Exploration Place unveils Design > Build > Fly exhibit

Wichita Exploration Place unveils Design > Build > Fly exhibit with Click Bond & Moore Family support in Witchita, Kansas.

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Wichita Exploration Place unveils Design > Build > Fly exhibit with Click Bond & Moore Family Support

On November 15th, Charlie Hutter and Karl Hutter, Richard and Bekki Moore, and Jere Marble attended the donors’ unveiling of a new aviation exhibit at The Exploration Place, Wichita, Kansas’ regional science and nature museum with a focus on hands-on exhibits and interactive exploration.  This new exhibit, entitled Design > Build > Fly, opened to the public on December 2 and focuses on aviation-related science and technology from the three perspectives indicated in the title and features illustrative and hands-on demonstrations of basic science such as aerodynamics as well as practical examples of modern aircraft products and manufacturing technologies.  The centerpieces of this new presentation include large sections of aircraft structure donated by local Wichita manufacturers such as Bombardier Learjet and Textron Aviation (owner of legendary Wichita brands such as Cessna, Hawker, and Beechcraft).  These manufacturers joined lead sponsor Spirit AeroSystems in presenting this major exhibit.  Click Bond and The Moore Family together joined these valued Click Bond customers and other aerospace suppliers with a presence in Wichita in providing additional sponsorship to realize this major addition to the Exhibition Place.

A centerpiece of the exhibit is a nearly complete composite Hawker 4000 fuselage, featuring an extensive array of installed Click Bond fasteners that carry key aircraft systems just as they would have if this aircraft had been finished and delivered to a customer (this fuselage, was nearly complete when the Hawker 4000 program was cancelled in 2013 after 73 aircraft had been delivered).  Ahead of its time, this was one of business aviation’s first major uses of composite construction and serves as an incredible display of our products performing their duties.  The program and its smaller sibling the Premier I were early successes for Click Bond and this airframe is now surely the most publicly accessible example of Click Bond technology in the world.  Inside the fuselage is an interactive terminal where Click Bond Midwest Sales Manager Richard Moore can be found, at the push of a button, answering for visitors the question of how the electrical and other systems are held in place, without drilling holes in the composite barrel, using adhesive-bonded Click Bond fasteners instead of drilled attachments.

The Design > Build > Fly exhibit is an impressive and impactful addition to the premier science museum serving the Wichita area, itself known as “The Air Capital of the World” as a result of the many aerospace companies and innovations that have been born there over the 100+ year history of aviation.  Click Bond and The Moore Family are proud to support this incredible resource which will serve to expose young and old to the excitement and wonder of aviation and aerospace design and manufacturing, stimulating their interest in learning more and sparking in some the pursuit of a career in our amazing industry.