For the rest of my life I will remember 2008 as the year I took the pilot’s pilgrimage to Oshkosh for the very first time. Those who know me know that I love my gadgets. So given that year in and year out EAA’s AirVenture sees the launch of the latest and greatest aviation gadgetry, I’ve had to account for why I hadn’t yet made the trip to Oshkosh. Well, no longer.

For those who have made the trek (possibly several times) there’s a chance that reading these words brings back some of the awe you felt on your first visit to Oshkosh. For those yet to get there, maybe you’ll be encouraged to do so. Either way, I tell this you with the deepest sincerity. I have never felt so strongly the bond with fellow pilots, the passion for all things aviation, and the pure love of flight. AirVenture is simply incredible. A colossal event that all pilots absolutely must experience.

The legendary North 40 looked like just about every tiedown area you might have ever seen… all at once… and then some! GA aircraft for as far as the eye can see. Cessnas, Pipers, Mooneys, Bonanzas, kit planes – if you can name it, you’ll find it in the North 40. This is the parking area for visitors flying directly into Whitman Regional (KOSH, of course). The vast majority of these visitors set up camp right next to their birds. There are also hotels in the area but they fill up months and months in advance. As with most things aviation, planning is key.

Being our first trip to OSH (as the ol’ hands call it!) we decided to land and stay off site. The arrival procedures might be a little intimidating for first-timers – what with the three-at-a-time landings and all. It goes without saying that careful study of the arrival/departure procedures NOTAM is essential. The good folks in “The World’s Busiest Control Tower” conduct the symphony of aircraft movements with masterful precision. I’ll be an active participant next time around.

At the center of the main exhibition area on the day of our arrival was the massive, beluga whale-shaped Boeing DreamLifter – one of only three modified 747-400s which was designed to ferry parts for the DreamLiner. Surrounding it were warbirds, fighter jets, military helicopters, and even an old Quantas airliner. Towards the main gate were exhibits of brand spanking new models from virtually every manufacturer.

Among the many gadgets available for tinkering with were new GPS units for air and auto that feature multimedia functions, impressive new noise reduction headsets, and glass panels of all shapes and sizes, and prototypes of portable ADS-B receivers that we’ll see in 2009.

I also learned quite a bit about the use of in-flight oxygen well below the flight levels. So much so that I decided to take advantage of a show special and equip myself with portable oxygen – something that paid dividends right away, on the flight home. More on that in a coming story.

When not browsing, admiring, and shopping there was plenty of opportunity for learning. Seminars held in every corner of the grounds on any topic a pilot would be interested in. From learning how to build a wing for an RV-8, to a display of the US Customs canine interdiction team, to a discussion on passenger flights into space by Sir Richard Branson, there was something for everyone from open to close.

Besides Sir Richard, celebrities in attendance included John Travolta, Harrison Ford, and Gary Sinise. But for me the ultimate star of the show was the F-22 Raptor. Amazingly, it’s actually possible to become so used to the constant airshow that can find yourself missing out on much of the air-ballet taking place above by merely paying attention to where you’re walking. That all changes, however, when the Raptor is in flight. This is a spectacular aircraft that even while it was hardly breaking a sweat left the crowd in complete awe. It was pure poetry when the Raptor danced in the sky with a classic P-51 Mustang.

The remarkable thing is that after four days at OSH and having seen and experienced what I did, I may have taken in at best half of what AirVenture had to offer. There really is THAT much! As we lifted off from our Wisconsin runway headed home I was left satisfied but definitely eager to return. So begins the countdown to the 57^th annual AirVenture in 2009.

Fly safe(r).

Anthony Nalli is the Director of Canadian Development, General Aviation Collision Avoidance and President of SciDac Corporation/PCAS.ca. PCAS.ca is dedicated to the implementation of affordable collision avoidance devices in General Aviation with a mission to eliminate mid-air collisions and dramatically reduce close calls. Anthony can be reached at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it , 1-888-PCAS-123 (GTA: 416-225-9266), and www.PCAS.ca