JBtheExplorer
Native Plant Gardener
- Joined
- Apr 2, 2013
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- Southeastern Wisconsin
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On Saturday I went up to EAA Airventure for the first time in five years and the 7th time since 2003. Airventure is the largest fly-in and air convention in the world with over 10,000 planes flying in throughout the week and over 600,000 people (probably around 100,000 on Saturday, which I was 100% nervous being around). There are hundreds of static aircraft displays to check out, as well as a market area, gift shops, workshops, a theater, various presentations, and two airshows every day, with bigger night shows on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Airventure is a lot of things, but I tend to think of it as a massive temporary aviation museum. Airliners, past and present military, ultralights, helicopters, bush planes, vintage aircraft, modern aircraft, and anything else you can think of can usually be found there at some point throughout the week. It's quite the event, and always a highlight of my year any time I go. Even when the daily airshows aren't going, you can constantly see multiple planes in the sky at any given time. Ultralights flying in a pattern, Bell 47's giving rides, bombers and other vintage warbirds flying high over top, skywriters, and various other aircraft coming in and out.
One of the first things I saw when I got there were two F-15's that flew in to do a few fly-bys before leaving again.
Shortly after that, I walked down to the ultralight runway. It's a small grass strip where you can get a closeup look at ultralights and STOL aircraft landing and taking off. I've never actually been to it before. Airventure is huge and its hard to see everything in one day, so I've never had the chance to go to the ultralight area before, but I'm definitely glad I was able to check it out this time.
After that, I walked back up north to Boeing Plaza, which is a central area that usually showcases modern military and rare/notable aircraft. This year, they had an F-35 on display. It was the first time I've seen one up close, although I've seen them do demonstrations a couple times in the past (and two more times later that day).
In front of the F-35 was an A-10 with a dark livery, and you can see a C-5 behind that.
After the walk through Boeing Plaza, I continued further north to the warbirds area. A lot of the warbirds left before Saturday, but there was still more than 40 to check out. I found out after I got home that I somehow missed seeing a BF 109, which for those of you who know what it is (German WWII fighter), its obviously rare in the U.S. and would've been nice to see, but apparently I walked right past it because I was too distracted by other stuff across the road from it.
Naval Aircraft Factory N3N-3, which bares a strong resemblance to a Stearman.
T-6 Texan
T-6 Texan
F4F Wildcat
After walking through the warbird area, it was getting close to airshow time so I walked back south and found a less crowded area to watch the show.
Jet Waco
Stearman
BlackFly
L-39
O-1 Bird Dogs
Huey
MiG-17
MiG-29 - the same one I happened to see the day before when I was out hiking.
MiG-29 and Alpha Jets
The MiG-29 uses a parachute to slow down. I don't know a lot about Russian jets buts apparently they're known for having to land at higher speeds.
Wrapping up the day show was the F-35 demo and Heritage flight with two P-51's.
One of the first things I saw when I got there were two F-15's that flew in to do a few fly-bys before leaving again.
Shortly after that, I walked down to the ultralight runway. It's a small grass strip where you can get a closeup look at ultralights and STOL aircraft landing and taking off. I've never actually been to it before. Airventure is huge and its hard to see everything in one day, so I've never had the chance to go to the ultralight area before, but I'm definitely glad I was able to check it out this time.
After that, I walked back up north to Boeing Plaza, which is a central area that usually showcases modern military and rare/notable aircraft. This year, they had an F-35 on display. It was the first time I've seen one up close, although I've seen them do demonstrations a couple times in the past (and two more times later that day).
In front of the F-35 was an A-10 with a dark livery, and you can see a C-5 behind that.
After the walk through Boeing Plaza, I continued further north to the warbirds area. A lot of the warbirds left before Saturday, but there was still more than 40 to check out. I found out after I got home that I somehow missed seeing a BF 109, which for those of you who know what it is (German WWII fighter), its obviously rare in the U.S. and would've been nice to see, but apparently I walked right past it because I was too distracted by other stuff across the road from it.
Naval Aircraft Factory N3N-3, which bares a strong resemblance to a Stearman.
T-6 Texan
T-6 Texan
F4F Wildcat
After walking through the warbird area, it was getting close to airshow time so I walked back south and found a less crowded area to watch the show.
Jet Waco
Stearman
BlackFly
L-39
O-1 Bird Dogs
Huey
MiG-17
MiG-29 - the same one I happened to see the day before when I was out hiking.
MiG-29 and Alpha Jets
The MiG-29 uses a parachute to slow down. I don't know a lot about Russian jets buts apparently they're known for having to land at higher speeds.
Wrapping up the day show was the F-35 demo and Heritage flight with two P-51's.
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