Oshkosh Wraps, Numbers Down A Little

Compared to previous years, when much of the AirVenture's focus was on the past, EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2004 was focused on looking forward, launching the next century of flight.

This was a unique event in the fact that almost everything EAA did was future-focused. "It changed the tenor of the convention a little bit, said EAA President and AirVenture Chairman Tom Poberezny "Attendance-wise we were down a little bit from last year, which was one of the most significant events we've had because of the 100th anniversary of powered flight. Attendance this year was not as high, but EAA does not have final figures yet.

Highlights for the year were the sport pilot/light-sport aircraft final rule and that entire grassroots initiative; Harrison Ford coming here as the new Young Eagles Chairman and the announcements of the expansion of that program; the excitement of Burt Rutan and Mike Melvill being here as EAAers.

"As compared to other years, a lot of it is the same because that is the success of Oshkosh," Poberezny said. "The forums, the workshops, the flightline - we're not going to change that formula; that's the essence of why people come. The highlights will change, the featured guests may change, some of the unique airplanes will change, but the core activities are the same year in and year out, and that's what builds off this success."

Poberezny is very proud of the fact that EAA AirVenture continues to be one of the safest aviation events around.

"We've gone a number of years with an outstanding safety record and this year was no exception.

"I feel very good," he added. "There are many ways to evaluate the success of an event. Weather, safety, numbers, but most importantly is the attendees themselves. Did they enjoy themselves? Did the event meet people's expectations? I think there's every indication that it did for most who attended.

From an attitude standpoint, this is one of our best events. In many cases it exceeded our expectations."

Sunday Security Increase

The Winnebago County Sheriffs Department was notified by the FBI that the word, "Oshkosh" appeared on a website regarding possible terrorist activity that raised threat level in New York and Washington (DC). This resulted in some increased security implemented by the county on convention grounds on Sunday.

"The Sheriff rightly created heightened awareness in terms of additional personnel to monitor the situation and supplement what we already do in an ongoing plan post-9/11," Poberezny explained. He also stressed that the convention went on as planned, nothing was canceled or postponed.

On Sport Pilot

EAA's sport pilot/light-sport aircraft (SP/LSA) focus for about a decade has always to build the base of aviation and bring down the barriers of time and money. "We feel that we have the opportunity now, but just because the rule package is there does not mean it's automatically going to be fulfilled," Poberezny cautioned. "There's a lot of work that has to be done in terms of manufacturers, training programs and implementation, media program and marketing, and other challenges. We see tremendous opportunity but now it's going to be up to industry, various organizations, and government to take this opportunity to work together and make a solid reality."

Rutan and Melvill

"We have no involvement in their success," Poberezny said. "But we are proud of setting the stage for both of them early on to be successful. Burt and Mike have been very generous in acknowledging the role EAA and the homebuilt movement has had in developing their careers, giving them the opportunity to innovate, and provide a forum for them to communicate. We will be among their biggest cheerleaders when they make their attempt (in late-September)."

Some logistical issues being examined in the wake of AirVenture 2004 are adjusting the dates and addressing some space concerns. Attendance figures and aircraft numbers, etc., are expected to be available within the next day or two.

FMI: www.airventure.org