By Karen Schmitt
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NTW is observed in May, but appreciation for the industry doesn’t need to be limited to a specific time frame. Museums, displays, and demonstrations can be found throughout the US all year long that are fun, informative, and recognize the pros who keep our country on the move! The Round UP spotlight is on Air Transportation and venues suggested by NDTA Corporate Members and friends.
B-24 Liberator, shown here with distinctive nose art honoring WWII vets who served in the Pacific, is the only restored aircraft of it’s kind in the world. What’s more, you can hop aboard for a nostalgic and educational ride! Photo Courtesy of The Collings Foundation
28 | Defense Transportation Journal |
JUNE 2007
AIR ADVENTURES British Professor Stephen Hawking, best known for his groundbreaking research on black holes and origins of the Universe, recently experienced “zero gravity” through a series of parabolic plunges over the Atlantic aboard a modified Boeing 727. “It was amazing,” he said afterwards. “I could have gone on and on. Space, here I come!” Momentary weightlessness brought a sense of freedom to Hawking, 65 years old, who has suffered from paralysis since age 22. The flight, however, also put a dream within reach—greater public accessibility to space. According to Hawking, “The human race doesn’t have
a future if it doesn’t go into space.” He has already reserved a seat on a sub-orbital flight with Virgin Galactic, scheduled to begin service in 2009. Virgin Galactic will own and operate at least five spaceships and two mother ships and will charge £100,000 ($190,000) to carry passengers to an altitude of about 140km. More affordable options are available to enthusiasts in pursuit of dreams or eye-opening air adventures through The Collings Foundation. “The Wings of Freedom” experience, for example, puts you onboard the B-17 (“Flying Fortress”), the B-24 (“Liberator”) or the B-25 for between $325 and $425 depending upon the aircraft and seat location. The manifest list is limited to nine passengers on the B-17, eight on the B-24, and six on the B25; flight time is 30 minutes. Flights break even since it costs approximately $4000 per hour for an in the air experience. The Foundation organizes and supports “living history” events that enable us to learn about our transportation heritage through direct participation. Antique car rallies and carriage rides were a part of the Foundation’s early options. By the mid-eighties, joint museum displays, air shows, barnstorming, historical reunions, Vietnam Memorial Flights, and the Wings of Freedom Tour were added to the repertoire. According to Hunter Cheny, Marketing Director, “The most memorable experience is one that is tactile.” Those eager for a nostalgic and educational ride among the clouds are definitely not disappointed!
