Oshkosh '22 breaks visitor number records

This year’s EAA AirVenture Oshkosh turned out to be a record setting year with more people visiting the event than ever before.

This year’s for the end of July event was approximately 650,000 people, 7 percent more than last year’s figure and higher than the previous record of 642,000 set in 2019.

EAA CEO and chairman Jack Pelton said, “We had seven days of nearly perfect weather, along with this year’s programs and activities, which brought out people and airplanes in numbers that we haven’t seen before. “Programs such as the 75th anniversary of the U.S. Air Force contributed to exciting aerial displays all week, and it was a joy to welcome our international visitors back in full force for the first time since 2019.”

Other details from this year’s fly-in:

• More than 10,000 aircraft arrived at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh and other airports in east-central Wisconsin
• At Wittman alone, 18,684 aircraft operations in the 11-day period from July 21-31, an average of 121 takeoffs/landings per hour
• Total showplanes was 3,226, including 1,375 registered in vintage aircraft parking, plus 1,156 homebuilt aircraft (up 6 percent over 2021), 369 warbirds (up 5 percent from ’21), 137 ultralights, 87 seaplanes, 77 aerobatic aircraft, and 25 rotorcraft
• More than 12,000 campsites accounted for an estimated 40,000 visitors
• More than 1,400 forums, workshops and presentations
• $170 million economic impact for the five counties in the Oshkosh region (Winnebago, Outagamie, Fond du Lac, Calumet, and Brown).

Looking ahead to 2023, Jack said early planning conversations have already begun.

“We’re going to take a little time to give our staff and volunteers a well-deserved rest, but there were numerous discussions at AirVenture 2022 about possibilities for next year,” he said.

“Certainly the 70th anniversary year of EAA will be among the big considerations as we look forward to next year’s edition of The World’s Greatest Aviation Celebration.”

Next year’s dates: 24-30 July 2023.

EAA AirVenture Oshkosh