Canadian Museum of Flight

 Two classses, Airport Operations Class 17 and Airport Operations class 18 (groups pictured left) met at the Canadian Musuem of Flight in Langley on October 31 for a private guided tour.  Each team had a docent with a different aviation background, but with a passion for aviation and the artifacts and replicas housed as the museum.
 
The Museum and restoration site houses over 25 aircraft both static and flying. The aircraft range from a WWII Handley Page Hampden to a T-33 Silver Star. The Canadian Museum of Flight possesses the only displayed Handley Page Hampden in the world. Much of the restoration of the aircraft is done by the Museum’s volunteers whose ages range from 16 to 82. Many of the volunteers spent their career in the aviation industry just to retire and put in full time hours at the Museum, while others are enthusiastic students from BCIT's AME program!

The Museum is a very “hands-on” facility. A large selection of aircraft can be touched, and the students can feel that aircraft are made not only from aluminum, but also wood and fabric. In fact, students have the opportunity to closely check out the DC3 and find out for themselves what conditions for early passengers and crews were like.

The Museum is constantly undergoing display changes to allow visitors to keep it fresh and give repeat vcisitors something new to explore each time they stop by. Visitors can take a chronological walk around the Museum starting with WWI to present day, and can for themselves the large role Western Canada played in aviation history.

Thanks to the staff and volunteers who make this field trip such an enjoyable experience.