Twenty Seven Airplanes Flew Into Pioneer Airfield For The 2015 EAA Skiplane Fly-In

When we think about all of the cold, snow, and ice experienced over the last few weeks in the northern and eastern parts of the country (heck…even the south has been hammered!), it’s hard to put a smiley face on anything that has to do with winter. However, the Skiplane Fly-in at Pioneer Airfield in Oshkosh is an example of making the best out of the worst.

Paul Poberezny often said that airplanes bring us together, but the people keep us coming back. That was true on Saturday, February 7, as several hundred winter aviation lovers reunited at EAA Pioneer Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, for the annual EAA Skiplane Fly-In.

A total of 27 skiplanes (actually 26, plus a Cub on Tundra tires) from four states attended the event, which ran from mid-morning to mid-afternoon. Poor weather to the north and iffy weather elsewhere caused a number of cancellations and held down the grand total from the more than 50 airplanes that had registered to attend. The bulk of pilots arrived from other points in Wisconsin as well as Illinois, while one pilot flew in from Minnesota and another from Indiana.

“Counting the planes was much easier than keeping track of the drive-in attendees,” said Fred Stadler, who helped lead fly-in coordination efforts. “The crowd was certainly the largest I’ve seen at this event, and they seemed to have a good time. All in all, a very successful event!”

Inside the cozy hangar attendees consumed 160 pounds of chili and all the fixins’, plus broccoli cheese soup and bread sticks, along with untold cups of hot chocolate, coffee, and soda. Topping things off, three sheet cakes celebrated the 62nd anniversary of the Experimental Aircraft Association’s first meeting held on January 26, 1953. There’s no doubt about it, where there’s good vittles to be had, you’re likely to find pilots.

Of the 27 planes flying in were six Aeroncas – three Champs, a Chief, a Sedan, and an 11BC; five Piper J-3 Cubs; four Cessnas - 140, 170B, 180, and 185; a pair of Citabrias; two Maule M4s; two Super Cubs, and single examples Champion 7EC, Sport Trainer/PA-11, Quad City Challenger II, Experimental V6 STOL, Zenith 701 STOL, 1949 Piper Clipper, and a Ridgerunner E-LSA.

By the way, the temperatures on that day showed a low of 16 and a high of 24 degrees F. We guess people with skis or tundra tires on their planes just don’t seem to feel the cold.

(Photo taken by Jason Toney provided by EAA)

FMI: www.eaa.org