DEARBORN, Mich., Dec. 17, 2002 - Aviation design from the 19th century meets information technologies from the 21st century as Ford Motor Company's information technologists assist The Wright Experience in the "re-discovery" of flight.

Ford IT, in collaboration with its supplier partners Documentum, Oracle and Hewlett-Packard, has developed a searchable, computerized database that will enable The Wright Experience to retrieve historical documents as it creates the 1903 Wright Flyer reproduction that will fly at Kitty Hawk next December as part of EAA's Countdown to Kitty Hawk presented by Ford Motor Company.

"The document management system we're implementing allows Ken Hyde and his team to easily access information from thousands of century-old news clippings, handwritten notes and other documents found in their research process - all with the 'click' of a mouse, directly from their desktop computers," said Marv Adams, vice president and chief information officer, Ford Motor Company.

Countdown to Kitty Hawk is a centennial celebration of the Wright brothers' first powered flight - an innovation that forever changed our world. Led by EAA, presented by Ford Motor Company and supported by Microsoft Flight Simulator and Eclipse Aviation, this yearlong series of inspirational events honors the innovation and determination it takes to make world-changing dreams a reality. Countdown to Kitty Hawk features an interactive touring pavilion and the world's most-accurate 1903 Wright Flyer reproduction that will exclusively re-enact the Wright brothers' first flight at Kitty Hawk, N.C., on Dec. 17, 2003 - exactly 100 years later.

Ford IT, Documentum, Oracle and Hewlett-Packard have donated a Windows NT/2000 based file server, database and intranet software, project management, server configuration and other technical support, desktop computers with CD-Rom and disc drives to be used at public kiosks for educational purposes and a 35mm film reader/color scanner/printer as well as software training and helpdesk support.