Oshkosh Airventure Tower – One of The Busiest in The World!
From July 21 through 29, thousands of pilots and aircraft enthusiasts will gather at the Experimental Aircraft Association’s AirVenture fly-in for the world's greatest aviation celebration. FAA air traffic controllers will safely handle the thousands of planes that will fly in and out of Oshkosh’s Wittman Regional Airport.
So how does our little Oshkosh tower stack up against the “big boys” during EAA AirVenture? Traditionally, the EAA AirVenture air traffic control tower holds its own against the busiest airports in the world. Here are the flight totals from last year on two busy days:
Sunday, July 23, 2017
| Airport | Total Flights |
| 1. Chicago O'Hare | 2,522 |
| 2. Atlanta Hartsfield | 2,492 |
| 3. Oshkosh | 2,275 |
| 4. Los Angeles | 2,000 |
| 5. Dallas/Ft. Worth | 1,820 |
Thursday, July 27, 2017
| Airport | Total Flights |
| 1. Chicago O'Hare | 2,738 |
| 2. Atlanta Hartsfield | 2,699 |
| 3. Oshkosh | 2,381 |
| 4. Los Angeles | 2,125 |
| 5. Dallas/Ft. Worth | 1,967 |
The Oshkosh flight totals are even more impressive because its traffic count covers only 10 hours of daily activity, while the major airports are open 24 hours. The Oshkosh airport closes after dark and the tower is closed for four hours in the afternoon for the daily air show. Once again this year, we expect the Oshkosh tower to be one of the busiest in the world and for the FAA to excel at “the Super Bowl of air traffic control."