EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2015: Exhibitors - The "I's" Have It!

Fred Harl and Carmelo Turdo

EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2015 exhibitors represented a wide range of aviation products and services, and those in our "I" category are great examples of this diversity.  Included in our incredible inventory are a missionary aviation service, an amphibian, an EAA exhibit, and a new composite aircraft. 

IAMA Missionary Aviation

The International Aviation Missionary Association (IAMA) had a significant presence again at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2015.  IAMA includes over 70 member organizations whose mission is to spread the Christian Gospel across the world.  One of the members, Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF), uses it's aviation resources, including the hefty Quest Kodiak turboprop aircraft on floats, to share the Gospel through practical as well as spiritual service.  MAF provides disaster relief, medical services, food and water development expertise along with their evangelic message.

Icon Aircraft

Icon Aircraft has been heavily promoting its new amphibious aircraft for several years at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh.  The A5 can be trucked to an airport or waterway like a boat, and puts the Light Sport amphibian into another available class of aviation.  The design includes advanced materials and cockpit design as well as spin resistant airframe and recovery parachute.  Orders for the $200,000 aircraft were first delivered in 2015.

Innovation Center at Gateway Park

The EAA Innovation Center was dedicated on Monday during EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2015.  Jack Pelton, CEO of EAA, was present at the ribbon-cutting ceremony.  “To be fitting with EAA’s Mission, which is to inspire, to get people interested in aviation, to have people become passionate every year…That’s what created this entire new and dynamic environment that we’re very, very excited about.  This will be a very central place to be during AirVenture 2015.”  The lead sponsor, Piper Aircraft, was represented by President and CEO Simon Caldecott. Inside the Innovation Center tent one could find NASA's Mars mission display and a plethora of drone models and simulators that were unquestionably very popular. 

 

Ion Aircraft

 

The Ion Aircraft Model 100 kit/Model 120 factory-built Light Sport Aircraft and the Model 105 Experimental Aircraft are currently in the pre-production phase.  An unfinished and completed aircraft were on display, revealing the clean lines and overall size of the aircraft.  The company formed to design a new aircraft in the wake of the cancellation of their initial choice, the DreamWings Valkyrie.