KITPLANES writer Katie Bosman (Fix these broken wings!, November 2014) and her long-time boyfriend, Ben Krotje gathered about 40 close friends and family to share in their dream AirVenture wedding on “arrival” Saturday. It made sense. Both are serious builders (Katie is lead on rebuilding an RV-3B mangled in the Sun ‘n Fun tornado a few years ago and Ben built his flying RV-8), both grew up in Wisconsin, and both hold a special place in their hearts for AirVenture. Katie’s family still lives in the area. Many members of Ben’s family, which owns the U.S. Jabiru distributorship, and most of the couple’s close friends would come to AirVenture, anyway. Why not an AirVenture wedding?
The wedding took place at the Elo Church of the Nazarene next to the Fiske Arrival railroad tracks. If you flew in around 11 am last Saturday, you contributed to the aviation ambience the couple sought. The church sits next to the private Munso Williams grass airstrip, an emergency landing site for Fiske arrivals, so the groom and best man’s arrival in a Jabiru followed by the couple’s departure was pre-arranged and coordinated with a supportive ATC.
Initially, Katie contacted the AirVenture staff to investigate the possibility of holding the wedding on the AirVenture ground but she sensed a strong reluctance to the idea. Recognizing the potential conflicts with the busy arrival and set-up environment at Wittman Regional on Saturday, she looked for the right local church and found it in Elo Church of the Nazarene, Pickett, Wisconsin. “She (the pastor) provided a beautiful service with a wonderfully appropriate sermon even though we have no association with the church,” said Bosman.
Following the service, the group followed the couple to Munso Williams field to wave as Katie and Ben departed for nearby AirVenture. Once at KOSH, the couple taxied the Jabiru to Boeing Plaza where they were met by friends and family. The wedding party then pushed the plane to the Jabiru USA display area, just north of Theater in the Woods. If you go by the booth, you may have a chance to extend congratulations and wish to the couple.
