Southwest Airlines is celebrating 40 years as one of the nation’s largest air carriers by being the presenting sponsor of “Super Saturday” at AirVenture 2011 on Saturday, July 30. The 59th annual edition of “The World’s Greatest Aviation Celebration” will be held July 25-31 at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh.
From sunrise to well past sunset, “Super Saturday” presented by Southwest Airlines is filled with attractions and activities, including country star Aaron Tippin in concert, followed by the Night Air Show and Daher-Socata Fireworks. The celebration concludes with a post-event party on ConocoPhillips Plaza, which will feature food, beverages, and a meet-and-greet with Night Air Show performers.
“We’re coming back to Oshkosh again this year to share in the celebration of a milestone in Southwest history with our employees and our customers,” said Captain Chuck Magill, Southwest’s Vice President Flight Operations. “To have this opportunity to honor and proudly showcase our veterans as we commemorate a hundred years of Naval Aviation is especially rewarding and exciting.”
As part of its 40th anniversary celebration, Southwest Airlines also is hosting a sweepstakes in which the winner receives round-trip air travel for two on Southwest Airlines to and from Milwaukee, two one-day wristbands to AirVenture, and a two-night hotel stay. Enter online. The winner will be notified on or around June 1.
Additionally, a Southwest Airlines 737-700 – carrying a special AirVenture 2011 decal on its nose – will be featured on ConocoPhillips Plaza on July 30, offering free ground tours to all attendees.
“Super Saturday” kicks off at 6 a.m. with a mass hot air balloon launch in the Ultralight area and concludes with a feature film at the EAA Fly-In Theater, presented by Ford Motor Company and supported by Hamilton Watches, following the Daher-Socata Fireworks & Wall of Fire. The day also features the annual Runway 5K run/walk throughout the AirVenture grounds, beginning at 7 a.m. Additional features and details for “Super Saturday” will be available at Airventure.org at a later date.
Southwest Airlines also will be supplying the aircraft for an “Honor Flight” that will depart from AirVenture on Wednesday, July 27, for Washington, D.C., where approximately 80 World War II veterans will have the opportunity to visit the memorials dedicated in their honor before returning to Oshkosh following the afternoon air show later that day for a “Welcome Home” ceremony. The “Honor Flight” will primarily feature Naval veterans from World War II in commemoration of the week-long Centennial of Naval Aviation festivities at AirVenture.
