If you arrived ready to shop, there were 881 commercial exhibitors. Some of the vendors were small operations just renting a 10-foot by 10-foot space in one of the big hangars. Others, like Icon, rented big outdoor spaces and put their own tents and infrastructure in place. And of course there were a lot of vendors in between. The difference between a rally or fly-in and a convention is a matter of how much business and education gets done on site. There is a lot of business-to-business selling done informally at the show. There are also formal meetings between industry groups and the faa. Foreign delegations, particularly the Chinese, were also visible. But for the normal attendee, the forums and workshops focusing on nearly any aviation topic one might be interested in is what makes AirVenture a convention. In fact, the count was 1,050 sessions attended by more than 75,000 people. Foreign guests are particularly welcome at AirVenture, with a special International Visitors Tent in the main area of the show. A record 2,527 visitors registered from a record-tying 80 nations. And of course there were many international guests who did not register. Top countries represented by registered visitors: Canada (583 visitors), Australia (346), and South Africa (204). eaa’s Pelton points out that the eaa is already working on the 2018 event. “We’re already talking to people about the possibilities for 2018 in all areas, from aircraft anniversaries to new technology and innovations. We saw new programs, such as the Twilight Flight Fest following the afternoon air show, attract big crowds and show a bright future. We’ ll be announcing these features and attractions as they are finalized. ...We’re excited for the future and what ’s ahead for next year!”• James Wiebe’s new SLSA two-seat design, the Belite Chipper with a Rotax 912UL. This ELA Eclipse gets a push down the taxiway. The Fun Fly Zone Headquarters is about a lot more than ultralights. The Legal Eagle Ultralight was VW powered. The Groppo Trail flew and the US importer, Steve Bensinger, felt good about the show. The Bush Cat, built by SkyReach in South Africa ❺ The Outback Shock (known as the Shock Cub in Europe). M-Squared flew a lot and enjoyed introducing kids to the joy of flight. Evolution Aircraft was there with their fresh, new design, the Revolt. What is better than being powered by a Rotax 912 series engine? Being powered by TWO Rotax 912 series engines like this AirCam. Australian Trike builder Airborne was back at Oshkosh. The strong US dollar makes their trikes very appealing to the consumer. Rotorcraft standing ready to fly as soon as the ultralights and LSA’s have had their turn on the runway.
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