Faculty and staff represent Liberty at annual airventure sky show in Oshkosh, reconnect with alumni in the field

A visual spectacle and gathering place for the aerospace community since 1970, Oshkosh is home to the biggest airshow in the world. Representatives from Liberty’s School of Aeronautics recently attended the EAA’s (Experimental Aircraft Association) annual AirVenture event, held in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. A staggering upwards of 10,000 planes flew into Oshkosh and the areas surrounding during the six-day event from July 24-30, with aerial shows put on by more than 3,365 show planes, which included vintage and homebuilt aircraft. 

“It was quite a cool thing to see,” Erin Stewart, senior flight instructor at the School of Aeronautics, said. Stewart’s journey with Liberty Aeronautics first began in 2013 as a freshman undergraduate student. After graduating in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in science and aeronautics with a commercial corporate concentration, she returned to Liberty as a flight instructor in 2019, completing her master’s degree in aviation safety in 2021.

 “It was my first time ever being there, and I’ve heard of it before, but I don’t think you can (truly) envision it until you go,” Stewart said. 

For all its dazzling sights, AirVenture   is more than just a pretty show. Among a gathering of almost 700,000 people, including both aviation lovers and professionals in the industry, many booths were set up to give out information, educate on the aerospace community and provide connections and networking opportunities. 

“(We were able to) engage with the greater aviation community and put our name out there to people who don’t know us,” Stewart said of Liberty’s School of Aeronautics hosting a booth at the event. 

One of the largest faith-based collegiate aviation programs in North America, Liberty’s School of Aeronautics programs have grown from just four students to over 4,000 worldwide. With a fleet of 26 aircraft and a variety of programs including flight training, aircraft maintenance and drone operation, there’s something for anyone interested in aviation.

 “(We can) get the brand of the university truly out to the public, … includ(ing) aviation-minded folks as well as those in the aerospace community,” Kevin Martin, director of technology and innovation at the School of Aeronautics and a veteran AirVenture attendee, said.

Since joining the School of Aeronautics in 2010 as a part-time flight instructor, Martin is in charge of bringing in the latest aviation technology and cutting-edge innovations to train students in the most effective way possible. 

“For us, it’s not so much about watching the airplanes, it’s really about those relationships that we’ve built. Over the years, those opportunities that have been provided to the university and our students have increased their experience in ways that are very difficult to measure,” Martin said. 

While AirVenture is an incredible opportunity to see amazing aircraft, meet aviation professionals and recruit students, Martin and Stewart both agree that the best part of attending these events is catching up with old friends and seeing just how far Liberty alumni have come since they graduated. 

“The biggest takeaway was just being able to really see the impact that we’re starting to have within the aviation industry. We had a lot of alumni who stopped by and brought their families to say hi. It was really cool to see how they’re doing now that they’re out in the real world and still making an impact for the Lord within the aviation industry,” Stewart said. 

To learn more about Liberty’s School of Aeronautics, visit their website

Perez is a feature reporter for the Liberty Champion.