“The preparations for this year’s event were the most challenging in my 35 years as fly-in chairman,” said EAA chairman/president Tom Poberezny. “However, it’s not how you begin, it’s how you finish. Through the dedication of our volunteers and staff, as well as the support of the Oshkosh region and the aviation community, AirVenture 2010 remains the World’s Greatest Aviation Celebration, with programs and activities that can be found nowhere else.”

While the attendance figure was seven percent below that record-setting levels of 2009, it was very similar to total attendance for 2006 through 2008.

“We had expected to have a slightly lower attendance figure this year after last year’s blockbuster event. This year’s weather challenges early in the week also had an effect,” Poberezny said. “The second half of the week, however, was outstanding, especially with such activities as those on Saturday that included the night air show. We were not only very pleased with the attendance figures, but also with the positive response and the upbeat spirit from all those who attended.”

The final numbers also included:

• More than 10,000 aircraft arriving at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh and other airports in east-central Wisconsin.
• 2,380 showplanes, including 1,106 homebuilt aircraft, 635 vintage airplanes, 374 warbirds, 115 ultralights, 120 seaplanes and 30 rotorcraft.
• 777 commercial exhibitors, up from 750 in 2009.
• 2,167 international visitors registered from 66 nations, with Canada (586 visitors), Australia (350), and Brazil (221) the top three nations. This total includes only non-U.S. visitors who register at the International Visitors Tent, so the actual international contingent is undoubtedly larger.
• Campers in the aircraft and drive-in area estimated at more than 36,000.
• 979 media representatives from six continents.

EAA is already looking toward next year with some big plans in place for AirVenture 2011, which runs July 25-31 next year.

“While we’ll continue to develop programs and activities in the coming months, AirVenture has already been designated a major event by the U.S. Navy for its Centennial of Naval Aviation celebration in 2011,” Poberezny said. “The overwhelming positive response to our inaugural night air show on July 31 also solidifies our plan to do it again next year. We already have ideas to make it even better in 2011. Our goal is to make next year’s AirVenture to be an event that you don’t want to miss.”