For the second year, the EAA Spirit of Aviation mobile experience, presented by NATCA, has toured the United States spreading EAA’s passion for aviation to new audiences. The 53-foot trailer features a variety of interactive activities from flight simulators to aircraft building and more. A new feature for 2018 was the addition of EAA’s superhero, Aviore, into the exhibit and distributing the first edition of The Adventures of Aviore comic book following its release in July.
While the tour faced weather challenges at a few stops, overall it was a very successful year with many notable moments. The exhibit was onsite during the record-breaking attendance at the Minnesota State Fair as well as at Sean D. Tucker’s last solo show during Wings Over Houston. Hundreds of Aviore comic books were handed out to the delight of attendees of all ages. “It was great to have a takeaway so they could continue to engage with EAA after the event,” said EAA’s Tour Manager Chris Cassinelli. “Plus, they became instant fans and wanted to know when the next comic would be available.” Overall, the outreach program visited 11 events and saw more than 35,000 visitors.
Another highlight was the number of EAA chapters and EAA members that volunteered to assist with the activities. Each stop requires a dozen or more volunteers for operation of the trailer. The volunteers worked alongside the EAA staff to engage every guest and share their passion for aviation. In addition to helping inspire new enthusiasts, their participation also gave them the opportunity to promote local involvement in aviation.
Planning for 2019 tour stops is already underway with many more events reaching out requesting the EAA Spirit of Aviation mobile experience to visit their city. Look for the announcement of the schedule early in 2019 to see if the exhibit will be coming near you!