Presenting the Presenters at the Fly-In Theater

July 13, 2017 - EAA’s Fly-In Theater, presented by Ford Motor Company, features a lineup with some fantastic blockbuster aviation-themed films, but the Fly-In Theater experience includes more than just the movies themselves as special presenters will speak to the crowd before each film.

“We’re glad to have each and every one of our presenters at the Fly-In Theater this year for EAA AirVenture Oshkosh,” said Rick Larsen, EAA vice president of communities and member programs. “Their unique perspectives and insights will create an experience that moviegoers cannot find anywhere else.”

Showing eight films over seven nights, the Fly-In Theater features a special presenter (or special presenters) each night in addition to Fly-In Theater emcee Hal Bryan, who is also EAA’s senior editor.

On Sunday, July 23, both Flying the Feathered Edge and Mission Control: The Unsung Heroes of Apollo will be shown. Kim Furst, who directed Flying the Feathered Edge, and Todd “Leif” Erickson, president of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots, will present that film. Mission Control director Gareth Dodds and producer David Fairhead will present their film.

The next night brings Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation to the Fly-In Theater, and with it Clay McConnell, the vice president of communications at Airbus, to present on Monday evening. In the film, Tom Cruise hangs off of an A-400M at one point, and that same model of airplane will be in Oshkosh on Wednesday for attendees to see up close.

Sully will be shown on Tuesday night, with an introduction from Jeff Skiles, who sat in the right seat for Chesley Sullenberger’s famous landing in the Hudson. Along with Jeff, EAA CEO and Chairman of the Board Jack J. Pelton and Ford Motor Company board of directors member Edsel Ford will be a part of the presentation.

As part of the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the Doolittle Raid, 30 Seconds Over Tokyo will be shown on Wednesday night. The presenters for that film are Jimmy Doolittle’s grandchildren, Jonna Doolittle, and Jimmy Doolittle III.

Thursday evening brings one of the most-anticipated films to the Fly-In Theater, as Rogue One: A Star Wars Story will be shown. John Knoll, visual effects supervisor and executive producer at Lucas Films, will present Rogue One, one of many films he’s worked on.

Knoll’s résumé is impressive and lengthy. In addition to his work on Rogue One, John has also been the visual effects supervisor for Pacific Rim, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, Avatar, three Pirates of the Caribbean movies, Star Wars: Episode III, Star Wars: Episode II, Star Wars: Episode I, Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek Generations, and Mission: Impossible, among many other hit films.

Hidden Figures will be shown on Friday. This film, based on a true story of the African-American female mathematicians who helped make Project Mercury and other NASA missions possible, will be presented by NASA’s chief historian Bill Barry.

Finally, on Saturday night viewers will be treated to Strategic Air Command, but not before an introduction from crew members of the B-1 Lancer and B-52 Stratofortress bombers that will be on static display during the week of AirVenture.