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The Sullenberger Aviation Museum accepted the highlight of its growing collection with the Airbus A320 from U.S. Airways Flight 1549 Miracle on the Hudson flight. The museum began moving its collection of 40 commercial, civil and military aircraft, including the A320 to the 35,000-square-foot exhibit gallery and hub next to the Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT).
This move is a crucial next step in the museum's transformation, after its new name and new logo, with a reimagined mission to inspire and educate the next generation of aviators. The A320 was placed into storage in 2019 and with a new location to display the iconic aircraft, it was transported and reassembled to be exhibit-ready by the museum's team of Collections staff and volunteers, as well as the original team that provided specialized recovery efforts to remove the plane from the Hudson and transport it to Charlotte in 2011, J Supor andamp; Son.
When the museum opens, expected in the summer of 2024, the plane will be part of a fully immersive Miracle on the Hudson exhibit, including salvaged passenger and crew items like life preservers, luggage and beverage carts. The exhibit will feature a multimedia screen for visitors to go through the Flight 1549 journey, beginning with the takeoff from LaGuardia Airport (LGA) and ending with the news coverage from the day and the subsequent investigation into the engine failure.
"The Sullenberger Aviation Museum has for more than a decade played a crucial role in preserving the history of one of our country's most iconic aviation events representing the indomitable human spirit and an unyielding dedication to passenger safety," Sullenberger Aviation Museum President Stephen Saucier said. "But our reimagined 'Miracle on the Hudson' exhibit isn't just recounting the past; it's a catalyst for the future. The Sullenberger Aviation Museum aims to ignite the dreams of aspiring aviators, engineers and innovators who will inherit and perpetuate Capt. Sullenberger's legacy of excellence, heroism and courage."RELATED STORY:Carolinas Aviation Museum reopening in 2023 as Sullenberger Aviation Museum
The Miracle on the Hudson plane has been in storage since 2019 when the Sullenberger Aviation Museum closed its doors. On Jan. 12, it was announced that the former Carolinas Aviation Museum would re-open in a new location under a new name as the Sullenberger Aviation Museum in honor of Captain C.B. "Sully" Sullenberger, the pilot who safely landed the A320 in New York City's Hudson River. The museum revealed its new logo on Oct. 23, marking the final step in transforming the former Carolinas Aviation Museum into a new experience. The new visual identity sought to inspire a new vision for the organization, building upon its 31 years of history in a new facility, showing aircraft and offering STEM development in the region.
The museum will serve as an educational resource and innovation center to help shape the STEM workforce development in the region. The 105,000-square-foot multi-building campus is expected to be open by the end of 2023. The museum will feature immersive learning experiences including flight simulators, STEM education programs and interactive exhibits. About 94 percent of $31 million in anticipated funding came from the Lift Off campaign, the largest capital campaign in the museum's history, including a $5 million commitment from the CLT Cannon Fund. Bank of America gave a $1 million contribution to name and sponsor the exhibit since the bank had nearly two dozen employees on the Miracle flight. Honeywell gave a $1.5 million gift and will sponsor two key areas in the museum.
Along with the Miracle on the Hudson exhibit and the famous A320, there will be a replica of Orville and Wilbur Wright's original Wright Flyer plane, a Vietnam-era F-4S Phantom II, one of only two existing Skystreak planes used to test breaking the sound barrier, and America's first operational jet fighter the TV-1. Each aircraft exhibit will feature a tablet installed with immersive augmented reality technology so guests can learn about each aircraft's unique journey.
The Sullenberger Aviation Museum is anticipating a grand re-opening in the summer of 2024.