EAA Plans 65th AirVenture
With Memorial Day behind us, the summer season takes off, and EAA has plenty of events in the works for this summers biggest aviation show, AirVenture. The U.S. Navy Blue Angels will make their first full team performance at the show on Friday and Saturday. Also flying at the show for the first time will be a rare North American F-86A Sabre, the worlds oldest flying jet. Another highlight will be a gathering of Apollo astronauts to celebrate the 50-year anniversary of the first Apollo mission.
With Memorial Day behind us, the summer season takes off, and EAA has plenty of events in the works for this summer's biggest aviation show, AirVenture. The U.S. Navy Blue Angels will make their first full team performance at the show on Friday and Saturday. Also flying at the show for the first time will be a rare North American F-86A Sabre, the world's oldest flying jet. The airplane, built in 1948, "is considered an excellent example of a true machine-age icon, as it doesn't have a single semiconductor," says EAA. Another highlight will be a gathering of Apollo astronauts to celebrate the 50-year anniversary of the first Apollo mission. Warbird fans are looking forward to the first flight at the show of the B-29 ‘Doc,' which has been under restoration in Wichita for 16 years.
The U.S. Navy Blue Angels demonstration team is also scheduled to perform. WomenVenture, a series of events to inspire women to participate in aviation, will be held for the 10th year. "WomenVenture is a tremendous experience for women," said Kelly Nelson, a pilot and executive editor for EAA publications. "These activities can be a springboard to motivate women to get involved in aviation, either for fun or as a future career, as we present activities that motivate, inform and inspire." EAA AirVenture will be held July 24-30 at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Pilots who plan to fly in to the show should review the Notam, posted online. The CAFE Symposium, where experts explore the latest in technology for electric-powered aircraft, moves to Oshkosh this year, and will be held on the University of Wisconsin campus the weekend before AirVenture.
Also on display this year for the first time will be a rare 1949 Boeing YL-15. Only 12 were built and only this one is currently flying. It was designed as a liaison aircraft but never went into production.