072126_AVTODAY_TUESDAY

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BY JIM ROBERTS AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF

FANS OF VINTAGE and warbird aircraft will find an aircraft with the DNA of both at this year’s EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. Restored by the father and son team of Bill and Will Kientz, a rare TEMCO T-35A Buckaroo will be in the Training Command area in Warbirds Country until Wednesday, when it will move to the VAA Red Barn for the rest of the week. And the path the Buckaroo took to get here is as remarkable as the aircraft itself.

Flash back 80 years to the TEMCO (Texas Engineering and Manufacturing Co.) plant in Grand Prairie, Texas. Following TEMCO’s acquisition of Globe Aircraft, GC-1B Swifts are rolling o the line. Then in 1949 the Air Force goes shopping for a new primary trainer. TEMCO engineers go to work on a tandem-seat aircraft based on the Swift, but featuring more robust construction and a 165-hp Franklin engine. Designated the YT-35A (Y for “experimental”), the aircraft was nicknamed “Buckaroo” in homage to its Texas roots.

Beechcraft won the USAF contract with its T-34 Mentor, but the Buckaroo got a second chance. According to Swift historian Stanley Thomas, in 1953 TEMCO converted a Douglas C-54 for Saudia Arabia’s king. This led to an order for 10 T-35A trainers for the fledgling Saudi air force. The airplanes sported a .30-caliber machine gun in each wing and 10 underwing rockets. Three of the airplanes were lost to accidents, and eventually the survivors were relegated to storage, baking beneath the desert sun at Jeddah Air Base.

Fast-forward to 1976, and Bill Kientz was on assignment in Jeddah with Trans World Airlines. A member of the International Swift Association (now the Swift

“When I cleaned out that first wing I was pulling out handfuls of mud … Missouri mud.”

— Will Kientz

Museum Foundation), Bill spotted the derelict Buckaroos and immediately recognized their historical significance. After some serious lobbying by Bill on behalf of the Swift Association, the Saudi air force donated a single T-35A and enough spare parts to build a second bird. In return, the Swift Association agreed to restore one aircraft in Saudi air force livery for display in the United States.

In 1977, 13 crates were loaded onto a Saudi C-130, flown to Dobbins AFB, in Georgia, and trucked to Swift headquarters in Athens, Tennessee. A decade later, after thousands of hours of work by Swift Association volunteers, the “Saudi Buck” was named Best Military Classic and received a Silver Wrench Award at Oshkosh ’87. For his extraordinary e orts in acquiring the aircraft, the Swift Association rewarded Bill Kientz with most of the parts not used in the project; those parts, along with others that were later fabricated, are what you see today.

If you think the Kientz Buckaroo was fortunate to survive decades of exposure to desert sun and salt air from the nearby Red Sea, wait till you hear what it went through at Bill’s home base, Creve Coeur Airport in St.

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Louis. As Will related, the project su ered two floods: one in 1986 and another in 1993 when he was 4 years old. After the 1986 flood Bill built a shelf 18 feet above the hangar floor and stored all the Buckaroo parts up there, but the 1993 flood topped that. Will said, “I vaguely remember some of it because my dad was crazy enough to bring me out with him, and I remember being on the boat and there was about 2, 3 feet of hangar space showing.” Twenty-five years later while working on the project, Will recalled, “When I cleaned out that first wing I was pulling out handfuls of mud … Missouri mud.”

Bill started work on the restoration in the ’70s, and it was on-again and o -again for years. Will said, “We always talked about it as a kid growing up. When you’re 10, we’re going to work on the T-35. When you’re a teenager, we’re going to work on the T-35. When you’re 15, 16 …. It just never happened. And a lot of it was my dad was supporting me. He wanted to make sure that I had a successful future and career.”

Finally, after landing an airline job in 2018, Will realized it was now or T-35 BUCKAROO / PAGE 4

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PAGE 3 / T-35 BUCKAROO

never. “I was on reserve, and I was just sitting there thinking, ‘Dad’s getting older. Shoot. Why not now?’ So I talked to Dad and I thought that, you know, we had a wing covered in Cosmoline. And I thought, oh, cool. All I gotta do is clean this thing up, wipe off the Cosmoline. I’m good at polishing … should be good to go. Little did I know.”

Reality set in, and Will realized, “Dad’s not as fast as he used to be. I don’t have the time o that I thought I’d have.” So they moved the project to Athens, Tennessee, and put it in the capable hands of Scott Anderson, a noted Swift craftsman. Scott did the majority of the airframe restoration with Will helping whenever he could. Will said, “Scott ran the riveting

“It’s a childhood dream come true. I grew up in the back seat of the [Swift] museum airplane and flying around with dad. So it’s kind of cool to see it come full circle.” — Will Kientz

gun, and I was the bucker. I bucked a ton of rivets on that airplane.”

With the airframe complete in 2023 the Buckaroo moved to Tailwinds Aviation Solutions in Perry, Georgia, where Brian Ellingham and his crew completed the restoration. Will was again hands-on, recalling, “I was sleeping in a freaking van down by the river to save money. No joke, like a Dodge Grand Caravan with a bed in the back of it.”

Bill and Will spared no e ort to breathe authenticity into their Buckaroo. The 210-hp Continental IO-360-ES engine is painted “Franklin gray” like the original 165-hp Franklin. They sourced two replica .30-caliber machine guns, and machinist friends produced 10 2-1/4-inch replica rockets. The gun sight was a rare find, and Will described making the deal with warbird legend Jay Wisler: “He’s like, I will sell you this gun sight, but it goes with your project. You cannot sell this gun sight separate from your project. And so I was

like, okay. Deal. I mean, it was a crusty thing, and I spent probably a month rebuilding it.”

Nearly 50 years after its rescue from the desert, the Buckaroo made its maiden flight in Georgia on April 8, 2026, with warbird expert Kelly Mahon at the controls. It was a full-circle moment for Kelly, since once as a young man he flew the Swift Association’s “Saudi Buck.”

Of flying the Buckaroo, Will said, “It’s a childhood dream come true. I grew up in the back seat of the [Swift] museum airplane and flying around with Dad. So it’s kind of cool to see it come full circle.” When Will got the airplane home to Creve Coeur, his first mission was to take Bill on an aerial tour of the St. Louis Gateway Arch. Will remembered, “He just kind of took it in. He was pretty quiet. You know, my dad, he’s a man of many words and few words. So when we got done he gave me a big hug and we both shed a tear, and I’ll leave it at that.”

Today the Kientz Buckaroo sits proudly on display at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, and you’ll probably find Will alongside, eager to share its story.

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Keeping the Family Legacy Alive Through Volunteering

Carol Christianson presented with 2026 Dorothy Hilbert Award

BY EMME HORNUNG AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF

CAROL CHRISTIANSON, EAA Lifetime 25226, has been recognized as EAA’s 2026 Dorothy Hilbert Award recipient. The award was created in honor of the late Dorothy Hilbert to recognize a female AirVenture volunteer who shows the same passion and dedication to volunteerism that Dorothy did — and Carol, who first joined EAA’s volunteer corps in the 1970s, is well deserving of such recognition.

North 40 volunteers are essential to making sure pilots who fly in get what they need for a great convention experience, and Carol makes sure the team is ready to help. Once the Flightline Ops team gets the pilots parked, the North 40 team takes over and is typically the first to greet pilots to Oshkosh.

“We help them with whatever they need and point them in the right direction for needs we can’t personally help with. We work with the carts crew to move people where they need to be, like translation services for international guests, people with physical disabilities, and press,” Carol said. “We do registration, ticket sales, so we wear a lot of hats.

Carol’s interest in aviation goes as far back as she does. “It’s genetic,” she said. Her father was a pilot and had been involved in EAA’s earliest days when the annual fly-in convention was held in Rockford, Illinois. Her parents even rebuilt and re-covered an old aircraft together, and her two brothers were pilots. Today, the aviation gene carries on with her daughter, who is a student pilot in Alaska.

Carol started volunteering for EAA in the ’70s as a tractor driver in the North 40, bringing pilots to their aircraft campsites. She even knew Bernice Scholler (one of Camp Scholler’s namesakes) and saw the introduction of credit card readers in the North 40 admissions building.

Aside from a hiatus to raise her children, she’s been volunteering in the North 40 ever since — and has had a few role changes along the way. Today, she’s the North 40 co-chair in charge of volunteer supsup

Volunteering for AirVenture is Carol’s way of carrying on her family’s aviation legacy. “It keeps me connected to the aviation roots in my family,” she said.

As many Oshkosh-goers can relate, her North 40 team has become a family in and of itself. “We’re family. Some of them are literally related to me, but we have a consistent volunteer crew. Once people go through training, which is extensive and intensive, they come back because it’s fun and we’re a good crew,” she said. “As Paul Poberezny said, people come for the airplanes, but they come back for the people. It’s all about the people.”

Thank you, Carol, for all you do for EAA, pilots, and your fellow volunteers!

Discovery Park to Provide Modern Youth Engagement Area for EAA AirVenture Oshkosh

EAA AIRVENTURE OSHKOSH is expanding and enhancing its youth education offerings during the annual fly-in convention, as the new Discovery Park project was unveiled on Monday during the opening day of AirVenture 2026.

Discovery Park is a modern youth engagement area with age-appropriate programming, as well as the convenience for families to remain within the central AirVenture grounds. The new facility will be open for EAA AirVenture 2027 between Aviation Gateway Park and the EAA Blue Barn building that supports EAA chapters and their youth aviation education activities.

“Discovery Park offers so many advantages for young people and families at AirVenture, especially as we’ve seen the popularity of KidVenture grow over the past 25 years, thanks to our volunteers and

programming,” said Jack J. Pelton, EAA CEO and chairman of the board. “This project creates an expanded, permanent home for AirVenture youth programming. It also gives more flexibility to feature the vintage aircraft in their true setting at Pioneer Airport, which has hosted KidVenture for the past two decades.”

Discovery Park will include an expanded KidVenture area, a new TeenVenture area for older youths, a base for the EAA AeroEducate online aviation portal, and a retail space. A capital campaign will fund the facility as it is built with private donations.

Four cornerstone gifts have already been committed, with the Tracy Forrest Foundation, True Blue Power, Dan and Keena Schwinn, and Bob and Susan Donahue pledging support for the project. Construction will formally begin in mid-August on the AirVenture

grounds, with architectural design by BlowfisH Architects of Ripon, Wisconsin, and general contracting by Cardinal Construction based in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

“This e ort fulfills the part of EAA’s mission to educate, inspire, and engage youths while promoting The Spirit of Aviation,” said Margaret Brill, vice president for the EAA Aviation Foundation. “We have seen the di erence that comes when young people are connected with the possibilities of flight, and Discovery Park will further enhance that engagement.”

More information on Discovery Park and opportunities to donate can be found at EAA.org/ DiscoveryPark.

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OSHKOSH MOMENTS

2 Millionth Young Eagle Keeps on Flying, Learning

BY BARBARA A. SCHMITZ AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF

AS WE PREPARE to celebrate the 2.5 millionth Young Eagle, we wanted to check in on Jodie Gawthrop, of Noblesville, Indiana, who became the 2 millionth 10 years ago.

In July 2018, Jodie, then 18, passed her private pilot checkride. As she flew, she became more and more interested in how each system of an airplane worked. So, naturally, she started maintenance training.

“Being detail oriented is praised in my field, and I had always been nitpicked about that as a kid. I found my home in aircraft maintenance,” she said.

But she also liked flying, so over the years, Jodie, EAA 1108302, continued her flight training, earning her instrument rating along with commercial single and multiengine certificates and a tailwheel endorsement. Earlier this year, she also became a CFI and CFI-I.

What really sparked Jodie’s interest in becoming a CFI was EAA Chapter 67’s Ray Aviation Scholarship, a program started after she had become the 2 millionth Young Eagle flown.

“I saw it as an opportunity to give back to my chapter,” she said. The Ray Foundation provides up to $12,000 to deserving youth to help cover their flight training expenses, while the chapter helps mentor the scholar and supports them on their path to becoming a certificated pilot.

In between all her coursework, Jodie kept busy working. She worked at an FBO fueling airplanes and sta ng the front desk. She had an internship working with the corporate flight department at the sister company of the FBO.

“I was terrified of the old mechanics, but I went there and told them I’d like to observe the work they do while I was

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going to school, and they handed me some tools and put me to work. Every day after school, I went there to work and I gained so much experience.”

Today, she is an FAA aviation safety inspector. “But I still love being around the homebuilt community and encouraging pilots to became mechanics or flight attendants to become pilots. Every

time someone learns something new, they can experience aviation from a different perspective, and the whole field benefits from that.”

Jodie has logged about 550 hours in the air, many in her 1946 Aeronca Champ that she purchased from a fellow Chapter 67 member. It’s her goal to replicate

some of the trips and experiences he had in that airplane.

“He flew Route 66 and out west,” she said. “I went on adventures with George, the previous owner, both when he owned it and now when I own it. The aviation community is so welcoming that people still want to be involved even if they have to hang up their wings. I believe we should be caretakers of vintage airplanes because they are unique and have a story to tell.”

She also hopes to get her seaplane rating someday.

“Aviation is an addiction,” Jodie said. “It’s something to keep learning and working toward. And it’s so gratifying when you’re working toward something and have that ‘aha’ moment.”

Jodie said she takes her life one day at a time. “You don’t know what life will throw at you, but you need to be receptive to new opportunities,” she said. “But I know I will remain active in the general aviation community and that I want to

“All that matters is that you really love airplanes and like sharing it with people.”

— Jodie Gawthrop

help guide and mentor the next generation of pilots coming after me. My goal is to contribute as much as I can to grow aviation professionals and to promote safety.”

Recalling her 2016 Young Eagles flight with actor Harrison Ford, she said it ignited her love for all things aviation.

“What stood out to me from that flight was how much general aviation unites people across generations,” Jodie said. “At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how old you are. All that matters is that you really love airplanes and like sharing it with people. It made me realize that my heart was in aviation.”

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OSHKOSH MOMENTS

2026 General Aviation Awards Honorees Announced

THE 2026 GENERAL Aviation Awards recipients have been announced and will be honored on Wednesday, July 22, at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2026. The formal awards ceremony will take place at the FAA Aviation Safety Center at 8:30 a.m., hosted by Flight Safety Detectives podcaster Greg Feith followed by an introduction on stage at the “Meet the FAA Administrator” forum on Thursday, July 23, at 11:30 a.m. at Theater in the Woods. Here are this year’s recipients.

Mike “Cuckoo” Kloch

2026 National CFI of the Year

Mike Kloch is a resident of Bend, Oregon. Most people know him as “Cuckoo,” and if you ask Mike Kloch why he spends so much time in the sky, he’ll probably tell you it’s all about the variety. With over 8,300 hours in the air across 75 different aircraft types — ranging from the F/A-18 Hornet and the CM-170 Fouga Magister to Carbon Cubs and helicopters — Mike has spent his career exploring every corner of the aviation world. While he’s a combat veteran and a former Marine Corps pilot, his true mission these

days is making general aviation safer. As the CEO and chief instructor of Specialized Aero Works (SAW), he doesn’t just teach people how to fly; he teaches them how to handle the unexpected. He’s one of the few instructors in the country offering Part 141-approved upset prevention and recovery training, and as the 2026 Portland FSDO CFI of the Year, he’s dedicated to mentoring the next generation of instructors to ensure the highest standards of safety.

Roger Whittier

2026 National Aviation Maintenance Technician of the Year

Roger Whittier of Phoenix, Arizona, is an active airframe and powerplant mechanic with inspection authorization. He is also an instrument-rated private pilot. Roger operates a local aircraft maintenance shop where he performs maintenance, repairs, alterations, and occasional mobile work. He specializes in owner-assisted annual inspections, using the process as a training opportunity for aircraft owners. Pilots have traveled from across the country to work with him and gain a deeper understanding of their aircraft and learn from this hands-on approach.

2026 National FAASTeam Representative of the Year

Mike Jesch of Orange, California, didn’t just fall into aviation; he was born into it. Growing up watching his dad work on the Apollo lunar landing program, at 6 years old, Mike decided he was going to be a professional pilot. By 14, a discovery flight sealed the deal. He earned his private pilot certificate before he finished high school, was instructing by 21, and landed his first airline gig at 23. Today, with over 40 years of professional flying under his belt, Mike is a senior captain on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner for American Airlines, regularly crossing the Pacific to the Far East and Australia. He regularly works with pilots, instructors, and other FAASTeam reps to improve their knowledge of the FAASafety.gov website and the WINGS program. He has personally completed hundreds of WINGS ground and flight activities, has validated thousands of credits for other pilots, and has achieved 25 Basic, 20 Advanced, and 18 Master WINGS phases.

For full biographies of the award recipients, visit GeneralAviationAwards.com. GAA expresses thanks and appreciation to AOPA for generously sponsoring the annual honoree award plaques.

Total Assurance

Breezy Tour to Cover America’s

Four Corners

Paul Breed gets an open-air perspective

BY EMME HORNUNG AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF

THERE ARE MANY ways to see America’s sprawling and diverse landscape, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better way than a low-and-slow tour in the openair cockpit of a Breezy. Paul Breed, EAA 1140954, has dedicated his entire summer to flying the 9,700-mile trip, with a special stop in Oshkosh along the way. Starting in his home state of California, so far Paul has flown to Texas, around the Florida coast, up the East Coast to Maine, to New York and Pennsylvania,

and now to the Midwest to land on the green dot at AirVenture.

He spends a week flying each segment, with about two-hour legs, then flies commercially back home for a break before returning to the Breezy for the next segment. He also performs maintenance along the way, changing the oil and fixing any squawks that pop up.

Paul purchased the Breezy in 2014 from its original builder, though it’s far from the first aircraft he’s flown.

AirVenture 2026

Monday

10:00am Engine Leaning Made Simple

TUESDAY

8:00am Ring Gap and Cylinder Life

10:00am Compression Testing

WEDNESDAY

10:00am Engine at TBO Options

THURSDAY

10:00am Proactive Approach to Aircraft Engine

Maintenance

FRIDAY

10:00am Oil Changes as a Diagnostic of Engine Health

SATURDAY

10:00am Choosing the Right Aviation Mechanic

He grew up in Alaska, and his Coast-Guard-turnedbush-pilot father taught him how to fly seaplanes when he was a teenager. “I had my pilot’s license before my driver’s license,” he said. Then, at 19, he earned his A&P mechanic certification.

In addition to the Breezy, today Paul also owns an Aerostar 601P and has more than 3,000 flight hours, but his mission in aviation focuses on the fun factor. “The Breezy’s more fun,” he said. “I like slow, being able to see things. I’d much rather be at 500 feet looking out at the world.

“I’ve always wanted to do a four-corners Breezy trip since I had it,” Paul said. “It has been truly awesome to

BREEZY / PAGE 20

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see the United States that way. If you get on an airliner in Milwaukee and fly to LA at 35,000 feet, you don’t see anything.”

The Breezy’s more fun. I like slow, being able to see things. I’d much rather be at 500 feet looking out at the world.” — Paul Breed PAGE 18 / BREEZY

Cruising at 65 mph, notable moments of the trip so far include seeing the swamps and bayous over Louisiana, the Florida Keys, Kitty Hawk, flying through

the Hudson River corridor, and even circling the Statue of Liberty.

Because he’s flying a two-seat aircraft, he’s been able to share the joy with others, too, giving rides along the way, and his son even joined him for the East Coast segment. Beyond the four-corners tour, he’s also given many rides over the years. “I’ve probably given 700 rides in the airplane,” he said. “This is an experimental, so I can’t even let people share gas expenses, but you don’t own an airplane like this if your intent isn’t to give some rides.”

Though he can’t share expenses, sharing the joy has proven to be worth it. One young woman he gave a ride to some years ago had never flown in any kind of aircraft before, and she was so inspired by her Breezy flight that she went on to become a professional pilot.

Paul plans to depart from Oshkosh midweek and will head north to the

Canadian border, across the top of the United States, and down to Great Falls, Montana, before taking a break. After that, his wife will join him for the mountainous segment to Seattle, and a friend will join him from Seattle to back home in San Diego. You can follow along on his trip as he livestreams each segment on his Epic Breezy YouTube channel.

“We have a truly beautiful country, and people have been incredibly nice, and it’s just amazing to see,” he said. Blue skies ahead, Paul!

SCHOLARSHIPS CHANGE LIVES

Scholarship awards are a major part of what Women in Aviation International (WAI) is all about. Since 1995, WAI has awarded more than $17 million to its members to help them advance their aviation experiences or careers. There is something for nearly everyone, from the college student to the member returning to the workforce or looking to advance one’s career.

WAI welcomes companies and individuals in the U.S. and globally to sponsor our organization’s scholarship program. Email scholarships@wai.org for more information. Scan for all the details.

HOMEBUILTS

THE BEARCOUPE WITH A CHECKERED PAST

BY ROBBIE CULVER AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF

EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR-BUILT AIRCRAFT come in all shapes and sizes, but once in a while, one really stands out in the crowd that is Homebuilt Camping. Robert Bounds of Seward, Nebraska, flew his one-of-a-kind homebuilt Bearcoupe into EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2026. “That’s just the name I came up with. It’s the only one there is.”

The Bearcoupe has a history that’s … complicated. It’s certainly not a kitbuilt aircraft, but Robert didn’t design all of it. “Well, part of it. A guy built an airplane that was grand champion plansbuilt in Oshkosh in ’89, and he built another one for a friend of his … and that airplane crashed in northern Idaho. Got carb ice and went into the trees in the mountains and destroyed it. I went up there and bought the wreckage and brought it back, and took a Sawzall and a bunch of measurements, cut it into small pieces, and reverse-engineered it. The wing is pretty similar to his. I didn’t change much on the wing. The fuselage is di erent.

“Its tail is a B-17 fin, because my mentor, Ed Martens, was a B-17 driver. He flew 30 missions over Germany and had a couple of awards and stu . You can make a tail anything you want, so I thought, just make it look like a B-17. I always remember Ed when I walk up to my airplane,” Robert said.

As for how the Bearcoupe came to be, Robert said, “That guy that had the wreckage, he is a salesman. I said there’s no plans or anything. I told him, well, I’ve built a couple of planes.” The seller told Robert, “‘Oh, with your ability, you should be able to reverse-engineer this.’ You know, I’m eating it up with a spoon. He sold me the wreckage, and seven years later, I’ve still got the same wife, so I must have done well.”

Robert finished the airplane in 2013. “I must have started it in 2006. Took seven years to build it.” The Bearcoupe is nicknamed Checkered Past. When asked why, Robert explained, “In 2017, it got wrecked. I was up in Idaho, doing backcountry flying, and I had a backcountry instructor with me. He was a short guy, and for some reason, he wanted to land the last time we were flying together. When we landed, he got his feet up on the brakes, locked it up, and put it on its back. It took me

two years to put it back together. So I thought, well, I’ll put a sticker on there. It has a checkered past. There we go.” Yeah, it’s complicated.

“It’s a good airplane for old guys. I touch down at about 40 knots with full flaps. I cruise at 115 knots, and I run it lean of peak. It’s fuel-injected, so I can run it real lean. Normal cruise is about 6 gallons an hour. It’s a cheap airplane to fly.” The aircraft holds 54 gallons of fuel and sports an O-340 Lycoming with a Catto prop. “I love that Catto prop. That airplane went on its back, and this is the same prop. It didn’t break it.”

As for the trip to AirVenture 2026, Robert said, “I come here with my brother-in-law. I helped him build

we’ve been here before, so it’s a little safer with two pilots. We know what we’re doing. Well, I don’t know if we know what we’re doing, but we’ve been here before.

“I picked him up in Blair, Nebraska, where he lives. He jumps in, and we fly over here, and it was beautiful. It wasn’t too hot. We ran up over at 5,500, I think, and it was 70 degrees and dead smooth. It was just perfect. It was a nice ride, and we got in the line [at FISK]; there was nobody in front of us, hardly. We just drove right in here, no scary stu . It was an easy, easy ride in. They stuck us on 27, and we got taxied and taxied and taxied. We got rock star parking here.” in Row 305 of Homebuilt - Checkered Past

TOM POBEREZNY MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP WINNER

BY ANGELA SATTERLEE AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF

EMILY BUSHBY HAS always had the same dream of earning her pilot certificate. She spent years applying for flight training scholarships, hoping one would finally be the right fit and this year it was.

Emily was named the recipient of the Tom Poberezny Memorial Scholarship, awarded to a former Young Eagle pursuing further flight training. Combined with an EAA Flight Training Scholarship, the awards provided

$4,000 to help her begin the journey she had dreamed about since childhood.

“I read the email at work and I literally started crying. I was telling everybody around me,” she said.

Her excitement quickly turned into action. “The next day, I immediately went to our local flight school and signed up for lessons.”

Now training in a Cessna 172 at J.F. Aviation Inc., Emily is just weeks away from her first solo flight.

Aviation has always been woven into her life. Her father and uncle are pilots. Her grandfather, Bob Bushby, EAA 26, and her great-uncle, Harvey Bushby Sr., attended

EAA’s founding meeting. Emily also grew up volunteering at AirVenture with her grandmother, a tradition she has continued. Despite growing up around airplanes, the cost of flight training kept her dream grounded. The scholarship changed that and gave her the push she needed to sign up. Emily has thrown herself into training, often returning home to practice maneuvers on her flight simulator after lessons if there’s something she wants to improve.

When she earns her certificate, she’ll become the first woman in her family to become a pilot. Her long-term goal isn’t a career in aviation, but to give back through organizations like Young Eagles

and Pilots N Paws, helping introduce others to the same joy of flying that shaped her childhood.

After years of determination, Emily’s lifelong dream is finally taking flight.

GirlVenture Camp 2026

Inspiring girls to soar

BY ANGELA SATTERLEE AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF

FOR MORE THAN two decades, EAA’s GirlVenture Camp has introduced high school girls to the many opportunities available in aviation, encouraging them to see themselves in an industry where women have historically been underrepresented. The camp combines hands-on learning, mentorship, networking, and the excitement of EAA AirVenture Oshkosh to inspire the next generation of aviation leaders.

Held July 19-22 during AirVenture 2026, this year’s camp welcomes 83 girls and is supported by 24 volunteer mentors. The campers explore aviation through interactive workshops, exclusive AirVenture experiences, and conversations with accomplished women who have built careers across the industry.

What began as a two-day program known as Women Soar You Soar has grown into a four-day experience while staying true to its original mission: showing young women that there is a place for them in aviation, no matter where their interests lie.

Throughout the four days, campers take part in hands-on workshops covering air tra c control communications, drone operations, aerospace engineering, circuitry, rocketry, flight simulators, and other STEMfocused activities. Organizers intentionally rotate many of the workshops from year to year since many campers return throughout high school, allowing them to discover something new with each visit while continuing to build confidence and technical skills.

Silent AUCTION

SUPPORT THE EAA® PROGRAMS YOU LOVE

3 DAYS LEFT TO BID!

View all auction packages and bid at EAA.org/SilentAuction or scan the QR code.

Auction is open July 1–23. View auction items in person on Thursday, July 23, 12–3 p.m. at the EAA Aviation Museum™ Founders’ Wing.

Mobile Bidding Sponsor

Though the experience these girls gain extends beyond the classroom. Campers explore the AirVenture grounds, hear from industry professionals, and, weather permitting, enjoy a flight experience. One of this year’s featured speakers is retired astronaut and U.S. Air Force Col. Eileen Collins, the first woman to pilot and command a NASA space shuttle mission. Military pilots, university representatives, engineers, and other aviation professionals also share their experiences.

One of the camp’s greatest strengths is the relationships formed between campers and mentors.

Nearly one-third of this year’s mentors are former GirlVenture campers themselves, returning to encourage the next generation after building successful aviation careers. According to organizers, today’s students arrive with a stronger understanding of networking than in years past, and the camp helps turn those early connections into lasting professional relationships so the girls know they are not alone.

“There are women at our camp that stand with them. And so some of us have kept in touch with some of these campers for more than 10 years,” planning committee member Cindy Hasselbring said.

Organizers hope every camper leaves understanding that aviation offers opportunities far beyond becoming a pilot.

“I think the misconception is that kids have to pick a career path and stick with it their whole life. And they may want to join business but they may love aviation, and they don’t realize that there’s a career that

“Aviation’s a large ecosystem. Every career is needed.”

— Cindy Hasselbring

merges those two. … Aviation’s a large ecosystem. Every career is needed,” Cindy said.

For GirlVenture Chair Debby Rihn-Harvey, that message has remained at the heart of the program since its beginning.

“Girls could do anything that they really wanted to do. I always tell everybody it’s mentoring and educating them about the diversity of aviation,” Debby said.

She believes exposing campers to the many career paths available helps them recognize that every passion can find a place in the aviation world.

“We try to cover all bases so that they know that if they want to get involved with aviation, they can do anything. It’s an empowerment type camp as well because years ago, well, especially in my childhood, women didn’t do a lot of the stu that we do now.”

The camp concludes with a closing ceremony on Wednesday where campers are eligible for exclusive scholarships supporting postsecondary education, flight training, and EAA’s Air Academy. More importantly, they leave with new skills, lasting friendships, professional connections, and a greater understanding that aviation is an industry where their ambitions can truly take flight.

OSHKOSH MOMENTS

THE MAGIC OF OSHKOSH

BY ROBBIE CULVER AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF

“YOU COME FOR the airplanes, but you come back for the people.”

Here we are again, my friends! It’s the world’s biggest aviation family reunion. You’ve flown the Fisk approach, been waved into Homebuilt Camping, settled into Camp Scholler, checked into that UWO dorm room, or set up camp in the North 40. Welcome to Oshkosh! (Okay, there’s a South 40, too — I see you

there!) Beverages have been shared, friends found, and wristbands acquired.

It’s often said that Oshkosh is about airplanes, but it is the people that have us return year after year. We plan our summers around it as friends and family tolerantly roll their eyes and listen to tall tales of the conga line to Fisk. Our employers know we will be gone and mentally unavailable in late July, and our spouses — if they aren’t

here with us — realize they married someone with propellers spinning in their eyes.

There’s no therapy for this. Okay, flying helps. I see all of you in the crowd as we pass — a nod of the head, a smile exchanged, a simple act of kindness among our brethren. Please pick up that trash as you go …

We try explaining this to people that have never been here. Aviators get it, but the folks we know or are related to that aren’t infected, well, we just try to get them to understand. But how can we explain it? How can we describe what waves of aircraft look like, parked row upon row upon row, as the sun rises and the light filters through — how can we express what we feel as we share these moments with our aviation family? Yet we try. We tell them to come see what it’s all about, and sometimes we succeed. And sometimes we don’t.

While Oshkosh is indescribable, it is also truly magic. There is literally nowhere else on Earth like it, and no event that equals the rhythm and rhyme of so much aviation in one place. Where else can we listen to multiple Merlin engines sing in the still morning air? Other events have heritage flights, but none like AirVenture. Is there any place that o ers the depth and expanse of Oshkosh? I think not.

It’s like the feeling you get when you grease a landing in front of your friends, or as you watch the wheels touch the grass in the gentle evening while landing a Champ. That moment where a side slip is what you need to set up for the perfect landing, and the wind gently whispers as you do so. Listen to its song.

I often think of the people who can no longer come to Oshkosh when I’m here, but I suspect they are still around. My brother Mike, who once told me about all the airplanes I saw as a child — people had built them. My friend Dane, who built a beautiful RV but has passed on to that airport in the sky. My buddy Jon, taken far too soon and whom I think of often. Nick, my technical counselor and tailwheel CFI. I know you have friends and family you think of, too.

It’s easy for me to reflect on them and so many others, to see the hazy memories and crystal clear ones also. So many memorial bricks by the Brown Arch — so many names, so many stories, and the friends I do not know.

In my mind’s eye, those who are gone before me are just hanging out on the flightline, out of sight but never

forgotten. Not ghosts so much as shadows never truly out of sight.

For one week, the best of America is once again on display. The trash is picked up, people are nice to one another, and random acts of kindness rule the days. We call this “Oshkosh rules.” It’s not so much that we are di erent than anyone else, as it is that we just remember what we are here for and who surrounds us. It is ours now to cherish and renew and pass along to those who come after us.

It’s the spirit of Oshkosh that makes my heart full, the memories of my friends, my family, the experiences and adventures, and the new friends we make. There

READY FOR TAKEOFF?

FAA will be interviewing and extending job offers on the spot to quali

• Aviation Safety Inspectors

• NAS Technicians

• Aerospace, Electronics and Other Engineers

• Pilots Aircraft Certi cation

• Physicians Aerospace Medicine

• Other Aerospace Safety Professionals

are no strangers in Oshkosh — just new friends we have not met yet.

Regardless of your experience, what you fly, no matter how many hours you have logged, or where you are from, it is the magic of Oshkosh that binds us together, much longer than the week we share together here. In our chapter meetings, at the fly-ins, and while we are busy in the workshop building our dreams, we are together. I can feel it, not just on the flightline but at every moment when I am involved in EAA. I can feel all of you and your energy and the love of aviation we all share.

And so we visit the bricks by the Brown Arch. We tell campfire stories of our adventures. We share memories of those we miss, and we make new memories for others to share. Each adventure is another story, and every story is another memory. And that is what Oshkosh is all about — the adventure of getting here, the memories we make each year, the things we see, the old friends and new that we see.

Enjoy the week, my friends. Make new friends, treasure the memories, reunite and renew the spirit of aviation in your heart. Thank you, Paul and Audrey, for the gift you have granted all of us.

When an EAA Chapter Advocates for Their Airports, It Can Pay Dividends

BY RAUL CISNEROS, EAA 1581563

EAA CHAPTERS ACROSS the country are leading the way in advocating for their airports as part of EAA’s Grassroots Airport Advocacy (GAA) initiative. This communitydriven engagement works to build awareness, relationships, and long-term support for local airports. The GAA initiative reflects EAA’s belief that the spirit of aviation grows stronger when communities are actively involved and connected.

“Chapters across the country are doing commendable advocacy work in their communities,” said Margaret Colwell, government advocacy specialist at EAA. “More importantly, they’re having an impact.”

Airports are strongest when their communities understand and support them. Issues such as urban encroachment, budget pressures, false information, public indi erence, or other factors can be the death knell

of an airport. With a good GAA strategy, an EAA chapter can demonstrate their airport’s viability to local residents, elected officials, and other community and business stakeholders.

Whether it’s creating an event, building relationships, sharing a story, or taking action, here are some examples of what an EAA chapter can do:

• Host a pancake breakfast, fly-in, open house, or create a youth-focused activity like a Young Eagles rally.

• Invite local elected o cials to visit the airport and engage them at city or county council meetings.

• Submit stories or editorials to local media outlets or share events with local social media groups.

• Encourage others to show up and support the airport when needed or help address misconceptions or concerns about the airport.

To generate support for Whiteman Airport (KWHP) in the San Fernando Valley near Los Angeles, California, EAA Chapter 40 focuses all its energy on a number of programs for the community, including three specifically for youths. With Young Eagles, 50-100 youngsters get to fly every month. Their Youth Build Program has 15 high school students participating each week. The chapter also provides Ray Aviation Scholarships every year. The e orts have been positive and enthusiastically received by the community.

EAA® EXHIBITS

The Ultimate Aviation Marketplace

With more than 900 exhibitors on-site at EAA® AirVenture ® Oshkosh™ 2026, aviation innovation and inspiration is everywhere you turn. From cutting-edge technology to must-have gear, expert services to future opportunities — EAA exhibits support the industry and the lifestyle.

Whether you’re here for business, passion, or a little of both, you’ll find exactly what you need… and plenty you didn’t know you were looking for.

Make time to explore these exhibit destinations:

• Ultralight and Rotorcraft Display Area

•Fly Market Exhibit Area

•Main Aircraft Display Areas

•Aircraft Spruce & Specialty Exhibit Hangar A

•Aspen Avionics Exhibit Hangar B

•Elixir Aircraft Exhibit Hangar C

•DeltaHawk Engines Exhibit Hangar D

» International Federal Pavilion

•Aviation Gateway Park presented by Piper Aircraft Inc.

» EAA Vertical Lift Center in partnership with Robinson Helicopter Co. and Vertical Aviation International (VAI)

•EAA Seaplane Base presented by Wipaire

• EAA WomenVenture Center

And more around every corner!

» EAA Education and Career Center presented by Piedmont Airlines

“Providing for our local youth and community has been fantastic,” said Chapter 40 President Clyde Carpenter. “It’s been very e ective in helping to showcase the unmatched opportunities available to youth of all ages at Whiteman Airport.”

Lake Elmo Airport (21D), about 15 miles east of St. Paul, Minnesota, has had to deal with urban encroachment plus vocal complaints after a runway was shifted and lengthened. To make sure the airport was not negatively impacted, local EAA Chapter 54 has been active engaging government o cials and being included in a local advisory commission. They also did something very clever for their pancake breakfast fly-in this year: They made and placed door hangers inviting the airport’s new residential neighbors to the event.

“We’ve been very pleased with the positive results of our engagement,” said Chapter 54 President Marlon Gunderson. “It’s going to be important for us to continue our work in the community.”

EAA emphasizes that chapters don’t need to do everything, just start somewhere. “A single conversation or small event can spark awareness and start to build lasting support,” said Margaret.

JULY 30–AUGUST 2

WHEN

AROUND THE GROUNDS

FIRST AID PROVIDES RELIEF FOR AIRVENTURE ATTENDEES

BY BARBARA A. SCHMITZ AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF

NOT FEELING THE best and your head is pounding? Is the sun or heat getting to be too much? Or did you do the one thing you know you shouldn’t do at AirVenture — wear new shoes — and your feet hurt. Really hurt.

No worries.

EAA AirVenture Oshkosh has two first aid buildings on the grounds, and doctors and nurses are here to help, said Connie Campbell, First Aid chair.

Most people stop by their two buildings for things like sunburn, blisters, falls,

slivers, and other minor things, she said. “If it’s anything minor, we will do a quick assessment and make a recommendation. If you need to go to a local emergency room, we’ll send you there.”

But if it is anything serious, or anything you think may be serious, Connie recommends you call 911 immediately. Oshkosh ambulances are on the grounds 24/7.

The first aid towers are located near the Red Barn in Camp Scholler or northeast of the FAA tower on the main grounds. They are open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday. On Sunday, the Camp Scholler location is open 8 a.m. to noon, while the tower location is open 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“Both locations resemble clinics,” Connie said, with exam rooms and cooling rooms, including tents for overflow conditions.

With air quality being a concern this year due to wildfires in Minnesota and Canada, Connie recommends people take precautions like they normally would if they are asthmatic. And that could include wearing a mask, depending on their condition and the amount of smoke.

“Otherwise, wear old, comfortable shoes, and hydrate, hydrate, hydrate,” she said.

The first aid sta usually see 150-300 people come into their buildings each year, as well as up to 1,500 people who come to

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the front porches for things like bandages or sunscreen.

Connie said they have about 300 volunteers, including doctors and nurses, who volunteer regularly during AirVenture. Each year, there are 120 spots to fill. Some volunteers are new, while others have been volunteering for 20 or 30 years. Dorothy Merkes served as First Aid chair for at least 40 years, and her family still comes back to volunteer and keep her legacy going, she said.

EAA volunteers have provided first aid services since the 1970s, Connie said. “We take care of everyone, as anyone can fall or need a helping hand.”

PROGRAM PAVILION

TUESDAY SCHEDULE

9 AM - 9:45 AM

IN-FLIGHT WEATHER:

REAL WORLD USE OF SIRIUSXM AVIATION DATA

JOSH FLOWERS, FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, FILMMAKER

10 AM - 10:45 AM

ASK THE A&P’S - LIVE!

AOPA PODCAST HOSTS: MIKE BUSCH, PAUL NEW, AND COLLEEN STERLING

11 AM - 11:45 AM

BEHIND THE SCENES OF JUAN BROWNE’S @BLANCOLIRIO YOUTUBE CHANNEL

JUAN BROWNE

12 PM - 12:45 PM

WEATHER OR NOT TO FLY

JEFF ARNOLD, LEIDOS FLIGHT SERVICE

1 PM - 1:45 PM

UNIDENTIFIED AND UNDERREPORTED: UAP AS AN AVIATION SAFETY IMPERATIVE

RYAN GRAVES, AMERICANS FOR SAFE AEROSPACE

2 PM - 2:45 PM

BACKCOUNTRY SAFETY - ARE

YOU READY? (WINGS CREDIT) TIPS FROM THE PRO’S

PANEL FEATURING PATRICK WILLIAMS, MIKE

VIVION, BEN COOK, MODERATED BY PILAR WOLFSTELLER, AOPA AIR SAFETY INSTITUTE

3 PM - 3:45 PM

ACCIDENT CASE STUDY: HIGH DESERT DISASTER (WINGS CREDIT)

MIKE GINTER, SVP OF AOPA AIR SAFETY INSTITUTE

4 PM - 4:45 PM

DIGITAL TOWERS:

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

AOPA GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS; DHRUV THAKKAR, FREQUENTIS

MEET & GREETS

11 AM - 11:45 PM

DREW AND LANIE | @ flymetothefun

12 PM - 12:45 PM JUAN BROWNE | @blancolirio

1 PM - 1:45 PM

VISIT US AT BOOTH 463

BRUNO BRASILEIRO | @ fly_with_bruno

2 PM - 2:45 PM RYAN GRAVES | @ safeaerospace @uncertainvector

8:30 AM - 9:30 AM

Back to Basics

‘Pioneers of Flight’ at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2026

BY HAL BRYAN

IN THE LATE 1800S, not all that long after the United States celebrated its first 100 years, scientists, engineers, inventors, tinkerers, and adventurers around the world spent time and other resources trying to solve what was then widely known as “the flying machine problem.” While some of the most impactful innovations in history, from antibiotics to the internet, weren’t necessarily widely anticipated, the idea of controlled, powered, manned flight was, for some, almost impatiently expected. Yes, there were plenty of skeptics, notably including an editor at the New York Times who wrote in October 1903 that “… the flying machine which will really fly might be evolved by the combined and continuous e orts of mathematicians and

mechanicians in from one to ten million years.” By that time, though, people had been successfully flying gliders for more than 50 years, and rubber-powered model airplanes had been around since 1870. So, instead of a surprising innovation, the Wrights’ success, coming just two months after the Times’ pessimistic prediction, was seen (eventually, once word got around and people were convinced that it had happened) as a solution to a known problem. What nobody could have anticipated, however, was the impact of airplanes on civilization, nor the incredible rate of innovation that would take place. This year at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2026, we’re highlighting the first two dozen years of that innovation. Each day, we’ll highlight one of

EAA ® Four Corners

the aircraft on display as we celebrate the “Pioneers of Flight.”

Blériot XI

In 1909, just six years after the Wrights’ first 120-foot flight, French aviator and engineer Louis Blériot won a £1,000 (approximately $130,000 in 2026) cash prize awarded by the Daily Mail newspaper for making the first flight across the English Channel. He did it in an aircraft of his own design, a Blériot XI. After the attention generated by the record-setting flight, Blériot went on to produce around 900 aircraft, the majority of them based on the XI. He served

From first-time visitors to seasoned attendees, new EAA members to Lifetime, and aviation enthusiasts and pilots, the EAA Four Corners has something for everyone!

EAA Member Center

•Join, renew, or become an EAA Lifetime Member™

•Explore EAA’s many member programs and benefits

•Photo opportunities and airshow performer meet and greets

•Speak to an EAA Advocacy rep about Sport Pilot 2.0 (MOSAIC)

EAA Learn to Fly Center

•Enjoy daily “Learn to Fly” forums

•Take an introductory flight lesson on a Redbird flight simulator

•Apply for your student pilot certificate

•Ask our friendly volunteers all your “Learn to Fly” questions!

EAA Youth Welcome Center

•Learn about youth activities on the AirVenture ® grounds

SPECIFICATIONS

LENGTH: 26 feet, 1 inch

WINGSPAN: 25 feet, 7 inches

HEIGHT: 8 feet, 10 inches

MAX SPEED: 47 mph

ENGINE (ORIGINAL): 25-hp Anzani three-cylinder radial

as president of the Société pour les Appareils Deperdussin, which produced the capable SPAD series of fighter aircraft during World War I. The replica on display here was built by EAA sta and volunteers, and it’s powered by an original Anzani three-cylinder radial engine.

Delve

•Delve into interactive aviation activities and rivet your own keychain

•Explore EAA’s youth education opportunities

EAA Merchandise

•Shop official AirVenture event merchandise

•Find event apparel, mini windsocks, aviation toys, and more

•EAA members receive 10% off

•Each purchase helps support EAA programs

INNOVATIONS DAY

Today on Boeing Plaza

See the Latest Technological Advances in Aviation

You can enjoy many of these cutting-edge drones and aircraft during Twilight Flight Fest on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, as well as on the RC Flying Field on Friday and Saturday. Don’t miss out!

Aircraft and Displays

• AirHeart Avionics

• Amazon Delivery

• American Drones

• BETA Technologies

• Bye Aerospace

• Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

• Jetson One

• Magni-X

• Merlin Labs

• Starlight Productions

• Wing

• Zipline

Tuesday Air Show

• American Drones

• BETA Technologies

• Bye Aerospace

• Jetson One

• ScaleWings P-51

Meet Your Favorite Authors!

TUESDAY, JULY 21, 2026

EAA Wearhouse

9-10 a.m. Chester Hull, Life on the Flight Deck

9-10 a.m. Judie Ohm, Turret Tales

10-11 a.m. Sheila M. Young, I See an Airplane Up in the Sky

10-11 a.m. Pam Ward, Miss Blue! The Pilot Maker

11 a.m.-12 p.m. Erin Miller Book 1: Final Flight, Final Fight; Book 2: What Grandma Did 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Stephen Chapis, Poor Little Lambs: The Baa Baa Black Sheep Story

12-1 p.m. Doug Johnson, Portrait of a Kaleidoscope Life

1-2 p.m. Hoot Gibson, Book 1: First Flight; Book 2: Space Ace

2-3 p.m. Ken Katz, The Supersonic Bone: A Development and Operational History of the B-1 Bomber

3-4 p.m. Steve Lambrecht, Boundless Brothers: Two Warriors from the Heartland, One Mission for the Homeland

3-4 p.m. Steve Church, Fighter Combat World War Two 4-5 p.m. Eileen Collins, Through the Glass Ceiling to the Stars

5-6 p.m. Wally Soplata, The B-25 in the Backyard

5-6 p.m. Roy “Deacon” Qualls, Pilot’s Edge: Think, Train, and Fly Like a Pro

AROUND THE GROUNDS

What About These Other Airplanes?

A spotter’s guide to the EAA Aviation Museum aircraft around the grounds

BY HAL BRYAN

EVERY YEAR, MORE than 10,000 aircraft fly to Wisconsin for AirVenture. Of those, nearly 3,000 are showplanes — vintage aircraft, warbirds, homebuilts, aerobatic airplanes, etc. — that are displayed around the grounds. But some visitors may notice other airplanes parked here and there that didn’t fly in at all, because they’re part of the EAA Aviation Museum collection. Because our museum exhibits rotate, many of these aircraft are only viewable by the public during AirVenture, spending the rest of the year in long-term storage on the convention grounds. Here’s a guide to

some of these airplanes that you’ll see as you wander the neighborhoods of AirVenture.

Aircraft: 1962 Dyke JD-2 Delta

The Dyke Delta was the brainchild of designer John Dyke, and first flew in 1962. Dyke has sold plans for the airplane since the 1960s, and it’s believed that more than 50 have been completed. One example on display at AirVenture this year is the original prototype, and also happens to have been the first aircraft to arrive at Oshkosh for the 1970 fly-in convention.

SHARE e SPIRIT of AVIATION®

Give the Gi of EAA®

Now is your chance to pass the aviation torch by gi ing an EAA membership to someone you feel will help carry on the legacy of EAA founder Paul Poberezny.

To thank you for sharing this membership, you will receive the following recognition items for the corresponding number of Legacy Memberships gi ed.

Celebrating the Class of ’46

A spotter’s guide for AirVenture Oshkosh 2026

BY HAL BRYAN AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF

AS WORLD WAR II came to an end, people of the free world looked ahead to an era that held the promise of unprecedented peace and prosperity. Rough estimates indicate that, at the start of the war in September 1939, there were roughly 30,000 pilots, both civilian and military, in the United States. By war’s end in August 1945, the estimated number had ballooned to more than half a million. It seemed patently obvious that the previous generation’s “chicken in every pot” would be supplanted in 1946 by “an

airplane in every garage.” Manufacturers went to work, introducing new aircraft and updating (and more actively marketing) existing designs. Sadly, this was the boom that wasn’t. A lot of wartime pilots moved on from flying, and, while commercial air travel grew steadily, general and recreational aviation didn’t attain the hoped-for ubiquity.

Still, 1946 was a remarkable year for GA, and that optimism, however impractical, gave us so many classic aircraft that remain beloved today. You’ll note that, unlike most aircraft anniversaries, this one isn’t exactly hard and fast. We’re not strictly celebrating first flights or introductions; rather, we’re looking back at

FIRST FLIGHT: 1937

LENGTH: 20 feet, 9 inches

WINGSPAN: 30 feet

SEATS: 2

CRUISE SPEED: ~95 mph

the airplanes that were in production and on the market in that first full year of postwar peace. As you wander the Vintage neighborhood on the AirVenture grounds, you’ll likely see lovingly restored examples of a variety of types being celebrated as part of the Class of ’46. When

the Next Generation Inspire Young Eagles

After more than 30 years of providing free flights for youths aged 8–17, now is your chance to get involved and share The Spirit of Aviation®. Visit the EAA® Blue Barn to learn more!

Next steps also available at EAA.org/YEPilots

FIRST FLIGHT: 1945

LENGTH: 20 feet, 10 inches

WINGSPAN: 29 feet, 4 inches

SEATS: 2

CRUISE SPEED: ~140 mph

you do, try to imagine what it was like 80 years ago, with the horrors of war well and truly behind us, a world in love with aviation, and nothing but blue skies ahead. That’s the context to have in mind as we celebrate the Class of ’46.

BLUE BARN

EAA ® WORKSHOPS

Go Hands-On

Homebuilding is the heart of EAA, and you can learn virtually every skill and gain the confidence you need to build an airplane while at EAA ® AirVenture ® Oshkosh™ Patterned after the highly successful EAA SportAir ® Workshops.

EAA AIRVENTURE FORUMS

Learn from Experts

3:00

Now Showing

Tuesday, July 21

Tonight’s Movie | 8:30 p.m. The Rescue

Presented by

Tomorrow’s Movie

There will be no movie shown at the Fly-In Theater due to the Wednesday Night Airshow

Today’s CROSSWORD

TUESDAY, JULY 21, 2026

HOMEBUILTS

ACROSS

2. The ____ MS1 Sport, a homebuilt biplane that is popular with racers.

3. He worked for Curtiss, then started his own company to make the CA-1 Parasol.

5. He designed the Acro Sport I & II, among others.

6. If it looks a bit like a homebuilt Seabee, it’s probably a _______ Air Car.

9. If you built this Bakeng parasol-wing airplane after 1999, it’s a _____.

11. Like the Wrights, Randy Schlitter, founder of ____ Designs, started out building bikes.

12. Burt Rutan liked these materials so much he named his company, Scaled __________, after them.

13. The winner of EAA’s 1962 design contest, the Bowers ___ Baby.

14. Based here in Oshkosh, this company makes the Waiex, among other designs. DOWN

1. Former Convair, Ryan, and General Dynamics designer Evans brought us the homebuilt VP-1 __________.

4. If you’re talking about welding, this is the T in TIG.

5. A classic homebuilt biplane with an unusually spelled name, it’s the Rose _________.

7. The fastest of Zenith’s CH 750 series.

8. Bob _______ designed and built the Bearhawk.

10. Puffer’s plansbuilt canard.

MONDAY, JULY 20, 2026 ANSWERS

ACROSS

4. Proficiency

6. Oshkosh

9. Experimenter

10. MOSAIC

11. Robertson DOWN 1. YoungEagles

2. Vette

3. Concorde

5. Celebration 7. Tom 8. Sportair

Training for Every Pilot

We’ve built a training catalog which includes:

VFR Command Challenge

Test your stick-and-rudder skills, judgment, and situational awareness. Requires 30 PIC hours in the last 12 months.*

Personal Proficiency Challenge

Build your own experience one-on-one with an EAA instructor. You set the goals; we’ll help you crush them. Requires a student pilot certificate or higher.*

IFR Command Challenge

Sharpen your decision-making in the system. Requires IFR currency or within the six-month grace period.*

Check out the full schedule of EAA® Pilot Proficiency Center events here! * Registration required

How well do you know EAA history?

Try your hand at these trivia questions and find out. The answers, along with a new question, will be in tomorrow’s paper.

Q: Seattle II, a replica built to commemorate the famed Douglas World Cruiser aircraft that made the first successful global circumnavigation flight, is one of the highlights of the Pioneers of Flight theme this summer at AirVenture 2026. What were the names of the original four aircraft that began the expedition in April 1924?

MONDAY, JULY 20, ANSWERS

Watch as Jimmy flies a commemorative 2.5 millionth Young Eagle at the start of tomorrow’s air show!

“Poetry in motion: Every aircraft has its own soul, and I match it with its own music. From the Huey to the Extra, the playlist sets the tempo, sharpens focus, and turns flying into a fully immersive experience.”

Wild Side — Philipp Wolf, Nicolas Hannig, JUSTN X Sunday Best — Surfaces

Something in the Orange — Zach Bryan Figa De Guiné — Mari Froes, Trinix Remix What Will Be — The Teskey Brothers

TUESDAY, JULY 21, 2026

EAA® AirVenture® Oshkosh™ could not happen without the outstanding support of our volunteers.

Help us in thanking them today!

Supported by

We offer hot coffee, doughnuts, fresh fruit, salads, sandwiches, and much more. Red One Market has everything you need to make your stay more enjoyable.

CONVENIENTLY LOCATED SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO LEAVE THE GROUNDS!

Head over to one of our eight Red One Market locations today!

RED ONE MARKET CENTRAL | RED ONE MARKET SHOWPLANE

RED ONE MARKET NORTH 40 | RED ONE MARKET SOUTH 40 RED ONE MARKET SOUTH | RED ONE MARKET SOUTHWEST RED ONE MARKET WEST | RED ONE MARKET SOUTHEAST EAA.ORG/REDONEMARKETS ALL PURCHASES SUPPORT EAA PROGRAMS AND PROMOTE THE SPIRIT OF AVIATION®

@Kwerickson

@Biggles_femme

Oshkosh Day 1, you have been incredible! From the fantastic aircraft arrivals to the amazing exhibitors setting up and all the incredible merchandise, the excitement is building everywhere you look. Tomorrow is the big day, and I can’t wait to catch up with all of my customers and chat about what FLYER can do for your business. See you at the show! #OSH26 #EAAAirVenture #Oshkosh #GeneralAviation #aviation

Ha! Y’all thought I’d stop post with my project done, nope. Time for da planes, welcome to 2026 #airventure Technically tomorrow is the first day, so this is the pregame or day zero. Day 1 tomorrow.

@WMUAviation

The stars are out tonight for the Cirrus afterhours event at @eaa Airventure 2026!

@kynanyu

We made it to Oshkosh! A week of Aircraft is going to be insane!! @ chrissanga_ @biddy101 @angleofattack #oshkosh #airshow #planes #wisconsin #airventure

Thank You, Supporters!

PLATINUM

GOLD

DeltaHawk Engines

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Honda Aircraft Company

Lightspeed Aviation

Lycoming

Mars Wrigley

PenFed

Phillips 66

Piper Aircraft, Inc.

Redbird Flight

Victor Sierra

SILVER

Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA)

Aircraft Specialties Services

Aspen Avionics, an AIRO Group Company

Cirrus

Dynon

Epic Aircraft

Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company

Icom America

Junkers Aircraft

Oshkosh AeroTech

PowerLift Hangar Doors

Riesterer & Schnell

RTX

Wipaire

BRONZE

AeroShell

Ballweg Implement Co, Inc

Blackhawk

Bose Aviation

Continental Aerospace Technologies

Covington Aircraft

CubCrafters

Delta Air Lines

Diamond Aircraft

Elixir Aircraft

GE Aerospace

Green Bay Austin Straubel Int.

Airport

Gulf Coast Avionics / Pacific Coast Avionics

Hangar 22 Coffee

Jani-King

Jeppesen ForeFlight

JP Instruments

magniX

NATCA

Pepsi

Piedmont Airlines

Pilatus Aircraft USA Ltd.

Poly Fiber, Inc

Robinson Helicopter Company

Rotax iService and Training

Centres

SiriusXM Aviation

Southwest Airlines

Superior Air Parts, Inc.

SureFly Electronic Ignition

Tecnam

True Blue Power

uAvionix

United Airlines

Van’s Aircraft

VOLARE HANGARS

Whelen Aerospace Technologies

Williams International

Wing Aviation

Women in Aviation International (WAI)

Zenith Aircraft

COPPER

4imprint

Airbus

ASA (Aviation Supplies & Academics)

Avfuel

B & C Specialty Products Inc.

Barnstormer

Bristell Aircraft

CiES Incorporated

DATC

General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA)

Gridiron Air

Horizon Hobby

Lincoln Electric

PlaneWX

SOFTIE PARACHUTES by ParaPhernalia, Inc.

Starr Aviation

Teledyne Aerospace Electronics, Gill Aircraft Batteries

UND Aerospace

PATRON

Arena Americas

Banyan Group Ventures

Chicago Executive Airport

David Clark Company

Endeavor Air

EnerSys®

Flight Outfitters

Flite Test

GES

Global Aerospace

Gulfstream Aerospace

Honda Power Equipment

JSfirm.com

MATCO ALS

Metro Sales Inc.

Mountain Air Realty

Ninety-Nines, Inc (The)

Old School Model Works

Pilotsmith

PS Engineering Inc

SCHEELS

Scheme Designers, Inc

Sherwin-Williams Aerospace

Small Town EV

Target Oshkosh

The Yalanis Private Wealth

Management Group of Wells

Fargo Advisors

Walkabout Hats

WILCO

Zipline

FLIGHT DECK

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University gets your career off the ground

Since 1926, the nation’s oldest and largest aeronautical university has offered pilot training that can take you straight to the flight deck.

Embry-Riddle’s renowned aviation programs feature cutting-edge aircraft, the latest in simulators and technological training aids, along with industry partnerships that provide a direct route to airline careers.

According to The Boeing Company’s Pilot and Technician Outlook, there will be a need for 660,000 new pilots from 2025-2044, and Embry-Riddle is playing a vital role in meeting this unprecedented demand.

Ready to pilot your future? Find out how Embry-Riddle prepares you for a dynamic flight deck career.

erau.edu/oshkosh