Pilot Your Own Adventure Trailer

Every year over 600,000 people set out on a journey from all corners of the world. We come together and share a week of aviation, reuniting with family and friends over stories while enjoying the rumble of planes overhead. With 1,600 acres, over 10,000 planes, and more than 800 exhibitors, you can never truly see it all in one week. If you’ve been to Oshkosh you can easily reenact what it was like the first time you entered the grounds. I’ve heard Mark Glassmeyer share his own “first time at Oshkosh’’ story several times, and each time it will leave you with a smile.

AirVenture is magical, full of learning, connecting, and striving to all become better aviators. We get to witness, first hand, the “pieces of the puzzle” that keep our industry working fluidly around the globe. We spend a week walking among our beloved military veterans, air traffic controllers whose voices we can finally put a face to, the mechanics who work around the clock to make sure our airplanes are more than able to get us home safe, the leaders of our cherished organizations, the management teams that keep us organized and afloat.

For some of us, even more special is having the opportunity to share AirVenture with our loved ones who are usually at home during our trips. At AirVenture we are able to include and share our passions, show them our careers, our hobbies, and maybe inspire some of their own—there is truly something there for everyone. The team at Flight Outfitters and EAA wanted to give back and do something to share that exact experience with others. With mastermind Glassmeyer at the helm of creativity, the “Camper-Stay Give-Away’’ idea was brought to fruition.

The first stop for the Flight Outfitters camper was Owensboro, KY, where Josh and I were handed the keys to the beautiful camper on its first adventure, as we embarked on an incredible two-month, eight thousand mile trip across the country. Josh and I were able to capture and explore some of America’s most beautiful parks while promoting the love of travel, and hoping to inspire others to relish their own adventures. Our mission was to capture the possibilities of piloting your own adventure while promoting the incredible “Camper-Stay Give-Away” contest. Throughout our journey, we spent time in 10 states. The days were full of hikes and campfires, from the most remote locations to the local KOAs. We were also able to meet with other fellow aviators along the way. Josh is currently in the post-production process of creating a beautiful cinematic storyline to share with all of you.

As aviators, we are given the opportunity to explore and experience the world from above; I think that alone transforms our outlook on life. Every flight has a different mission, every view yields a different panorama, and although the view from thousands of feet off the ground can seem unbeatable, sometimes we miss out on the details of the journey from above. With our sights set on the sky, we must all stay grounded, remembering what got us there. Our journeys are all so unique and we all have a remarkable story to tell, it doesn’t take much effort to get any one of us talking “about a time.” Our favorite time, favorite flight, our most memorable view, our most cherished mentor, most impactful landing… or not, a funny moment, lessons learned, a mission accomplished. Josh and I would like to challenge all our fellow aviators to dig deep, to share your own story for a chance to win the “Camper-Stay Give-Away” at AirVenture 2022.

It was an incredibly successful first year for the EAA and Flight Outfitters contest. Every submission this year was phenomenal and inspiring. I’m so excited to watch the contest continue to grow over the next few years, and most importantly I’m incredibly proud to have been a part of promoting it. So dig deeper; we all have a story to share. Stay tuned by keeping up with our social media for updates—maybe we’ll be handing you the keys next year at AirVenture 2022.