Oshkosh Day 1 – We’re Finally Ready!
Posted on Jul 26, 2010 by R. Steven Justice |
After fighting the effects of record rainfall in Wisconsin during July, the joint COIA and Middle Georgia College (MGC) exhibit at EAA AirVenture is now open for business! The EAA has done a great job adjusting to the challenge of handling the thousands of campers and aircraft that have converged on a much waterlogged Whitman Field. The rains ended Saturday morning, but the rains left much of the aircraft parking, camping and exhibit spaces under water. By Sunday the efforts of everyone here had improved conditions quite a bit and set-up could begin in earnest. Sunday was a bright and sunny day that helped dry out the area as COIA-MGC began setting up tents, parking aircraft, and unfurling banners.
Monday emerged bright and dry to kick off a great week at the world’s largest aviation event. The COIA-MGC exhibit is located right at the center of AirVenture next to Aeroshell Square. From our exhibit site we can see most of the major aircraft company exhibits as well as the large display aircraft such as the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, Douglas DC-3 and DC-7 piston airliners, and other historic aircraft.
The COIA-MGC exhibit features a large star tent which houses the main display for MGC and COIA along with a smaller MGC recruitment tent and the MGC Piper PA-44 Warrior training aircraft. In addition, the exhibit features two joint COIA/MGC/company projects to develop new aerospace projects. Eastman Aerospace is displaying their Z-750 Special Missions aircraft aimed at providing low cost aerial support for local law enforcement. The Z-750 Special Missions aircraft can provide much of the onsite aerial support normally associated with helicopters, but at a much lower cost. ALFrED Technologies is demonstrating their prototype device, built by MGC, which utilizes linear sound technology to repel birds from airport environments. The use of linear sound is more effective than other existing devices in keeping birds clear of airports to reduce the potential for aircraft bird strikes.
We’re already getting a big crowd coming through the exhibit, so I’ll sign off for now. More blogs to follow as we spend the week at Oshkosh!
Please wait…