Today's brief:

• The Fisk Arrival: Resources and tips for flying into AirVenture 2025.
• Plus: The FAA predicts eVTOL ops by 2028, and TFR troubles are still in the news. 

🛩️ Estimated time en route: 4 minutes

Show up on the dot

Almost every pilot’s bucket list has an item simply labeled “Oshkosh.” Each year, the Experimental Aircraft Association hosts one of the world’s largest airshows, AirVenture, in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. It’s Disneyland for pilots and aviation enthusiasts.
  
Some gallant pilots make the pilgrimage in their aircraft so they can say they’ve rocked their wings over Fisk and landed on the purple dot. Navigating the packed conga line of arrivals is a badge of honor a pilot always carries.

However, a few airplanes arrive at the show in such a manner that they must be loaded onto a trailer to return home. Serious accidents causing bodily harm to pilots and passengers are the minority, but—considering the sheer number of aircraft flying in—they still happen every year.

Even minor incidents and accidents can damage the egos of pilots, replacing their badge of honor with an entry in the NTSB accident database.

Further, to assure public exposure of one’s aeronautical faux pas, a row of attendees alongside the runway snarkily holds up signs like Olympic judges scoring each landing. The best and worst of the bunch make it to YouTube. 

As a public service to the aviation community (and your ego), we present a few tips on avoiding zeros from the judges, attention from the NTSB, and ending up as the most viewed portion of a YouTube video.

Plan hard.
Using the AirVenture NOTAM, plan your arrival, then plan it again…and again.

Fly the approach in a flight simulator.

SimVenture kicks off today and runs through the weekend, offering a unique opportunity to prepare for the Fisk Arrival on your home sim while rocking your wings to the same controllers who work the tower at the fly-in each year. Additionally, Redbird Pro has a realistic Fisk Arrival scenario, including rapid-fire ATC chatter and plenty of other traffic in the sky, which you can fly on a sim or chair fly whenever you'd like. 

Watch online videos of pilots making the approach.
It's a great way to get a feel for what’s in store. EAA also has helpful videos covering the best methods for approaching to land at many of the different runways at AirVenture. They won't provide insights into the chatter-induced workload, but they're a great way to understand the procedures.

Don’t fly solo.
If you're flying the Fisk Arrival for the first time, the workload can be overwhelming, making situational awareness challenging to maintain without a copilot.

Speak up.
One of the no-nos on the Fisk Arrival is talking to ATC unless safety is at risk. If it is, then ATC very much wants you to speak up.

Know the gotchas.
Crosswinds and narrow separation are the primary culprits in AirVenture accidents. This year, one of the changes to the AirVenture NOTAM includes the requirement to maintain 90 knots until entering downwind at KOSH, which could exacerbate separation issues. Additionally, pilots feeling pressure to get on the ground and off the runway frequently force crosswind landings or fail to maintain separation once on the ground. To that point …

You’re allowed to go around.
While that shouldn’t be in question, the urgency of ATC’s non-stop diatribe about getting down and off the runway can make you feel like you have no other options. The AirVenture NOTAM modifies several FARs during the show, but it doesn’t prohibit going around nor excuse you from your responsibility to conduct a safe flight.

This list could go on for pages. However, if you keep these high-level points in mind, you'll be on your way to capping off a safe flight with a smooth landing at the world's greatest aviation celebration. Welcome to the show.

Chris Rocheleau projects eVTOL operations will be certified in the U.S. by the end of 2028. Per Helicopter Investor, Rocheleau believes some "small-scale" revenue-generating operations will be actively functioning in as little as 18 months.

TFR troubles are still in the news. Per AVweb:

• On Monday, a drone flying in violation of a TFR struck a rescue-and-recovery helicopter conducting emergency operations in the heavily flooded area near Kerrville, TX. While no injuries were reported, the helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing, putting a critical response resource out of service.
• Over the holiday weekend, at least 11 GA aircraft violated two TFRs that create a 30-nm ring above and around President Trump’s golf resort in Bedminster, NJ. Eight incursions were reported in the area just two weeks prior. 

Prevention is by far the best solution, but NORAD Gen. Gregory Guillot said in a statement that "Should the pilot of an aircraft happen to find itself intercepted by either fighters or helicopters, they should immediately come up on frequency 121.5 or 243.0 and turn around to reverse course until receiving additional instructions on one of those frequencies."

More training options added at the Pilot Proficiency Center

The PPC at EAA AirVenture 2025 will feature a full slate of free training options that fit every experience level and schedule.

• Full-day VFR & IFR refreshers for active pilots looking to sharpen their skills.
• Ad-hoc simulator sessions for pilots who want to get a taste of sim training while still getting the full Oshkosh experience.
• A first-of-its-kind Rusty Pilots + Redbird Sim Course powered by AOPA to help get you back in the cockpit.
• Dedicated sim sessions and presentations to show you how to get into backcountry flying.
• A Right Seat Ready course for spouses that includes hands-on training in the Redbird sims.

Ready to level up your flying? 

Study the AirVenture flight procedures

The AirVenture NOTAM takes effect at noon CDT on Thursday, July 17, and there are some significant changes this year. Notably:

• Maintaining 90 KTS until entering downwind at Oshkosh (as mentioned earlier);
• Beginning descent over gravel pit when arriving to Runway 27;
• Addition of a QR code on the Notice cover that directs to the EAA “Flying In” webpage;
• Updated web addresses for mass arrivals, helicopters, and the EAA Seaplane Base.

You can download a digital copy of the NOTAM and watch all the helpful videos detailing arrival procedures on EAA's website.