Our Facebook fan page wall is a great place to crowd source the answers to many questions. We know that many of you L-O-V-E to travel and be a tourist. So we took the opportunity to ask our fans where they found to be the best spots for an aviation-themed field trip. We were so pleased with the response!
Looking for a great place to check out aircraft in your local area, or perhaps a new place to plan a trip to? Well why not plane spot at these fantastic locations? This list is not comprehensive and is in no particular order, but certainly includes some thoughtful recommendations from MDT fans:
Wright Memorial (Kittyhawk, North Carolina)
Wind, sand, and a dream of flight brought Wilbur and Orville Wright to Kitty Hawk, North Carolina where, after four years of experimentation, they achieved the first successful airplane flights in 1903. With courage and perseverance, these self-taught engineers relied on teamwork and application of the scientific process. What they achieved changed our world forever.
As the second busiest airport in the Caribbean after Puerto Rico's San Juan airport, St. Maarten/St. Martin airport serves as a gateway to the Lesser Antilles as well as an alternate route to the British Virgin Islands. And, given its famous dual French/Dutch personality, this fabulous destination is itself well worth at least a mini-vacation on its own.
Air Force Museum (Dayton, Ohio)
The National Museum of the United States Air Force galleries present military aviation history, boasting more than 360 aerospace vehicles and missiles on display -- many rare and one-of-a-kind -- along with thousands of historical items and powerful sensory exhibits that bring history to life and connect the Wright brothers' legacy with today's stealth and precision technology. We invite you to take an online glimpse of our galleries. Click on a gallery name to see exhibits, including aircraft, engines, equipment and weapons of the USAF. The section also highlights special exhibits, current exhibits and restoration projects.Carolinas Air Museum (Charlotte, North Carolina)
The museum is conveniently located adjacent to Charlotte Douglas International Airport, so your visit will include watching all types of commercial and private aircraft land and takeoff. The excitement of feeling the power of the big jets taking off is sure to be an experience all visitors will remember.Museum of Aviation (Warner Robins, Georgia)
The summer is in full swing, and it’s the perfect time to visit the Museum of Aviation with vacationing visitors and your family.
Guided tours are available and geared for people ages 5 to adult. They require a minimum of 10 people. The tours are history-based and led by the trained staff of the museum’s education department.
Museum of Flight (Seattle, Washington)The independent, non-profit Museum of Flight is one of the largest air and space museums in the world, attracting more than 400,000 visitors annually. The Museum’s collection includes more than 150 historically significant air- and spacecraft, as well as the Red Barn®—the original manufacturing facility of The Boeing Co. The Museum’s aviation and space library and archives are the largest on the West Coast. More than 100,000 individuals are served annually by the Museum’s on-site and outreach educational programs. The Museum of Flight is accredited by the American Associations of Museums, and is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution.
The Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum preserves for all Americans the stories of courage, character and patriotism displayed by the men and women of the Eighth Air Force from World War II to the present.
The Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum’s vision is to sustain our cultural heritage, support lifelong character education, and to be a center of community engagement.
For 51 weeks a year, EAA is an international community of more than 160,000 members that nurtures the spirit of flight through a worldwide network of chapters, outreach programs, and other events.
But for one week each summer, EAA members and aviation enthusiasts totaling more than 500,000 from more than 60 countries attend EAA AirVenture at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, where they rekindle friendships and celebrate the past, present and future in the world of flight.
Museum of Naval Aviation (Pensacola, Florida)
Fly high with an adventure at the National Naval Aviation Museum, one of the world’s largest aviation museums. Located aboard Naval Air Station Pensacola, this historic treasure boasts more than 150 beautifully restored aircraft, hands-on exhibits and more than 4,000 artifacts representing Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard aviation. Watch the awe-inspiring Blue Angels at practice air shows from March through November, take a ride in a motion-based or Top Gun Air Combat simulator, have fun with the ultimate seven story giant screen movie experience in the IMAX Theatre and dine in the Cubi Bar Café, an exhibit itself. There are plenty of family-friendly ways to get the most out of quality time with the kids. Free admission is an added bonus, as well as free tours inside the Museum and on the flight line.
Udvar-Hazy Center (Washington, DC)
The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center near Washington Dulles International Airport is the companion facility to the Museum on the National Mall. The building opened in December, 2003, and provides enough space for the Smithsonian to display the thousands of aviation and space artifacts that cannot be exhibited on theNational Mall. The two sites together showcase the largest collection of aviation and space artifacts in the world.The Pima Air & Space Museum offers exclusive bus tours of the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG), also known as the "Boneyard." The facility is located adjacent to the Museum at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.
The National Museum of the Marine Corps is a lasting tribute to U.S. Marines--past, present, and future. Situated on a 135-acre site adjacent to Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, and under the command of Marine Corps University, the Museum's soaring design evokes the image of the flag-raisers of Iwo Jima and beckons visitors to this 120,000-square-foot structure. World-class interactive exhibits using the most innovative technology surround visitors with irreplaceable artifacts and immerse them in the sights and sounds of Marines in action.
CR Smith Museum (Dallas, Texas)
C.R. Smith Museum is named for the innovative aviation pioneer and former President of American Airlines, Cyrus Rowlett Smith. The building of the museum honoring C.R. Smith and his accomplishments was the culmination of a two and one-half year fundraising and building effort led by various AA employee and retiree groups. The museum opened July 3rd, 1993.
Artifacts, which began with the Paul Kent Collection, were acquisitioned, painstakingly catalogued and incorporated into the museum's displays and archives by staff and volunteers. Many of these original volunteers are still actively involved with the museum.
Have we missed any that you think should be added to the list? Where's your absolute favorite location to plane spot and absorb aviation history?
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