New Winter Flight Fest Brings Cold-Weather Cheer to EAA

January 23, 2020 - EAA’s Skiplane Fly-In and Family Flight Fest have been combined into one day of wintertime aviation fun known as Winter Flight Fest. The inaugural Winter Flight Fest will take place at the EAA Aviation Museum on Saturday, February 22, and feature both familiar and new cold-weather attractions for attendees.

From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., kids and kids at heart can enjoy a variety of fun, hands-on activities, interactive exhibits, and special events, including a variety of simulators, a precision landing challenge using zip line aircraft, “Houston, We May Have an Omelet,” and of course, the Skiplane Fly-In, weather and runway conditions permitting.

Entirely new this year is EAA’s Winter Flight Fest model-building contest.This new aviation-themed contest will feature models built by youths and adults alike. There will be three age brackets, including youth ages 1-12, 13-18, and adults 19 and up. Award-winning models will receive a plaque. 

Judging categories include Best Build, Most Accurate, and Most Complex. All model submissions will be built off-site, prior to EAA’s Winter Flight Fest, and at the contestant’s own expense. Contestants must have their entries in the museum’s Air Racing Gallery by 1 p.m., and judging starts at 2 p.m.

All Winter Flight Fest activities are included with regular admission unless noted, and EAA members can attend free of charge. For more information, please call EAA museum director Ron Connolly at 920-426-4815. 

Pilots planning on flying into Wittman Regional Airport can access shuttle services provided from Basler Flight Service to the EAA Aviation Museum. Pilots interested in landing their skiplanes at Pioneer Airport must obtain permission and air operation instructions by filling out this form.