Right Seat

Even so, three experiences stand out. I’ll never forget sitting in the cockpit of the Concorde, which was clearly something special, even to the uninitiated. The cockpit seemed impossibly complicated, and the two-by-two cabin seating luxurious. The U.S. Air Force’s F–117 Nighthawk looked alien up close, the angles even more radical in person. And watching Sean D. Tucker perform in his 1-800-Collect biplane was mesmerizing. His physics-defying routine still leaves me in awe.

The hardware is always intriguing, but over time it’s the people who keep the show worth attending.Known simply as Oshkosh to most pilots, EAA AirVenture Oshkosh—the Experimental Aircraft Association’s annual convention and fly-in in Wisconsin—is unique. You can find some of the same airshow performers at other shows, the same hot dogs and bratwursts at other fly-ins, and many of the same exhibitors at other events. But nowhere else can you find all of aviation in one place for one week. Oshkosh’s scale is what makes it such a dynamic event. There are airplanes, jets, ultralights, helicopters, antiques, warbirds, Experimental aircraft, seaplanes, and pretty much everything else that flies. Last year even Blue Origin’s commercial rocket New Shepard was there.

The hardware is always intriguing, but over time it’s the people who keep the show worth attending. Aviation is a community, and Oshkosh celebrates that.

Especially if you live in the city or suburbs, it seems like no one is “from here.” They all moved in for the job, a significant other, a change of pace, or an adventure. Except for maybe some rural areas, the days of growing up next door to your grandparent—and down the road from your aunt, uncle, and cousins—are gone. Extended families spread out like spokes from the homestead. Despite that, the need for a community still exists. So we seek it out online, or with like-minded people in sports, craft, game, or other groups.

It’s why calling aviation a community isn’t hyperbole. Spending time at the airport, being around other people who love flying as much as you do, and taking flight with others builds strong bonds of friendship and support. What’s challenging and different about an aviation community is that flying is often a solitary activity, done when it’s convenient for the pilot. Unlike a traditional neighborhood, where proximity breeds familiarity, at the airport things happen on their own schedule and you have to work to meet people.

Not so at Oshkosh. You’re surrounded by hundreds of thousands of people from your community—people who share your passion, your dreams, and more or less your values. You can get in line for food and start a conversation with a stranger because you have the same basic interests and knowledge. You can’t go to a place like Oshkosh and not meet dozens of new friends.

That’s ultimately what makes this show, and many others, important beyond the displays, exhibitors, or aircraft that fly in. The ability to come together with other pilots, meet new friends, and see those from shows past all keep the love of flying going. Building your aviation community is what will keep you flying through periods when money or time gets tight. At that point you can’t walk away easily, because that would mean leaving your flying family.