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EAA AirVenture 2021: 608,000 attendees

Tandem46

Well Known Member
- AirVenture 2021 saw 608,000 attendees.
- More than 10,000 aircraft arrived at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh and other airports in east-central Wisconsin.
- At Wittman alone, there were 16,378 aircraft operations.
- Camping: More than 12,000 sites in aircraft and drive-in camping accounted for an estimated 40,000 visitors.
- EAA still welcomed visitors from 66 countries during the week.

More stats:
https://fox11online.com/news/local/eaa-airventure-2021-a-look-at-the-numbers
 
It was an awesome show! Glad I got to fly my -7A in this year for the first time. Loved it so much I got to do the arrival twice... okay, I'm one that bailed on the mid week weather and returned the next day. haha :D Atleast I got another state crossed off the list. ;)
 
And a special thanks to all the ATC controllers this year, they did a fantastic job, they had their sh*t together this year!!!!
 
And a special thanks to all the ATC controllers this year, they did a fantastic job, they had their sh*t together this year!!!!

+1 I was very impressed! On my second arrival I heard,

"N12345 I see you and I see what you are doing, go back to Endeavor and stop cutting in line! Everyone is going to remember your tail number now and when they see you at the show they aren't going to be happy! Go back now!"

Loved it!!!
 
"N12345 I see you and I see what you are doing, go back to Endeavor and stop cutting in line! Everyone is going to remember your tail number now and when they see you at the show they aren't going to be happy! Go back now!"

Loved it!!!

Seems that some went xpndr off and snuck in. I was watching the ADS-B tracks on Sunday and guys were complaining about line jumpers at Ripon, but there were no tracks displayed. Saw other goofs, like turning east at Pickett and glomming into 36, but I think that was just honest screw-ups and confusion. (and pretty sure the Baron wasn't landing at the UL strip!)
 

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While watching arrivals on 27 on Saturday the 24th, I heard a number of pilots landing 36, including the C-17, on the wrong tower freq. ATC handled it in stride. About a dozen pilots in a row when instructed to turn right into the grass turned left. We are our own worst enemy.
 
Attendance

EAA counts one person with a one day pass as one person. For 7 days 7 persons. They are still seven attendees even if they leave on the second day. The Oshkosh newspaper estimates the attendance at 200,000 to 300,000. It was obvious that on Monday the crowd was much smaller than 2019. Activity at the commercial buildings and food vendors was way down.
Warbird activity visibly less, EAB probably more, Vintage hard to tell because they are scattered all over the place.
After people bailed before the storm the photos made it look pretty empty.
 
EAA counts one person with a one day pass as one person. For 7 days 7 persons. They are still seven attendees even if they leave on the second day.

The important thing to note here is that the EAA did not change the way they count attendees from previous AirVentures. Therefore, relative to past shows, this year was a great year. As was pointed out by the announcers Wednesday morning prior to the storm, they had nearly 1000 experimentals registered. They said that normally takes all week to happen.

The Oshkosh newspaper estimates the attendance at 200,000 to 300,000.
I wonder how that newspaper estimated that??? I’ll stick with the EAA official numbers.
 
I was at Fisk for awhile and watched the arrivals. Also watched them via flight tracker 24. It does seem that for the most part the "extended" congo line seemed to work quite well. It appeared that everyone inbound each time I checked was obeying the rules. There was one harry/scary moment while I was at Fisk observing. The controllers had just turned an RV right to join the approach for 36... just then a cessna appeared at the same altitude going the exact OPPOSITE direction! For a few seconds the controller sounded like an auctioneer telling the RV to make a 90 deg left turn and the same instruction was given to the cessna. Thankfully they both heard and immediately complied avoiding what was sure to be a very close call if not a midair! Thankfully everything worked out.

I'd say OSH 2021 was a huge success.
 
Really impressed

The new arrival procedure seemed to work well, and the show went off without a hitch from our perspective, despite a few interesting curveballs from Mother Nature!
 
We were told to go to Portage to start around 9:30 Sunday. Half way to Endeavor Bridge they shut down arrivals and told everyone to hold at the next waypoint. The Notam needs words to describe holding at other than Ripon and Fisk. There were about eight aircraft with us which finally got sorted out into a big circle West of Endevor except for someone who kept appearing in random places from random directions. About then the Controllers told new arrivals to hold 10 SW of Portage to make a total of 7 holding areas.

A lot of airplanes started disappearing from ADSB which was concerning. (We had two pilots up front so it a useful tool for the pilot not flying.). Once they released us to proceed at least two ships appeared from nowhere to squeeze into the line.

It took 2:56 to get from New Ulm, 300 miles from Oshkosh, to parking in a 200 mph airplane. Used 28 gallons out of 60.

It might have been the perfect storm situation, Sunday, about 10 A.M., a mass arrival on one runway and a issue on the other. Still the added waypoints gave some structure to stretch out the line, can’t imagine what it would have been if everyone headed to Ripon.
 
Left RYV after the Monday 26 Jul airshow closure at OSH. Watched the schedule and the Twin Beech last act on ADSB land at KOSH and saddled up with full tanks.

120.7 apch said Ripon arrival, they filled the hold at Rush lake then the arrivals opened as I aimed for Green Lake hold entry based on the ADSB stack around Rush lake. As I joined trail of the plane ahead of me, ATIS came alive and I closed to 1/2 mile trail on the SW to SE corners of Green Lake leg. Apch called my tail number to be first out of Green lake present position from the hold to Ripon as I started to turn N from the SE corner.

As I get lined up, depicted Bozonanza aims right at me instead of entering Green Lake hold where depicted at the SW corner.

Could have been bad, I just bid to his 6 and then ran the tracks and got 18L. No one was behind me at Green Lake. Empty-ish slot and still have to always bozo check
 

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Anyone know if they have ever considered a slow aircraft route? I got behind a biplane at one point that simply could not do 90 kts. There were 3 others behind him too. To top it all off there was a v-tail d-bag right in front of me that insisted on doing BIG S turns. It took everything in my body to not key up the mic for those couple of minutes.

I have heard people not flying 90 kts was a problem in the past and this year I got to see it. However, some planes simply can’t do it.

Just curious.
 
Anyone know if they have ever considered a slow aircraft route? I got behind a biplane at one point that simply could not do 90 kts. There were 3 others behind him too. To top it all off there was a v-tail d-bag right in front of me that insisted on doing BIG S turns. It took everything in my body to not key up the mic for those couple of minutes.

I have heard people not flying 90 kts was a problem in the past and this year I got to see it. However, some planes simply can’t do it.

Just curious.

Yep. Not approved for a number of reasons. The recommendation in the NOTAM is the slow aircraft be in position to do the Fisk arrival first thing in the morning. Not sure how that helps a lot, but...

The future for slow aircraft is a grass runway the EAA is planning on what is currently off-airport property at either the SE or SW corner (can't remember) of 18/36. It is still a little down the road, as it were.
 
And a special thanks to all the ATC controllers this year, they did a fantastic job, they had their sh*t together this year!!!!

I agree! ATC was exceptional! It was my first time. I arrived on Sunday morning and got caught up in holding around Green Lake during the first mass arrival shutdown.. Besides a few clueless Cessna pilots who wanted to fly at 75-80 knots 1-3 miles off of the shorelines, it was a pretty stress free arrival into Osh... I may try camping next time around!
 
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Saturday

Anyone know if they have ever considered a slow aircraft route? I got behind a biplane at one point that simply could not do 90 kts. There were 3 others behind him too. To top it all off there was a v-tail d-bag right in front of me that insisted on doing BIG S turns. It took everything in my body to not key up the mic for those couple of minutes.

I have heard people not flying 90 kts was a problem in the past and this year I got to see it. However, some planes simply can’t do it.

Just curious.

On sat, i was watching a yellow biplane come in. Tower sent the two behind him around because they couldnt fly slow enough. Biplane appeared to never have a stabilized approach and ended upon its nose. Poor pilot I feel sorry for him.
 
Yep. Not approved for a number of reasons. The recommendation in the NOTAM is the slow aircraft be in position to do the Fisk arrival first thing in the morning. Not sure how that helps a lot, but...

The future for slow aircraft is a grass runway the EAA is planning on what is currently off-airport property at either the SE or SW corner (can't remember) of 18/36. It is still a little down the road, as it were.

Southwest.

As you say, down the road a bit.
LOTS of moving pieces.
 
Sat pm and all Sun especially Apch asked slow planes to offset left or right and allow passing up until Ripon.

After that, normal on tracks to Fisk for all.

Not in NOTAM, not perfect.

What was clear was 1800' 90 knots was ATC requested unless 90 was unsafely slow (think twin engine blue line >90 knots).

Not IF you can do 135, but that you cannot fly 90.
 
Yep. Not approved for a number of reasons. The recommendation in the NOTAM is the slow aircraft be in position to do the Fisk arrival first thing in the morning. Not sure how that helps a lot, but...

The future for slow aircraft is a grass runway the EAA is planning on what is currently off-airport property at either the SE or SW corner (can't remember) of 18/36. It is still a little down the road, as it were.

Oh how cool, I was unaware.

On sat, i was watching a yellow biplane come in. Tower sent the two behind him around because they couldnt fly slow enough. Biplane appeared to never have a stabilized approach and ended upon its nose. Poor pilot I feel sorry for him.

Yep I saw that too John, I felt bad for him and the guy on Sunday that the gear collapsed on.

P.S. Good meeting you in person!
 
The recommendation in the NOTAM is the slow aircraft be in position to do the Fisk arrival first thing in the morning. Not sure how that helps a lot, but...

If they are capable of getting there first thing in the morning, they probably aren't slow. Maybe the NOTAM should recommend being in a position to do the Fisk arrival last thing in the afternoon instead :D

- mark
 
Anyone know if they have ever considered a slow aircraft route?

We've been pushing for that for years here in OSH. For some reason there is resistance to adding a "slow lane" or some other procedure for slow aircraft. Not sure if the resistance is from FAA or EAA or whatever, but the idea has been floated several times with no result. We'll keep trying!
 
EAA counts one person with a one day pass as one person. For 7 days 7 persons. They are still seven attendees even if they leave on the second day. The Oshkosh newspaper estimates the attendance at 200,000 to 300,000. It was obvious that on Monday the crowd was much smaller than 2019. Activity at the commercial buildings and food vendors was way down.
Warbird activity visibly less, EAB probably more, Vintage hard to tell because they are scattered all over the place.
After people bailed before the storm the photos made it look pretty empty.

Did you see the crowd on Saturday? I was flying helicopter rides so was able to watch the parking lots fill up, and fill up they did! By mid afternoon ALL the lots along the frontage road, including the Gray Lot were completely full and the traffic was still lined up for over a mile down the frontage road to the south, and also backed up nearly to the traffic signal at South Park to the north. I don't know where they put all the additional cars, but there was a HUGE crowd on Saturday.

Monday was a little light, for sure, but the rest of the week was pretty busy out on the grounds. I was out judging vintage airplanes Monday through Friday, and I can tell you the vintage area was packed with people most of the week.

Vintage set a record with over 1400 aircraft attending. Homebuilts was over 1000. 40,000+ folks camping on the grounds (auto and fly-in). I'd say it was a pretty successful event!
 
We've been pushing for that for years here in OSH. For some reason there is resistance to adding a "slow lane" or some other procedure for slow aircraft. Not sure if the resistance is from FAA or EAA or whatever, but the idea has been floated several times with no result. We'll keep trying!

Thanks for the efforts Joe, sure seems like it would solve a lot of problems from someone outside looking in. Of course I don't know the logistics behind the decision.
 
Came after mid week evening storm... Camping was full but crowds and lines were down. I suppose it may be due to many leaving Wed. for fear of aircraft damage. The "RV" parking area was pretty empty Saturday morning. North 40 was not full.

It was a good time had by all. Safe. Stearman put it on it's nose during landing on 27. Mooney landed gear up on 18. No injuries. Before I went, I caught Sunday arrivals on EAA live stream, LiveATC and Flightaware. At one point arrivals were 5 to 10 miles out past Endeavor Bridge. That is OVER 50 miles of in trail formation of planes. They did have to use holds when the Mooney closed the runway and they went to 9/27 only and 1 mile in trail. Once the runway was cleared it was back to 1/2 mile spacing and landing two runways.

Due to EAA making more South 40 parking, so they did not have to turn anyone away like they did in 2019.

Highlights
Got to meet Mike Patey. He is just like he is in the videos. Scrappy (his latest airplane project) is ridiculous and on display by the Garmin pavilion. Very inspirational guy. Said hello to the man, Richard Vangrunsven.

AC-Aero has water cooled jugs Lyc IO390 and IO580 that look like the real deal. Ones others tried to bring to market in the past did not work well. These were works of art. They have some engines at Reno next Reno. They are building up full engines with stoker crank and larger bore. They claim you can use car gas and have better detonation margins than aircooled heads with 100LL.

The Sat Nite airshow was cool... The wall of fire was as advertised...
 
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We've been pushing for that for years here in OSH. For some reason there is resistance to adding a "slow lane" or some other procedure for slow aircraft. Not sure if the resistance is from FAA or EAA or whatever, but the idea has been floated several times with no result. We'll keep trying!
What do you mean slow? So if you can go close to 90kts (103mph) fly the Fisk arrival at 1800 msl.

Read the NOTAM and EAA
https://www.eaa.org/airventure/eaa-fly-in-flying.-to-oshkosh/ultralight-arrivals

IF you have really slow plane, Part 103 or LSA (or equivalent performance) that can easily land in less than 900 ft you can ask to land on 15/33.

You call EAA Ultralight Flightline Operations (920-230-7759) for permission. If I had a 65HP J3 with top speed of 86mph (74kts) and wanted to land during peak arrivals, I would NOT do the Fisk arrival, unless the pattern was empty. I'd call to land on the ultralight rotorcraft strip. A J3 can land in 300 ft.

If you have a RV12 you really don't have a case for not doing Fisk. RV12 can do 90kts (103 mph) easy.


Bottom line if you can do near 90Kts (103 mph) fly Fisk. There are not a lot of N-number planes that can't do 100 mph....
 
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Early arrivals

Like Joe, I fly the Bell 47's. It is always fascinating to listen to the arrivals and the controls. Kudos for sending rule breakers to the back of the line. I noticed that Friday it was as crowded as previous Sunday's. North 40 was very full early. By Tuesday they were parked to the south fence line.

Lots of changes on the grounds. New tram set up. New gate locations and security much tighter. Also, many independent food vendors and not just one contractor with multiple locations. Vendor halls were spread out pretty well but still crowded.

Bottomline, it was great to be there and see friends and meet new ones. Finally, we will need to add a couple of kegs to the RV social next year!!
 
What do you mean slow? So if you can go close to 90kts (103mph) fly the Fisk arrival at 1800 msl.

Read the NOTAM and EAA
https://www.eaa.org/airventure/eaa-fly-in-flying.-to-oshkosh/ultralight-arrivals

IF you have really slow plane, Part 103 or LSA (or equivalent performance) that can easily land in less than 900 ft you can ask to land on 15/33.

You call EAA Ultralight Flightline Operations (920-230-7759) for permission. If I had a 65HP J3 with top speed of 86mph (74kts) and wanted to land during peak arrivals, I would NOT do the Fisk arrival, unless the pattern was empty. I'd call to land on the ultralight rotorcraft strip. A J3 can land in 300 ft.

If you have a RV12 you really don't have a case for not doing Fisk. RV12 can do 90kts (103 mph) easy.


Bottom line if you can do near 90Kts (103 mph) fly Fisk. There are not a lot of N-number planes that can't do 100 mph....

OK. I know I should just let it go, but here goes. Could I ask that if we have to continue to be lectured to on this topic, even *after* Oshkosh, that could be limited to the thread on the topic?? Please?? :)
 
OK. I know I should just let it go, but here goes. Could I ask that if we have to continue to be lectured to on this topic, even *after* Oshkosh, that could be limited to the thread on the topic?? Please?? :)

Yes Sir I will do as you order me, if you "Low Pass" and "jnorris" do the same. :D May I respectfully suggest:1) I'm not the worst thread drifter, 2) Next time PM with your constructive instructions of what I should post vs publicly. It is embarrassing to me and hurts my delicate feelings. Do you think your post is sticking to topic? BTW I was responding to jborris about slower arrival than 90kts. Please forgive me. It won't happen again. However may I suggest that arrivals and parking are relevant to stats/metrics of how many Airventure planes and attendees were handled this year and will be in years to come.. ;)
 
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