On Jan. 13, 1942, over Germany, test pilot Helmut Schenck, aboard a HE-280 aircraft prototype, became the first person to use an ejection seat during an emergency. The system, powered by compressed air, likely saved his life. Today’s ejection seats, while more sophisticated, remain just as crucial.
The Wings of the North Air Museum at Flying Cloud Airport in Eden Prairie will celebrate the ejection seat on Sunday, Jan. 14, by opening to the public from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. free of charge. Additionally, the first 20 children ages 12 or younger will receive a free toy airplane.
The museum displays three examples of ejection seats: one from a Korean War F-86H Sabre Jet, another from a Vietnam War F-4 Phantom II, and a downward-firing navigator’s seat from a Boeing B-52 Stratofortress.
Two ejection seat experts will be available to speak with the public from noon to 1:30 p.m. One is Air Force veteran Chris Glaeser, who used an ejection seat to escape a crippled F-104 Starfighter while instructing at the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School. The other expert specializes in parachutes, ejection seats, survival equipment, and other aviation systems.
The Wings of the North Air Museum is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday, with availability for private tours and parties at other times.
It is located at 14857 Pioneer Trail in Eden Prairie, just inside Gate H at the northwest corner of Flying Cloud Airport. Visitors should follow the call box instructions for entry and then the signs to the museum.
For more information, visit the Wings of the North website.
Wings of the North is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization recognized by the IRS.
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