✈️ My First Oshkosh: Why AirVenture Blew Me Away

For years, I’d heard about the elusive EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. People spoke of it like a pilgrimage every pilot must make. Honestly, I wasn’t convinced. I’d been to plenty of airshows and didn’t think spending the money to get all the way to Wisconsin was the best use of my training fund.

Boy, was I wrong.

AirVenture isn’t just an airshow—it’s like stepping into the aviation capital of the world. Imagine hundreds of thousands of pilots in one place, surrounded by more airplanes than you could study in a week. Add in daily airshows that make local shows look small, seminars that sharpen your skills, a job fair, and networking opportunities everywhere you turn—it’s pure aviation overload, in the best way.

My adventure began even before I got there. I was invited to fly from New Orleans to Wisconsin with friends in a King Air—which meant my very first multi-engine time and my first turbine time. Talk about a dream ride to Oshkosh!

When we arrived, I quickly realized just how massive it is. I had a carefully crafted plan to see it all… and that plan lasted maybe an hour. AirVenture is simply too big to tackle all at once. Instead, I took the “elephant approach”—one bite at a time, exploring as much as I could with the time I had.

Did I miss things? Absolutely. But that just means I have even more to look forward to next year. And yes—there will definitely be a next year. In fact, I can see this becoming a yearly tradition for me, because once you’ve been to Oshkosh, you understand: it’s not just an event, it’s an experience every pilot should have.