EVERY YEAR, EAA AirVenture Oshkosh is full of surprises. In 2025, there was none bigger than the Spirit Engineering SE-1. Kept tightly under wraps, four SE-1s made the journey from Grand Junction, Colorado, to Oshkosh to debut the design on the world’s biggest stage. The four SE-1s arrived at Oshkosh after burning a total of 88 gallons of fuel, and the aircraft have been the buzz of the convention.
Priced at $69,500 out the door, the special lightsport aircraft (S-LSA) draws attention with its design that is reminiscent of aviation’s classics. Think Luscombe, Ryan ST, or Swift. Steve Wood, president of Spirit Engineering, sat down with AirVenture Today to share the story of how the aircraft came to be. Steve has an aeronautical engineering degree but said he “wanted to work on little airplanes.” He took a job with Cessna right out of college and worked in its Pawnee engineering facility for about five years.
“I left Wichita the day of the first flight of the 208 Caravan,” Steve said. “That was the last project I worked on. After I left Cessna, I campaigned an ultralight here at Oshkosh, the Sky Pup, back in the early ’80s. It was never a kit; never was anything other than plans. Sold a lot of plans. It still has an unbelievable following.
“I started a consulting business after I left Cessna, working on what I would call the lunatic fringe of aviation: ultralights, racers, aerobatic stu , bushplanes. We did all the design work of the Sherpa in Grand Junction, and then somehow, I got in the DOD business, which is probably more lucrative than the airplane business,” he said. “What I got from that was a lot of experience in manufacturing to high-quality standards and schedules. I learned process definition, process control, and how to make stu .”
The SE-1 is an all-metal, clean-sheet design.
“Our intention from the beginning is we’re setting ourselves up to build a lot of them, and we’ve set up our plant to do several airplanes a day. We just got the first S-LSA certificate on July 8. [We] took an airplane out of engineering, research, and design and presented it to ASTM compliance. The next day we did the first flight on the first three production airplanes. And three days later, they were S-LSA.
“We very specifically don’t want a whole bunch of versions of this airplane,” Steve said. “The wiring harnesses for the airplane are made outside the airplane; we have three basic harnesses: an airframe harness, an instrument panel harness, and a firewall-forward harness. And those connect through the firewall at a cannon plug. It’s all about controlling labor costs. That’s absolutely what it is. Airplanes are too much hand built. I want people to look at that and think it looks like old-world craftsmanship, when really it’s lasers and CNC equipment used in a way to give this flowing artistic look.”
The engine is also a clean-sheet design.
Steve said, “The only way we’re going to have the engine that we need for our airplane is we’re going to have to design and build it ourselves.” So they did. According to the company’s website, “The Spirit V2 is a normally-aspirated, two-cylinder, four-stroke, inverted ‘V,’ air-cooled, direct-drive aircraft engine featuring a dry sump lubrication system, and a magnetic discharge ignition. This engine is perfectly matched to the SE-1 aircraft.”
Fuel can be 91 octane ethanol-free mogas or 100LL. The website also mentions that “Spirit Engineering validated the Spirit V2 engine during thousands of test runs in its specially-designed engine test cell. Testing exceeding ASTM standards — including running the engine at maximum power for hundreds of hours — was performed to assess power output, durability, detonation margins, and endurance.”
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EDITORIAL STAFF: Robbie Culver, Emme Hornung, Jim Roberts, Barbara A. Schmitz
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COPY EDITOR: Kyiah Nelson
All those photos online that show dozens of airframes lined up in production? Those are real. The aircraft is in production, tested, and ready for sale immediately. The cockpit features an MGL gauge pack, basic VFR instrumentation, and the wings fold for easy transportation and storage. “It folds Grumman style; it goes right up against the fuselage. The stu you need to do it is all in the airplane. If I showed you how to do it and you practiced 10 times, you’d do it in under two minutes.”
Stop by Booth 218 in the Main Aircraft Display area near DeltaHawk Engines Hangar D or go online to see the specifics at spiriteng.com, and look for an article on the aircraft in a future issue of EAA Sport Aviation magazine.
SPECIFICATIONS
Aircraft Make & Model: Spirit Engineering SE-1
Certification: S-LSA
Length: 18 feet
Wingspan: 24 feet, 7 inches
Height: 5 feet
Width: 7 feet, 5 inches with wings stowed
Maximum Gross Weight: 740 pounds
Empty Weight: 420 pounds
Useful Load: 320 pounds
Maximum Cruise Speed: 112 mph, 100 mph at 75 percent power
PHOTOGRAPHER: Kaitlin Piette
PUBLICATIONS INTERN: Angela Satterlee
PRINT PRODUCTION TEAM LEAD/GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Marie Rayome-Gill
SENIOR SALES AND ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE: Sue Anderson
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CONNOR MADISON
WITTMAN BUSTER REPLICA BUILT WITH ORIGINAL WINGS ON DISPLAY IN HOMEBUILDERS
for purchase at select Red One Market locations.* *While supplies last. Thursday, July 24
BY ROBBIE CULVER AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF
IN THE HOMEBUILDERS Hangar, a replica of C.J. “Steve” Wittman’s Buster is on display. This is no ordinary replica — it includes original parts and was meticulously built by members of EAA Chapter 252 in Oshkosh from drawings made of the original.
Jim Cunningham, EAA 594611, said: “Chief Oshkosh did exceptionally well in air races in the 1930s. It crashed in Oakland after an engine failure and was wrecked. It was decommissioned. The wreck hung here in Oshkosh during World War II. Right after the war, Wittman and Bill Brennand rebuilt it just for something to play in. Then they noticed that this airplane would fit in the Goodyear racer specifications very well. They rebuilt it as a racer, and Steve changed the name to Buster.”
This was important because there were no plans made for this aircraft. His intent was to build a copy for himself, but as with many of us, time got in the way, and that never happened.”
He added: “One of our Chapter 252 members was down visiting Dave to buy his Sonex. He saw the di erent items that Dave had o the original and his sketches and reported that to EAA, and it was decided that we should build a full-scale re-creation for the museum.”
The wings and canopy used in the replica on display are the original as flown by Bill Brennand in 1947, the year it was raced in Cleveland. Weight had to be added to the aircraft to meet race requirements, and Brennand won.
Wittman began his air racing career in 1926, and by 1931 he had designed a purpose-built racing aircraft: the Chief Oshkosh . With an innovative mid-wing design intended to be light and fast, it had no brakes in its initial configuration. The aircraft went through multiple design changes, including different wings and engines. In 1937, Wittman installed a steel spring leaf landing gear that he designed and patented. The same steel leaf design was later adopted by Cessna for use in its aircraft.
The replica was built by members of EAA Chapter 252 in Oshkosh. This was possible thanks to the hard work of Mike Butler, Jim Casper, Charlie Becker, Bill Brennand, Jakob Brouillette, Tracy Noack, John Schram, Fred Stadler, and Jim Cunningham, among others. The nose bowl was fabricated by Mark Kinnison.
The original Buster now hangs in the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. The Smithsonian refers to the aircraft as having the “longest and most successful career in air racing history.”
To describe Wittman as an aviation and air racing legend is an understatement. If Wittman’s name is familiar, it may be because AirVenture Oshkosh is held at Wittman Regional Airport, where he was the manager from 1931 to 1969. Wittman was an early EAA member and helped bring what was then the EAA Fly-In to Oshkosh in 1970.
Jim has documented much of the project and the history that led to it. “This project started actually about 15 years ago when a gentleman named Dave Broadfoot down in Milwaukee, a builder and pilot, had restored the fabric on the original Buster, which was in the National Air and Space Museum in 1980,” he said. “When he had all the fabric off, he did sketches and took measurements of the structure of the fuselage.
The Homebuilders Hangar is at grid location K-9 on the AirVenture map, on the northwest edge of the Homebuilt Aircraft Display area.
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OSHKOSH MOMENTS
RENOWNED AIR SHOW PILOT ROB HOLLAND KILLED IN APRIL CRASH
BY BARBARA A. SCHMITZ AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF
AIR SHOW PILOT and aerobatic competitor Rob Holland, 50, died April 24, 2025, when his single-seat MX Aircraft MXS airplane crashed on approach at Langley Air Force Base, Hampton, Virginia. Rob was scheduled to perform this week at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2025.
A preliminary report from the NTSB indicates a loose counterweight plug may have caused the crash.
Rob became interested in flying when his parents would take him to military air shows. Following his pilot certification in high school, he jumped at any opportunity to fly and strengthen his aviation credentials, gaining well over 15,000 flight hours in more than 180 di erent types of aircraft. He worked as a flight instructor for air show and aerobatic pilot Mike Goulian, piloted banner and ferry planes, flew commercial and commuter planes, as well as private and corporate jets. He also formed his own flight academy, Aerial Advantage Aviation.
In 2002, Rob became an active participant in air shows around the country, and in 2007, he acquired his MXS plane. Over the course of the last two decades, Rob was named an honorary Canadian Snowbird and Blue Angel, received the Art Scholl Award for Sportsmanship and was awarded more than 38 national and international medals. He also earned 13 consecutive U.S. National aerobatic
championships (Unlimited), 14 U.S. National Freestyle championships, and six World Freestyle championships.
In addition, Rob was the driving force to secure the 2026 World Aerobatic Championships for Batavia, New York.
In the July/August 2025 issue of Sport Aerobatics, IAC President Jim Bourke wrote: “Rob loved to train probably more than he loved to compete. He had a humble, generous spirit that would come out when he was bored. … He was the rare sort who was driven to achieve, but still found time to maintain close connections with people.”
“One of my goals is to take aerobatics to the next level,” Rob is quoted saying on his website. “I want to push the limits of what can be done.”
The news of his death was shared on his o cial Instagram page: “Rob was one of the most respected and inspiring aerobatic pilots in aviation history. Even with an absolutely impressive list of accomplishments, both in classical competition aerobatics and within the air show world, Rob was the most humble person with a singular goal to simply be better than he was yesterday.”
Through the first three days of AirVenture 2025, Rob has been honored with numerous tributes during the daily air shows.
PHOTOGRAPHY
From Patient to Pilot
Aussie teen raises awareness for Crohn’s disease
BY EMME HORNUNG AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF
Byron Waller, a 15-year-old from Brisbane, Australia, is using aviation to raise awareness about Crohn’s disease and show people they can overcome their limitations.
Byron had been in and out of the hospital since he was just 2 weeks old with little answers until he was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease at age 13. Crohn’s causes chronic inflammation of the digestive tract, causing a multitude of symptoms that can be complicated to manage — even more complicated to manage in the environment of a cockpit.
But he hasn’t let that stop him. Byron has been infatuated with aviation since a young age when he got a ride in a Royal Australian Air Force C-17. “That kind of sparked my passion,” Byron said. “Then at about 13, I did my first flying lesson, and that made me want to get into it more. I absolutely loved it.”
Byron is waiting until he turns 16 to get his recreational pilot license, but in Australia, you can fly solo at 15 — something he has been doing plenty of. Last year, Byron completed a flying tour around Australia in a Cessna 172 to raise awareness for Crohn’s disease and support the Queensland Children’s Hospital. Incredibly, this tour helped the hospital open a new gastroenterology ward.
Coming up next for Byron is an around-the-world flight in a Sling TSi to continue raising awareness and spread his message. “People can overcome their illness. It’s not a definer; it’s just a limitation, and you can overcome it. It takes a lot of effort, but it’s really rewarding,” he said. “Just showing people that they can do something, too. Even if it’s not aviation, it might be simply just getting out of bed in the morning.”
You can learn more about Byron’s inspiring story and message at his presentation, “From Hospital Bed to Cockpit,” on Friday at 10 a.m. at Forum Stage 6 or in his book From Patient to Pilot
Last year, Byron completed a flying tour around Australia in a Cessna 172 to raise awareness for Crohn’s disease and support the Queensland Children’s Hospital. Incredibly, this tour helped the hospital open a new gastroenterology ward.
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF JENNIFER LANGDON
Happy Birthday, Dragon Lady!
STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY
BY JIM ROBERTS AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF
Conceived by Lockheed’s C. L. “Kelly” Johnson and built at his Skunk Works, the U-2 first flew in July 1955 and has served faithfully since. Not your grandfather’s spyplane, many of the current fleet are from a production run in the 1980s, and the original design has seen numerous improvements: The wingspan and fuselage were stretched, a new engine (the F118-GE-101, which also powers the B-2 stealth bomber) was installed in the 1990s, “steam gauges” were replaced by a 21st century glass cockpit, and the cabin has been strengthened to reduce cockpit altitude in cruise from 29,500 feet to 15,000 feet. Celebrating her 70th birthday at EAA AirVenture
Oshkosh, the current-generation U-2S Dragon Lady will be on display all week in Boeing Plaza.
Only 1,117 pilots have qualified in the U-2, and each earns a “solo number” marking their accomplishment. Lt. Col. “GoGo” (rank and call sign only) is solo number 1019, and his U-2 landing on Sunday marked a homecoming for the Fond du Lac native. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin - Madison, GoGo entered the Air Force in 2009. Following assignments as a T-6 instructor pilot and a tour in the EC-130H Compass Call aircraft, he was selected for the U-2 program.
After five years in the U-2, he says his favorite thing about flying the Dragon Lady is “the solitude and the unique view you get on the world. Like flights at sunset when you can see the shadow of the sunset … the terminator … and actually watch nightfall happening.” As
a former U-2 pilot myself, I couldn’t have said it better. He adds: “Every single time I strap into the jet it’s a privilege. I’m absolutely humbled that I get to fly the Dragon Lady to Oshkosh and have Oshkosh welcome me so graciously and allow me to share it with my family and friends.”
For me, the arrival of U-2 number 80-1076 marked a reunion with an airplane I last flew on July 16, 1986, and I think she’s aged better than I have. So from a personal perspective, I’d like to share some insights into the Dragon Lady:
How does the U-2 compete with satellites? The U-2 boasts some advantages over satellites: Dwell time and flexibility are its strong suits, making it able to loiter near a location for hours and then move to another area of interest when required. More versatile than a satellite, the U-2 is the “Mr. Potato Head” of
With “pogo” wheels inserted, the U-2 prepares for taxi to the ramp.
AROUND THE GROUNDS
reconnaissance aircraft, able to carry an interchangeable array of sensors in a package customized to the mission. And most importantly, there’s a pilot on board to make those on-the-spot decisions critical to mission success.
Why is the U-2 so di cult to land, and can you land without the chase car? To save weight and improve altitude capability, the U-2 features a single main landing gear strut with two tires, and a steerable tail wheel. As if that isn’t enough to complicate landing, the 105-foot-long wing just wants to keep flying, and the only acceptable way to land is tail wheel-first in a full stall, from about 2 feet above the runway. Peripheral vision and depth perception are limited from the pressure suit helmet, so for landing, another U-2 pilot in a chase car makes altitude callouts starting at 10 feet above the runway. And yes, you can land safely without the chase car. Pilots are trained for “novoice” landings, in the event of an unplanned diversion. Bonus fact: There are replaceable metal skid plates on the bottom of each wingtip to absorb the impact when a wing drops after landing.
Does the maintenance crew have to catch the wingtips on landing? Definitely not; they’re good, but not that good! The U-2 features a spring-steel “pogo
gear” under each wing that is used during taxi for takeo . These “pogos” fall out on the runway as the wings rise during takeo , and the maintenance crew plugs them back into the wings once the bird is fully stopped after landing.
What about that pressure suit? Blood boils at altitudes above 63,000 feet, so if cabin pressure fails, the suit is all that stands between you and the afterlife. At the normal 15,000-feet cabin altitude, the suit stays mostly deflated, mostly providing cooling airflow around the pilot. In the event of a rapid decompression,
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the suit fully inflates, the pilot does an impressive imitation of the Michelin Man, and life-saving pressure is maintained on the body until descent is possible. Bonus fact: The suits are manufactured by the David Clark Co. in Worcester, Massachusetts (yep, that David Clark), are custom fit to each pilot, and cost over a quarter of a million dollars each.
What’s the “co n corner?” Let’s start from the ground up. After takeo , the aircraft climbs at a constant indicated airspeed (IAS), while true airspeed (TAS) increases with altitude gained. As altitude and
Following landing, an energetic maintenance crew levels the right wing prior to inserting the “pogo” wheel (on the runway beneath the wing).
PAGE 12 / DRAGON LADY
TAS increase, the programmed cruise Mach is reached, and the aircraft continues to climb at that Mach number, all while IAS gradually decreases in the thinning air. Cruise is programmed for a speed where IAS won’t drop low enough to cause an aerodynamic stall, and TAS will not exceed the critical Mach number. If you stall, you’ve got your hands full trying to recover, and if critical Mach is exceeded, the aircraft can upset and go out of control. Typically, at the highest altitudes, there’s a window of about 10-20 knots between stall IAS and critical Mach; that’s the coffin corner. Bonus fact: Because the aircraft is such an e cient glider, pilots
lower the landing gear when beginning descent. Even so, a normal descent usually takes over 40 minutes. What does the future hold for this Cold War icon? U-2 retirement plans have been floated for several years, so the future remains cloudy. Lt. Col. GoGo states, “We continue to do our mission, and will continue to provide that world-class reconnaissance until we are no longer asked to do that anymore.” In the meantime, the latest U-2 pilot, No. 1117, soloed in early July. Personally, I hope he has a long and stellar career in the Dragon Lady.
“Every single time I strap into the jet it’s a privilege. I’m absolutely humbled that I get to fly the Dragon Lady to Oshkosh and have Oshkosh welcome me so graciously and allow me to share it with my family and friends.”
— Lt. Col. “GoGo”
Lt. Col. “GoGo” is welcomed by family and friends.
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Every Flight Is a Challenge! Advanced national champion Britt Lincoln
BY ROBBIE CULVER AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF
BRITT LINCOLN FLEW in the IAC demo Tuesday and Wednesday. While she has attended EAA AirVenture Oshkosh in the past, this was her first time flying in front of the crowd. “It’s like the ultimate honor to be here, to be invited,” she said. “And, you know, I can’t believe that I just sat in a pilot briefing this morning with Patty Wagsta , Michael Goulian, and Je Boerboon — all these people who I very much respect and admire.
Scan the QR codes below to see the Ford Tri-Motor and B-25 Berlin Express tour stop schedules.
“To be here and among those people, and of course everybody else, all these people that are walking around, we’re all here because we love airplanes,” she said.
In 2023, a woman won the Advanced category of the U.S. National Aerobatic Championships for the first time in 30 years: Britt has taken the aerobatic community by storm. Interviewing Britt involved sitting back and listening. She is a blur of motion and enthusiasm, and it is contagious.
Britt grew up around aviation. She was raised by her grandparents on a Montana ranch where flying was a part of life since her grandfather and great-grandfather were crop dusters. However, it was six years living in Europe, away from the ranch and away from the flying, that helped her realize what she was missing. “I was around airplanes my whole life, and it was something that was always a part of me, but I didn’t recognize how special it was or how much a part of me it really, truly was until I left home,” she said.
Britt earned her private pilot certificate in November 2017 after she returned to the United States. “I began to realize that this is something that was inside of me,” she said. More ratings and certificates followed: her instrument rating in the spring of 2018, followed quickly by her commercial certificate and a multiengine rating.
BRITT LINCOLN / PAGE 19
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF BRITT LINCOLN
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PAGE 16 / BRITT LINCOLN
“I did my seaplane rating that summer as well, because, you know, why not?” she said. Oh, and then there was a commercial seaplane rating. And she did all of this is in a year.
When asked how she got into aerobatics, the answer was a surprise. “I was just riding with a friend on a tug and drove past this hangar and the doors were open, and there were these airplanes in it. I didn’t know anything about aerobatics. And I jumped o the tug and went into the hangar,” Britt said.
“It was a Super Decathlon and a Pitts S-2B that were in the hangar, and the guy in the hangar starts talking about aerobatics and the IAC. It was like he was speaking a foreign language to me,” she said. “I had no idea what any of this meant. He took me up in the Pitts, and by the end of it, we were doing lomcováks and
“I was around airplanes my whole life, and it was something that was always a part of me, but I didn’t recognize how special it was or how much of a part of me it really, truly was until I left home.”
— Britt Lincoln
tailslides. Finally, he said we have to go back because we’re going to run out of gas. After we landed he just said, ‘You need to learn how to do this. I’ve never taken anybody for an aerobatic ride the first time that could handle this stu .’ I started training in a Super Decathlon a couple weeks later, and after about five lessons, I did my first contest.”
At this point Britt mentioned she very competitive with herself. “Every flight is a challenge,” she said, “and it’s a constant strive to be better every time I fly!”
Her competitive nature led her to competing at the U.S. National Aerobatic Championships in 2022. “There were, I think, 28 pilots, give or take a few, there to try to make the team,” she said. “And I came in fourth, which I was obviously stoked about [since the top eight advance]. So I made the team, and I was the first female to make the team in 30 years.”
In 2023 she competed at the World Advanced Aerobatic Championships, finishing seventh. The United States finished third overall.
At the end of the interview, I asked Britt if there was anything else she wanted to say to young ladies getting into aviation. Her answer? “Fly like a girl!”
For more information, check out BrittLincoln.com/ about.
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PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF BRITT LINCOLN
ADVOCACY & SAFETY
PREFLIGHT YOUR MEDICAL
BY TOM CHARPENTIER, EAA GOVERNMENT RELATIONS DIRECTOR
MEDICAL CERTIFICATION – it’s the cause of too much stress for too many pilots, from confusion about standards and medications to long wait times and repeated requests for information. EAA is working hard on making the process better for everyone by making sure that standards are reasonable and simple and that the FAA has adequate resources to handle cases quickly.
EAA will continue to work with the rest of the industry on this important issue. Equally impactful, however, are the factors that you can control as the applicant to ensure a smooth certification process. Doing your “homework” ahead of time can reduce the review time and requests for information that delay certification.
Think of it as a preflight checklist for medical certification. A thorough preflight won’t prevent every problem that might arise while you are flying, but it will reduce the number of potential surprises.
Preflighting your medical starts with two key pieces of data: your medical history and the medications that you are currently taking. Medical history really means your entire medical history. The FAA medical
application literally asks “Have you ever in your life been diagnosed with, had, or do you presently have any of the following?” What follows is a comprehensive list of medical conditions, ending with the catch-all “other illness, disability, or surgery.”
Checking “yes” on any of these conditions is certainly not a dealbreaker. In fact, for most benign issues a simple written explanation will su ce. The most common cause of medical woes, in our experience, is when an applicant does not realize that a condition will require a more extensive workup, or they wait until the visit with an aviation medical examiner (AME) to ask about it. By then it may be too late to avoid a long and costly certification process. As soon as you become aware of a new medical problem or condition, any time during the year, talk to your AME or a pilot advocacy group like EAA (800-654-6322 or govt@eaa.org). It can take weeks, even months, to gather all the information the FAA will require, and if that is all ready to send to the FAA when your exam is done, you will have a much greater chance of an immediate and smooth approval.
The FAA has simplified many of their certification protocols recently, and most are available to the public in the FAA’s Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners
These disease protocols o er a good overview of the information the FAA will require for a decision, and of the complexity of the review process.
It is also possible to find information on most diagnoses by searching online for “FAA [name of diagnosis].” When using this method, ensure that you are receiving information from an FAA URL, as some information online from other sources may be anecdotal or out of date.
The FAA publishes a “Do Not Fly/Do Not Issue” list for medications that are either prohibited or require further review for issuance. Again, this information is not fully comprehensive but does include most common problematic medications.
Any good preflight needs a good checklist, and EAA has partnered with other aviation industry associations to produce one for your medical. Visit EAA.org/ MedicalChecklist for more information.
We can help with your medical questions this week! Our medical experts will be available in the EAA Member Welcome Center from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Thursday. The FAA is also available to answer medical questions in the FAA Safety Center.
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WELCOME
FAA at AirVenture — Meet the Administrator
BY MADISON NORTZ, EAA ADVOCACY INTERN
FAA leaders have made a notable presence at this year’s AirVenture, engaging in discussions on aviation policy and the industry’s future. AirVenture serves as a crucial platform for collaboration, spotlighting the robust global general aviation community and facilitating key dialogue between the FAA and industry leaders.
For decades, EAA has worked closely with regulators as one of the strongest advocates for general aviation. We are proud to maintain positive and collaborative relationships with top o cials that we continue to build upon during EAA AirVenture Oshkosh.
While a significant amount of work with FAA representatives is happening
behind the scenes, AirVenture o ers the public a unique opportunity to engage directly with senior FAA o cials.
This year, recently confirmed FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford is joining us for his first AirVenture experience as administrator. Bedford will speak to the EAA community, providing updates on general aviation issues, and present the annual General Aviation Awards. Bedford will be sitting down with EAA’s own Jack J. Pelton, CEO and chairman of the board, to discuss pressing issues facing general aviation today.
Please join us at the Theater in the Woods today at 11:30 a.m. as we give a warm welcome to Bedford and our General Aviation Awards winners!
PASSING THE TORCH
A living legacy at Triple Tree
STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY
BY JIM ROBERTS AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF
WHEN YOU SPOT a sparkling Spartan Executive parked south of the Theater in the Woods, be sure to visit with the young pilots who flew it here from South Carolina. The three — Ben Templeton, Niklas Clauditz, and Jack Bengard — are the vanguard of Triple Tree Aerodrome’s Passing the Torch initiative.
According to Robb Williams, executive director at Triple Tree, the program started in 2024 with an act of visionary leadership when Triple Tree founders Pat and Mary Lou Hartness entrusted their treasured Spartan Executive to a team of young aviators whose combined ages were less than that of the aircraft itself. It has since grown into a cornerstone of the Triple Tree ACE (Aviation Centered Education) portfolio. That symbolic gesture didn’t just send a historic airplane to
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.
Triple Tree’s 1937 model 7W Spartan Executive is powered by a 450-hp Pratt & Whitney R-985 Wasp Junior. Here, the aircraft rests at Frederick, Maryland, before joining in the 2024 AOPA Washington, D.C., flyover.
AirVenture; it sent a message: The future of aviation depends on our willingness to invest in the next generation.
Each summer, a new generation steps into that legacy through progressive flight opportunities. The journey begins with Triple Tree’s beloved Piper J-3 Cub, where a qualified pilot — holding a private pilot certificate and tailwheel endorsement — undertakes a solo cross-country flight along the East Coast. Most recently, Karlee Jordan flew the J-3 from Triple Tree Aerodrome (SC00) to visit AOPA headquarters in Frederick, Maryland. Quite the journey in a Cub!
According to Robb, as their skills grow, participants may advance to flying the Boeing Stearman. This anticipated future addition to the program will further enrich the historical and educational experience. Next, eligible pilots may serve as first officer aboard the Spartan Executive for its annual journey to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. Eventually, the first o cer may rise to the role of captain, who is responsible for leading the flight and preparing the next first o cer to carry the torch forward.
Sunday afternoon I spoke with Ben, Nicklas, and Jack about their experiences. Ben, a 22-year-old corporate pilot from South Carolina, began volunteering at Triple Tree Aerodrome as a 14 year-old. He earned a Triple Tree ACE scholarship to help fund pilot
training and today flies most of Triple Tree’s aircraft. He’s the captain on the Spartan and said that Passing the Torch “gives young kids a chance to fly great old airplanes and visit super events like Oshkosh.”
Niklas, a recent high school graduate who’s headed toward a mechanical engineering degree, got the flying bug through remote control aircraft at Triple Tree. The newly minted private pilot credits his ACE scholarship for making flight training possible. Of flying the Spartan, he remarked: “It’s very di erent from what I’ve been flying … the Cessna 172. It’s a privilege to fly it, so I’m very happy.”
Jack said: “Ever since I was a little kid I knew I wanted to do something with aviation. In the fall of 2024 I was lucky enough to be accepted for an ACE scholarship, and I’ve been flying since my 17th birthday in October. I’ve been very fortunate with Triple Tree’s generosity, and I will forever thank them for that.”
Ben o ered this advice for aspiring young aviators: “Spend as much time as possible at the airport. Make friends and bum rides when you can. Just be an airport bum; it’s the best way to know everybody and fly all these di erent planes.”
The team plans to be at the aircraft daily between 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. in the Vintage parking area, so stop by and say hi! For more information, visit TTA.aero.
“Spend as much time as possible at the airport. Make friends and bum rides when you can. Just be an airport bum; it’s the best way to know everybody and fly all these different planes.”
— Ben Templeton
BECAUSE EVERY LANDING COUNTS
Our premium Goodyear® Flight Custom III™ tires are the ONLY General Aviation tires with Kevlar® and the trusted tire of every Goodyear Blimp.
Come see us at Booth 489 on the flight line.
Niklas Clauditz, Jack Bengard, and Ben Templeton are Triple Tree Aerodrome’s young ambassadors at AirVenture 2025.
OSHKOSH MOMENTS
Flying Through Generations
BY ANGELA SATTERLEE AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF
THE FIRST-GENERATION FLYER who started it all for the Reigles was the late Charles Reigle. Flying became a generational habit that trickled down to the family’s newest pilot, Carl Reigle. Aviation wasn’t just a bug that these men caught; it was a gene deeply rooted in their DNA to become pilots.
Charles was an 8-year-old boy in rural Pennsylvania on his family farm when he saw an airplane for the first time.
“From that day on, he just watched it from one end of the horizon to the other, and that day on, that’s what he wanted to do,” Charles’ grandson Duane Reigle, EAA 849520, said.
Charles later went on to become a CFI and bought some land to start his own all-grass airport. In 1942, Reigle Airport (58N) was established in Palmyra, Pennsylvania.
Duane went to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh for the first time with his grandparents in 1974. After being around aircraft his whole life, being there made him realize he had taken their presence for granted. But when he was 15 years old, he considered flying as a full-time job as he watched his father, Wade Reigle, EAA 126445, fly as an aerobatic competitor.
Duane is a third-generation pilot. “It was exciting to solo on my 16th birthday,” Duane said, “but the real love came on my first solo cross-country. Suddenly the world was smaller. The map wasn’t just a flat piece of paper.”
Duane went the airline route and worked for commuter airlines, Frontier airlines and US Air. “I absolutely loved it. I couldn’t believe I was in an airplane that I could stand up in,” he said. “But still being able to take o when I want in a little airplane … I think that’s what keeps [it] fun. Doing all types of di erent flying.”
Daune’s son Carl is now a fourth-generation pilot. He also soloed on his 16th birthday just like his dad, but it wasn’t until he was 26 that he took his private pilot checkride, taking o on April 28. He flew the sky over southeast Pennsylvania, earning his certificate at his family’s own airport just like his grandpa and dad.
Carl basically grew up at his great-grandfather’s airport. Between his dad being an airline pilot and flying to football camps and baseball tournaments, Carl was able to travel the U.S. at a young age.
“Whenever we would travel or go to the beach or sporting events, we would just hop in one of the Cessnas or hop in one of our other planes, just fly ‘em down to the beach instead of taking the four-hour drive,” Carl said.
Carl started coming to AirVenture with his father and grandfather when he was around 11 years old. His dad would fly the three of them up each year.
So, becoming a pilot wasn’t just a personal milestone — it was the continuation of a family legacy. For Carl, aviation runs deep in the bloodline, shaped by the generations before him.
“It’s definitely an honor, and just a privilege because I don’t know if I’d be here if it wasn’t for my
“Whenever we would travel or go to the beach or sporting events, we would just hop in one of the Cessnas or hop in one of our other planes, just fly ‘em down to the beach instead of taking the four-hour drive.”
— Carl Reigle
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF DUANE REIGLE
24 / GENERATIONS
great- grandfather and then grandfather after him and then my dad,” he said.
Earning his own wings was a tribute to all who paved the way. The support from his family was palpable when he passed his checkride.
“So just to carry that on to see how proud they were when I finished up my checkride, seeing how much of the family was there at the airport waiting for me afterwards and how excited they were,” Carl said, “it really meant a lot.”
As Wade is getting older, the family has found it di cult to make it to AirVenture each year, but they try their best.
“We still want to be able to get there as many times as we can while he’s still around. So, it’s been pretty special with going the three of us there,” Carl said.
“So just to carry that on to see how proud they were when I finished up my checkride, seeing how much of the family was there at the airport waiting for me afterwards and how excited they were, it really meant a lot.”
— Carl Reigle
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF DUANE REIGLE
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF DUANE REIGLE
FAA IS HIRING AT OSHKOSH!
AROUND THE GROUNDS
First Aid Care Available to Attendees
EAA AIRVENTURE’S FIRST AID building o ers many di erent services. The sta are a happy group of volunteers who share one common goal: to help and care for the spectators at the air show. They provide assistance for the things no one anticipates.
Nurse Gloria Zehnacker started volunteering in the 1990s and said that some of the most common injuries they treat are dehydration, bug bites, sunburn, road rash, and blistered feet. The sta encourage all attendees to prioritize hydration.
child gets lost. Using a buddy system is important, as well as telling a friend or family member where you are going and when you plan to return.
Campbell said they once had a volunteer who had become burned out from his physician career. But after he came to EAA AirVenture and volunteered in First Aid, he had a new appreciation and excitement about caring for others.
“Comfortable shoes are a necessity,” said Dr. Bob Wubben. He said it is important to wear shoes that are not new but rather broken in to prevent blisters and aches.
“The people here are like a family that keeps on coming back each year,” said Patti Bethel, a registered nurse with a background in ER and trauma. “It’s the camaraderie.”
In the event of a medical emergency, dial 911. EAA AirVenture Oshkosh has two ambulances on the grounds and three during the air shows.
“Here we assess, recommend, and send people to a higher level of care,” said Connie Campbell, co-chair at the First Aid building who has volunteered for the past 35 years. “We see people for almost anything: abdominal pain, scooter accidents, and chest pain. We are here to help in any way that we can.”
She suggests you apply sunscreen one hour prior to sun exposure and recommends wearing long-sleeved shirts. Sta members also encourage parents write their child’s name and a phone number on temporary ID bands to help if their
The First Aid buildings are located northeast of the FAA control tower o Waukau Avenue on the convention grounds, and on Schaik Avenue and 38th Street in Camp Scholler. The Camp Scholler location is open 8 a.m.-7 p.m. daily. The convention site is open 8 a.m.-7 p.m. except on Wednesday and Saturday, when it closes at 9 p.m. Both First Aid buildings close at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, the last day of AirVenture.
“We see people for almost anything: abdominal pain, scooter accidents, and chest pain. We are here to help in any way that we can.”
— Connie Campbell
STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY ABIGAIL OLENICZAK
The volunteer staff at the convention-site First Aid building are prepared to help with any medical need.
Campfire Stories at Camp Scholler
STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY JESSICA SCHAEFER, EAA 1284501
BACK ON COTTONWOOD Avenue in Camp Scholler, the sounds of Top Gun echo across the tents, interrupting the rhythm of the campfire conversation. But there’s only four of us, for now. Chairs start dragging over wet grass, the fire flares, and conversation builds. Before long, Top Gun fades into background noise. The real story is here, in the circle.
Adam and his 13-year-old son Henry are first-timers at AirVenture, soaking it in. Adam talks shop — airline flying, cockpit dynamics, seniority lists. Henry listens quietly, but when asked, his interest comes out; he’s thinking about helicopters, he says. His eyes light up.
Scott first showed up in 2018. He tells the story of the storm like it’s folklore — because it is. Each year, the tale grows a little more dramatic. “Everyone take cover, but we’re all in tents — where are we even supposed to go?” he says. We all laugh, because we know; there are already shirts and shoes and rain jackets hanging out to dry. Sometimes it gets wild, and there’s always a storm.
Cody’s up again, keeping the fire going. He’s tossing on logs, welcoming new arrivals, making sure the drinks stay full and the stories flow. It’s his fire, and
we’re just lucky to gather around it. Cody would tell you we’re all family here.
Craig’s talking about his RV-12 build, the way it’s coming together piece by piece. There’s something grounding about hearing someone speak with that kind of patience and purpose.
The baton passes back to Adam, who breaks down the interpersonal dynamics of airline life. “That first leg is always about breaking the ice — you’re flying with a total stranger,” he says. “Some folks want to connect; others just do their own thing.” Everyone glances around the circle — familiar territory. Just like here.
We pass the bug spray and refill the drinks. So far, no one’s mistaken the two. We call that a win.
Scott’s made progress since last year, too — he’s started his flight training. “Everyone’s seen the video,” someone says. “Well done,” Eric says and nods. “Anytime someone gets up in the air and learns to fly? That’s a win for all of us.”
The laughter rises and falls with the sparks. There’s teasing, there’s storytelling, but beneath it all, there’s agreement — quiet and sure. There’s nothing like flying. And there’s nothing quite like this: a fire, a few folding chairs, and a shared love of the sky.
AirVenture-goers chat and share topics around a campfire.
AROUND THE GROUNDS
CONSERVATION: SOUTHWINGS OKEFENOKEE
BY LAURA EARLY, SOUTHWINGS EASTERN PROGRAM DIRECTOR
NORTH AMERICA’S LARGEST blackwater wetland, the Okefenokee Swamp, covers more than 400,000 acres in Southeast Georgia. It is truly a unique freshwater ecosystem — home to more than 600 species of plants, 40 mammals, 60 reptiles, and 30 amphibian species, and visited by more than 200 bird species. The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1937 to protect this important wetland.
An ancient string of barrier islands, known as Trail Ridge, forms the eastern boundary of the Okefenokee, and there has been interest in mining titanium here for decades.
Mining here could impact the hydrology of the Okefenokee, damage important habitat, and increase the risk of wildfires.
The Okefenokee Swamp serves as the headwaters of both the Suwannee River, flowing to the Gulf of Mexico, and the St. Marys River, flowing to the Atlantic Ocean. Each of these blackwater rivers is also home to protected species, and the water quantity and quality in each of these rivers is linked to the Okefenokee Swamp.
The Okefenokee Swamp is a multifaceted asset to the region, providing important ecological services, habitat, and recreational and economic opportunities, and harboring much history and culture. As such, the initiatives to protect the swamp are multifaceted as
well. Since 2019, SouthWings has provided 13 flights to support initiatives to protect this invaluable resource.
Many of the SouthWings flights have helped to spread awareness about the importance of the
The Okefenokee Swamp forms the headwaters of the St. Marys River. Screenshot from 2024 WSBTV television feature. Flight courtesy of SouthWings volunteer pilot
John Steward. PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF SOUTHWINGS
28 / CONSERVATION
Okefenokee and protecting it from mining threats. In 2021, volunteer pilot Tim Moran flew videographers for a PBS EcoSense for Living episode titled Okefenokee Destiny. SouthWings flights also help community leaders, elected officials, artists and activists better understand the landscape and how the Okefenokee is a vital part of it. In 2019, volunteer pilot Allen Nodorft worked with the Suwannee Riverkeeper to fly a community historian, an artist, a congressional sta er, elected o cials, journalists, and other community leaders around the swamp.
In 2024, two SouthWings flights helped gain media attention on the issue. In February 2024, volunteer pilot John Steward flew a reporter and videographer from WSBTV in Atlanta over the Okefenokee and surrounding areas with St. Marys Riverkeeper, Emily Floore. The flight was featured in two television segments, as well as an online article.
In March 2024, volunteer pilot Rick Welch flew photographer Hyosub Shin to gather photos for a story in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution . The story was published in the Sunday paper, as well as online, and features a photo of the St. Marys River, which could experience a decrease in water levels and exacerbated droughts due to proposed mining activities. Photos
will continue to be used to illustrate stories and op-eds related to the Okefenokee Swamp.
The flights offered by volunteer pilots have helped raise awareness across the state about this dangerous proposal. “Thank you so much for making this flight work for our story,” said Leah Dunn,senior producer, WSBTV. “This is going to give our viewers such a unique perspective and understanding of what is happening,”
EVERYTHING YOU NEED FOR YOUR ENGINE IN ONE PLACE!
Hyosub Shin, photographer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, with SouthWings volunteer pilot Rick Welch. PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF SOUTHWINGS
The vastness of North America’s largest blackwater wetland can only be fully grasped from the air. Screenshot from 2024 WSBTV television feature. Flight courtesy of SouthWings volunteer pilot John Steward. PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF SOUTHWINGS
OSHKOSH MOMENTS
Family Volunteer Spotlight The Martins
BY ANGELA SATTERLEE AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF
THE MARTINS’ JOURNEY with EAA began in the late 1980s when Cindy Martin, EAA 288433, and her husband, Robert, EAA 1034583, first attended AirVenture. A few years later, they began bringing their younger children and started volunteering with Operation Thirst. A short time later, Robert began working with Dave Miller and Steve Taylor in maintenance, and the rest of the family followed suit.
This initial experience sparked a family tradition of volunteering that has spanned generations. Cindy’s son and his wife continue to volunteer, as do Cindy’s five grandchildren and grand daughter-in-law. “Not just for our family, but with all the people we work with. We’ve probably almost all been together for 25 to 35 years.”
The Martins’ commitment to volunteering has created a ripple effect, inspiring even their youngest family members to get involved. “When you get them hooked at [ages] 10, 11, and 12, they don’t ever want to stop. It’s infectious,” Cindy explained. Her granddaughter, who is turning 15, eagerly looks forward to the summer, as there is no place she would rather be than with friends and family at AirVenture.
Cindy’s passion for aviation extends beyond volunteering. As a flight instructor for nearly 40 years, she initially attended Oshkosh to improve her skills and learn from forums. “It has changed my life,” Cindy said. Her dedication led to a rewarding career at Flight Safety
Third-generation volunteers from the Martin, Ton, and Sisk families. PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF CINDY MARTIN
International, from which she is now retired.
For Cindy, the friendships and connections made through volunteering are invaluable. “The friendships we’ve made and getting to spend time with people we don’t see anywhere else … it’s just di erent to be there,” she said. The sense of community is strong, with about 90 people in their group, many of whom have been volunteering together for decades.
The impact of volunteering on the younger generation is profound. “In our group, one of the biggest things we all talk about is where our kids have gone,” Cindy said. Many have pursued careers in aviation, becoming aeronautical engineers, airline pilots, mechanics, and flight instructors. “They mature so quickly when they’re up there working like an adult and [being] treated like an adult. It puts a footprint on their life, whether it’s aviation or not.”
Cindy is proud to see more young people getting involved and appreciates the educational opportunities EAA provides. Her grandson now flies for an airline, her
granddaughter is pursuing an aviation degree at Bowling Green State University in Ohio, and her son is learning to fly, Cindy shared with pride.
The Martins’ story is a testament to the power of volunteering and the lasting impact it can have on individuals and families. Her dedication and passion for aviation continue to inspire those around her, creating a legacy of service and community within EAA.
FORUM SCHEDULE
SUPERIOR ENGINE FORUMSCleared for a Safe Flight
Superior Air Parts AirVenture 2025 Forum Presentation Schedule
MONDAY 10:00am Basic Engine Inspections & Trend Monitoring That Owners Can Perform
TUESDAY
8:00am Setting Piston Ring Gap & Cylinder Life
10:00am Engine Leaning Made Simple
WEDNESDAY
10:00am Communicating Effectively with your Aircraft Mechanic
Hosted by Bill Ross, A&P I/A 2023
THURSDAY
10:00am Aircraft Engine Compression Testing
FRIDAY
10:00am Engine at or Beyond TBO, What should you do?
SATURDAY 10:00am Basic Engine Inspections & Trend Monitoring That Owners Can Perform
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF CINDY MARTIN
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF CINDY MARTIN
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. Each day, we’ll highlight one of these airplanes that you’ll see as you wander the neighborhoods of AirVenture.
Aircraft: Pereira Osprey 2
Designed by George Pereira, the Osprey 2 is a two-seat homebuilt amphibian built from plans. Pereira based the design on the Osprey 1 flying boat, adding a second seat and landing gear. Hundreds of Osprey 2s have been built and flown. The EAA Aviation Museum’s example is the original prototype that first flew in 1973.
for ages 18 and under supported in part by
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CRYSTAL PEREZ
AROUND THE GROUNDS
Visit the Smithsonian — at Oshkosh
BY DIANE TEDESCHI, SENIOR EDITOR, AIR & SPACE QUARTERLY MAGAZINE.
THE SMITHSONIAN’S NATIONAL Air and Space Museum has an unmatched collection of thousands of aviation and space artifacts. With so many valuable historical objects at hand, the museum is, not surprisingly, a rewarding work environment for its 250 full-time employees. To preserve and display such iconic artifacts as the Spirit of St. Louis and the Apollo 11 command module, the Museum depends on an experienced workforce — everyone from curators and restoration specialists to archivists and conservators. A small team of Smithsonian experts has traveled to Oshkosh this year to give daily talks about the amazing work they do in maintaining the National Air and Space museum’s status as one of the world’s most popular places to visit.
Chris Reddersen — who was only 8 years old when he realized that he wanted to work with historic aircraft — will be speaking about his contributions to the restoration of an F-86 Sabre. Reddersen has also worked on the preservation of Flak-Bait , a Martin B-26B-25-MA Marauder that survived more than 200 combat missions flown over Europe in World War II.
Chris Moore, a curator in the museum’s aeronautics department, will also be speaking. Moore explains the decision to
preserve — rather than restore — Flak-Bait
“The aircraft was acquired just after the war, and it’s a time-capsule, bearing all the scars of its many missions,” Moore said. “Numerous patches covering battle damage are visible, especially on the bomber’s fabric-covered control surfaces. These repairs are evocative of the struggle the air crews went through to fly their missions, but they likely would have disappeared in a restoration. Innovative conservation techniques developed specifically for this project have ensured that the museum can retain as much original material as possible — preserving the physical evidence of the dangers American bomber crews faced in combat.”
The meticulous care of the museum’s artifacts goes beyond their preservation and restoration. When aircraft and spacecraft need to be
moved from one building to another — or even within the same building — a talented team plans and executes their safe transport. “Ideally, the aircraft or spacecraft is disassembled into pieces that are more easily moved,” said Kristen Horning, who will be speaking about her work in the Museum’s Collections Processing Unit. “For an airplane, we usually remove the wings and tail surfaces to make it small enough to fit inside a 53-foot box trailer. For smaller components, we build customized conveyances; these could be wood or aluminum pallets or a steel stand that is fabricated in-house by our shop welders.”
The team has been very busy moving artifacts as part of the total renovation of the main museum in Washington, D.C. The next phase of five new galleries opens on July 28.
Rounding out the list of speakers are archivists, conservators, and noted aeronautics historian Jeremy Kinney, an expert on air racing and World War II U.S. military aviation. Our speakers are also available to answer your questions about their e orts to ensure that the museum’s national collection will be preserved for generations.
You can find us at Booth No. 328 (look for the red and yellow flags), where we have brought an array of touchable objects, including heat-shield tiles from a space shuttle, a U-2 pilot flight suit, and pieces of woodwork from a World War II-era Soviet bomber. We’ll also be handing out brochures that explain how you can best preserve your own family keepsakes.
Elizabeth Beesley — who will be speaking about her work as a conservator at the National Air and Space Museum — makes a final inspection of the Spirit of St. Louis before its installation in the Boeing Milestones of Flight Hall. PHOTOGRAPHY BY ERIC LONG
Restoration expert Chris Reddersen has played a major role in the preservation of Flak-Bait, a Martin B-26B-25-MA that served with the U.S. Army Air Forces in World War II. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JIM PRESTON
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 and into the Korean War, that have made an appearance at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh in recent years or may be here this week.
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15
Introduced in 1949, the Soviet-designed, swept-wing MiG-15 jet fighter proved to be a formidable adversary during the Korean War, particularly against straightwing opponents. The airplane was originally designed to intercept American bombers, specifically the B-29, and held an air superiority advantage early in the war until the swept-wing F-86 entered the scene. More than 12,000 MiG-15s were built in the Soviet Union, with thousands more built under license in Communist bloc countries.
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17
Developed from the MiG-15, the MiG-17 first flew in 1950 but didn’t enter service until 1952 — too late for action in the Korean War. With a thinner and more highly swept wing than the MiG-15, the transonic MiG17 controlled much better than its predecessor when nearing Mach 1. The MiG-17 first saw combat in 1958 during the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis and was used extensively by North Vietnamese pilots during the Vietnam War, proving e ective against newer American aircraft such as the F-105 and F-4.
Douglas A-26 Invader
Designed and operated during WWII as a light bomber/ground attack aircraft, the twin-engine A-26 (designated B-26 between 1948 and 1965) served for many years after the end of the war, including in Korea. Invaders participated in bombing missions in Korea, as well as in the CIA-sponsored Bay of Pigs operation in 1961, and eventually the Vietnam War.
Sikorsky S-52/HO5S-1
With fewer than 100 produced, the S-52/HO5S-1 is one of the lesser-known aircraft of the era but proved useful to the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, which used it for observation and scouting during the Korean War. The Marines also operated the HO5S-1 for medevac, as it was able to carry two stretchers internally.
de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk
As the first postwar aviation project from de Havilland Canada, the Chipmunk single-engine trainer entered service shortly after WWII and was used by the RCAF, RAF, and other air forces as a primary trainer, in many cases replacing the Tiger Moth. More than 1,000 Chipmunks were built during the type’s production run. While retired by the Royal Canadian Air Force and Royal Air Force, the Portuguese air force still operates a small number of Chipmunks.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY HAYDEN SMITH
PHOTOGRAPHY BY HAYDEN SMITH
PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRADY LANE
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANDREW ZABACK
PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVE SWARTZ
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
Thursday, July 24
VFR Refresher Course
8 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Free, one-day course focused on VFR flying and top factors related to accidents. Training consists of three hours of ground instruction and three hours of simulator work with a flight instructor.
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.
AROUND THE GROUNDS
Mark Anderson
BY KAITLIN PIETTE AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF
MARK ANDERSON FROM Hastings, Michigan, has been a member of EAA and attending the annual Oshkosh flyin since 1988. During those years, he worked as an airport manager while volunteering for EAA AirVenture Oshkosh on the flightline in 1998, and in 2000, he volunteered with south maintenance. He has since retired from being an airport manager but still volunteers with south maintenance during AirVenture. While the air show happens and he’s not on the clock for volunteering, Mark likes getting to see all the vintage airplanes, and he especially enjoys taking photos of them and the air show with his Canon 5D camera.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JACK FLEETWOOD
PHOTOGRAPHY BY KAITLIN PIETTE
EVERY PILOT NEEDS A SOLID GROUND CREW.
AOPA PROGRAM PAVILION
THURSDAY | JULY 24
8:30AM - 11:45AM
Rusty Pilots Seminar (WINGS Credit)
Chris Moser, AOPA Foundation You Can Fly
39 Lounge Meet and Greets
10:00AM-10:45AM
Mike Goulian
11:00AM-11:45AM
@scalewings_aircraft
12:00PM - 12:45PM
Importing Your Content Into ForeFlight ForeFlight Team Member
1:00PM - 1:45PM
Ask the A&Ps - LIVE!
AOPA Podcast Hosts: Mike Busch, Paul New, and Colleen Sterling
2:00PM - 2:45PM
The Schi Show – LIVE!
Brian Schi , National Association of Flight Instructors
3:00PM - 3:45PM
O -Airport Operations in the Backcountry (WINGS Credit)
4:00PM - 4:45PM
Mike Vivion, CFI, Backcountry Flying Expert
Maximum Fun, Minimum Cost: The Wonderful World of Flying Clubs
5:30PM - 7:00PM
Flying Clubs Social Private Event, Ticket Required
Cade Halle, AOPA Foundation You Can Fly
We offer hot coffee, doughnuts, fresh fruit, salads, sandwiches and much more. Red One Market has everything you need to make your stay more enjoyable.
LOCATED SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO
Head over to one of our seven Red One Market locations today!
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.
Thursday, July 24, 2025
9 a.m. - Jim Busha, Bazooka Charlie: The Unbelievable Story of Major Charles Carpenter and Rosie the Rocketer
10 a.m. - Lauren Settles, Could I Be a Pilot? Evie’s Journey to Becoming a Pilot
11 a.m. - John Lanza, Shot Down Over Italy & From One War to Another
12 p.m. - Elby Gray, Building a Kit Airplane: Everything I Wish I Knew Before I Started
1 p.m. - Pam Ward, Miss Blue! The Pilot Maker
2 p.m. - Bill Ross, Superior Air Parts: Engine Management 101
3 p.m. - John Fredrickson, Boeing Metamorphosis: Launching the 737 and 747, 1965-1969
4 p.m. - Daniel Flores, South of Heaven: My Year in Afghanistan
5 p.m. - Dave Franson, Rescuing DOC: How Tony Mazzolini and DOC’s Friends Transformed the Last Restorable B-29 From a Forgotten Target Into a Flying Tribute
Thursday, July 24, 2025 (WomenVenture)
9 a.m. - Eileen Bjorkman, The Fly Girls Revolt: The Story of the Women Who Kicked Open the Door to Fly in Combat
10 a.m. - Michelle “MACE” Curran, The Flipside: How to Invert Your Perspective and Turn Fear Into Your Superpower
12 p.m. - Erin Miller, Final Flight Final Fight: My Grandmother, the WASP, and Arlington National Cemetery
1 p.m. - Capt. Tammie Jo Shults, Nerves of Steel: How I Followed My Dreams, Earned My Wings, and Faced My Greatest Challenge
2 p.m. - Lt. Colonel Olga Custodio, USAF (retired), Flightpath of Fortitude: Breaking Barriers, Building Horizons
3 p.m. - Gigi Coleman & Capt. Beth Powell, Queen of the Skies: The Inspiring Story of Bessie Coleman
4 p.m. - Katherine Sharp Landdeck, The Women with Silver Wings: The Inspiring True Story of the Women Airforce Service Pilots of World War II
Today’s SCHEDULE
Now Showing
BLUE BARN
Your go-to destination for EAA Chapters™ and EAA
> Attend a forum about growing your chapter, engaging youth, and more
> Represent your chapter by placing your pin on the chapter map
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> Learn about chapter resources and best practices
> Connect with chapter leaders and EAA’s Chapters staff
Hill COMPASS
3:00
EAA
WORKSHOPS
Go Hands-On
Homebuilding is the heart of EAA, and you can learn virtually every skill and gain the confidence you need to build an airplane while at EAA ® AirVenture ® Oshkosh™
Patterned after the highly successful EAA SportAir ® Workshops.
Presenting Sponsor Supporting Sponsors
EAA AIRVENTURE FORUMS
Learn from Experts
8:30
PHOTOGRAPHY
AROUND THE GROUNDS
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHELSEA ROUSE
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTOPHER LOHFF
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTOPHER LOHFF
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTOPHER LOHFF
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTOPHER LOHFF
PHOTOGRAPHY BY RYAN MARX
PHOTOGRAPHY BY TANDESS O’NEAL
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ED HICKS
EMERGENCY WEATHER SAFETY
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHELSEA ROUSE
PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRETT BROCK
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ED HICKS
PHOTOGRAPHY BY LAURIE GOOSSENS
PHOTOGRAPHY BY LAURIE GOOSSENS
PHOTOGRAPHY BY TANDESS O’NEAL
PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRITTANY ELISE
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHELSEA ROUSE
PHOTOGRAPHY BY LAURIE GOOSSENS
PHOTOGRAPHY BY LAURIE GOOSSENS
PHOTOGRAPHY BY RYAN MARX
PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRITTANY ELISE
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JACK FLEETWOOD
How well do you know EAA history?
Try your hand at these trivia questions and find out. The answer, along with a new question, will be in tomorrow’s paper.
Q: As we commemorate the 75th anniversary of the start of the Korean War this year at AirVenture 2025, we’re expecting a number of aircraft types that served in the conflict to make the trip to Oshkosh. While aircraft such as the F-86 Sabre, MiG-15, and F-84 Thunderjet are synonymous with that conflict, a few lesser-known early jets also served in the conflict. Can you name this aircraft?
WEDNESDAY, JULY 23, 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.
747 by Lady A Airport by The Motors
Eight Miles High by The Byrds Jet by Paul McCartney and Wings
Learning to Fly by Pink Floyd
Today’s CROSSWORD
ACROSS
2. The Hummelbird’s lighter sibling, a true ultralight.
5. Modern hang gliders owe a lot to Francis _______, designer of the wing that bears his name.
9. Another term for a powered paraglider.
10. This ultralight, introduced in 1977, was one of the first to offer twoaxis stick control.
11. Quicksilver’s MXII.
12. Opener’s eVTOL ultralight.
13. The _______ 103 ultralight is named after the regs that defined the category.
14. Eipper’s classic ultralight.
DOWN
1. The number of passengers you can legally take in an ultralight.
3. This ultralight got its name because it fully complies with Part 103 (two words).
4. This popular ultralight was produced by Quad City Aircraft in Illinois.
6. Company that sells adjustable aviation creepers: ____________
7. This classic ultralight was almost called the Ptomcat.
8. A classic-style ultralight built by M-Squared.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 23, ANSWERS
ACROSS
THURSDAY, JULY 23, 2025
Sponsored by
C. National Geographic Society
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@ erikofnorway
So Thore and myself found this beautiful pink jet piloted by #jetgirlstephanie . She was nowhere to be found but instead we located a fellow Norwegian who is publicly known in the aviation world as «Stephanie’s Husband» #eaaairventure #jetgirlstephanie #eaa #airshows
After our morning Fisk shift, Team 14 visits sea plane base
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@ skylar.henley smoke on!!
@ jim_intheclouds
Thanks for the great picture Jeanette and Nick!
@ ianmatthew89
This is a moment I never thought I’d get to have. 13 years ago I found this kid on YouTube that went by @ aviation101films. I was amazed that I saw someone younger than me that was flying airplanes and posting it online. At the time I was in a funk because I never thought I’d be able to get into aviation. This airplane, its pilot, and this little YouTube channel which isn’t so little anymore is literally what flipped the switch on me and caused me to start applying at airlines. This is the plane that started it all. It’s the reason I know anything about aviation at all, the reason I have become the aviation nerd I am. I stood next to this plane and got watery eyed, this literally is so surreal to be here standing next to the symbol that started it all for me. So excited to be at OshKosh for the first time!
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Pilatus Business Aircraft Ltd ❘ Poly Fiber, Inc ❘ Rotax iService and Training Centres ❘ SiriusXM Aviation ❘ Southwest Airlines ❘ Superflite
Superior Air Parts, Inc. ❘ SureFly Electronic Ignition ❘ Tecnam ❘ Tempest Aero Group ❘ True Blue ❘ Power ❘ uAvionix ❘ United Airlines ❘ Van’s Aircraft Williams International ❘ Wing Aviation ❘ Women in Aviation International (WAI) ❘ Zenith Aircraft
COPPER LEVEL SUPPORTERS
Avfuel ❘ B&C Specialty Products Inc. ❘ Bristell Aircraft ❘ CiES Inc ❘ DATC ❘ Flight Outfitters ❘ Flite Test ❘ Horizon Hobby ❘ Siemens Digital Industry Software SOFTIE PARACHUTES by Para-Phernalia, Inc. ❘ Starr Aviation ❘ UND Aerospace ❘ VOLARE HANGARS
PATRON LEVEL SUPPORTERS
4imprint ❘ AeroCreeper ❘ Alaska Airlines ❘ Arena Americas ❘ Bombardier ❘ Bravo Golf ❘ Chicago Executive Airport ❘ David Clark Company ❘ DJ Products, Inc
Endeavor Air ❘ EnerSys® ❘ Fly Girls Aviation ❘ General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) ❘ GES ❘ Global Aerospace ❘ Honda Power Equipment JSfirm.com ❘ MATCO ALS ❘ Metro Sales Inc. ❘ Mid-State Equipment ❘ Ninety-Nines, Inc (The) ❘ Old School Model Works ❘ Pilotsmith ❘ Scheme Designers, Inc Small Town EV ❘ Target Oshkosh ❘ Walkabout Hats ❘ WILCO ❘ Zipline
