Museum Visitor FAIL

[TROJANII]

How about: "If you ask first, we'll have someone show you around. If you don't ask first, then we'll have someone show you the door."

[bdk]

I have a policy at the museum. If you ask, we'll have someone show you around. If you don't ask first, then we won't let you closer.

I generally don't ask and don't go at museums like Cavanaugh, because I don't want to distract anyone from actually fixing airplanes. At a museum with a bunch of docents standing around, it is a different story.

[pjpahs]

I was at Cavanaugh and wanted to get a closer look at their A-26, found an employee asked and was referred to ask the aviator who just landed a T-6 and was given permission to go past the rope, with the employee, and take up close pictures. I would never think to go past ropes without permission. All anyone has to do is ask or reserve a docent beforehand.

[muddyboots]

I have my own policy: I do what the heck I want, and if my foot happens to punch a hole in your wing I sneak away or try to blame it on BDK.

[mustangdriver]

At the NMUSAF the policy has always been to grant reasonable access to the aircraft. If we weren't too busy and as long as someone asked first we would escort someone just about anywhere they wanted to go. Now if you didn't ask first and we just found you behind the bars, we wouldn't be as pleasant.

It was also policy to attempt to allow veterans back inside the aircraft they served with. If it was something we could do. Something like the XB-70 would of course not be something we could do.

I would question if this gentleman was given permission, escorted, then the escort was called away for a few minutes. I will say barriers are almost a must and the NMNA does use them. They are in the process of moving aircraft around and I wonder if that's why it's not blocked off.

At Grissom we try to let folks behind and when we can inside.

This is an open invite to let me know if anyone plans to stop in Grissom as I would be happy to get you inside a few planes.

[bdk]

I have my own policy: I do what the heck I want, and if my foot happens to punch a hole in your wing I sneak away or try to blame it on BDK.

I accept full responsibility! Just follow the mud trail...

[JohnB]

This is an open invite to let me know if anyone plans to stop in Grissom as I would be happy to get you inside a few planes.

I wish I'd had time for that last year, I spent the night at Grissom returing from an auto museum (Dayton, Auburn and South Bend) side-trip from my trip to the IMS.
I'd love to go into the KC-97....and B-58 (have a ladder? ) .

[mustangdriver]

I am not sure how much of the cockpit if any is actually in that B-58. It was in an accident and burned. The base cleaned it up, and made it a gate guard. Then it was moved to the museum. It would be interesting to see. The KC-97 is very complete.

[ZRX61]

Camarillo airshow in 2010. Fat kid climbs up on the Griffon Spitfire & tries to pry the canopy open, just pulling like an MF on it. While this is going on his dad is at the rear end swinging the rudder from stop to stop about as hard as he can.
Sitting not 40ft away, safely roped off from the public were 4 or 5 CAF personal keeping out of the sun in the hangar sat on their asses.

Then some gal pushes the release for the ladder on the Tigercat & just about filled her drawers when it slammed down. She was almost in tears.
Luckily the Tigercat has a built in defense against people poking stuff. Just reach into the nacelle & hit the switch for the scavenge pumps... the pokers & pryers scatter like cockroaches & then they all start blaming each other for touching something... apart from the ones who thought the noise was the starters winding up, they just keep running...

[p51]

I spent a few days in Huntsville last week and talked with people at the NASA visitor center there. They told me some amazing stories about people trying all manners of insanity to get into displays. One was caught trying to pary open the plexi window of the 'white room' display at the end of the Saturn V gantry where three dummies are suited up as two Apollo astronauts and one suit tech. When asked, the man said he just wanted a better photo (which is hard to get). Another complained loudly that he couldn't get to the command module of their real Saturn V. The thing is probably 30+ feet in the air, hanging from the ceiling! And another as found trying to get into their Vertical Saturn V (a full sized mockup). That'd be really tough to do with a full gantry, even if was a real rocket.
They also talk with the Smithsonian folks in DC and had lots of stories about people trying to get into the Orbiter Enterprise when it was still at Dulles. The irony there is that there is Space Camp at Huntsville and you not only get to go inside some very well-done trainers, you actually get to use them (and they have adult programs)...

[ktst97]

concerning mustangdriver, his connection with the Grissom Air Museum, his recent lack of posts on WIX:

I spoke with Chris via phone Saturday. He has been volunteering on a B-17 project in Oregon and seemed truly enthused about it. His lack of posts just might be related to things similar to "zingers" posted by some in threads such as "Bill Greenwood's Spitfire" and other threads. Please do not think that I am pontificating; I have been guilty of posting a sentence or two that may have stung needlessly when my "NTB opinionated" views of keep 'em flying vs make 'em into giant dust-collecting paperweights gets offended.

[Lynn Allen]

I have a policy at the museum. If you ask, we'll have someone show you around. If you don't ask first, then we won't let you closer.

I'll remember that next time, sorry ... Doug remember the Kelly AFB free shows where there were 1000's of kids running around like at a calf scramble? Come out to Addison during there Kaboom night and watch the parents walk down the flight line looking for a open a/c and then throw the kid in and let them yank and bank.... Nice

[Obergrafeter]

Look Mommy, this airplane is made out of canvas................thump, thump, thump!!!!

[gary1954]

if the museum wants people to stay off, the displays should be roped off and posted as such.

Disssssagree with you on this one People just need to show respect, a component of our moral fiber that is dying a slow death...

Right is Right, Wrong is Wrong, if it doesn't belong to you....keep your frickin' hands off of it

[gary1954]

Don Hull?

Sounds more like Connie Edwards, to me.

I was thinking Connie Edwards, but also maybe Junior Burchinal?

these are the two that crossed my mind as well...leaning Burchinal though