From Ground to Sky: How Icom Radios Connect Crews, Docks, and Air Traffic at AirVenture 2025
At EAA AirVenture 2025, Icom radios play a critical role in coordinating volunteers, dock crews, and air traffic at the Oshkosh Seaplane Base—a rarely seen but essential part of the annual airshow. The Seaplane Base transforms from an unused shoreline into a fully operational aviation hub for just one week each year, relying on clear radio communication to ensure safety across land, water, and sky. Longtime volunteers Lori Barger and Larry Schaack share how community, family tradition, and Icom equipment keep operations running smoothly.
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Key takeaways
Icom radios serve as a safety-critical communication link between ground crews, dock staff, and air traffic at the EAA AirVenture Seaplane Base.
The Seaplane Base operates for only one week per year and requires hundreds of volunteers and days of preparation to stand up.
Multi-generational family volunteers describe the Seaplane Base as a hidden gem of AirVenture, blending community, purpose, and aviation.
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Nestled in the shaded quiet of Oshkosh’s Seaplane Base, there exists a side of EAA AirVenture that many attendees never see. Unlike the bustling main grounds, the Seaplane Base operates for just one week each year, transforming from an unused shoreline into a hub of aviation activity. It takes hundreds of volunteers and days of concentrated effort to prepare the space, clean the docks, and establish the systems that make it a safe and welcoming environment for pilots and visitors alike.
But what truly sets the Seaplane Base apart isn’t just its natural beauty—it’s the way communication and coordination keep the operation running smoothly. With planes arriving and departing over water, volunteers managing pontoons, and families spanning generations helping on site, the role of radios and clear communication becomes critical. Icom equipment, for example, isn’t simply a convenience—it’s a lifeline, ensuring that ground crews, dock staff, and air traffic remain in sync. These tools bridge the gap between land and sky, where even a small misstep could have outsized consequences.
What emerges is more than just logistics—it’s a story of community. Families have been raised at the base, with second and third generations now stepping into volunteer roles. For many, it’s a “hidden gem” of AirVenture, a place where shade, camaraderie, and purpose blend into a unique experience. To explore this behind-the-scenes world—and the essential role of communication in keeping it safe and welcoming—hear directly from longtime volunteers Lori Barger and Larry Schaack in their conversation with Icom at EAA AirVenture 2025.
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Professional radio communication for land, sea, air, and public safety.
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