AirVenture 2026
Windsor's Canadian Aviation Museum sent two of its De Havilland Chipmunks to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, to help celebrate the airplane's history. The Chipmunk prototype made its maiden flight in 1946, 80 years ago this year.In planning for the trip, the museum tapped two skilled aviators to represent us at "AirVenture 2026" the largest aviation gathering in the world. Warplanes of this vintage are overwhelmingly flown by men. That one of our "Chippies" would be piloted by a woman is interesting enough. But two, flying side by side, with women at the controls is unheard of.Katie Mack and Lisa Corker left Windsor on Saturday morning, July 18th, for what would normally be a six-hour trip, including stops for fuel. But with low cloud cover and wildfire smoke hindering visibility, and storms in the Chicago area, their transit time was doubled. Windsor to Oshkosh is 302 miles as the crow flies. But despite how the saying goes, we know crows do not fly in a straight line. Nor do De Havilland Chipmunks. These little yellow birds were welcomed with open arms by aviation enthusiasts from all over the world. The trip home was far smoother. Six hours and 45 minutes from Oshkosh to Windsor.Katie says it was important for them because warbird organizations are male-dominated. "When young girls see women doing things men do, it's very important".As for flying a vintage warbird, Lisa says "There aren't a lot of us, and it comes with some pressure. Any serious mistakes would have been linked to our gender". She tells of a longtime Chipmunk pilot she met the show who was clearly surprised that she and Katie flew the two ships to Oshkosh.Of the overall experience, Katie says she and Lisa are "much more connected to these airplanes. We feel much more a part of the aviation community for having done this". Both pilots expressed appreciation for the trust shown in them to fly historic RCAF aircraft in representing Windsor's Canadian Aviation Museum to the worldwide aviation community.