An aviation museum , air museum , or air and space museum is a museum exhibiting the history and artifacts of aviation . In addition to actual, replica or accurate reproduction aircraft , exhibits can include photographs , maps , models , dioramas , clothing and equipment used by aviators .
26-788: Solent Sky (previously known as the Southampton Hall of Aviation ) is an aviation museum in Southampton , England. The museum depicts the history of aviation in Southampton, the Solent area and Hampshire . There is a focus on Supermarine , the aircraft company based in Woolston, Southampton , and its most famous products, the Supermarine S.6 seaplane and the Supermarine Spitfire , designed by
52-621: A few stalls on the ground. Air displays can be held during day or night with the latter becoming increasingly popular. Air shows often, but do not always, take place over airfields; some have been held over the grounds of stately homes or castles and over the sea at coastal resorts. The first public international airshow, at which many types of aircraft were displayed and flown, was the Grande Semaine d'Aviation de la Champagne , held Aug. 22–29, 1909 in Reims . This had been preceded by what may have been
78-508: A large loss of life, such as the 1988 Ramstein air show disaster (70 deaths) in Germany and the 2002 Sknyliv air show disaster (77 deaths) in Ukraine . Because of these accidents, the various aviation authorities around the world have set rules and guidance for those running and participating in air displays. For example, after the breakup of an aircraft at 1952 Farnborough air show (31 deaths),
104-482: A large range of speeds. Manoeuvres include aileron rolls, barrel rolls, hesitation rolls, Cuban-8s, tight turns, high-alpha flight, a high-speed pass, double Immelmans, and touch-and-gos. Tactical demos may include simulated bomb drops, sometimes with pyrotechnics on the ground for effect. Aircraft with special characteristics that give them unique capabilities will often display those in their demos; For example, Russian fighters with thrust vectoring may be used to perform
130-478: A new museum. Construction of the current building began in 1983 and was designed by Barry Eaton, then the City Architect. A Short Sandringham on loan from the science museum group was moved into the unfished building on 1 July 1983. The new museum opened 26 May 1984. On 25 November 2023 the fuselage of a BAC One-Eleven was moved to the exterior of the museum from Cornwall Aviation Heritage Centre.In November 2024
156-612: A number of factors, including the weather and visibility. Most aviation authorities now publish rules and guidance on minimum display heights and criteria for differing conditions. In addition to the weather, pilots and organizers must also consider local airspace restrictions. Most exhibitors will plan "full", "rolling" and "flat" display for varying weather and airspace conditions. The types of shows vary greatly. Some are large scale military events with large flying displays and ground exhibitions while others held at small local airstrips can often feature just one or two hours of flying with just
182-587: A particular era, such as pioneer aviation or the succeeding "golden age" between the World Wars, aircraft of World War II or a specific type of aviation, such as gliding . Aviation museums may display their aircraft only on the ground or fly some of them. Museums that do not fly their aircraft may have decided not to do so either because the aircraft are not in condition to fly or because they are considered too rare or valuable. Museums may fly their aircraft in air shows or other aviation related events, accepting
208-449: A public relations exercise to thank the local community, promote military careers and raise the profile of the military. Air "seasons" vary around the world. The United States enjoys a long season that generally runs from March to November, covering the spring, summer, and fall seasons. Other countries often have much shorter seasons. In Japan air shows are generally events held at Japan Air Self-Defense Force bases regularly throughout
234-460: A static attraction at the marina. This Trinity House navigation aid had guided ships entering Southampton Water from the western end of the Solent, coming around the low lying sand and shingle Calshot Spit . It was built in 1914 by J I Thornycroft shipyard in Southampton, and decommissioned in 1978. The lightship was removed on 3 November 2010 and taken to be restored at Trafalgar Dry Dock. The lightship
260-502: A team led R. J. Mitchell . There is also coverage of the Schneider Trophy seaplane races, twice held at Calshot Spit , and the flying boat services which operated from the Solent. The forerunner to the museum was a museum focusing on Supermarine set up in the 1970s in a NAAFI hut alongside Havelock Road. In the latter part of 1982 decay of the buildings lead to the museum committee petitioning Southampton city council to build
286-585: A variety of other aeronautical attractions as well, such as wing-walking, radio-controlled aircraft, water/slurry drops from firefighting aircraft, simulated helicopter rescues and sky diving . Specialist aerobatic aircraft have powerful piston engines, light weight and big control surfaces, making them capable of very high roll rates and accelerations. A skilled pilot will be able to climb vertically, perform very tight turns, tumble his aircraft end-over-end and perform manoeuvres during loops. Larger airshows can be headlined by military jet demonstration teams, such as
SECTION 10
#1732924219595312-438: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Air show An air show (or airshow , air fair , air tattoo ) is a public event where aircraft are exhibited . They often include aerobatics demonstrations, without they are called "static air shows" with aircraft parked on the ground. The largest air show measured by number of exhibitors and size of exhibit space is Le Bourget , followed by Farnborough , with
338-400: Is a whole raft of legislation concerning health & safety, in particular corporate manslaughter , which can involve the event organiser being charged with a criminal offence if any of the insurances and risk assessments are not fully completed well in advance of the event. Rules govern the distance from the crowds that aircraft must fly. These vary according to the rating of the pilot/crew,
364-701: The Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport in Santiago , Chile , is the largest aerospace fair in Latin America and the Southern Hemisphere . Some airshows are held as a business venture or as a trade event where aircraft, avionics and other services are promoted to potential customers. Many air shows are held in support of local, national or military charities. Military air firms often organise air shows at military airfields as
390-688: The Dubai Airshow and Singapore Airshow both claiming third place. The largest air show or fly-in by number of participating aircraft is EAA AirVenture Oshkosh , with approximately 10,000 aircraft participating annually. The biggest military airshow in the world is the Royal International Air Tattoo , at RAF Fairford in England . On the other hand, FIDAE in II Air Brigade of the FACH , next to
416-518: The cobra maneuver or the Kulbit , while VTOL aircraft such as the Harrier may display such vertical capabilities or perform complex maneuvers with them. Some military air shows also feature demonstrations of aircraft ordnance in airstrikes and close air support , using either blanks or live munitions . Air shows may present some risk to spectators and aviators. Accidents have occurred, sometimes with
442-606: The Schneider Trophy S6B seaplane and the Spitfire." Aviation museum Aviation museums vary in size from housing just one or two aircraft to hundreds. They may be owned by national, regional or local governments or be privately owned. Some museums address the history and artifacts of space exploration as well, illustrating the close association between aeronautics and astronautics . Many aviation museums concentrate on military or civil aviation, or on aviation history of
468-678: The United States Navy Blue Angels , United States Air Force Thunderbirds , Royal Canadian Air Force Snowbirds , Royal Air Force Red Arrows , and Swiss Air Force Patrouille Suisse , among many others. Solo military demos, also known as tactical demos, feature one aircraft. The demonstration focuses on the capabilities of modern military aircraft . The display will usually demonstrate the aircraft's very short (and often very loud) rolls, fast speeds, slow approach speeds, as well as their ability to quickly make tight turns, to climb quickly, and their ability to be precisely controlled at
494-576: The first ever gathering of enthusiasts, June 28 – July 19 of the same year at the airfield at La Brayelle , near Douai . Before World War II , air shows were associated with long-distance air races, often lasting many days and covering thousands of miles. While the Reno Air Races keep this tradition alive, most air shows today primarily feature a series of aerial demos of short duration. Most air shows feature warbirds , aerobatics, and demonstrations of modern military aircraft, and many air shows offer
520-400: The museum site. There are plans for the trams to undergo restoration before going on public display. The work of Solent Sky is supported by a registered charity , the R. J. Mitchell Memorial Museum Limited, whose objects are "to advance the education of the public in matters relating to aviation by establishing and maintaining a museum as a permanent memorial to R. J. Mitchell, the designer of
546-414: The museum was granted planning permission to build a connection between the aircraft fuselage and the main museum. Aircraft on display at the museum include: The following engines can be seen at the museum: The LV 78 Calshot Spit is a lightship built in Southampton in 1914. It was decommissioned in 1987. Between 1988 and 2010, it was located at the entrance to Ocean Village marina, which formed
SECTION 20
#1732924219595572-435: The risk that flying them entails. Some museums have sets of periodicals, technical manuals, photographs and personal archives. These are often made available to aviation researchers for use in writing articles or books or to aircraft restoration specialists working on restoring an aircraft. This aerospace museum–related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This aviation -related article
598-462: The separation between display and spectators was increased. Air displays are often monitored by aviation authorities to ensure safe procedures. In the United Kingdom, local authorities will first need to approve any application for an event to which the public is admitted. The first priority must be to arrange insurance cover and details can be obtained from local authorities. An added complication
624-491: The type of aircraft and the way the aircraft is being flown. For instance, slower, lighter aircraft are usually allowed closer and lower to the crowd than larger, faster types. Also, a fighter jet flying straight and level will be able to do so closer to the crowd and lower than if it were performing a roll or a loop. Pilots can get authorizations for differing types of displays (e.g., limbo flying, basic aerobatics to unlimited aerobatics) and to differing minimum base heights above
650-405: The year. The European season usually starts in late April or Early May and is usually over by mid October. The Middle East , Australia , and New Zealand hold their events between January and March. However, for many acts, the "off-season" does not mean a period of inactivity; pilots and performers use this time for maintenance and practice. The type of displays seen at shows are constrained by
676-699: Was to become a "gateway attraction" at a new heritage museum called Aeronautica. The plans for Aeronautica came to a halt in January 2012. In December 2019 the Calshot Spit Lightship was transported to its new home at the Solent Sky Museum with plans to convert it into part of the museum's cafe. In 2017 an exhibition by the Hampshire Police and Fire Heritage Trust was added to the museum. In September 2020, three of Southampton's former trams were moved to
#594405