Experimental Aircraft Association reports on AirVenture 2025

Today, the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) reported on its AirVenture 2025 annual event, held at Wittman Regional Airport, Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

- Attendance: Approximately 704 000 - Highest total on record. (previous: 686 000 - 2024). Comment from EAA CEO and Chairman Jack Pelton, "We found ourselves revising our initial attendance estimate upward once all the final weekend's numbers were in, including from a tremendous day on Saturday, July 26. This year's success is a credit to our 6,000 volunteers, our staff members, and our partners as they continue to raise the bar on what's possible as we bring the aviation world to Oshkosh."

- Total aircraft: More than 10 000 aircraft arrived at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh and other airports in east-central Wisconsin. At Wittman alone, there were 16 246 aircraft operations during the period from noon CDT 17 July to noon CDT 28 July, averaging approximately 108 takeoffs/landings per hour when the airport is open.

- Total showplanes: 2543 including: 995 vintage aircraft, 910 homebuilt aircraft, 361 warbirds, 101 ultralights and light planes, 75 aerobatic aircraft, 74 seaplanes and amphibians, 18 rotorcraft, and 9 balloons.

- Camping: More than 15 000 sites in aircraft and drive-in camping accounted for more than 40 000 visitors.

- Volunteers: Nearly 6000 contributing nearly 300 000 hours.

- Commercial exhibitors: 962, a record number.

- Forums, Workshops, and Presentations: More than 1600 sessions were hosted during the week at 65 venues.

- Social Media, Internet and Mobile: Nearly 22.9 million people were reached by EAA's social media channels during AirVenture, with engagement of 2.2 million; Total social media video views: 22.1 million (up 29% over 2024); Over 47 000 social media followers gained. More than 120 022 hours of viewing EAA video clips online also occurred during the event.

- International guests: A total of 2305 attendees registering at the International Visitors Tent from 94 countries outside the U.S., including the first-ever registered visitor from Senegal. Because a significant number of international visitors do not officially register at the tent upon arrival, the actual total of international visitors is much higher.

- The Gathering shines: The EAA Aviation Foundation’s annual event to support its aviation education programs attracted more than 1000 people and raised US$2.49 million dollars that will be focused on EAA's mission of growing participation in aviation.

- Media: 901 media representatives on-site, from six continents.

- Economic impact: US$257 million for the five counties in the Oshkosh region (Winnebago, Outagamie, Fond du Lac, Calumet, and Brown), based on 2025 University of Wisconsin Oshkosh economic impact study for 2024 event.

(article source: Experimental Aircraft Association / editor: Anton van Rijsbergen)