Oshkosh, how many years you been going?

Bought an airplane in late June 2016. Went that year and have been every year since.
 
Went just about every year from 2000 - 2009, then moved farther away and have only been once since then. This will by first year flying in since 2009.
 
First show was around 89. I’ve been pretty much every year since.
 
I wish that I would have kept track...and ditto sun n fun.
I used collect the hat pins &/or stickers as a way to track them, then those things starting getting scarce and sadly I lost count.
 
First time was in 2008 and the next was 2011. Drove up both times and camped in Scholler. Flew in 2015 and camped with the plane in HBC and have flown in every year since to include 2020 when the show was canceled. We came anyway and stayed at the Hilton and still had a really good time with some other diehards.
 
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My first trip was in 2009 in a Hawkeye. That was also my last trip. So far.
 
Garee said:
First year for me was 1998, been to every show since. Back then it was still called Oshkosh air show and you had to be a member of EAA to walk among the planes
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Been going nearly every year since 1985.

I've missed three due to deaths, etc. fortunately, not my death. Two years, I'd interrupted OSH to fly to a business meeting, then fly back...

Paul
 
My first EAA fly-in was RFD in '62..... I was in high school.

Dad was a Illinois State Trooper and got tickets for the family by working traffic control. I still have my ticket somewhere for the ride they splurged on for me....Ford Tri-motor...414H as I recall.

Notable memories.... La Chuparosa (Ray Hegy's super-micro-mini biplane), and the Red Devils.

If memory serves, the Red Devils were still in the big red Stearmans in '62. Marion Cole, Gene Soucy, and Bob Heuer. They transitioned into Pitt's, and, with some team changes and years, morphed into the Eagles we all enjoyed for so long...Gene, Charlie Hillard, and Tom Poberezny.

Jim

PS... a perhaps amusing piece of trivia from Duane Cole's book 'This Is EAA'. There were a grand total of 211 aircraft registered for the '62 fly-in. "123 homebuilts, 9 sailplanes, 5 gyrocopters, 59 antiques, 4 warplanes, 3 air show airplanes, and 5 midget racers."
 
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1977 was my first show, as a young CAP member. Been to around 25 shows, every one since 2004. Always feels like coming home when you walk past the flags.
 
I can only attend in odd years given my schedule. My first year was 2019. Missed ‘21 I forgot why. I’m planning on flying in next year.
 
I've been on and off since 2004...maybe six or seven times? I think I've done SnF more.
 
First year for me was 1992. First year flying in was 1993. Have been volunteering since 1998.
 
I think it was 1983 when I drove up, camped for a few days and saw the show. That was the only time I have been there. I lived about 1 1/2 hour drive from OSH at the time. It sure would be nice to revisit southern WI and see the show. I'm afraid I spoiled the wife, she only camps out in RV's these days. Now that I'm retired I hope to plan a trip to OSH, Tami would enjoy it I am sure.
 
wish I was there...but this thread inspired me to count up my visits

looks like only 4 times to Airventure. Certainly a function of my proximity (or lack thereof)
Sadly I only camped there once...my first visit in '02 and it was something like 7 or 8 nights so a nice long stay. The other visits were just day trips in while staying with family in Green Lake...not nearly the same experience.

15 times to Sun n Fun. lot of those day tips and multi day drive in's staying elsewhere, but at least 4 or 5 were multiple night camping trips
 
Dad and I went there in 78 or 79 in a Swift, with just 1 com and 1 ADF. We went again around 82 in a Twin Navion. Mom and Dad went several more times in their motor coach. Mom and Dad also flew their C180 to the last one in Rockford.
 
First was 1993. I’ve missed maybe 5 or 6 since then.
 
My first was in 1967 when it was held in Rockville, Illinois! I've only been 6 times, because I wait for something really new before I return. I've become a bit jaded and the airshow acts all seem repetitive to me. Even the night shows. I do like hanging out with other pilots for a week though, and spending 10 or more days travelling with my plane to and from the show is always a treat.
 
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Started in 1991, was going every two or three years. However it’s starting to get expensive to fly from the east coast and back. Not being a camper.
 
1971 first Oshkosh only missed three since, I tried to figure out how many days of my life have I spent in Oshkosh one time, flown in many times, camped under the wing, did the dorms and now I drive the RV there, while it is the same each year it is not in a lot of ways, I wonder why I keep going some times, must be an addiction.
 
This year was my 7th trip. I went 5 times 15 years ago and started again last year and hope to continue the tradition. I met a guy and shared a camping area that has been volunteering for 30 years, I can see myself doing that and the bonus is my wife enjoys going.
 
This year was the first time I have been to AirVenture.

I am curious to know how common do visitors attend AirVenture by themselves? Either way, next time I come back I am bringing someone with me.
 
N918KT said:
I am curious to know how common do visitors attend AirVenture by themselves?
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Tons of people arrive alone, few attend by themselves. Aviation is a small community and everyone ends up either finding someone they already know or making new friends. In my ten times attending, I've solo'ed in seven of them.
 
Negative 32 years.

I'll go when/if the counter hits 0.
 
I'm amazed by the number of older (80+) men I've met who fly in by themselves to attend Airventure. An 83 year-old guy camped next to us in Fond du Lac this year who arrived in a Wittman tailwind that he built from scratch.
 
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First pic was our first year that we attended (04 or 05), second pic was this year. Yea, the kid on my shoulders is the same guy on the right in the second pic. We did miss 2019, already talking about 2023. We joke that he grew up @ OSH.
 
My first attendance was 1978 with my father. My last attendance was 2019 with my daughter. Hoping to fly into OSH 2023!
 
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