The Seaplane Base on Lake Winnebago, Where the Oshkosh Airplanes Land on Water and the Whole Show Slows Down

The EAA Seaplane Base is a lesser-known part of AirVenture Oshkosh, tucked into a wooded cove on the western shore of Lake Winnebago, one of the largest lakes in Wisconsin. While hundreds of thousands of people crowd the main flightline at Wittman Field, floatplanes land on the water here in a quiet, shaded setting that most attendees never see. A free shuttle runs down to it from the south end of the AirVenture grounds.

What Is the EAA Seaplane Base at Oshkosh?

The seaplane base is a second, water-based “airport” that operates during AirVenture, southeast of the main airfield on Lake Winnebago. EAA has run a seaplane operation here for decades, making it one of the oldest traditions at the event.

The atmosphere is deliberately slow. Airplanes float in the shallows, tied to docks, pulled up onto the grass, or anchored out in the cove. Visitors sit in lawn chairs at the water’s edge and watch aircraft land on the lake for hours at a time.

On any given day you’ll find a mix of classic and modern floatplanes: Piper Cubs on floats, a Cessna 172 on floats, a vintage Stinson, several de Havilland Beavers, and even homebuilt aircraft that owners fitted with floats themselves.

How Do You Get to the Seaplane Base?

A shuttle bus picks up at a stop on the south end of the AirVenture grounds and runs down to the shoreline. The ride separates the base from the noise of the main show almost immediately - the roar of Wittman Field fades, replaced by water on the shoreline, birds, and the occasional radial engine settling onto the lake.

For anyone attending AirVenture, the practical advice is simple: set aside about half a day, take the shuttle, and spend a couple of hours at the water.

What Does a Water Landing Actually Look Like?

A floatplane doesn’t come in fast. It settles at a gentle angle, the pilot feeling for the surface, until the floats kiss the water and throw a long white spray to either side. The aircraft slows and rides on the surface like a boat.

Then, with the propeller still turning, it becomes a boat - taxiing into the cove, weaving between anchored airplanes, and idling toward shore. On the dock, volunteers in waders stand knee-deep in the lake to catch incoming aircraft by the wingtip and walk them to a tie-down.

One volunteer said he’d been doing the job for 11 years, returning every summer and using vacation time from his regular job to park seaplanes. The entire seaplane base, like much of AirVenture, is run by volunteers.

Can You Fly a Seaplane to Oshkosh?

Yes - and families do. One family flew up from Minnesota in a Cessna on amphibious floats, which have retractable wheels that allow landings on both runways and water. They lake-hopped their way north, camping on shorelines and shutting the engine down on calm lakes to eat lunch on the floats.

That kind of trip is exactly what draws pilots to the base. Many come specifically because they’re pursuing or dreaming about a float rating.

What Is the Seaplane Rating?

Pilots who already hold a certificate can pursue a single-engine sea (SES) add-on rating, widely considered one of the most enjoyable ratings in aviation. At the seaplane base you’ll meet pilots who earned their float rating years ago on lakes in Alaska or Maine, alongside first-timers who just took their initial ride on floats.

Ride operators are part of the culture here, introducing newcomers to water flying for the first time.

Which Floatplanes Should You Look For?

The standout is the de Havilland Beaver, a big, boxy Canadian bush plane from the late 1940s with a large radial engine. It was built to haul people and cargo into places with no runways - lakes, rivers, remote wilderness - and on floats it’s one of the most purposeful-looking aircraft in aviation.

At the other end of the scale are the Piper Cubs on floats. A Cub is light enough that on floats it comes up “on the step,” unsticks from the water, and lifts off after using very little of the lake.

There are also homebuilt floatplanes on display - aircraft built in home garages and adapted for the water - which capture the do-it-yourself spirit that defines AirVenture.

Why the Seaplane Base Is Worth Your Time

The flightline is the energetic center of AirVenture: warbirds, homebuilts, and the afternoon airshow. The seaplane base is its counterweight - a rustic lodge with food, picnic tables under the trees, and late-afternoon light turning gold over the water as anchored airplanes swing on the current.

If the flightline is the heartbeat of the event, the seaplane base is where AirVenture takes a breath. Photos of the cove are available at radiohangar.com.

Key Takeaways

The EAA Seaplane Base sits on the western shore of Lake Winnebago, southeast of the main AirVenture airfield, and is reached by a shuttle from the south end of the grounds.
EAA has operated the base for decades, and it runs entirely on volunteers - including dock crews who stand in the lake to catch aircraft by hand.
Pilots can fly in on floats or amphibious floats; the single-engine sea (SES) add-on is one of aviation’s most popular fun ratings.
Classic aircraft to watch for include the de Havilland Beaver (a late-1940s bush plane) and Piper Cubs on floats, alongside homebuilt seaplanes.
Plan for about half a day at the base to experience the slower, quieter side of AirVenture.