Only Thing Better Than EAA AirVenture? Bringing Someone Who’s Never Been

It’s been hugely rewarding to share the annual fly-in experience with newcomers and see it through their eyes.

Jason McDowell

Friday, June 13, 2025 at 11:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

An extra 3-pound tent and an invite can provide a friend with an epic introduction to AirVenture. [Courtesy: Jason McDowell]

Key Takeaways:

EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh is highlighted as the premier general aviation event, a massive annual fly-in celebrating aviation with thousands of aircraft and a unique camaraderie.
The author details their personal journey through AirVenture, from attending as a student pilot and renter, to an enthusiast, and eventually as a proud aircraft owner camping under their own wing.
A key takeaway is the author's belief in the "moral obligation" of aircraft owners to share the magical AirVenture experience with newcomers, finding immense reward in reliving its wonder through fresh eyes.

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June is upon us, and with it comes eager anticipation for the general aviation event of the year, EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. After months of seemingly endless cold weather and extended hours of darkness, we’re on the brink of epic times with lifelong friends.

AirVenture (July 21-27) is a massive fly-in where over 10,000 airplanes arrive for a weeklong celebration of all things aviation. It’s best experienced as an airplane owner. There’s nothing quite like waking up beneath your own wing to the sound of P-51s taking off in formation only a few hundred feet away. “Bad” days are still fantastic, even when they involve heavy rain or clouds of mosquitoes so thick they deserve mention in METARs.