Contact: Sandy Ward, Marketing Director
Office (425)438-8100
Fax (425)265-9808
sandy@futureofflight.org
Date: April 21, 2006

Future of Flight Aviation Center a World Class Event Venue

Mukilteo, Wash – The Future of Flight Aviation Center, located just 25 miles north of Seattle, was transformed from an aviation center into a special events venue where it hosted a number of high ranking officials at a Seattle Chamber of Commerce luncheon sponsored by Davis, Wright, Tremaine LLP, on April 19, 2006. China’s President, Hu Jintao delivered a major policy address to a crowd of business leaders and a global press corps during the luncheon. Presisent Hu’s visit was his first to the United States since becoming The People’s Republic of China’s President in 2003.

President Hu’s Air China Boeing 747-400 landed flawlessly at Snohomish County airport, Paine Field, on April 18, 2006, after which he and his entourage departed for a visit to Microsoft’s headquarters in Redmond, Washington, and later a dinner at the home of Microsoft Chairman, Bill Gates.

At the April 19th function, and before joining 600 business leaders at the Future of Flight, which included head table dignitaries such as Washington State’s former Governor Gary Locke, current Governor Christine Gregoire, Microsoft Chairman, Bill Gates, Starbucks Chairman, Howard Shultz, former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, US Senator Patty Murray, Boeing Commercial Aircraft President Allan Mulally and Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon, President Hu toured Boeing’s Everett factory. Boeing’s Everett factory, located inside the world’s largest building by volume, is the assembly plant for The Boeing 777, 747, 767 and soon 787 Dreamliner commercial aircraft. During President Hu’s tour of the Boeing factory, he addressed a group of Boeing employees.

The Future of Flight Aviation Center, which opened in December 2005, is a unique learning and interpretive facility designed to let visitors experience the marvel of commercial jet aviation and production. It celebrates the historic accomplishments of the last 50 years since the first flight of the Boeing 707 and highlights the technological possibilities for powered, winged flight during the next 50 years.

The 73,000-square-foot Future of Flight facility includes a 28,000-square-foot Aviation Gallery with interactive exhibits and displays, 9,000-square-foot, rooftop observation deck overlooking Paine Field, Boeing Tour Center, conference space for 250 people, special event space for groups of up to 750 people , a 240-seat theater, 125-seat café, Future of Flight Store and Boeing Store.

The Future of Flight Aviation Center also features Aviation Zones with hands-on exhibits, videos, graphics and interactive stations where visitors can design their own airplanes. The facility also encompasses The Boeing Tour – the only public tour of a commercial jet assembly plant in North America.

For more information, visit www.futureofflight.org.

Additional press information can be found at the following links.

Herald Article 4/20/06	Boeing greets Hu with cheers
Herald Article 4/20/06	A letter-perfect perch
Herald Article 4/20/06	Not lost in Translation
Herald Article 4/20/06	Not everyone happily greets Hu
Herald Article 4/19/06	Hu says China aerospace needs will grow
Seattle Times 4/19/06	Security tight at Boeing Plant
Seattle Times 4/20/06	Hu Jintao, globalist
Seattle PI 4/19/06	China-U.S. trade win-win
NPR 4/19/06	China hopes to balance trade surplus
Reuters 4/20/06	Hu visits Boeing Plant
MSNBC 4/20/06	Hu urges U.S. to take long view on trade
CNN.com 04/19/06	Hu's visit shows who's in charge
KiroTV 04/20/06	China President visits Boeing Plant
BBC News 04/20/06	Chinese leaders tours Boeing Plant
Bangkok Post	Hu begins US charm offensive

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