To Celebrate 100 Years Of Flight

The NBAA 56th Annual Meeting & Convention, to be held October 7 to 9, 2003, at the Orlando/Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL, will feature close to 30,000 Attendees, more than 1,000 Exhibitors, 75 Informational Sessions and 135 aircraft on Static Display at Orlando Executive Airport. The Convention's Opening General Session will feature new NBAA President Shelley A. Longmuir (below, right), FAA Administrator Marion C. Blakey and U.S. Representative John L. Mica (R-FL 7th), chairman of the House Aviation Subcommittee (Congressional voting schedule permitting), as keynote speakers.

"We are thrilled to report that in this economic climate, the NBAA Convention is doing better than last year at the same point in time," said NBAA Vice President, Conventions & Seminars Kathleen Blouin. "We have reservations for 4,361 exhibit booths versus 4,334 at NBAA2002. In addition, the number of Exhibiting Companies is up by 11 percent to 1,002 this year versus 900 last year."

The NBAA 56th Annual Meeting & Convention will celebrate 100 years of powered flight with a special exhibit showcasing the most authentic replica of the 1903 Wright Flyer. Under special arrangements by Eclipse Aviation and presented by Ford Motor Company, EAA's Countdown to Kitty Hawk exhibit will be on display inside Orlando/Orange County Convention Center Exhibit Hall C. The Experimental Aircraft Association commissioned the replica, which adheres to the original design specifications of the Wright Brothers. Sponsors for this exhibit include Eclipse Aviation, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Northrop Grumman and NBAA. Also on display will be vintage aircraft simulators and authentic Wright Flyer artifacts from the Franklin Institute and Wright Again program.

Also in celebration of the Centennial of Flight, the chief historian and interpreter at the Wright Brothers National Memorial, Darrell M. Collins, will give a special presentation on October 7 during the Opening General Session. With a career spanning more than 25 years, Darrell Collins is widely acknowledged as one of the top five authorities on the Wright brothers and early aviation history.

FMI: www.nbaa.org/conventions/2003, www.countdowntokittyhawk.com, www.wrightagain.com