What is Oshkosh?

Lowflynjack

Lowflynjack

Final Approach
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Jack Fleetwood
I thought I'd start a thread where we can share what Oshkosh means to us. I met a guy the other day who just got into flying and he heard me talking about Oshkosh. "What is Oshkosh?" How would you answer that? Largest airshow in the US? A place where we see old friends once a year? (I see more people from Texas than I do living in Texas!) Drink a Spotted Cow? Where else are you going to camp under the stars, watch an airshow, eat carnival food, see aviation celebrities, see unique airplanes you won't see anywhere else?

Here are a few photos of what I love. Share you pics and/or your stories. What makes you keep going back?

I turned 50 a couple of years ago and came back to my campsite to find my friends had been there. This is after the tombstones had been moved!
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I heard people say the same thing as Martin says about "starting as and airshow, then its about the people" and for the first few years I attended I didn't understand. Now I do, and Martin and all those other people are right. When people ask me I usually say Oshkosh is the largest aviation event in the world and a chance to see a bunch of friends and hang out for a week. I usually follow that up with explaining that words don't do it justice, you just need to go.
 
I was just telling this story over the weekend to give a non-aviation friend an idea of the size of the event:

I was at IHOP one year and could hear someone talking in the booth behind me (later confirmed it was Paul Dye). He was mentioning that a former NASA astronaut was not going to be available for some panel later that day. Paul wasn't too worried because he just reached out to the other 4 or 5 former astronauts who were already camping there to find a replacement.
 
Friends, family, friends that are family, new friends that will become family.... memories being made and of course - airplanes.

To me it's also a reminder that we live in an amazing place. You can say a lot about the USA, but it's still the only place in the world that could host something like Airventure.

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Oshkosh is about seeing cool planes, learning more about flying (safety, techniques, tools, etc.), seeing aviation personalities, contributing as a volunteer, enjoying Mid-west cuisine, being outside in the beautiful Wisconsin weather, and especially talking with and meeting other people and pilots. It's all about people...as awesome as the planes are, the people are awesomer.
 
An experience you’ll never forget.
 
The largest density of flying machines and related stuffs in the world for 1 week a year.
 
It's Aviation's Mecca. I'll echo what others posted and it's absolutely true. You start off coming for the airshow and in my case I was building during my first visits so it was the best opportunity to do shopping be it parts, engines, or headsets. Then it morphs into something bigger and it becomes part of your lifestyle. For us now it's all about seeing friends from all over the country and meeting new ones. These days it's also about giving back to this community so we spend little bit of time with the other 5000+ volunteers that are necessary to run the event each year.
 
I've only been 7 times. 5 times in a plane, and twice in a car. I'm hoping to fly back again this year, but summer storms are getting more frequent and more violent, so I'll stay flexible based on weather and forest fire conditions between the Seattle Area and KOSH. All of the aviation stuff is great, but it does wear me out trying to see everything. So, what is Oshkosh AirVenture? It is exhausting! This picture I took of another couple at AirVenture in 2022 sums up the event pretty well for me. That lady isn't staring incredulously at an aerobatic routine, she is sawing logs along with her bench mate.
 

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Flocker said:
SOS Tent, Veteran's parade, Night Airshow.
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I've never seen the Veteran's parade; just read about it. I usually feel like I'm asking people to thank me for my service when attending those types of events. What's the vibe?
 
Oshkosh is heaven. Seriously, I hope that's where I go when I die. It's a place where you can live and breathe aviation 24/7, everyone is there and there's something for everyone there.

I think my departed friend Brad "Launchpad" Marzari captured it quite well:

I have figured out Airventure.​
It is Brigadoon.​
A city that rises out of the mist once a year.​
No one ages, everyone is happy.​
You can eat, sing, fall in love...​
But you step out of the gate and turn around, and it is gone.​
Only an empty field where this mythical place once stood.​
Until next year, where it will magically appear again.​
-- Brad "Launchpad" Marzari​

And I'm reminded of what I posted on Facebook a few years ago on the night before the show started:

Oshkosh is a special place. I’ve been here for all of two hours, I’m sitting at my campsite with friends from four continents (we need Glen Towler to come over and make it five!) and I’ve already laughed so hard I cried. Twice.​

Literally the entire world comes together over our shared love of aviation in a small Midwest town and it is magical. Dave Higdon said it best: Oshkosh is filled with old friends, new friends, and friends you just haven't met yet. Everyone knows that it's the busiest airport in the world that week, but it also becomes the third-largest city in Wisconsin... And yet, the grounds are clean, everyone is happy (except maybe some exhausted kids!), none of the BS of the real world seems to intrude.

Sam D said:
I was just telling this story over the weekend to give a non-aviation friend an idea of the size of the event:
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I've flown a lot of people in for their first time and the reaction is nearly universal: "I knew it was big, but HOLY ****!!!" The whole show is measured in square miles. It's almost hard to comprehend... And even after you've been there you don't know how big it is, because there's no way you'll see everything even if you're there the whole week.

Sam D said:
I was at IHOP one year and could hear someone talking in the booth behind me (later confirmed it was Paul Dye). He was mentioning that a former NASA astronaut was not going to be available for some panel later that day. Paul wasn't too worried because he just reached out to the other 4 or 5 former astronauts who were already camping there to find a replacement.
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You're understating it... He likely said he reached out to 4 or 5, but I'm sure they have more there. There've even been at least 3 Apollo astronauts there together.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
THIS!!!!
It's the best family reunion ever.
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Well that would explain the drunk people falling into and ****ing on tents and being general *******s.

I don't get the draw.

"There's all these cool planes there."
There's no planes there I'll get chance to fly. I don't go car shopping just to look. I don't go to strip clubs for the same reason. Why would I go to look at 853 Skyhawks with tents under the wing, or even if there is something like a Starship, ViperJet, or P38, what do I do, go look at it, "ohh" and "ahh", and then go back to my campsite for 30 second of privacy and lube because I saw one up close?

"Vendors and Swag!"
Not buying anything for the plane. Nothing it needs except maybe an A/P which isn't going to be purchased at OSH. For those of you that have met me at fly-ins, other than the hat @Lawreston (RIP) got custom made for me, the "Trust Me I'm A Pilot" shirt my wife got me, or a Lifeline Pilots 1/4zip, what aviation dorkwear have you seen me sporting?

"There's a kick-ass airshow!"
Yawn. Again, unless I'm flying in it, I don't get the appeal. I got to fly aerobatics once. Awesome, would do again! Watching it? Nah. Way more fun than watching some dot get bigger and smaller and maybe kick out some smoke. Now, if I get to ride tandem in the airshow, **** yeah. But I'm not.

"It's a huge ass gathering of like-minded people!"
Yeah, and no matter the group you put together, the more you gather, the more oblivious they become of people around them, and the dumber the herd becomes. I'm trying to get from point A to point B and I have to try to weave through a hundred thousand people that are dawdling, oblivious (or just don't care) that someone is trying to get somewhere without taking 74 hours to do so, or just walking 12 wide blocking the way. Not to mention everything else that goes on with crowds. (See first part of post)

So, what exactly am I missing?
 
Lowflynjack said:
I thought I'd start a thread where we can share what Oshkosh means to us. I met a guy the other day who just got into flying and he heard me talking about Oshkosh. "What is Oshkosh?" How would you answer that? Largest airshow in the US? A place where we see old friends once a year? (I see more people from Texas than I do living in Texas!) Drink a Spotted Cow? Where else are you going to camp under the stars, watch an airshow, eat carnival food, see aviation celebrities, see unique airplanes you won't see anywhere else?

Here are a few photos of what I love. Share you pics and/or your stories. What makes you keep going back?

I turned 50 a couple of years ago and came back to my campsite to find my friends had been there. This is after the tombstones had been moved!
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For those new to Oshkosh and reading this, let me offer a different perspective. For extroverts, Oshkosh is about meeting new people, reconnecting with old friends, swapping stories around a campfire, and soaking in the social buzz. For introverts, it’s a quieter kind of joy - wandering through exhibits, attending workshops, or simply sitting in a lawn chair, watching the steady rhythm of airplanes landing. There’s something here for every personality type, so don’t feel discouraged if your only conversation is with the hot dog vendor, or if you’re not part of an inner circle and no one knows your name. As someone who leans more toward the introverted side, I’ve found my experience at Oshkosh to be just as meaningful, even if it looks quite different from the versions often described here.
 
EdFred said:
Well that would explain the drunk people falling into and ****ing on tents and being general *******s.

I don't get the draw.

"There's all these cool planes there."
There's no planes there I'll get chance to fly. I don't go car shopping just to look. I don't go to strip clubs for the same reason. Why would I go to look at 853 Skyhawks with tents under the wing, or even if there is something like a Starship, ViperJet, or P38, what do I do, go look at it, "ohh" and "ahh", and then go back to my campsite for 30 second of privacy and lube because I saw one up close?

"Vendors and Swag!"
Not buying anything for the plane. Nothing it needs except maybe an A/P which isn't going to be purchased at OSH. For those of you that have met me at fly-ins, other than the hat @Lawreston (RIP) got custom made for me, the "Trust Me I'm A Pilot" shirt my wife got me, or a Lifeline Pilots 1/4zip, what aviation dorkwear have you seen me sporting?

"There's a kick-ass airshow!"
Yawn. Again, unless I'm flying in it, I don't get the appeal. I got to fly aerobatics once. Awesome, would do again! Watching it? Nah. Way more fun than watching some dot get bigger and smaller and maybe kick out some smoke. Now, if I get to ride tandem in the airshow, **** yeah. But I'm not.

"It's a huge ass gathering of like-minded people!"
Yeah, and no matter the group you put together, the more you gather, the more oblivious they become of people around them, and the dumber the herd becomes. I'm trying to get from point A to point B and I have to try to weave through a hundred thousand people that are dawdling, oblivious (or just don't care) that someone is trying to get somewhere without taking 74 hours to do so, or just walking 12 wide blocking the way. Not to mention everything else that goes on with crowds. (See first part of post)

So, what exactly am I missing?
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You could’a just said “at osh there’s a hell of a lot more people who’d make fun of my pink plane”
 
EdFred said:
Well that would explain the drunk people falling into and ****ing on tents and being general *******s.

I don't get the draw.

"There's all these cool planes there."
There's no planes there I'll get chance to fly. I don't go car shopping just to look. I don't go to strip clubs for the same reason. Why would I go to look at 853 Skyhawks with tents under the wing, or even if there is something like a Starship, ViperJet, or P38, what do I do, go look at it, "ohh" and "ahh", and then go back to my campsite for 30 second of privacy and lube because I saw one up close?

"Vendors and Swag!"
Not buying anything for the plane. Nothing it needs except maybe an A/P which isn't going to be purchased at OSH. For those of you that have met me at fly-ins, other than the hat @Lawreston (RIP) got custom made for me, the "Trust Me I'm A Pilot" shirt my wife got me, or a Lifeline Pilots 1/4zip, what aviation dorkwear have you seen me sporting?

"There's a kick-ass airshow!"
Yawn. Again, unless I'm flying in it, I don't get the appeal. I got to fly aerobatics once. Awesome, would do again! Watching it? Nah. Way more fun than watching some dot get bigger and smaller and maybe kick out some smoke. Now, if I get to ride tandem in the airshow, **** yeah. But I'm not.

"It's a huge ass gathering of like-minded people!"
Yeah, and no matter the group you put together, the more you gather, the more oblivious they become of people around them, and the dumber the herd becomes. I'm trying to get from point A to point B and I have to try to weave through a hundred thousand people that are dawdling, oblivious (or just don't care) that someone is trying to get somewhere without taking 74 hours to do so, or just walking 12 wide blocking the way. Not to mention everything else that goes on with crowds. (See first part of post)

So, what exactly am I missing?
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I can agree with a lot of this. I don't watch the airshows except for the night shows. (my girlfriend does!) I don't like the military jets blasting my eardrums. (my girlfriend does!) I don't visit the vendors unless I want to get out of the sun for awhile. (my girlfriend does!) I've never had any issues with drunks. (neither has my girlfriend!) Yeah, sometimes when I'm trying to get to sleep, I can hear some parties going on, but it's never been an issue.

All in all, it sounds like you're not missing anything. To me, it's aviation church. I go there to reset my soul and while I don't enjoy everything, it makes me happy. I work the whole time I'm there, but I enjoy that work. Why wouldn't you go? Storms, it's hot, crowds, noisy, bad food... I can't wait!
 
EdFred said:
Well that would explain the drunk people falling into and ****ing on tents and being general *******s.

I don't get the draw.

"There's all these cool planes there."
There's no planes there I'll get chance to fly. I don't go car shopping just to look. I don't go to strip clubs for the same reason. Why would I go to look at 853 Skyhawks with tents under the wing, or even if there is something like a Starship, ViperJet, or P38, what do I do, go look at it, "ohh" and "ahh", and then go back to my campsite for 30 second of privacy and lube because I saw one up close?

"Vendors and Swag!"
Not buying anything for the plane. Nothing it needs except maybe an A/P which isn't going to be purchased at OSH. For those of you that have met me at fly-ins, other than the hat @Lawreston (RIP) got custom made for me, the "Trust Me I'm A Pilot" shirt my wife got me, or a Lifeline Pilots 1/4zip, what aviation dorkwear have you seen me sporting?

"There's a kick-ass airshow!"
Yawn. Again, unless I'm flying in it, I don't get the appeal. I got to fly aerobatics once. Awesome, would do again! Watching it? Nah. Way more fun than watching some dot get bigger and smaller and maybe kick out some smoke. Now, if I get to ride tandem in the airshow, **** yeah. But I'm not.

"It's a huge ass gathering of like-minded people!"
Yeah, and no matter the group you put together, the more you gather, the more oblivious they become of people around them, and the dumber the herd becomes. I'm trying to get from point A to point B and I have to try to weave through a hundred thousand people that are dawdling, oblivious (or just don't care) that someone is trying to get somewhere without taking 74 hours to do so, or just walking 12 wide blocking the way. Not to mention everything else that goes on with crowds. (See first part of post)

So, what exactly am I missing?
Click to expand...
 
I watched the airshows for years, but it's kind of all the same these days. I either nap or take a shower then.
 
EdFred said:
Well that would explain the drunk people falling into and ****ing on tents and being general *******s.

I don't get the draw.

"There's all these cool planes there."
There's no planes there I'll get chance to fly. I don't go car shopping just to look. I don't go to strip clubs for the same reason. Why would I go to look at 853 Skyhawks with tents under the wing, or even if there is something like a Starship, ViperJet, or P38, what do I do, go look at it, "ohh" and "ahh", and then go back to my campsite for 30 second of privacy and lube because I saw one up close?

"Vendors and Swag!"
Not buying anything for the plane. Nothing it needs except maybe an A/P which isn't going to be purchased at OSH. For those of you that have met me at fly-ins, other than the hat @Lawreston (RIP) got custom made for me, the "Trust Me I'm A Pilot" shirt my wife got me, or a Lifeline Pilots 1/4zip, what aviation dorkwear have you seen me sporting?

"There's a kick-ass airshow!"
Yawn. Again, unless I'm flying in it, I don't get the appeal. I got to fly aerobatics once. Awesome, would do again! Watching it? Nah. Way more fun than watching some dot get bigger and smaller and maybe kick out some smoke. Now, if I get to ride tandem in the airshow, **** yeah. But I'm not.

"It's a huge ass gathering of like-minded people!"
Yeah, and no matter the group you put together, the more you gather, the more oblivious they become of people around them, and the dumber the herd becomes. I'm trying to get from point A to point B and I have to try to weave through a hundred thousand people that are dawdling, oblivious (or just don't care) that someone is trying to get somewhere without taking 74 hours to do so, or just walking 12 wide blocking the way. Not to mention everything else that goes on with crowds. (See first part of post)

So, what exactly am I missing?
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You forgot the Bah Humbug at the end.

For you, doesn't seem like you are missing anything. From that post it doesn't seem like you enjoy.... well anything with aviation - so I'd give it a skip.
 
I've gotta plug the Fellowship of the Wing service every morning at 7-8 am at the Fergus Chapel. Run by EAA Chaplain Cam Martin, it is a church service celebrating the intersection of faith and flight. We sing, there's a brief passage from psalms, a speaker, then prayer for the safety of all the participants at Oshkosh, especially the airshow performers. Cam's article from a few years back describes it better than I can. It really helps start my day engergized and optimistic. https://www.eaa.org/eaa/support-eaa...-chapel-eaas-intersection-of-faith-and-flight
 
sarangan said:
For those new to Oshkosh and reading this, let me offer a different perspective. For extroverts, Oshkosh is about meeting new people, reconnecting with old friends, swapping stories around a campfire, and soaking in the social buzz. For introverts, it’s a quieter kind of joy - wandering through exhibits, attending workshops, or simply sitting in a lawn chair, watching the steady rhythm of airplanes landing. There’s something here for every personality type, so don’t feel discouraged if your only conversation is with the hot dog vendor, or if you’re not part of an inner circle and no one knows your name. As someone who leans more toward the introverted side, I’ve found my experience at Oshkosh to be just as meaningful, even if it looks quite different from the versions often described here.
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I'm an introvert.

Seriously. Those of you here who know me would likely disagree... But I'm comfortable around pilots, and I find it easy to make friends with pilots in a way that I don't anywhere else in the world. "So what do you fly?" always starts a conversation that never ends.

So, Oshkosh is my happy place because I know I can find people there to get along with, and I've made friends from at least five continents there.
 
For someone who has never been, just become an airplane owner last year.. where do I start? Its going to be a next year thing for me but very interested
 
Nikhiln25 said:
For someone who has never been, just become an airplane owner last year.. where do I start? Its going to be a next year thing for me but very interested
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There are four hangars and tons of outside areas with exhibitors who will sell you things that make your plane better. ;)

I always make at least one swing through each hangar just to see what's new and what everyone's hawking. Other than that, it's whatever you happen to be interested in. There may be type club meetings for owners of whatever you own, there's plenty of forums on how to be a better owner/pilot/builder, the show can really be whatever you want to make it.
 
Nikhiln25 said:
For someone who has never been, just become an airplane owner last year.. where do I start? Its going to be a next year thing for me but very interested
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Start by spending money this year to secure 2026 housing, buy a weekly 2026 air venture pass as soon as you can, and go from there.
 
EvilEagle said:
I've never seen the Veteran's parade; just read about it. I usually feel like I'm asking people to thank me for my service when attending those types of events. What's the vibe?
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We've participated in it a couple of times. Basically, it's just a walk from Warbirds to Show Center in front of the show line by all the assembled Vets grouped by Service. The crowd has always seemed appreciative but it's really not my thing so don't do it anymore. We've been to the breakfast a few times and we always stop by the tent in Warbirds to get our EAA Vet hats.
 
mcdewey said:
I've gotta plug the Fellowship of the Wing service every morning at 7-8 am at the Fergus Chapel. Run by EAA Chaplain Cam Martin, it is a church service celebrating the intersection of faith and flight. We sing, there's a brief passage from psalms, a speaker, then prayer for the safety of all the participants at Oshkosh, especially the airshow performers. Cam's article from a few years back describes it better than I can. It really helps start my day engergized and optimistic. https://www.eaa.org/eaa/support-eaa...-chapel-eaas-intersection-of-faith-and-flight
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Cam is an amazing guy. When we had the rotorcraft midair in our area and had to deal with traumatized spectators and volunteers, he was the first I called. He gave me quite good advice for helping people.

Snappy dresser, too (Cam on left, Me on right)

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WDD said:
Start by spending money this year to secure 2026 housing, buy a weekly 2026 air venture pass as soon as you can, and go from there.
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If you insist on staying in a hotel, go ahead, but camping, the dorms, and private houses are available without spending a whole lot (or a whole lot of lead time).

Even when I had to buy wristbands, I never bought them in advance. If you're camping, they'll gladly sell you the wristbands at the same time you buy your camping credentials. The line for picking up the preordered one often isn't any better than the "cash" line.
 
flyingron said:
If you insist on staying in a hotel, go ahead, but camping, the dorms, and private houses are available without spending a whole lot (or a whole lot of lead time).

Even when I had to buy wristbands, I never bought them in advance. If you're camping, they'll gladly sell you the wristbands at the same time you buy your camping credentials. The line for picking up the preordered one often isn't any better than the "cash" line.
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As a first timer this year, I was sharing what I did to get off the fence and start the process. I signed up / spent money for a dorm room many months ago, as well as the EAA membership, weekly pass, and three days of the air conditioned hospitality tent. (Hint - if you want a UW Oshkosh dorm room sign up in Nov/Dec ? as soon as they open registration, as they will go fast).

1) The housing is time critical, and 2) spending money, I'm fully committed as well as making it "real". A little more motivated to ask lots of questions throughout the year to plan for this, get the FISKE arrival NOTAM and study it, etc.
Did I mention committing money to this? Yeah, I'm not anything but all in after that. :biggrin:
 
I stayed in the non-airconditioned dorm the first year (Todd Huvard had a spare room for me). After that, I've camped (twice in the North 40 with a rental Skyhawk, once in Scholler with my EAA chapter when my plane was in the shop) and the rest in Vintage. You'll find me in the mess of green Cabela Arctic Guide tents in the woods behind the hangar cafe.
 
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