Attendance was down 10-12 percent, but EAA still pleased with the results

Preliminary figures from the Experimental Aircraft Association's 52nd annual EAA AirVenture fly-in convention indicate that the world-renowned event launched the "Next Century of Flight" with great success, as hundreds of thousands of EAA members and aviation enthusiasts enjoyed a week filled with glimpses of the future of flight along with celebrations of aviation's past and present.

Although total estimated attendance figures show a 10- to 12-percent decrease from last year's estimated attendance of 770,000, due to weather, economic factors and other reasons, EAA President Tom Poberezny found little over which to be disappointed following this year's event.

"Everyone associated with this year's EAA AirVenture, be it members, visitors, exhibitors or sponsors, was very pleased with the enthusiasm and activity throughout the grounds," Poberezny said.  "A near-record number of vendors throughout the grounds reported brisk sales and interest, while visitor surveys show their experiences were overwhelmingly positive.  EAA again brought together the world of flight for a celebration that is unmatched anywhere else in the world for its size and scope."

EAA AirVenture's activities attracted such luminaries as Harrison Ford, Burt Rutan, Mike Melvill and Paul Tibbets to the event, while more than 10,000 airplanes (including nearly 2,500 showplanes) made the trek to the annual fly-in.  In addition, EAA members enjoyed more focused activities than ever, primarily based around the new EAA Member Village in the center of the grounds.

Among the final figures for the event were:

• More than 10,000 airplanes from North America, Europe, South America, Africa and Australia
• Among those airplanes were nearly 2,500 showplanes that were eligible for judging in one of 11 different categories
• A near-record 802 commercial exhibitors (record: 807 in 2003)
• More than 30,000 campers housed along the EAA AirVenture flight line in aircraft camping areas or in the drive-in Camp Scholler facility adjacent to the flight line
• Approximately 700 reporters from five continents, sending coverage worldwide
• In excess of 4,000 volunteers who contributed more than 250,000 hours of service
• A total of 1,429 international aviation enthusiasts from 61 nations who registered at the International Visitors Tent (top three nations: Canada 438, Germany 144, Australia 117).

"Along with the basic facts and figures, EAA AirVenture is a remarkable event because it truly does bring together all of aviation, including every facet of recreational flight," Poberezny said.  "In addition, the nation's top policymakers such as the top officials from FAA, NASA and NTSB, as well as leading Congressional representatives, came to Oshkosh.  Those relationships built and strengthened by EAA here pay dividends for all of aviation throughout the year."

A special highlight of this year's event was the introduction of the new sport pilot/light-sport aircraft rule, a much-anticipated set of regulations that will open the world of recreational flight to many more people by reducing time and cost barriers.  FAA Administrator Marion Blakey spent two days at Oshkosh, emphasizing the new opportunities available through sport pilot.

FMI: www.airventure.org, www.eaa.org