Category Archives: EAA

DRONE LIGHT SHOW TO ILLUMINATE NIGHT SKY AT EAA AIRVENTURE OSHKOSH 2018

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DRONE LIGHT SHOW TO ILLUMINATE NIGHT SKY AT EAA AIRVENTURE OSHKOSH 2018

Up to 100 drones in simultaneous flight in night air shows on July 25 and 28

DRONE LIGHT SHOW – EAA AVIATION CENTER, OSHKOSH, Wisconsin — (July 5, 2018) — For the first time in North America, a drone light show will be part of an air show when EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2018 presents up to 100 lighted drones in flight during night air shows on July 25 and 28, creating another “Only at Oshkosh” experience.

The 66th annual Experimental Aircraft Association fly-in convention is July 23-29 at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The night air shows have become a favorite of the weeklong event, featuring a new perspective on the precise flying skills displayed by aerobatic pilots.

The EAA AirVenture demonstrations will mark the first time a lighted drone display is a scheduled part of a North American air show performance. Great Lakes Drone Company, based in Watervliet, Michigan, will be flying their drones and is one of just two U.S. companies authorized by the FAA for such displays.

“EAA and Great Lakes Drone Company worked closely with the FAA to make this pioneering and innovative event possible,” said Dave Chaimson, EAA’s vice president of marketing and business development. “What makes this event especially memorable are the intricate maneuvers that are capable by up to 100 synchronized drones, highlighting the possibilities of safe and responsible drone flying. People come to AirVenture to see aerial excitement not seen anywhere else, and these performances certainly continue that tradition.”

Great Lakes Drone Company has done numerous drones shows as stand-alone highlights at events, but this is the first as part of an air show performance. During AirVenture, the LED-equipped drones will perform a 10-minute “The History of Flight” show complete with musical accompaniment.

“When one thinks of THE place where flying innovation and excitement occur, Oshkosh instantly comes to mind,” said Matt Quinn, president of Great Lakes Drone Company. “That’s why we are so excited about this opportunity to be part of the famed night air shows and perform in front of the tens of thousands of aviation enthusiasts on the flightline – a real ‘first’ for the air show community.”

The EAA AirVenture Oshkosh night air shows begin at 8 p.m. on July 25 and July 28, and are included with AirVenture admission. Announced schedules are subject to change based on weather or operational conditions.

About EAA AirVenture Oshkosh

EAA AirVenture Oshkosh is the “World’s Greatest Aviation Celebration” and EAA’s yearly membership convention. Additional EAA AirVenture information, including advance ticket and camping purchase, is available online at www.eaa.org/airventure. EAA members receive lowest prices on admission rates. For more information on EAA and its programs, call 1-800-JOIN-EAA (1-800-564-6322) or visit www.eaa.org. Immediate news is available at www.twitter.com/EAA.

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ONE-OF-A-KIND RAF ‘EAGLE SQUADRON’ FORD MUSTANG GT ON AUCTION BLOCK AT EAA AIRVENTURE OSHKOSH 2018

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ONE-OF-A-KIND RAF ‘EAGLE SQUADRON’ FORD MUSTANG GT ON AUCTION BLOCK AT EAA AIRVENTURE OSHKOSH 2018

Proceeds from The Gathering on July 26 to benefit EAA youth education programs

EAA AVIATION CENTER, OSHKOSH, Wisconsin — (June 15, 2018) — Ford Motor Company is again supporting EAA’s youth aviation education programs by auctioning a one-of-a-kind vehicle that salutes an aviation legend, as the RAF EAGLE SQUADRON Ford Mustang GT is unveiled at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2018.

The vehicle, specially designed and built by Ford design engineers as well as drifting champion Vaughn Gittin Jr. and his RTR Vehicles group, will be up for bid during EAA’s biggest fundraiser, The Gathering, on July 26. The Gathering, which draws more than 1,000 aviation enthusiasts each year, is part of the 66th annual Experimental Aircraft Association fly-in convention on July 23-29 at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh.

“For 20 years, Ford Motor Company has supported EAA’s programs to build the next generation of aviators through commitments such as these one-of-a-kind collector vehicles,” said Jack Pelton, EAA CEO/Chairman. “This exclusive automotive salute to the 100th anniversary of the Royal Air Force and the famed Eagle Squadron of World War II makes this Mustang GT an even more desirable highlight of The Gathering auction.”

More information on the bidding process is available by contacting EAA at Gathering@EAA.org or by calling 920-426-6573.

The Eagle Squadron Mustang GT features a 700-horsepower 5.0-liter Ford V8 topped with a Ford Performance supercharger, an RTR carbon fiber wide-body kit and a Tactical Performance Suspension Package. A powerful and menacing-looking beast, the Eagle Squadron Mustang GT is inspired by the British Spitfire fighter planes that flew over the fields of Goodwood nearly 80 years ago. The Eagle Squadron included a number of American volunteer fighter pilots prior to the United States’ entry into the war.

After the car is completed in early July, it will make its first appearance at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the United Kingdom on July 12. Gittin will pilot the supercharged Mustang GT up the famed Goodwood hill climb. Following that appearance, the car will be transported to the U.S. for its unveiling at AirVenture.

The high bidder for the vehicle will also receive an all-inclusive package for two to attend the 2018 Ford Woodward Dream Cruise in Detroit, Michigan, in August, where they will receive their vehicle as well as a plaque autographed by Gittin and members of the Ford design team.

About EAA AirVenture Oshkosh

EAA AirVenture Oshkosh is the “World’s Greatest Aviation Celebration” and EAA’s yearly membership convention. Additional EAA AirVenture information, including advance ticket and camping purchase, is available online at www.eaa.org/airventure. EAA members receive lowest prices on admission rates. For more information on EAA and its programs, call 1-800-JOIN-EAA (1-800-564-6322) or visit www.eaa.org. Immediate news is available at www.twitter.com/EAA.

 

ALL THINGS INNOVATION PROGRAMMING JULY 24 AT EAA AIRVENTURE OSHKOSH 2018

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ALL THINGS INNOVATION PROGRAMMING JULY 24 AT EAA AIRVENTURE OSHKOSH 2018

Innovation – New technologies, awards, thought leaders part of ‘what’s next’ in flight

EAA AVIATION CENTER, OSHKOSH, Wisconsin — (June 12, 2018) — The cutting-edge technology and products that will drive general aviation’s next generation come together at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2018 on Tuesday, July 24, with a full Innovations Day of programming and events on the AirVenture grounds.

The 66th annual Experimental Aircraft Association fly-in convention is July 23-29 at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The event is traditionally the venue where the latest aviation technology is introduced to the flying community.

The daylong series of only-at-Oshkosh events brings together the brightest minds in aviation innovation. Topics will include electric and hybrid technology, artificial intelligence in the cockpit, future avionics, uses of unmanned aircraft and more. The packed schedule of events concludes An Evening With Innovators program at Theater in the Woods, featuring with the third annual Founder’s Innovation Prize judging and program. In addition, Aviation Gateway Park features more than 20 new exhibitors demonstrating new technology throughout the week.

“EAA members thrive on the ‘what’s next’ – the new technology and innovations in general aviation,” said Dave Chaimson, EAA’s vice president of marketing and business development. “Many of the innovations seen at Oshkosh over the past five decades are now commonplace in aviation. There’s no place better than Oshkosh, and its connection with the community’s leading manufacturers and service providers, to provide world-class educational experiences to engage in aviation’s future.”

Some of the July 24 highlights include:

  • 9 a.m.-Noon: Lindbergh Innovation Forum, Aviation Gateway Park Forum Tent — Entrepreneurs, inventors, and trailblazers involved in breakthrough work participate in presentations and panel discussions on a variety of technology shaping tomorrow’s aviation environment. Those scheduled to participate include representatives of Uber Elevate, Boeing, Insitu, Ampaire, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and others.
  • 1-2 p.m.: Innovation Trends in GA Avionics Executive Roundtable, Aviation Gateway Park Forum Tent — This panel of GA founders and CEOs from the avionics industry will focus on ADS-B, open-source development, GA/UAV crossover technology, and more.
  • 8 p.m.: An Evening With Innovators featuring the Founder’s Innovation Prize, Theater in the Woods — The third year of this competition, presented by Airbus, highlights the top five 2018 entries in a “Shark Tank”-style format, where judges from throughout the aviation and aerospace world review the best and brightest ideas to lower the loss-of-control accident rate in general aviation. The winner receives a cash prize of $25,000, with additional cash prizes for second and third place.

About EAA AirVenture Oshkosh

EAA AirVenture Oshkosh is the “World’s Greatest Aviation Celebration” and EAA’s yearly membership convention. Additional EAA AirVenture information, including advance ticket and camping purchase, is available online at www.eaa.org/airventure. EAA members receive lowest prices on admission rates. For more information on EAA and its programs, call 1-800-JOIN-EAA (1-800-564-6322) or visit www.eaa.org. Immediate news is available at www.twitter.com/EAA.