National Air and Space Museum Needs the Room

AOPA has announced its next Prize Aircraft, to be awarded a lucky member next Winter: The Wright Flyer.

In announcing the organization's choice, AOPA President Phil Boyer said, "We strive to find, and award, unique aircraft, as rewards to our membership. While in the past, many of these aircraft have been startlingly practical, we have decided to go 'historical' this year, and award the Wright Flyer."

Our shocked reporter called the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum, where we talked with the NASM's new curator, recently-retired designer Burt Rutan. He told us, "Well, that machine [the Flyer] is clearly one of the oldest things in here, and, well, we figured that everyone who wanted to see it, had seen it. The space is prime real estate here, and we needed more room for some modern exhibits."

Boyer noted, "While other organizations are diddling around, making 'copies' (and some of them are really good, you know), you just can't beat the original. Even with the British rebuild so many years ago, and even though it's really, really dusty, we figured, 'What the heck -- a little spar varnish, an oil change, and it'll be good as new.'"

Boyer cautioned the prospective owner: "Now, getting this puppy back in the air won't be easy. From what Microsoft says, it's a bugger to fly. Additionally, we're having some initial troubles with the FSDO, getting it an Airworthiness Certificate. It seems there are a lot of what the FAA calls, 'non-standard' materials and techniques employed here." He had a plan, though. "If we can't get a tail number," he admitted, "we'll just call it an ultralight. So, it's a few hundred pounds too heavy; big deal -- that's never stopped anybody before. It meets all the other requirements of Part 103: it's slow enough; it's a single-place machine; and it doesn't hold but five gallons of gas. That's closer to compliance than half of what's out there!"

FMI: www.aopa.org/wrightaward