Founded in 1953, the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) is an international organization of aviation enthusiasts based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Since its inception the EAA has grown internationally with over 200,000 members and nearly 1,000 chapters worldwide.
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The EAA was found by a group of aviation enthusiasts. The organization began as a flying club, led by Paul Poberenzy. In the early years, many of the member planes were modified or built from scratch and were required to display an EXPERIMENTAL placard where it could be seen on the door or cockpit. Homebuilding is still a large part of EAA, but the organization has grown to include almost every aspect of aviation and aeronautics.
Aeroshell Aerobatic TeamEach summer EAA presents the largest annual general aviation event in the world, EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. During the event, the city's airport, Wittman Regional Airport, is the busiest airport in the world (in terms of traffic movements). The week-long event annually attracts around 10,000-12,000 planes and a total attendance of more than 500,000. The event also attracts more than 800 exhibitors, hosts nearly 1,000 forums, seminars and workshops, and welcomes more than 700 journalists each year.
Aeroshell Aerobatic TeamIn July 2018, more than 10,000 aircraft arrived at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh and other airports in east-central Wisconsin. At Wittman alone, there were 19,588 aircraft operations in the 11-day period from July 20-30, an average of approximately 134 takeoffs / landings per hour.
Aeroshell Aerobatic TeamThe North American Aviation T-6 Texan is an American single-engined advanced trainer aircraft used to train pilots of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF), United States Navy, Royal Air Force, and other air forces of the British Commonwealth during World War II and into the 1970s. The T-6 remains a popular warbird aircraft used for airshow demonstrations and static displays. It has also been used many times to simulate various Japanese aircraft, including the Mitsubishi A6M Zero, in movies depicting World War II in the Pacific. A total of 15,495 T-6s of all variants were built.
Aeroshell Aerobatic TeamGene Soucy is an American aerobatics pilot. The son of 2 pilots, he washed airplanes at a local airport in exchange for flight time while growing up in Kentucky. He soloed in a glider at age 14, and in a regular airplane at 16.
Gene SoucyGene's Showcat is a custom-modified Grumman Ag Cat cropduster, configured for wingwalking and for the use of pyrotechnics during nighttime aerobatic shows.
Gene SoucyOriginally designed as a trainer for the Royal Canadian Air Force, the 1956 deHavilland Chipmunk has been specially modified for airshow aerobatics and skywriting.
GhostWriterNathan Hammond flies the GhostWriter in both daytime and nighttime airshows, as well as skywriting across the nation. He soloed an airplane at age 16 and earned his pilot’s license at 17.
GhostWriterDuring night shows, the GhostWriter lights up the night with over 200 pounds of pyrotechnics.
GhostWriterKen Rieder and Jon Thocker, both of Cincinnati, Ohio, have been flying formation together for more than 12 years.
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