Two-Stories and Thirty-Thousand-Square-Feet of Wonderment

The Experimental Aircraft Association has opened its Education Center—originally known as Project 21—with a well-attended, 12 July ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The new structure, a two-story, thirty-thousand-square-foot addition to the EAA’s Aviation Museum in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, is dedicated to the EAA’s ongoing mission of advancing aviation education and training.

EAA CEO and Chairman Jack J. Pelton said of the undertaking: “The education center was built to enhance aviation education for kids and pilots unlike any other facility. Part of EAA’s mission is to grow aviation participation by promoting the spirit of aviation and I think we are doing just that with the educational and technological advancements that we now have available in this new facility.”

The $6.2 million project, completely funded via a capital campaign wholly separate from EAA member dues, features an innovative Pilot Proficiency Center, a hands-on Youth Education Center, and a conference center. Subject facilities are adjacent to the museum’s Eagle Hangar, and allow visitors year-round access to the EAA’s considerable resources.

The Pilot Proficiency Center affords aviators opportunity to supplement their aeronautical knowledge and hone their flying skills. Principal among the center’s attractions are 16 flight simulators representing the ne plus ultra of pilot training and education.

By availing themselves of relevant safety forums and challenging simulator training sessions, general aviation pilots are apt to leave the Pilot Proficiency Center with their confidence and aeronautical decision-making skills improved.

The 15,000-square-foot Youth Education Center provides young people, their parents, and their teachers access to interactive and project-based activities that inspire and inform the upcoming generation of aviators. The facility has five hands-on tech labs and four modifiable classrooms. The Youth Education Center exemplifies the EAA’s dedication to the advancement of aviation as both a rewarding vocation and a fulfilling pastime.

FMI: www.eaa.org