This piece originally ran in the October 2023 issue of EAA Sport Aviation magazine.
Gustavo Arosemena, EAA 1172064, of Panama is highly involved with EAA, starting his chapter in Panama and volunteering year after year at the International Visitors Tent during EAA AirVenture Oshkosh.
Gustavo first came to the United States in 1997 as part of an exchange program and attended high school in Lomira, Wisconsin. When Gustavo was around 17 years old, he attended AirVenture with his foreign exchange family and went to the EAA Aviation Museum, walking out with admiration for aviation. Little did Gustavo know aviation would play a large role in his future.
After he graduated high school, Gustavo studied industrial engineering in Germany and worked independently upon graduation in customer service for an import company. Through his work, he learned more about forestry and industrial engineering in Colombia. The company Gustavo worked with rented a lot of aircraft, mainly twin-engine airplanes, to bring people to the region they were working in. During his time there, Gustavo’s fellow workers encouraged him to pursue getting his private pilot certificate, which is precisely what he did.
Gustavo sought out how to attain his certificate through research and friends of his. He attained his certificate in 2011 and considered it a “dream come true.” He became the operations manager of the hangar his company stored its aircraft in. He started flying more, and it became his addiction. To feed his frenzy of aviation, he continued to grow professionally. He obtained his instrument rating and commercial certificate and started an EAA chapter in Panama that is slowly growing.
Looking to find like-minded individuals, Gustavo attended SUN ’n FUN in Lakeland, Florida. There he met people who had a similar aircraft, and they pointed him in the direction of Oshkosh, referring to it as a special place. Gustavo remembered his trip to Wisconsin and seeing the museum during AirVenture, so he was confident going alone. He came in 2015, and it was love at first sight.
“I feel like I was at Disney World,” Gustavo said. “I came here to the International Visitors Tent, and I felt very welcome and at home.”
After his trip to AirVenture, Gustavo decided he wanted to contribute, so he now volunteers at the International Visitors Tent annually. He travels from Panama, usually going to Chicago and then driving the rest of the way with a friend. He loves helping others by being in the international tent, mainly because coming to the tent in 2015 changed his life.
“I wait the entire year to come to the U.S. I call this my spiritual aviation retreat. I come back every year for the family I have made here, the friends I have met, sharing the camaraderie for aviation,” Gustavo said. “I love coming to share, serve, and be immersed with the people that enjoy aviation.”
Volunteers make EAA AirVenture Oshkosh — and just about everything else EAA does — possible. This space in EAA Sport Aviation is dedicated to thanking and shining the spotlight on volunteers from the community. Sadly, it cannot capture all of the thousands of volunteers who give so much to the community every year. So, next time you see a volunteer at AirVenture or elsewhere, however they are pitching in to make EAA better, be sure to thank them for it. It’s the least we can do. Do you know a volunteer you’d like to nominate for Volunteer Spotlight? Visit EAA.org/Submissions.