The Tribune

Wisconsin’s governor visited the Bahamas’ booth in the International Federal Pavilion at EAA AirVenture, the mega aviation show that was held in that state between July 23-29.

EAA AirVenture has been dubbed the world’s largest aviation show, and with an estimated 500,000-plus attendees annually, it is a major contributor to Wisconsin’s economy.

The International Federal Partnership (IFP), a group of 12 federal agencies from the US, Canada and the Bahamas, is one among the thousands of aviation entities, aircraft and displays that make up the show.

During the Governor’s visit, he was welcomed and escorted throughout the Federal Pavilion by the Bahamas’ own chief pilot and aviation Specialist, Greg Rolle, who this year began a two-year term as IFP chairman of the IFP.

The Bahamas is the closest offshore destination to the US mainland, and one of the only countries in the region that has been exhibiting at EAA for more than a decade.

This year, in addition to the usual representation from Civil Aviation and Bahamas Gateway fixed base operators (FBOs), the Bahamas’ IFP booth also featured officers from the Customs and Immigration Department, the Royal Bahamas Police Force and its aviation unit. Bahamas Light Sports Aircraft (LSA) Ambassador, Mike Zidzunias’ Breezer aircraft, was again at the show as part of the Bahamas’ display.

In one of the show’s hangers, the Bahamas shared an additional booth with partners including representatives from the Bahamas Out Island Promotion Board, Grand Bahama hoteliers, and ground transfers, as well as executives from a Bahamas FBO.