CLEVELAND--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In a show of support for the nation’s most prestigious museum focused on all aspects of aviation, Flexjet today announced a $1 million gift to the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum. The contribution will specifically support the new “Thomas W. Haas We All Fly” gallery, which will celebrate the joy of flying and the impact of general aviation.
“The executives in our organization, including our Chairman Kenn Ricci, led by example in giving back to our community so we are proud to continue that practice by contributing to such a worthy cause,” said Michael Silvestro, Chief Executive Officer of Flexjet, one of the world’s largest fractional jet providers. “The ‘We All Fly’ gallery will introduce a wider audience to general and private aviation, helping to educate the public on the important function the industry plays – from economic benefits to job opportunities to the thrill of aviation careers.”
Ricci, who is also a Smithsonian National Board member, said, “What is truly exciting about this gift is that the innovations we are implementing in private aviation today will be reflected in tomorrow’s galleries at the museum.”
The National Air and Space Museum is the largest and most visited of the Smithsonian Institution’s 19 museums and this new gallery is part of the museum’s ongoing transformation of all its galleries at the flagship building in Washington, D.C.
The Thomas W. Haas Foundation founded what will become the “Thomas W. Haas We All Fly” gallery with a $10 million gift. “We All Fly” will include examples of different forms of general aviation, from business aircraft to gliders, and it will be among the first of the new galleries in the museum’s West End to open in 2022.
At the entrance of this new gallery will be Sean D. Tucker’s Oracle Challenger III high-performance aerobatic flight aircraft, according to the museum. Also featured in the gallery will be a Cessna 180, Gates Lear Jet and a Cirrus SR22. The exhibition will feature new educational interactive technology and engaging videos that will explore the valuable impact of general aviation on society and encourage the public to join in.
“We are grateful for this generous support from Flexjet,” said Dorothy Cochrane, aviation curator at the museum. “The gift will enable us to continue to tell these important stories, showing young people, and all visitors, the many possibilities open to them in the aviation field.”
For more information about how the museum is transforming all of its exhibitions and revitalizing the building, visit https://airandspace.si.edu/reimagining-air-and-space.
The National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., is located at Sixth Street and Independence Avenue S.W. The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is located in Chantilly, Virginia, near Washington Dulles International Airport.
About Flexjet
Flexjet first entered the fractional jet ownership market in 1995. Flexjet offers fractional jet ownership and leasing. Flexjet’s fractional aircraft program is the first in the world to be recognized as achieving the Air Charter Safety Foundation’s Industry Audit Standard, is the first and only company to be honored with 22 FAA Diamond Awards for Excellence, upholds an ARG/US Platinum Safety Rating, a 4Air Bronze Sustainable Rating and is IS-BAO compliant at Level 2. Flexjet’s fractional program fields an exclusive array of business aircraft—some of the youngest in the fractional jet industry, with an average age of approximately six years. In 2015, Flexjet introduced Red Label by Flexjet, which features the youngest fleet in the industry, flight crews dedicated to a single aircraft and the LXi Cabin Collection of interiors. To date there are more than 40 different interior designs across its fleet, which includes the Embraer Phenom 300, Legacy 450 and Praetor 500, Bombardier Challenger 350, the Gulfstream G450, G500, G650 and G700. Flexjet’s European fleet includes the Embraer Legacy 500, Praetor 600. Flexjet is a member of the Directional Aviation family of companies. For more details on innovative programs and flexible offerings, visit www.flexjet.com or follow us on Twitter @Flexjet and on Instagram @FlexjetLLC.
