AirVenture Oshkosh 2026 NOTAM Is Live — Three Western Transition Points Reactivated
EAA has published the official FAA-approved AirVenture Oshkosh 2026 Notice for the 73rd annual fly-in, July 20–26 at KOSH. The key change: three ATC-assignable western transition points (Endeavor Bridge, Puckaway Lake, Green Lake) have been reactivated based on pilot feedback to reduce holding and congestion during peak traffic.
The EAA has published the official FAA-approved AirVenture Oshkosh 2026 Notice — commonly called the Oshkosh NOTAM — ahead of the 73rd annual EAA AirVenture Oshkosh fly-in convention. The Notice covers operations at Wittman Regional Airport (KOSH) in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and is active from noon CDT July 16 through noon CDT July 27, 2026, bracketing the event's main days of July 20–26. Pilots planning to attend should read it cover to cover before they leave the ground.
What Changed This Year
The headline change for 2026 is the reactivation of three western transition points that had been quietly dropped from the procedure in prior years: Endeavor Bridge, Puckaway Lake, and Green Lake. These points are now back as ATC-assignable waypoints, meaning controllers can direct inbound traffic through them during peak flow periods to break up the congestion that builds west of KOSH.
The decision was driven directly by pilot feedback — a recognition that removing the western transitions created holding delays and bottlenecks that frustrated crews and added workload during what is already one of the most demanding arrival environments in general aviation. Their return gives ATC another tool to keep the flow moving when traffic is heaviest.
| Change | Detail |
|---|---|
| Reactivated transition points | Endeavor Bridge, Puckaway Lake, Green Lake |
| Purpose | ATC-assignable waypoints to reduce holding/congestion during peak flows |
| Previously removed | Yes — absent from prior year procedures |
| Driver | Pilot community feedback |
| Notice active | Noon CDT July 16 – Noon CDT July 27, 2026 |
How the FISK Arrival Works
If this is your first trip to Oshkosh, the FISK Arrival is the VFR procedure that funnels the majority of inbound GA traffic into KOSH during the convention. You'll fly to the Ripon VOR, then track the railroad tracks northeast at 90 knots or less and 1,800 feet MSL — or 2,300 feet MSL for aircraft with a cruise speed above 90 knots. From Ripon, the track leads to Fisk, where a controller in a Cessna on the ground will rock your wings (or call your color and type) to sequence you for landing.
Do not deviate from the published procedure. AirVenture draws more than 10,000 aircraft and hundreds of thousands of visitors annually, making it one of the world's busiest temporary airspace environments. In that environment, an off-procedure aircraft is not just an inconvenience — it is a serious collision risk. Read the Notice. Fly the procedure. Trust the system.
The Briefing Webinar — June 17
EAA will host a free pilot briefing webinar on June 17, 2026 at 7 p.m. CDT walking through every change in the 2026 Notice. This is the fastest way to get up to speed, hear questions answered live, and understand how the reactivated transition points fit into the overall flow. If you're planning to fly in, put it on your calendar now.
Printed copies of the Notice are available at EAA.org/NOTAM.
What this means for GA pilots: The reactivated western transition points are a meaningful quality-of-life improvement — fewer holds, smoother flow, less time circling west of the field. But they also mean more decision points ATC can use, so expect to be assigned a specific routing. Brief your passengers, study the chart, and be ready to respond quickly when your color gets called over Fisk. The procedure works when everyone flies it as published.
Plan Now, Fly Confident
AirVenture is the biggest gathering in general aviation — a week where the sky over Oshkosh fills with everything from Cubs to warbirds to homebuilts that took decades to finish. Getting there safely and efficiently is part of the experience, and the NOTAM is the foundation of that plan. Download it, attend the webinar on June 17, and brief your crew before departure. The field will be busy. The controllers will be working hard. Do your part, and you'll have a story worth telling for years.