By Nick Moore
It was Thursday, July 30, 2020 and if one closed their eyes, there could be the illusion that things were as they always have been. The chirping tires of arriving traffic, the sounds of advancing throttles for departing traffic, and even the “wup-wup-wup” of a Bell 47 flying overhead could be heard. The weather was warm, and the humidity was just enough to make the attendees look forward to their evening showers but not enough to want to leave. Old friends mingled about throughout the day, chatting about AirVentures of the past over an ear of corn and a beverage.
While many things about this evening seem familiar on paper, the reality is that the summer of 2020 was in the midst of the global pandemic known as COVID-19 and months prior EAA CEO Jack Pelton had to make the difficult and necessary decision to cancel AirVenture.
This decision, while necessary, was devastating to anyone who understands what a truly special event AirVenture is. AirVenture is not just an air show. It is not just a convention. It is a gathering that truly embodies The Spirit of Aviation. The absence of AirVenture left a gaping hole in the summer of for all of the regular attendees. For many, AirVenture was the highlight of their year. It could be argued that one person took it harder than any of the others.
Meet 17-year-old Christian Roy (callsign Peeps). Christian is the son of Paul, EAA 666725, and Tammy Roy of Benton, Kansas. He has special needs but that has never gotten in the way of his love of aviation. It is not uncommon to run into Christian cruising around with his family in their golf cart at Stearman Field (1K1) in Benton on any pleasant evening. The Peeps smile is infectious. Pleasantries are exchanged quickly as they mostly get in the way of what he really wants to talk to you about: aviation. The most recent copy of EAA Sport Aviation is often within arm’s reach and he is quick to pull it out to discuss a particular aircraft that caught his eye. The concept of aviation to Christian is a very simple one; it makes him happy.
Constant medical procedures kept Peeps from attending AirVenture throughout most of his life, but that all changed back in 2014 when he was able to attend with his family for the first time. Like just about anyone who attends the event, the addiction to AirVenture quickly kicked in. Certain routines became commonplace for each trip. According to his father, Paul, Peeps will pick out his spot under the wing of a DC-3 along the flightline and will absolutely not move until the air show is 100 percent complete for the day out of fear of missing something. Even upon returning home after a great week in Oshkosh, the topic of discussion quickly turns to the next year’s AirVenture and how exciting it will be. This holds true every day, multiple times a day. Fortunately for the Roy family, this tradition reached five consecutive years in 2019 and Peeps was very ready to make the trip to Oshkosh in 2020.
When the news came in early May that AirVenture 2020 would be cancelled, Christian was not just sad; he was absolutely devastated. The event that he thought about every day for the past year was not going to happen. Thankfully for him, some friends were already trying to ease the pain.
Rod Hoctor, EAA Lifetime 179350; Ross Rogers, EAA 184872; and Joe Beck are all Stearman owners, pilots, and friends who often gather to fly formation around the Wichita area. Their flights include a very thorough briefing prior to the flight and a debrief after the fact. One summer night during their post-flight debrief, the discussion quickly turned to their friend Peeps and the devastation he felt due to the cancellation. One thing led to another and a plan started to form. Why not bring Oshkosh to Kansas?
From a simple conversation, PEEPSKOSH 2020 was formed. Christian’s friends and family worked hard to pull together an event to help fill the void and be a pleasant memory for years to come. It was decided that things would kick off on the Thursday evening of Spirit of Aviation Week in Joe Beck’s hangar and come to an end on Saturday evening. Every attendee would be required to wear a wrist band. The menu for each meal mimicked the typical Oshkosh cuisine. From the Red One Market donuts to A&W Root Beer floats, PEEPSKOSH covered all of the bases.
Upon arrival, Peeps and his family were quick to welcome everyone with a hello and even a commemorative PEEPSKOSH 2020 hat! While not the Brown Arch we have grown accustomed to, the large PEEPSKOSH 2020 banner hanging at the front of the hangar made for a great gathering spot. Everyone was able to get a quick photo with their friend and star of the event, Peeps, in front of his giant banner. The meal for this particular evening was grilled chicken legs and corn on the cob. Friends mingled around a Legend Cub and a Stearman. Kids waited their turn for the snow cone machine. Even a story or two might have been told.
The final event scheduled for the evening was the Fly-in Theater. The movie Memphis Belle would soon be on. As people started to find their seats, the music began to play in the hangar over the sounds of the touch-and-goes going on outside. Soon, Christian heard a song that he liked and immediately stood up and started dancing. The infectious smile referenced before was very present. Christian was in his element and surrounded by airplanes and those that love and want the best for him. There will never be a replacement for AirVenture, but that was never the point. The community of people coming together for the common purpose of making Peeps happy was a beautiful thing to witness. It truly was a great example of just how powerful The Spirit of Aviation is.