Cleveland is home to one of ExpressJet’s largest Maintenance hangars and a crew base, but the city has a long history in the aviation industry that’s much bigger than ExpressJet.
Since its inception in 1964, Burke Lakefront Airport has been home to one of the oldest, most respected air shows in the United States: The Cleveland National Air Show. The event began with the National Air Races (1929-1949) which hosted aviation legends like Amelia Earhart and Charles Lindbergh, and has now grown to an annual air show attracting 60,000 to 100,000 aviation enthusiasts.
ExpressJet participated in The Cleveland National Air Show this year by bringing an ERJ145 aircraft for attendees to explore, along with several employees who volunteered their time to talk with attendees about careers in aviation.
The ExpressJet volunteers put together an interactive display experience by outfitting the aircraft cabin with posters and flyers, each one detailing what it takes to be an ExpressJet pilot, flight attendant, mechanic, dispatcher or crew scheduler. ExpressJet employees, representing Flight Operations, Safety and Inflight Services, rotated in and out of the cabin to answer questions and take pictures of kids in the captain’s seat.
“We were absolutely thrilled with ExpressJet’s participation. Captain Paul K. turned a static display into a true attraction on the air show grounds,” said Kim Dell, the air show spokesperson. “There was a constant line of people waiting to walk through the aircraft, and the educational aspect of aviation careers was spot on.”
Our volunteers met younger kids who dreamt of soaring through the clouds, adults who dreamt of flying again, and everything in between. The air show is for everybody, from the enthusiast to future aviators to those already in the business. For our volunteers, the experience was about more than representing ExpressJet or inspiring future careers; it’s about the pure love of aviation.
“When the little kids see a big jet up close for the first time, it’s pretty cool,” said Captain Paul K., an ExpressJet pilot who helped coordinate ExpressJet’s involvement in the event. “As you get older, I think sometimes you forget that.”
Special thanks to all our employees who volunteered their time to represent ExpressJet at the Cleveland National Air Show and promote careers in aviation.
“The Cleveland National Air Show would like to thank everyone involved,” said Kim. “ExpressJet’s impact was huge, and we would love to have you involved again next year.”
ExpressJet tail with a show aircraft in the background