The World’s Greatest Aviation Celebration: Why EAA AirVenture is 2026’s Must-Attend Event in Oshkosh

EAA AirVenture and the Electric Aircraft Symposium Are Bringing the Future of Flight Together in One Place

Every July, aviation enthusiasts from around the world make a pilgrimage to Oshkosh, Wisconsin for EAA AirVenture — the legendary event widely known as the "World's Greatest Aviation Celebration" and the No. 1 Best Air Show in the USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards.

But in 2026, something bigger is happening.

This year's gathering is not just about celebrating aviation's past. Oshkosh is becoming one of the most important global stages for aviation's future — a place where hydrogen propulsion, electric aircraft, eVTOLs, autonomous systems, advanced air mobility (AAM), and next-generation sustainable aerospace technologies are being unveiled in real time.

And at the center of that transformation is the 20th Annual Electric Aircraft Symposium (EAS 2026), returning July 18–19, 2026, the weekend immediately before AirVenture Oshkosh begins.

AirVenture Oshkosh: The World's Biggest Aviation Gathering

For one week every summer, Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin is transformed into the busiest airport in the world by aircraft operations. More than 700,000 attendees and approximately 10,000 aircraft descended on the event last year alone, making EAA AirVenture the largest aviation gathering on Earth.

The Oshkosh airshow combines historic warbirds, military flight demonstrations, experimental aircraft, homebuilt aviation, aerospace technology showcases, pilot education, STEM engagement, industry networking, and innovation forums — all under one sky.

In 2026, AirVenture continues its momentum after being voted the No. 1 Best Air Show in the USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards. But alongside the iconic roar of radial engines and afterburners, a quieter revolution is arriving at Oshkosh: electric motors, hydrogen fuel cells, battery-electric aircraft, hybrid-electric propulsion, and autonomous aviation systems.

The future of aviation is no longer theoretical. It is taxiing onto the flight line.

The Electric Aircraft Symposium: 20 Years of Shaping the Future of Flight

Held immediately before AirVenture at the University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh campus at Reeve Memorial Union, the Electric Aircraft Symposium has become one of the most influential gatherings in advanced aviation. First launched in 2007 by the CAFE Foundation in Santa Rosa, California, EAS is officially the world's longest-running conference focused on electric aviation and advanced air mobility.

Register for EAS

Over the past two decades, more than 500 industry visionaries have taken the EAS stage — including the founders of many of the leading AAM companies operating today. That legacy of forward-thinking dialogue is precisely what makes the symposium's 20th edition so significant. Since moving to Oshkosh in 2017 to reach a wider aviation audience from industry, academia, and government, EAS has grown into a must-attend event for anyone serious about where aviation is heading.

EAS 2026 is organized by the Federal City Chapter of the Vertical Flight Society (VFS), with VFS headquarters serving as the foundational supporting partner. The event features more than three dozen experts across 12 moderated panel discussions, each including open Q&A — a hallmark of the symposium since its founding. Topics span the full spectrum of electric aviation and AAM, from propulsion systems and infrastructure to certification, regulation, and market trends, with insights from both industry leaders and government representatives.

Contact: Ken Swartz, kennethswartz@me.com

A New Trans-Atlantic Partnership

One of the most notable announcements for EAS 2026 is the addition of AERO Friedrichshafen — Europe's leading general aviation and business aviation trade show — as a new supporting corporate partner.

"We're delighted that AERO has signed on as a supporting partner of the Electric Aircraft Symposium," said Mike Hirschberg, Principal of H2 Advisors, LLC, and co-producer of EAS 2026. "AERO Friedrichshafen is Europe's leading General Aviation and Business Aviation trade show and this year's edition, being held April 22–25 in Germany, is also a major platform for innovation in electric and sustainable aviation."

Tobias Bretzel, Show Director of AERO Friedrichshafen, echoed the significance of the new partnership: "The teams organizing the Electric Aircraft Symposium at Oshkosh and the e-flight-expo at AERO have collaborated for years, so it was time to strengthen our trans-Atlantic partnership for the benefit of attendees, sponsors and exhibitors."

The collaboration between Hirschberg, Ken Swartz of Aeromedia Consultants, and Willi Tacke of Flying Pages GmbH and e-flight-expo has been building since 2019, making this formalized partnership a natural next step in connecting the global electric aviation community across continents.

AERO is also sponsoring an evening reception for all EAS 2026 attendees on Saturday, July 18 — giving participants a dedicated opportunity to connect with the international aviation community in a relaxed setting following the first day of sessions.

Accessible Pricing for the Next Generation

Ticket prices for EAS 2026 have been deliberately reduced to stimulate attendance and lower the barrier to entry for this important conversation. The early-bird price of $200 is less than half the cost of comparable electric aviation or AAM conferences. Full-time students can attend for just $50 — a clear signal that EAS is committed to inspiring the next generation of aviation and aerospace innovators.

Details on the agenda, registration, and sponsorship opportunities are available at www.eas2026.org.

Who Is Speaking at EAS 2026

EAS 2026 brings together an exceptional lineup of speakers representing the full breadth of the electric aviation and AAM ecosystem. Confirmed speakers include top executives from Ampaire, AURA Aero, Bye Aerospace, Chicago Vertiport, Electra Aero, Electro Aero, H55, Horizon Aircraft, Hydroplane, Joby Aviation, Jump Aero, Skyfly, and Whisper Aero.

Sponsors providing additional speaker representation include Bloomy, GoEngineer, magniX, NEXA Capital Partners, Pivotal, Toray, Robinson Helicopter Company, and Wisk — with additional sponsorship opportunities still available.

Together, these participants represent companies developing both conventional electric takeoff and landing (eCTOL) and vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft powered by battery-electric, hybrid-electric, and hydrogen-electric fuel cell systems. Their work targets markets spanning recreation, flight training, general aviation, air taxi, regional air mobility, cargo, aeromedical, and special mission operations — a breadth that underscores just how wide the electric aviation revolution has become.

Three Industry Trends Taking Center Stage

1. Energy Independence and the Economics of Electric Flight

The recent rise in global fuel prices has added a powerful economic argument to the environmental case for electric aviation. Battery-electric and hybrid-electric aircraft offer significantly lower direct operating costs than their conventionally fueled counterparts — a factor that is now meaningfully accelerating industry interest, particularly for high-cycle operations like pilot flight training.

For flight schools and operators who run aircraft for hundreds of hours per year, the cost savings of electric propulsion are no longer marginal. They are becoming a competitive advantage. EAS 2026 speakers will explore how this economic reality is reshaping business models across the general aviation and commercial aviation sectors.

2. The MOSAIC Rule: A Regulatory Revolution for Electric Aircraft

One of the most significant regulatory developments in a generation will be front and center at EAS 2026. Last year at AirVenture, the FAA published its final Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification (MOSAIC) regulations for Light Sport Aircraft (LSA). For the first time in U.S. aviation history, the new rules permit electric aircraft — including helicopters, gyroplanes, and eVTOL aircraft — to be certified as LSA.

That regulatory shift has immediate and far-reaching implications. A growing number of companies have already announced electric aircraft designs they plan to certify under MOSAIC, and the rule is expected to dramatically accelerate the development of electric flight training aircraft, recreational electric aviation, low-cost electric operations, and entry-level pilot adoption. For many in the industry, MOSAIC represents the beginning of aviation's largest regulatory transformation since the jet age.

3. The FAA's eIPP: Electric and Autonomous Aircraft Take to the Skies

Also on the agenda at EAS 2026 is the FAA's AAM and eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (eIPP), directed by the Trump Administration's Drone Dominance Executive Order. The eIPP will see electric, hybrid-electric, and autonomous aircraft begin flying operationally this year across eight demonstration projects spanning 26 states — allowing broader real-world testing before full type certification is achieved.

For the industry, this program represents a critical bridge between laboratory development and commercial operation. EAS attendees will hear directly from companies participating in these demonstration projects about what they are learning and what comes next.

Hydrogen Aviation Takes Center Stage

One of the clearest trends emerging at Oshkosh in 2026 is the growing momentum behind hydrogen-powered aviation. As the aerospace industry faces increasing pressure to decarbonize, hydrogen is rapidly becoming one of the most discussed technologies in advanced propulsion — thanks to its zero-carbon potential, high energy density, long-range capabilities, fast refueling properties, and suitability for larger and more demanding missions where battery-electric systems face range limitations.

Hydroplane is among the companies attracting significant attention this year, after demonstrating flight-speed operation on a hydrogen fuel cell–powered rotor transmission test stand under a U.S. Army SBIR contract. That development reflects a broader trend now visible across both commercial and defense aviation: hydrogen is moving from concept to operational reality, and the pace of that transition is accelerating.

Why the Oshkosh Fly-In Matters More Than Ever

Historically, the Oshkosh fly-in was known primarily for experimental aircraft and passionate aviation enthusiasts. Today, it has become something much larger: a convergence point between legacy aviation culture and next-generation aerospace innovation.

At AirVenture, attendees can watch a historic B-29 bomber perform a flyby, tour experimental electric aircraft on the flight line, attend discussions on FAA certification, explore autonomous aviation technologies, meet startup founders and aerospace executives, learn about hydrogen infrastructure and energy systems, and see the latest developments in eVTOL and regional air mobility — often all in the same afternoon.

That combination of history and innovation is what makes the event uniquely powerful. It is one of the few places in the world where grassroots aviation culture intersects directly with the future of sustainable aerospace. Aviation camping beside personal aircraft remains a beloved tradition, while engineers debate propulsion architectures a few rows away and startup founders network with investors over coffee. Families watch night airshows beneath fireworks while hydrogen aviation leaders discuss the future of zero-emission flight just across the field.

Whether you are a pilot, engineer, founder, student, investor, researcher, regulator, aviation enthusiast, or climate-tech innovator, Oshkosh offers something difficult to replicate anywhere else: direct, personal access to the people actively shaping the future of aerospace.

A Milestone Year for the Aviation Community

EAS 2026 is not just another annual conference. It is a milestone — the 20th edition of the world's longest-running electric aviation event, held alongside the world's greatest aviation celebration, at a moment when the regulatory environment, the technology, and the economics are finally converging to make electric and hydrogen-powered flight a mainstream reality.

For decades, AirVenture celebrated aviation history. Now it is increasingly becoming the place where aviation's next chapter is written.

Electric propulsion, hydrogen-powered aircraft, advanced air mobility, autonomous aviation, and sustainable aerospace infrastructure are no longer distant concepts. They are arriving now, backed by real regulation, real investment, and real hardware.

And in July 2026, much of that future will gather in one place: Oshkosh, Wisconsin — where the world's greatest aviation celebration and the world's longest-running electric aviation conference will share the same sky, the same spirit, and the same singular mission: to advance the future of flight.

For more information on EAS 2026, including agenda, registration, and sponsorship opportunities, visit www.eas2026.org. For EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, visit www.eaa.org.