First Class or No Class!

The Planes of Fame Museum at the Valle Airport in Valle, Arizona is home to over forty different aircraft. According to the signs, over ninety percent of the aircraft are still flyable! I didn’t take any of them for a spin, but I was able to get up close and personal with many of them. Museums preserve the past for the future generations, but there is something about an aviation museum that is truly breathtaking. First of all, the technologies for aircraft instruments have essentially not changed. How we measure airspeed and altitude. Our ability to navigate in the skies has dramatically changed since the early days of aviation. The introduction of satellites and GPS has made navigation easier and more accurate than ever before. In the early days of aviation they still used the same methods as sailors! Getting positions from the stars to guide them. The knowledge and determination of the early aviators was astounding. Walking around that museum my respect grew and grew for those early aviators. But I will say this, aviation was certainly a classy affair back then...

A 1952 Martin 404 

I had driven by this beast a number of times on my way to and from Flagstaff, I never knew you could go all up in it!

With a luxurious main cabin, just look at those couch patters.

Sitting in the back and want to know your altitude, vertical speed and airspeed? They've got you covered!

For important business meetings.

First class all the way.

Still pretty basic up front though.

Just look at them colorful panels and switches.