Mr Kevincm returns to Washington – The Udvar Hazy Centre, National Air and Space Museum

Mr Kevincm returns to Washington – The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum – National Mall

In this… well.. mess:

• How far can you go for a £1 (+Tax)?
• Off to Manchester Airport, Manchester Airport and the BA Terraces Lounge
• AA735 Manchester Airport to Philadelphia
• A long Philadelphia layover featuring the US Customs and the TSA at their best.
• AA4545 Philadelphia to Washington Reagan
• Holiday Inn Washington Reagan
• The Marriott Marquis, Washington DC
• The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum – National Mall
• The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum – The Udvar Hazey Building
• Back to Dulles, British Airways Dulles Lounge
• BA216 Washington Dulles to Heathrow with the Airbus A380
• Heathrow Transfer, North Lounge
• BA1530 London Heathrow to Manchester
• The joy of coaches, and CrossCountry trains from Manchester to Birmingham
• Short and Sweet

Editors Note: Whilst I was going to write a little bit about the Boarding Area conference…  I realised approximately no-one would be interested in reading about it. And I can live with that. Let’s skip to the good stuff, and onto another museum instead.

I left the Marriott Marquis after a successful conference, and hailed a Uber (as I was so over Lyft that weekend) to take me to the Udvar Hazy Cente in Chantilly, Virginia.

Where’s that you ask for those who aren’t local? Around the corner from Washington Dulles Airport – where my next flight would be departing from.

And as it was autumn at the time of the visit, it made for a nice drive to the museum.

A bit of a drive later and $45 lighter, I was at one of my favourite museums in the USA – The Udvar Hazey Centre, The National Air and Space Museum.

Now, for visitors to the museum, they have something useful… COIN LOCKERS! This means if you have luggage, you can stow it away. Medium sized/cabin suitcases fit a treat in the larger lockers…

Empty….

Bagged!

With that done, I could explore the museum. But why is this museum named after Stephen Udvar-Hazy?

For those outside the civil aviation networks, the name maybe unfamiliar. For those inside it – you should know it as the person who helped start International Lease Finance Corp, and Air Lease Corporation – companies that lease aircraft of various makes and specifications to airlines to fly around the world.

He donated US$66 million  to the Smithsonian Institute to build the annex building to the National Air and Space Museum. And thus that’s why his name is on it.

Let’s have a look around!

The first sight you’ll see is the imposing SR-71 Blackbird with the Space Shuttle Discovery in the background. We’ll get onto Discovery in a bit.

Meanwhile there’s a hanging display to the right

… and to the left.

I passed  a few displays on the elevated walkways – as its one of the ways of getting the best views

And gives great views.

Being elevated gives great views … and at a higher level than the cockpits of some of the aircraft.

Including the Boeing 367-80 – the forefather of the 707. It’s also been known to do a mean barrel roll.

(Dear 777 pilots. NO ROLLS).

Something new that had opened since the last time I was here was the restoration hanger – where the work of the National Air and Space Museum is carried out.

Whilst I didn’t see much in action (mainly as it’s a Sunday), it’s a hub for conservation and restoration work to be carried out on artefacts that need the attention.

Another new feature that would be new to me was the arrival of a “new” space shuttle. The last time I was here, the Space Shuttle Enterprise was in residence.

So this would be the first time I would welcome the Shuttle Discovery.

Discovery – unlike her sister Enterprise which was a glorified glider in some respects – had actually touched the stars, and left the atmosphere of Earth, conducting missions and connecting to the International Space Station.

You wouldn’t want to argue with those engines.

It’s larger than you think… but smaller. I doubt that makes sense – but there it is…

Still a great view. 

Back on the floor, you do feel small amount the planes – no matter how small they are.

Lufthansa JU52

The Boeing 367-80

Boeing 377 Stratoliner “Pan American Airlines Clipper Flying Cloud”

Again, I found another elevated walkway, which gives a new perspective on aircraft

Madam Concorde I presume?

C’est un Air France Concorde.

Two Boeings – the Stratoliner in the foreground, the 367-80 in the main.

Enloa Gay. Those who know history should know why this aircraft is here.

And other view of Discovery.

Descending the stairs, you come to the behind of the SR-71 Blackbird. This is one plane you never wanted to be on the rear end of… least of all those engines could leave for you dust.

From above.

From the back side

You don’t want to behind those engines when they’re warning up… or at full pelt.

Still black and sleek

And that’s a view you want to see.

My time was limited at the Udvar Hazy Centre, so I checked the times for the buses back to the airport

Remember $1.75, exact change.

After raiding the souvenir shop for a couple of books (and the bookstore at this branch of the Smithsonian is better stocked than the one in downtown DC), I headed for a bus that would take me homewards – or the first step home – to Washington Dulles Airport.

Next: Washington Dulles Airport, British Airways Club Lounge.

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