That is the mission of the Yellow Ribbon Honor Flight: healing.
These specific flights for Vietnam vets were started back in 2013 by Old Glory Honor Flight of Northeast Wisconsin.
WHILE YOU’RE READING this over your morning co ee or waiting for the air show to start, there are 100 Vietnam War veterans from Northeast Wisconsin in Washington, D.C., visiting the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and remembering brothers in service who did not return from the war. It’s painful. But also healing.
With support from EAA, the annual flight from EAA AirVenture Oshkosh takes the veterans to Washington, D.C., to visit the Vietnam Wall, Arlington National Cemetery, and The Price of Freedom exhibit at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.
PHOTOGRAPHY
STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY JIM KOEPNICK
PAGE 1 / HONOR FLIGHT
“We did it because we wanted to highlight a group of vets who deserved the recognition and to give them a welcome home, that they never had,” said Diane MacDonald, executive director of Old Glory Honor Flight. “We planned it to be a one-time only event, but witnessing the impact, we knew we had to see this special flight continue.”
The 2025 flight from AirVenture is the 11th annual Yellow Ribbon flight. Almost 11,000 veterans have made this special trip.
While the day in Washington is busy, things slow down a bit on the airplane ride back to Oshkosh. And during that flight home the veterans receive a special mail call — letters written by family and friends, as well as total strangers, who care about what the veterans have gone through and want to let them know how much they are appreciated. Sometimes there are tears. Sometimes just silence.
The special American Airlines flight lands back in Oshkosh just after the daily air show is completed. As the Airbus A321 pulls into the main plaza, a water salute is given by the fire trucks stationed in the area.
Everything is quiet for a few minutes. Those veterans needing wheelchairs make their way to the exit. It’s only after they turn and look to the west that they see the crowd of people welcoming them home. The sight actually takes your breath away because there are so many people.
While they didn’t get a welcome home back in the 1970s, these Vietnam veterans are getting a true welcome home by thousands of EAAers at AirVenture 2025.
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WARBIRDS
HONORING BUD ANDERSON
STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY
BY BARBARA A. SCHMITZ AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF
A GARDEN AND MUSEUM honoring World War II triple ace Brig. Gen. C.E. “Bud” Anderson came closer to reality during a dedication ceremony on Tuesday at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. Anderson died in May 2024 at the age of 102 and had been a frequent speaker at Warbirds in Review for decades.
“We made significant progress toward our goal of $1.8 million for the improvements to the Warbirds area that will pay tribute to all of our veterans and also serve our members while remembering our past,” said Warbirds of America Board Director Connie Bowlin. People can donate or learn more at the Warbirds of America museum. Every donation, no matter the size, is appreciated, she said, and donations are deposited directly into the restricted Anderson Designated Memorial Fund.
Bowlin said they knew the Warbirds buildings were in need of improvement for quite a while. “With the passing of Bud, the improvements were a fitting way to pay tribute to him and serve our members,” she said. “We know that this is what Bud would have wanted us to do and that he would be very pleased.”
By EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2026, the memorial garden will include a lifesized bronze statue of Anderson wearing his flight uniform, donated by Douglas Van Howd of Van Howd Studios in Auburn, California, Bowlin said. Other planned improvements for the garden include a memorial wall where members can purchase a plaque to honor a friend or loved one.
The museum, currently housed in the west end of the Warbirds merchandise area, includes snapshots of Warbirds members along with artwork and Anderson memorabilia. Anderson’s family is also committed to donating additional items from his estate for display.
Phase 2 of the plan calls for expanding the John Baugh Briefing Building to include meeting rooms with the ability to open partitions to increase the size of the briefing room. Phase 3 includes replacing Jowett Hall with the Ret. Brig. Gen. C.E. “Bud” Anderson operations building. The new building will feature a storage area for Warbirds support equipment and o ce space.
“With the funding we have received so far, it will allow us to move forward with plans for the new operations center,” Bowlin said. “Come back next year, and we will at least have the drawing done or may have already broken ground. With the support we have gotten so far, we can start moving forward.”
Funds not used for construction will be used for maintenance of the building for years to come, she said.
During the dedication ceremony, Bowlin thanked Kyle Guyette and others for their work and support. Theresa Eaman ended the ceremony singing “I’ll Be Seeing You,” a favorite song of Bud’s, who requested she sing it every time he was here.
Warbirds of America Director Connie Bowlin discussed the new garden and museum honoring Ret. Brig. Gen. C.E. “Bud” Anderson on Tuesday.
Theresa Eaman sang “I’ll Be Seeing You” to end the ceremony. The song was a favorite of Bud’s.
Jan Johnson looks at the exhibits in the new Warbirds of America Museum that honors Brig. Gen. C.E. “Bud” Anderson.
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From Twelve to Tradition
UPS original members reunite at AirVenture
BY ANGELA SATTERLEE AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF
TOM EWING, EAA 446994, was one of the original group of 12 people who first met in 1981 to start what would become UPS Airlines, now one of the largest cargo airlines in the world. Few others can understand exactly what this group went through and did on a daily basis, so to celebrate their hard work and longtime friendships, many of the original UPS members meet at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh and hold a small reunion.
Tom was surrounded by aviation history since birth by a family of military aviators so he has always been fascinated with the stories and legacy. He never knew any other way of living other than in the sky. In 1917, his grandfather was a stateside Curtiss Jenny instructor pilot during World War I at Kelly Field in
Texas. His aunt was one of the 80 Navy WAVE navigator instructors during WWII — the first U.S. military female air crew members — flying on Douglas R4Ds. His uncle was the commanding o cer of the 57th troop carrier squadron in the South Pacific in World War II and flew B-17s, C-47s, and C-46s. And his dad was a private pilot.
It was only a matter of time before Tom became a pilot himself. He earned his private pilot certificate at 17 and his commercial certificate at 18 with former national aerobatic champion Marion Cole as his instructor. He earned his ATP at 23 and was contracting with UPS from 1978 to 1980 flying high-value shipments here and there when their trucks broke down. Then when Brani International went bankrupt in 1981, UPS decided to buy nine of their Boeing 727s leading to Tom’s new career as a UPS Airlines pilot.
“It was a total shock to all of us,” he explained. “I had no idea that they were going to do this.” “[UPS] called me right after [the press release] came across and they said, ‘we’d like to bring you to Louisville, Kentucky’… that’s where all these airplanes are going to be based. So, I came up there in September.”
Only Tom and one other member were pilots. The rest were part of the infrastructure design team working on the facilities, so the crew had a hard journey ahead of them.
“There were 12 of us who met in 1981 in a vacant field on the south side of Louisville, Kentucky’s Stanford Field. There was no ramp, no infrastructure, no nothing. Only four borrowed o ces in an existing UPS building adjacent to the airport,” Tom said. “We started all the air operations for Louisville in 1981 and quickly built the infrastructure … which was a huge job. We were all just
Tom Ewing and his former UPS co-workers at a previous reunion at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF TOM EWING
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PAGE 6 / UPS REUNION
overwhelmed. None of us really knew what we were doing. We were just breaking ground as we started this whole thing. I think none of us felt like we were prepared for what we were in for…”
By 1988 UPS became the eighth largest airline in the world. Tom flew the 727 for the first several years, then transitioned to international routes, flying the McDonnell Douglas MD-11, putting in countless long flights and endless hours traveling the world delivering cargo.
“The longest international flight we did on the MD-11 was 16 and threequarters hours from Singapore to Louisville,” he said. “But every international flight I did was typically … 10 to 11-and-a-half hours.”
“Most everything I did was all oceanic. It was crossing the Pacific or the Atlantic going to Honolulu, Sydney, Hong Kong, Warsaw, Cologne, Germany, Dubai, all through the Middle East and Asia and Europe,” he said. “Now you have crossed probably eight or nine time zones, but you’ve also crossed the international dateline. So, you’re landing tomorrow and you’re also going from the Northern Hemisphere to the Southern Hemisphere. So, you’re going from winter to summer or summer to winter. Oftentimes, everything is just a blur when you’re doing that.”
After years of constant travel, sleep became an elusive luxury — one that could only be found in the sky.
“It got to the point where the only time that I could actually get any sleep was on the airplane,” he explained. On international flights over eight hours long, there is a third pilot to share duties and alternate rest periods. “When you’re
Tom loved the travel: from the international capitals to third-world countries, seeing their history, and learning their cultures. “Then you come back and you see people with preconceived notions of what people are like in di erent countries and di erent areas… and you just think if you only knew, if you only understood,” he said.
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cruising at 39,000 feet and the cabin altitude is five to 6,000 feet and the oxygen level is low, and you’ve got the white noise of the wind rushing against a fuselage, it’s easy to sleep.
“Once you’re on the ground and your circadian rhythm is so screwed up, you just can’t sleep anymore,” Tom said. “And that still carries through with me to this day. When you spend 30-plus years with… no circadian rhythm, you don’t get it back.” Even so, Tom said he wouldn’t
have traded this experience for anything. He said it was the best career anyone could ever imagined.
Tom retired in 2015 after 34 years of working with UPS Airlines. He now spends his free time volunteering as a B-25 pilot for EAA and attending AirVenture with the people who started the airline along with him, the people who know how UPS came to be and what massive e ort it took to be a part of starting the world-renowned airline.
One of the earliest Boeing 727 planes that Tom flew for UPS. PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF TOM EWING
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RISEN AIRCRAFT
Fast and efficient
BY ROBBIE CULVER AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF
THE PORTO AVIATION Group takes pride in “designing, developing and producing aircraft of excellence.” The Risen 912iS and the Risen SV 916 Super Veloce are examples of beautiful efficiency with clean lines and impressive performance. In describing the aircraft, the company’s website states: “The preliminary Risen project was first born in Alberto Porto’s mind in the spring of 1995; however, the times and market were not ready for this advanced aircraft. The project was consequently put on hold while the fluid dynamics firm Porto Ricerca increased its expertise in fluid dynamics consulting and high-level engineering.”
Fluid is a good word to describe the shape of the Risen Super Veloce. The design features a long, streamlined nose and canopy that tapers aft of the cockpit into a V-tail. The result is an aircraft that can fly as fast as 360 km/h (223.7 mph) at sea level. Cruise speed at 75-percent power at sea level is 335 km/h (208 mph) true airspeed (TAS) while burning 6.9 gallons per hour. Cruise speed at long range power at sea level is 210 km/h (130 mph) TAS while burning 2.3 gallons per hour.
When seen from the front, this fluid design clearly has ample cockpit room for
two. The maximum cabin width is 1.23 meters (4 feet).
In 2024, designer Alberto Porto and Andrea Venturini flew a Risen Super Veloce to Oshkosh from Voghera, Italy, via Stornoway, Scotland, and Goose Bay, Newfoundland. This included an 11.5hour nonstop leg from Stornoway to Goose Bay, a distance of 1,850 nm. This leg averaged 162 knots at 3.8 gallons per hour westbound, against the prevailing wind.
Andrea, director of marketing communication for Porto Aviation Group told AirVenture Today: “We wanted to show the world that we are not just words, but we are actually facts. We wanted to bring this … to Oshkosh, but we wanted to do [it] in a spectacular way, in a way that people would say would be impossible. And the way we did it is to cross the Atlantic Ocean with only 50 gallons of fuel in the wings, no ferry tanks, and without stops.”
“That’s what we o er our customers,” Andrea said. “America is the primary market for us. We’ve had a huge demand. We have production all booked in for 2026, and so we are now delivering number 62 and we have orders [for] more than 70 planes.”
The Risen comes in several variants — the Risen 912iS and the Risen SV 916 Super Veloce, which was the model that was flown across the Atlantic, powered by a Rotax 916is.
Andrea added: “We are now o ering a great opportunity as an experimental. So as a factory-assisted build, you come to build it yourself.”
Andrea closed with a quote that fits EAA AirVenture Oshkosh perfectly: “Aviation can trigger friendship and empathy, and can bring people together.”
The Porto Aviation Group (PAG) is located in Booth 193 and additional information can be found online at FlyRisen.com.
“We wanted to bring this … to Oshkosh, but we wanted to do [it] in a spectacular way, in a way that people would say would be impossible.” — Andrea Venturini
AROUND THE GROUNDS
How Volunteer Pilots Help Survivors of Human Trafficking Take Their Next Step
BY JARED MILLER, CEO AND CO-FOUNDER
ACROSS THE COUNTRY, volunteer pilots are quietly stepping up to make a life-changing di erence in the fight against human tra cking. Freedom Aviation Network (FAN) exists to coordinate safe, e cient, and rapid air transportation for survivors and their advocates — and none of it would be possible without the aviation community. Survivors of tra cking often lack access to the most basic resources. Many do not have identification — it is often confiscated or destroyed by tra ckers as a form of control — and cannot board commercial flights or buses. Even when they do find shelter and services, those programs may be hundreds of miles away. That is where FAN volunteer pilots come in.
These pilots donate their time, aircraft, and fuel to help survivors reach housing, trauma-informed therapy, and job training — critical resources for rebuilding their lives. In some cases, they provide urgent flights to remove someone from immediate danger. One survivor, a young woman who had been severely abused and coerced into exploitation, reached out for help through a social worker. Within six hours, FAN had coordinated a volunteer pilot. After landing safely, the woman told us, “When I got into the clouds, I knew he couldn’t touch me anymore.” That flight represented far more than miles — it was a turning point in her journey to freedom.
These pilots donate their time, aircraft, and fuel to help survivors reach housing, traumainformed therapy, and job training — critical resources for rebuilding their lives.
Volunteer pilots also help survivors reconnect with loved ones. On one occasion, FAN arranged a flight for a woman to make a short weekend visit to her family. She later told us that if it weren’t for that flight, she would never have seen her father again — he passed away just two weeks later. These quiet moments of healing are as important as the escape itself. Still others fly individuals to new lives — fresh starts after completing intensive recovery programs. These flights aren’t the end of a story; they’re the beginning of a new one. FAN’s motto is “For the One.” Every flight matters. Every person matters. And while the impact begins with one life, it ripples outward — touching families, communities, and future generations.
To the pilots who have answered this call: thank you. Your willingness to fly has helped restore dignity, safety, and hope. To pilots who are ready to take the next step, FAN is ready to welcome you onboard! To learn more or get involved, see FreedomAviationNetwork.org.
FAN is honored to serve alongside the aviation community in this deeply meaningful work.
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WARBIRDS
THE SCHWALBE
Military Aviation Museum’s Messerschmitt Me 262
BY SAM OLESON AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF
TOWARD THE TAIL END of World War II, an aircraft emerged from Germany that ultimately made little di erence in the war but had a huge impact in the years to follow. In the words of Military Aviation Museum Director Keegan Chetwynd, EAA 1416693, it was “an airplane that was unable to change the course of the war, but an airplane that unquestionably changed the course of history.”
He is, of course, talking about the Messerschmitt Me 262 — the world’s first operational jet fighter.
Entering service with the Luftwa e in 1944, the Me 262 operated as a defensive interceptor (nick named Schwalbe) and fighter/bomber (Sturmvogel). Problems with the engines delayed introduction for years, and while the 262 had a speed advantage over any
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVE WITTY
Allied fighter, it was especially vulnerable during takeo and landing as its original Junkers Jumo 004 turbojet was unable to spool up quickly.
“Bringing it back to life has been the thisyear project that really began in January. But the engineering solution for the brakes has been probably a three-year process.”
— Keegan Chetwynd
A project to build hyper-accurate 262 reproductions began in the early 1990s, with the aircraft based on the National Naval Aviation Museum’s Me 262B-1a/U1 WNr.121448 Schwalbe. The Stormbird Project, as it was called, began with Classic Fighter Industries in Texas before the project moved to Everett, Washington, in 1998 and was finished over the next decade or so by Legend Flyers, with five total airplanes built. The Military Aviation Museum, located in Virginia Beach, Virginia, purchased its 262 reproduction in 2011. The airplane uses a de-rated General Electric CJ610 engine in place of the type’s original Jumo 004. The Military Aviation Museum’s 262 is marked to represent the airplane flown by Hans Guido Mutke, who claimed to have broken the sound barrier with the aircraft in April 1945.
“The airplane was delivered to us in October of 2011,” Keegan said. “It flew here for quite a while. People remember seeing it at air shows and things like that here, but it had a fairly pervasive set of issues with it relating to anywhere that a modern system was used to stand in for a vintage one. Those interface areas created problems. It was the type of thing that you might not have observed operating at Paine Field in Everett, Washington, with a 10,000-foot runway, was the brake fade issues and things like that.”
In preparation for flying the airplane from Virginia to Oshkosh this summer for EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2025, Keegan said the team at The Military Aviation Museum had to do a number of repairs and upgrades, including upgrading the avionics, installing ADS-B, and developing a solution for the braking problem.
“The airplane had been primarily grounded by the challenges surrounding the brakes,” he said. “It was in storage during that period of time, and so bringing it back to life has been the this-year project that really began in January. But the engineering solution for the brakes has been probably a three-year process. We began the design work in earnest three years ago, created the drawings, designed the brakes, and then had to have the parts manufactured. That took about two years, and ultimately what we thought would be about four months of installation was completed in about three weeks. That was pretty great on the part of the team that got stuck in and got them installed.”
A number of Me 262s were captured by the Allies near the end of the war and heavily studied, and its design influenced the development of post-WWII jets such as the F-86 Sabre, MiG-15, and B-47 Stratojet. With AirVenture 2025 commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII and the subsequent transition from
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PAGE 16 / ME 262
piston-powered aircraft to jets, Keegan said it was important for the Military Aviation Museum to bring the airplane to Oshkosh.
“Wouldn’t it be great to do it in this year when we mark the anniversary of the end of the war? Wouldn’t it be great to have it here to show people the bridge point between the old technology and the new? Really, bringing it there as this technology demonstrator was a big part of why we did what we did to get it ready,” Keegan said.
“But what I think is really interesting about it … is there’s nothing else like it,” he said. “When you go stand next to it, it’s really weird because it is both simultaneously anachronistic and futuristic. It’s something that’s really, really di cult to explain where it’s very obviously from the past but somehow looks out of place there.”
“It is both simultaneously anachronistic and futuristic. It’s something that’s really, really difficult to explain where it’s very obviously from the past but somehow looks out of place there.”
— Keegan Chetwynd
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OSHKOSH MOMENTS
REUNITING WITH FAMILY AERONCA
BY BARBARA A. SCHMITZ AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF
ELLEN NORTHAM, OF Tipp City, Ohio, grew up hearing about a 1946 Aeronca 11 Chief her mother purchased before she and her husband were married. She had brought the Chief home in pieces, many tossed into laundry baskets, and they rebuilt it in her grandparents’ basement and garage, flying it from about 1968-70.
But Ellen never got to see the airplane in person — she only saw it in family photos — as they sold it before she was born and her mother died when Ellen was only 5.
“I heard about this airplane from my brother as I was growing up,” she said. “Later, my cousins would tell me they were allowed to play around the plane
“I heard about this airplane from my brother as I was growing up. Later, my cousins would tell me they were allowed to play around the plane when they were 3 or 4 years old.”
— Ellen Northam
when they were 3 or 4 years old.”
Last May, she mentioned the Chief to her husband of about one-and-a-half years, Bill Knisley, an A&P mechanic and Vintage judge, and decided they should see what had happened to it. It didn’t take long to discover it was still in the FAA Registry, so they wrote a letter to the current owner. They got a call back within the week.
“He said it was in pieces and that they hadn’t done anything with it since he had purchased it,” Ellen said. But he did have a data plate and the logbooks, so they bought it and drove to Iowa to pick it up in June 2024.
There was no fabric left on the plane, and the N-number was gone. Looking again at the FAA data, they saw a name they recognized, Joe Kokes, who also was a Vintage judge like Bill.
About two months ago, after Bill and Joe discussed AirVenture business, Bill put Ellen on the phone. “I asked Joe if he had ever owned a Chief, and he said yes. I told him that before it was his airplane, it was my mother’s.” A few days later, Ellen received a picture of the tail number that he had kept.
On Tuesday night, he and others presented her with the N-number. “I was all over the place,” she said, overwhelmed with emotion.
In her research, Ellen learned that the airframe had only about 800 hours on it. It had changed hands several times after her mother sold it, and by the time Joe acquired it, it was again in pieces, with no fabric attached.
Ellen said she asked Joe why he kept the fabric so long. He told her, “I don’t know, but I felt I had to.”
Ellen isn’t sure why her mother sold the Aeronca when she did, but said she has a good idea. “It was right before they were getting married, and my dad had a Bonanza that needed some work,” she said. “They sold the Chief likely because they didn’t have the money for both.”
Both Ellen and Bill also have connections to other family planes. They fly a 1947 Bonanza that belonged to Ellen’s dad, as well as her father-in-law’s Piper J-3 Cub.
“But my goal is to fly the Chief to Oshkosh and land on the dot.”
Ellen Northam is surprised and overwhelmed as she is presented the N-number from her mother’s Aeronca Chief. From left are Bill Knisley, her husband; Ellen; Doug Smith, a Vintage judge who also works for the Mid America Flight Museum; and Joe Kokes, who had owned the same Aeronca Chief as Ellen’s mother and had kept the fabric with the N-number. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAMIE BUXTON-MOELLER
OSHKOSH MOMENTS
The Maestro
Air boss marks 40 years serving AirVenture
BY JIM ROBERTS AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF
WHILE ENJOYING THE aerial ballet and symphony of sound during the daily air show, have you ever wondered who the conductor is? That would be the air boss. According to the FAA, an air boss is “the individual who has the primary responsibility for air show operations on the active taxiways, runways and the surrounding air show demonstration area.” Because of the complexity involved, EAA relies on multiple air bosses, and their leader is Wayne Boggs, marking his 40th year at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh.
Wayne is a retired FAA controller and pilot of more than 50 years. He and his wife enjoy flying their Piper Comanche, but Wayne is especially fond of their Fairchild PT-19. It was restored in honor of his mother, a flight instructor who trained military pilots in the PT-19 during WWII.
His introduction to the air show world came in the 1980s when, as a controller at O’Hare Airport, he was assigned as the ATC liaison to the Chicago Air and Sea Show. That led to a job working with EAA Warbirds of America at Oshkosh, and, as they say, the rest is history.
The air boss qualification process has changed throughout the years. Wayne said in the early days most folks learned by watching others, and there was little standardization or oversight. “Back then all you needed was a business card,” he said. But with the proliferation of air shows and FAA concerns about safety, Wayne and his colleagues came together under the auspices of the International Council of Airshows (ICAS) to develop an air boss training program that’s become the industry standard.
Much like the di erent types of pilot certificates, air boss qualifications fall into a tiered structure, ranging from “Basic Air Boss” up to “Recognized Air Boss/ Multiple Venues.” Of nearly 60 air bosses nationwide, approximately 10, including Wayne, hold the highest level of FAA authorization.
Wayne’s typical day at AirVenture begins before 7 a.m., and may last until 10 p.m. if a night show is scheduled. First he joins AirVenture Airshow Operations Director Tim Fitzgerald for a briefing on the day’s flying schedule … air show aircraft arrivals and departures, military flights and other significant events. Next there’s the “new guy” briefing for performers making their debut.
“My term at Oshkosh has been a way of giving back to the industry … being a volunteer all these years, because the whole industry itself has been very good to me. I’ve been blessed.” — Wayne Boggs
Finally, Wayne delivers the “air boss briefing” covering details of the upcoming show. Attendees include performers, ATC and airport sta , emergency responders, and FAA operations inspectors. Picture a locker room before the Super Bowl.
When the national anthem begins and Old Glory drops, check out the air boss platform located along the show line east of Boeing Plaza. There you’ll find Wayne joined by his teammates. Each “boss” has a role to play; one may work the Warbirds, while another handles the solo acts, and yet another deals with military demonstrations. This year’s cadre includes Brad Cline, Jim “Cookie” Crumb, Kellie Hudson, Tim Fitzgerald, and Boyd Martin.
It takes a dedicated crew to safely pull o a production this size, and as volunteers, each air boss has their own motivation for being here. “My term at Oshkosh has been a way of giving back to the industry … being a volunteer all these years, because the whole industry itself has been very good to me,” Wayne said. “I’ve been blessed.”
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF WAYNE BOGGS
OSHKOSH MOMENTS
Be the Squeaky Wheel
BY JIM ROBERTS AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF
A FEW AIRVENTURES ago, a friend introduced me to the concept of “MOO” — the Magic Of Oshkosh. It’s the serendipitous and often quirky turn of events that brings a special light into your day. Monday morning it happened to me over breakfast, and it’s a story worth sharing.
watching a B-2 video with his grandparents. Ethan recalled, “I instantly knew this was what I wanted to do with my life.” Working toward his goal of becoming an Air Force pilot, Ethan began flying
SQUEAKY WHEEL / PAGE 23
Scan the QR codes below to see the Ford Tri-Motor and B-25 Berlin Express tour stop schedules.
As I was digging into the bacon and eggs, a pair of young men sat down, and soon we were sharing our aviation stories and backgrounds. Ethan Lowe, a student pilot, and his CFI, Alan Green, flew to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh from Fairview, Oklahoma, piloting a Bearhawk Patrol. For Ethan, it was a flight of passage; one that he will long remember.
Ethan is a 17-year-old high school student in Ponca City, Oklahoma, and got the flying bug while
“Just a few months ago I met my friend Alan, and he’s been my instructor since and he’s been absolutely incredible. He explains things in a way that I can understand, and he’s just been a great friend to me.”
— Ethan Lowe
EAA.org/FlyTheFord EAA.org/B25
From left to right: Alan Green and Ethan Lowe. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JIM ROBERTS
PAGE 22 / SQUEAKY WHEEL
lessons at 15. A first lieutenant in the Civil Air Patrol cadet program, Ethan has his sights on the U.S. Air Force Academy, with a backup plan of joining the ROTC at Oklahoma State University.
Regarding his CFI, Ethan remarked, “Just a few months ago I met my friend Alan, and he’s been my instructor since and he’s been absolutely incredible. He explains things in a way that I can understand, and he’s just been a great friend to me.”
Recalling his flight from Oklahoma to AirVenture, Ethan said, “It was amazing seeing all of America like that. I remember landing at Oshkosh and seeing all the airplanes, and it was just breathtaking.” Of AirVenture itself, he said, “The people are just fantastic, and I can tell that everybody here is a student of the craft. Everybody is willing to learn from others, and that’s so inspiring.” Ethan’s favorite experience so far is seeing the Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star during the daily air show. “That’s one of my favorite airplanes; I really love those early jets,” he said.
Ethan’s CFI, Alan, put an unusual twist on the practice of CFIs building time for an airline job. Alan became a CFI after landing a job with a major airline; how he got there, and what he’s learned are worth sharing.
He had his first airplane ride as a 3-year-old with his cousin who is also an airline pilot. His cousin became his flight instructor and mentor, and Alan earned his private certificate in six months while in high school. He worked his way through the ratings at various Part 61 flight schools, partly using funds from an oil field job. Alan said, “I always showed up with all the knowledge done. The FAA publishes the books on the internet, and they’re free. So I would be completely studied up on the ins and outs of what I was trying to do, and then it was just applying it.”
Alan also worked for a local FBO, and to build time for his first job flying pipeline patrol, he bought a 2008
Volksplane for $5,000. He figures his flying time worked out to $11 an hour for gas and maintenance. Alan said, “I attribute the job to the Volksplane. I flew that thing four hours to the interview, and they saw it and how I’d been maintaining it and offered me the job.”
He flew pipeline patrol for two-and-ahalf years and then went to a regional airline before being hired by a major airline in 2023.
As for his motivation to become a CFI, Alan said, “I know how much it meant to me to have my cousin teach me to fly, and I know how much that did for me and my future, so I wanted to be able to give back. There’s a need for good CFIs, and I really aspire to be one.”
Alan tells prospective students he’ll only be their CFI if he can see that they really want it. “Every time I fly with Ethan he shows up with more knowledge than the last time,” he said. “That’s inspiring, and I love to see that passion for aviation continue. If I can help facilitate that passion in any way, then that’s why I became a CFI after I became an airline pilot.”
Alan said he’s not the only one who feels that way. “Everyone in this aviation community will go out of their way to see that you’re successful if you want it bad enough,” he said. “If you’re someone out there that really wants it, do not feel discouraged or that anything stands in your way. I’ve always been told that the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Go find your local airport and be the squeaky wheel, because we want more squeaky wheels.”
“I know how much it meant to me to have my cousin teach me to fly, and I know how much that did for me and my future, so I wanted to be able to give back. There’s a need for good CFIs, and I really aspire to be one.”
— Alan Green
EAA’s Type Club Coalition Annual Meeting
BY ROBBIE CULVER, TYPE CLUB COALITION CHAIR AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF
On Tuesday, July 22, EAA’s Type Club Coalition held its annual meeting during EAA AirVenture Oshkosh in the PHP Conference Center Heritage Gallery Conference Room. The Type Club Coalition (TCC) is an organization of owner and builder groups brought together for the common purpose of increasing the level of safety in the general aviation community. Previous years have included discussions on insurance challenges, transition training, the Additional Pilot Program for E-AB aircraft, and task-based flight testing — much of which is a common theme and an ongoing challenge for all.
If you own an aircraft, regardless if it is certified or experimental, type clubs represent an inexpensive and e ective way to learn more about your aircraft. If you are considering purchasing or building a specific type, this can also provide a method to find transition training resources or best practices to build, maintain and/ or operate the type.
Since its inception, the TCC has diligently worked with type clubs of both certified and experimental aircraft to act as a conduit for safety-related information and best practices. Originally founded as an e ort to address the GA/E-AB accident rate, the organization has grown to include more than just type clubs, and has fostered relationships with the NTSB, FAA, and AOPA, among others.
Je Edwards, who has a doctorate in aviation and holds airline transport pilot and CFI certificates, is the
founder of the Lancair Owners and Builders Organization (LOBO). He shared ongoing challenges with experimental amateur-built (EAB) turbine and turboprop FAA-approved inspection program requirements. Through diligence and consistent communication, Je was able to work with the FAA to implement a change to an onerous requirement that was not consistent with other single-engine turbine-powered aircraft.
LOBO was founded to address the type’s accident rate, and the LOBO training program has produced significant results. The accident rate for the type has dropped dramatically. LOBO used data, training, and quality control processes to address the issue and has shared the information and best practices across the E-AB community via the TCC.
Matt Speare, director of training and LOBO instructor, shared training statistics and resulting data that reflect LOBO’s mission. LOBO has endorsed 13 CFIs to implement the structured type-specific training program. To measure the e ectiveness of the LOBO training, a dataset was prepared to compare fatal accidents involving LOBO-trained versus non-LOBO-trained pilots. The results are staggering, as less than 2 percent of fatal accidents involve pilots who completed the program.
Tom Charpentier, EAA government relations director, shared with the TCC the specifics of the MOSAIC (Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification) final rule, which had been announced literally minutes before the meeting began.
The general consensus of the TCC members mirrors that of the aviation community as a whole — MOSAIC represents a dramatic and historic change for general aviation. Tom was among a key group that diligently worked to see MOSAIC implemented.
See EAA.org/TypeClubs for more information.
Remembering Gene McNeely
Longtime AeroShell Aerobatic Team pilot goes west
BY BARBARA A. SCHMITZ AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF
GENE MCNEELY, PART of the AeroShell Aerobatic Team from 1994 to 2017, died July 5 in his home. He was 83.
Gene first flew right wing and then slot with the team, now known as the Titan Aerobatic Team, which will be performing in their trademark World War II-era AT-6 Texans at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh daily, including in twilight shows on Wednesday and Saturday.
The team posted on Instagram: “Gene always had a smile, a project and a scheme. He was one of a kind. We’re heartbroken, but honored to have shared the sky with him.”
Over his career, Gene logged more than 26,000 hours of flight time. He operated an agricultural business for 20-plus years and an air cargo service using DC-3s, Beech 18s, and MU-2s. Outside of air shows,
Gene was active in the Reno National Championship Air Races racing a T-6 and enjoyed building homebuilt aircraft.
In an interview with this reporter a year after his retirement, Gene said that after 20-plus years of flying with the AeroShell Aerobatic Team, he knew the time was right to call it quits.
“My flying was fine, but all the traveling was getting to me,” Gene said in 2018. “We’d leave on a Thursday to go to an air show, do a practice show on Friday, fly the air show on Saturday and Sunday, and then leave on a Sunday or Monday to go home. Then we’d do maintenance on the plane and leave again the next Thursday. At my age, it was just tiring.”
But that didn’t mean he sat at home watching the flowers grow in his retirement. A few years later, he was still flying solo shows, rebuilding T-6s and racing at Reno.
Gene said the team was like a family to him. Only once did he recall getting irritated at his teammates. “It was the year of the 100th anniversary of flight, and we had 33
air shows that year,” he said. “We got a little testy with each other before the year was over since we were on the road for every weekend for 33 weeks.”
But Gene said Oshkosh was always one of his favorite shows to perform. “We’re all family here … and I always look forward to seeing all my friends.”
EVERYTHING YOU NEED FOR YOUR ENGINE IN ONE PLACE!
Gene McNeely in front of the AeroShell Aerobatic Team’s AT-6 Texan in 2018. PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF EAA ARCHIVES
Leveling Up at Oshkosh
Five gamer friends finally meet at AirVenture
BY ANGELA SATTERLEE AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF
DESPITE THE GEOGRAPHICAL distance coming from Canada, Jordan Farrar, EAA 1645318, met his friends Wyatt Drum, from North Carolina, and Cody Ferguson EAA 1647229, Spencer Phillips, and Nolan Elliott EAA 1640609, from Indiana, at Oshkosh after only knowing each other online playing video games. One of their early favorites was War Thunder, an aviation-based video game with a focus on combat flight simulation. This group formed a close-knit friendship through their shared interests in aviation and video games alike.
Jordan, Cody, and Wyatt are particularly passionate about aviation, and are all aspiring aircraft mechanics, while Spencer and Nolan are more casual enthusiasts.
Jordan had always been fascinated by aviation, a passion that began at a young age and was nurtured by his
grandfather, a flight engineer. They spent countless Saturdays together at the Bomber Command Museum of Canada in Manton, Alberta, and were active members of the Calgary Mosquito Society, whose mission is to preserve and educate about the history of the last photo survey de Havilland Mosquito, and a Hawker Hurricane owned by the City of Calgary. This early exposure to aviation inspired Jordan to pursue a career in aviation maintenance, leading him to enroll in an aviation maintenance program in Canada. He said he has been fortunate to experience unique opportunities, such as being inside a Lancaster with all four engines running during a live engine run.
“I’ve just been lucky with life and people I’ve met,” Jordan said, “to be able to do stu that nobody else can say, ‘Hey, I’ve done that!’”
Wyatt was introduced to aviation by his grandfather, who was an instructor pilot during the Vietnam war. Wyatt also volunteers at the aviation museum in North Carolina.
A spark of curiosity in high school set Cody on a path to a career in aviation maintenance. “I was a junior in high school getting ready for senior year when I saw they had a program for aviation maintenance,” he said. “I was like ‘Ooh, that sounds cool,’ but I wasn’t able to get in it at the time. But I decided that’s what I wanted to do. So then after high school, I got into aviation maintenance.”
Meeting in person always seemed like a distant dream, but the opportunity to attend EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, changed that. The group decided to book a cottage near Oshkosh and spend the entire week at AirVenture, following Jordan’s grandfather’s advice to book the whole week since it’s impossible to see everything in a single day.
The journey to Oshkosh was not without its challenges. Jordan had to navigate flights from Canada to Indiana with layovers in Atlanta and Chicago. From Indiana, they all drove to Wisconsin together, determined to make the most of the experience.
When the group finally met in person, the bond they had formed online translated seamlessly into real life. “You’d think it would be awkward meeting this many people for the first time, but it was like meeting up with old friends,” Jordan said.
TABLE HOSTS
Garmin | Williams International
Alan Gaudenti | Arnie Evdokimo | Blackhawk | Charlie Precourt | Cirrus
Cleveland Wheel & Brake Systems | David Kleine | Endre Holen & Stephanie Goetz
Global Aerospace | Hendrick Motorsports | Honda Aircraft Company
James Cooling | Keith Kocourek | Lou Seno | Mars Wrigley | Phil Soucy
Ray Foundation | Robert & Wendy Stallings | Robert & Susan Wilson
Rodney Lewis | Stuart Auerbach | The Boeing Company
SILVER TABLE HOSTS
Airbus | Aircraft Spruce & Specialty Co. | American Airlines | AOPA | Avfuel | Barnstormer Beau Bradley | Ben Diachun | Bill Lindsey | CiES Inc | Corporate Aircraft Association
Citadel Completions | Citation Jet Pilots | Citation Max | David & Onie Irvine | David Weber
Ed & Pat Noel | Elixir | C182 GSHAR | Greg & Suzanne Herrick | Honaker Aviation
Textron Aviation | Tim Poole | Tom & Hetty Ball | Twin Otter International Ltd. | Wing Aviation GOLD TABLE HOSTS
J Anthony Marks | Jackson Walker, LLP | Jim Phillips | John Raniolo | Jon Vesely | Lacey Pittman
Lee Aerospace | Mark Morrison | Marsh USA, Inc. | Mid-Continent Instruments & Avionics/True Blue Power
Mike Lyons | Monte Koch | Myrt Rose | PenFed | Richard Beattie | Shelly & Chris deZevallos
Shepherd Aero | Simmons Family Foundation | Sporty’s | Tampa International Airport | TECNAM
OSHKOSH MOMENTS
NEWS & INFO
THE MOONEY MASS ARRIVAL VERTICAL LIFT AT AIRVENTURE 2026
BY KAITLIN PIETTE AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF
WHEN THE FOUNDERS James “Pepper” Oliphant and David “Raptor” Piehler, and 42 other “Mooneys” decided to camp and arrive as one group in 1998, they never expected how big of a legacy they would start as more and more people join them each year to attend EAA AirVenture Oshkosh.
The Mooney Caravan to Oshkosh Educational and Safety Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. According to its website, “The Caravan was formed for the purpose of facilitating a Mooney-specific mass arrival to the world’s largest airshow.” The Caravan arranges so aircraft arrive in formations.
The organization also teaches the group members about the importance of flying safely and knowing your aircraft. In the group, they train in the clinics for
pilots to practice being a wing, safety observer, and lead; the positions get rotated out so different people get to experience each position.
Each year, Pepper and Raptor strive for the group to improve performances, while building camaraderie and teamwork with each other, and making each year the best Caravan arrival.
The most airplanes to arrive with the group happened back in 2000, when 97 Mooneys all arrived at once, creating a mini delay for some arrivals at the time.
This year, they had a total of 54 airplanes to arrive with the group. In total, there have been roughly 1,000 people since 1998 that have been a part of this group throughout the years.
The Mooney Caravan aims to create a community where the pilots can enjoy each other’s company, and it believes arriving together is the best way to do that.
SAFE RETURN ™ EMERGENCY AUTOLAND
VISITORS TO EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2026 will notice a renewed emphasis on helicopters and VTOL aircraft, thanks to a newly formed partnership with the Robinson Helicopter Co. and Vertical Aviation International (VAI), a membership organization dedicated to supporting the vertical lift industry.
There will be a dedicated space in AirVenture’s Aviation Gateway Park area to display aircraft to showcase innovative technology, promote vertical lift education and foster vertical lift industry job recruitment. EAA will work with partners to promote this newly created exhibit area to the vertical lift community through press releases and other communications channels, as well as at events like VAI’s VERTICON trade show and conference in Atlanta in March 2026. EAA will also be working with key stakeholders internally and externally to develop more
helicopter parking areas with easier access to camping.
“EAA is really excited to work with Robinson Helicopters and VAI to give our members and AirVenture visitors a closer look at the world of vertical flight,” said Ren Scott, EAA’s vice president of Business Development, Sales and Events. “While we’ve always had a welcome rotorcraft presence at our annual convention, this new partnership will enable us to showcase more GA and commercial helicopters, as well as the many fascinating innovations happening in the world of vertical lift.”
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANDREW ZABACK
Pilot Proficiency Center
Training for Every Pilot
EAA® and Redbird have joined forces this year at the Pilot Proficiency Center to provide training options that fit every experience level and schedule. We’ve built a training catalog that includes:
• Full-day VFR and IFR refreshers for active pilots looking to sharpen their skills. *
• Open sim training sessions for pilots who want to get a taste of sim training while still getting the whole Oshkosh experience. *
• A first-of-its-kind Rusty Pilots + Redbird Sim Course powered by AOPA to help get you back in the cockpit. *
• Dedicated sim sessions and presentations will show you how to get into backcountry flying. *
• A Right Seat Ready course for spouses that includes hands-on Redbird sim training. * * Registration required
Today’s Workshops
Friday, July 25
Rusty Pilots
8 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Join us for a first-of-its-kind Rusty Pilots + Redbird Sim course powered by AOPA to help get you back in the cockpit. Revive your operational awareness and then apply that refreshed knowledge through hands-on exercises in the simulator to edge you closer to moving back into a PIC role.
Open Sim Training
9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Get some free flight training with an expert flight instructor in one of our Redbird sims. Designed for certificated pilots, current or not, each session will last approximately 45 minutes and can be tailored to your needs. You can choose to focus on VFR flying, IFR flying, or crosswind landings.
A remarkable milestone for Lou Seno OSHKOSH MOMENTS
BY ANGELA SATTERLEE AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF
This year marks a remarkable milestone for Lou Seno, EAA Lifetime 31489 — his 70th consecutive year attending the annual EAA fly-in and convention. His journey began in 1956, when he was just shy of his 7th birthday, attending the EAA fly-in, with his father, the late Louis Seno Sr., EAA 1472.
Louis Sr. had been part of the EAA community since its inception, attending the original fly-ins in 1953-1955. In 1956, he brought young Lou along, sparking a lifelong passion for aviation that has never wavered. Lou remembers visiting with his father in ’56, but the fly-in looked a lot di erent back then. It was mainly homebuilts with a few vintage aircraft types, he said. “It was a hundredth of the size.”
That early exposure to aviation wasn’t just about attending fly-ins. Lou’s father was a pilot and homebuilder, and the two spent countless hours together building aircraft in the basement of their suburban Chicago home. Their first project together was a Corben Baby Ace, inspired by Paul Poberezny’s article in the May 1955 issue of Mechanix Illustrated. Lou’s
whole childhood involved aviation. “I just grew up as a total wing nut,” he said.
Lou’s first flight came at the age of 2 in his father’s 1946 Piper Vagabond. From there, his aviation journey took o . He soloed at 16, earned his private pilot certificate at 17, and by 18 had both his commercial certificate and instrument rating. He later earned his airline transport pilot certificate and, in 2012, added a seaplane rating to his credentials. Today, he flies his Bonanza and his Husky on floats, often using the latter to give Young Eagles flights.
In 2015, Lou was elected to the EAA board of directors, calling it “a labor of love” and a privilege to contribute to such a meaningful organization. He also served on the EAA Aviation Foundation board, further deepening his commitment to the aviation community. And in 2016, Lou received the FAA’s prestigious Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award, recognizing more than 50 years of accident-free flying.
Having seen what started as a place for experimental aircraft expand to include vintage aircraft, warbirds, ultralights, aerobatic aircraft, and more, Lou has noticed all the fly-in’s changes. “AirVenture has become all things to all people in aviation,” he said.
One thing remains constant, however. Quoting EAA founder Paul Poberezny, Lou said, “You come here for the aviation and the airplanes, but you come back for the people.”
“I don’t care if you fly an ultralight or a Global Express,” Lou added. “There’s just a camaraderie and a brotherhood in aviation. I think EAA epitomizes that. The magnitude of the show is — if you’re interested in anything at all in aviation, it’s here this week in Oshkosh.”
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Volunteer Family Spotlight
The Deckers
BY ANGELA SATTERLEE AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF
The Deckers come from a long line of pilots and aviation enthusiasts as they now have five generations who have attended AirVenture. Ken Decker’s grandfather and father were both pilots, so it made sense when Ken, EAA 52084, decided to fly for a living as a corporate pilot, along with managing an airport and running a flight school. “Aviation has been in my blood since the day I was born,” he said.
In fact, aviation started so early for the Deckers that no one in the family can remember their first flight — they were all under a year old when they first took to the sky. That early exposure set the tone for a lifelong passion for flying and the aviation community.
Ken attended his first AirVenture when he was 9 years old, and this year marks his 54th convention. Wanting to share that love for EAA and aviation that his grandfather and father shared with
him, he started bringing his children to Oshkosh where the aviation bug continued.
After years of attending AirVenture, Ken wanted to do more to help out so he followed in his father’s footsteps and started volunteering. He started out working at Boeing Plaza, quickly becoming the co-chair and then chairman, before transitioning to Camp Scholler Registration where he currently volunteers. Since joining as a volunteer, Ken has brought his children and grandchildren to help out.
Ken’s son Nick Decker attended his first AirVenture was when he was just 1 year old, and he joined his father in volunteering at just 12 years old. His first job was working at camper registration pulling apart wristbands, but he spent much of his time exploring the grounds and
OSHKOSH MOMENTS
PAGE 30 / THE DECKERS
Austin Decker, Ken Decker, Nick Decker. PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF KEN DECKER
meeting fellow aviation lovers. Now, years later, Nick, EAA 1214428, remains a dedicated volunteer alongside Ken.
Ken and Nick work closely with security to ensure that all campers have a safe and enjoyable experience. They’ve had great experiences working with EAA employees and fellow volunteers, and they speak highly of the camaraderie within their group.
Together, Ken and Nick have become familiar faces in Camp Scholler. Up until the Wednesday before AirVenture begins, they make it a point to get to know as many campers as possible. After that, things get too busy — but they always do their best to connect with the community.
“The people I meet — that makes it all worth it,” Ken said. “So, there’s some issues here and there, but for the most part it’s a really good group, good crowd. … I’ve met some really, really good people, and we’re still very good friends to this day for many, many years. That’s our payback.”
Nick especially enjoys welcoming first-time attendees. His favorite part of volunteering is giving newcomers a short tour of the grounds.
“That’s because you get to see the wonder is the best way to describe it,” he said. “Because they come here thinking they’re going to see a regular air show like anywhere else, and then they realize how big it is as you’re giving them this tour, and they’re just in awe of everything.”
As the sun rises over Camp Scholler each July, Ken and Nick are already hard at work welcoming campers, solving problems, and sharing in the excitement that fills the air. For them, volunteering is about people, passion, and preserving a legacy that spans generations.
“That’s because you get to see the wonder is the best way to describe it. Because they come here thinking they’re going to see a regular air show like anywhere else, and then they realize how big it is as you’re giving them this tour, and they’re just in awe of everything.”
— Nick Decker
Ken’s Family, left to right: Austin, son; Bella, granddaughter; Macy, granddaughter; Jason, son-in-law; Brinley, granddaughter; Aleasha, daughter; Nick, son. PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF KEN DECKER
AIRVENTURE CUP RESULTS
BY ROBBIE CULVER AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF
THE 2025 EAA AirVenture Cup Cross-Country Air Race was held July 20, 2025, starting at Wausau Downtown Airport (KAUW) and finishing at Merrill Municipal (KRRL). This year’s route included mandatory checkpoints at Shawano, Wisconsin (KEZS); Menominee, Michigan (KMNM); Escanaba, Michigan (KESC); Manistique, Michigan (KISQ); Marquette, Michigan (KSAW); Land O’ Lakes, Wisconsin (KLNL); and Tomahawk, Wisconsin (KTKV).
The race is divided into two categories: experimental and production aircraft. Subcategories are divided by engine size and landing gear configuration.
Eric Whyte, chairman of the AirVenture Cup race said, “This year was the 27th running of the race. We had a huge field; we had 97 airplanes run the course. … Everything from a Turbine Legend down to a Cessna 150. We had a ton of participation, the weather was excellent, and everybody had a really good time!”
More information can be found at AirVentureCupRace.com.
This year’s winners were:
AIRVENTURE CUP / PAGE 33
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF AIRVENTURE CUP BY JIMMY DE LA GARZA
Cessna 150MDan Bauknecht & Mark Westen 4:23:0797.42
HEAVY METAL - STEARMAN / BIPLANE
Stearman PT-17Kevin Clark & John Nolan
HEAVY METAL - T-34
3:53:00110.01
Beechcraft T-34APatrick Doyle 3:18:18129.26
HEAVY METAL - T-6
North American SNJ-5 Virgil Tatman & John Ballew 2:19:46183.40
LIGHT SPORT
Aeroprakt A-32Brad Lewiztke & Marli Novy
3:22:02126.87
RV-12iS Randall Sweet 3:28:55122.69
JULY 25, 2025
AROUND THE GROUNDS
VOLUNTEERS DELIVER SMOKE OIL TO AIR SHOW PERFORMERS DAILY
BY CATHERINE WARMKESSEL
AN AIR SHOW wouldn’t be the same without the smoke that billows out behind each airplane. I had the opportunity to go behind the scenes of an airshow, driving with and talking to the smoke oil volunteers.
As a child, I thought the smoke I saw at air shows was condensation, but as I grew I learned I was wrong. In simple terms, smoke oil is a light oil that burns completely at a low temperature.
EAA AirVenture Oshkosh goes through 60 barrels of smoke oil each
week of the fly-in convention. Each barrel holds 55 gallons of smoke oil and costs about $1,200. When you do that math, it costs EAA about $72,000.
All of the smoke oil used is from AeroShell. There are many colors of smoke oil, but EAA only provides the basic white. However, you can dye the oil by just adding coloring.
Smoke oil volunteers pick up oil from pallets of barrels and transport the oil to all the performers. There are three vehicles that are set up for such tasks: a dune buggy, a car, and a pickup truck. When the volunteers are retrieving the smoke oil, they need to be especially careful to not let water get into smoke oil tanks. If water gets into the smoke oil tank of the aircraft, it gets injected into the exhaust manifold and makes steam. When water gets into a filter, the filter expands like a marshmallow in a microwave.
For all their incredible work and e ort, smoke oil volunteers get opportunities for the best seats in the house at the daily Oshkosh air show. As I get older, I hope to be able to join the team and give opportunities like this to other youths at Oshkosh!
Whale Alert
BY BARBARA A. SCHMITZ AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF
IT’S A SIMPLE concept — Researchers can’t be everywhere, so citizens can help by reporting what they see. And in this case, what citizen pilots see.
And, of course, there’s an app for that: Whale Alert.
Not only does the app help scientists learn about numbers and locations of whales, but it also helps to save whales by reducing ship strikes, one of its major killers.
Pilot Virgil Zetterlind co-founded Conserve.IO and created the Whale Alert, a free wireless environmental monitoring app. Originally created for the Pacific Northwest, it is now used globally, including in Canada and Europe.
Virgil spoke at a Tuesday forum encouraging pilots to download the app. Whale Alert is a great way for pilots to contribute to marine research — and help protect marine wildlife — while they fly.
Keeping ships away from whales is vital for whale safety. (For every whale strike detected, estimates are that 20 strikes go undetected.) But it also lets ships know to stay away for other reasons.
“Killer whales in the Pacific Northwest are basically orcas that have self-adopted to eat only salmon,” Virgil said. “But if vessels get close to their feeding areas, they will stop eating.”
Unfortunately, busy shipping lanes often coincide with whale feeding areas, breeding regions, and migratory routes.
He said humans have caused many of the problems whales face, so the app is just a way to be more proactive — more cooperative, collaborative, and economically viable.
Virgil hopes his Oshkosh forum appearance will get more people to
download the app and use it, and in turn save more whales. He warns that people should never just approach whales to get pictures, however. Sightings can be made without photos.
The app currently receives 10,00015,000 whale sightings a year, with about one-third of those coming from the cruise ship industry, which is required to report. Whale Alert works without an internet connection.
The app includes guidelines when you are in sight of whales, allows you to easily report a whale sighting, and includes descriptions (blow hole size and shape, dorsal fin shape and presence, etc.) and pictures to help you better identify types of whales.
For questions about the app, email deanna@conserve.io.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CATHERINE WARMKESSEL
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CATHERINE WARMKESSEL
PHOTOGRAPHY BY BARBARA A. SCHMITZ
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: Stoddard-Hamilton GlaStar
The GlaStar was designed by Tom Hamilton of Stoddard-Hamilton Aircraft and first flew in 1994. The high-wing two-seater was sold as a kit that could be built with tricycle gear or as a taildragger. EAA operates a pair of GlaStars out of Pioneer Airport to fly Young Eagles year-round; the museum’s example on display is the original prototype.
Proceeds support the youth education activities of EAA, including EAA’s Young Eagles Program, which has provided more than 2.5 million youths with a free first flight since 1992.
The 2024 Ford Bronco Big Bend is provided with the support of Kocourek Ford, Wausau, Wisconsin.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CRYSTAL PEREZ
WARBIRDS
Into a New Age
A spotter’s guide to 1945-1950 aircraft at AirVenture Oshkosh 2025
BY SAM OLESON AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF
EIGHTY YEARS AGO, the greatest conflict the world had ever known was, mercifully, coming to an end. The conclusion of World War II signaled the beginning of a new era of military aviation. Jet engine technology began to take shape in the latter half of the war, with Germany introducing the Messerschmitt Me 262, followed a few months later by the British Gloster Meteor.
Although jets didn’t play a large role in WWII, the years following were crucial for the development of the technology. But while the future was clearly in jets, many piston-powered airplanes of WWII were still useful and served critical roles well into the 1950s and 1960s, and in some cases even longer.
Here’s a look at some of the aircraft that were either designed or operated during that transitionary period in aerospace development, 1945 into the Korean War, that have made an appearance at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh in recent years or may be here this week.
North American F-86 Sabre
Arguably the most significant American aircraft to see service during the Korean War, the swept-wing F-86 Sabre was introduced in 1949. Powered by a General Electric J47 turbojet, the transonic Sabre directly countered the MiG-15 and maintained an impressive 5-to-1 kill ratio against its capable opponent. Although the U.S. Air Force began to pull the Sabre from frontline service by the mid-1950s in favor of more advanced supersonic fighters, the type continued to serve with a variety of foreign air forces for many years.
Republic F-84 Thunderjet
Plagued by development problems, the Republic-built, straight-wing F-84 didn’t become fully operational until 1949 but ultimately served an important role during the Korean War as a strike aircraft. The Thunderjet’s performance left much to be desired from a fighter pilot’s perspective, but as a fighter-bomber, it could carry up to 4,000 pounds of bombs, including the Mark 7 nuclear bomb. During the Korean War, it was responsible for destroying 60 percent of all ground targets.
Douglas C-47 Skytrain
Arguably the most notable cargo/transport aircraft of WWII, famous for its role in the D-Day paratrooper operations, the C-47 continued to be used well after the war. Many were converted for civilian use, but the Air Force continued to regularly operate C-47s through the Vietnam War, with a number of them converted for electronic warfare and ground attack.
Antonov An-2
A massive, radial-engine biplane, the Soviet-designed An-2 entered service shortly after WWII. A utility aircraft, the An-2 first saw military action during the Korean War and was later used by North Vietnamese forces during the Vietnam War. A number of nations are reported to still be using the An-2 today.
North American T-28 Trojan
First flying in 1949, the radial-engine T-28 Trojan served as a primary trainer for the U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps. The Air Force began to phase out the Trojan in the 1960s, but the Navy and Marines used the airplane into the 1980s. During the war in Southeast Asia, a number of T-28s were used for counterinsurgency, reconnaissance, search-andrescue, and FAC purposes.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MIKE KUTZ
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CONNOR MADISON
PHOTOGRAPHY BY GARY DANIELS
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANDREW ZABACK
PHOTOGRAPHY BY WILL CAMPBELL
EMERGENCY WEATHER SAFETY
AROUND THE GROUNDS
Gwen Anderson
BY KAITLIN PIETTE AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF
GWEN ANDERSON FROM Hastings, Michigan, has been an EAA member since 1988, and she has been volunteering for south maintenance since 1998. She is not a pilot but enjoys riding as a passenger with her husband, Mark, when they fly places. This year, Gwen is excited to see everyone from south maintenance and the exhibits around the grounds as well as the air shows throughout the week.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY KAITLIN PIETTE
KEEP YOUR HEAD IN THE CLOUDS.
9:00AM - 9:45AM
Staying Plugged Into Your Local Airport
Kyle Lewis, AOPA Airports/State Advocacy and Government A airs
10:00AM - 10:45AM
The Pilot’s Bill of Rights and Pilot Deviations: Do You Know Your Rights?
Ian Arendt, AOPA Legal
39 Lounge Meet and Greets
11:00AM-11:45AM
@angleofattack
12:00PM-12:45PM
Michelle “MACE” Curran
AOPA PROGRAM PAVILION FRIDAY | JULY 25
11:00AM - 11:45AM
Turning Fear Into Your Superpower: A Live Interview with MACE
Michelle “MACE” Curran, USAF Fighter Pilot Turned Speaker & Author; Leah Froehlich, Flight Instructor and Creator
12:00PM - 12:45PM
Accident Case Study: Deadly Disorientation (WINGS Credit)
Mike Ginter, AOPA Air Safety Institute
1:00PM - 1:45PM
Choosing the Best Flight Training Option For You
Matt Johnston, California Aeronautical University
2:00PM - 2:45PM
5 Things You Must Know About Datalink Weather
Dr. Scott Dennstaedt, SiriusXM Aviation
3:00PM - 3:45PM
Using Your Passion For Flight To Serve
Moderator Josh Olson, with Volunteer Pilot
Guests Susan Delgado (Pilots n Paws), Jim Hesseman (Flights for Life and Angel Flight West), and Mark Hanson (Turtles Fly Too, PALS Skyhope)
4:00PM - 4:45PM
What Your CFI Never Told You
Jason Miller, The Finer Points, ATP/CFII
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.
Friday, July 25, 2025
9 a.m. - Kenneth P. Katz, The Supersonic BONE: A Development and Operational History of the B-1 Bomber
10 a.m. - Erin Miller, Final Flight Final Fight: My Grandmother, the WASP, and Arlington National Cemetery and What Grandma Did
11 a.m. - Gigi Coleman and Captain Beth Powell, Queen of the Skies: The Inspiring Story of Bessie Coleman
12 p.m. - Dan Flores, South of Heaven: My Year in Afghanistan
1 p.m. - Ret. Brig. Gen. John “Dragon” Teichert, BOOM! Leadership That Breaks Barriers, Challenges Convention, andIgnites Innovation; Prayers for a Nation: A 90-Day Devotional Guide for American Christians; and The Dragon Who Earned His Wings (Children’s Book)
2 p.m. - Michelle “MACE” Curran, Upside Down Dreams and What’s Your Call Sign? (Children’s Books)
3 p.m. - Bill Ross, Superior Air Parts: Engine Management 101
4 p.m. - John Fredrickson, Boeing Metamorphosis: Launching the 737 and 747, 1965-1969
5 p.m. - Kellie Anthony, Afterburner
1-2-3 and A Is for Afterburner (Children’s Books)
PHOTOGRAPHY BY LEWIS BERGHOFF
Today’s SCHEDULE
AVIATION GATEWAY PARK
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e SPIRIT of AVIATION®
8:30
AROUND THE GROUNDS
Now Showing
Tonight’s Movie | 8:30 p.m.
Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen (M*A*S*H series finale)
Presented by Friday, July 25
Tomorrow’s Movie | 8:30 p.m. Fly Away Home
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRIS MILLER
PHOTOGRAPHY BY LEWIS BERGHOFF
PHOTOGRAPHY BY LAURIE GOOSSENS
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CAMDEN THRASHER
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CONNOR MADISON
PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRETT BROCK
PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRETT BROCK
PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRETT BROCK
PHOTOGRAPHY BY GRANT BURG
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTOPHER LOHFF
PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVE WITTY
for ages 18 and under supported in part by
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ED HICKS
PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVE WITTY
PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRETT BROCK
PHOTOGRAPHY BY LAURIE GOOSSENS
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANDY THOMPSON PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVE WITTY
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CAMDEN THRASHER
PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVE WITTY
PHOTOGRAPHY BY LAURIE GOOSSENS
PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRETT BROCK
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CAMDEN THRASHER
PHOTOGRAPHY BY LAURIE GOOSSENS
How well do you know EAA history?
Try your hand at these trivia questions and find out. The answers, along with a new question, will be in tomorrow’s paper.
Q: One of the most successful GA aircraft in history celebrates a major anniversary this year, as the Beechcraft Bonanza turns 80 years old. While the Bonanza has primarily operated in the civilian world, during the Vietnam War a handful were modified for Air Force purposes, specifically to be an electronic monitoring signal relay aircraft. What was the Bonanza’s military designation?
THURSDAY, JULY 24, ANSWER
Your daily AirVenture playlist
Look for these songs on your favorite streaming service and build a personal soundtrack for your trip to the World’s Greatest Aviation Celebration.
Airplanes by 5 Seconds of Summer Aviation by Leo Sayer I’ll Take You High by Tiësto Magic Dragon by Sodom Signal in the Sky (Let’s Go) by The Apples in Stereo
Today’s CROSSWORD
Sponsored by
ACROSS
1. Republic’s rounded, art deco amphibian.
2. The Cessna T-50/UC-78/AT-17 was often referred to as the _________ Bomber.
4. Several Cessna models, including the 170, 195, and 402, were called this.
6. Triple-tail designer Giuseppe.
9. Moth designer Sir _______ de Havilland.
11. This builder of beautiful biplanes, originally named for founder George Weaver, was founded in 1920.
12. Another name for an 8-series Luscombe
13. Named after a star, Wiley flew one named Winnie Mae; Amelia flew one, too.
14. Sherman ________ founded the company, which went on to build icons like the 24, the 71, and the PT-19.
15. Introduced in 1964, this airplane’s name spelled backward describes what it’s good at.
DOWN
1. Katherine was a famous pilot, but it was her brother Eddie who started the company.
3. Founded in 1928, this company’s factory was destroyed by a flood in 1937, forcing it to start over.
4. They built the Bonanza.
5. Producers of the Cloudster and the Speedster.
THURSDAY, JULY 24, ANSWERS
7. They made “darn” good airplanes.
8. Stearman, Beech, and Cessna all worked there.
10. AeroCreepers have ______ locking positions with heights ranging from ground level to 20 inches.
Returning to Oshkosh for the second year, the world’s premier aviation event! #OSH25
@ wethreefossils
https://www.instagram.com/p/DMeIJrbppr4/
@ lisaknuth_gb
Our annual trip to @eaa AirVenture has become one of my most favorite adventures of the entire summer!
@ ryanmuraro
Had a great day with my Dad at EAA Airventure, we both have a shared fascination with Warbird history, so seeing so many lovingly cared for (and airworthy) Planes kept us plenty busy throughout the day… Finally got to see FiFi, along with several other craft that I always enjoy seeing, but best part was spending time with the Man who made me who I am (for better or worse)… Love you, Dad (he’s not on these apps, so hope my Mom passes along word)
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