AirVenture 2013 in Oshkosh ended last weekend and despite the lack of current military aircraft participation due to government budget cuts, officials with the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) say about half a million people attended this year’s show – roughly the same number of attendees as last year. Official figures also counted 2,115 international visitors registered from 64 nations, with Canada (562 visitors), Australia (257), and South Africa (187) being the top three nations (but these figures only include visitors who registered at the International Visitors Tent).
In addition, more than 10,000 aircraft arrived at the Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh and other airports in east-central Wisconsin and the total showplanes numbered 2,341, including 867 homebuilt aircraft, 858 vintage airplanes, 343 warbirds, 130 ultralights, 92 seaplanes, 27 aerobatic aircraft and 24 miscellaneous showplanes. There were also 821 commercial exhibitors – a record.
If you were not able to attend AirVenture 2013, there are already a couple of great videos highlighting the best of what is arguably the most important general aviation airshow in the world. To begin with, there were plenty of lights, pyrotechnics and smoke to make the night airshow at AirVenture on July 31 a real spectacle as you can see from the following videos:
Another highlight of the show was the flypast of Swiss adventurer Yves Rossy, also known as “Jetman,” in his custom-built jet suit along side of a B-17 bomber:
Finally, the Terrafugia Transition “flying car” also made its first public debut flight:
Next year’s AirVenture promises to be even more exciting because 2014 will include the 100th anniversary of the start of World War I and the 75th anniversary of the jet engine.