Founder Sir Richard Branson Will Take His First-Ever Flight Aboard The Virgin Galactic Mothership

When Virgin Galactic Mothership "Eve" (formerly known as WhiteKnightTwo) arrives and executes several low passes on July 27 to kick off the EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2009 week-long series of showcase flights and air shows, she'll be performing the first of four scheduled flight demonstrations. The Monday arrival will be Virgin Mothership (VMS) Eve's first appearance before a general-public audience.

File Photo

The next day, VMS Eve will take to the air again for a flight demonstration marking another significant first: Sir Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin group of more than 350 companies, will participate as a crew member and, for the first time, fly aboard an aerospace vehicle developed for his progressing Virgin Galactic space tourism enterprise.

Additional flight demonstrations on Thursday, July 30, and before departing on Saturday, August 1, will round out a visit that will also include up-close viewing on the AeroShell Square ramp, and presentations from Virgin Galactic officials and Branson. Famed aeronautical engineer and visionary Burt Rutan and others from Scaled Composites, Virgin Galactic's partner in Mojave, Calif., will also participate.

Branson

EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, "The World's Greatest Aviation Celebration," is EAA's annual membership convention, fly-in, and air show. The 2009 event takes place July 27 - August 2. Additional EAA AirVenture Oshkosh information is available online at

FMI: www.airventure.org.