L-3 Donating Aircraft Interior Mockup to Children's Museum
November 11, 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.