Aviation Museum Folds Its Wings

What a shame to lose the Santa Monica Museum of Flying, one of the last aviation museums at a working civil aviation airport (July 23). It is trying to move to a more rural location in Southern California. Not only is the local history we lose important, but the chance to be “inside the fence” is a wonderful experience. To be close to and touch--and maybe take a flight in--a vintage aircraft is one of those potentially life-changing experiences that seldom occur anymore.

People in the Burbank/Glendale area can point to another lost opportunity. They had the birthplace of the Lockheed Skunkworks (and a continuous history of aviation achievement for over 70 years) and let it all be torn down and redeveloped. They let their heritage disappear. That leaves the California Science Center’s Air and Space Gallery in Exposition Park, a nice collection but not particularly connected with local history.

Best of luck to the Museum of Flying. And please visit the Web site at www.godickson.com/ahsfv.htm and help us preserve our great aviation history.

J. Ron Dickson

Burbank