Pilot Steve Taylor's plane on display at EAA AirVenture, July 24, 2023. PC: Fox 11 Online
OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — This year’s EAA AirVenture broke multiple records.
Organizers say the 70th anniversary aviation event was a success.
Approximately 677,000 people attended AirVenture in Oshkosh, breaking the previous record set in 2022 of 650,000 people.
“We had record-setting totals of campers, exhibitors, volunteers, and more. It was also a challenging year at times with weather, logistics, and other factors, which makes me even more proud of the efforts by our volunteers and staff to organize an outstanding event,” said EAA CEO and chairman, Jack Pelton.
In addition, more than 10,000 aircraft arrived at Wittman Regional Airport and other airports in east-central Wisconsin. At Wittman alone, there were 21,883 aircraft operations in the 11-day period from July 20-30, which is an average of approximately 148 takeoffs/landings per hour when the airport is open.
There was also a total of 3,365 showplanes including a record 1,497 registered in vintage aircraft parking, plus 1,067 homebuilt aircraft, 380 warbirds (up 3% from ’22), 194 ultralights, 134 seaplanes and amphibians, 52 aerobatic aircraft, and 41 rotorcraft.
Other statistics include:
- More than 13,000 sites in aircraft and drive-in camping accounted for an estimated 40,000 visitors
- More than 5,500 volunteers contributed in excess of 250,000 hours
- Commercial exhibitors: 848 (record number)
- More than 1,400 sessions of forums, workshops and presentations hosted throughout the week
- 2,372 international attendees registered at the International Visitors Tent from a record-tying 93 countries outside the U.S. The actual total is higher as there are a number of international visitors who do not register at the tent when they arrive.
Based on a 2017 UW-Oshkosh economic impact study, EAA AirVenture generates about $170 million economic impact for the five counties in the Oshkosh region (Winnebago, Outagamie, Fond du Lac, Calumet and Brown).
And organizers are already thinking about next year.
“We’ll start planning for EAA AirVenture 2024 a little later in August, but we are already looking at a number of big activities, including the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force. Plenty of ideas have also been forwarded to us from EAA members and others that will be part of the planning for 2024,” Pelton said.
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