GEICO Gecko Takes Message to the Skies at May 7-8 Smyrna Air Show

NASHVILLE, Tenn., May 2 -- The GEICO Gecko takes the company's message to the skies May 7, 2005-8 for the Smyrna air show, where he'll join a skytyping squadron of vintage World War II planes over Nashville this coming weekend.

GEICO is sponsoring the exhibition flying of the Skytypers Air Show Team at the Smyrna event to help promote greater attendance at the air shows, a favorite with GEICO policyholders.

John Izzo, regional vice president for GEICO, indicated that the "air shows are a good way for families to enjoy a bit of America's vast aviation history. When you see what these planes can do, it's a real treat."

While the Gecko won't be in the pilot's seat -- due to size and flight requirements -- he will be on hand to serve as honorary flight commander and to help the squadron members meet with the public at the air shows.

The Skytypers Air Show Team is a squadron of six WWII airplanes that perform at air shows throughout the United States and Canada. The Skytypers perform a low level, precision formation flying demonstration. The squadron also delivers a type of aerial messaging known as "skytyping." (see below)

The aircraft flown by the Skytypers are the venerated North American SNJ- 2s that served as the trainer for most of the Allied pilots who flew in World War II. Also known as the T-6 Texan by the Army Air Force, the Harvard by the RAF, and affectionately known as "the pilot maker" by its crews, the SNJ was designed as a transition trainer between basic trainers and first-line tactical aircraft. Serving as squadron commander is Mort Arken, a retired U.S. Army and U.S. Navy pilot with 30 years of service. In 1969, he acquired six of the world's 11 remaining 1940s SNJ-2 Navy fighter planes. Deputy squadron commander is Larry Arken, Mort Arken's son, who has a distinguished career in commercial aviation. (Go to http://www.skytyping.com/ for more information about the squadron including bios of the pilots and history of the planes.)

In addition, the Skytypers are the official WWII air group of the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum, and Mort Arken serves as the air group commander.

Their complete 2005 air show schedule is also available at http://www.skytyping.com/.

(When skytyping, the pilots fly their aircraft in a line-abreast formation. A computer in the lead aircraft sends signals to the smoke systems in each of the other aircraft in the formation. As the aircraft fly across the sky, they skytype messages like: "Come to the Smyrna Air Show" or "Spend 15 minutes and save 15% - GEICO.")

GEICO (Government Employees Insurance Company) is the fourth largest private passenger auto insurer in the United States. It provides auto insurance coverage for more than 6 million policyholders and insures more than 10 million vehicles. GEICO uses television, radio, print media, direct mail -- and now Skytypers -- to attract customers to call its 1-800-841-3000 number and to its http://www.geico.com/ Web site, and keeps its rates low by dealing directly with the customer. GEICO offers sales and claim services 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information, go to http://www.geico.com/.