Before wheels up en route to OSH, it’s essential to become familiar with the EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2024 Notice (commonly known and published before as Oshkosh NOTAMS ). The Notice provides detailed, necessary information to make your arrival and departure to this year’s 71st fly-in convention, held July 22nd through 29th, a success.

With more than 10,000 aircraft expected to arrive at Wittman Regional and other nearby airports, the density of aircraft is only exceeded by the hundreds of thousands of attendees in total that are expected to attend this year. And just because you may be familiar with last year’s arrival and departure notes, keep in mind that there are some new changes in store for you this year. In fact, many of the updated changes for this year were a direct result of feedback from pilots like you, with a dose of FAA recommendations as well.

So, what can you expect if you are flying into OSH this year (other than the requisite sweaty palms?) The first thing to consider is that the 2024 Notice is effective from Noon CDT on Thursday, July 18 through Noon CDT on Monday, July 29. Since many different aircraft types traverse the airspace, the FAA-designed Notice provides procedures for the many types of aircraft flying in for the event.

• READ MORE: Welcome to Oshkosh

Some of the surprise changes for this year include a TFR that will be in effect in Milwaukee (KMKE) airspace from July 15 through 18, a direct result of the Republican National Convention taking place during this time.

Anyone who has flown into AirVenture in the past is well familiar with the FISK holding procedure. However, don’t get too comfy with that procedure this year, as the FISK holding procedure has changed, as evidenced by several pages dedicated to these changes in the Notice. By the way, for you early birds, there are no FISK arrivals on Thursday, July 25, before 8 a.m., so go ahead and enjoy that Grand Slam breakfast and plan your arrival accordingly.

As before, ATC assignable transition points will also be part of the 2024 plan. This includes approaching Oshkosh from the west, which is planned to ease holding and congestion.

Transition points include Endeavor Bridge, Puckaway Lake, and Green Lake. These will be announced on the arrival ATIS when ATC activates these points, typically during high traffic times.

Even seasoned pilots will tell you that preparation is critical to your safe and successful journey to and from AirVenture. EAA’s vice president of advocacy and safety, Sean Elliott, says, “The most essential information for any pilot flying to Oshkosh involves reading and thoroughly understanding the 2024 AirVenture Notice to ensure safe operations on arrival and departure.”

With total aircraft operations at Wittman alone expected to average up to 148 takeoffs and landings per hour when the airport is open, understanding the procedures in detail becomes even more critical.

As a successful fly-in attendee, you will be part of a group of pilots who will experience one of the most exhilarating aspects of general aviation—flying into EAA AirVenture: an experience that should not be taken lightly.

Pilots can download a digital version of the Notice at EAA.org/NOTAM.

The post Changes in the 2024 AirVenture Notice Worth Examining appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.

By mid-July, I had a dance card filled, with interviews and media events blocked for every one of the seven days I would be in attendance. I had read everything I could about what to pack and wear to stay comfortable walking from one end of the venue to another in search of the next story. I had talked to my sister and other friends who had been there. I was ready.

I knew I would have some time between events and interviews, so I planned to take in the daily air shows and spend some time visiting the museum to get out of the heat. I had starry-eyed visions of leisurely conversations with the owners of fabulously restored vintage birds and plenty of time to people watch. But I didn’t know about the Oshkosh vortex.

The trouble started on day one, Sunday, after I picked up FLYING Media Group technical editor Meg Godlewski from Appleton International Airport (KATW) and then innocently tried to get us into the event. We spent 45 minutes touring at least three of the campgrounds, off-roading on terrain my low-clearance Honda wasn’t designed to handle. I’m still not entirely sure how we managed to get into those areas, much less out again—arguing like an old married couple over which way to go.

And it wasn’t the last time during the week my navigational skills departed, which was disconcerting because they are usually decent at worst. I’m going to blame it all on the fact that the event map wasn’t oriented to the north. Godlewski may be skeptical about that.

Meanwhile, FMG travel editor Jonathan Welsh was having an even more frustrating experience. Weather forced him to abort his Sunday flight into the event, and the next day he made the difficult decision to return home in light of the low visibility conditions because of smoke.

FMG editor-in-chief Julie Boatman nodded sagely at my midweek “flustration” when my schedule continued to rearrange itself in unexpected ways. “That’s the Oshkosh vortex,” she said.

The best-laid plans at AirVenture have a way of swirling out of your hands. And so it turned out that my first Oshkosh was as much about learning how to Oshkosh—psychologically—as it was about getting great stories. The trick is to embody airshow zen. You just let the swirling tides move you. And when you do, you might end up somewhere unexpectedly awesome—like when I found myself with Godlewski in the cockpit of NASA’s Super Guppy, interviewing pilot Ray Heinemann about what it’s like to fly the beast; or with Jeremy King a day later, chatting with the Guppy’s flight engineer, Nelson Reyes, about his career journey at the FMG booth.

• READ MORE: STOL Enthusiasts Flocked to AirVenture

I also learned that one must plan around the weather. Early morning is a perfect time to visit many of the exhibits, while the light is beautiful and before the scene fills with visitors. Photographer Stephen Yeates took advantage of this strategy on Tuesday to capture some incredible images, the early morning light filtering dramatically through the wildfire smoke drifting down from Canada.

I learned the hard way that midday is not a time to schedule anything, other than maybe a writing session in an air-conditioned space (or, I assume, a quiet stroll through the museum. I never did make it in). My schedule often found me trudging to interviews in the sweltering heat and suffering from dizzying exhaustion as a consequence.

However, pulling back my dripping hair and venturing out with my water bottle in the heat occasionally found my efforts rewarded (even if I had to take a timeout later), particularly on a visit to the ICON Aircraft booth midweek. I sat with CEO Jerry Meyer and talked about the unique design of the amphibious A5.

Meyer confirmed my initial observation about the design of the cockpit, which feels almost as approachable as a car. It was developed to be accessible, with information delivered to the pilot at a glance and controls intuitively laid out in the small space.

Meyer drew my attention to one particular difference from many GA cockpits (even glass cockpits): the prominent angle-of-attack indicator placed at the top right of the instrument panel. “Rather than watching airspeed,” Meyers said, “you fly the angle of attack. You do this during climb, in straight-and-level flight, and flying a pattern and landing.”

Engineering innovations tend to have tradeoffs, and this airplane is no exception. The wing design makes it incredibly hard to stall the A5—you can see many videos of reactions to this during demo flights on the company’s YouTube channel (and I’m sure my reaction was no different). The pilot retains some aileron control even when fully stalled; the tradeoff comes in terms of speed. A sleek design means a tight margin for useful load—you’re not going to be taking long cross-country flights with a friend and lots of gear in an A5.

Meyer walked me around one of the company’s A5 models on display at its booth and pointed out the wing-folding design, which makes it possible to tow the airplane to the lake for a weekend. An ideal perk for the target market for this airplane: people who want an amphibious airplane to enjoy air and water at their leisure.

• READ MORE: ICON Bumps Useful Load of A5 LSA Seaplane

A few days later, I drove to the beautifully appointed Brennand Airport (79C) in Neenah, about 10 miles north of Oshkosh, to take a demo flight with one of the company’s instructor pilots, Alex Mason, regional sales director for the West Coast (Seattle to San Diego), and experience some of its characteristics in action. We took off and headed west to Lake Winneconne.

Once over the water, Meyer demonstrated a stall. The airplane entered the condition reluctantly, and there was never a full break. We hovered for a bit in a falling-leaf stall and then made a couple of turns using the rudder while in the stall. I’m echoing many others here, but it was a weird experience, even knowing about this characteristic ahead of time.

Mason demonstrated a water landing and takeoff, talking me through the process of selecting a landing spot, observing wind direction on the water, and then flying a normal pattern and landing. Flying the angle of attack, as Meyer had suggested, was disconcerting for someone used to a constant mental calculus centered on airspeed and attitude. But it worked, as my landing wound up far smoother than I expected.

On takeoff, I marveled at the A5’s tendency to “slip the surly bonds of Earth” (with a nod to John Gillespie Magee Jr.) on its own. It needed only the slightest nudge to part from the water at rotation speed. In the air, Mason demonstrated some steep turns and a box canyon reversal, and I marveled at what appeared to be a duck with an angry lawn mower installed in it could be so nimble in the air.

As we touched down in Brennand, I felt a bit of letdown. I wasn’t sure I’d like the A5 before my flight. But after it was over, I was sad that I didn’t have more time to play in the air.

On my last day at Oshkosh, the vortex threw me a bone. I was invited to join a media flight aboard World War II Douglas C-47 Placid Lassie in a special formation flight with the Vaerus Jet Sales Douglas DC-3. The airplanes are part of the D-Day Squadron, which will return to Europe next year to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Normandy invasion.

I thought a lot about the young men who had sat in my place 79 years ago and about the tides that moved them to their fates. It was a sobering reflection and an honor to be part of that little bit of history for a few fleeting moments. And that, the honoring of the past and celebration of innovation and exploration, is what AirVenture is all about. 

Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared in the October 2023 issue of Plane & Pilot magazine. 

The post Sketches of Adventure appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.

I’ll mention this news briefly as I wish to pay respect to fellow pilots. Two accidents on the weekend after we departed resulted in four fatalities, reportedly including one passenger. My sincere condolences to the surviving families. Oshkosh has enjoyed safe years with no loss of life, but when so many airplanes assemble, mathematical odds suggest that something is going to happen despite incredible efforts to make the event as safe as possible

In the heat of Oshkosh 2023, people proved adept at finding shade where they could, in this case, that offered by a tailplane and fuselage. During the week, a few Wisconsin days were rather warm. Cooling rains came mostly at night, sparing the airshow but surely soaking campers in tents. The campgrounds were full to the edges, and the Experimental Aircraft Association opened multiple other locations to handle the overflow. AirVenture’s campground metric—Camp Scholler can accommodate 40,000 campers, and that wasn’t enough—plus thick throngs of people to weave around anywhere I walked on the showgrounds suggested a great turnout to me. Indeed, EAA president and CEO Jack Pelton reported more than 677,000 visitors.

MOSAIC and More

Given the FAA’s earlier-than-predicted release of the highly anticipated NPRM (Notice of Proposed Rulemaking), it’s no wonder that the Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification (MOSAIC) was on the minds of many aviators. The two things that are no longer included are drones and multicopters. Once they were removed, the regulation went forward swiftly.

MOSAIC burst upon the scene bearing some unanticipated surprises. Through its proposal, the FAA has confirmed that the industry did well regulating itself. The FAA has said repeatedly, “We want industry to do more.” ASTM International’s F37 light sport aircraft (LSA) committee members have clearly done an impressive job.

Various groups will closely examine the NPRM, producing summaries as soon as possible, so you can digest it and compose your response. I hope each of you will let the FAA know what you think, but write your own words. Scanning technology allows the FAA to group identical responses as one response, so say whatever you think, but don’t copy and paste language others have proposed. Also, be polite and constructive—ranting will not help.

• READ MORE: The Practical Magic of Economical Buys

Fly at Night?

Here’s one part of the NPRM that generated many comments. The question was raised: “Can a sport pilot fly at night…without a medical?”

One commenter wrote: “‘The FAA stated at a forum…[at Oshkosh 2023] that, yes, the intent is that for night flight a medical or BasicMed is required. The reason given was that they did not have enough trust in state driver agencies to adequately check eyes.”

I’m sure the person heard and quoted the FAA guys correctly. However, reading the Federal Register release of MOSAIC, I still believe the agency will use endorsements to allow sport pilot certificate holders to receive training in pursuit of skills for night flying, retractable gear, adjustable props, and even IFR. The language in the NPRM supports this on page after page.

More Aircraft Coming

I know what most readers enjoy, and fortunately I have the same interest. The following flying machines are ones I will be writing about in the days and weeks ahead at ByDanJohnson.com (a member of FLYING Media Group to become AffordableAviation.com over the next few months). By no means are these all the intriguing aircraft I saw at Oshkosh, but they are ones I think you will enjoy the most.

Aeroprakt A-32 Vixxen

I simply have to admire the Aeroprakt team, led by designer Yuri Yakovlev. Everyone on the planet is aware how its home country of Ukraine is under immense pressure from every direction, including Russian missiles flying and bombs dropping. How the team can keep it together is something of a miracle and certainly a credit to its dedication and resolve.

During AirVenture, former importer Dennis Long, who’s still helping, texted to say Aeroprakt had built its 1,500th aircraft. The company isn’t just repeating, though—it’s still innovating. One Aeroprakt on display, the A-32 Vixxen, featured a third door (similar to Jabiru J-230D, Montaer MC-01, and KFA’s Safari XL) to make loading baggage easier and allowing use of the aft space in the Vixxen’s roomy cockpit. New importer Andy Humphrey, who operates as Heavenbound Aviation in Johnstown, Ohio, showed me another Aeroprakt at Oshkosh that was fully equipped for IFR, a use he noted is “permitted for Special LSA when used for IFR flight or recurrent training.” A standard in development by ASTM should allow flight into IMC that is not presently advised.

Hawk Ultra Air

We’ve known Hawk for many years as it celebrated 40 years in 2022 (as did the Part 103 regulation). Today, one organization, CGS Aviation, builds the Special LSA version. In Oshkosh, I met a new engineer hired at CGS who confirmed it is going through the two-seater carefully, creating all-new CAD files that never existed with the original. This is a very worthy effort but prevented the company from displaying at AirVenture.

Bob Santom and son LB focus solely on the single-place CGS Hawks, including models that qualify for Part 103’s wonderful privileges. It turns out both CGS enterprises can stay busy. At AirVenture, the Santoms exhibited their open-cockpit Hawk Ultra Air. I thought it looked good with no Dacron skin covering the structure. I observed different pilots enter the cockpit—one weighing 165 pounds and one 240—and both seemed to fit easily. A 200-to-250-hour build for beginners, the display Hawk Ultra Air makes 103 with an airframe parachute, tipping the scales at a completely proper 278 pounds empty.

Aquilae

The name means eagle in Latin, a great moniker for an airplane even if everyone will ask how to spell it and say it—“ACK-will-ay.” Does it look familiar to you? It did to me as I toured the ultralight area at AirVenture. I had a hint, though.

Mark Mellicker represented the G1 STOL at airshows for the last couple years. As so often happens in aviation and any other business, events changed the organization and another company at AirVenture told me it was representing G1. So I had two clues when I saw Mellicker by the shiny, new airplane. He decided to go on his own and, voila, Aquilae.

When I write more about this, you will see it has a wing-fold system that many buyers like. It’s a large-ish, STOL-capable design like G1, but both G1 and Aquilae owe their design heritage to the Alisport Yuma from Italy, though that look significantly resembles the Zenith 701, the granddaddy of such designs.

Fusion Nano Gyro

I readily admit I was charmed by Fusion’s Nano Gyro when I saw it and reported on it from AirVenture 2021. However, it needed a different engine, and Jeffrey Boyd was already on it with European producer Fusion Copter.

At AirVenture this year, Boyd of Fly Ultralight Nano (FUN) showed an example propelled by a Hirth F23 engine producing 50 hp. He says it has behaved well for him and actually enjoyed success with sales of the modestly priced (less than $30,000) Part 103 aircraft. Big two-seat gyros are fun and essential for training, but once you know how to fly this type of aircraft, Nano might be the last one you ever need.

I tried it on for size in 2021 and loved the way it felt and fit. Now with more substantial and dependable power, I’d bet many more will arrive in the U.S. However, it’s already seen a good run as Fusion now has 35 flying around the world, and Boyd has led the charge in selling 21 units in the U.S. That’s a performance of which he can be proud.

GOGetAir G750

Here’s an aircraft I’ve seen for a few years at the German show, AERO Friedrichshafen, and enjoyed for those 25 years. But it seems appropriate to bring attention to a four-seater as that category will be coming in 16 months if we get “MOSAIC LSA” or MLSA.

Shannon Hankins and Alan Jackson from Scissortail Aerosport LLC are representing the G750 in North America. GoGetAir Aircraft is a fairly new company, arriving on the scene during what might be called the COVID-19 era. It started before the pandemic but had to immediately survive that trying period with its handsome aircraft.

The timing of Scissortail and GoGetAir is marvelous, being right on the cusp of MOSAIC being released. In the meantime, the FAA has registration categories, such as experimental exhibition, that allow the import of a small number of fully assembled aircraft to test the market. By late 2024 or early 2025, we should see MOSAIC become official regulation and then the G750 will easily fit the MLSA category, assuming the company chooses to pursue and declare compliance with ASTM standards. Naturally, we have yet to learn how the FAA will audit a new producer like GoGetAir, although third-party audits have been discussed.

The G750 is a four-seater, powered by the Rotax 915iS. This will be a very common combination when MOSAIC officially arrives, but the G750 also demonstrates style and a beautifully compound-curved leading and trailing edge wing.

Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared in the October 2023 issue of Plane & Pilot magazine. 

The post A New Lighter Side of Oshkosh appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.

The traffic targets were thick on ForeFlight, a swarm of blue triangles trying to wedge into the same path. I fell in behind a Cessna 180 to begin the arrival, and as we flew down the railroad tracks, a few pilots got peeled off to restart their arrival—15 over the speed limit works on Interstate 75, but on the arrival to EAA AirVenture at Oshkosh, not so much. There are no passing lanes unless you’re a true “fast mover.” None of us were transmitting—because there’s no room to get a word in edgewise.

“Friends, this is your afternoon ATC team taking over for the morning crew, who have been doing a fantastic job—and you pilots have been as well! As a heads-up, we’re landing on runways 27 and 36, and keep your eyes open because there’s an ag applicator spraying directly beneath Fisk. Now everybody, pick a partner, fall in behind them, and maintain space of a half mile up to a mile. Welcome to Oshkosh, everyone. We’re glad you came.”

Before long, some controller had me in his binoculars. “Gray Mooney over Fisk, rock your wings!” A Mooney is built to fly in long, straight lines, and it really doesn’t appreciate the ailerons hitting the stops. Add in my airliner-deadened feet on the rudder, and the turn coordinator was only too happy to announce its unhappiness as we wallowed through a quick Dutch roll. “Great rock! Follow the railroad northbound; you’ll be landing on 27.” I flew the rest of the arrival as charted, guided by the controllers along the way when to make the turns.

Turning off the runway, I took a deep breath, realizing my palms were a little moist, and a little shake was subsiding in my hands. My day job is based at the world’s busiest airport, but the busy precision of Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport pales in comparison to the controlled chaos of the arrival into Oshkosh.

A Lifetime of AirVenture

My first time flying my own plane into AirVenture was in 2021. Before that, I’d flown in as an airport kid on a glorified Young Eagles flight in 1995, and my next AirVenture wasn’t until 2007, when I arrived on an airliner and drove from Milwaukee. Fourteen years later, I showed up working with Plane & Pilot, flying my own Mooney into the event. Each year I’ve attended, the event has been different, but the magic of my first visit still hasn’t worn off.

In 1995, I got to meet Richard VanGrunsven as he unveiled the RV-8 during its first public appearance. Once the folks at Van’s Aircraft found out I had an RV-4 tail kit with my grandfather, they signed me up for a demo ride. Crammed next to us was Mort Crim, a famous broadcaster who inspired Will Farrell’s Ron Burgundy character. At an event in the warbirds section, I got to shake hands with Tex Hill, a Flying Tiger, and Chuck Yeager. Both of them signed my EAA ball cap, a memento I miss, having lost it in one of many moves in my itinerant phase.

In a forum tent, I got to see Gordon Baxter, a former columnist from FLYING, speak for about an hour of quality entertainment. I had an English teacher back home trying to get me enthusiastic about writing, and as Bax held court, I realized that writing about flying at an airshow was basically a license to steal. After all, who could resist the invitation for their bird to grace the pages of an aviation magazine?

The experience was heady stuff for a 15-year-old with nothing but big hopes and a few lines in his logbook. I crewed on an airshow team through my last years of high school and college. I’ve watched so many airshows from the other side of the crowd line that they don’t hold my attention like they used to—the entertaining acts for me are the low-performance airplanes putting on a good show. Stock Stearmans move to the front of the line in my book. No disrespect for the guys flying the high-powered monoplanes, but the slow movers are my jam.

That said, there’s always a fantastic lineup of performers at AirVenture, with a good variety to captivate nearly anyone. That’s the magic of AirVenture. If you love airplanes, there’s enough here to interest you for the duration, regardless of your market segment. You could dive into the forums and educational opportunities for the length of your stay, roam the antiques in appreciation of yesteryear, or imagine yourself as a military hero in the warbird area.

Shopping for an airplane? Whether it’s a some-assembly-required kit or a factory-built million-dollar bird, you can meet up with owners and sales folks who can answer your questions and allow you to put your hands on equipment that beats the heck out of any online video or website.

Read the Notice

If you’re coming to Oshkosh for the first time, let me say this loudly: Read the Notice. I mean, you already read all the pertinent NOTAMs before you fly, right? The AirVenture procedures Notice is longer than the entire NOTAM package I’m given for a typical airline flight—and that’s a lot of paper.

But, unlike standard NOTAMs, the AirVenture arrivals are printed in plain English, with many pictures. It’s almost like they really want pilots to read it. If you can find a friend to come along, even better. Sharing expenses is helpful, and a second set of eyes is invaluable. The controllers will ask you to maintain half-mile spacing in trail, and most of us aren’t used to doing that. Having someone looking at an EFB showing the traffic ahead can be a big help to keep your eyes outside while they’re studying the traffic, charts, frequencies, and fuel gauges.

Be comfortable with your aircraft before you leave home. I’ve talked to pilots who had just finished decades-long restorations before heading to the convention, and we’ve all seen beautifully restored classics ground looped—the two factors have almost certainly overlapped more than once.

Be ready for the controller to call your base turn directly toward the runway numbers—the colored spots used as touchdown targets are displaced well down the runway, and even knowing that, you’ll feel like you’re too high to make it. I felt the same last time, and still had to add power and fly in ground effect to the green dot.

Bring tiedowns. The volunteers will want you to drive stakes into the ground as soon as the prop stops turning, and while you can buy stakes on-site, the best options are the ones you bring. If I’m camping with my airplane, I usually wind up wishing I’d brought sandals for the shower house. Make sure your sunscreen isn’t expired (as I write, the last of my Sun ‘N Fun Aerospace Expo sunburn has just finished peeling), and a big floppy hat is a great idea. A cheap set of cutting boards to roll the tires onto when you park also helps keep your airplane from sinking into the mud.

The item that almost never shows up on a packing list is something to clamp your shower towel to the propeller—it makes a great clothesline, but a breeze can carry your towel away from your campsite. I’ve seen clothes pins fail miserably, but big black binder clips work well. Last time I forgot my binder clips, but a pair of vise-grip pliers from my emergency toolkit served as a fine substitute.
It may be your first time at AirVenture, or you may have lost count of your pilgrimages. We may have known each other for decades or friends who just haven’t met, but if you stroll by my Mooney in the vintage campground, stop by and say hi. We’re all family at Oshkosh. 

Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared in the July 2023 issue of Plane & Pilot. 

The post Welcome to Oshkosh appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.

Frank Knapp, an Alaskan STOL pilot and current holder of the Valdez STOL record distance, and his wife, Kris, have been coordinating the STOL demonstration at AirVenture since its inception in 2014. Along with the Knapps, the elite of the STOL community were present to help put on a spectacular show.

Among the notables on the field were Russ Keith, founder of the ever-growing nonprofit organization  Airplanes & Coffee, and national STOL series founder Doug Jackson. 

STOL trailblazer Joe “Pops” Dory and STOL ”Queen” Anitra Goddard could be seen at the spot landing line, signaling to the fans if the landings were good or a scratch. 

The recognizable voices of Cory Robin and SuperAero Live YouTube host Ryan Dembroski, who announced for the series this season, could be heard over the loudspeakers engaging the crowd and narrating the piloting skills shown in each takeoff and landing.

The impressive lineup of demo pilots that the crowd was there to see flew in from everywhere to showcase their skills and aircraft. A majority of them jump between the growing STOL events that include STOL Drag, National STOL and ArkanSTOL. Eight of the 12 competitors flew in formation to Oshkosh from the national Sodbusters STOL competition that took place a short flight away in Hartford, Wisconsin, just days before the start of AirVenture.

The demo roster included some STOL greats (with airplane number in parentheses where applicable): (You can view the full details of the STOL demo pilots and their aircraft here.)

• Amir Bayani, STOL Bandits—(100) Carbon Cub EX-2
• Austin Clemens—(62) “The Dog” Aviat Husky A-1C
• Brian Steck—(221) “Scooter” American Legend Cub MOAC 
• Harold “Hal” Stockman—(3) “The Lawnmower III” RANS S-7S
• Jason Busat—(12) “Full Send” 2023 RANS S-20
• Jeff Pohl—(00) “The Dirty Bird” Cessna 170B
• Joe Dory—(53) “Wicked Pacer” Experimental Pacer
• John Young—(127) “Stickers” Aviat Husky A-1B
• Kyle Bushman—Backcountry Super Cub Rev 3
• Richard Ness and Nick Smith—Experimental PA18 L21 Yooper Super Cub
• Steve Henry—(44) “Yeehaw 8” Wild West Aircraft, Just Aircraft Highlander XL
• Tony Terrell—1954 Piper L-21B

The crowd cheered and celebrated as pilots hit the line and shared in the disappointment if there was a scratch. Unlike previous years, this year’s demonstration was a purist’s delight as no measurements were taken, giving the event the feel of a spot landing contest where the pilots had freedom to have little fun with it.  

Austin Clemens could be seen showing off his reversible pitch prop capabilities as he  “accidentally” pulled too far over the start/finish line. Steve Henry ran on his big tires most of the week, eventually switching to his now popular knobby tire setup, as requested by fans who visited his vendor booth throughout the week in Oshkosh. Jason Busat flew in from Alberta, Canada, and was excited to debut his new 2023 Rans S-20 in the demonstration. 

View highlights here at the National STOL Series YouTube Channel and here at the Wild West Aircraft YouTube Channel

“The most exciting part of co-announcing the STOL Demo at Osh this year was seeing all of the passion the audience had and being able to tell the story of safety and proficiency that permeates the STOL community,” said Dembroski. “Cory [Robin] and I had lots of amazing interactions with kids of all ages at the fence line, and if we inspired even one young boy or girl to pursue flight or STOL, we’ve done our jobs.”

The weather usually makes headlines during AirVenture, and this year was no different as the event experienced record-setting, sweltering hot days and powerful evening thunderstorms that turned the grounds into what has affectionately been dubbed “Sloshkosh.” The storms brought strong wind gusts that took out some tents, vendor booths, and a few ultralights.

The STOL demonstrations were originally scheduled to take place on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, but because of the adverse weather conditions, the Friday event had to be canceled. The STOL pilots didn’t disappoint the unwavering crowd and made up for it with an engaging Q&A session moderated by Robin and Dembroski, where they passed out stickers and autographed posters.

Editor’s note: This story originally appeared on flyingmag.com.

The post STOL Enthusiasts Flocked to AirVenture appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.

PilotEdge has been proudly hosting SimVenture Oshkosh for four years now, and each time it only gets better. It’s a unique opportunity to emulate the flight procedures associated with the famous EAA AirVenture event. You’ll have the chance to fly into the virtual Oshkosh, guided by the actual Oshkosh air traffic controllers, using your very own flight simulator. Pretty neat, right?

Each year, the real-life Wittman Regional Airport (KOSH) in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, becomes a buzzing hub of more than 10,000 aircraft arriving for AirVenture. To handle this incredible influx of air traffic, the Experimental Aircraft Association collaborates with the FAA and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association to develop specific VFR arrival and departure procedures.

If you’re a real-world pilot, SimVenture represents a golden opportunity to brush up on your nonstandard VFR skills. Whether you’re a seasoned AirVenture attendee or new to the game, these procedures can be quite unique, and SimVenture offers a platform to practice and familiarize yourself with them, building confidence and contributing to safer real-world flights.

For flight simulator enthusiasts, SimVenture can make your dreams of flying into AirVenture come true, even if it’s in a virtual setting. This is your chance to experience the thrill of one of the most realistic flight simulations you’ve ever experienced.

The first SimVenture in 2020 was created as a response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, offering aviation lovers an exciting activity they could safely enjoy from home. It quickly became a massive success, with more than 1,000 virtual arrivals into Oshkosh.

By 2021, the event transitioned to a more training-focused approach, allowing pilots to use SimVenture as a rehearsal for the actual AirVenture event happening just a week later. This strategy continued into 2022, recording well more than 2,000 arrivals throughout the event.

And now, here we are, gearing up for SimVenture 2023. We are thrilled to be a part of this grand event with a virtual booth, joining you in exploring the virtual skies at SimVenture. So, mark the dates—July 13-16. Let’s celebrate our shared passion for aviation, learn, engage and, above all, have a great time. Can’t wait to see you there! Happy flying!

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The study, which consists of four hours of cognitive testing, will take place at the 2023 EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Tests will measure pilot performance in tasks such as working memory, attention, mental rotation, and multitasking performance, the FAA said.

Participants need to be at least 18 years old, hold a current medical certificate of Class I, II, or III, and have flown at least once in the past six months—either in an aircraft or simulator. Participants must show their pilot certificate and valid medical to take part.

The study involves the pilots taking computerized cognitive tests for four hours. The pay is $300 to $500 depending on the level of medical certification. Payment comes upon completion of the tests.

The purpose of the study is for the FAA to evaluate the use of computerized cognitive tests as a screening tool for pilots who may have a medical condition that results in cognitive impairment, such as a head injury, stroke, or a reaction to certain medications, and who wish to return to flight or duty status.

The FAA is looking for 960 participants, and the information gathered during the study will be used to establish a normative dataset representing what is usual or expected in a representative sample of pilots. The outcome of this research will help ensure that FAA processes for aeromedical decision-making are consistent with best clinical practices for aerospace medicine and current scientific knowledge.

The identity of the aviator taking the tests will not be released to the FAA, and there will be no impact on the participant pilot’s medical status. If selected, you can expect a follow up email or phone call from a third-party contractor to confirm your time slot. Please note the phone call may appear as spam depending on your mobile phone provider.

Pilots interested in participating in the study may find the scheduling questionnaire here.

Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared on flyingmag.com.

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During the annual convention, the control tower at KOSH becomes the busiest in the world. Pilots are instructed to land their aircraft on particular colored dots, and radio traffic is kept to a minimum because there are so many aircraft on approach. On average, an airplane lands every 17 seconds on the north-south runways. The east-west runway, which serves the warbird ramp, is also busy, as is the smaller ultralight and vintage area on the south end of the airport.

The FAA oversees the event and the publication of the NOTAM.

The 32-page document can be downloaded here.

The NOTAM begins with notes on preflight planning. The first thing you read is that “pilots should be prepared for the possibility of diverting to an alternate airport such as Fond du Lac (KFLD), Appleton (KATW), or Green Bay (KGRB).”

It is noted that Fond du Lac will have a temporary control tower in operation during AirVenture. The frequency can be found in the NOTAM.

Once you land, you will be directed to parking—there is information on the printed sign you should have in your aircraft and displayed so the ground crew knows where to put you. For example, GAC means General Aviation Camping.

Since so many pilots come from outside the area, the NOTAM has detailed VFR traffic transition diagrams warning the visiting aviators about military operations area, special traffic advisories, and terminal areas to avoid. Another page walks you through transitioning through the airspace managed by Chicago Approach.

Arrivals are explained in both a textual and pictorial fashion. For example, all variations of the Fisk arrival are spelled out, and there are accompanying drawings and photographs with annotations.

Notes for Fond du Lac arrivals and departures can be found as well.

The plans for large formation arrivals are also explained. The NOTAM reads: “To increase efficiency and safety of traffic arriving at Wittman Regional Airport, several large groups of similar-performance aircraft have been approved to make formation arrivals. Participation in these arrivals is limited to aircraft registered in each group and requires an FAA letter of authorization.

“These formation arrivals are scheduled for late morning through midafternoon on Saturday, July 22, and for early morning on Sunday, July 23. Weather and other factors may change the schedule. Traffic using the Fisk VFR arrival to Oshkosh can expect delays during these large formation arrivals.”

Type of Aircraft Matters

Warbirds, ultralights, helicopters, and seaplanes—pay attention because there are special procedures just for you.

Holding Patterns

Pilots should be prepared to enter a holding pattern when arriving at Oshkosh. The NOTAM provides detailed instructions on when and how to enter the hold along with airspeeds, altitudes, and what geographic point you will be holding over. Pilots who have never flown a holding pattern before would be wise to get some experience with this before they head for the show. You will also want to carry extra fuel for this contingency.

Changes

Among the changes in this year’s NOTAM, the ultralight area has been shifted slightly, and pilots are cautioned not to overfly the area.

Be sure to read the details on the distance between colored dots on both Runways 36L and 36R along with when to exit the runway. Don’t confuse the runways—36L is the wider of the two. Don’t overshoot.

Canadian pilots receive special mention in the NOTAM, and there are procedures for pilots without radios as well.

VFR departures and IFR departures are also spelled out, along with notes on picking up an IFR clearance after departure.

There is some irony in the presentation of the 2023 NOTAM—it features a B-17 on the cover. The image was selected by the FAA—the creators of the NOTAM—months ago, perhaps because AirVenture is known as one of the few places where the average person can get up close to an airworthy B-17.

There are less than 25 of the iconic aircraft still flying. At this time, it is unknown if any B-17s will be making it to AirVenture. Several of the aircraft, including the EAA’s Aluminium Overcast, have been self-grounded out of an abundance of caution because of a potential wing spar issue. The aircraft are undergoing meticulous inspections. As this story was going to print, the FAA had not released an airworthiness directive for the B-17 wing spars.

Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared on flyingmag.com.

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Once a year for a week in late July, the Pilot Proficiency Center at AirVenture Oshkosh hosts hundreds of pilots with one thought in mind: help them be more proficient. But in recent years, the driving force behind the Center, Joe Brown, who happens to be president of Hartzell, has been asking one question aloud. How does the PPC spread its mission of improving pilot proficiency across the calendar year instead of boxing it into one week at Oshkosh? It’s not an easy question to answer. Do you recreate the PPC in portable form and take it around the country on a nonstop tour? It sounds ambitious, but that idea got some serious consideration for a time, but everyone agreed that it could have been a logistical nightmare, not to mention really expensive and still pretty limited in its reach.

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The hard part was, there really weren’t any better answers to the question!until EAA took ownership of the PPC q few years ago. EAA has great resources, but none are anywhere near as impressive as its members, and the local EAA chapters around the country that already have a great reach. The idea is a proven winner. EAA has worked with its chapters to make Young Eagles the huge success that it is—more than 2 million youngsters flown and counting—and its mentorship programs for new builders and pilots of homebuilt aircraft have very likely helped substantially drive down the accident rate for homebuilt aircraft over the past several years.

EAA’s new proficiency program, known as Proficiency 365 (for the number of days in a non-leap year) is just getting started, but if it’s half as big a success as the organization’s other high-profile initiatives, it could make a real impact on the overall GA safety record. Exactly how EAA chapters will be involved in the program remains to be worked out, but if history is a guide, we’re excited by the prospects.

Back to the beginning: Seven years ago, the Proficiency Center got its start when Joe Brown gave it a space in a tent near the flight line that Hartzell leased. Brown teamed up with Radek Wyrzykowski, who founded the popular IMC Club, which devotes itself to helping pilots stay on top of their IFR knowledge. That first year at OSH for the movement was mostly a series of IMC Club meetings, and they were well attended. I’d been a big fan of the IMC Club since I’d heard about it a few years prior, and I’d written several stories that shared the club’s mission with a lot of pilots. I participated in that first year’s Pre-Proficiency Center presentations, and I was one of a small crew of folks who thought that it could be a big deal. Way bigger. Brown got together with friends and fellow pilots at Jeppesen and Redbird Flight Simulations, along with a number of instructors from CFI member groups SAFE and NAFI, and started building.

Within a few years, the affair had grown into the Pilot Proficiency Center, continuing to host IMC Club meetings but adding lots of other opportunities for pilots, including the sexiest part of the Center, two banks of Redbird Flight Simulations sims loaded with scenarios (both IFR and VFR ones) that challenge pilots to face big risk in flight so they can learn what to do (and often, what not to do) without bending any metal. As part of the deal—it’s all free to participants—pilots also get their own private instructor (from one of the two aforementioned CFI organizations), live ATC and a pre- and post-brief session.

Another big, and hugely popular, component to the PPC are the Jeppesen forums presented there, which are all standing-room-only events. Jepp’s experts talk about everything from charts (the company’s core expertise, right?) to strategies for staying safe when the weather turns nasty.

Over the years, the PPC has hosted more than 10,000 pilots, all of whom left the big top tent with greater proficiency than when they walked in an hour before.

And when EAA officially adopted the PPC a couple of years ago and put its commitment behind it, the trajectory was sky high.

One big change to the PPC this year is the incorporation of FAA Wings Program course credit for just about every facet of the program, and every Wings credit recipient is automatically entered in the My Wings Initiative (mywingsinitiative.org) and is eligible for a $10,000 prize.

And the fun won’t stop after AirVenture is over. All PPC scenarios will be available after AirVenture and year round from EAA, and Tech Talks will be recorded and available for online viewing, as well.

It’s all part of EAA’s nascent Proficiency 365 program, which seeks to find a great answer to that difficult problem of how to make the goodness of the PPC last all year long.

Look for a future article in Plane & Pilot that will focus on Proficiency 365 and how you can take part, even if you can’t make it to OSH this year.

For more information about the EAA PPC, visit EAA.org.

Get ready for the 50th Annual EAA AirVenture Oshkosh with our preview!

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