SLUSSER AVIATION LEARNING CENTER - NH AVIATION HISTORICAL SOCIETY
I’m excited! The New Hampshire Aviation Historical Society (NHAHS) has been given an opportunity that is truly special. Gene and Anne Slusser of Hopkinton have presented the NHAHS with a gift of $1 million to design and construct a major addition to The Aviation Museum of New Hampshire that would be dedicated to education about all things aviation. The SLUSSER AVIATION LEARNING CENTER (SALC) will be located adjacent to the 1937 Manchester airport terminal which currently comprises the Museum and will more than double the space available for aviation-themed exhibits and events. I am part of a building committee led by Board member Jack Ferns which, together with Society members and the professional design team led by Sheer, McCrystal, Palson Architects, is developing a building and exhibit plan.
As past president and a member of the NHAHS Board of Directors, I am thrilled that the Slussers have provided this opportunity and, at the same time, challenged us to achieve their broad vision to give New Hampshire a unique center for aviation education. While the SALC will be an extension of the Museum, it will truly be a major expansion of the education work the Society does. As our Program Director, Vinny Devino, has stated, “We are on a mission” to excite and interest all ages, but especially youth, in the field of aeronautics, an area in which the US has long held a leading role but an area in which the number of American graduates is rapidly being surpassed by other countries. The enhanced programs and exhibits we are planning for the SALC will help spark the imaginations and ignite the interest of young people. It will also, on a personal level, help keep alive the excitement and wonder that I feel for aviation. I love to share aviation knowledge and experiences with young people and watch their interest grow!
The building committee is expecting to develop a plan for the SALC that will be bid by April, break ground shortly thereafter, and open a year later, in the Spring of 2011. We are also interviewing exhibit development firms to secure professional assistance for the exhibits. We want to get as much participation as possible from New Hampshire’s and New England’s aerospace industries in the development of exhibits to be able to highlight the contributions the region has made to aviation. If anyone knows of any contacts at any of the major aerospace contractors in New England, I would love to hear from you so I can follow-up with a personal contact about their involvement in this exciting opportunity! E-mail me at rludders@hoyletanner.com or call me at 603-669-5555.
We definitely want to “spread the word” about the SALC and will have regular updates on the design development, construction, and exhibits at this site and our web site, www.nhahs.org. Stay tuned! I hope you are excited, too!
Dick Ludders
NHAHS
As past president and a member of the NHAHS Board of Directors, I am thrilled that the Slussers have provided this opportunity and, at the same time, challenged us to achieve their broad vision to give New Hampshire a unique center for aviation education. While the SALC will be an extension of the Museum, it will truly be a major expansion of the education work the Society does. As our Program Director, Vinny Devino, has stated, “We are on a mission” to excite and interest all ages, but especially youth, in the field of aeronautics, an area in which the US has long held a leading role but an area in which the number of American graduates is rapidly being surpassed by other countries. The enhanced programs and exhibits we are planning for the SALC will help spark the imaginations and ignite the interest of young people. It will also, on a personal level, help keep alive the excitement and wonder that I feel for aviation. I love to share aviation knowledge and experiences with young people and watch their interest grow!
The building committee is expecting to develop a plan for the SALC that will be bid by April, break ground shortly thereafter, and open a year later, in the Spring of 2011. We are also interviewing exhibit development firms to secure professional assistance for the exhibits. We want to get as much participation as possible from New Hampshire’s and New England’s aerospace industries in the development of exhibits to be able to highlight the contributions the region has made to aviation. If anyone knows of any contacts at any of the major aerospace contractors in New England, I would love to hear from you so I can follow-up with a personal contact about their involvement in this exciting opportunity! E-mail me at rludders@hoyletanner.com or call me at 603-669-5555.
We definitely want to “spread the word” about the SALC and will have regular updates on the design development, construction, and exhibits at this site and our web site, www.nhahs.org. Stay tuned! I hope you are excited, too!
Dick Ludders
NHAHS
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