Behind the Scenes at Vintage

Each year at AirVenture more than 600 individuals volunteer with Vintage.

Our Flight Line volunteers in their bright orange vests are obvious as they manage over a mile of visitors sitting between rows and rows of airplanes.

The size of the flight line is such that the ground crew must use scooters rather than park planes on foot. Over one-third of our AirVenture Vintage Volunteers work on the flight line.

But the heart of our Vintage family is often unseen and unsung.

These are some of our behind-the-scenes volunteers:

  • Vintage Volunteers photograph every Antique, Classic, and Contemporary showplane.
  • Vintage Volunteers assemble and distribute plaques for every showplane pilot.
  • Vintage Volunteers stock and display merchandise in The Red Barn Store and cheerfully help customers.
  • Vintage Volunteers carefully charge your cellphones, tablets, and laptops while you view the airshow.
  • Vintage Volunteers create and produce individual collector name badges for all our volunteers.
  • Vintage Volunteers cook and feed other volunteers in our special Vintage lunchroom.
  • Multiple teams of Vintage volunteer judges evaluate each vintage aircraft whose pilot wants to improve his or her plane.
  • Vintage Volunteers from individual Type Clubs meet daily with individuals and groups who love their particular aircraft.
  • Vintage Volunteers cook hundreds of breakfasts each day at Tall Pines Café and then clean up to be ready for the following day.
  • Vintage Volunteers welcome other volunteers, sign them up for jobs, and record the hours they serve.
  • Vintage Volunteers serve as officers and members of our Board of Directors, giving untold year-round hours to keep Vintage functioning.
  • Vintage Volunteers operate a daily workshop for visitors to see how our planes are restored.
  • Vintage Volunteers pop popcorn and serve lemonade to visitors to The Red Barn, both complimentary.
  • Vintage Volunteers share their smiles to arriving pilots with a much-appreciated bottle of water and a “Welcome to Oshkosh” greeting.
  • Vintage Volunteers providing maintenance and construction service for the Vintage area.
  • And while the rest of us sleep, Vintage Volunteers continue 24 hours per day and night providing security to the entire Vintage area.