COCKPIT-FEST USA 2016
September 2nd, 3rd, and 4th.
Featuring aircraft cockpits and simulators from across the USA
Held in conjunction with...
The Dallas/Ft. Worth Commemorative Air Force "Warbirds on Parade" and carshow.
Featuring Banquet Special Speaker Dick Atkins
Archive Director at the Vought Aircraft Heritage Foundation
Announcing, Cockpit-Fest USA is to become a biannual event,
In recognition of the logistics involved with transporting cockpits thousands of miles Cockpit-Fest USA is to be held every even numbered year.
Justin Messenger, the Cockpit-Fest USA Event Coordinator, says this will ensure the highest possible attendance during each event. "By giving the collectors a break every other year we expect the event to continue to grow in size, including 2016." So don’t miss this year or you will have wait until 2018!
Registration and info at the Cockpit-Fest USA 2016 Homepage
Facebookwww.facebook.com/cockpitfestusa
EARLY REGISTRATION DISCOUNTS
Use these discount codes on the Tickets page - discount offers end 8/12/2016
1. General Admission .00 off code: GA2016
2. Exhibitor Registration .00 off code: ER2016
3. Banquet Dinner .00 off code: BD2016
So who are the people who participate and attend this event? They are both collectors who trailer in their cockpits from coast to coast and aviation enthusiasts who attend to see the collection. The collectors have made projects of both restoring these pieces of heritage and also scratch building replicas at home. Cockpit-Fest gives you the chance to show your cockpits off to the public and to meet with others who share their passion which includes aircraft, electronic interfacing, and software development.
Collectors often rescue neglected cockpits from being scrapped. Gutted and damaged, the cockpits are often beyond many museums financial ability to restore them. Some people want a particular type of aircraft cockpit and when they cannot find one they painstakingly build a full sized replica from scratch!
The simulators use a variety of software platforms including FSX, Prepar3D, X-Plane, and Falcon. They include real cockpits interfaced as sims, industrial sims that are restored, scratch built sims, and custom made mobile-sims that are used for LAN meets. One quickly realizes that this group of people have an amazing array of skill-sets. It is common to see a simulator owner suddenly switch between tasks such as popping aircraft rivets to writing software script.
There are also categories for artifact and technology table exhibits.
A formal dinner is served during the Saturday evening awards banquet and various projects receive awards in recognition of the owner’s hard work. However, Justin Messenger says while awards are presented the event is not intended to be a competition. “We are here to have fun, learn, and to inspire. Most of the cockpits are not considered finished showroom projects. We encourage everyone to bring their works in progress. It is a fantastic opportunity to see progress made each year on various projects, that is when you can truly appreciate the hard work that goes into each of these exhibits and is my favorite feature of the event.”
Cockpit-Fest USA is hosted by the Cold War Air Museum who fly North America's only pair of Mi-24 Hind attack helicopters in addition to other Soviet helicopters and aircraft.
Justin says the Cold War Air Museum staff has been incredibly supportive of Cockpit-Fest USA. “Phil Davis, the CWAM Executive Director, opened the hanger doors and made this event possible. These people love aviation and it shows. Their enthusiasm is contagious and we are privileged to have Cockpit-Fest USA at their outstanding flying museum.” The Cold War Aviation Museum facility is located at the Lancaster airport near the Dallas/Ft. Worth Commemorative Air Force facility.
ITINERARY
Friday Sept 2nd· 12 PM – Exhibitor Registration Opens.
· 7 AM to 3 PM – Food available at Taxiway Café.
· 6 Pm to 9 PM - BBQ Sandwich Dinner and evening social in the hanger. Hang out and help set up cockpits and simulators!
· 8 PM to 9 PM - Judging for best Illuminated Cockpit and voting for Spirit of Cockpit-Fest.
· 9 PM - Announcement of evening award winners.
· 11 PM - Museum closes
Saturday Sept 3rd
· 9 AM – Museum Opens
· 7 AM to 3 PM – Food available at Taxiway Café.
· 9:30AM to 11:30AM - Exhibitor judging.
· 10 AM – Warbirds on Parade opens / Food available at CAF hanger until 3PM.
· 12 PM – Lunch at the Commemorative Air Force hanger.
· 2 PM to 5 PM- Viperpits.org cockpit interface workshop.
· 6 PM – Group Photo.
· 6:30 PM- Banquet Dinner and guest speaker Dick Atkins
· 7PM Awards Presentation.
· 9 PM - Simulator flying and hang out time.
· 11 PM - Museum closes
Sunday Sept 4th
· 7 AM to 3 PM – Food available at Taxiway Café.
· 9 AM – Museum Opens.
· 9 AM - CJ-6A award flights.
· 1 PM – Group lunch at Taxiway Café.
· 3 PM – End of Event.
2016 SPONSORS
o The Cold War Air Museum
o American Lawnmaster
o The C&A Messenger Foundation
o Viperpits.org
o PilotEdge.com