The Magic of Opening Day

July 22, 2018 - The term opening day has special meaning to people in many areas. For baseball fans, of course, and for those who have a favorite golf course as well, or a special, seasonal place in your hometown.

Here at Oshkosh, opening day is that moment when a full year of planning and potential becomes real. The world has arrived at Wittman Regional Airport, ready for the memories and highlights that will come over the next seven days. Each of us steps onto these grounds with our own plans and expectations. I hope you find them all to have positive outcomes this year.

Over the last few weeks, we’ve seen our aviation city take shape as the tents arose, the campground opened, and the volunteers arrived. Those volunteers — some 5,000-plus strong — make this event possible. You’ll see them throughout the grounds in their volunteer T-shirts and in jackets covered with Oshkosh patches. They’ve already put in long hours of work, but a full week still lies ahead of them. Thank you to all of you who devote your time, whether it’s two hours or two months, to making our fly-in a success and known around the world.

Each year, AirVenture writes its own story. On opening day, we don’t fully know what that story will be. But over the next seven days, an unforgettable tale will be written of people and aircraft in a way that is not found anywhere else on the planet. That is, indeed, something special.

I look forward to sharing it with you.