Ruth Haines
Every year, in July, Oshkosh's Wittman Regional Airport becomes the world's busiest airfield for a week during the Experimental Aircraft Association's weeklong AirVenture. The event, which started as a small group of enthusiasts gathering in 1953, has grown into the world's largest aircraft gathering, attracting 500,000 visitors and 10,000 planes ranging from small, home-built aircraft to large aircraft like the Airbus A380. During this time, the airport handles a high volume of traffic, with additional temporary runways in operation to accommodate numerous aircraft sizes and types.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Airport Name | Wittman Regional Airport |
| Airport Location | Oshkosh, Wisconsin, United States |
| Airport Size | 1,392 acres at an elevation of 809 feet above mean sea level |
| Number of Runways | 4 paved runways |
| Annual Event | Experimental Aircraft Association's AirVenture Oshkosh |
| Event Duration | One week in July each year |
| Event Attendees | Over 600,000 pilots and aircraft enthusiasts |
| Number of Aircraft | 10,000 aircraft |
| Traffic Movements | Busiest airport by traffic movements during the event |
| Additional Runways | Two temporary runways during the event |
| Daily Aircraft Operations | Average of 219 per day for the year 2021 |
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What You'll Learn
- The Experimental Aircraft Association's annual AirVenture aviation experience
- Oshkosh's Wittman Regional Airport is the busiest airfield in the world during the event
- The event attracts over 600,000 visitors and 10,000 planes
- The airport has four paved runways to accommodate traffic
- The event features daily airshows and two nighttime airshows
The Experimental Aircraft Association's annual AirVenture aviation experience
The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) is an international organisation of aviation enthusiasts based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The EAA was founded in 1953 by veteran aviator Paul Poberezny and other aviation enthusiasts. The organisation began as a flying club for pilots who flew modified aircraft or built their own planes from scratch. These aircraft were required to display an "EXPERIMENTAL" placard, hence the name "Experimental Aircraft Association". The EAA has grown significantly since its inception and now has over 300,000 members and nearly 1,000 chapters worldwide.
The EAA hosts the largest aviation gathering in the world, the annual AirVenture aviation experience, also known as the "Oshkosh Airshow". This event is held at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, which is named after pioneer air racer, aircraft designer, and builder Steve Wittman. During the week-long event, the airport becomes the busiest in the world in terms of traffic movements, attracting around 10,000-12,000 planes and a total attendance of more than 500,000 people. The event also attracts more than 800 exhibitors, hosts nearly 1,000 forums, seminars, and workshops, and welcomes over 700 journalists.
To accommodate the high volume of traffic during AirVenture, the airport operates two additional temporary runways. A portion of Taxiway A becomes Runway 18L/36R, and a small grass runway is used to host ultralight aircraft. The event also has a significant economic impact on the surrounding area, generating an estimated $170 million in tourist income in 2017.
In addition to AirVenture, the EAA offers a range of resources and programs to promote aviation and aerospace. This includes the Young Eagles program, which aims to introduce young people to the world of flight and has flown more than 2 million children since its inception in 1992. The EAA also presents awards such as the Freedom of Flight Award, which recognises contributions to aviation that mirror the values of EAA members.
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Oshkosh's Wittman Regional Airport is the busiest airfield in the world during the event
Oshkosh's Wittman Regional Airport is the busiest airfield in the world during the Experimental Aircraft Association's annual AirVenture event, also known as "The Airshow" or "The Fly-in". The event attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors, with attendance figures reaching 500,000 in 2015 and 640,000 in 2019. During the week-long event, the airport handles a high volume of aircraft traffic, with 10,000 planes arriving in 2015 and over 17,000 in 2021.
The Experimental Aircraft Association was founded in 1953 by Paul Poberezny, who hosted the first fly-in that year in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The event attracted 22 planes and 150 visitors. As the event grew, it moved to Rockford, Illinois, in 1959, and then to Oshkosh in 1998. Today, the annual fly-in has become the world's largest aircraft gathering, attracting pilots and aircraft enthusiasts from around the globe.
During the event, Wittman Regional Airport operates two additional temporary runways to accommodate the high volume of traffic and numerous aircraft sizes and types. The airport's control tower is one of the busiest in the world during AirVenture, with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) providing air traffic controllers to ensure the safe movement of planes.
The event features daily airshows, including two nighttime shows, and offers opportunities for amateur homebuilt aircraft operators to learn new techniques, access parts and accessories, and connect with others in the aviation community. Large companies, including GE, NASA, and the Air Force, also attend the event to showcase new products and look for talent.
With its busy schedule of events and high attendance numbers, Oshkosh's Wittman Regional Airport truly earns its title as the busiest airfield in the world during the AirVenture event. The airport's ability to handle such a large volume of traffic is a testament to the efficient planning and coordination of the organizers and volunteers who make the event a success each year.
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The event attracts over 600,000 visitors and 10,000 planes
Every year, in July, Oshkosh's Wittman Regional Airport becomes the world's busiest airport for a week. This is due to the Experimental Aircraft Association's week-long AirVenture event, which attracts over 600,000 visitors and 10,000 planes.
The event, which has been described as the "Super Bowl" of fly-ins, features daily air shows and two nighttime air shows. It offers something for everyone, from small, home-built aircraft to giant airliners like the Airbus A380. The event also provides opportunities for amateur home-built aircraft operators to learn new techniques, access hard-to-find parts, and build a community with other enthusiasts.
The Experimental Aircraft Association was founded in 1953 by Paul Poberezny, who gathered a group of flying enthusiasts and do-it-yourself airplane builders in his suburban home in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The group's first fly-in attracted 22 planes and 150 visitors. Over the years, the event grew significantly, and it had to move to Rockford, Illinois, in 1959. It was during this time that warbirds, antiques, and aerobatic performances were introduced.
In 1998, the EAA Fly-In Convention was officially renamed EAA AirVenture. The event continued to grow, and by 2019, it was attracting over 640,000 people and 10,000 aircraft to Oshkosh's Wittman Regional Airport, making it the busiest airport in the world during that week. The airport handles this high volume of traffic by bringing in volunteer air traffic controllers from across the country, with the Federal Aviation Administration sometimes holding competitions to choose who to staff.
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The airport has four paved runways to accommodate traffic
The Experimental Aircraft Association's AirVenture Oshkosh is an annual experimental aircraft and sports aviation airshow held in July. During this event, Wittman Regional Airport becomes the busiest airfield in the world. The airport is located two nautical miles south of the central business district of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and covers 1,392 acres of land.
To accommodate the high volume of traffic of numerous aircraft sizes and types during AirVenture, the airport has four paved runways: 18/36, 9/27, 5/23, and 13/31. In addition, two extra temporary runways are put into operation. A portion of Taxiway A east of runway 18/36 becomes Runway 18L/36R, and a small grass runway on the southern end of the airport is used for ultralight aircraft.
The paved runways at Wittman Regional Airport vary in length and width. Runway 18/36 is the longest at 8,002 feet long and 150 feet wide, while runway 9/27 is 6,179 feet long and 150 feet wide. Runway 5/23 is 3,424 feet long and 75 feet wide, and runway 13/31 is the shortest at 3,061 feet long and 75 feet wide.
The airport has handled aircraft as large as the Boeing 747, Boeing 767, Airbus A380, Concorde, and Boeing B-52 Stratofortress. During the EAA AirVenture show, the airport sees a large number of aircraft operations, with over 10,000 planes and 500,000 visitors in recent years. The event attracts pilots, aircraft enthusiasts, and companies looking for talent and business opportunities.
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The event features daily airshows and two nighttime airshows
The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) AirVenture Oshkosh is an annual air show held at the Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. During the week of AirVenture, the airport becomes the busiest in the world by traffic movements.
EAA AirVenture attracts approximately 700,000 aviation enthusiasts from around the world each year, with an estimated attendance of 608,000 people in 2021. The event has a significant economic impact on the Oshkosh area and the state of Wisconsin, with an estimated benefit of $110 million in 2008.
The airshow is arranged by the Experimental Aircraft Association, an international general aviation organization based in Oshkosh. The association was founded in 1953 by aircraft designer and military aviator veteran Paul Poberezny. The show usually lasts a week, beginning on the Monday of the last full week in July.
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Frequently asked questions
Oshkosh Airport, or Wittman Regional Airport, is the site of the annual Experimental Aircraft Association's AirVenture Oshkosh, an experimental aircraft and sport aviation airshow. During the week of AirVenture, the airport becomes the busiest airfield in the world by traffic movements.
During the week of AirVenture, the airport attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors and thousands of aircraft. In 2021, the airport handled 17,000 planes and over 600,000 pilots and aircraft enthusiasts over an 8-day period.
AirVenture takes place annually in July.
AirVenture features daily airshows and nighttime airshows, attracting large companies like GE, NASA, and the Air Force. The event also provides opportunities for amateur homebuilt aircraft operators to learn new techniques, access hard-to-find parts, and build a community with other enthusiasts.
