EAA welcoming top collegiate aviators to Oshkosh for NIFA national competition in May 2027

EAA AVIATION CENTER, OSHKOSH, Wisconsin — (November 5, 2026) — The National Intercollegiate Flight Association (NIFA) SAFECON flight competition is returning to Oshkosh on May 6-15, 2027, with the premier collegiate flight competition highlighting over 500 competitors from more than 30 schools. Young pilots from across the country will compete for awards in a variety of aviation skills including landing, navigation, preflight, flight planning, crew-based simulations, safety, sportsmanship and more.

The entirety of the competition will be hosted on the EAA grounds, utilizing both the convention grounds and the museum including the EAA Education Center. All ground, spot landing, and flying events will be based at Wittman Regional Airport except for the cross country competition, which will start in Oshkosh and briefly leave the area. While the SAFECON activities are not organized spectator events, the event will make Wittman Regional Airport a very active place beginning with sanctioned practice activities on May 6 and competition on May 10.

“This competition brings together the nation’s top collegiate pilots to showcase their flying skills,” said Ren Scott, EAA’s vice president of business development, sales, and events. “It’s especially exciting to have these young aviators return to the community in 2027, as we celebrate the centennial of Charles Lindbergh’s historic flight and the 100th anniversary of Wittman Regional Airport here in Oshkosh.”

The airport, the annual home of the EAA AirVenture Oshkosh fly-in, is well-suited for hosting the national collegiate competition. The facility was founded in 1927 as the Oshkosh municipal airport and was acquired by Winnebago County in 1940. The airport was renamed in honor of National Aviation Hall of Fame member Steve Wittman in 1970, the same year the EAA fly-in convention came to the facility.

“Wittman’s airfield configuration and our experience with large events makes us a great venue for SAFECON,” said Jim Schell, Wittman Regional Airport Director. “Hosting the nation’s top collegiate aviators for the third time in 2027 is a fantastic addition to our yearlong centennial celebration of this airport, which is a tremendous asset within our community’s transportation infrastructure.”

Thanks to the establishment of NIFA, these SAFECON competitions have made their way from being held exclusively at Ivy League schools in the 1920s and early ‘30s, to making its first appearance the EAA grounds in Oshkosh in 2023 and again in 2025. Teams arrive a few days prior to the competition, bringing economic impact to Oshkosh and the surrounding area.

“Bringing SAFECON to Oshkosh in 2027 is always a little like a homecoming for many of our competitors, as dozens of them are EAA members, previously attended AirVenture, or got their start in aviation through an EAA Young Eagles flight,” said Andrew Ross, NIFA Executive Director. “The passion for aviation among these future aviation leaders is evident during the competitions in the air or the classroom.”

About EAA

The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) is based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and embodies The Spirit of Aviation through the world’s most engaged community of aviation enthusiasts. EAA’s 300,000 members and 900 local chapters enjoy the fun and camaraderie of sharing their passion for flying, building and restoring recreational aircraft. For more information on EAA and its programs, call 800-JOIN-EAA (800-564-6322) or go to www.eaa.org.