EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2018. Photo by Jim Koepnick
EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2018 is in the books, and the numbers it produced were huge, more than 600,000 attendees, 10,000-plus airplanes, including some spectacular first-timers, hundreds of educational forums and seminars, and so much more it's almost beyond accounting.
Stars Of The Show:
The Weather: While in the week leading up to OSH everyone was expecting a good weather week, it far surpassed expectations. It got off to a shaky start, though, and low ceilings and widespread storms and IFR conditions across much of the north and east of the country kept the skies around Wittman Regional quiet for the first part of the day before the show, Sunday. This has become an unofficial press day, with numerous media events and company celebrations, including Cirrus' annual gala, which this year featured the company showing off its newly won Collier Trophy for the Cirrus SF-50 Vision Jet. But the remainder of the week was glorious, with the exception of late Wednesday, which washed out the night airshow, which was moved to Thursday and was nothing short of a tour de force.
But by Sunday afternoon, the skies had started to clear, and by Monday the parking areas had filled up in anticipation of what would turn out to be an amazing week.
That's All Brother: The unveiling of the C-47 (military version of the Douglas DC-3), That's All Brother, which led the D-Day invasion, was historic. The Commemorative Air Force's Basler-led restoration of the formerly decrepit Gooney Bird was spectacular, and the ceremony honoring it on Wednesday was tear-filled. Watch "Band of Brothers" and "Saving Private Ryan" again, and you'll get the significance.
One-Day Wonder: EAA had a special tent at the center of the show where hordes of volunteers got together to build a Van's RV-12 in one week. The plane successfully flew on Monday evening.
100 Years Of The Royal Air Force: AirVenture honored the history of the RAF all week long, with flyovers and special appearances by a host of British planes from WWI to present day.
Electrics: At the EAA Innovation Center, showgoers took in the latest innovations in aircraft tech, including the Black Fly, a plane-copter ultralight hybrid that captured the imagination of thousands.
WomenVenture: Around 1,200 women showed up for the annual photo at Boeing Plaza of women in all walks of aviation. The photo this year was taken in front of a UPS MD-11 flown into OSH by an all-female crew.
EAA Pilot Proficiency Center: The center, hosted by EAA and sponsored by Redbird, AOPA, Jeppesen, Hartzell, Plane & Pilot and many others, was another huge success, with thousands of pilots getting a chance to get sharper and go home with new ways to stay sharp.
Twilight Flying: The late afternoon/early-evening activities at OSH were a blast, with Mark Patey's heavily modified turbine-powered Wilga called Draco showing off its mind-bending short-field capabilities in the STOL contest. It's kind of unfair. Those little piston-powered planes don't have a reverse gear!
We, of course, have left out so much of note, so we apologize for those oversights in advance. But with a show as vast as AirVenture and with a community as passionate as in personal aviation and one that's so diverse in its passions, it's only to be expected that the ultimate showcase for aviation would have too much for any one person or any one recap to successfully cover.
So until next year, we leave you with the award-winning aviation photographer Jim Koepnick's exclusive gallery for Plane & Pilot of the sights of Oshkosh AirVenture 2018. Enjoy.
A long lens and the magic of foreshortening make the busy airplane camping section appear even more packed than it was, which was plenty. Photo by Jim Koepnick
A Boeing C-17 arriving late in the day and headed for parking at Boeing Plaza. Photo by Jim Koepnick
Colomban Cri-Cri was at the show, brought there strapped to the roof of the owner's car. Photo by Jim Koepnick
The B-29 Doc is immaculately restored, as we can see in this shot of Boeing Plaza reflected in the skin of the vintage Boeing B-29. Photo by Jim Koepnick
A pretty Lancair IV owned by Oscar Imbert in tight formation over Oshkosh early in the week. Photo by Jim Koepnick
Ripples in time reflected in the skin of a North American P-51 Mustang. Photo by Jim Koepnick
A long exposure captures the scene in a way that the unaided human eye would never be able to see. Photo by Jim Koepnick
The two-night airshows were big hits. They always feature fireworks galore, but this year there was a new twist, a highly choreographed drone display. How they get these little polycopters to make such intricate patterns without running into each other is a mystery to those of us who practice see and avoid. Photo by Jim Koepnick
Thousands gathered at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2018 to welcome home Vietnam War veterans from the Old Glory Honor Flight from Washington, D.C. This was the ninth annual Yellow Ribbon Honor Flight for veterans to leave AirVenture for the day trip to Washington, D.C. (and 46th overall flight the non-profit group has made). Photo by Jim Koepnick
In an inverted formation with the Phillips 66 Aerostar Extra aircraft as they practice north of Oshkosh. Photo by Jim Koepnick
Low IFR prevented airplanes from showing up until the Sunday afternoon before the show, but once they started flying in, there were gaggles of GA birds, many of them parked at the "North 40" airplane camping area, where for very little dough you and yours can sleep under the stars next to the plane. Photo by Jim Koepnick
Frontline fighters were all over OSH this year. Here, an F22 Raptor shows off its afterburner. Is it possible to ever get tired of seeing these modern miracles fly? We think not. Photo by Jim Koepnick
Reenacting World War II life at OSH has become a big deal. Over by the warbird parking area on the north side of the field, there are dozens of authentic canvas tents where the soldiers-for-a-week live life in the character of the heroes of WWII. Photo by Jim Koepnick
Van's Aircraft founder and president Richard VanGrunsven watching the One-Week-Wonder RV-12 go together. Photo by Jim Koepnick
There's something magical about the sound of the B-29 roaring by overhead, and when it's a Superfortress like Doc, a masterpiece of a restoration, it's even more special. Photo by Jim Koepnick
One of the highlights of the show was the unveiling of That's All Brother, the C-47 that led the charge into France on D-Day, dropping the first paratroopers. The incredible restoration was a multi-year effort spearheaded by the Central Texas Wing of the Commemorative Air Force with much of the work being done by Basler Turbo Conversions. The big C-47 made its return to the air on Wednesday. Photo by Jim Koepnick
Lorraine Van Kampen of the Old Glory Honor Flight pushes Vietnam veteran Ron Bellin past well-wishers after returning from visiting the Vietnam Veterans wall in Washington, D.C. Photo by Jim Koepnick
WomenVenture was a huge hit, and on Wednesday more than 1,200 women posed together in Boeing Plaza for the annual group photo. Flying into OSH was a UPS 757 piloted by an all-female crew. Photo by Jim Koepnick
A rare bird at OSH this year, an Aeronca L-model. The low-wing, round-engine two-seater got built for just a few years in the mid-30s. Photo by Jim Koepnick
Contemporary Aircraft parking is right off the main north-south thoroughfare through OSH. If you get an edge spot, better bring your "A" game because you will get questions. Photo by Jim Koepnick
Not one but two Grumman F7F Tiger Cats were at OSH. This rare bird was a too-late-to-the-war night fighter was a valuable asset after the war and during the Korean conflict as well. There are fewer than 10 airworthy examples remaining. Photo by Jim Koepnick
No matter the size or description of the plane, the folks in the tower at OSH once again did a bang-up job of directing too many planes into too little airspace. Great job, controllers! Photo by Jim Koepnick
See more photos from EAA AirVenture Oshkosh at the links below!
