Special Feature

Oshkosh 2021

The Experimental Aircraft Association’s annual AirVenture show in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, made a triumphant return after missing a year due to Covid… and it didn’t fail to deliver!

A welcome return… 

After peak Covid pandemic conditions  caused the Experimental Aircraft Association’s AirVenture 2020 event to be cancelled, it’s fair to say there was a huge amount of pent-up desire for its big return to Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin in 2021. 

This year’s event, billed as ‘The wait is over’, incorporated a number of Covid-safe precautions around the site, and some of the larger public events, such as the Monday night opening concert, were put to one side. But that didn’t stop AirVenture 2021 from making a BIG return. Good weather in the run-up to the event saw higher than normal fly-in visitors, even before the official opening day.

By the end of the seven-day event, visitors tallied 608,000, swelling the City of Oshkosh’s normal population nearly 10-fold. More than 10,000 aircraft flew in, including 3,176 show planes including a record 1,420 vintage aircraft, 1,089 homebuilt aircraft, 354 warbirds, 148 aerobatic aircraft, 112 seaplanes, 33 ultralights, and 27 rotorcraft.

For the many international visitors unable to attend, including FLYER, due to Covid travel restrictions, we can look forward to AirVenture 2022, dates for which are already set for July 25-31… See you there!

Mike’s Monster Cub: Aviation YouTuber Mike Patey just got his highly modified Carbon Cub, Scrappy, test flown in time to arrive on Tuesday morning. The aircraft, powered by a custom 600hp Lycoming IO-780, features a custom wing with double-slotted slats, slotted flaps, and electro-hydraulically adjustable suspension – oh and a five-screen Garmin EFIS panel. The aeroplane, and Mike, were mobbed all week…
Blackfly wows… Opener made manned demonstration flights of Blackfly, its twin-winged, carbon-airframe ultralight powered by eight electric motors. The aircraft takes off and lands vertically, and transitions to level flight. Cruise is 80mph with a 40 mile range, rate of climb is 500fpm. SSDR compatible here in the UK…? We hope so!

Polished perfection

This 1949 Cessna 140A is nicknamed Uno because it’s the very first example of the type. An absolutely perfect restoration right down to the inclusion of an original radio, it was completed just weeks before AirVenture by Lorraine and Ken Morris. The aircraft was a very worthy winner of the Classic Aircraft Grand Champion award. 

Dawn patrol

Ever wanted to be woken up by the sound of multiple P-51 Mustangs taking off into the early morning sunrise? Then we can recommend camping at Oshkosh… you’ll get it every day. Bliss… unless you’re tired.

Outstanding homebuilts

You’ll find truly staggering examples of craftsmanship among the homebuilt parking at Oshkosh. Carlo Cilliers Hatz Classic, powered by a Rotec radial engine, cowled in a hand-formed speed-ring cowl, was just one of them. A five-year project, Carlo’s Hatz was crowned reserve Grand Champion in the plans-built category.

Setting the sky on fire…

On two nights during the Oshkosh week there’s a full-on night airshow including a wide array of aircraft and pyrotechnics, brought to a conclusion with a giant wall of fire… It’s LOUD! 

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