Aeronautics & Engineering Expo
Save the date - Saturday, September 6th, 2025! 9am-4pm
This family friendly event has been a fixture in the Stow/Kent community for more than two decades and we are thrilled to bring this event back and showcase our Airport and FedEx Aeronautics Academic Center to the entire community. The Expo provides a unique opportunity to explore the Kent State Airport and offers one-of-a-kind activities for both the young - and young at heart.
Aircraft Appearing at the 2025 Expo
Douglas C-53 Skytrooper "Beach City Baby"
Boeing Stearman E75
Cesna C-150
Cesna C-172S
B-25 Mitchell Bomber "Champaign Gal"
Dassault Falcon 2000
SubSonex JSX-2
Grumman TBF Avenger
Grob 103 Glider
Airbus H125
Airbus Eurocopter EC135 "Air Bear"
Additional Aircraft
- Cesna C-172S
- Diamond
- Citabria
- Super-D
- Piper M700 Fury
Admission
- Walk-Up: $5 per person | Max $20 per family
- Parking On-Site: $20 per car - cash only
*parking will be on grass
Activities
- Airport Building Tours 9am-3pm
- Airplane Rides 9:30am-3:30pm
- Simulator Rides 9:30am-3:30pm
College of Aeronautics and Engineering Displays
Zero Emissions Vehicle (ZEV)

Check out the future of clean transportation with our Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV)! Designed in our Sustainable Energy Lab, ZEV is the first golf cart powered by three sources—fuel cell, solar panel, and batteries. Complete with a built-in audio system for streaming music, this innovative project showcases how our students are driving forward breakthroughs in sustainable energy and fuel cell technology.
3D Printing Station
We’re bringing a small snapshot of our campus Makerspace Lab to the Expo! Watch a 3D printer in action and see how ideas take shape using the same innovative technology found in our lab. Attendees can take home a custom Aeronautics & Engineering Expo keychain, crafted right here in our Makerspace.
FANUC Robots

Step up and meet one of our FANUC robots! At the Expo, our industrial robots—just like the ones in our state-of-the-art Industrial Robotics Lab—will be handing out College of Aeronautics and Engineering pens to attendees. Our lab, a certified FANUC Authorized Education Training Facility, gives students and industry professionals hands-on experience with advanced robotics. Now’s your chance to interact with the technology shaping the future of automation!
External Exhibitors
Maps Air Museum
The MAPS Air Museum (Military Aviation Preservation Society) is an internationally known museum of aviation and serves as a center of aviation history for Northeast Ohio. The museum features exciting educational displays of its collection of acquired artifacts, interactive exhibits and historical archives in its own library.
Displays will include:
¼ scale J-57 engine
F-86D Sabre Cockpit
Douglas A-4 Skyhawk Cockpit
FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) Robotics

Step onto the field with the FIRST® Tech Challenge display! Students design, build, and code robots using a reusable platform powered by Android technology and Java-based programming. At the Expo, you can watch live demos and even take the controls to try driving a competition robot yourself—experience the excitement of engineering in action!
Props-4-Paws

Jim Sebastian, a Kent State adjunct professor/check instructor and Southwest Airlines Captain, and David Poluga, Kent State airport manager, have turned their passion for aviation into a mission of compassion. In 2012, they founded Props-4-Paws, a charitable organization dedicated to supporting local animal shelters. At this event, Props-4-Paws sets up a donation booth in the hangar, accepting pet food, supplies, and monetary contributions. They also sell branded merchandise, with all proceeds going directly to shelter animals.
Portage County Amateur Radio Service

Discover the world of amateur radio with the Portage County Amateur Radio Service (PCARS)! This passionate group of radio hobbyists is all about having fun while exploring the airwaves. At their Expo table, you can see ham radio equipment in action, check out inexpensive software-defined radios that let anyone pick up hundreds of signals without a license, and even try your hand at locating hidden transmitters around the area. Whether you're new to radio or a seasoned pro, PCARS has something exciting to share!
BETA Technologies

Explore the future of flight with BETA Technologies! This cutting-edge electric aerospace company is pioneering the development of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) and electric conventional takeoff and landing (eCTOL) aircraft. BETA is also building the charging infrastructure needed to power a cleaner, more sustainable future in aviation.
KSU Softball Team

U.S. Marine Corps

Portage County Veterans Association
Food and Vendors
All Day 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
- Travlin' Tom's Coffee Truck: Delicious, customizable beverages made fresh
- Black Sheep Baking Co.: Indulge in homemade, from-scratch treats, including soft-baked cookies, rich brownies, and delicious hand pies
Pancake Breakfast 9 a.m. - 11 a.m.
- Hosted by Scout Troop 177
- Cash Only: $8 adults (12 and up) | $5 kids (5-11) | FREE 5 and under | $1 drinks
All proceeds benefit Scout Troop 177; Cash Only
Food Truck Vendors 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
- Top Dawg: Gourmet hotdogs served with fries, Polish Sausage served with sloppy fries, lemonade, boba, iced tea & water
- Sticks: Corn Dogs, Fried Cheese & Fresh Squeezed Lemonade
- Stoddard's: Frozen Custard and Ice Cream
- Summer Fest Food Tent: Texas Steak Burgers, Dirusso's Italian Sausage & Grilled Chicken Pitas
- Funnel Cake: Gourmet funnels, deep fried oreos, fresh squeezed lemonade
- Eb's Soda Shop: Classic Milkshakes, Sundaes, Ice Cream Cones & Old Fashion Soda
- Buckeye Concessions: Roasted Nuts, Kettle Corn, Cinnamon French Fries, and Fresh Squeezed Lemonade
Become a vendor!
You can become a vendor at this event by sponsoring a booth!
Sponsorship Opportunities at the A&E Expo
Sponsorship Contact
Dir., Philanthropy & Corporate Relations.
Event Contact
Student Recruitment and Outreach Coordinator