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Experiment Aircraft Association got its start in Milwaukee
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This year between July 27th and August 2nd the control tower at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin will be the busiest airport in the world. That's because it will be hosting the annual Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) AirVenture Oshkosh.
Originally called the EAA Fly-In, the event got its start back in 1953 by Paul Poberezny from the basement of his home in Hales Corners, Wisconsin, a southwestern suburb of Milwaukee. Poberezny has had a life-long love of airplanes. As a child he build model airplanes, sometimes even from scratch. He flew for the first time at age 16 in a glider given to him by his high school history teacher, which Poberezny restored. By the time he was 17 he soloed in a 1935 Porterfield.
He joined the military and had a long distinguished career, reaching the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Poberezny is the only person to receive all seven aviation wings the military has to offer: glider pilot, service pilot, rated pilot, liaison pilot, senior pilot, Army aviator, and command pilot.
Poberezny has flown over 500 different types of aircraft including approximately 170 home-built craft and has designed 15 airplanes.
Poberezny served as the President and CEO of the EAA until he became Chairman of the Board in 1989. His son, Tom, took over as President and CEO. Poberezny retired completely in March of 2009 and his son took over as Chairman.
The first gathering of the EAA was at Wright-Curtiss Field (today known as Lawrence J. Timmerman Airport) in September of 1953. Only a few aviation enthusiasts with a handful of airplanes, mostly home-built, attended with about 150 visitors.
The EAA Fly-In ran at Timmerman Airport from 1953 to 1958, but quickly outgrew the Milwaukee airport. In 1959 it moved to Rockford, Illinois, and in 1969, having outgrown that facility also, the EAA Fly-In convention moved to it's present location at Oshkosh, because there was enough acreage surrounding the airport to handle all the airplanes, vehicles, and tents.
Today the EAA Fly-In, now known as EAA AirVenture Oshkosh has grown to an international gathering of more than 10 to 15,000 aircraft with an attendance of over 700,000. Membership in the EAA has grown to over 160,000 members with about 1000 chapters worldwide.
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