AirVenture twenty twenty-six preview and why Oshkosh is the greatest aviation gathering on Earth

EAA AirVenture 2026 runs July 20–26 at Wittman Regional Field in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and this year’s event is shaping up to be one of the most significant in the gathering’s history. With a potential record P-51 Mustang formation, two flying B-29 Superfortresses, the Air Force Thunderbirds, and a dramatically expanded electric aviation showcase, the week-long event will once again transform a city of 67,000 into the aviation capital of the world.

What Makes AirVenture 2026 Different?

Oshkosh regularly draws more than 600,000 visitors and 10,000 aircraft over seven days, temporarily making Wittman Regional Field busier than O’Hare or Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta. But the 2026 edition has several standout elements that set it apart from recent years.

The warbird program is headlining the biggest story. EAA and the warbird community have been coordinating what could be the largest formation of flyable P-51 Mustangs assembled since World War II — with 18 to 20 airframes confirmed so far. The prospect of that many Merlin-powered fighters taxiing through Warbird Alley is drawing serious attention from aviation historians and enthusiasts worldwide.

Will Both Flying B-29s Be at Oshkosh?

Yes. B-29 Doc is confirmed, and the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) is bringing Fifi, their flagship Superfortress. Seeing two flying B-29s in the same airspace is exceptionally rare given the immense maintenance and logistics each aircraft demands. Both bombers are kept airworthy largely by volunteer maintenance crews who work year-round to keep the aircraft flying. A formation pass by both B-29s over the crowd line is a realistic possibility.

What’s in the Daily Airshow Lineup?

The afternoon airshow runs approximately three hours every day for the full week, with each day featuring a different program. Highlights announced so far include:

Air Force Thunderbirds — a major draw at any airshow, but especially at AirVenture where the audience is largely pilots and mechanics who understand the precision involved
Heritage flights pairing WWII fighters with modern military jets, such as a P-51 alongside an F-35
Aerobatic performances and comedy acts, including performers like Kent Pietsch
Night airshow with pyrotechnic aerobatics against the dark Wisconsin sky — fire, sparks, and music
A rumored C-17 Globemaster III demonstration, featuring a 260,000-pound transport aircraft performing tactical approaches and assault landings

Where Should First-Timers Spend Their Time?

AirVenture is enormous, and the airshow is only one piece of it. The real depth is on the ground.

Warbird Alley occupies the north end of the field — rows of WWII fighters, bombers, and trainers parked on the grass with their owners sitting right beside them. Want to know what it’s like to fly a Corsair? The pilot who flew it in is right there, happy to talk. Restoration stories here span decades; multi-year projects culminating in first flights just weeks before the show are common.

Homebuilt Camping is where the experimental aircraft community gathers, showcasing everything from Van’s RV-series kitplanes to sophisticated turbine-powered homebuilts. The builders are on-site and eager to share their work — the five-year garage builds, the inspections, the first flights.

The Seaplane Base on the south end along Lake Winnebago offers a completely different atmosphere. It’s quieter and more relaxed. Cubs on floats, de Havilland Beavers, and turbine Otters work the water all day, with pilots available on the dock between flights.

Camp Scholler, the massive on-field campground, is where AirVenture’s social culture lives. Million-dollar motorhomes park alongside pilots sleeping under the wings of their Piper Cubs. Lawn chairs, flying stories, and strangers becoming lifelong friends by week’s end — this is the experience veterans come back for year after year.

What’s New in Electric and Experimental Aviation?

The Innovation Pavilion has been significantly expanded for 2026, with EAA dedicating more floor space to electric and hybrid-electric aircraft. Flight demonstrators will be operating on the field. Companies that were presenting slidedecks two years ago now have flying prototypes turning propellers. AirVenture has become the proving ground where emerging aviation companies demonstrate that their technology is real.

How Do I Fly Into Oshkosh?

Start preparing well in advance. The NOTAM for AirVenture is one of the longest published in aviation and demands thorough study.

The arrival procedure centers on the Fisk Arrival, a unique protocol where inbound aircraft line up over a set of railroad tracks. When controllers call your aircraft type, you rock your wings to identify yourself and receive landing clearance. It’s unlike any other procedure in aviation — controlled, high-density traffic management that works remarkably well.

Practical preparation steps:

Read the full NOTAM as soon as it’s published
Study the Fisk Arrival procedure until you know it cold
Listen to arrival frequencies on LiveATC in advance to learn the cadence and communication flow
Build in weather delays — conditions can stack arrivals for hours
Arrive with patience and thorough preparation

Why Oshkosh Matters Beyond the Airshow

AirVenture is not an airshow in the conventional sense. It’s a gathering — a week-long convergence of the entire aviation community. Attendees meet the engineers who designed their avionics, shake hands with astronauts, attend forums taught by world-class flight instructors, and find long-discontinued parts for vintage aircraft at the fly market.

Boeing Plaza at sunset, with golden-hour light hitting a row of polished aluminum warbirds, is one of aviation’s iconic experiences. The event draws everyone from retired airline captains on 48-year attendance streaks to student pilots with single-digit logbook hours who come to see what they’re working toward.

Key Takeaways

AirVenture 2026 runs July 20–26 at Wittman Regional Field in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, expecting 600,000+ visitors and 10,000+ aircraft
The warbird lineup is historic: 18–20 P-51 Mustangs in formation and both flying B-29s (Doc and Fifi) confirmed
The Air Force Thunderbirds headline the daily three-hour airshow, with a different program each day including night pyrotechnic performances
Electric aviation takes center stage with an expanded Innovation Pavilion featuring actual flying demonstrators
Pilots flying in should start NOTAM and Fisk Arrival preparation now — the procedures are unique and demand study before arrival