Is AirVenture Dying?

[Floatsflyer]

While reading Jack Pelton's Commentary in the January SA, I couldn't help but notice the conspicuous absence of the word "AirVenture' in his description of improvements for the event in 2015. He uses the word "Oshkosh" exclusively. So to satisfy my curious mind, I did a little non-empirical research of the edition.

The feature article" Oshkosh Rookies". The title alone appears to be telling in itself and possibly another reason to think that AirVenture could be deliberately eradicated from the lexicon. In the article, Oshkosh appears 27 times while AirVenture appears only 8 times--more than 3 times as much.

In Letters to the Editor is the headline of one letter: "Thank You Oshkosh Volunteers" which is editorial writing.

The Sweepstakes Prize Cub piece uses only AirVenture Oshkosh or just AirVenture in it's references.

In Member Central under the headline "Get Ready for Oshkosh 2015", the words are mixed.

A quick glance at the website shows AirVenture still in use.

Are we looking at conscious efforts to slowly roll-out rebranding; market retooling; a return to the days of yore or are these examples just mere anomalistic coincidences. Am I making too much of this, grasping at straws? Perhaps. Perhaps not. When the Chairman of EAA does not use the word "AirVenture" to describe the biggest cash cow's identity, I gotta think something could be afoot.

Random musings on a cold, snowy day. What y'all think out there?

[gbrasch]

Been going since about 84, it has always just been "Oshkosh" to me.

[CarlOrton]

In his first monthly chapter video, Jack specifically noted that EAA was getting back to its roots and that it would be OSHKOSH.

[rwanttaja]

Been going since about 84, it has always just been "Oshkosh" to me.

I think that's basically it; there was just so much pushback that they finally bowed to the inevitable.

Ron Wanttaja

[Jim Clark]

It's not rebranding. The name Airventure never took hold so why keep fighting against the very recognizable brand "Oshkosh"

[Biyu]

Perhaps im younger but I actually know as eaa and airventure but then we camped in our car once in the oshkosh wallmart parking lot and that's more/less oshkosh

whatever they do people will call what they will well what they will ex: Midwest express is bust yet I still know it as the Midwest express center (from milwaukee area)

[Byron J. Covey]

Been going since about 84, it has always just been "Oshkosh" to me.

Been"Oshkosh" to me since they changed it from "Rockford."

[Jeff Point]

Midwest express is bust yet I still know it as the Midwest express center (from milwaukee area)

Is that the one just west of the First Wisconsin Building?

I think this move away from the Airventure brand started in earnest in 2009 when EAA began to roll out some merchandise with the old style logo. Airventure never really caught on but worse, for the core membership, it represented everything that was wrong with EAA. If they are making a conscious effort to phase out the name (and I believe that they are) then I applaud them for it.

[FlyingRon]

Yeah, it was a little silly EAA greed that they couldn't keep people from selling OSHKOSH shirts, etc...

[Biyu]

Mid west express building was the frontier airlines center for a bit now it's had like 5 names and they do a bunch of things there off the top of my head I think the sports shows are there there's culinary stuff that require passes the green summit in the area that matc is involved with the bead and button show is there there's a bunch that goes on

Im not from downtown so I don't know loc it connects to some hotel THO