Over 704,000 attended AirVenture this year!
Sorry, this is way overdue. I finally got around to it. Here are some highlights of my recent trip to the annual aviation gathering, in Oshkosh, WI, aka AirVenture! Aviators from around the world travel to this. 🙂 Also, this year marked another record-setting attendance. It’s e
stimated that over 704,000 were there! It was, as usual, a very busy, FUN week for me! 🙂 And I volunteer for 2 organizations, which keeps me busy, but it is all FUN!! Read on…
As was announced at a press conference at AirVenture, on Tuesday, July 22, that I was able to attend; after many years of hard work, EAA, the FAA and other organizations have worked hard to create what is called MOSAIC. This is short for the ‘Modernization of Special Airworthiness 
Certification’.
Think of this as Sport Pilot 2.0, and LSA 2.0. With this ruling, pilots who have been flying in the Light Sport Category, which was previously limited to 2 seat aircraft weighing no more than #1,320#, will have options. Under MOSAIC, they will now be able to fly larger single engine aircraft, like the Cessna 182 Skylane, that will now qualify for Light Sport. However, the new MOSAIC ruling still limits a Sport Pilot to only 1 passenger, even in a 4-seat airplane. As it says on the EAA website, about 75% of the general aviation fleet will now be accessible for Sport Pilots.
And, next year, on July 24, 2026, newer, modern aircraft will be entering the general aviation fleet with minimal certification costs, according to EAA. Some will be from manufacturers outside the US. This will be exciting to see what new designs foreign aircraft manufacturers come up with, to compete in the US general aviation marketplace.
All of this is spelled out on the EAA’s website, https://www.eaa.org/eaa/advocacy/top-issues/mosaic-aircraft-certificate. So I am not going to comment on all of that, here.
Also, there are 2 sides to MOSAIC; first, as it applies to pilot certification, and second, to aircraft certification. The pilot side becomes effective in mid-October 2025, and the airplane certification rules take effective next summer, in July 2026. Stay tuned for more information on this!
One more thing; if you are in need of an experienced instructor to work with you, in YOUR AIRPLANE, to improve your knowledge base, your piloting skills, provide avionics training, or anything else, I AM available! Contact me for more information.
Fly safely,
John
47 years ago today
47 years ago today, in 1978, I took my Private Pilot flight test with an FAA Designated Pilot Examiner, his name I still remember, was Harold Holmes. This at what was then Chicagoland Airport, in Lincolnshire, IL. I finally became a licensed pilot!! YES!! I remember it well!! Harold was a great guy, and he has since passed on.
That airport is long gone. And since then, my flying ‘career’ has become an aerial journey, a long and winding path for me, with a few obstacles along the way. Not smooth sailing like some. But that’s just the way life goes. And now, after many, many years flying, I still have not become ‘jaded’ or burned out like some colleagues I have worked with over the years. Nope. The excitement over for them, just another day, another dollar. That’s their problem, not mine!
Nope. And in spite of the obstacles encountered along the way, I STILL have a ‘beginners’ mindset’, being open to learning and new ideas, and still have the youthful exuberance and excitement about flying. I still have a passion for flying and a sense of adventure, though the pay checks have not always been steady in my career. Nope. Just the way it goes sometimes. And, I have learned to adapt! An important lesson in life.
However, now my passion for flying is tempered by the wisdom gained through experience, broad exposure to many aspects of flying, including charter, corporate and airline flying, and of course, mountain flying, as well as gliders and seaplanes, and I know better now about when to ‘go’ and when ‘not to’; aka the go/no-go decision, depending on a number of things.
I don’t let emotions get the upper hand anymore. Safety first, always. I don’t want to scare myself or anyone else. No need to play ‘hero’. Nope. I don’t want to become a statistic. Too many people in the aviation community know me. I don’t want to ‘screw-up’ and embarrass myself!
Along the way, I have had the opportunity to fly a wide range of aircraft, from ultra-lights to jets, and have gained wide-ranging experience, partly due to my own curiosity. And, after 47 years, I am finally approaching 10,000 hours flying time, a long-time goal! And the learning continues! Always
And I am now actively involved in the ‘general aviation’ aka GA community, and pass onto other pilots some of what I have learned over the years, via freelance writing for various aviation publications, safety seminars and webinars. I have been doing this for over 20 years now. Its’ FUN!! And I love the camaraderie among pilots, when we gather! It’s part of the fun of flying!
And in fact, early tomorrow morning, at 7am Pacific Time, 9am Central Time, I will be presenting an FAA Safety Seminar, as part of the FAASTeam’s ‘Coffee and Wings’ Saturday morning safety seminar series, presented via the Zoom platform. My topic, ‘IFR SOPs for GA Pilots’. Say what? In other words, in plain English, what are known as ‘standard operating procedures or sop’s, for general aviation pilots when flying by reference to ‘instruments’ like the airlines do. It’s just a better way to fly. I am sure many businesses have standard procedures they follow that govern the way they operate.
The host is Laura Herrmann, and she is in Minneapolis, MN. It has a global audience now, with viewers across the US and many foreign countries. It will be fun! I am told that there might be as many as 2,000 attendees! Here’s a link https://www.faasafety.gov/SPANS/event_details.aspx?eid=138453&caller=/SPANS/events/EventList.aspx
It will be recorded and will be available for later viewing on a YouTube channel. I will post a link for that when it happens, sometime in the next week.
And what’s next for me? There are more airplanes that I would like to fly, more flying adventures that I’d like to go on, more pilots that I hope to train, more content that I want to create and publish or post online, etc. There are many new developments in aviation that I want to learn more about. This includes the recently passed ‘MOSAIC’ (Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification), that was announced at AirVenture, in Oshkosh, which applies to the LSA, or Light Sport Category and greatly expands and improves the LSA operations. There will be more to say about that. It will create more opportunities for me as a flight instructor!
In short, I am learning and moving forward! Not sitting around. Nope. I am staying actively involved!
My goal? Simply stated, the same as the AOPA’s Air Safety Foundation, which is based in Frederick, MD; safer pilots, safer skies, one pilot at a time.
One more thing; if you are in need of an experienced instructor to work with you, in YOUR AIRPLANE, to improve your knowledge base, your piloting skills, avionics training, or anything else, I AM available! Contact me for more information.
Fly safely,
John
En Route to Oshkosh – AirVenture starts July 20!
They travel from points around the world, in the annual migration to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, on Lake Winnebago, for the world’s largest aviation gathering, anywhere! Last year’s attendance was over 650,000! But it’s a well-mannered crowd, not like rock concerts with fans going crazy. Nope. None of that here. And there will be around 10,000 airplanes parked on Wittman Field. And so much more!
People are posting on Facebook with where they are, on their way. It’s fun to watch. It’s an adventure just flying to AirVenture! And with the available technology now, you can watch this, online, from wherever you are, with a device and an internet connection. By this weekend, the skies close to Oshkosh will be filled with airplanes, and you will be able to watch this on www.flightaware.com Also, they have set up several webcams on the grounds, and you can catch the action here https://www.eaa.org/airventure/live
Some of the week’s highlights –
- The 90th anniversary of the Douglas DC-3
- The 100th anniversary of the Vintage Travel Air and Fairchild Aircraft
- Samaritan’s Purse DC-8 will be on display
Plus, everything else that is ongoing at AirVenture. Its non-stop action, all day, every day. There’s nothing quite like it. As many times as I’ve been, there’s always more to see. The event planners outdo themselves!!
And EAA is continuing in its’ efforts to make flying and aircraft ownership more attainable. It is the driving force behind the proposed Modernization of Airworthiness Certificates, aka MOSAIC for short. An announcement about MOSAIC is expected by the FAA sometime this summer. That will be BIG news for the general aviation industry!
Here is this year’s poster, on the right, available for free as a download from https://www.eaa.org/airventure
Screenshot
I hope to provide updates while I am there. I will have to find the time, in the midst of a hectic week, but that’s my plan.
One more thing; if you are in need of an experienced instructor to work with you, in YOUR AIRPLANE, to improve your knowledge base, your piloting skills, avionics training, or anything else, I AM available! Contact me for more information.
Fly safely,
John
AirVenture Oshkosh, are you going?
AirVenture Oshkosh is right around the corner!! Next week, starting on Monday, July 21! Are you going? It’s the ‘Mecca’ of aviation, the largest aviation gathering in the world! Are you flying yourself or taking an airline flight? Oshkosh is the world’s busiest airport for a week, every year, during the convention.
I’ve been there myself many times. And in 2022, I flew there in my 150, and I’ve flown in there with others as well, in their aircraft. It’s a challenge each time. You a HAVE to be on your ‘A’ GAME!! Seriously! So many airplanes converging on Oshkosh! Did you know that air traffic controllers from around the country bid to work ‘Oshkosh’ during the convention? Yes, they do! It’s a challenge for them, as well, managing or juggling the mix of traffic, as they all converge on ‘OSH’, from fast jets to slow props, and getting them lined up, with enough spacing, and all safely on the ground at Oshkosh….it’s quite a feat! And it’s amazing to watch, also!
And the flight planning for this is different, especially if you don’t go on a lot of long flights. If your typical flight is a local flight for breakfast or lunch, this is quite different! If you don’t normally deal with weather, this ‘trip’ will be different. You may encounter weather-related delays on the way, or even mechanical delays. Have you ever had to deal with that before? It might take you a few days of flying to get there, depending on where you start from. There are many things to consider. And quite a lot of decision making, or ADM (aeronautical decision-making) as pilots refer to it.
In fact, inadequate pre-flight planning and preparation are among the top ten causes of aviation accidents each year. Some here are some things to consider, depending on what kind of airplane you fly –
What’s the weather? IFR/MVFR/VFR?
How much fuel do you have? How many gallons per hour do you burn at cruise?
What’s your range? When and where do you plan to stop for fuel?
How do you check for weather? There are many sources now.
What’s your route of flight?
Do you find someone in another airplane to fly along with you, in loose formation? Some do, some don’t. I flew alone. On my own schedule. Easier for me that way.
Do you fly early in the morning, or later in the day, or at night? Depends on if you are a ‘morning person’ or a night owl?
These are all decisions that have to be made. And now, with so many pilots having electronic ‘devices’ that provide them with real-time weather information, they should have a better idea of the weather, and more. But many pilots still lack a good understanding of weather and make poor weather-related decisions as a result. And things still go wrong. The weather changes. And some pilots don’t get updates. The forecast winds change. And you have to be able to adapt to a changing situation. Some people stubbornly do not adapt well to changing situations, and they suffer the consequences.
The best general advice? Regardless of your experience, or the aircraft you are flying, BE CONSERVATIVE in your planning! Don’t ‘push it’. When I flew my Cessna 150 to Oshkosh, I planned a fuel stop about every 2 hours, give or take. Sometimes there was not a suitable airport at the 2-hour point, so I’d either land sooner, or continue onto a suitable airport. That helped considerably. My fuel gauges showed about ½ full when I landed for fuel. This is just one example. The regulations allow VFR pilots to land with only 30-minute reserve during the day. That is the minimum amount. That is not enough for me. I prefer an hour.
One other thing; I did NOT fly into the evening. Nope! I ONLY flew during the day, in good weather. I always landed by about 6pm, well before sunset, regardless. I did NOT push it, into the evening, with dusk approaching. Everything changes after dark. I speak from experience, having extensive night flying experience, when I was an airline pilot, some years, ago. That’s DIFFERENT! In a well-equipped turbine powered airplane, good avionics on board, etc. being part of a crew. Not alone.
About two months ago now, a Cessna Citation (jet) crashed short of the runway at San Diego’s Montgomery Airport, in the early morning hours, before the air traffic control tower was open, and all on board were killed in the crash! Unfortunately, the pilot decided to fly this approach even though he was probably fighting fatigue because he had been flying all night, the weather was not good, and there were some equipment problems at the destination airport. He should have diverted to another more suitable airport, with better weather, but foolishly, he did not. Several people died as a result. Accidents like this give ALL of us a bad name!
No one is typically around at smaller airports, non-towered airports, after dark. I did NOT take ANY chances, being alone, at a small airport, after dark, and then, just my luck, not be able to find the self-service fuel island, or the self-serve fuel kiosk may not work, etc. or the pilot- controlled lighting (PCL) may not work, etc. It’s happened before.
So, that’s my advice. Be conservative. Always have options! Have plenty of fuel, have daylight, carry some spares, and some basic tools. You are more relaxed and think much better when it’s like this! Seems obvious, but some chose not to follow this guidance. That’s their choice. I’ve learned, and am wiser for it. My bucket of ‘experience’ is growing with each hour that I fly. All part of it.
And this worked out well for me! Lots of planning, and I tried hard to avoid BIG surprises! Little surprises, I can handle. I am not flying my 150 to Oshkosh this year. My ‘gut’ feeling was to ‘not fly myself’ back this year. Nope. And my 150 has had some mechanical problems, as well, perhaps the result of being 50 years old? So, I have replaced the battery and the alternator. I’m flying back on the airlines. A goal is for me to get a bigger, more capable single-engine airplane, but I’m not there yet. I know what I want, but it’s beyond my financial means, right now.
By the way, I am planning on making videos each day while at AirVenture, in addition to taking pictures, and hope to post them on social media, like Facebook or Instagram. I will have to see how this works out. I will be too busy during the day, so hopefully in the evenings.
And, if you are in need of an experienced instructor to work with you, in YOUR AIRPLANE, improve your piloting skills, perhaps provide avionics training, or whatever you may want to work on, I AM available! Contact me for more information.
Fly safely!
John
FAA’s Coffee and Wings Webinar August 16; IFR SOPs
On Saturday, August 16, 2025, at 0900 CST, 0700 PST, John will present this as via zoom as a webinar for the FAA’s Coffee and Wings program, which is hosted by Laura Herrmann, in Minneapolis, MN. This will count for FAA Wings Credit. If you are interested in this webinar and want to get Wings Credit, go to www.faasafety.gov/SPANS/event to sign up.
In this presentation, John discusses what are referred to among professional pilots as Standard Operating Procedures, or SOPs. for short. This PPT addresses SOPs and how they can be applied when flying IFR in general aviation airplanes. However, VFR pilots can also apply some of these SOPs to their flying.
SOPs generally start before the flight, and continue throughout the entire flight, finally ending after landing, when you taxi in, park the airplane and shut down on the ramp. They provide guidance to the pilots during each phase of flight, so the pilot(s) know what is expected. This results in a safer operation overall.
See how you can apply these to your flying, to be a better, safer IFR or VFR pilot, whether flying single pilot (SP) or as part of a 2-pilot crew. Some are common-sense procedures, also known as ‘generally accepted industry practices’, that may vary, depending on the operator, but that result in conducting safer flight operations
EAA Chapter 1712; Riverside Airport, Aug. 5, FAA Safety Seminar
John will be presenting to EAA Chapter 1712, at their monthly meeting, at Riverside Municipal Airport, in the Lobby of the Admin Building, on Tuesday, August 5, at 6:30pm. His topic; Airplane Checkouts – there’s more to it now.
There are many things to consider now, depending on the aircraft, and how its’ equipped. The goal is, what’s required to get a good, thorough check out, from an experienced and knowledgeable CFI, in a different make and model aircraft than what you have flown before, so that you will be a good, safe, competent pilot.
John is a long time CFI and has flown a wide variety of aircraft over the years, so he has some valuable tips to pass on to pilots when they decide to get checked out in a new aircraft.