Day 3: The EAA Museum!

Thomson Meeks

Day 3 – The EAA Museum!

IMG_0023

One place that you hear about quite a bit at AirVenture is the EAA Museum!  I really missed most of the interesting things that it has to offer the last two years but this year I’m glad to have visited.  The awesome thing is, is that your wristband from the show provides admission, no extra charge.  It has incredible one-of-a-kind pieces of history, from a homebuilt project that was led by Paul Poberezny, the founder of the EAA, to the X-Prize winner Spaceship One.  (Sorry for the iffy photography, the lighting is really hard.)  The complete history of flight is represented – one of my favorites was the cockpit of the Rutan Voyager – amazing stuff.

IMG_0024

With almost every exhibit, there’s a informative video that you can queue up to learn more about what you are looking at.  Even though the display floor isn’t super-hanger-sized, they know how to pack it in!

IMG_0025

All the history is cool and all but it my mind, the kids area is just the best!  There are all sorts of interactive displays that really make you understand what is going on with the science of flight.  For example, hang-glider sim that you actually get in and control the glider trying to land on a specific target. A hot air ballon sim with the same idea – control the balloon and land on a spot.  A control tower area to look out over Pioneer Airport and a really cool half-scale model of a F-22 Raptor (It’s still huge!) with a cockpit open to climb inside.  Another highlight is a full-motion WWII fighter sim that you can take for a spin for $6.  Snap rolls really will spin you upside down and threaten your lunch.

Catch a bus near the main gate for a quick ride the the museum.

Have fun, and let me know what the coolest part for you was, over on Twitter!

Thomson

Never miss an update.

More X-Plane news comes every month. Sign up below to never miss an announcement.