MONTGOMERY AL- Ohio and Alabama have a wealth of aviation history in common. Both have ongoing efforts for a Wright Brothers history museum. Both museum plans were close but neither off the ground. For years, Nick Engler tried to work a museum deal in Dayton but now has his sights set to take flight elsewhere with reproductions of early gliders and airplanes.
For years, Montgomery has considered an aviation museum that would include the Wright Brothers history but the idea hasn't taken flight. A Montgomery flying field where the Wrights trained aviators in 1910 later became Maxwell Air Force Base.
The director of the Dayton-based Wright Brothers Aeroplane Co. reportedly met in recent days with leaders in Montgomery, Alabama, about a local museum, but he said the talks are in the early stages and no one has committed to the project.
-Maxwell AFB 100th Celebration Airshow- AlabamaAviator image.
Wright Brothers Aeroplane Co. builds early Wright brothers-era glider and airplane replicas and showcases them across the country teaching visitors, air show fans and students - about the earliest era of aviation. Among other venues, the exhibit was an attraction at the Dayton Air Show from 2003 to 2005, highlighting the century of flight celebration.
"I would love to find a home for these airplanes," Engler said. "We've been talking to people from California to Israel about it right now. We are looking to find an appreciative community who sees the historic value of what we've got and can make use of it to increase tourism, public relations and education in their community," according to news reports.
Mike Watson, an architect with 2WR in Montgomery, set up meetings between Engler and local leaders in the Alabama city. "There's no discussion really to open a museum other than it would be my desire to push to have that happen as a magnet for tourism and economic development dollars," Watson said. In the interim, he has hired Wright Brothers Aeroplane Co. to build artifacts for a new Montgomery business, the Aviator Bar, which he reportedly said was a cross between a museum and entertainment establishment.
A tough economy has made it difficult to find money to launch a museum, Engler said. "Now and then we get somebody that calls us up and they explore it." -From News reports