Rod Hightower, veteran pilot, EAA member and business executive was introduced Monday as the next CEO and President of EAA.

Hightower, a Texas native, is a vintage aircraft enthusiast, having restored his own Stearman biplane, which he flies out of the Creve Coeur, Missouri airport. Hightower is a director of the National Stearman Foundation and has helped organize the annual Stearman National Fly-in.

His business career spans more than 25 years in management for manufacturing and industrial companies. His duties as EAA president will begin September 7 and include the day-to-day operations as well as direction of EAA programs and strategy. He is only the third president in EAA history and the first outside the Poberezny family.

(Photo by Shahn Sederberg)

Ford Motor Company’s one-of-a-kind, aviation-themed 2011 Ford Mustang raised $375,000 for the nonprofit Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Young Eagles organization at an auction Thursday evening. This truly unique vehicle, in the first-ever collaboration between legendary automotive icons Jack Roush and Carroll Shelby, was auctioned during the Gathering of Eagles event at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2010, the world’s greatest aviation celebration. A man from Texas purchased the vehicle.
 

Like a beacon the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO) tent has for years drawn a host of EAA attendees to its central location smack dab between where the old tower stood and where the new one majestically stands today.  Last year being the exception the tent is again on familiar ground - the only difference is that they are sharing space this year with the state of Wisconsin.

Pictured from left are: Chris Roy, Minnesota Aviation Director, Larry Tabrosky, Director, North Dakota Aeronautics Commission, Henry O, President of NASAO, Roger Pfeiffer, retired Deputy Director of the North Dakota Aeronautics Commission and former aviation director from the state of  Wisconsin, Bob Kunkel. (Photo by Shahn Sederberg)
 

Aviation-themed Build #1 of 1 Ford Mustang SR-71 “Blackbird” to be sold at auction July 29, at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, with proceeds supporting youth experiences and education

DEARBORN, Mich., July 14, 2010 – Two automotive icons, legendary racer and manufacturer Carroll Shelby, and world-renowned racer, engineer and designer Jack Roush, have come together in their first vehicle collaboration project to join Ford in creating a one-off 2011 Mustang, the aviation-themed SR-71 “Blackbird.” The one-of-a-kind vehicle will be sold at the Gathering of Eagles July 29 during the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) 2010 AirVenture Oshkosh, the world’s greatest aviation celebration. Ford is the exclusive automotive partner of EAA AirVenture Oshkosh and all of the proceeds from the sale will benefit the EAA Young Eagles organization. EAA AirVenture Oshkosh will be held from July 26 to Aug. 1 at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wis.