Colorado loves everything space and aviation. Back in 1994, the United States Air Force handed over the keys to an old hangar once used at the former Lowry Air Force Base in Denver. In case you didn’t know, the original Air Force Academy was located at Lowry Air Force Base before they officially opened up the Air Force Academy here in Colorado Springs.
Today, "Hangar #1" is one of the nations finest air and space museums. If you haven’t been there yet, the museum boasts more than 182,000 square feet of hangar space full of iconic aircraft, space vehicles, artifacts, military uniforms and so much more. Visitors can also experience the flight simulators inside the museum.
Fast forward to 2018 and the Wings Over the Rockies just opened up a second location at Centennial Airport in Englewood. The new 19,000 square foot Boeing Blue Sky Aviation Gallery is broken up into two experience arenas.
The first floor will cover the “experience” of flight. Visitors can strap into a tumbling gyro chair to understand the effect of G-forces on your body, interact with
a wind tunnel using items of your own design, navigate mountain passes, witness leading edge technologies and even feel the thrill of flight through virtual reality.
On the second level, visitors get the chance to really understand the “sequence” of flight. From mission planning and career readiness to a full-fledged viewing lounge to watch the comings and goings at the second busiest general aviation airport in the country. You can even put on a headset and listen to the chatter between the airport tower and the pilots.
If sitting in the cockpit of pilot-quality flight simulators isn’t enough of the real feel for you, you can even experience flight itself through a partnership with the Aspen Flying Club.
It’s an exciting place to take the family over the weekend, especially for anyone who loves everything aircraft related. The Boeing Blue Sky Aviation Gallery is open to the public each Friday and Saturday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM and Sunday from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM.
The hangar is located at 13005 Wings Way, Englewood, CO 80112. For more information about the Blue Sky Gallery or Exploration of Flight visit
ExplorationOfFlight.org or click here for turn-by-turn directions.
