072426_AVToday_Friday

JIMMY GRAHAM MAY have been joking after taking 10-year-old Hazel Schaefer, of Wausau, Wisconsin, on a flight in his Extra 330 on Wednesday, making her the official 2.5 millionth Young Eagle since the program began.

But once you hear of Hazel’s passion for aviation, you have to wonder if Jimmy, the Young Eagles chairman since 2018 and NFL retired tight end, was joking at all when he said Hazel would be taking him flying soon.

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The flight in Jimmy’s Extra 330 was the 43rd di erent type of airplane that Hazel has flown in. (Her favorite flight was in the Bücker Bü 131 Jungmann, a classic German biplane trainer introduced in the 1930s, but she said Jimmy’s Extra is “near the top” of her list of favorite airplanes she’s taken a flight in.) At 10, she already has over 40 hours of flight time with “many, many pilot friends.”

So how did Jimmy fly? “Very good,” she replied, admitting that she was “a little bit nervous, but it was awesome.”

Wearing her own flight suit, Hazel said she became interested in aviation through her mother, Jessica, who shared her passion with her children. Hazel is active in EAA Chapter 640 in Wausau and volunteers with the group, helping out with food at events. She is also involved in Learn Build Fly, an aerospace education program in Wausau that provides aviation, STEM, and leadership education to youths and families.

Jimmy said Hazel made a great co-pilot and that he hoped to fly with her again. “She has the aviation bug,” he said.

“When I see a smile on a child’s face after their flight, it reminds me of how I was at that age,” he said. “I wish I had this type of experience when I was young.”

He also said it was an honor to be involved in the Young Eagles program, and that EAA has “a special place in his heart” for the work they do.

After a photo of Jimmy, Hazel, and some Young Eagles volunteers was taken, Jimmy shook hands and talked to many of the volunteers.

When Young Eagles began, some people questioned if they could meet their goal of flying 1 million children using volunteer pilots. But with each new goal set, EAA continues to hit that target.

Making the 2.5 million mark in 2026 was an “ambitious goal,” Jimmy said, only possible because of the “many EAA volunteers who really made a push over the last two months.” Still, he said he was looking forward to flying the 3 millionth

“When I see a smile on a child’s face after their flight, it reminds me of how I was at that age.”

— Jimmy Graham

Young Eagle in the not-too-distant future, and that flying “has filled the gaps” that football left.

Anyone wanting to become involved in the Young Eagles program is encouraged to stop by the Blue Barn to learn more. Jimmy encouraged younger pilots to also get involved, saying many youths will likely connect better to someone closer to their age.

PUBLISHER: Jack J. Pelton, EAA CEO & Chairman of the Board

VICE PRESIDENT OF PUBLICATIONS, MEMBERSHIP SERVICES, RETAIL, SAFETY AND SECURITY, AND EDITOR IN CHIEF: Jim Busha

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EDITORIAL STAFF: Robbie Culver, Emme Hornung, Jim Roberts, Angela Satterlee, Barbara A. Schmitz

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SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR: Michael Sullivan

SOCIAL MEDIA INTERN: Madeline Wooten

SENIOR SALES AND ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE: Sue Anderson

NEW AIRCRAFT FOR MOSAIC

BY ROBBIE CULVER AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF

WHEN MOSAIC WAS announced at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2025, one of the stated goals was to allow for sport pilot-compliant aircraft with new or di erent powerplants, more than two seats, retractable landing gear, and constant-speed propellers. Over the past year, new designs have been announced, and several are on display at AirVenture 2026.

Here are just a few examples of what manufacturers are bringing to market.

Air Command Gyro and Polaris Razor Engine

Air Command is based in River Falls, Wisconsin, and has been in business selling gyrocopters since 1984 and composite rotors for the gyro market. A new sport pilot-compliant gyrocopter, powered by a Polaris Razor engine, has been announced, with flight testing to begin in September 2026. The Razor is a 100-hp engine at 8000 rpm. Joe Covelli, owner of Air Command International LLC, described flying gyros as “a fun flying experience. It’s like finding a mini sports car in the sky.”

Carbon Cub ULT With TurboTech Regenerative Turbine Engine

The Carbon Cub ULT is based on the highly successful Carbon Cub UL but features the TurboTech regenerative turbine engine. TurboTech has designed, built, and flight-tested an engine that combines the reliability of a turbine engine with the fuel efficiency of a regenerative engine that uses exhaust heat to reduce fuel consumption. The ULT features dual FADEC control, push-button starting, and single-lever throttle, as well as low fuel consumption.

Textron Pipistrel Voyager

Textron Aviation’s a liate Pipistrel has introduced the Voyager, intended as a two-seat IFR trainer with a ballistic parachute. The aircraft is powered by a Rotax 912 ULS engine, features a Garmin AXIS avionics suite, and is expected to see first deliveries in 2027.

Vashon Ranger Grand Teton

Vashon Aircraft, based in Arlington, Washington, has introduced the Ranger Grand Teton as a “two-place aircraft that features rugged, full metal construction to take real-world usage like flight training.” It’s equipped with Dynon avionics that have synthetic vision and angle of attack, a two-axis autopilot, a Continental O-200-D engine, seats that fold forward 90 degrees, and dual fivepoint safety harnesses.

Zenith CH 750 Super Cruzer

The Zenith Aircraft Co. has announced a new CH 750 Super Cruzer that “features roomy side-by-side seating in a 2+1 (rear jump seat) configuration.” The kit has CNC final-sized matched-hole construction, as well as a “completely redesigned wing leading edge and updated tail surfaces that prioritize e cient cruise performance over maximum STOL capability.” The kit has been “structurally reengineered for higher gross weights and increased operating speeds.”

HOMEBUILTS

Growing Up With Homebuilts

BY ANGELA SATTERLEE AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF

AT JUST 19 years old, Aerin Hubbell, EAA 1591418, is the youngest experimental aircraft judge at AirVenture. Aviation has been part of her life from the very beginning. She grew up helping her father build Van’s RV aircraft and has attended AirVenture since she was born, making this year’s convention her 18th trip to Oshkosh.

“There was no actual start into aviation [for me]. My dad’s a pilot. He’s been coming to AirVenture since he was 18 years old,” Aerin said. “So it was a family adventure going to Oshkosh each year. I never really thought of aviation as something di erent.”

Although she didn’t always expect aviation to become her career, that’s exactly where her path has led. Aerin is enrolled in Purdue University’s professional flight program; earned her private pilot certificate in April 2025 through Sweet Aviation in Fort Wayne, Indiana; completed her instrument rating in February; and has already submitted for her commercial pilot checkride.

“I never really did a true discovery flight since I had always grown up in it,” she explained. “I always knew how to talk on the radio. And so I got my [private pilot certificate] really early on.”

Her interest in experimental aircraft stems directly from her family’s building

projects. Her father built a Lindy Awardwinning RV-10 in 2011, and Aerin helped where she could. Today, the pair is working with a family friend on an RV-14A, continuing a tradition that started long before she was old enough to drive.

Her introduction to judging came through family friend and homebuilt judge Mark Gilmore, EAA Lifetime 322796, who, along with Homebuilt Judging Chairman David Juckem, EAA Lifetime 135899, invited her to shadow the judging team, beginning when she was just 15 years old. After more than two years of observing and learning the process, she officially became a judge last year at age 18.

“My favorite part of the whole thing is just honestly getting to talk to the di erent aircraft owners,” Aerin said. “They all have such di erent stories, whether they built it with their family or they built it for their deceased family member or they spent 20 years building an airplane. Those are some of the really best stories that you’re really never going to hear otherwise.”

Aerin has learned so much from before she became a judge to now. She says judging goes far beyond first impressions.

“Just seeing the actual hard work and craftsmanship they put in their aircraft is just really awesome to see. Judging is not just who has the prettiest paint job,” she said. “It’s actually looking at, did you have the right rivets? Did you make a mistake with that? Are your cotter pins going correctly? All the little minute details what … makes that true grand champion aircraft.”

While she’s the youngest member of the judging team, Aerin says the experience is a two-way street. She learns from judges with decades of experience, while they also gain a fresh perspective from someone who represents the next generation of homebuilders and pilots.

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OSHKOSH MOMENTS

A Lot of Skill in a Little Jet

BY BARBARA A. SCHMITZ AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF

AEROBATIC PILOT TOM LARKIN of Mini Jet

Airshows had just taken o to do his routine in his mini jet on Father’s Day weekend when his engine quit at 200 feet. Surrounded by trees, he saw a small pond and decided to land there, knowing he wouldn’t make it back to the airfield.

“By the time I got to shore, I knew my love of 10 years was gone,” he recalled. Still wearing his wet flight suit, one of his first calls was to John Monnett, creator of the SubSonex mini jet. “I asked if he still had an airplane for sale and said I needed it since mine was at the bottom of a lake.”

Tom went on to become a fighter and airline pilot, and he has flown 10,000plus hours in 55 di erent aircraft.

But it was always his dream to do air shows in a mini jet. The passion began when he was young and saw the BD-5J Coors Light Silver Bullet at an air show.

“I thought it was the coolest thing I’d ever seen,” he said, acknowledging he was a latecomer to the air show business at 54. He’s been doing his day show for nine years and is in his second year of night shows.

ballet with lights and pyrotechnics, Tom said.

He and his wife, Laura, have done 1,245 air shows together. “We still love the people and the atmosphere,” he said. “It’s our way of traveling around the country and making friends and memories.” The two will be married 37 years in September.

was Bob’s philosophy that the crowd won’t remember what you did in your act the previous year, and you’ll be safe if something happens because you’ve done it 1,000 times.”

He said it’s an honor to perform at AirVenture. In 1984, a month before he entered the Air Force, he came to Oshkosh with his dad. “So I’ve always loved Oshkosh. All my idols and the performers I watched growing up inspired me, and now I get to hang out and fly with them.”

Thankfully, John did. Tom’s original mini jet was serial No. 3; his new one is No. 2, and their engines are only one serial number apart, too. “It’s very much the same jet,” he said.

His day show is high-energy and aggressive, emulating what you would normally see with an F-16 but with restrictions since it is only a 500-pound jet. His night show is more of an aerial

He started flying air shows the same year Julie Clark was retiring, so he asked her what advice she’d give a rookie. “She said, ‘I’ll tell you the same thing that Bob Hoover told me when he retired: Create a show that is somewhat boring to you but entertaining to the crowd and never change it,’” Tom said. “It

His advice to youths is simple. “You only have one life to live. There is no guarantee on the number of years you will have. So find things that inspire you and do them.”

Only two-and-a-half weeks later, Tom was back to flying air shows. AirVenture is his second show back.

“If you’re going to have an accident at an air show, this was the best outcome you could have,” Tom said. “No one saw it, and no one was hurt. I had just taken o and never came back.”

In the o -season, Tom plans to paint this jet like his previous one, although he may keep the shark face. He’ll also add all the lights he previously had added for his night air show, so he’ll be flying with his pyrotech nics only in Saturday’s night show.

Flying a jet seems a stretch for Tom, who as a child was afraid of roller coasters. It was the peer pres sure of changing high schools that finally made him go on a roller coaster. And he was surprised to find out he liked it.

“I learned that fear is normal, but if you take fear head on, it won’t define you,” Tom said. “It’s like the first time you ride a bike. It’s normal to have apprehension, but if do something over and over again, you can condition yourself to anything.”

WARBIRDS

LIVING HISTORY — LITERALLY

BY BARBARA A. SCHMITZ AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF

1943 DURING WORLD WAR II. Just head to the Warbirds area and you won’t miss it.

About 60 people from the Warbirds Living History Group have re-created the 12th Army Air Force Miller Field 340th Bombardment Group encampment.

Steve “Zippy” Zachareas, photo operations and emcee for their portion of Warbirds in Review, said most of the artifacts you’ll see in the camp are personally owned, from jeeps and other vehicles to the tents they sleep in. There is even a mess tent where members gather for some meals.

The group is on duty from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily throughout AirVenture, and people are free to wander about the camp and ask questions. The most often asked question is where they would sleep, Zachareas said. “In fact, I was trying to take a nap yesterday, and people kept opening my flaps so I never did nap,” he said, laughing.

The camp was created about 30 years ago; before that, enactors just roamed the Warbirds area.

NOTICE TO AIRVENTURE ATTENDEES

Red Arrows Crowd Line — Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, July 24-26

ATTENDEES, VOLUNTEERS, AND PILOTS should be aware that the Red Arrows’ performances require a larger aerobatic box, necessitating a slight move of the crowd line to the west during the afternoon air shows on those days. Only essential, authorized air show personnel are permitted inside the box during the Red Arrows’ performance.

The Red Arrows crowd line will run the entire length of the flightline from Ultralights through Warbirds, in line with the existing speaker poles, about 120 feet west of the regular crowd burn line. This line will be clearly marked.

For Air Show Spectators

Visitors will have access to the regular crowd line area until 1:15 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and until noon on Sunday. At those times, visitors must move back to behind the Red Arrows crowd line. AirVenture guests will not be allowed to leave chairs, blankets, coolers, or other items past the Red Arrows crowd line at any time on those days. Friday through Sunday, Wittman Road will be closed to all vehicular tra c, providing additional space for air show viewing.

For Pilots and Crew of Aircraft Parked on

the Flightline

After 1:15 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and noon on Sunday, pilots or crew of aircraft parked between the two crowd lines will be allowed in the area for a short time with a security escort to perform urgent, essential tasks. Everyone will need to be out of this area by 4:45 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 3:15 p.m. on Sunday. Full access will be restored after the conclusion of the air show on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Look for extensive signage on the grounds further explaining the areas and times covered by these necessary rules and guidelines.

AirVenture 2026

Monday

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TUESDAY

8:00am Ring Gap and Cylinder Life

10:00am Compression Testing

WEDNESDAY

10:00am Engine at TBO Options

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SATURDAY

10:00am Choosing the Right Aviation Mechanic

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Triple Tree: Putting Young People Into Old Airplanes

BY BARBARA A. SCHMITZ AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF

a Piper Cub, a Vultee BT-13, a Phantom ultralight, and an AirCam.

Ben worked at TTA while in high school, and now he flies its fleet of airplanes to give rides.

For Triple Tree Aerodrome (TTA), it’s all about getting young people interested in flying and caring for vintage airplanes. If Ben Templeton and Jack Bengard are any indication, the group is excelling at its mission.

Located in Woodruff, South Carolina, TTA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and home to many fullscale and radio-control aviation events, as well as year-round educational opportunities.

Ben, a 2020 TTA Aviation Centered Education (ACE) scholarship recipient, and Jack, a 2024 fall ACE scholarship recipient, flew Triple Tree’s 1937 Spartan Executive into the EAA AirVenture Oshkosh grounds last Saturday. Until its departure today, the polished airplane is parked in Vintage next to the Triple Tree Foundation tent.

Both Ben and Jack received TTA’s scholarship for flight lessons. But they said the money, while helpful, is less important than the support and mentorship they receive through the program.

The scholarship application process is rigorous, and recipients are required to volunteer for 50 hours at TTA, but many continue volunteering once those hours are met.

Jack said he never thought he could fly an airplane until he heard of TTA. After taking his discovery flight at 17, he soloed a few months later and then earned his private pilot certificate. He has logged about 85 hours. This fall, he’ll be heading to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University for aeronautical science. He flies TTA’s 1964 Mooney.

TTA holds summer camps, and Jack said he taught a general aviation camp last week. “It helps high schools to get a handle on aviation, and the ones who want to pursue their private pilot license or whatever tend to stay involved.”

The camps are also a great pipeline for those students interested in applying for TTA’s scholarships, he said.

“I grew up in a flying family, but the scholarship is what got me started with flying,” Ben said. He has earned his private pilot and airline transport pilot certificates, has logged about 3,500 hours, and eventually hopes to fly for the airlines. For now, he’s flying a

“Triple Tree is putting young people in old airplanes, and trying to keep the passion for this stu alive,” Jack said. They also hope to inspire other aircraft owners across the country to follow Triple Tree’s blueprint: trusting capable, vetted young people to

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WARBIRDS

The Great Warbirds Experience

BY CATHERINE WARMKESSEL

WITH SO MUCH history in aviation, it is always important to look back at the start to move forward. The Warbirds Tram Tour is a great introduction to the start of military aviation history.

The narrated tram ride through the Warbirds area on the EAA AirVenture Oshkosh grounds could be called “The Great Warbirds Experience” because if you ask people after their tour what they thought, they’ll tell you it was a great experience.

The 30-minute tour operates at AirVenture through Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., and the route covers all 12 zones of the Warbirds area.

The free tour begins at the tram station located at the intersection of Eide Road and

the P-1 Taxiway, adjacent to Warbird Alley. They do recommend people give a $5 donation, although it is not required.

This is the 17th year of the tradition, thanks to 40-50 volunteers who are enthusiastic and knowledgeable as well as 2026 sponsors Hartzell Propeller, Concorde Battery, Covington Aircraft Engines, Tempest Aero Group, Heritage Aero, and Mini-Max Tugs.

Vic Krause was one of the original people who came up with the idea to create a tram ride through the Warbirds area, similar to what Walt Disney did for his theme parks. He said the idea actually started with friends eating pizza in a garage, and the trams now carry 7,000-10,000 people throughout the Warbirds area each AirVenture.

Salute to Veterans Parade

Friday, July 24, 1:30 p.m.

Join us in honoring and celebrating our veterans as they assemble and parade with their branches of service from Warbird Alley to Boeing Plaza via the Flight Line.

Sponsored by

“I used to walk up to people and basically usher them onto the tram,” Vic said. Now there is a line of people waiting to get in. “It’s a great Warbird experience,” he said.

The trams provide shade and a seat, and are a perfect way to figure out what airplanes you really want to go back to see after.

The Krause and Gelhar families, particularly Joseph Gelhar, work to keep the trams working and spend the week before the flyin convention to set everything up.

WARBIRDS TRAM TOUR

Daily through Saturday 7:30 a.m.-2 p.m.

Eide Road and the P-1 Taxiway

AROUND THE GROUNDS

HOSPITALITY FOR HUMANITY

BY ANGELA SATTERLEE AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF

VISITORS GRABBING FREE POPCORN at the Fly-In Theater this week are also supporting a new partnership that is making a difference beyond the AirVenture grounds.

For the first time, the local Habitat for Humanity affiliate is volunteering at the Fly-In Theater concession stand, sponsored by PenFed, serving popcorn each evening while accepting donations to support its mission of building affordable homes for families in the Oshkosh and Omro communities and all over the world.

Habitat for Humanity envisions a world where everyone has a decent

place to live. Locally, the nonprofit has completed 53 homes, worked alongside more than 5,000 volunteers, and logged over 156,000 volunteer hours.

“Rain, snow, or sleet we’re out there building. We reach for the sky in a different way,” Executive Director Tom Simon said.

AirVenture has given Habitat an opportunity to introduce its mission to people from around the world. Tom said the event’s international audience makes AirVenture a unique place to grow awareness of Habitat’s work.

“People from all over came to talk to

us about their Habitat experiences, and most of them were from outside the country,” Tom said.

Volunteering at the Fly-In Theater was the perfect way for Habitat to become involved with EAA.

“Volunteering for the Fly-In Theater was a good niche for Habitat and a solid entry into EAA,” Tom said. “EAA has a really exceptional crowd … and has similar values to Habitat so it was a natural merge.”

The experience has been so positive that Habitat is already planning to return next year and hopes to expand its

involvement with EAA in the future.

“Where else in the world will you see an F-22 fly over your head while you’re handing out concessions?”

Tom credits Dan Traxler, Habitat’s director of resource development, for coordinating the partnership with EAA and thanked EAA volunteers for making the opportunity possible.

If you’re heading to the Fly-In Theater this week, stop by the Habitat for Humanity stand. Grab a free bag of popcorn, meet the volunteers, and consider making a donation to help local families build a place to call home.

OSHKOSH MOMENTS

A 50-YEAR TRADITION

Brother and sister continue annual family vacation

BY EMME HORNUNG AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF

A LOT CAN CHANGE IN 50 YEARS. EAA Oshkosh 1976 saw about 9,200 aircraft and 300,000 visitors on the field, 162 booths were filled with exhibitors, and Canada’s Snowbirds were the first military jet team to perform at an EAA fly-in. Fifty years later, AirVenture now welcomes more than 10,000 aircraft and 700,000 visitors, nearly 1,000 exhibitors, and many (many) more military jet teams have wowed the air show crowds.

Though, one thing that hasn’t changed has been the beloved family tradition of the Rounds family, who made their first trip to Oshkosh in 1976.

“I compare it to Christmas. I’d rather do Oshkosh than Christmas.” — Chris Rounds

The late Don Rounds, EAA 76393/ Warbirds 1638, and his wife, Mary, started their family of four in Little Rock, Arkansas, with son Chris, EAA Lifetime 387062, and daughter Pam Woods, EAA 461367. With a Cessna 172 and a T-hangar, aviation has always been part of their lives, but it wasn’t until Chris met a hangar neighbor returning from EAA’s fly-in convention that they learned about Oshkosh. That neighbor just so happened to be prolific aviation writer Richard Collins.

The Rounds family soon moved to Tennessee, where they lived among an active antique aircraft community, with many traveling to Oshkosh each summer. In 1976, they packed up the family station wagon and made their first trek to experience the convention for themselves.

That one trip was the hook, and coming to Oshkosh became an annual tradition.

“As a kid, it was like Disneyland almost. It was one of those places where I could meet new people, and a lot of those people are still friends of mine,” Pam said. “We got to ride in airplanes, do things that you could really only dream of. Even as we grew up and got older, coming to AirVenture was our annual family vacation still.”

Over the past five decades, the family has made countless memories. Mary, now 90 years old, was a dedicated Warbirds volunteer of 40 years. She has missed a couple years recently, but she was able to make a brief visit this year. “I wouldn’t give anything for the memories,” Mary said. “It’s just been very, very fulfilling.”

While Pam compares it to Disneyland, Chris sees it as the most wonderful time of the year. “I compare it to Christmas. I’d rather do Oshkosh than Christmas,”

he said. “One of my fondest memories was sitting here, watching the Red Devils with my dad, eating Shakey’s pizza. It was just so cool.”

Today, Chris is an accomplished professional pilot, ferrying aircraft and flying formation flights, and he even owns a Canadair T-33. Pam, while not a pilot herself, revels in sharing the passion and magic of Oshkosh with others, and her husband now joins in the annual tradition.

“Every year I always meet somebody new and there’s always someone who this is their first year, and just to see that awe. It really makes me feel that again, seeing it through their eyes,” she said. “It’s just a common interest, common bond, and we love coming back. People are always friendly and welcoming, so it is truly a tradition that I want to keep going as long as possible.”

THANK YOU

2026 SPONSORS AND TABLE HOSTS

PRESENTING SPONSOR

COCKTAIL RECEPTION SPONSOR BALCONY SKYBOX HOST

MOBILE BIDDING AND FUEL THE FUTURE GAUGE SCREEN SPONSOR

CENTERPIECES AND ENTERTAINMENT SPONSOR

CULINARY SPONSOR VIP EXPERIENCE SPONSOR

PHOTO WALL SPONSOR

SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE SPONSOR

BID PADDLE SPONSOR

NIGHT FLIGHT SPONSOR

PLATINUM TABLE HOSTS

Alan Harper | Garmin | Keith Kocourek | Williams International

GOLD TABLE HOSTS

Alan Gaudenti | Arnie Evdokimo | Blackhawk | Charlie Precourt | Cirrus Aircraft

David Kleine | Endre Holen and Stephanie Goetz | Global Aerospace | Gridiron Air

Honda Aircraft Company | James Cooling | Jim and Shelly Tobul | John Owen Kali Hague | Lou Seno | Mars Wrigley | Monte Koch | Phil Soucy | Wilson/Stallings

Robinson Helicopter Company | Stuart Auerbach | Shawn Honaker

Tom and Hetty Ball | UND Aerospace Foundation

SILVER TABLE HOSTS

American Airlines | AOPA | Avfuel | Barnstormer | Beau Bradley | Ben Diachun

Burwell & Samples | CAA | CiES Inc. | Citation Jet Pilots | Craig Willan

David and Onie Irvine | Debi Fleischer | Ed Noel | Elixir Aircraft | Frank Steeves

Greg Simmons | Greg and Suzanne Herrick | Jackson Walker, LLP | Jim Phillips

John Raniolo | Jon Vesely | Lee Aerospace | Marsh USA, Inc.

Margaret Viola and Eileen Bjorkman

Mid-Continent Instruments & Avionics/True Blue Power | Lyon/Nuessle

Mountain Air Realty | Myrt Rose | Pat Noel | PenFed | Red Arrows

Richard Beattie | Shelly and Chris deZevallos | Shepherd Aero | Sterling Bourbon

Sporty’s | Sultan Salman | Textron Aviation | Tim Poole

Twin Otter International Ltd. | Valerie Talbot | Volare Hangars | William Lindsey

Fabric Expert Sharing Knowledge at AirVenture for 21 Years

BY RAUL CISNEROS

ONE OF THE GREAT BENEFITS of attending AirVenture is the opportunity to learn from top-notch experts through the many presentations and workshops. One such person is Hualdo Mendoza, who’s been conducting fabric presentations and workshops for Poly Fiber at AirVenture for the past 21 years. Mendoza operates out of Flabob Airport in Riverside County, California.

Hualdo, who grew up in Riverside County, said he was destined to get into aviation. “When I was in school, I got into some trouble, and, you know, I was misbehaving and getting kicked out of school,”

he said. Fortunately for him, the local school district started a unique program that was giving young men who were in trouble an opportunity to get a job. The program partnered with businesses to hire kids, but the school district actually paid for the salaries. That was how Hualdo, a freshman, and others landed at Poly Fiber, thanks to owner John Goldenbaum.

“I thought we were maybe going to help clean the airport or just kind of run around and do whatever they wanted us to do, but John had a di erent idea,” Hualdo said. “He had a DC-3 aileron set up for us, and he wanted to teach us about fabric covering.”

Hualdo said the job program was supposed to last only six months, but John o ered the kids the opportunity to keep working at Poly Fiber. Hualdo is still with them. He also decided that if he’s working on airplanes, he would also learn how to fly them. Little by little he climbed the ladder, and today he’s a CFI and has a multiengine rating. This year was extra special for Hualdo because he flew a DC-3 to AirVenture.

About fabric covering, Hualdo said it’s a dying art but there’s a lot of work out there. However, he added, “It’s a skill that people should want to have if they’re in the aviation-restoration business.”

OSHKOSH MOMENTS

FROM BRAZIL TO OSHKOSH

An around-the-world trip

BY ANGELA SATTERLEE AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF

WHEN ALEXANDRE FROTA taxied onto the grounds of EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, he was making history. The Brazilian private pilot completed a solo flight around the world in his experimental Van’s RV-10, PT-ZRQ, making him the first Brazilian to circumnavigate the globe solo and the first documented person to complete a solo flight around the world in an RV-10.

He departed Brazil on March 15 and flew north. He arrived at Oshkosh April 20 to begin the around-the-world trip that he would finish at EAA AirVenture. His journey covered more than 50,000 nautical miles, over 300 flight hours, and 45 countries across five continents.

“I think this is the spirit of experimental aviation: to inspire people to fly further, to do new things and expand their limits!

“I’ve always loved aviation since I was a kid. I used to build my own wooden planes at 7 years old,” Alex said.

But becoming a pilot wasn’t easy. At 27, he began working toward his

private pilot license before the cost of flight training forced him to quit. He worked long hours, put aviation aside, and thought the dream was over.

“I only came back to this dream of flying at 44 years old.”

After earning his license, adding an instrument rating, and building experience, Alex found himself asking a

question that many pilots dream about: Could he fly around the world?

Originally, Alex planned to make the trip in 2028 to celebrate his 55th birthday. However, because of family obligations he wanted to be home for, he moved the timeline up and planned to complete it in 2026.

“October 19 of 2022, I went to my o ce and I wrote this email, and the subject of this email was ‘flying around the world 2028.’”

The email became his road map. Inside were route ideas, sponsorship plans, social media concepts, and pages of questions that

needed answers before such an ambitious flight could become reality.

“I started to try to work on the route, and [it] took me almost two years and 1,500 emails to the five continents just to define the route.”

flew from Brazil to SUN ’n FUN as a trial run.

Before committing to the flight, Alex wanted to find out if he was even comfortable flying such long distances. He had never left Brazil before, so in 2024 he

The response when he returned home surprised him. People couldn’t believe what he had done. Many had never heard of a Brazilian private pilot making a trip like that. Seeing the reaction from his community convinced him to take on the even bigger challenge and prove that a Brazilian pilot could successfully fly around the world.

Planning the flight became a full-time project. Alex had to improve his English, navigate insurance requirements for dozens of countries, and work through the difficult process of securing permits across multiple continents. The complications were almost enough to force him to give up.

By the time he embarked on his around-the-world trip at age 52, he had eight years of flying experience and about 600 flight hours.

“When I departed for this big journey, I had about 600 hours of flying time and this journey was 300 hours,” Alex explained. “So I flew in six months, half of the total time I flew during my entire career [as] a private pilot.”

Alex documented as much of the trip as possible on YouTube. Each roughly

Thank you to the teachers and guest speakers who joined us today at Teacher Day 2026.

EAA® also thanks Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation for its help in making this event possible.

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30-minute episode covers about one week of the journey. Now he is working on a book and a documentary about the journey. Because he comes from a poor region in northeastern Brazil, he plans to provide both to schools and public libraries there free of charge.

“The main mission of this documentary is to impact the people of Brazil, that if I, a regular guy … can do it, everyone can do it.”

Alex said accomplishing a dream like this requires sacrifice, whether psychological, emotional, financial, or involving time away from family. But with careful planning, discipline, perseverance, and diligence, he believes it is possible for anyone to achieve.

“That’s what I’m trying to prove and I’m trying to share, especially [to] the

youth of Brazil … And I think they are proud of me and that’s the mission.”

Alex explained that in the United States there are countless aviation companies, pilots, and success stories to inspire the next generation. In Brazil, he said that the aviation community isn’t nearly as visible. He hopes his accomplishment can become one of the stories that inspires future Brazilian aviators.

Although he has made it back to Oshkosh, Alex says the journey won’t truly be complete until he lands back in Brazil and is reunited with his family.

“From here, I’ll fly to the West Coast to the Pacific side and I’ll go down from Mexico, Central America, and all of South America … and then I’ll come back up to Brazil. At that point, I will be able to take my email from my desk and file it, five years later.”

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Spirit of St. Louis 100th Anniversary Charter Flight Launches at AirVenture

BY ANN BALSAMO, LINDBERGH FOUNDATION

THIS WEEK ON Boeing Plaza, the Charles A. and Anne Morrow Lindbergh Foundation o cially launched the global countdown to one of the most significant milestones in aviation history: the 100th anniversary of the Spirit of St. Louis flight.

The Spirit of St. Louis Centennial Charter Flight, an exclusive six-day, all-business-class private jet experience, will start in St. Louis, stop in Washington, D.C, and go on to retrace Charles Lindbergh’s legendary journey from New York to Paris.

More than a travel experience, the Centennial Charter is a mission-driven fundraising initiative supporting the Lindbergh Foundation’s work to inspire and accelerate the next generation of innovators. As a signature event of the Spirit of St. Louis centennial campaign, proceeds from

the charter will help advance programs and challenges that further the Lindbergh Foundation’s mission.

The announcement was made at Boeing Plaza during AirVenture, where aviation’s past and future stood side by side. Erik Lindbergh, grandson of Charles and Anne Lindbergh and chairman of the Lindbergh Foundation, spoke at Boeing Plaza alongside two iconic aircraft: EAA’s full-scale replica of the Spirit of St. Louis and the New Spirit of St. Louis, the Lancair Columbia 300 Erik flew solo from New York to Paris in 2002 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of his grandfather’s flight.

Together, the aircraft symbolized a century of innovation, courage, and exploration while launching the next chapter of the Lindbergh legacy.

The Spirit of St. Louis Centennial Charter Flight o ers a rare opportunity to experience aviation history firsthand. Beginning with the Spirit of St. Louis Centennial Gala in St. Louis on May 15, 2027, the charter flight will bring together a select group of participants for a journey to Washington, D.C., New York City, and across the Atlantic to France. Along the way, participants will enjoy exclusive access to museums, archives, historic sites, aviation institutions, special guest speakers, and behind-the-scenes experiences that tell the story of Lindbergh’s achievement and its lasting impact on aviation.

On May 21, 2027, exactly 100 years after Charles Lindbergh landed before an estimated crowd of more than 150,000 people, the charter is expected to arrive at

Le Bourget Airport, joining international commemorative events celebrating one of aviation’s defining moments.

“The centennial is about bringing the aviation community and the world together to celebrate one of history’s greatest achievements while inspiring and challenging the next generation of innovators and explorers,” Erik said. “Charles Lindbergh changed the world as a young man. This is an example of what young people can accomplish when they are challenged and

“It is our job today to stoke that fire for the next generation of pioneers.”

— Erik Lindbergh

supported. It is our job today to stoke that fire for the next generation of pioneers.”

The centennial’s momentum continues to grow internationally. In 2025, organizers of the 2027 Paris Air Show announced that the world’s premier aerospace exhibition will feature “100 Years of Transatlantic Flight,” recognizing the centennial of Lindbergh’s arrival at Le Bourget.

The foundation’s 99th anniversary celebration in May in St. Louis honored Anne Morrow Lindbergh’s extraordinary contributions to aviation and literature while recognizing women whose leadership continues to shape aerospace, exploration, history, and the literary arts. That theme continued at AirVenture, where Erik joined Dr. Frances Levine, award-winning historian, former president and CEO of the Missouri Historical Society, and recipient of the Anne Morrow Lindbergh Award, for a WomenVenture presentation on Anne’s pioneering aviation legacy and enduring literary influence.

Looking ahead, the Lindbergh Foundation and EAA are working together to make AirVenture Oshkosh 2027 one of North America’s principal celebrations of the Spirit of St. Louis centennial through exhibits, presentations, educational programming, pilot experiences, and youth engagement.

The centennial is designed not only to commemorate one of aviation’s defining moments, but to inspire tomorrow’s innovators. Building on the legacy of the Orteig Prize that inspired Lindbergh’s flight, the foundation is expanding STEM initiatives that challenge young people to solve the aviation and aerospace challenges of the future through innovation, engineering, entrepreneurship, and exploration.

For more information about the Spirit of St. Louis Centennial Charter Flight and the worldwide centennial celebration, visit LindberghFoundation.org.

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OSHKOSH MOMENTS

Aussie Teen Continues Momentum Following Around-the-World Flight

BY EMME HORNUNG AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF

TEEN PILOT DOWN UNDER, otherwise known as Byron Waller, EAA 1670718, has returned to Oshkosh for his second year after completing a globetrotting trip he embarked on just one week after AirVenture 2025. His goal for this trip was to raise awareness about youth resilience; overcoming challenges is something he is familiar with, having been diagnosed with Crohn’s disease at 14 years old.

Flying a Sling TSi — with a flight instructor familiar with the airspace and special needs of each leg — Byron flew across Asia, Europe, over the Arctic Circle, Canada, America, stretching across to Hawaii and Pago Pago, and back to Australia. He even celebrated his 16th birthday as he crossed the international date line. The trip took him just under 10 weeks to complete.

With his longest flight stretching to an incredible 17.5 hours over open water, perseverance became just as important as flying skills.

“Whenever things got tough, I reminded myself why I started,” Byron said. “I wasn’t just flying for me; I was flying for everyone who believed in the mission. Keeping that purpose front of mind helped me push through the hardest moments.”

The journey demanded constant management of changing weather, fatigue, and long hours of intense concentration.

“Every flight demanded complete focus, and some days were really challenging. But every landing, every new

country, and every person I met made it worthwhile. The di cult moments are temporary, but the experiences and the impact you make stay with you forever,” he said.

Reflecting on the journey, Byron hopes others realize that even the biggest goals are achieved one step at a time. “You don’t have to be fearless to chase a dream. You just have to keep moving forward, even when it’s hard. That’s when you discover what you’re really capable of,” he said.

Byron learned a lot through the trip — not just about flying in di erent airspaces and countries, but also how to find connections in the aviation industry. In all, he worked with about 100 volunteers to make the trip happen: people to make phone calls and support logistics,

AUSSIE TEEN / PAGE 27

mechanical crews in di erent countries, people monitoring the weather, and many more to offer advice, research, and connections.

“It was amazing the amount of support and unnamed people stepping up to ensure that this project succeeded,” Jeni Langdon, Byron’s mom, said.

Byron intends to build on the momentum of his world flight by establishing a charity focused on inspiring young people and promoting the value of aviation. He also plans to undertake aviation tours across Australia and the United States, encouraging the next generation to pursue careers in aviation while showcasing the vital role aviation plays in rural and remote communities.

In Australia, people living in remote communities may have to drive up to 16 hours to access specialized medical care, whereas flying can reduce that journey to just a few hours — which, in an emergency, could be lifesaving.

“Most people see aviation as a way to travel,” Byron said. “But for thousands of Australians living in remote communities, it’s much more than that. It’s their connection to healthcare, education, and opportunity.”

With a plan to earn his commercial certificate, he hopes to secure an aviation job after graduation. Using what he learned from his world trip, he’ll discuss making connections in the aviation industry during his presentation “Flying Around the World at 15” on Saturday at 1 p.m. on Forum Stage 9, where he’ll also share more about his trip and talk about how the younger generation is challenging the status quo.

You can also learn more about Byron’s story, message, and much more during his presentation “From Patient to Pilot” on Friday at 10 a.m. on Forum Stage 6.

AIRVENTURE CUP RESULTS

Smoke impacts course, but not speed

BY EMME HORNUNG AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF

THE 28TH ANNUAL AirVenture Cup Race looked a bit di erent this year due to the smoky conditions in America’s Midwest, but pilots and their aircraft still got to show their speed on the first leg of the race.

In typical years, pilots and their aircraft depart on a cross-country race across Wisconsin and Michigan, hitting intermediate checkpoints along the way. From first-timers to experienced competitors, the race invites participants of all flying backgrounds and aircraft of various performance levels, split into competitive classes based on certification type, engine, induction, and landing gear.

The 2026 race was first delayed from Sunday, July 19, to Monday, July 20, in hopes the smoke would clear enough to allow for the required 6 miles of visibility. Mother Nature had other plans; however, racers were able to fly the first leg of the race. Taking o from Wausau Downtown Airport (KAUW), racers flew the 46-mile leg to Shawano Municipal (KEZS).

More information about the race can be found at AirVentureCupRace.com.

The 2026 results are as follows:

OSHKOSH MOMENTS

Preserving Your Chapter’s Legacy

EAA’s Grace Yakuber shares tips to preserve history

BY ROBBIE CULVER AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF

EAA CHAPTERS HAVE A RICH

HISTORY

regardless of how long they have been chartered. If you are a chapter leader looking to capture or document the history of your EAA chapter, EAA Chapter Field Representative Grace Yakuber has some ideas for you.

Preserving a chapter’s legacy starts with some good old-fashioned homework. Start a timeline. First, uncover when the chapter was founded. (If you’re not sure, EAA headquarters can provide some assistance.) Then find

out who the founding members were. It takes 10 EAA members to start a chapter, and EAA has that information.

Headquarters has the original incorporation documents, original bylaws, limited chapter directories, and some chapter roster documents. Grace said, “With the total chapter count being close to 1,700 [and 900 of them active], it’s hard to keep track of everyone’s history!”

Learn more about your home. (Why is the chapter at the airport it is located on? Was it always there?) And see what

chapter records are available. There may also be internal resources available, for example, longtime members you can interview, copies of newsletters, meeting minutes, etc.

See if the airport’s history includes relevant information about the chapter. Check newspapers and other local resources such as libraries, historical societies, and even obituaries. Once you begin to build and document the history, be sure to save it and digitize it for future members to have access to. And make it accessible; cloud storage

EMERGENCY WEATHER SAFETY

PAGE 31 / GRACE YAKUBER

and online drives can be used to share what is documented.

A force of nature with the power of the Energizer Bunny, combined with the buzz of several cups of co ee with extra sugar, and a bubbly personality that is downright infectious, EAA’s Grace is not new to aviation, but she is a relatively recent hire at EAA headquarters. To describe Grace as energetic is … an understatement.

Grace credits EAA Chapter 234 in Traverse City, Michigan, as the spark that began her journey to her current role.

“I get to travel around the country and share the tools and resources that EAA has to o er to our chapters,” she said. “There are almost 900 chapters that we have around the U.S. and beyond. Most of my primary function is creating new chapters, and I manage a couple of the programs that we o er chapters, and it’s really fun being able to interact with all the different

chapters across the U.S. and learn about all of their individual specialties and everything that they choose to do within their communities.

“I love it so much. I came into this role, actually, last year at AirVenture,” she added. “I met John [Egan], and he told me about this upcoming available position, because my predecessor was going to have a baby, and she was going to be a full-time mom. So they knew that they were going to have to fill this position. I have been a longtime chapter member in my home chapter EAA 234 in Traverse City, Michigan. And I figured this would just be perfect to have that one-onone with a bunch of people who just love the same things that I do, which is community and aviation.”

Chapters are the heart of EAA, and interacting with them is part of what Grace loves about her job. “The thing that excites me the most is that I get to carry on a legacy of chapters since

1954, and I get to be a part of that long history of these communities building themselves up and working to share The Spirit of Aviation. And I just think it’s so cool that I get to be a part of that.”

Every chapter is unique — some are focused on Young Eagles, some on building or restoring aircraft; some are more active than others, and some are just social — all of which is why we love them so much.

When I asked Grace what strikes her the most about the chapters, she said, “It’s how not every single one of them is the same. They all have very individual characteristics that really build their own communities. So they might have a specialty of being a vintage chapter or even like a Warbird chapter or a squadron or something like that. But mostly, they all have some focus, whether it’s youth and aviation or maybe a technical, building aircraft kind of style. But it’s really cool to talk to all of them and learn about what their specialty is.”

The job came with nice surprises, too.

“My biggest surprise I’ve had is how much I’ve fallen in love with it,” she said. “I come from a professional background in aviation, and so I knew that taking this was gonna be a lot more philanthropy working with chapters. But I didn’t expect to actually fall in love with it as much as I did. … I just love it.”

And the love is clearly genuine. It’s easy to pick up on the energy Grace gives.

“It really goes back into being a part of the legacy,” she said. “I have to carry that spirit forward and make sure that everybody else feels the same energy that I feel about chapters, because this is all just volunteer time in your community. You have to want to be here. You know, nobody’s telling anybody to be here. We’re all here because we want to be here. And everybody goes home after AirVenture, they go back to their chapter, and their first gathering in August is talking about AirVenture. And the chapters are what keeps The Spirit of Aviation alive the other 11 months of the year.”

And it’s true! We all come and see our aviation family, but when we leave, it is the chapters that continue to feed our love of aviation. Personally, I can feel it in the workshop when my wife and I are working on our project. And I can certainly feel it at our monthly gatherings and events.

EAA and aviation need a lot more of this energy. “I want to be the next generation that comes into the chapters department and understands where we came from, where we are right now, and try to find a goal for the future that we can all meet while still echoing what made chapters successful in the past,” Grace said.

It’s this writer’s opinion that we need a lot more of this in aviation and in EAA! Grace Yakuber exemplifies the best of EAA — and especially the heart and soul of what EAA is — which is chapters and community.

“I have to carry that spirit forward and make sure that everybody else feels the same energy that I feel about chapters, because this is all just volunteer time in your community. You have to want to be here.”

— Grace Yakuber

WARBIRDS

Inspiring the Next Generation

Andrea McGilvray earns WASP wings

BY JIM ROBERTS AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF

ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL WWII MUSEUM, during that war nearly 1,100 highly trained women tested, flew, and ferried 12,650 aircraft over 60 million miles as Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP). These women were between 21 and 35 years old, over 5 feet, 4 inches tall, and all had graduated from high school. Each had her pilot certificate but was trained by the Army Air Forces in Sweetwater, Texas.

Today at Avenger Field Airport in Sweetwater, the National WASP WWII Museum honors their legacy and inspires young people to follow their footsteps into the sky. Rachael McClain, the museum’s executive

director, said, “We’re taking a historically significant event for women and using that story to inspire young people to pursue their dreams.” This week at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh you can find their display on the south edge of Boeing Plaza. It’s not hard to spot; just look for a shiny Vultee BT-13 Valiant and a bright yellow North American AT-6 Texan.

The WASP trained on five aircraft during their time in Sweetwater: the PT-17, PT-19, BT-13, AT-6, and the UC-78. The museum’s collection includes all but the PT-19, and all four aircraft are airworthy and flying. The BT-13 was flown to AirVenture by Andrea McGilvray, and among the museum’s corps of four pilots, ironically she’s the only woman. Andrea said she had no interest in aviation until her first flight in an ultralight. She remembered, “The world moved underneath me. I’m like, ‘This is so cool. I gotta do this.’ It changed my life.” Andrea has come a long way since that first flight in the ’80s. Today she flies an Extra 300L, competing in the Intermediate category of the International Aerobatic Club.

Describing the BT-13, she said, “It’s most likely one of the easier tailwheel aircraft to ever fly. It’s a very simple aircraft; that’s why it was called a basic trainer. It’s not hard to fly; it’s simple, it’s intuitive, it’s relaxing. I feel totally at home.

To recognize Andrea’s contributions, on Wednesday morning Rachael pinned a pair of WASP wings on the museum’s newest BT-13 pilot. Watching enthusiastically was 16-year-old Christina Agosto, the young volunteer who Andrea has so inspired.

“I’m super grateful to be part of this organization,” Andrea added. “If nothing else, I would like to recruit other young ladies to come fly for us.”

Likewise, Museum Director Rachael McClain is grateful to have Andrea on board, remarking, “For her to be able to fly the BT-13 up here and represent women, it’s just so vital. And I really enjoy seeing the young women interact with Andrea. She’s inspiring, she encourages; she even encourages me.

“We have a high school girl volunteering with us this week; she has poured into that young lady. And I think that’s really what it’s about,” Rachael added. “The real mission is to inspire young boys and girls to pursue their dreams; to think about something beyond themselves. And Andrea is just the epitome of that.”

“I just met her on Sunday, and she has been the most inspiring person I’ve met,” Christina said. “She has shown me that as a young woman, that we can absolutely fly in this world. And without WASP I would have never known the journeys that life can take you through.”

And what does the future hold for Christina?

“The big perfect dream would be the Naval Academy, for sure, flying military,” she said. “My heart is with an F-35; I would love to fly the big jets. When they fly over it’s like music to my ears. I can never cover my ears when they go by. But that’s the big dream, and hopefully I could fly for the WASPs one day.”

To which I say, “Rachael and Andrea, mission accomplished.”

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New Standards for Light-Sport Airplanes, Gliders, Powered Lift, and Gyroplanes Go Into Effect Today

BY RAUL CISNEROS

ONE YEAR AFTER the Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification (MOSAIC) rule was announced at AirVenture, the new standards for light-sport airplanes — plus gliders, powered lift, and gyroplanes — go into effect today. Established by consensus, the standards were developed by the American Society of Testing and Materials International (ASTM) F-37 Committee over the past year and accepted by the FAA last week. The standards are codified under a new Part 22, of Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

The F-37 Committee is composed of 400 domestic and international members, including manufacturers, technology companies, pilots, and civil aviation authorities like the FAA, EASA (Europe), and ANAC (Brazil). A key advantage for developing standards via the committee process is that it does not require new FAA rulemaking, enabling faster innovation and safety improvements.

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“EAA is very pleased that these new standards are in place,” said EAA Vice President for Advocacy and Safety Sean Elliott. “We’ve been actively involved in the development of MOSAIC and the ASTM standards on behalf of our members. These are very important e orts to modernize general aviation and take it into the future.”

Adam Morrison, CEO of Streamline Designs and vice chairman of the F-37 Committee, characterized the standards as “much more flexible and much more accommodating to new types of aircraft as well as new technologies. It’s very exciting because it’s going to really unlock the market for really capable aircraft that can do a lot more than they could before,” he said.

“The goal of the work of the F-37 Committee was to give the industry, the pilots, and all of us new and innovative aircraft that we can fly that also adds more fun and safety,” said Bill Snodgrass with Colorado Sport Pilot and a committee member. “It’s been

“It’s very exciting because it’s going to really unlock the market for really capable aircraft that can do a lot more than they could before.” — Adam Morrison

exciting and rewarding to see the new Part 22 rule go into e ect.”

The F-37 Committee continues its work, as there are still standards to develop, and for the FAA to accept, for helicopter, multicopter, lighter-than-air, weight-shift-control and powered parachute.

One company participating in the F-37 Committee involved in the development of the new standards was Air EV, represented by Shirry Knitel Manor, who joined four years ago. “When I started out working with the committee, I was the only powered lift manufacturer,” she said. “My company’s interest in this was really to try and see if there’s a way to get small personal powered lift into MOSAIC. It was crucial that I was there because we want to have the perspective of, this aircraft that takes o like a helicopter, but also flies like an airplane, has batteries for fuel and electric engines.” Asked when her company would have a powered lift product on the market, Shirry said they don’t actually have a date, but are exhibiting a model at AirVenture, which is scheduled to fly later this year.

Van’s Aircraft believes they might have the first ever aircraft, an RV-12iS, to be given an airworthiness certificate under the new standards. Once that occurs, the aircraft will be designated as an RV-12M. The DAR inspection has already been completed, according to Rian Johnson, the company’s chief engineer, who also currently serves as the F-37 Committee chairman.

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My Brother’s Keeper Aviation Academy

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Open Road Harley-Davidson

Ozarks Relaxed Living

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Patriotic Shop, Inc.

Petal & Prop Designs

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Precision

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ProAm Steel

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Red Bull Flying Bulls

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Historical Center

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Wacko Products

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

Douglas World Cruiser

When the U.S. Army put out a call in 1923 for an aircraft that could be used for the first around-the-world flight, the Douglas Aircraft Co. responded with the confidently named Douglas World Cruiser (DWC). The DWC was built by modifying Douglas’ first military aircraft, the DT torpedo bomber, which had already been in production since 1921. One of the biggest changes, not surprisingly, was the addition of multiple fuel tanks, increasing the fuel capacity nearly six-fold, thanks to a system designed by the not-quite-yet-legendary Jack Northrop. Douglas built five examples, one to use as a trainer, and four, named Boston, Chicago, New Orleans, and Seattle, to

LENGTH: 35 feet, 6 inches

WINGSPAN: 50 feet

HEIGHT: 13 feet, 7 inches (wheels), 15 feet, 1 inch (floats)

MAX SPEED: 103 mph

make the circumnavigation starting in Seattle in April 1924. Two of the airplanes, Seattle and Boston, were lost during the attempt, but the other two, joined for the last leg by the prototype, completed the nearly 24,000-mile flight in September 1924. Bob Dempster of Seattle, Washington, built a stunning fullscale reproduction dubbed Seattle II , powered by an original Liberty engine, which made its first flight in 2016.

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

9-10 a.m. Rob Zettel, American MiG Pilot: Inside the Top-Secret USAF Red Eagles MiG Squadron

10-11 a.m. Joe Peterburs, The Autobiography of Joe Peterburs & WWII Memories of a P-51 Mustang Pilot

11 a.m.-12 p.m. John Berkstresser, Learning to Fly Essential Elements: Connecting the Dots

11 a.m.-12 p.m. Fred Robinson, The Renaissance Aviator

12-1 p.m. Michelle “MACE” Curran, Book 1: The Flipside; Book 2: Upside Down Dreams; Book 3: What’s Your Callsign

1-2 p.m. Eileen Bjorkman, The Fly Girls Revolt: The Story of the Women Who Kicked Open the Door to Fly in Combat

2-3 p.m. Joe Peterburs, The Autobiography of Joe Peterburs & WWII Memories of a P-51 Mustang Pilot

2-3 p.m. Buck Wyndham, Hogs in the Sand: A Gulf War A-10 Pilot’s Combat Journal

3-4 p.m. Chester Hull, Life on the Flight Deck

4-5 p.m. John Fredrickson, Book 1: Doolittle Raid Doctor; Book 2: Boeing Metamorphosis

5-6 p.m. Capt. Laura Savino, Jet Boss: A Female Pilot on Taking Risks and Flying High

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: North American P-64

The only surviving example of its type, the P-64 was one of six intended for the Royal Thai Air Force but pressed into service as a USAAF trainer in 1941. It was used in a variety of roles post-war, including charter work and cloud seeding, before Paul purchased it in 1963. Paul flew a memorable air show routine in the airplane from 1965 through 1988.

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

REPUBLIC RC-3 SEABEESTINSON 108

FIRST FLIGHT: 1945

LENGTH: 27 feet, 11 inches

WINGSPAN: 37 feet, 8 inches

SEATS: 4

CRUISE SPEED: ~103 mph

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANDREW ZABACK

introductions; rather, we’re looking back at 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

FIRST FLIGHT: 1944

LENGTH: 24 feet, 6 inches

WINGSPAN: 33 feet, 11 inches

SEATS: 4

CRUISE SPEED: ~121 mph

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JIM RAEDER

part of the Class of ’46. When 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.

To

Today’s SCHEDULE

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

Help us in thanking them today!

Supported by

Today’s CROSSWORD

ACROSS

2. This company’s production amphibians are all named for waterfowl.

6. Sold (without rudder pedals) in Macy’s and JC Penney.

8. Waldo Pepper’s J-1 may remind you of a Jenny, but it’s actually a ________.

9. Rocket Aircraft built the _______ Rocket 185

10. First flown in 1945, the name promises speed.

11. Aircraft designers, brothers Howard and Joe.

12. Classic four-seater built by North American and then Ryan.

13. The Morane brothers teamed up with ________ to build airplanes in 1911.

14. After Piper bought him out, Clarence started a new company, eventually known as ___________.

DOWN

1. Piper’s postwar J-5 upgrade (two words).

3. EAA’s Bleriot replica is built around an original three-cylinder one of these.

4. Santos-Dumont’s last aircraft design.

5. Aeronca’s beloved 7AC.

7. Triple tails like the 14-9, 14-13, and 14-19 were nicknamed ________ Constellations.

THURSDAY, JULY 23, 2026 ANSWERS

ACROSS

3. Hiperlight

5. Affordaplane 6. CGS

Tornado 9. Prowler 11. Icarus 12. Rev

FRIDAY, JULY 24, 2026

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: The venerable DHC-1 Chipmunk is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year at AirVenture 2026! Operated primarily by the Royal Air Force and Royal Canadian Air Force, the Chipmunk replaced what legendary World War II trainer?

THURSDAY, JULY 23, ANSWERS

Battle of Bataan

See Michael’s aerobatic dance in the sky during today’s air show!

“Getting ready to fly an air show is a mix of emotions that range from reflective to grateful. My goal is to get in the right headspace to be able to give the air show fans a show that carries all of my emotions. Only then can it be truly special and inspiring.”

Time for Me to Fly — REO Speedwagon Hold On — Twin Atlantic Now We Are Free — Hans Zimmer From Now On — Hugh Jackman from The Greatest Showman Fight Song — Rachel Platten

FRIDAY, JULY 24, 2026

FREE YOUTH ADMISSION

Free youth admission ages 18 and under is supported in part by

AEROSPACE

We Understand the Lineage of Grassroots Aviation

OSHKOSH MOMENTS

@tony_passerani

Bob says “verify fuel type , saves a live” #vft #osh #eaaairventure#osh26 #philipsoil

@sebax90

AirVenture 2026 Oshkosh #Oshkosh #EAA #generalaviation

@jbagley29

AirVenture 2026 in Oshkosh Wisconsin. 16 hours of flying from Twentynine Palms California. Taking the Northern route across Utah and Zion, crossing the Rocky Mountains in Wyoming. I instruct the Pilot Proficiency Center while I’m here. #0sh26 #airventure2026 #oshkosh #airventure

@Therealskyqueen kicking osh’26 off with my favs @planeandsimpleapparel & @cirrusaircraft

@jamieswanson11

Best week of the year! take on Oshkosh! #oshkosh2026

@atc_flyer

Grateful I was able to make it to #osh2026 and catch up with my #atc mates. Spent all day Sunday at #fisk watching the chaos, and seeing a few friends make it in under less than ideal conditions. #highandfast #smokeshow

Thank You, Supporters!

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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

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