Lone Star Flight Museum Moving?

[67N20]

I just hope access for the non-warbird community, the regular Joe Schmoo with his kids, is as easy as Galveston. Wish them all the luck and count me in as a frequent visitor.

Ellington Field is only 1 mile off IH45-the main corridor from Houston to Galveston, access won't be a problem. There's even talk of an exit from Beltway 8 directly to Ellington in the future.

[Ztex]

Seems like a good move to me. Lots of cool stuff at EFD.

It would be even better if the Fighter 1 and CF hangers were not by appointment only...

Rick any plans to open a more "museum" like setting than you are now?



Wendover gets 2 million "visitors" a year? does that count the interstate traffic?

[StangStung]

This is great news. After Ike, I figured (and from the reports it sounds like most of the local knew) it was just a matter of time until LSFM moved. Not doing so would just be bad stewardship. Ellington is a great place to go. As has been mentioned, rightly in my mind, if you're going to/from Galveston and you're a warbird fan, you're not going to pass up a side trip to Ellington. And as many other warbird outfits are down there, it seems like there may be some room for scratching each others' backs. The more planes, the more folks come by, the more cash gets dropped to help the planes...sounds like a winner.

[93Wing]

They had talked to Conroe(Lonestar) but I guess they couldn't come to an agreement. I told the wife that if they moved there she would be a warbird widow.

[wendovertom]

LOL - Ztex - exactly why I put the smiley in there. I think the count IS the interstate traffic! although the casinos are full to overflowing almost every weekend.

Tom P.

[airnutz]

Ellington Field is only 1 mile off IH45-the main corridor from Houston to Galveston, access won't be a problem. There's even talk of an exit from Beltway 8 directly to Ellington in the future.

True, but there are other expansions in the next 5 years for EFD which will exacerbate the congestion that occcurs in the traffic in that area. I was lamenting in my earlier post more about the loss of the small airfield feel and accessability of Scholes, rather than highway support and closer to Houston-proper traffic. We'll miss Thunderbird coming in low over the Bay "attacking" Scholes...welcome to housing developments, east side unviewability, increased air traffic, etc. Write it off to a grumpy fart whinging on about how good the old days were...

The safety of LSFM and the Aviation Hall of Fame are what should be saluted, things change for the better, but some awfully good schtufff is lost.

Anybody got a clue yet where the physical building will be located. I'd heard the earlier location was over in a patch near the Vomet Comet until the ramp-shortage issue came up or will we find out after the council meeting?

[RickH]

It will be across from the existing ops building adjacent to the end of Taxiway Kilo. Look on the satellite, Kilo is the taxiway to nowhere.

ZTEX, we're trying too, it only takes money.

[maradamx3]

NO NO NO - a better choice would be a tornado/hurricane free, 4237 elevation, 6 original WWII hangar locale - I mean bring it all out to WENDOVER

According to the local commerce office more than 2M folks visit Wendover each year and a museum like LSFM would be great. Rick and company could take over management of the Texas Hall of Fame and voila - everyone is happy.

I'm going to go start sweeping out the hangars for the new arrivals

Tom P.
http://www.wendoverairbase.com

Makes sense. Practically unlimited runway (although this time of year they may get a little congested with speedweek), unlimited condiment for french fries, and only a small change in the acronym for the new SFM (Salt Flats Museum or Salt Flight Museum).
Tommy

[93Wing]

According to the news last night, it's a done deal. LSFM is moving to Ellington.....

[Warbird Kid]

Im sure Galveston, as well as the rest of the LSFM crew, is sad to be leaving there home but since the events of Ike, Im sure this will be beneficial in the long run. When I come down south I'll make sure to stop by Ellington Field.

[Pogo]

Kinda reminds me of the old joke where all the Okies fled the dust bowl to Califorinia, and ended up raising the IQ of both states.

Ellington sucks to visit these days, everything's airtight behind Homeland Security chainlink. Maybe if LSFM relocates there, it'll become a little more accessible to the visitor.

[carlisle1926]

This is my take on it. I like that they are moving to Ellington because that means only a 10 minute drive for me now instead of nearly an hour. However, I think the museum did well in Galveston due to the tourism. Houston doesn't have a lot going for it. When you go to Galveston in the Summer months, there is a LOT of out of state tourism there that Houston will never see. Houston does have millions living here, but not millions of Americans. The population here is more of a "futbol" crowd. Tourism requires the right audience. As as a former long time employee of the Six Flags amusement parks, I can say from behind the scenes that the population of Houston is what lead to the demise of Astroworld, Houston's Six Flags Park. I think that the Cavanaugh Flight Museum is in a much nicer environment, surrounded by the right target audience. For the sake of the aircraft, moving away from salt water and salty air is fantastic! I hope that the museum will fare well at Ellington away from its target audience. Obviously all of us on this site will support them, I just hope the massive loss of tourist won't hurt them. I want very much to be wrong about this. Hopefully they will bring another reason for tourists to want to come here.
I can also see the point that some of you have made about being near NASA being a positive thing as well as the Kemah Boardwalk. They will be far enough inland that the storm surge crap shouldn't be a real problem. I'm excited to see how things go. Being closer to Houston might also increase the number of volunteers. If they need them. Those are my thoughts.

[RickH]

Ellington was the Museum's first choice before they moved to Galveston. The Houston city airport properties folks and the City Council at the time gave them a take it or leave it propisition. LSFM founder Robert Waltrip and the museum's initial director Jim Fausz left it. Galveston almost did the same thing.

It's amazing, the naysayers on here. Ellington is ON THE WAY to Galveston. People have to drive right by there to get to Galveston. Why wouldn't they stop ? Now they are also on the way to Space Center Houston and Clear Lake. An attraction that's gets plenty of tourists. It's 7 miles from Hobby Airport.

We hope that LSFM will be one of several aviation museums at EFD. They will all draw a crowd. Anybody hear ever heard of Duxford, Chino, and several other concentrations of warbirds across the country ?

Give it a chance, let's see how it all develops, this wasn't a haphazard decision.

[carlisle1926]

Ellington was the Museum's first choice before they moved to Galveston. The Houston city airport properties folks and the City Council at the time gave them a take it or leave it propisition. LSFM founder Robert Waltrip and the museum's initial director Jim Fausz left it. Galveston almost did the same thing.

It's amazing, the naysayers on here. Ellington is ON THE WAY to Galveston. People have to drive right by there to get to Galveston. Why wouldn't they stop ? Now they are also on the way to Space Center Houston and Clear Lake. An attraction that's gets plenty of tourists. It's 7 miles from Hobby Airport.

We hope that LSFM will be one of several aviation museums at EFD. They will all draw a crowd. Anybody hear ever heard of Duxford, Chino, and several other concentrations of warbirds across the country ?

Give it a chance, let's see how it all develops, this wasn't a haphazard decision.

You have a point. Hopefully this will be the beginning of turning Ellington into something absolutely amazing. Great advertising and signage will be the key to getting the flow of visitors started. Lots of big tacky billboards help. A big honking billboard on the side of the highway north of Dallas is how I found about Cavanaugh years ago. Of course the Wings Over Houston Airshow will no doubt be a huge bonus.

[airnutz]

everything's airtight behind Homeland Security chainlink. Maybe if LSFM relocates there, it'll become a little more accessible to the visitor.

If the building is going to be where Rick said, then it'll be almost the first thing off of Galveston Highway north entrance. If they do it the way they did in Galveston where the LSFM building is outside the security fence then that won't be a problem....pretty much drive up and pop in...the more before rush hour, the better.