L-3 Communications
Integrated Systems donating large aircraft interior mockup to
Northeast Texas Children's Museum
November 10, 2003
L-3 News Release
GREENVILLE, Texas -
Nov. 10, 2003 - L-3 Integrated Systems is donating a life-size
mockup of an aircraft interior to the Northeast Texas Children's
Museum in Commerce, Texas.
The mock-up,
constructed to demonstrate the size of an Airbus A310 airplane
interior, will provide children who may have never been on an
airplane to step into a replica of an aircraft cabin. The
mock-up could also be used as a small classroom or theater,
according to museum officials.
"This is so exciting,
it's like a child on Christmas morning to get something unexpected
like this," said Patsy Youngs, president of the Northeast Texas
Children's Museum board of directors. "The real excitement
will be seen by the children who get to experience this first-hand."
The mock-up was
originally used to show potential customers how much room a widebody
aircraft offered for mission equipment. The mockup is no
longer needed and the company needs the warehouse space for other
projects. Built in eight, 2,500-pound sections, the mockup is
approximately 72 feet long, 12 feet tall and 16 ½ feet wide.
The mockup originally cost more than $140,000 to construct in the
mid-1990s.
"We have employees
who recognized that rather than disposing of this unique item, it
would be a great opportunity to make it available to someone who
could use it," said Bob Drewes, president of L-3 Integrated Systems.
"As a source of hands-on educational and entertaining experiences
for children, the Northeast Texas Children's Museum was a perfect
home for this mockup."
The museum already
has an airplane and flight suit exhibits and one featuring U.S. Air
Force legend, Maj. Gen. Claire Chennault, who was born in Commerce
and led the Flying Tigers during World War II.
"To have an exhibit
like this will be an asset for the children and the museum," Youngs
said.
The Northeast Texas
Children's Museum (NETXCM) in Commerce, Texas, opened its doors to
the public in September 2002. Children, and adults, are able
to play and learn at 28 exhibits. The mission of the Northeast
Texas Children's Museum is to provide individuals, families, and
school children with values-based, interactive learning
opportunities that are educational and entertaining. To learn
more about NETXCM, visit
http://netxcm.org.
L-3 Communications
Integrated Systems is an SEI CMM Level 5 developer and integrator of
complex electronic systems for intelligence, surveillance and
reconnaissance (ISR) missions. Headquartered in Greenville,
Texas, L-3/IS also operates from major sites in Waco, Texas;
Lexington, Ky.; Tulsa, Okla. and Avalon, Australia.
Headquartered in New
York City, L-3 Communications is a leading merchant supplier of
Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) products, secure
communications systems and products, avionics and ocean products,
training products, microwave components and telemetry,
instrumentation, space and wireless products. Its customers
include the Department of Defense, selected US government
intelligence agencies, aerospace prime contractors and commercial
telecommunications and wireless customers.
To learn more about
L-3 Communications, please visit the company's web site at
www.L-3Com.com.
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