AirVenture twenty twenty-six preview and why Oshkosh is the greatest aviation gathering on Earth
Everything pilots need to know about EAA AirVenture 2026 at Oshkosh, from the historic warbird lineup to daily airshows and first-timer tips.
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Airshows and Fly-Ins
Where the airplanes come to you, and the people come for the airplanes.
Airshows are where aviation stops being something you read about and starts being something you smell.
Round-engine smoke. Sun-warmed avgas. The crowd-line PA announcer who has been calling the same airshow for thirty years and still gets choked up at the missing-man pass. Ramp Check is on the road most weekends, and this is the room where she files her dispatches.
The big names everyone knows - AirVenture Oshkosh, Sun N Fun in Lakeland, the Reno Air Races - share space here with the regional shows that anyone serious about warbird flying schedules their summer around. Thunder Over Michigan at Willow Run, where the factory that built the B-24 Liberator still stands and warbirds taxi past it. Geneseo, where the grass strip and the Curtiss-Wright hangar feel like a time machine. Planes of Fame at Chino, home to the last flying Japanese Zero in the world.
Pre-event previews when there’s something worth flying out for. Post-event recaps when something memorable happened. Demo team coverage. Aerobatic circuit dispatches.
If you fly to airshows, this is your guide. If you only watch from the crowd line, this is the next-best thing.
Start here
Sun N Fun Aerospace Expo - what to see and how to get there
Everything pilots need to know about Sun N Fun Aerospace Expo in Lakeland, Florida, from arrival procedures to camping, airshows, and exhibits.
RampThunder Over Michigan at Willow Run and the airshow built on the factory that won the war
Thunder Over Michigan returns to Willow Run Airport, where Ford built a B-24 bomber every hour during WWII.
RampThe Greatest Show on Turf at Geneseo and the grass-strip warbird airshow that stops time
The National Warplane Museum airshow in Geneseo, New York, delivers an intimate warbird experience on grass that larger shows can't match.
RampThe Planes of Fame Airshow at Chino and the last flying Japanese Zero
The Planes of Fame Airshow at Chino features the world's only flying Mitsubishi Zero and hands-on access to rare WWII warbirds.
RampMore in this pillar
Sentimental Journey to Lock Haven and the Piper Cubs coming home to the factory where they were born
The Sentimental Journey fly-in brings hundreds of Piper Cubs back to Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, where they were built.
RampThe Planes of Fame Airshow at Chino and the rarest warbirds still flying on the planet
The Planes of Fame Airshow at Chino features the world's only flying Mitsubishi Zero and dozens of rare WWII warbirds.
RampBob Hoover's escape from Stalag Luft One and the stolen Focke-Wulf he flew to freedom
How Bob Hoover escaped a German POW camp and flew a stolen Focke-Wulf 190 to freedom, then became aviation's greatest stick-and-rudder pilot.
TaildraggerThunder Over Michigan at Willow Run and the bomber plant runway where Rosie built Liberators
Thunder Over Michigan at Willow Run delivers world-class warbird flying on the historic runway where B-24 Liberators first took flight.
RampCatalina Island's Airport in the Sky and the mountaintop runway floating above the Pacific
Catalina Island's Airport in the Sky offers a mountaintop runway 22 miles off the California coast with bison, burgers, and unforgettable views.
RampButch Voris and the four Hellcats that became the Blue Angels in nineteen forty-six
How Butch Voris and four combat-veteran Hellcat pilots created the Blue Angels in 1946 to save naval aviation.
TaildraggerThe Reno National Championship Air Races and the valley of speed where airplanes turn left at four hundred miles per hour
Everything you need to know about the Reno National Championship Air Races, where modified WWII fighters race at 450+ mph fifty feet above the Nevada desert.
RampMackinac Island Airport and the Michigan runway where no cars exist and every pilot lands in the nineteenth century
Mackinac Island Airport (MKC) offers pilots a uniquely car-free destination where horse-drawn carriages, world-class fudge, and Great Lakes scenery make it one of Michigan's best fly-in trips.
RampJohn Derry and the nineteen fifty-two Farnborough disaster that rewrote airshow safety forever
The 1952 Farnborough airshow disaster killed 31 people and fundamentally changed how every airshow in the world manages spectator safety.
TaildraggerThe Tupolev Tu-144 crash at the nineteen seventy-three Paris Air Show and the Cold War rivalry that fell from the sky
The 1973 Tu-144 crash at the Paris Air Show killed 14 people and exposed the fatal costs of Cold War rivalry in aviation.
TaildraggerFlying Legends at Duxford and the warbird airshow on the airfield where the Eighth Air Force went to war
Flying Legends at IWM Duxford is the world's premier warbird airshow, held on the historic WWII airfield where the Eighth Air Force once flew.
RampThe Grande Semaine at Reims in nineteen oh nine and the week that invented the airshow
The 1909 Grande Semaine d'Aviation at Reims, France was the event that invented the modern airshow format we know today.
TaildraggerThe Cleveland National Air Show at Burke Lakefront and the downtown runway where jets scream over the city skyline
The Cleveland National Air Show at Burke Lakefront Airport delivers a world-class airshow experience in a rare downtown setting every Labor Day weekend.
RampTangier Island and the vanishing Chesapeake airstrip where you land on a sinking fishing village
Tangier Island's tiny airstrip offers pilots a vanishing Chesapeake Bay destination with world-class crab cakes and a centuries-old fishing village.
RampEAA AirVenture Oshkosh twenty twenty-six and the ten days that turn a Wisconsin field into the busiest airport on Earth
Everything you need to know about EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2026, from the Fisk arrival to camping under your wing.
RampBill Stead and the Nevada rancher who invented the Reno Air Races in nineteen sixty-four
Bill Stead, a Nevada cattle rancher and pilot, single-handedly revived American air racing by founding the Reno Air Races in 1964.
TaildraggerPlanes of Fame Airshow at Chino and the flying Japanese Zero with the only original Sakae engine left on Earth
The Planes of Fame Airshow at Chino features the world's only Zero flying with its original Nakajima Sakae engine.
RampThunder Over Michigan at Willow Run and the warbird runway where they built B-twenty-fours by the thousands
Thunder Over Michigan at Willow Run Airport delivers world-class warbird flying on the historic ground where Ford built nearly 9,000 B-24 Liberators.
RampDriggs-Reed Memorial Airport at the foot of the Tetons and the Idaho runway with the most jaw-dropping mountain view in America
Driggs-Reed Memorial Airport (2U0) offers pilots a stunning Teton backdrop, a 7,250-foot runway, and one of Idaho's best fly-in experiences.
RampBob Hoover and the stolen Focke-Wulf that flew him to freedom
Bob Hoover escaped a German POW camp in a stolen Focke-Wulf 190 and became the greatest stick-and-rudder pilot who ever lived.
TaildraggerArt Scholl and the flat spin over the Pacific that filming Top Gun never let him finish
Art Scholl, legendary aerobatic pilot and aerial cinematographer, died in a flat spin over the Pacific while filming Top Gun in 1985.
TaildraggerThe Antique Airplane Association Fly-In at Blakesburg and the grass strip in Iowa where aviation's oldest airplanes come home every year
Blakesburg Iowa's Antique Airfield hosts one of America's longest-running fly-ins where vintage aircraft land on a pristine grass strip.
RampWarbirds Over the Beach at the Military Aviation Museum in Virginia Beach and the private collection that became one of the greatest flying warbird fleets on Earth
The Military Aviation Museum in Virginia Beach houses over 70 flyable warbirds and hosts one of America's most remarkable airshows.
RampThe National Stearman Fly-In at Galesburg and the small Kansas town that becomes the biplane capital of the world every September
The National Stearman Fly-In brings hundreds of biplanes to tiny Galesburg, Kansas every September for the largest gathering of its kind.
RampMackinac Island Airport and the Michigan island where cars are banned and airplanes are king
Mackinac Island Airport (MCD) offers pilots a car-free island experience with horse-drawn taxis, Victorian charm, and stunning Great Lakes scenery.
RampThe Mid-Atlantic Air Museum World War Two Weekend at Reading and the warbird fly-in that turns a Pennsylvania airport into nineteen forty-four
The Mid-Atlantic Air Museum's WWII Weekend transforms Reading Regional Airport into a full-scale 1940s living history event with over 100 warbirds.
RampShelter Cove Airport on California's Lost Coast and the cliffside runway at the edge of the world
Shelter Cove Airport (0Q27) sits on a dramatic coastal bluff on California's Lost Coast, offering one of the most remote fly-in experiences on the West Coast.
RampPatty Wagstaff and the three straight national aerobatic titles that rewrote the airshow world
Patty Wagstaff won three consecutive US National Aerobatic Championships from 1991-1993, forever changing competition aerobatics.
TaildraggerThe Reno Air Races move to Roswell and the first pylons over the New Mexico desert
The National Championship Air Races have relocated from Reno to Roswell, New Mexico, and the new desert venue may be the best thing to happen to the sport in decades.
RampEAA AirVenture Oshkosh twenty twenty-six preview and the Fisk arrival that separates the tourists from the pilots
Everything pilots need to know about EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2026, from the Fisk arrival to camping under your wing.
RampThe Planes of Fame Airshow at Chino and the rarest flyable warbirds in America
The Planes of Fame Airshow at Chino features the world's rarest flyable warbirds, including the only airworthy Japanese Zero with an original Sakae engine.
RampThe nineteen fifty-two Farnborough disaster and the de Havilland DH one ten that changed airshow safety forever
The 1952 Farnborough airshow disaster killed 31 people and fundamentally transformed airshow safety rules worldwide.
TaildraggerThe Sentimental Journey Fly-In at Lock Haven and the Piper Cubs coming home to the factory that built them
The Sentimental Journey Fly-In brings hundreds of Piper Cubs back to the Lock Haven factory where they were built.
RampTangier Island and the Chesapeake Bay grass strip where the crabs are famous and the island is disappearing
Tangier Island's 2,100-foot grass strip offers pilots a vanishing Chesapeake Bay experience with world-class crab cakes and living history.
RampArt Scholl and the flat spin over the Pacific that Top Gun never showed you
Art Scholl, the aerobatic master and aerial cinematographer, died in a flat spin over the Pacific while filming Top Gun in 1985.
TaildraggerSun N Fun Aerospace Expo at Lakeland and the Florida fly-in that kicks off every pilot's spring
Sun N Fun Aerospace Expo at Lakeland Linder is the fly-in that kicks off spring flying season for pilots across America.
RampLincoln Beachey and the man who owned the sky until San Francisco Bay took him back
Lincoln Beachey was America's first airshow pilot, drawing crowds of 250,000 before his death at 28 changed aviation safety forever.
TaildraggerThe nineteen ten Los Angeles International Air Meet at Dominguez Field and the week America fell in love with airplanes
The 1910 Los Angeles Air Meet at Dominguez Field drew hundreds of thousands and ignited America's love affair with flight.
TaildraggerThe National Stearman Fly-In at Galesburg and the week when two hundred biplanes turn a small Illinois airport into the open cockpit capital of the world
The National Stearman Fly-In brings 200 biplanes to Galesburg, Illinois each September for aviation's greatest open-cockpit gathering.
RampSedona Airport and the mesa-top runway carved into Arizona red rock country
Sedona Airport sits atop a mesa 700 feet above town, offering one of the most dramatic runway experiences in American general aviation.
RampNavy Growler midair at Mountain Home and what airshow safety looks like after the smoke clears
Two Navy EA-18G Growlers collided during the Gunfighter Skies Air Show at Mountain Home AFB with both crews landing safely.
TowerFlying Legends at Duxford and the warbird airshow where Spitfires still own the English sky
Flying Legends at Duxford is the world's premier warbird airshow, flying WWII fighters from the same grass where they once went to war.
RampCatalina Island's Airport in the Sky and the hilltop runway floating above the Pacific
Catalina Island's Airport in the Sky offers a mountaintop runway 1,600 feet above the Pacific with stunning views, bison, and the iconic DC-3 Grill.
RampBill Odom and the Labor Day crash that killed the Cleveland National Air Races
The 1949 Berea crash that killed pilot Bill Odom and two bystanders ended the Cleveland National Air Races and reshaped airshow safety forever.
TaildraggerThe Mid-Atlantic Air Museum World War Two Weekend at Reading and the living history fly-in where nineteen forty-four never ended
The Mid-Atlantic Air Museum's World War Two Weekend at Reading PA is a full-scale living history fly-in with warbirds, combat reenactments, and period encampments.
RampThunder Over Michigan at Willow Run and the bomber plant runway where Rosie the Riveter built Liberators by the thousands
Thunder Over Michigan at Willow Run delivers world-class warbird flying on the historic runway where Ford built B-24 Liberators in WWII.
RampThe Planes of Fame Air Show at Chino and the flying museum where warbirds you thought were gone forever still take to the sky
The Planes of Fame Air Show at Chino offers rare warbird flights, including the world's only flyable Zero, in an intimate setting unlike any other U.S. airshow.
RampThe Grande Semaine d'Aviation at Reims and the week in nineteen oh nine when the world saw airplanes for the very first time
The 1909 Grande Semaine d'Aviation at Reims, France was the event that proved aviation was real and invented the airshow.
TaildraggerEAA AirVenture Oshkosh twenty twenty-six and the ten days that turn a Wisconsin cornfield into the busiest airport on the planet
Everything you need to know about EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2026, from the Fisk arrival to warbirds, forums, and camping under your wing.
RampThe Galloping Ghost and the Reno pylon that ended unlimited air racing as we knew it
The 2011 Galloping Ghost crash at Reno killed 11 people and set in motion the end of unlimited air racing.
TaildraggerThe Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show at NAS Pensacola and the beach where six jets shake the sand off the Gulf Coast
The Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show at NAS Pensacola delivers an unmatched experience on the Gulf Coast every November.
RampFriday Harbor Airport and the San Juan Islands runway where you trade your wings for whale watching and fresh Dungeness crab
Friday Harbor Airport (FHR) on San Juan Island offers pilots stunning approaches over orca pods, world-class dining, and one of the Pacific Northwest's most rewarding overnight fly-in destinations.
RampThe Ramstein airshow disaster of nineteen eighty-eight and the pierced heart maneuver that changed airshow safety forever
The 1988 Ramstein airshow disaster killed 67 spectators and three pilots, fundamentally rewriting airshow safety rules worldwide.
TaildraggerThe National Stearman Fly-In at Galesburg and the hundred biplanes that turn an Illinois cornfield into the greatest open-cockpit reunion on Earth
The National Stearman Fly-In at Galesburg, Illinois draws over 100 biplanes each September for the largest gathering of Boeing Stearmans on Earth.
RampTangier Island and the disappearing Chesapeake Bay runway where the crab cakes are worth the crosswind
Tangier Island offers one of aviation's most unique fly-in experiences—a vanishing Chesapeake Bay island with world-class crab cakes and runway 2/20.
RampThe Flying Legends Air Show at Duxford and the warbird gathering where World War Two never ended
Flying Legends at Duxford is the world's premier warbird air show, featuring massive formations of WWII fighters over a historic RAF airfield.
RampArt Scholl and the flat spin over the Pacific that silenced the greatest aerobatic showman of his generation
Art Scholl, the greatest aerobatic showman of his generation, died in an unrecoverable flat spin over the Pacific while filming Top Gun in 1985.
TaildraggerSentimental Journey to Cub Haven and the Piper Cubs that come home to Lock Haven every June
Sentimental Journey to Cub Haven brings hundreds of Piper Cubs back to Lock Haven, PA, every June for aviation's most soulful fly-in.
RampThunder Over Michigan at Willow Run and the airshow that flies from the factory floor where they built a bomber every hour
Thunder Over Michigan at Willow Run Airport flies warbirds over the same ground where Ford built a B-24 bomber every hour during WWII.
RampThe Planes of Fame Air Show at Chino and the ramp where every warbird still flies
The Planes of Fame Air Show at Chino is the only event where the world's last airworthy original Mitsubishi Zero still flies.
RampThe Farnborough crash of nineteen fifty-two and the de Havilland one ten that broke apart over the crowd
The 1952 Farnborough crash killed 31 people and fundamentally changed how every air show in the world operates today.
TaildraggerMackinac Island Airport and the no-cars island in Lake Huron where you park your airplane and step back in time
Mackinac Island Airport offers pilots a one-of-a-kind fly-in to America's famous car-free island in Lake Huron.
RampAirVenture Oshkosh twenty twenty-six and the Fisk arrival that turns ten thousand airplanes into a single-file line over a Wisconsin highway
Everything pilots need to know about flying into EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2026, from the Fisk arrival to camping under the wing.
RampThe MCAS Miramar Air Show and the Top Gun flightline where the Blue Angels own the California sky
MCAS Miramar Air Show in San Diego delivers the Blue Angels, a full MAGTF combat demo, and unmatched military aircraft access on the birthplace of Top Gun.
RampCatalina Island's Airport in the Sky and the mountaintop runway where buffalo roam the taxiway
Catalina Island's Airport in the Sky offers a mountaintop runway, bison on the taxiway, and one of GA's most dramatic flying experiences.
RampThe Tu-144 crash at the nineteen seventy-three Paris Air Show and the six seconds that destroyed the Soviet supersonic dream
The 1973 Tu-144 crash at the Paris Air Show killed 14 people and effectively ended the Soviet supersonic airliner program.
TaildraggerThe Pacific Airshow Huntington Beach and the wildest flightline in aviation stretches across five miles of California sand
Everything you need to know about attending the Pacific Airshow in Huntington Beach, from viewing spots to airspace TFRs.
RampWarbirds Over the Beach at the Military Aviation Museum in Virginia Beach and the collection where every airplane still flies
Warbirds Over the Beach at Virginia Beach's Military Aviation Museum features 60+ flyable warbirds on a coastal grass strip every May.
RampThe Galloping Ghost and the Reno Air Race disaster of twenty eleven
The 2011 Galloping Ghost crash at Reno killed 11 people and ultimately ended unlimited air racing at Stead Airport.
TaildraggerTangier Island and the vanishing Chesapeake Bay airstrip where the crab cakes are running out of time
Tangier Island's tiny airstrip offers pilots the best crab cakes in aviation and a vanishing Chesapeake Bay community worth visiting now.
RampThe Planes of Fame Zero and the only original flyable Mitsubishi A6M in the world
The Planes of Fame Air Museum in Chino, California, maintains the world's only original flyable Mitsubishi A6M5 Zero fighter.
TaildraggerEAA AirVenture Oshkosh twenty twenty-six preview and what is waiting for you at Wittman Regional this July
Everything pilots and aviation fans need to know about EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2026, running July 20-26 at Wittman Regional Airport.
RampArt Scholl and the final spin that the Pacific Ocean never gave back
Art Scholl, the legendary aerobatic pilot and professor, died in 1985 filming a flat spin for Top Gun — a mystery the Pacific Ocean has never solved.
TaildraggerThe National Stearman Fly-In at Galesburg and the biggest biplane party in the world
The National Stearman Fly-In in Galesburg, Illinois draws up to 200 biplanes each September for the largest single-type vintage aircraft gathering in the country.
RampThe Planes of Fame Airshow at Chino and the museum where every warbird still flies
The Planes of Fame Airshow at Chino Airport flies the rarest warbirds on earth, including the only airworthy P-26 Peashooter and Northrop N9M flying wing.
RampThe Farnborough disaster of nineteen fifty-two and the day the DH one ten broke apart over the crowd
The 1952 Farnborough airshow disaster killed 31 people and transformed airshow safety regulations worldwide.
TaildraggerSedona Airport and the mesa-top runway carved into Arizona's red rock country
Sedona Airport (SEZ) sits atop a mesa 500 feet above town, offering one of the most spectacular runway settings in the United States.
RampThunder Over the Boardwalk at Atlantic City and the airshow where the ocean is your backdrop
Thunder Over the Boardwalk in Atlantic City is a free, beach-front airshow drawing 500,000 spectators each August.
RampMackinac Island Airport and the no-cars island you can only reach by boat, horse, or airplane
Mackinac Island Airport sits atop a limestone bluff on an island that banned cars in 1898—a fly-in destination unlike any other.
RampFlying Legends at Duxford and the warbird airshow where history never left the ground
Flying Legends at Duxford is the world's premier warbird airshow, flying WWII fighters from the same grass where they once scrambled for battle.
RampSun N Fun twenty twenty-six at Lakeland Linder and the week that turns central Florida into the capital of general aviation
Sun N Fun 2026 delivers warbirds, homebuilts, and world-class aerobatics at Lakeland Linder International Airport in central Florida.
RampThe Grande Semaine d'Aviation at Reims and the week in nineteen oh nine that invented the airshow
The 1909 Grande Semaine d'Aviation at Reims, France, was the event that transformed flying from a curiosity into a global industry.
TaildraggerTangier Island Airport and the disappearing Chesapeake Bay runway you need to fly before it's gone
Tangier Island Airport (TGI) offers one of the most unique fly-in experiences on the East Coast — but rising waters mean it won't last forever.
RampShelter Cove Airport on California's Lost Coast and the most remote runway you can drive to or fly to
Shelter Cove Airport (0Q5) on California's Lost Coast offers one of the most dramatic runway settings in the U.S. — here's what pilots need to know.
RampJohnson Creek Airport and backcountry flying in Idaho's Frank Church Wilderness
Johnson Creek Airport (3U2) is the gateway to Idaho's Frank Church Wilderness and some of the best backcountry flying in the lower 48.
RampCatalina Island's Airport in the Sky and the most stunning runway in California
Catalina's Airport in the Sky offers one of America's most dramatic runways—3,250 feet atop a 1,602-foot ridge surrounded by Pacific Ocean.
RampThunder over the desert — a preview of the twenty twenty-six Reno National Championship Air Races
Everything pilots and fans need to know about the 2026 Reno National Championship Air Races at Reno Stead Airport.
RampCatalina Island's Airport in the Sky and the most unforgettable runway in Southern California
Everything pilots need to know about flying to Catalina's Airport in the Sky, from the channel crossing to the buffalo burger.
RampWorld War Two Weekend at Reading Pennsylvania
World War Two Weekend at Reading Regional Airport is a full-immersion warbird experience featuring WWII aircraft, veteran tributes, and living history.
RampThe National Stearman Fly-In at Galesburg Illinois
The National Stearman Fly-In at Galesburg, Illinois draws 70+ Boeing Stearman biplanes for a week of formation flying, camping, and community.
RampFlying to Catalina Island's Airport in the Sky
Catalina Island's Airport in the Sky offers one of America's most dramatic fly-in experiences with a mountaintop runway and stunning Pacific views.
RampBob Hoover and the greatest airshow act nobody could explain
Bob Hoover's dead-stick airshow routine in a stock twin-engine Shrike Commander remains the most extraordinary demonstration of airmanship ever performed.
TaildraggerAirventure Oshkosh - the greatest aviation event on Earth
Everything you need to know about EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, the world's largest aviation gathering held every July in Wisconsin.
RampHear it live. Radio Hangar streams aviation talk 24/7 at radiohangar.com.