Hoping To Inspire Aviation's Future And Preserve Its Past

The Experimental Aircraft Association and Cessna Aircraft Company today announced a landmark, five-year agreement launching EAA's "Partners in Flight," which provides financial support of EAA's youth-education and historical-preservation missions.

"Cessna's generous, inaugural commitment recognizes and further enhances the valuable work that EAA has done for decades and underscores Cessna's leadership role in the aviation community," said Tom Poberezny, EAA president. "By launching EAA Partners in Flight, Cessna is helping us form a prestigious group of corporate and individual contributors who share EAA's vision of personal aviation - including its cherished past, its enormous value today, and its promise for the future."

Under the agreement, Cessna will also serve as the presenting sponsor of the EAA Gathering of Eagles event, the association's preeminent fundraising function, which takes place during the annual EAA AirVenture Oshkosh convention. This year's EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, "The World's Greatest Aviation Celebration," will take place July 25-31 on the grounds of Wittman Regional Airport and EAA's world headquarters in Oshkosh, WI.

"Having built the airplanes in which skybound dreamers learned to fly, and kept on flying, for decades, Cessna is committed to promoting access to, and inspiring the pursuit of, personal flight," said Jack Pelton, Cessna's Chairman, President and CEO, as well as Chairman of EAA's Gathering of Eagles in 2005. "In that way, our corporate vision parallels that of EAA, an association built on the principle of helping people fulfill their dreams in aviation."

Poberezny noted that Cessna's commitment will advance EAA's youth-education and historical-preservation efforts in aviation, a longtime mission and outreach for both organizations.

That includes support for EAA Young Eagles, a program that during the past decade has become the world's largest youth aviation education program. Young Eagles has introduced more than 1.1 million youth to the joy of flight since 1992, with EAA's related educational efforts using aviation to energize young people to explore and achieve their potential.

In addition, Cessna's support for the EAA AirVenture Museum and EAA's numerous "living history" restoration and flight programs will help enthusiasts of all ages relive past aviation accomplishments that foster today's breakthroughs.

FMI: www.cessna.com, www.eaa.org