FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Special to Sun ‘n Fun
April 2007

OREGON AERO’S MIKE DENNIS KNOWS WHY AVIATION
HEADSETS HURT — AND HOW TO END THE PAIN

Several factors, not just one, cause headset pain. Ignoring any one factor makes the entire headset as miserable as it ever was.

It is a well-documented fact that Oregon Aero, Inc. — a company that today manufactures hundreds of upgrades for aviation products — began with one basic product designed by Mike Dennis to end his wife Jude’s head pain caused by her aviation headset. After a great deal of research, thinking and experimentation, Mike created the SoftTop® Headset Cushion from leather and sheepskin wool. Jude’s headaches were alleviated, and Mike and Jude began selling the headset upgrade at fly-ins. The story — and the upgrade — didn’t end there, though.

What began as a one-pad headset upgrade has evolved into the Oregon Aero® Complete Aviation Headset Upgrade Kit with five components. The components work as one to end headset pain and improve acoustic performance. Why the need for five components? “Human factors,” says Mike. “People are bothered by different things to different degrees. That’s the way the whole upgrade developed.

“After the SoftTop® Headset Cushion had been out for a while, a guy came to me and said, ‘I got your SoftTop®, but do you ever get face pain when you’re wearing it?’ and I said, ‘face pain? What do you mean?’ Then we talked and came to the conclusion that he was experiencing pain from the ear seals. That conversation led to the development of SoftSeal® Ear Cushions.

“Once we eliminated the head and face pain, people began to notice that headset noise is painful. The source of the noise is actually the radio, because they have the volume cranked up to go over the ambient background noise. Each distraction comes creeping in at a different point in time. You just have to wear the headset long enough to realize it,” says Mike. Oregon Aero developed the HushKit® Passive Ear Cup Noise Attenuation Kit and MicMuff® Microphone Cover to address noise and improve acoustic performance.

Mike came to realize that several factors, not just one, cause headset pain. Ignoring any one factor makes the entire headset as miserable as it ever was. “Installing only one of the upgrade kit’s five components doesn’t end 20% of the old misery,” says Mike. “You still experience 100% of the old misery. If you upgrade your headset with everything except the SoftSkin® Ear Seal Covers, for instance, on a hot day, perspiration will drive you nuts,” says Mike.

The Oregon Aero® Complete Aviation Headset Upgrade Kit represents the company’s understanding of all the physiological things happening to you when you wear a headset over time. Oregon Aero addressed every issue and left none unresolved so that it cannot emerge as the new source of misery.

The development of the Oregon Aero® Complete Aviation Headset Upgrade Kit exemplifies Oregon Aero’s approach to solving problems. Mike did not set out to develop a five-component headset upgrade. Instead, Mike was guided down the path of discovery by listening to people and endeavoring to solve their problems. “Every Oregon Aero product exists because somebody told us about a problem or need. We don’t fall in love with our own product ideas and then try to convince people to buy the products. We solve problems. We listen to what people need and then figure out how to give it to them in a top quality product,” says Mike.

The irony of the Oregon Aero® Complete Aviation Headset Upgrade Kit is that it makes headsets so comfortable, people say they forget they are wearing a headset. Pleased customers made this comment frequently enough that the company coined the phrase, Forgettable Is Good™.

Virtually any headset can benefit from the Oregon Aero® Complete Aviation Headset Upgrade Kit regardless of its age, make or model. For much less than the cost of a new headset, old headsets can be upgraded to painless, quieter performers. As another Oregon Aero slogan points out, The World’s Greatest Headset Is the One You Already Own™ — with an Oregon Aero® Upgrade Kit!

Each kit includes all necessary components which perform best when installed together. The kit can be ordered directly from Oregon Aero by using a convenient single part number assigned to each headset manufacturer.

• SoftTop® Headset Cushion: Eliminates top-of-head pressure. 100% plush sheepskin wool. Keeps head cool or warm. Moisture-proof, self-wicking action. Flexible leather backing.

• SoftSeal® Ear Cushions: Conform to head shape. 200-300% more volume for total comfort. Smooth, soft synthetic leather cover over temperature- and pressure-sensitive visco-elastic foam core. Great with eyewear. Eliminate ear pressure.

• SoftSkin® Ear Seal Covers: Keep ears even drier and cooler and add to product life by slipping over SoftSeal® Ear Cushions. Self-wicking reduces perspiration buildup. Especially helpful in hot, humid climates. Fit loosely, not tightly like a drum (important because tight cloth covers produce pressure on the ear, causing pain).

• HushKit® Passive Ear Cup Noise Attenuation Kit: Testing shows the HushKit® Passive Ear Cup Noise Attenuation Kit performs better than ANR headsets in the 700-7000Hz mid-range where hearing loss occurs. Dramatically improves noise attenuation and intelligibility. Four die-cut visco-elastic foam layers fill all ear cup voids (used with non-ANR headsets). For more technical data about noise attenuation, click here.

• MicMuff® Microphone Cover: Eliminates ambient cockpit noise and noise from radios and intercom — the noisier the cockpit, the more dramatic the improvement in noise reduction and clarity. Soft leatherette cover over foam sleeve creates chamber around mic. Cockpit noise has limited access to mic cartridges, but voice enters easily through holes in leatherette cover. Elasticized tie ensures it won’t blow away. For more technical information about how the MicMuff® Microphone Cover works, click here.

---

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Special to Sun ‘n Fun
April 2007

Raptor demo pilot can focus on new moves,
thanks to his ejection seat cushion by Oregon Aero

Nothing stops a crowd in its tracks like the approach of an F-22A Raptor. Last April, when the Raptor made its public debut at Sun ‘n Fun, airshow grounds fell silent, all eyes tracked the powerfully graceful moves of the stealth fighter, and the air boomed with the thunderous roar of the jet as it swooped overhead. A rush of patriotic pride swelled through the crowd as thousands witnessed international military air superiority, compliments of the United States Air Force.

And that’s the effect the Air Force hopes to magnify during the 2007 airshow season, as it introduces Maj. Paul ‘Max’ Moga, the first F-22 Raptor Demonstration team Commander and pilot, to the national airshow circuit.

“If I can make one more person feel patriotic and understand the amazing heritage of our nation’s Air Force, my job is a success,” says Major Moga, who operates from the First Fighter Wing at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia. He will execute a special six-pass maneuver profile and Heritage Flight duties for his first year, while a low-level demonstration routine is perfected. The complete high-speed, low-level, fully aerobatic act is to be showcased during the 2008 airshow season.

As he practices for this rigorous demo schedule, Moga is increasingly appreciative of the Raptor's ejection seat cushion by Oregon Aero, Inc. Formerly an F-22A FTU instructor pilot from the 43rd Fighter Squadron at Tyndall AFB (FL), he is a fighter pilot with more than 1,700 hours in military jet aircraft, including more than 250 combat hours over Southwest Asia and the former Yugoslavia.

“I’ve been piloting high performance military jet aircraft for the past 11 years,” Moga says. “Whether it was in a T-37, T-38 or F-15C/D, I always accepted the unfortunate truth that flying wasn’t comfortable! After well over 1,000 hours in the cockpit, I was convinced ejection seats must have been made to hurt.

“Then I flew the Raptor. Without a doubt, the ejection seat cushions on the ACES III in the F-22 are the finest I have flown with. Whether it is under 9+ G’s flying a demo or on a five-hour cross-country flight, the Oregon Aero cushion is so comfortable, I don’t even notice it. I’m not concentrating on saving my back; I’m concentrating on flying the jet. It’s that good!”

Moga speaks directly to one of Oregon Aero's taglines, that Forgettable is Good!™ because once discomfort factors are removed, he is able to focus fully on the task at hand. This, in turn, makes him safer. And when Moga is flying the world's most sophisticated, $130 million fighter jet, that's an enormous comfort to him, the Air Force, spectators and U.S. taxpayers, too.

Oregon Aero has designed and manufactured some 20 ejection seat cushion systems for various aircraft and ejection seats, including five custom designs of the APECS® I to accommodate aircraft variations. The company provides seat cushion systems for many military aircraft, including ejection seat and crew bunk cushion systems for the U.S. B-2 fleet. Oregon Aero also manufactures standard seating in numerous production and homebuilt aircraft, land vehicles and marine vessels.

Raptor pilots are cleared to fly the aircraft up to Mach 2.0 and at altitudes up to 60,000 feet. Oregon Aero’s highly-engineered APECS® I Ejection Seat Cushion System installed on the Raptor’s ACES III ejection seat is designed to provide unsurpassed comfort, impact protection and durability, even under such extreme conditions.

Since accepting the Air Force’s request to design the ejection seat cushion system for the original YF-22 Raptor Stealth Fighter in 1997, Oregon Aero’s ejection seat cushion system has been tested at seven military and independent testing facilities, including Wright Patterson Air Force Base. Testing, which included drop and sled crash tests, demonstrated that the cushion helps protect occupants from injury.

The cushion system design places the seat occupant’s pelvic angle, lumbar spine radius and relative positions of vertebrae to an ideal sitting position, eliminating pain, numbness and ‘hot spots’ usually associated with long hours in the seat. For a Raptor pilot, this freedom from distraction brought on by otherwise over-whelming discomfort spells the difference between mission accomplished and potential mishaps with some-times tragic results. As Oregon Aero founder and CEO Mike Dennis says, “The brain can perform only as long as the butt can endure.”

As the first and only demonstration pilot for the Air Force’s newest line of defense, Moga’s endurance is being tested as never before. In celebration of the Air Force’s 60th anniversary, Moga is set to fly a much more aggressive Heritage Flight schedule in 2007 than last year, doubling the Raptor's appearances and working in more passes and maneuvers than before. They will include a radical series of aerobatic maneuvers that have only recently been defined and named.

Moga says it’s difficult to describe the unique aerobatic maneuvers the huge frontline fighter is capable of performing. No other combat-capable fighter -- especially not one with the stealth capabilities of the Raptor -- can fly so slowly, or at such extreme angles, without losing control of the aircraft. The Raptor’s unrivaled flight control system, vectored thrust capability and unmatched power will allow it to showcase maneuvers most people have never seen from a fighter aircraft before.

“What’s truly incredible is this represents only a fraction of the jet’s combat capability,” Moga adds. “Stealth, Supercruise, complete Battlefield Situational Awareness and … munitions precision just cannot be demonstrated at an airshow.”

Look for Raptor demos this airshow season at Tyndall, Point Mugu NAS, Langley, Fort Lauderdale, New Orleans, Toronto, and Nellis Air Force Base, as well as at EAA AirVenture - Oshkosh and more.* When you witness the behemoth Raptor’s improbable choreography in the sky and acknowledge Major Max Moga’s superior piloting skills, give due credit to the Painless, Safer, Quieter™ Oregon Aero ejection seat cushions that liberate Moga to do his job so well.

* For updated airshow schedule information, see www.airshowbuzz.com

---

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Special to Sun ‘n Fun
April 2007

OREGON AERO^SM SKYDANCER A TRIPLE TREAT AT SUN ‘N FUN

The Oregon Aero^SM SkyDancer makes a return appearance at Sun ‘n Fun 2007. Steve Oliver and Suzanne Asbury-Oliver bring their three-in-one set of airshow acts to Lakeland once again, delivering crowd-pleasing aerobatics on Thursday and Sunday afternoons, pyrobatics on Friday night and skywriting throughout the week as conditions permit. They will also sign autographs and greet fans at the Oregon Aero booth in Building A at 1 p.m. daily.*

As the world’s only husband-and-wife aerobatic and skywriting duo since 1980, Steve and Suzanne are veterans of the airshow circuit. They earned the Sword of Excellence Award in 1999 from the International Council of Airshows for their outstanding service and personal contributions to the industry. It is widely considered to be the highest honor an airshow professional can receive. Every season, Steve and Suzanne build upon the excitement and ingenuity of previous acts to bring fresh choreography to their SkyDancing.

The unmistakable rumble of SkyDancer’s engine and its outpouring of white smoke capture spectators’ attention as Steve presents his classic aerobatic show. Steve flies tightly in front of the crowd, displaying a gracefully powerful aerial ballet of loops, rolls, avalanches, humpty-bumps, octagon eights, point and hesitation rolls, and low inverted passes. The result: a SkyDance set to rock-n-roll favorites interplayed with call-n-response narration for a memorable performance.

As darkness falls, Steve transforms SkyDancer into FireDancer, brightening the night sky with huge trails of colorful pyrotechnics that stream hundreds of feet behind each wingtip. Steve sets off smoke, lights, Roman candles and silver fountains electronically from the cockpit, igniting dozens of fireworks that trace his aerobatic moves. Watch Friday night as the driving sounds of Bob Seger propel the Oregon Aero^SM FireDancer Against the Wind with Night Moves you’ll Never Forget, thanks to a rocking new soundtrack.

Suzanne is the nation’s only active female professional skywriter. Her smoke messages are seen 30 miles in every direction, generating clever promotion for Sun ‘n Fun and Oregon Aero. Each letter is one mile high, and a typical seven-letter message stretches 10 miles across the sky. Skywriting fluid vaporizes in SkyDancer’s exhaust system and expands behind it in legible white smoke. Suzanne delivers this nearly lost aviation technique with carefully choreographed flying, featuring precise turns, exact headings and perfect timing. The result is a head-turning phenomenon that takes spectators by pleasant surprise.

Larger than many airshow aircraft, SkyDancer is a warbird that dominates the aerobatic box. The 1956 deHavilland Chipmunk has been specially modified for airshow aerobatics. The aircraft was originally designed as a trainer for the Royal Canadian Air Force. Nearly 3,000 man-hours over a two-year period were spent transforming SkyDancer into the finest example of a Super Chipmunk. It now boasts a cruising speed of 160 mph, a range of more than 500 miles, and a climb rate of 2,500 feet per minute. SkyDancer’s dynamic paint scheme and custom leather interior beautifully reflect its sponsorship by Oregon Aero.

Sought after by aerobatic, military and private pilots worldwide, Oregon Aero offers practical solutions to problems in the cockpit created by pain, discomfort and noise. Oregon Aero solves problems for customers from all walks of life. The company designs and manufactures more than 500 products that represent engineered solutions that eliminate pain, improve impact protection and reduce noise in any environment.

The Olivers have relied on Oregon Aero products over the years to make their SkyDancing Painless, Safer and QuieterTM. Steve was the first performer Oregon Aero endorsed with product support. The company now provides product support for more than 70 aerobatic performers of national and international scope. Since the 2006 airshow season, Oregon Aero has been title sponsor of the Oregon Aero^SM SkyDancer, building upon the enduring relationship between the Olivers and Oregon Aero founders and co-owners Mike and Jude Dennis.

Momentum from this collaboration has resulted in increased recognition for both sets of partners. Several features have been published in major general aviation and airshow magazines, and by local newspaper, radio and television outlets. Additionally, the Oregon Aero^SM SkyDancer is showcased in a just-published coffee table book featuring air-to-air photography and stories by Erik Hildebrandt. Front Row Center III is a collector’s dream, highlighting airshow greats like Patty Wagstaff, Michael Goulian, Kirby Chambliss, among others. Suzanne will also be featured in two soon-to-be released aviation books about female pilots.

Still, the core value of the Oregon Aero sponsorship for Steve and Suzanne is personal comfort and peace of mind under grueling conditions. The Olivers maintain a challenging airshow schedule and life on the road that begins in early March with Wings Over Miami and ensues through the summer with several shows across the country, culminating with their 16th show for 2007 in late October with the Moody Air Force Base AirFest in Georgia.**

Whether performing for spectators or flying cross-country to their next show, the Olivers say, “The comfort of Oregon Aero seats, headsets and helmets, and the noise reduction of the headset and helmet upgrades are very important to combat the fatigue factor. The less fatigue we feel, the safer we are with the decision-making process. When we’re not in the air, both of us are on our feet all day, so ShockBlockers® Insole Inserts help with foot pain and especially lower back pain from standing.”

Oregon Aero is dedicated to providing that Forgettable is Good™ experience to the Olivers so they can forget about cockpit noise and pain, and focus on executing the tightly choreographed aerobatic maneuvers that make their appearances at Sun ‘n Fun a thrill for all to see.

---

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Special to Sun ‘n Fun
April 2007

Famed aviator relies on Oregon Aero to
combat effects of rheumatoid arthritis

SEATTLE, Wash. — Erik Lindbergh is recognized internationally as an energetic entrepreneur, pilot, philanthropist, public speaker and sculptor with seemingly boundless creative capacity. But most don’t realize that chronic rheumatoid arthritis nearly derailed Lindbergh’s potential. Thanks in large part to Oregon Aero, Inc., Lindbergh is defying the debilitating effects of rheumatoid arthritis… and providing hope for fellow sufferers.

In his 42 years, Lindbergh has distinguished himself beyond his birthright as grandson of aviation great, Charles Lindbergh. He is board chairman of the Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting technological solutions to improve the environment for a sustainable future. A graduate of Emery Aviation College, Lindbergh is also a commercial pilot and certified flight instructor. In 2002, upon the 75th anniversary of his grandfather’s historic transatlantic flight, Lindbergh honored the Lindbergh legacy by re-creating the 3,600-mile voyage in a single-engine Lancair Columbia 300. As if this weren’t enough, Lindbergh serves on the board of trustees of the X Prize Foundation, is a public speaker, philanthropist, sculptor and owner of Lindbergh Gallery -– all this while plagued by rheumatoid arthritis.

Diagnosed at age 21, Lindbergh went from being a state champion gymnast, avid skier and cyclist to a weakened shadow of his former self, struggling to walk with a cane. Two knee replacements later, Lindbergh still contends with joints that are “sore, fused and abused”.

Resisting the temptation to give in to the pain and give up on his dreams, Lindbergh has armed himself with an arsenal of adapted technologies like those provided by Oregon Aero. Now he says, “In many ways, as the years go by, I actually feel like I’m getting younger and in better shape.”

Known throughout aviation and military sectors for providing engineered solutions that eliminate pain, improve impact protection and reduce noise, Oregon Aero has also been discovered by individuals like Lindbergh, who seek 24-7 head-to-toe comfort, not just when flying.

In order to withstand long speaking engagements for his clients, endurance days at Sun ‘n Fun, hours of sculpting and a renewed interest in skiing, Lindbergh uses Oregon Aero’s ShockBlockers® Medical* Insole Inserts. These shoe inserts feature a three-layer custom design recommended for people with foot injuries. The top fabric is made of low-friction, wicking material that keeps feet cool and dry. Two underlayers of special polymer foam feature one soft, conforming layer and another, stiffer layer for effective shock absorption. In addition to Medical inserts, Oregon Aero offers ShockBlockers® Light for those under 130 pounds and for walking, standing long periods and other low-impact activities; and regular ShockBlockers® Insole Inserts for those over 130 pounds and anyone, regardless of weight, who engages in high-impact activities.

They provide so much comfort for Lindbergh, he says, “When I had my first pair, I would switch my ShockBlockers® from one pair of shoes to the next, just to be sure I was always walking on them. These Medical insoles are fantastic. Makes me smile just thinking about them!”

To Lindbergh, flying is the ultimate expression of freedom. But when his standard pilot seat failed to provide the support and shock absorption his body craved after just a few hours in the air, the joy of flying was hampered by discomfort. This would never do for Lindbergh, whose transatlantic flight required 17 focused hours in the pilot seat. To his rescue came the Oregon Aero® High-G® Safety Seat for the Columbia 300, the aircraft dubbed the New Spirit of St. Louis which Lindbergh flew on his grueling flight.

“Oregon Aero saved my butt when I flew across the Atlantic!” Lindbergh testifies. “Oregon Aero made it possible for me to accomplish the 17-hour flight and still have feeling in my legs when I landed in Paris. After about 20 minutes in the Oregon Aero seat, the cushions mold to the contours of my body and support it over the long haul. I’m very happy to have Oregon Aero seats installed in my plane.”

Never one to rest on his laurels, Lindbergh has new, big plans taking shape on the horizon. “I look forward to Oregon Aero being a part of my next adventure,” he says. “It’s a pleasure to work with Oregon Aero because Mike and Jude Dennis are extremely generous and helpful, and they offer the best products you can get anywhere. This company has somehow managed to devise technologies that adapt to individual needs. I don’t have to look any further. This is as good as it gets.”

* Persons should consult their health professional prior to use if they have a medical condition.

---

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Special to Sun ‘n Fun
April 2007

SUN ‘N FUN PERFORMERS FLY WITH OREGON AERO

LAKELAND, Fla. — You can’t help but wonder about the aerobatic pilots showcased during Sun ‘n Fun’s daily airshow… How do they manage those wild stunts? How do their bodies withstand the extreme G forces, pitches, tumbles, accelerations and decelerations characteristic of such aerial maneuvers? All would admit that their bodies take a beating up there, but many would also testify that upgrades from Oregon Aero make their extreme maneuvers much more comfortable.

In fact, airshow headliners like Sean D. Tucker, Patty Wagstaff, Steve Oliver and Suzanne Asbury-Oliver are among 17 performers and teams featured at Sun ‘n Fun who rely on Oregon Aero products to make their flying Painless, Safer and Quieter™.

Oregon Aero, Inc. has developed more than 500 products since 1989 which offer solutions to common discomforts and distractions brought on by noise and pain. Company founder and CEO Mike Dennis understands that pain is a liability when it interferes with a pilot’s ability to focus on flying. Working from the basic premise that comfort and safety are interrelated, the company offers product solutions for head-to-toe comfort in an aircraft, at the workplace and virtually anywhere.

Airshow pilots count on Oregon Aero® products for personal safety and comfort so they can perform to the best of their ability. Oregon Aero’s selection of upgrade kits, customized for nearly every make and model of aviation headset and helmet, are so comfortable that pilots forget about distracting discomforts and focus fully on their complex aerial maneuvers. The same has been said about the comfort of Oregon Aero® seats and seat cushion systems. ShockBlockers® Insole Inserts reduce shock to feet and joints and keep feet cool, dry and refreshed, whether in the cockpit or on the flightline. With their pain and noise problems solved, pilots are freed from distractions that compound in the cockpit, engaging fully in the experience of flight.

Steve Oliver and Suzanne Asbury-Oliver are the world’s only husband-and-wife aerobatic and skywriting duo, and recipients of the prestigious International Council of Airshows (ICAS) Sword of Excellence Award. They have used Oregon Aero upgrades since the company introduced its first product – the SoftTop® Headset Cushion – in 1989. Eighteen years later, the Olivers still use the headset upgrade developed by their title sponsor, Oregon Aero.

One of their favorite products is ShockBlockers® Insole Inserts. “ShockBlockers® (Inserts) allow me to stand for hours on hot, hard, airport ramps during the airshow season,” Steve says. “The impact-absorbing qualities keep my back and legs from hurting, which was nearly constant before. Now I can do my job, flying, greeting and smiling in comfort. I honestly can’t imagine not having ShockBlockers® (Inserts) in all my shoes.”

Premier aerobatic performer Patty Wagstaff also relies on Oregon Aero. “The only thing that keeps me comfortable and free of pain during performances is the Oregon Aero® Pilot SoftSeat™ Cushion,” Patty testifies. “It makes long hauls in the plane actually pleasant for my crew, too!”

Patty flies one of the most thrilling low-level aerobatic routines in the world today in her Extra 300S. She also flies demonstrations in military aircraft. In both cases, her approach demands perfection from herself and from her equipment, including her helmet. “The Oregon Aero® Helmet Upgrade is fantastic! When I am flying military airplanes or warbirds, I always wear a helmet,” Patty explains. “The Oregon Aero helmet liner upgrade has made my ride quieter and more comfortable both on the long hauls and on the short hauls where I'm flying hard and pulling G’s.”

Renowned aerobatic performer Sean D. Tucker endures among the most physically demanding routines in the business. For the second consecutive year, Sean is also demonstrating the capabilities of the “World’s Fastest Certified Piston Aircraft” for Columbia Aircraft, for which Oregon Aero is a cosponsor. Sean flies a Columbia 400SL at major airshows throughout the nation, demonstrating upset recovery techniques. He stays comfortable and safe in the pilot seat manufactured by Oregon Aero. The FAA-certified seat in Columbia 300, 350 and 400 production aircraft is a customized version of the Oregon Aero® High-G® Safety Seat, a non-stroking, 26-G seat which provides unrivaled comfort and safety to pilots and passengers.

“Anything I can do to maximize my safety in the cockpit is very, very important to me,” Sean says. “That’s why I’m sold on the …seat by Oregon Aero in the Columbia 400SL that I fly during demonstrations. I feel like I’m wearing the seat — it fits that well. The …seat by Oregon Aero is such a great fit and so comfortable that I feel like I become part of the aircraft.”

More than 70 aerobatic and racing pros have discovered that Forgettable Is Good™ when it applies to using Oregon Aero upgrades. Evidence of their product confidence can be seen in the Oregon Aero decals they display on their aircraft, and in the thank-you letters received by the company in Scappoose, Oregon.

 

---

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 2007

OREGON AERO® MILITARY HEADSET UPGRADE KITS
OFFER COMPLETE SOLUTION TO PAIN AND NOISE

SCAPPOOSE, Ore. – Oregon Aero, Inc. — the leader in designing and manufacturing Painless, Safer and Quieter™ upgrades for aviation equipment — offers the complete solution to painful, noisy military headsets in convenient upgrade kits. The military headset upgrade kits eliminate pain and pressure, improve intelligibility and keep the head and ears cool and dry. Oregon Aero® manufactures aviation, ground support, land vehicle and marine headset upgrade kits for more than 150 models, including the ANR and non-ANR headsets most commonly used by Air Force, Army, Marine and Navy pilots and crew members.

The Oregon Aero® military headset upgrade kit consists of five interrelated components. That’s because Oregon Aero founder and president Mike Dennis came to realize that several factors, not just one, cause headset pain. Ignoring any one factor makes the entire headset as miserable as it ever was. “Installing only one of the upgrade kit’s five components doesn’t end 20% of the old misery. You still experience 100% of the old misery. Each distraction comes creeping in at a different point in time. You just have to wear the headset long enough to realize it,” says Dennis. The combination of the kit’s five components addresses every issue and leaves none unresolved.

Dennis maintains that pain is a liability when it interferes with a pilot’s and crew member’s ability to complete a mission safely. “The irony is that comfort and safety are interrelated,” says Dennis. “By making aviation headsets painless and comfortable, we make people safer.” Without the distraction of pain and fatigue, pilots and crew can focus on the mission at hand — no matter how long the flight.

Oregon Aero® military headset upgrade kits are hand made and custom-designed for the most common headsets used in the military. The kit’s five integral components work together to improve headset performance and comfort. Each kit includes all necessary components which perform best when installed together:

• SoftTop® Headset Cushion: Eliminates top-of-head pressure. 100% plush sheepskin wool. Keeps head cool or warm. Moisture-proof, self-wicking action. Flexible leather backing.

• SoftSeal® Ear Cushions: Conform to head shape. 200-300% more volume for total comfort. Smooth, soft synthetic leather cover over temperature and pressure sensitive visco-elastic foam core. Great with eyewear. Eliminate ear pressure.

• SoftSkin® Ear Seal Covers: Keep ears even drier and cooler and add to product life by slipping SoftSkin® Ear Seal Covers over SoftSeal® Ear Cushions. Self-wicking reduces perspiration buildup. Especially helpful in hot, humid climates. They fit loosely, not tightly like a drum (this is important because tight cloth covers produce pressure on the ear, causing pain).

• HushKit® Passive Ear Cup Noise Attenuation Kit: Testing shows the HushKit® Passive Ear Cup Noise Attenuation Kit performs better than ANR headsets in the 700-7000Hz mid-range where hearing loss occurs. Dramatically improves noise attenuation and intelligibility. Four die-cut visco-elastic foam layers fill all ear cup voids (used with non-ANR headsets). For more technical data about noise attenuation, click here.

• MicMuff® Microphone Cover: Eliminates ambient cockpit noise and noise from radios and intercom — the noisier the cockpit, the more dramatic the improvement in noise reduction and clarity. Soft leatherette cover over foam sleeve creates chamber around mic. Cockpit noise has limited access to mic cartridges, but voice enters easily through holes in leatherette cover. Elasticized tie ensures it won’t blow away. For more technical information about how the MicMuff® Microphone Cover works, click here.

Oregon Aero® military headset upgrade kits are so comfortable that pilots say they forget they are wearing them. With pain problems solved and noise reduced, pilots and crew are free to engage fully in their mission.

Unsolicited Testimonials from Military and Federal Pilots

“I have been aircrew on the C-130 Hercules for over seven years and have logged over
2,000 hours of flight time, all while wearing a headset fitted with your upgrade. I can say without hesitation that without the upgrade I would not have been able to wear them continuously for sometimes 20-plus hours! I most recently wore them on some of the longest and most demanding missions of my career, combat operations to Iraq. They were one less thing to worry about. I had to borrow a pair of headsets without your upgrade and after a very short time I developed a headache. I will never go without (your upgrade) again.” — T.G.

I am ATC(AW/SW) S. S. and I am currently serving with the VFA-136 Knighthawks out of NAS Oceana Virginia Beach, Virginia. One of the other Chiefs who works with me attended a safety conference years ago and received [an Oregon Aero®] upgrade kit for his aviation headset. All of us here have fallen in love with the SoftSeal® Ear Cushions and the SoftSkin® Ear Seal Covers. The comfort upgrade is unbelievable, especially when … wearing a cranial like that up on the flight deck, 12 hours a day, in the middle of the Persian Gulf. — ATC(AW/SW) S. S., VFA-136 AV/ARM LCPO

“After several missions consisting of open doors and windows during the flights and extended flight hours, the pilots have come back to me with only positive comments on your products (headset upgrade kits)…very comfortable and much improved noise attenuation with no exceptions.” — C.C., AMI/COFR, U.S. Customs Service

Complete military headset upgrade kits can be ordered directly from Oregon Aero by using a convenient single part number assigned to each military headset manufacturer. Oregon Aero will design new kits for headsets not currently listed at no extra charge if the customer sends the headset to Oregon Aero to use as a model. The headset need not be functional and will be returned with the upgrade installed after development. Customers may call Oregon Aero’s headset specialist at 800-888-6910 for assistance.

---

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 1, 2007

NEW OREGON AERO® BALLISTIC HELMET UPGRADE
MAKES MORE HELMETS PAINLESS AND SAFER

SCAPPOOSE, Ore. – Oregon Aero, Inc. has announced the introduction of its new BLSS® Kit Model 45 upgrade for ballistic helmets. The new Model 45 version of the patented BLSS® Kit (Ballistic Liner & Suspension System) is designed to upgrade virtually any ballistic helmet that features a four-bolt harness configuration used by the military and law enforcement. The Model 45 extends the benefits of improved impact protection and comfort to more helmet wearers than ever before.

The Oregon Aero® BLSS® Kit Model 45 consists of the time-proven highly engineered seven helmet liner pads and features a new four-point chin strap and integrated nape pad harness system. The new harness system design is the key to accommodating a wider range of helmet models. The seven pads — one round crown pad, four oval pads and two trapezoid pads — replace a helmet’s existing webbing system without helmet modifications in just minutes.

“The overwhelmingly positive acceptance of our BLSS® Kit by military troops and law enforcement officials using PASGT and MICH style helmets created a demand from people who wear other models for an upgrade that would fit their helmets,” said Mike Dennis, president and CEO of Oregon Aero, Inc. “The BLSS® Kit Model 45 extends the legendary comfort and protection from Behind Armor Blunt Trauma (BABT) to more helmet styles; now even more individuals can wear Painless, Safer™ helmets thanks to the new model,” said Dennis.

Oregon Aero developed its first ballistic helmet upgrade nearly a decade ago to meet the original, more stringent specifications of the U.S. Army Special Operations MICH Helmet and to respond to a request from the military to address troop complaints of helmet instability and discomfort. The resulting seven BLU® Kit pads provided as OEM equipment for the MICH helmet solved these problems — they are pain-free and make the helmet stable — but the pads offered even more benefits. They are dramatically safer, moisture and waterproof, gas and air permeable, self-wicking, and they create a quieter and positively buoyant helmet. (See graph below for impact performance.)

Oregon Aero has received positive feedback from troops, with nearly 600,000 using the Oregon Aero® pads as OEM or upgrade equipment. More than a thousand have written — many from combat zones — to thank Oregon Aero for making their helmets safer, pain-free, stable, cooler and drier. (See unsolicited comments from troops below.)

Helmet shock transmission is reduced dramatically with the Oregon Aero® pads.

*Helmet impact tests conducted by independent laboratories to modified 49 CFR 571.218 per U.S. military instructions. Resulting helmet performance data presented relative to the Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine’s “Abbreviated Injury Scale—1985 Revision.”

U.S. troops praise the Oregon Aero® ballistic helmet upgrades:

“ (On) our 21 day march to Baghdad we lived in those helmets and rarely ever took them off. I was comfortable the whole time and not bothered by the helmet, can't say that for the guys without them…. On the morning of April 8th, 2003, I was standing next to a 7-ton truck in the al amin district of downtown Baghdad when we were attacked by a van that sped past our position. They fired a Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) that impacted approximately 1 foot above my head. The concussion was so loud and so great that I was knocked to the ground along with our Corpsman HM2 (JC), who by the way was wearing your helmet liner too. We both jumped to our feet and continued in the fight. Later, when the reality of what just happened set in, I began to check myself for unnatural holes and saw my cloth helmet cover was torn and burnt.
My ears rang for about 2 days and I had an awful headache, but other than that I was in good shape. I returned home healthy and alive for which I’m grateful… I emphatically believe your product saved me from serious injury and I am forever grateful to you.” — Sgt. K.D., USMC

For many more unsolicited comments, click here.

The BLSS® Kit Model 45 features three color options for the four-point chin strap and integrated nape pad including Green, Black and Coyote Brown. For more information and to order, click here.

---

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 2006

“Any distraction in combat equals reduced combat effectiveness. In my mind,
based on what I have seen, this seat reduces risk and is therefore another
small but significant advantage to our F-22 pilots!”

LANGLEY AFB, Va. – Lt. Col. Mike “Dozer” Shower, one of a growing number of F-22A pilots, flies the most sophisticated fighter jet that taxpayer money can buy. Like most F-22A pilots, he talks fast, thinks fast and takes fast action. They have to. In Shower’s case, as director of operations in the First Operations Support Squadron at Langley Air Force Base, he is responsible for managing a long list of support functions related to operating the growing fleet of F-22A Raptors. Also, as the most experienced F-22A pilot at Langley, he flies the Raptor in demonstration flights throughout the U.S.

Built by Lockheed Martin and Boeing, America’s newest fighter aircraft represents breakthroughs in supercruise, stealth, maneuverability, and integrated avionics for tracking, identifying, engaging and eliminating threats well before being detected. The Raptor was designed with attention given to the tiniest details – even the selection of specifically-engineered seat cushions.

Highly qualified to fly this aircraft, Shower was one of only eight Air Force weapons officers to have conducted initial operational testing of the Raptor at Edwards Air Force Base in 2004. All highly-experienced F-15 pilots, Shower and his fellow operational test pilots were given keys to the most advanced fighter jet of modern times, commissioned to discover its real-world capabilities.

“We were real guys in real planes. There was real risk involved. But we didn’t think much about the danger. We just wanted to fly this new toy,” Shower recalls. Hundreds of hours, simulations, dog fights and reports later, the test team had worked out several bugs in the Raptor, had pushed the aircraft’s capabilities and had demonstrated its air supremacy. One thing they could not explain was how they managed to routinely pull 9+ G’s after many long hours in the Raptor pilot’s seat, and yet did not suffer from fatigue and soreness.

“I couldn't figure out how or why the F-22 seat would be so different from my previous aircraft or why my comfort level was so much higher when I initially started flying the Raptor -- and no one could provide an answer,” Shower says. “I couldn't figure out why we were able to fly long sorties and pull high G's in the F-22 and still get out of the jet without feeling sore or nearly as tired as we used to. I've logged nearly 2,000 hours in F-15's, well more than that in sitting time, and have had many longer sorties (14 hours in the seat). While not happy about it, I was used to getting uncomfortable and sore. It was definitely harder to focus and maintain a high level of performance after several hours in the seat.

“After pulling G's in the Raptor -- and now after flying it for more than three years with many longer sorties behind us (up to nine hours in the seat at a time in my case) –- the experience is that we don't get as sore and we're less fatigued. It's certainly easier to pull high G's and therefore focus on the task at hand! I don't find myself wiggling around in the seat, trying to get comfortable like I used to. Most amazing for me is that I can get out of the plane without feeling like I've been sitting in it for 15 hours. …We still didn't know why.

“Then, while at Aviation Nation last year, I just happened to stop by the Oregon Aero booth and started talking with Mike Dennis, the inventor of the Raptor's ejection seat cushion base. He found out what I flew and began to explain to me all the research and development that went into the seat cushion design. Then the light bulb came on -- I finally put it all together!! That's what makes it so easy to pull G's. That's why I feel so comfortable and less fatigued after long sorties. The implications of this little seat -- of all the things you can think of in an F-22 -- are tremendous!”

Raptor pilots undergo tremendous G-forces as they execute maneuvers that range from rocket-launch verticals at ear-splitting speeds to dead stops in mid-air and impossibly graceful aerobatic maneuvers. It’s no wonder attention is given to pilot comfort and safety, even down to specific seat cushions.

The Oregon Aero® APECS® I Ejection Seat Cushion Base is standard in the Raptor. Oregon Aero was called upon by the Air Force to design the ejection seat cushion system for the F-22A Raptor Stealth Fighter in 1997, and was retained to offer its ejection seat design technology for this latest evolution of the F-22A.

Low back pain associated with long hours in a typical seat is caused by a misalignment of the pelvis, which reduces spinal lumbar curvature and produces common discomforts. This condition also inappropriately loads the lumbar discs in a small anterior crescent area of the spine, reducing their ability to withstand pressure without damage. This increases the probability of injury in any kind of shock event, from a hard landing to an ejection.

Oregon Aero ingenuity proves that a more comfortable seat can be a safer seat. Their design creates an ideal sitting position in terms of pelvic angle, lumbar spine radius and relative positions of the vertebrae. This combination eliminates the pain, numbness and ischemia (a restriction of blood flow through the skin’s capillaries which produce ‘hot spots’) which commonly result from sitting for long periods.

Additionally, the highly-engineered ejection seat cushion systems help prevent deep vein thrombosis – blood clots formed in the legs due to reduced arterial blood flow due to continuous pressure against the back of the thighs. Oregon Aero helps prevent this string of progressive ailments by carefully selecting and contouring the materials that comprise the seat cushion.

The Oregon Aero® APECS® I Seat Cushion System has been tested at seven military and independent testing facilities, including Wright Patterson Air Force Base, where it underwent drop tower testing. Its innovative design produced remarkable results: Upon ejection, the APECS® I Seat Cushion System constrained spinal lumbar loads to less than 1,500 pounds at up to 18.6-G terrain-following missions and crash testing.

Oregon Aero CEO and founder Mike Dennis recognizes that “the F-22 is all about getting details perfect.” The APECS® I seat cushion is just one example of what can be achieved when overlooked issues are dealt with and resolved. “This is a battle of the tiniest details, which are significant players in the success of the finished product,” he says. “This is the same process we apply to all of our seat designs, not just ejection seats.”

Shower, pleased to have cracked the code that explains his comfort, can’t say enough about the seemingly insignificant seat cushions in the Raptor. “These seat cushions are phenomenal. This is a huge benefit to us. Think about it. There will be over 180 Raptors in the field. The aircraft is expensive at just over $100 million dollars apiece. Think of the impact to pilots going to war in these machines. The last thing you want is a pilot to be sore, uncomfortable, tired. You want us fresh, alert, on our game. While hopefully we will never know, this seat base might just save a pilot and jet because it helped reduce fatigue -- it certainly is easier on the body! Any distraction in combat equals reduced combat effectiveness. In my mind, based on what I have seen, this seat reduces risk and is therefore another small but significant advantage to our F-22 pilots!”

This freedom from distraction brought on by serious discomfort could spell the difference between mission accomplished and potential mishaps with sometimes tragic results. As Dennis says, “The brain can perform only as long as the butt can endure.”

Oregon Aero has designed and manufactured some 20 ejection seat cushion designs for various aircraft and ejection seats, including five custom designs of the APECS® I Seat Cushion System, which accommodate aircraft variations. The company provides seat cushion systems for many military aircraft, including ejection seat cushion systems for the U.S. B-2 fleet.

The same standard of excellence used to produce the Raptor seat cushion systems is applied to all seat systems designed and manufactured by Oregon Aero, whether military or civilian. Oregon Aero custom-builds pain-free, safer seating for any aircraft, marine vessel or land vehicle. Portable seat cushions appeal to customers from all walks of life, offering painless seating while flying, driving, or working at a desk.

 

---

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 2006

U.S. ARMY ISSUES AIRWORTHINESS RELEASE FOR
OREGON AERO® SEAT CUSHION SYSTEMS UPGRADE

SCAPPOOSE, Ore. – The U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command has issued an Airworthiness Release (AWR) for the Purpose of Evaluation of the Oregon Aero® Seat Cushion for AH-64D Helicopters (Part nos. 34AH64012 and 30AH64012). An AWR is a technical document that provides operating instructions and limitations necessary for safe flight of an aircraft. The Oregon Aero® Seat Cushion System for the AH-64D Longbow Apache Helicopter is one of several Oregon Aero, Inc. upgrades for military aircraft that have achieved AWR status.

“The Oregon Aero® Seat Cushion System we created for the AH-64D provides pilots with a significant improvement in the safety and comfort of the aircraft’s seating,” said Mike Dennis, president and CEO of Oregon Aero. “We are very pleased that the Army has chosen to upgrade their aircraft seating which will enhance pilot performance and mission safety,” said Dennis.

Oregon Aero maintains that comfort and safety go hand-in-hand when it comes to aviation equipment. “Pain is a liability when it interferes with a pilot’s ability to complete a mission safely. The irony is that comfort and safety are interrelated. We set out to make a painless, comfortable seat, and the testing showed that we made a safer seat as well,” said Dennis.*

It took Oregon Aero engineers about 27,000 research hours to fully understand and solve the complicated, interrelated problems that prevent comfortable seating. The company introduced its first painless seat cushion system in 1990, for the U.S. military C-130. Since then Oregon Aero has developed a unique understanding of the special needs of military pilots and crew, continuously improving on seat cushion designs and manufacturing processes.

Oregon Aero also designed and manufactures the Advance Performance Escape Cushion System (APECS®), which is standard for the ejection seat in the F-22A Raptor. APECS® Seat Cushion Systems are available for several other aircraft including the A-10, B-2, CF-18, F-4, F-15, F-16, F-18, F-117, SR-71 and U-2.

AWRs have been issued for Oregon Aero® Seat Cushion Systems in the following fixed- and rotary-wing military aircraft, and more are in process:

• OH-58A/C and RAID Helicopters
• F-15 Eagle
• A-10 Thunderbolt
• KC-135 Stratotanker
• All Crew Positions
• H-60 Black Hawk
• Pilot/Co-Pilot Seat
• Observer Cushion Seat
• All Crew Positions
• IPECO
• AMI

For military contract purchasing, contact Oregon Aero distributor Coastal Aircraft Parts: (954) 260-6280.

*Oregon Aero, Inc. conducts dynamic seat testing per the emergency landing conditions promulgated by the FAA in 1988 (as Amendment 23-36) to improve the crashworthy performance of aircraft. Compliance with these FAA regulations by Oregon Aero®™ products does not ensure freedom from injury or death in aircraft accidents.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 15, 2006

OREGON AERO, INC. PLACES #76 AMONG
OREGON’S FASTEST-GROWING PRIVATE COMPANIES