Bank of America Weekend Family Workshop
Friendship 7
Saturdays and Sundays, Jan 1, 2, 15, 16, 29, 30
Friendship 7, carrying astronaut John Glenn, was the first American manned spacecraft
to orbit the Earth. Learn about this historic space mission and then build a paper model
of Friendship 7.
Wells Fargo Free First Thursday
Thursday, Jan. 6, 5-9 p.m.
Once a month, the Museum stays open late-for free! Enjoy the Museum’s Great Gallery, Personal Courage Wing, Space: Exploring the New Frontier exhibit and more from 5-9 p.m., courtesy of Wells Fargo.
Lecture
Dennis Newton: The First Flight of the Lear Fan Prototype
Saturday, Jan. 1, 2 p.m.
Test pilot Dennis Newton will talk about the development of aviation entrepreneur Bill Lear’s last project–the radical, Lear Fan 2100 Futura. Newton is the former Chief Test Pilot of Lear Fan Corp., and was at the controls of the Lear Fan prototype during its January 1981 maiden flight. The Lear Fan was designed as a medium-size business aircraft that could cruise at jet speeds with far lower operating costs than jets because of its lightweight composite structure and unique, turboprop propulsion. The plane was one of the first high performance aircraft using composite construction (30 years before the flight of the first all-composite airliner, the Boeing 787). It also had a novel propulsion system using two turbine engines driving a single propeller in the tail. Bill Lear did not live to see the aircraft fly. Three Lear Fans were produced, but the aircraft was not put into production. The original Lear Fan prototype is on permanent display at The Museum of Flight. Newton is also distinguished as a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society.
Documentary Film Screening with Special Guests
“Battle of Brecourt Manor,” with filmmaker Vance Day and “Band of Brothers” veterans Don Malarkey and Buck Compton. Seattle Premier.
Saturday, Jan. 8, 2 p.m.
1st Lt. Lynn “Buck” Compton and Tech. Sgt. Donald Malarkey, two of the original members of “Easy Company” (E Company of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, U.S. Army 101st Airborne Division-immortalized in the book and mini-series “Band of Brothers”) will join filmmaker Vance Day for the Seattle premier of Day’s documentary, “Battle of Brecourt Manor.” The Brecourt Manor Assault was an engagement which involved Easy Company on the morning of June 6th, 1944 during Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of Europe. After the screening, Day, Malarky and Compton will field questions from the audience. The men will be available for autographs in the Museum lobby following the program.
Lecture and Book Signing
Peter Stekel: “Final Flight – The Mystery of a World War II Plane Crash and the Frozen Airmen in the High Sierra”
Saturday, Jan. 15, 2 p.m.
Author Peter Stekel will tell the remarkable story of a mysterious 1940s plane crash that did not begin to unfold until decades later, when the mummified remains of an airman in a World War II uniform were found entombed in ice on a California mountain. In 2005 two mountaineers climbing above a glacier in California’s High Sierra found what soon became known in the media as the “frozen airman.” Stekel became fascinated with the story and began his own investigation into what happened to the four-man crew who perished on a routine navigation training flight in 1942, 150 miles off-course from its reported destination. His quest led him back to the mountains, where in 2007 he discovered a second body in the glacier. Stekel’s book, “Final Flight – The Mystery of a World War II Plane Crash and the Frozen Airmen in the High Sierra,” is a gripping account that’s part mystery, part history, and part personal journey to uncover the truth of what happened on November 18, 1942.
Honeywell Explorer Lecture
Bob Bogash: The Kelly Johnson Story
Saturday, Dec. 11, 2 p.m.
The Dec. 11 Museum of Flight Honeywell Explorer Lecture features retired Boeing Company engineer Bob Bogash presenting the story of Kelly Johnson, one of the most influential aeronautical engineers in aviation history. The program profiles the Lockheed manager and engineer who was involved in the design of dozens of important aircraft included the Model 10 Electra, P-38 Lightning, P-80 Shooting Star, F-104 Starfighter, SR-71 Blackbird and the Constellation airliner. Johnson was also instrumental in the operation of Lockheed’s legendary division of advanced projects — the so-called Skunkworks — where he helped develop the U-2 and Blackbird spy planes.
Lecture and Book Signing
George Bibel: “Beyond the Black Box: The Forensics of Airplane Crashes”
Thursday, Jan. 20, 7 p.m.
George Bibel’s book, “Beyond the Black Box: The Forensics of Airplane Crashes,” aims to teach high school science through unusual airplane accidents and crashes. Bibel’s presentation will show how crash investigators use physics, aerodynamics and mechanical engineering to crack the mysteries of an accident and how resulting safety recommendations are incorporated to make flying safer. Bibel is a professor of mechanical engineering at the University of North Dakota. He augments his traditional engineering courses with new courses featuring engineering disasters. He has written for the New York Times, and has been a featured speaker at Boeing for new engineer training. Admission is $10 non-members, $5 members.
Special Event
Mars Fest 2011
Saturday, Jan. 22, 11 am-5 pm
Mars Fest returns to The Museum of Flight on Jan. 22, 2011! In January 2004, the Museum held Mars Fest to recognize the then-recent landings of the Mars Exploration Rovers Spirit and Opportunity. These incredible vehicles have explored the Martian surface for most of the past seven years, and at least one of them is likely to be roving in January. Mars Fest 2011 will look at the exploration of Mars with a program of speakers, films, workshops and exhibits.
The event will start at 11 a.m. with “The Great Martian Road Trip,” a presentation by NASA Solar System Ambassador Dr. Ron Hobbs. Afternoon speakers will include Dr. Stephen Wood from the UW Dept. of Earth and Space Science, and Lauren Edgar, graduate student at Caltech and former Museum of Flight Apprentice. Edgar is now working at NASA JPL on the Opportunity rover mission. Events also include a presentation by one or more Washington Aerospace Scholars alumni about planning a mission to Mars. The Mars Society will have a booth under the Blackbird spyplane and Museum Education Office will conduct a Bank of America Weekend Family Workshop about the Mars rovers.
Bank of America Weekend Family Workshop
Mars Rovers
Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 22 and 23, 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Spirit and Opportunity are two of the most famous and successful robotic rovers in the history of the United States space program. Learn about their missions to Mars. Then design your own Martian explorer!
New Exhibit Opening
Style in the Aisle
Saturday, Jan. 29
Style in the Aisle is back! This popular, temporary exhibition about flight attendants and their uniforms was first shown in 2008; now it returns featuring fashions not seen in the original exhibit. A dozen complete uniforms will be displayed, dating from the 1930s to the 1980s and representing several different U.S.-based airlines. The progression from conservative uniforms to colorful and flamboyant fashions and back to conservative styles shows how flight garb mirrored the public image of the flight attendant’s role. The exhibit also features glamorous photographs, television commercials, and a variety of artifacts including flight bags, accessories, and memorabilia. The exhibit will be on view until May 30, 2011.
The Museum of Flight is located at 9404 E. Marginal Way S., Seattle, Exit 158 off Interstate 5 on Boeing Field half-way between downtown Seattle and Sea-Tac Airport. The Museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $15 for adults, $13 for seniors 65 and older, $10 for active military, $8 for youth 5 to 17, and free for children under 5. Group rates are available. Admission on the first Thursday of the month is free from 5 to 9 p.m. courtesy of Wells Fargo. For general Museum information, please call 206-764-5720 or visit
www.museumofflight.org