An Aviation Pioneer Returns to Long Island
New Pan Am Exhibit to Open at the
Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City
Media Contacts:
Andrew Parton
Cradle of Aviation Museum
Anne Sweeney
Anne Sweeney Public Relations
Garden City, NY, November 28, ----Pioneering Pan American World Airways folded its proud wings in 1991, but the legend will live on, thanks to a dedicated group of former employees who, in just one year, formed The Pan Am Museum Foundation. Their efforts raised over $200,000 to launch the first of four exhibits of the iconic airline at Long Island's
Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City, Long Island.
The exhibit will open on December 3, 2016, with an Inaugural Clipper Gala that will introduce the first exhibit, showcasing the legendary B-314 Flying Boats. These fabled seaplanes pioneered trans-oceanic flying. The Clippers, as all Pan Am aircraft were called, took off from the Pan Am Hangar located on Manhasset Bay in Port Washington, Long Island, first to Bermuda and later to England, Portugal and France
via the Azores.
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The first phase of the Pan Am Museum will feature the Boeing 314. Pan Am pioneered these legendary "Flying Boats," that spanned the Atlantic and Pacific in the 1930s. The first Pan Am Clippers
took off from the Pan Am Hangar located on Manhasset Bay in Port Washington, Long Island, first to Bermuda and later to England, Portugal and France via the Azores.
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Only 12 of these extraordinary flying boats were built and nine were operated by Pan American. With a payload of 21 tons, including 74 passengers and a maximum range of 5,200 statute miles, the Boeing 314 was a versatile and profitable aircraft. With America's entrance into World War II, the Boeing 314 fleet was turned over to military service as it was the only long distance aircraft available for moving large quantities of men and material.
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The B-314 Flying Boat Exhibit showcases Pan Am's singular technical achievements as well as the exceptional passenger services offered. The plane included sleeping berths and dinner served on fine china in a private dining room.
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In the coming years, the B-314 Flying Boat Exhibit will be joined by three additional and historically significant Boeing aircraft, the Stratocruiser, the B-707 and the B-747.
Said Andrew Parton, Executive Director of the Cradle of Aviation Museum, "We're thrilled to welcome the new Pan Am exhibit to the Cradle. As a pioneer in commercial aviation, Pan Am introduced a variety of aviation innovations that we can use to support our S.T.E.M. education programs. We're happy to welcome the thousands of Pan Am loyalists who have
worked hard to keep the Pan Am legacy alive."
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Author Mary Higgins Clark, a former Pan Am stewardess, will be among several well-known Pan Amers to be honored at the Inaugural Gala of the Pan Am Museum.
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The Inaugural Clipper Gala will mark a milestone in Pan Am's proud history and many Pan Am employees and prominent Long Island residents will be present. Local corporate sponsors include Northrup Grumman. Several well-known Pan Amers representing specific employee groups will be honored. They include author Mary Higgins Clark, Flight Service; Captain John Marshall, Pilots; Ron Marasco; Maintenance; Trenton Fleming, Passenger Service and Dolores Hofman, Cargo, who was the first woman forklift operator at JFK. Note to editors: Ron Marasco resides in Northhampton and Dolores Hofman in Island Park.
This singular new project was spearheaded by a group of dedicated Pan Am employees, working tirelessly to create the exhibit and finance it. In just a year, the founders of this unprecedented project raised funds to put together the first phase of the museum exhibit and to find an ideal place for it at the Cradle of Aviation Museum.
"We are thrilled by the response we received from Pan Am employees and friends who want to honor our company and its many contributions, not just to aviation, but to global travel and commerce," says Linda Freire,
Co-Chair of the Board of the Pan Am Museum Foundation. Ms. Freire is a former flight attendant and manager who now resides in Cold Spring Harbor. She also notes that over 90 people have contributed $1000 or more to become Founding Members of the Pan Am Museum.
Tickets to the Inaugural Clipper Gala are $180 and $100 of this is tax-deductible. The Pan Am Museum Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charity, registered in the State of New York. The program includes cocktails, dinner, special presentations and a silent auction with luxury prizes. The funds raised will go towards completing the three remaining exhibits.
About The Cradle of Aviation Museum
The Cradle is home to over 75 air and spacecraft and is located on Charles Lindbergh Blvd. in Garden City, NY. For more information call 516-572-4111 or visit www.cradleofaviation.org
About the Pan Am Museum Foundation
The Pan Am Museum Foundation's mission is to develop a Pan Am Museum, furthering the legacy of Pan American World Airways and its importance in aviation history. The Foundation seeks to reunite all former employees and affiliates of Pan American World Airways and those interested in aviation, and to serve future generations by promoting an appreciation of all aspects of the aviation industry. Students, teachers, researchers and the community-at-large will find enrichment through the museum's educational programs. The Pan Am Museum will preserve and exhibit Pan Am artifacts commemorating the company's history, contributions to aviation, and the extraordinary people of Pan Am.
The museum will conduct special events and educational programs to further illuminate the impact Pan Am had on aviation, international travel, and the assistance it gave to the U.S. government and global concerns. The Foundation welcomes collaboration with all Pan Am organizations.
