Aircraft Association AirVemture, a spectacular aviation gathering that most enthusiasts know simply by its location, "Oshkosh." What started almost seventy years ago as a small "fly-in" now attracts 7000 or more general aviation pilots - along with families and friends - who fly to Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh. Many of them come year after year to renew friendships and enjoy 2500 aircraft exhibits, 800 commercial exhibitors, daily world-class airshows, and mingle with over 600,000 other folks who love flying.
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| Wittman Field during AirVenture. For scale the runway at the top is 8000 feet long. |
I had the privilege of staffing the Federal Pavilion at five AirVentures beginning in 1999. Some may interpret that as overkill, but I left each one thrilled at the thought of returning for the next event. And you may ask why the National Park Service and the Department of the Interior would send up to a dozen employees and volunteers to work an airplane show. First, the agency has around forty out of 419 units with a significant link to an aviation theme. In addition, the Service maintains a fleet of fixed and rotary wing aircraft contributing over 20,000 hours of flight time annually in support of park operations, maintenance, and resource management. Add to that the interagency cooperation as well as airspace regulation over the parks and I think you can see the point. Regardless, it's a demanding and grand opportunity to distribute information and talk face-to-face with thousands of guests.
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