LONDONDERRY, NH — An around-the-world flight adventure that began last week is now underway, crossing the North Atlantic on its way to explore Europe and beyond.
It’s the first part of a simulated global flight undertaken by the Aviation Museum of NH during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The online program will give students, teachers, and armchair travelers the chance to circle the globe, visiting and flying over dozens of exotic and historic places along the way.
The flight, in a vintage DC-3 twin-engined propeller aircraft, departed on Friday, May 1 from Manchester-Boston Regional Airport. After stopping in Gander, Newfoundland, the flight then proceeded to Goose Bay, Labrador, where it landed on Sunday, May 3.
On Tuesday, May 5, the flight is scheduled to reach Narsarsuaq Airport on the west coast of Greenland, and then on Thursday, May 7 it’s Reykjavik, Iceland. From there, on Saturday, May 9 they’ll aim for Prestwick Airport outside Glasgow, Scotland.
The online adventure, complete with info about the places being visited, can be followed online at www.aviationmuseumofnh.org. New flight segments, including video footage of take-offs, landings, and sights along the way, will be posted every two days.
Destinations for the journey’s first few two weeks include flyovers of Stonehenge in England, Big Ben and Parliament in London, the English Channel, and the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
“Using our flight simulator to journey around the world is a fun way for students of all ages to explore and learn about the planet,” said Jeff Rapsis, the museum’s executive director. “It’s the ultimate field trip.”
“The terrain software has the entire globe at our fingertips. And so with schools closed and people staying at home, we figured a flight around the world is just what people could use.”
The journey will be managed by Aviation Museum volunteers, with the flying to be handled by a “celebrity guest pilot.” The pilot’s identity will be kept a closely guarded secret until the around-the world flight arrives back at Manchester.
The Aviation Museum is currently closed to the public due to the coronavirus pandemic; a re-opening date hasn’t been set, which means the flight will be exploring the globe for an undetermined time.
Now that the flight is underway, followers will be invited to suggest destinations via the Aviation Museum’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/nhahs
The Aviation Museum’s “Virtual Around-The-World Flight Adventure” is made possible with support from the museum’s members and generous donors, including Wire Belt Co. of America of Londonderry, N.H. and Manchester-Boston Regional Airport.
The Aviation Museum of N.H., 27 Navigator Road, Londonderry, N.H. is a non-profit 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization.
Housed in the original 1937 passenger terminal at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport, the museum is dedicated to celebrating New Hampshire’s role in aviation history and inspiring tomorrow’s pioneers, innovators and aerospace professionals.
For more information, visit www.aviationmuseumofnh.org or call (603) 669-4820. Follow the Aviation Museum on social media at www.facebook.com/nhahs.
