SimVenture Adventure Doesn’t Disappoint

A pilot takes his first trip down the railroad tracks on the famous Fisk VFR arrival at Oshkosh.

Wednesday, September 18, 2024 at 08:48 AM ET

Verified

A bucket list flight simulator activity is landing at Oshkosh (KOSH) with fellow sim pilots in attempting to traverse the famous Fisk arrival at EAA AirVenture. [Microsoft Flight Simulator/Sean Siff]

Key Takeaways:

SimVenture is a highly realistic flight simulator event that recreates the challenging Fisk VFR arrival to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, a week before the actual event.
The immersive experience features real Oshkosh air traffic controllers guiding numerous sim pilots through high-density traffic from their homes.
Pilots navigate a complex visual arrival procedure, requiring careful formation flying, adherence to ATC instructions, and visual landmark identification amidst significant virtual traffic.
The author's personal flight highlights the excitement and challenges, including a takeoff mishap due to mixture control and a near-collision, underscoring the demanding nature of the simulation.

See a mistake? Contact us.

It’s Sunday, July 17, 2022, exactly one week before the real-world EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, and I am at Fond Du Lac County Airport (KFLD), heading north on taxiway Alpha. Behind and ahead of me is an impressive number of general aviation aircraft, all being piloted by fellow flight sim pilots from around the world. Many of us selected KFLD as our departure point to fly the famous Fisk VFR arrival to Wittman Regional Airport (KOSH).

After starting up, calming my nerves, keying the mic, and receiving my taxi clearance, I joined the slow parade of aircraft taxiing up to the departure point of Runway 27. This looked startlingly familiar to the long lines of aircraft I’ve seen for years on the taxiways at KOSH during the real AirVenture.

Sean Siff

Sean Siff is a private pilot who has worked in marketing in the aviation industry. He’s an active flight sim user as he works to stay current in the airplane.