In welcoming aviation enthusiasts to the pavilion, EAA President Tom Poberezny said, "Our goal is to tell the incredible story of two brothers from Dayton, Ohio, who were not only bicycle builders, but men who through invention, standards, and creativity changed the world. There have been many significant inventions and many significant events throughout time, but very few over history have had the impact that the airplane has on each of us. For those of us who are pilots and aviation enthusiasts, we know what flying means to us. When we look beyond that, for every single citizen of this world, the airplane behind me has shrunk the world we live in and provided assets, services, and commodities that were never dreamed about previously.

"In establishing Countdown to Kitty Hawk, we wanted to do a year-long celebration, not just a singular event, to celebrate the centennial of flight. This is not an aviation celebration, it is an aviation-led celebration that will be celebrated world wide, culminating on December 17, 2003 at 10:35 a.m. when the airplane you see behind me will take to the air again from the sands of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina."

Dottie Hall, representing Eclipse Aviation, which is also a sponsor of the touring pavilion, announced the "Top Ten Greatest Aviation Innovations" as chosen by a panel of aviation experts, and unveiled Eclipse's "Top Ten Innovations" display in the pavilion. The top ten innovations chosen are the 1903 Wright Flyer, the Douglas DC-3 and the Boeing 247, the invention of the jet engine, the Dehavilland Comet and the Boeing Dash 80, the Sikorsky VS-300 helicopter, the Piper Cub, the Boeing 747, the invention of the controllable pitch propeller, the advent of the air traffic control system, and the Lear Jet.

Aviation enthusiasts are invited to participate in choosing the number one innovation in aviation by visiting the touring pavilion or the Countdown to Kitty Hawk website, www.countdowntokittyhawk.org.

Bruce Williams of Microsoft Flight Simulator represented that sponsor at the festivities and noted that while aviation has become a routine part of our lives today, it's still fascinating to people all over the world. "But a great many obstacles keep a lot of people from taking to the skies themselves. While technology can't bypass all of those obstacles, we can help many of those people who are passively looking at aviation to experience it first hand. That's really why the Microsoft Flight Simulator team joined Countdown to Kitty Hawk. Aviation is a large part of our lives, and we wanted to apply our technology to help commemorate the centennial of flight. Our latest version of Microsoft Flight Simulator will be out later this year to celebrate the first 100 years of powered flight by inviting enthusiasts to climb in the cockpits of nine historical aircraft, including the Wright Flyer, along with some modern aircraft.

"So, this is a journey and story--a story of two builders, a story of innovation and aviation, and a story of training. In order to make this possible, it's taken 170,000 EAA members and our partners, Ford Motor Company, Microsoft Flight Simulator, and Eclipse Aviation."

In addition to its presence at the Sun 'n Fun Fly-In, the Countdown to Kitty Hawk touring pavilion will visit Ford Motor Company's 100th anniversary celebration in Dearborn, Michigan, June 13-16, 2003, Inventing Flight in Dayton, Ohio, July 4-20, 2003, EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2003, July 29-Aug. 4, 2003,  the Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington, Aug. 23-Sept.2, 2003 and the First Flight Centennial Celebration in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina in December. EAA invites members and enthusiasts to visit the pavilion and participate in the 100th anniversary of flight celebration to the fullest.