A World War 2 era bomber facing head-on parked on the tarmac at the A&E Expo
A child flies a small blue drone inside a safety net at the A&E Expo
A pilot in period correct World War 2 pilot uniformposes in front of a Douglas C-53 Skytrooper
A child flies a small red drone inside a safety net at the A&E Expo
A family walks towards the camera as they leave the area for viewing the Goodyear Blimp.

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 "Beach City Baby" taking off from the ground

    Douglas C-53 Skytrooper "Beach City Baby"

  • A Boeing Stearman performs a mid-air turn against a blue sky.

    Boeing Stearman E75

  • Photograph of a Cesna C-150 just before landing.

    Cesna C-150

  • A closeup shot of a single engine plane landing at the Kent State Airport.

    Cesna C-172S

  • Front view of a WW2 B-25 bomber painted green.

    B-25 Mitchell Bomber "Champaign Gal"

  • A Dassault Falcom 2000 airplane on approach prepares for landing.

    Dassault Falcon 2000

  • A blue JSX-2 aircraft in flight

    SubSonex JSX-2

  • A WW2-era navy bomber flies against a blue sky

    Grumman TBF Avenger

  • A Glob G103 glider lands on an airstrip.

    Grob 103 Glider

  • A modern police helicopter with attached spotlight.

    Airbus H125

  • A modern helicopter painted with colorful designs and a large teddy bear.

    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)

Zero Emission Vehicle

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

flower stamp getting printed on a 3d printer

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

Male Student with FANUC Robot

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:

  • A cutaway model of a ¼ scale J-57 engine

    ¼ scale J-57 engine

  • Traiing cockpit for an F-86

    F-86D Sabre Cockpit

  • Training cockpit for an A4 Skyhawk

    Douglas A-4 Skyhawk Cockpit

FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) Robotics

Two students control two battle robots against each other in a low arena

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

Props-4-Paws logo

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

An outline of Ohio state enclosing the words "Portage County Amateur Radio Service" next to a blue area representing Portage county and a black squirrel.

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

The word "BETA" with a lightning bolt through the "B"

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

A blue letter "K" overalid on a bird's head in profile over the word "SOFTBALL"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. Marine Corps

Seal of the U.S. Marine Corp

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

Andrew Morrison | amorri28@kent.edu
Dir., Philanthropy & Corporate Relations.
College of Aeronautics and Engineering

Event Contact

Cassy Mendenhall | cmenden6@kent.edu
Student Recruitment and Outreach Coordinator
College of Aeronautics and Engineering

 

2024 Gallery

A sign reading "Airplane Rides" points to small planes and people at the Aeronautics & Engineering Expo
Three men smiling and talking near a shiny airplane propeller at the Aeronautics & Engineering Expo
A small plane with eagle-themed artwork and people gathered nearby at the Aeronautics & Engineering Expo
A man in an orange hoodie smiles warmly while leaning into the cabin of a small brown and white airplane.
A woman smiles while demonstrating a drone controller to a group of people, including children, inside a hangar.
A woman helps a child use a drone controller outside a netted enclosure containing drones.
A child uses a controller to fly a drone in a netted enclosure.
Two staff members hand out remote control drones to two children.
Several people, including a woman holding a baby, walk under the fuselage of a large WWII-era airplane.
A pilot in full WWII flight clothing stands in front of a WWII bomber.
A pilot in WWII-era clothes sits at the controls in the cockpit of a WWII bomber.
Three children sit in the back of a single-engine airplane as it takes off.
A woman looks in the front seat area of a yellow single-engine airplane.
A young girl wearing a jacket sits in the cockpit of a glider.
A young boy looks at the camera while at the controls of a single-engine airplane while parked.
Two people make metal castings in a hangar at the Aeronautics and Engineering Expo.
A closeup of a mold used for metal casting showing an impression being made in sand in a box.
A staff person wearing an orange shirt helps a child replace a battery on a remote control drone.
A professional pilot stands in front of the Goodyear blimp.
A professional pilot stands in front of the nose of the Goodyear blimp.
A pilot prepares to take off in a WWII-era fighter plane.
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