Murfreesboro Airport hosts STEAM Festival event Oct. 21

The Murfreesboro Municipal Airport is proud to announce participation in the Discovery Center’s Seventh Annual TN STEAM Festival, Oct. 13-22, 2023. Murfreesboro Airport is hosting an Airport STEAM Festival event Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023. The Airport invites the public to engage STEAM from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. to learn how airplanes fly and what the Murfreesboro Airport does for the surrounding community.

Among the many participants, attendees can visit with a real-life Top Gun Pilot. Titan Aviation Fuels is sponsoring retired Top Gun Pilot Matthew “Whiz” Buckley and his privately owned L-39 Albatros, a Check high-performance jet trainer. Whiz is a decorated veteran operating a foundation to support veteran mental health.

“For a second year, Murfreesboro Municipal Airport is looking forward to inviting the public to the special STEAM event so the community can visit and see first-hand different aspects of our growing airport,” said Airport Director Chad Gehrke. “STEAM is science, technology, engineering, art and math and the airport will have STEAM showcased in a variety of displays.”

The Murfreesboro Airport STEAM festival will have static displays showing-off aviation and what the airport brings to the community. There will be educational opportunities to teach everyone the fundamentals of aviation.

“We’re excited about participating once again in STEAM and have been planning the special day with exhibits, static displays, and guests,” said Airport Manager Ryan Hulsey. “Thanks to our many participating sponsors who participate in these unique flying educational opportunities.”

The Experimental Aircraft Association will teach kids how planes fly and show-off the aircraft that fly in and out of the airport daily. A Paper Airplane Station will let kids and adults make paper airplanes. Civil Air Patrol will educate the community on their mission and the support CAP provides to the community.

The list of participants in the Murfreesboro Airport STEAM Festival event also include:

• The 101st Airborne Division: CH-47 (Chinook) and AH-64 (Apache)
• TN Army National Guard: UH-60 (Blackhawk)
• NewsChannel 5 Sky 5: See a news chopper and check out the aerial camera used in daily broadcasts
• Civil Air Patrol
• The Veterans of Foreign Wars
• Murfreesboro City Police: Law Enforcement Technology
• Murfreesboro City Fire: Ladder 6 and Live Fire Extinguisher Training
• Murfreesboro Aviation: Soviet Yakovlev Fighter Trainer & Flight Experience Opportunities
• Middle Tennessee State University: jet and piston engines on display to see all the inner workings of the engine and show off the aircraft that train future airline pilots and drone operators
• Vanderbilt LifeFlight and Ascension AirEvac: see one of their active service medical evac helicopters
• Microsoft Flight Simulator: fly the same plane you just sat in right out of MBT

This is an excellent opportunity for scout members to earn their Aviation Badge!

For the latest updated information on the Airport STEAM Festival, visit http://www.murfreesborotn.gov/2385/Airport-STEAM-Festival

For more information on the TN Steam Festival, visit https://www.tnsteam.org or https://www.facebook.com/steamfestival/.

The City completed construction of a new Municipal Airport Terminal in 2020, replacing the old terminal built in 1952. The new 16,000-sqaure-foot terminal includes a large main lobby with raised and ground level observation areas, lounge seating, a large leasable business conference center, smaller conference room space, pilot lounge, and office space.

A newly completed Hangar 1 will enhance the Airport’s infrastructure with a new modern, versatile hangar facility, allowing for additional tenants and creation of highly skilled jobs.

For more on the Airport STEAM Festival, contact Ryan Hulsey at 615-217-5048.
Visit the Murfreesboro Municipal Airport webpage at https://www.murfreesborotn.gov/95/Airport.