New England Air Museum to host ‘Open Cockpit Day’ on Jan. 18

Date: 1/2/2015

WINDSOR LOCKS, Conn. – The New England Air Museum will host its next Open Cockpit Day on Jan. 18, 2015.

On that day, visitors will be permitted to climb into the cockpits of up to 10 vintage aircraft, a full-motion flight simulator and two static flight simulators. These include the Vietnam era “Huey” helicopter; the North American F-100 Super Sabre jet fighter; the Coast Guard HH-52 rescue helicopter; the Coast Guard HU-25 Falcon; the Lockheed F-104C Starfighter and more.

As an added feature, the Wings & Wheels Modelers Club will present a plastic scale model show featuring hundreds of model airplanes, military vehicles, figures, ship and cars.  There will be ongoing demonstrations by modelers who will be working on and building models throughout the day.

Museum educators will provide hands-on activities for younger visitors and the Museum’s Flight Sim Spot full-flight simulator experience will be available throughout most of the day.  For the convenience of visitors, a food vendor will be on site serving sandwiches, snacks and beverages.

The museum will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $12 for ages 12 and up, $11 for seniors 65 and up and $6.50 for ages 4 to 11. Children under 3 are admitted free. For more information, visit www.neam.org or call 860-623-3305.

The New England Air Museum is the largest aviation museum in New England and is a private, non-profit educational institution that was organized in 1959. Three larger hangars and an outdoor display contain more than 80 aircraft with permanent exhibits that include the oldest surviving aircraft in the U.S. – the 1870 Silas M. Brooks Balloon Basket, as well as an S-39 Amphibian plane – the first aircraft built in Connecticut by aviation pioneer Igor Sikorsky. Featured year-round are many historical aircraft and exhibits including a focus on World War II’s Tuskegee Airmen, and a display about Amelia Earhart alongside a Lockheed Model 10 Electra – the same type of plane flown by the female aviator.

The Air Museum is dedicated to preserving and presenting historically significant aircraft and related artifacts, engaging visitors through high-quality exhibits helping them to understand aviation technology and history and inspiring students through innovative and hands-on educational programs.

It is owned and operated by the Connecticut Aeronautical Historical Association and is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors, with four full-time employees, 18 part-time employees, and more than 175 volunteers. The New England Air Museum is located on 36 Perimeter Road, off Route 75, on the North end of the Bradley International Airport airfield.

It is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week, and features a large gift shop. For more information, www.neam.org or 860-623-3305 or Facebook at New England Air Museum.