Wisconsin
While La Crosse waits until 2024 for another airshow, EAA fly-in happens all next week in Oshkosh
A year ago, La Crosse saw its first air show since 2014, highlighted by the F-35 and the Blue Angels. There won’t be another one for two more years.
In the meantime, however, over the next week, beginning Monday, a bit more than than an airshow — quite a bit — takes place in Oshkosh with the 69th annual EAA AirVenture fly-in at Wittman Regional Airport.
“You know, when you’ve got 600,000 of your closest friends and about 10,000 airplanes showing up to the Fox valley over here on the eastern side of the state, you gotta be ready for them and we’re gonna be ready for ’em Monday,” EAA communications director Dick Knapinski said Wednesday on La Crosse Talk PM (19:30 into podcast).
Nine air shows in seven days, including two night air shows on Wednesday and next Saturday. Like at the Deke Slayton Airfefst in La Crosse last summer, the trillion dollar F-35 will make its appearance, along with six other military demonstrations.
But the EAA fly-in is as much about what’s happening on the ground as it is in the air.
“Started as an association of people who built and restored their own airplanes and they had their first fly in event,” Knapinski said. “And that’s really the big difference.
“When you go to a local air show and there are wonderful air shows … but this is truly a convention. And the air show is just one little sliver of everything that goes on here — from 1,000 workshops and seminars to 800 exhibitors to more than 10,000 airplanes that come to the area, specifically to gather for this event.”
EAA AirVenture Fly-In
WHEN: July 25-31 (schedule here)
WHERE: Wittman Regional Airport, Oshkosh (map)
COST: Adults $54/day, 18-under free
Of course, the entire week is dedicated to what can fly, and Knapinski says a blend of old and new is one of best parts of the show. While the F-35 flew solo at La Crosse’s airshow last year, it could be sharing the sky in Oshkosh.
“Well in the air, one of my favorites are called the Heritage Flights,” he said. “We’ll take a jet like the F-35 — the brand new fighter jet that all parts of the US military are using — and we’ll match them up with World War II airplanes, and they’ll be flying formation going across. That’ll be part of the air show.”
On the ground, attendees will be able to walk through multiple aircraft.
“The Air Force bringing a C-17 transport airplane, that on the ground, you can enter that huge cargo airplane on one end, walk out the other end,” Knapinski said. “NASA is here talking about some of the new things coming up in space. Where’s space travel going in the future? You can find out at the NASA pavilion.”
The event opens each day at 7 a.m. through July 31. Everyone 18 and under is free, otherwise tickets are $54 a day — with Sunday’s show being $25.
Military participation
- U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey demo team (July 30-31)
- U.S. Air Force C-17 aerial demo (July 28, 30 and 31)
- U.S. Air Force U-2 profile (July 27)
- U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command (July 25)
- U.S. Air Force Heritage Flight with F-35 and vintage warbirds (July 26-28, 30-31)
- U.S. Navy Legacy Flight with E/A-18G Growler and/or F-35C plus vintage warbirds (July 27-31)
- U.S. Navy E-2D Hawkeye demo (July 29, 31)
Other aerial demonstrations
- Delta Airlines A330-900 (July 26)
- United Airlines Boeing 777 demo (July 26)
- Flight of the Grumman ‘Cats (July 27, 29)
- Van’s RV 50th anniversary formations (July 25)
- Airbus Perlan II and Grob Egrett (July 26)
- Ampaire Electric EEL and Lift Aviation Hexa (July 26)
