A Day at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh
I bought my ticket on Wednesday, July 23, after several people insisted I had to add the EAA AirVenture to my itinerary. The only day that wasn’t sold out was Friday the 25th. I’d heard Wednesday and Saturday were the best days for demonstrations, but Friday it was. I booked my ticket online, including parking, thinking that would make everything smooth.
As I approached the area, huge parking signs started popping up—but none of them made it clear where I was actually supposed to go. I did what most people seemed to be doing and just followed the flow of cars, hoping we were all in the same single-day visitor boat. The usual bad behavior was on full display—people cutting the line, jumping ahead, and generally making things worse. Poor signage and too few staff didn’t help. The biggest holdup? Folks paying cash and waiting on exact change. A few thousand vehicles were trying to get in, and they had two people handling it all.
Once I finally got through, a woman stopped me and pulled aside an orange cone. “We want you to park under the trees,” she said, pointing me toward a shady spot. Apparently, they didn’t want the van tearing up the muddy lot, and this kept me away from the cars. I was the only Class B camper around. Once inside, I have to admit—parking was actually handled really well.
The next challenge: where to go. No signs again, but I just followed the herd. We ended up at the EAA Museum, which I assumed was where they'd check tickets. We walked downstairs and spotted a sign for the buses. I got in line, having no idea why. I asked the guy behind me, and he just said, “To get on the buses.” Not super helpful. I asked someone else who explained that the buses would take us about a mile to the main entrance, where we'd show our tickets and get wristbands.
When we got off the bus, people scattered like pigeons, and once again, there were no clear signs. I tried to enter a gate without a wristband, and the woman kindly pointed me in the right direction. Finally, I found the wristband station and was officially in. Not the most intuitive system, but I made it.
EAA Airventure
The air show is officially called the EAA Airventure and people fly in from around the world. It didn’t seem to be as big as the Paris or Dubai Air shows which have a different focus (commercial and military). In fact, EAA Airventure is the largest general aviation gathering on Earth. 10,000+ aircraft. Daily airshows, forums, workshops, night shows, and camping.
The daily events calendar is too daunting to make any sense of. So, I stopped someone with a lanyard around his neck and asked how the show is organized. The area is broken down into something roughly like the following:
Vintage Aircraft – Historic planes from WWI, WWII, and early aviation.
Warbirds – Military aircraft, including bombers, fighters, and trainers.
Homebuilt / Experimental – Custom-built aircraft by enthusiasts.
Ultralights & Light-Sport Aircraft – Lightweight recreational flying machines.
Rotorcraft – Helicopters and gyrocopters.
Seaplanes / Floatplanes – Displayed at the Seaplane Base on Lake Winnebago.
Modern GA (General Aviation) – Cirrus, Cessna, Piper, and other manufacturers.
Military & Jet Aircraft – Modern military jets and large aircraft on static display.
In addition to all the planes on the ground, there are air shows and flight demos, homebuilding workshops, forums, tech talks, kids’ activities, and even rides in helicopters and vintage aircraft. The hangars are packed with vendors selling everything from avionics to aviation-themed socks. There was no way I was going to see it all in a single day. I decided to focus on new private planes for sale, vintage aircraft, the Warbirds, and the military displays. From noon on there were constantly planes in the sky.
General Aviation
Not being a pilot, I found myself being a voyer more than activly enganging with the sales people. About five months ago, I watched a YouTube video, FLYING THE BRAND NEW PC-24 JET in the SWISS ALPS and there was one at the show. I wanted to take a tour, but the showing that started at noon was full. This was one of my favorite private jets at the show (luxury in true Swiss Style).
There were plenty of other general aviation planes on display too—everything from sleek single-engine Cirrus aircraft to rugged backcountry-ready bush planes. It’s easy to get swept up in the dream of flight, even if you’re just passing through.
Vintage Aircraft
There was a large growd gathered near one of the runways. I had to ask what everyone was waiting for and one person pointed to a blue plane as we watched a team start the engine. We would watch several vintage aircraft take off.
Warbirds
I came across a group called Warbirds of America while wandering through EAA AirVenture, and it ended up being a surprisingly interesting stop. I wasn’t sure of the distinction between Vintage and Warbird—the Warbirds seemed to be newer and included military fighters and trainers, though I might be wrong about that. There were rows of restored P-51 Mustangs, T-6 Texans, and a few sleek jets that looked ready for takeoff. A lot of people were wearing Warbirds t-shirts, and there seemed to be a well-organized group behind the scenes helping to promote this collection of planes. The folks involved clearly care deeply about aviation history, and the red-shirted volunteers were happy to share stories or answer questions. It felt more like walking through a living museum than just checking out old planes.
Military & Jet Aircraft
Some of the biggest names in U.S. military aviation were on display as well. The F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II—stealthy, powerful, and straight out of a sci-fi movie—sat on the tarmac under armed guard. These weren’t planes you could climb into or touch, but just standing near them drew a steady stream of onlookers. Military personnel were posted nearby, answering questions and talking shop with crowds of curious visitors. The most common question—especially from teenagers—was, “What do you have to do to become a pilot?” Judging by the interest and energy around these jets, the job seemed to be selling itself. Several massive air refueling tankers were also on display, including the KC-135 and KC-46, offering a look at the behind-the-scenes giants that keep the fighters in the air. The sheer scale of these aircraft—and the logistics behind them—was impressive in its own right.
Air Show
From noon until 7 p.m. there were endless demonstrations. It began with F35 and two vintage aircraft flying over the airfield. I wondered how air traffic control kept track of all the planes. There were several simulations of bombs hitting the runway. You could feel the intense heat on the other side of the runway.
Some of the acrobatic and synchronized flights were stunning.
Will You Marry Me?
One pilot even got down on one knee and proposed right there on the runway after finishing his acrobatic flight. She apparently said yes—though I was too far away to hear it—but the roar of applause from the crowd made it pretty clear things went well. I guess nothing says romance like G-forces and jet fuel.
The day felt like a collage of scenes stitched together—planes for sale tacked up on bulletin boards, food vendors serving everything from brats to ice cream, and high-profile players like Boeing, Airbus, and HondaJet making their presence known. The iconic flight tower loomed in the background, the Goodyear Blimp floated overhead, and everywhere I turned were crowds of aviation fans soaking it all in. There was even a full military parade and a performance by the Army band, adding some rhythm and ceremony to the mix. Looking back, it was a blur of energy, machinery, and excitement—like wandering through a living scrapbook of all things flight.
I stayed for the final demo of the day, and I’m glad I did. It was a full-blown coordinated simulation featuring F-22 Raptors and military helicopters, complete with pyrotechnics on the runway that shook the ground and lit up the sky. The choreography between the jets and choppers was tight—these weren’t just flyovers; it was a carefully executed mock combat scenario that felt like something straight out of a movie. Explosions timed with low passes, smoke rising from the runway, and the unmistakable roar of afterburners all added to the intensity. It was hard not to flinch at the realism. If you squinted just a little and forgot you were in Wisconsin, you could almost believe you were in the middle of a live battlefield operation—minus the danger and plus a funnel cake in your hand.
I left around 7:30 p.m. along with most of the crowd. The lines for the shuttle buses were long—really long—and I overheard some 20-something say to his buddy, “Let’s just walk.” That sounded like a solid plan, so I fell in behind them and made the mile-or-so trek to the museum on foot. As I reached the entrance, I noticed one of the buses I’d been waiting for was just pulling in. If I’d stuck it out in line, I would’ve been there another 30 minutes at least. Just outside the museum, I caught a quiet moment—the reflection pond out front was perfectly still, mirroring the surrounding trees. I grabbed a quick photo. No one else seemed to notice it.
After a quick grocery stop at Walmart—where, for the record, overnight parking isn’t allowed—I started looking for a place to park for the night. Finding a spot in Oshkosh isn’t easy, but I eventually landed at a Cracker Barrel about 30 minutes away. When I pulled in, there were already six other Class B campers settled in. It was after 10 p.m., and the day had been packed from start to finish. I didn’t hear much of anything as I drifted off to sleep.