Historic Attendance Numbers Drove Visitors to Phillips 66 Tent
EAA’s AirVenture astonished the aviation industry yet again this year, hitting a record high in attendance. Nearly 650,000 aviation enthusiasts landed in Oshkosh, Wisconsin’s Wittman Regional Airport for the annual fly-in convention.
“There were several factors involved in the record attendance this year, in addition to the great weather,” said EAA CEO and Chairman, Jack Pelton. “Programs such as the 75th anniversary of the U.S. Air Force contributed to exciting aerial displays all week, and it was a joy to welcome our international visitors back in full force for the first time since 2019.”
Phillips 66 was one of 803 commercial exhibitors at the event, bringing back crowd favorites like the Phillips 66 Aerostars, EAA Young Eagles Leadership Award and much more.
The week started with forums led by Phillips 66 Aviation Senior Quality Control & Technical Representative, Keith Clark, who discussed the importance of quality assurance, common themes that occur during aircraft misfuelings and how to prevent them. Keith’s forums were just three of over 1,400 sessions hosted by industry professionals throughout the week. Check out Keith’s Tuesday and Wednesday radio interviews during the show.
Additionally, Phillips 66 launched the third annual Great WingPoints Giveaway, a promotion offering pilots the chance to win various prizes each time they use their Phillips 66 Aviation WingPoints® Rewards Card on valid fuel purchases. The promotion runs between July 25 and October 31.
Phillips 66 was also pleased to present Ken Jordan as this year’s EAA Young Eagles Leadership Award winner, a recognition bestowed to Young Eagles volunteers who clearly demonstrate the time and effort they dedicate to the aviation industry and its future. As the founding member of EAA Chapter 1632, Ken is well known in his community of Umatilla, Florida. He and his local EAA chapter drive several special projects in the local high school’s aviation club. Learn more about Ken here!
The Phillips 66 Aerostars returned to Oshkosh this year, too, meeting with and signing posters for attendees. The aerobatic pilots also conducted exhilarating rides for several special attendees including media and aviation influencers. Check out the footage from a few of these flights:
- FLYING Magazine
- Skies Magazine
- Kay Hall, @flywithkay
- Annie Rusinowski, @pilotannie
By the week’s end, more than 10,000 aircraft arrived at Wittman Regional Airport and other airports in east-central Wisconsin. Many of these aircraft came from all over the world, as AirVenture not only drove domestic attendance, but international guests representing 92 countries.
“We introduced a tagline of ‘Unlike Anything Else’ for this year’s AirVenture event and 2022’s fly-in proved to truly be unlike anything else,” Pelton said. “We had seven days of nearly perfect weather, along with this year’s programs and activities, which brought out people and airplanes in numbers that we haven’t seen before.”
The closing of another successful EAA AirVenture initiates planning for next year’s event. The Phillips 66 team looks forward to 2023!