By TIM UNRUH
Salina Journal
A campaign for a museum that aims to celebrate flight in Salina and Saline County got a boost Wednesday with a $1 million gift from the Peggy and Steve Fossett Foundation.
Money from the Chicago-based organization is a challenge grant for the $15 million first phase of the Wings Over Salina Museum and Aviation Experience project. Donations are being accepted through the Greater Salina Community Foundation. The foundation can be reached at 823-1800.
The lead donation is a "big step" that gives the drive momentum, said Tim Rogers, executive director of the Salina Airport Authority. Discussions with Peggy Fossett, widow of late adventurer Steve Fossett, began earlier this year, Rogers said.
"Her thoughts and opinions helped focus our efforts on a facility and a plan that adequately recognizes (Steve's) accomplishments," Rogers said.
Salina Regional Airport was the site of two of Steve Fossett's record-setting milestones. He completed the world's first solo, nonstop, nonrefueled flight around the world -- 22,936 miles in 67 hours, 1 minute -- from Feb. 28 to March 3, 2005. From March 14 through 17 in 2006, Fossett set a world record of 25,294 miles for absolute distance over a closed circuit. That record still stands.
Both flights were in the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer.
Steve Fossett died in September 2007 in an airplane crash in Nevada.
Fossett's feats "are as significant as the Wright brothers' first powered flight (Dec. 17, 1903)," Rogers said. Nearly eight years later, on Nov. 1, 1911, Glenn L. Martin made the first powered flight in Saline County. Project leaders plan to suspend a replica of Martin's experimental flyer from the museum lobby.
Plans are to build the 27,000-square-foot museum at the west end of Beechcraft Road, near Flower Aviation of Salina and Salina Regional Airport. The design team of Jones Gillam Renz Architects, 730 N. Ninth, and Salina native David Exline, based in southern California, has included a number of interactive, animated attractions in the "aviation experience," Rogers said. Visitors will be greeted by a larger-than-life bronze of Steve Fossett outside before entering the Martin Lobby.
The project goal is to complete fundraising this year, which includes roughly $12 million to construct and equip the museum and a $3 million endowment for operations. Next is completing the design architectural and engineering plan in 2014 and breaking ground in 2015, on the 10th anniversary of Fossett's first world record Salina flight.
There are two funds for the project at the Greater Salina Community Foundation. The provisional fund for construction contains $8,000, and the designated fund for operations has a $12,000 balance, Rogers said.
A promotional brochure provides a snapshot that includes an aviation timeline exhibit with cased memorabilia, touch-sensitive screens and synchronized audio-video clips. The Flight Lab focuses on Salina aviation history with interactive flight-themed exhibits.
A Hangar and Flex Space Gallery allows the exploration of various aircraft, including traveling exhibits.
The GlobalFlyer Theater offers a presentation of Fossett's 2005 record-breaking flight that started and ended at the Salina airport.
The designers "have developed a concept plan that will provide Wings Over Salina visitors a truly one-of-a-kind aviation experience," Rogers said.
To see a video of the project design, go to salina.com.
A wish list beyond the first phase includes expanded interactive exhibits, an aircraft mezzanine and a restaurant, according to the brochure.
-- Reporter Tim Unruh can be reached at 822-1419 or by email at [email protected]
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