Oshkosh and the EAA Air Show

July 2014.  Our whole reason for heading to Wisconsin this year, was to attend the EAA Air Show, the largest in the world.  One of Max's friends was supposed to fly in with his small plane and meet us, but his friend had some complications and couldn't make it.  But we were already in the area, so we went and had a great time.  Over 10,000 small private planes fly in for this event.  It is geared to the private pilot and flying enthusiasts.  Most of the exhibits and vendors have to do with parts and accessories and such for planes.  Like going to an RV show, except this was an air show.  There were air shows daily, which lasted about 2-3 hours each.  Wednesday night was a nighttime air show ending with a fireworks display.   I am posting more pictures than I usually do in a blog, and this is just to give you an idea of what we saw that week.

This show is always the last week of July every year.

We parked out in the fields along with about 1,000 other RVers.

Every year they build a plane from a kit during the week of the air show.  

Day one, they are just sorting and starting to assemble the parts.

Day 3, and already it is starting to look like a plane.

Day 6, the wings are on and it time to put on the finishing touches.

The finished plane, put together by volunteers at the air show in one week.  Sadly, we did not get to see it's initial flight.  They test fly in a week after the air show.

We saw planes of all shapes and sizes.

This is supposed to be the smallest jet in the world.  

This is called a breezy.  You sit out in the open, nothing around you, with what looks like a lawnmower engine powering a small propeller behind you.

Every day the air show started with a fly in of the American Flag.

Notice this plane is flying upside down.

There was also a concert every night.  And out near the RVs, they had an outdoor movie screen and showed a movie every evening with free popcorn.  You just had to bring your own chair.

The air show featured dare devil pilots as well and groups flying in formation.

A short distance away, on Lake Michigan, were the water planes.

Even if it is only for one week.

They had two of the V22 Ospreys on site.  They did demonstrations on several occasions.  Fascinating aircraft to watch, especially when it would just hover.

In town one day, having lunch along one of the canals, we spotted these different looking boats cruising down the river.  Yes, I believe that is a 1957 Chevy.

I liked this ladies wheel chair.

After a great night time air show, we got to watch the fireworks.

This is a one man light aircraft, called a Velocity.  Just a chair with a big fan in back.

This is a Light Sport.  One of the ladies manning this booth rode her Light Sport all the way from Florida to the air show.  It looks like a hang glider on steroids.

I always wanted to fly and actually have about 60 hours (15 under a hood) in a small single engine piper.  My problem was I have no depth perception and had a hard time with landings.  Consequently I never solo'd, so never got my license.  But it was great while I was in the air.

Max checked it out too.

We did take a helipcopter ride in this small Bell helicopter.

Here we are about to take off.

We had a 15 minute ride around the airfield.  Here we are passing over one of the RV parking areas.

The Air Force Thunderbirds were there for several shows.

This is a Terrafuga Flying Car.

The wings fold up and it becomes a car you can drive on the roads, or expand the wings and fly off.  Is this an indication of the future?

Last day and it started to rain.  The fields became mini lakes.  Luckily we were parked on high ground and did not get stuck, but we saw many RVs being towed out of the muck.

It was a great week and so glad I attended this event.  Maybe I'll do it again someday.