Discover the people, stories, and pivotal moments that have shaped aviation history during the EAA Aviation Museum’s Speaker Series. Hear from aviators with firsthand experiences and knowledgeable presenters who bring these remarkable stories to life through engaging and entertaining presentations.
Free for EAA members | $5 for nonmembers
Join us for the last Speaker Series presentation of 2026 for a fun evening when we welcome Dave Zarrella from Cape Air. Cape Air was one of the companies used as inspiration for the hit television show Wings. He will talk with us about the beautiful sights he has seen flying his twin Cessnas all across the East Coast.
For the first Speaker Series presentation of 2027, we are excited to welcome Capt. Fred Haise, retired fighter pilot, aeronautical engineer, NASA research pilot and astronaut, Apollo 8 and 11 backup lunar module pilot, Apollo 13 lunar module pilot, and Apollo 16 backup commander. Fred will be joining us virtually to talk about his career and the Apollo 13 mission, and to have a unique Q&A session with the crowd.
We will be joined by U.S. naval aviation historian Mat Garretson, also a former A-7 Corsair II pilot. The A-7 Corsair II was one of America’s unsung heroes during its long career that spanned from the Vietnam War through the Gulf War.
The MiG series of aircraft are perhaps some of America’s most well-known adversary aircraft. In an effort to learn how to combat these aircraft, the U.S. government created a secret program to train American pilots to fly captured MiG examples. Joining us to speak on his firsthand experience flying in this secret program is Wisconsin native Rob Zettel.
In April 1942, 16 bomber crews, flying B-25 bombers, took off to strike the island nation of Japan. As these brave crews left the flight deck, they knew it would be a one-way mission, but also knew that the morale of an entire nation hinged on it. After the strike, many of the crews were saved by Chinese civilians. In 2025, Larry Kelley, a B-25 owner, travelled to China to trace the footsteps of those crews with the assistance of locals.
A common phrase is, “People do not visit the treasures in their own backyard.” The EAA Aviation Museum team, working with Jim Busha, discovered that goes for stories as well. During their presentation, they will discuss Wisconsin’s hometown heroes of aviation and explore the stories of amazing aviators who have come from our own local communities.
We are joined by John Dorcey, pilot and Wisconsin Aviation Hall of Fame board member, who will be sharing the legendary aviation career of Lester Maitland, a native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Lester served as an aviation instructor during World War II and was on staff with General Billy Mitchell, who fought to prove that air power would be important. He most famously flew the Bird of Paradise aircraft from the mainland to Hawaii in 1927.
Taking care of and keeping inventory of the artifacts in the archives of the EAA Aviation Museum is a full-time job, and one that Hope Stropes, EAA’s museum collections curator, does with pride. Hope will share the how and why behind the preservation of the variety of artifacts in our collection. Additionally, attendees are encouraged to bring in their own artifacts so the EAA Aviation Museum team can provide tips on how to best take care of them at home.
Join us for a special evening as we reflect on the events of September 11, 2001, and honor those who stood tall at a time when our country needed heroes.
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We are excited to welcome Kim “KC” Campbell, a retired colonel who served in the Air Force for more than 24 years as a fighter pilot and senior military leader. While providing close air support during Operation Enduring Freedom, her A-10 Warthog was struck by a surface-to-air missile. She flew the damaged aircraft over 300 miles back to base manually. Join us as she talks about flying the mighty A-10 Warthog into combat.
The U.S. Army has had a series of highly modified aircraft that have been used for surveillance in the battlefield. These aircraft have not received the spotlight but have served this crucial role, nonetheless. We are honored to be joined by Andrew Rodriguez, one of the crew members of these aircraft, who will discuss their missions.
