One-Tank Trips: Visit one of largest U.S. air museums – here in Ga.
WARNER ROBINS, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - The Museum of Aviation is one of the largest air museums out there.
It’s located just outside Robins Air Force Base near Warner Robins.
“It’s a little bit of a hidden jewel here in the southeast,” said Arthur Sullivan, the museum’s curator.
The museum is home to about 90 real planes scattered across four hangars and on the field outside.
Many of these planes saw real combat in World War II and the Vietnam War.
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The museum also has an SR-71, a plane that set the world air speed record.
“There’s something for everybody from little kids all the way up to adults and veterans who served,” said Sullivan.
Not only can you look at planes, but you can also try flying them, too.
The Museum of Aviation has eight flight simulators through its Mission Quest program.
“You do get the feel for it, you really do, it’s quite an experience,” said Kim Ruberti, who helps teach fundamentals of flying.
He says their simulators are pretty close to the real thing.
“We’ve had some pilots come in and say, oh my goodness, this is pretty good, this is pretty accurate,” said Ruberti.
Our Will Volk suited up and hopped into the cockpit of an F-15 simulator. He only crashed once.
In that moment, Volk said: “We’re gonna crash! We’re gonna crash! No!!!”
At that moment, he discovered the simulator didn’t have damage turned on, so he flew through the trees, took off, and landed at the airport without a scratch on the plane.
“For someone that just hopped in here, got into your flight suit, and hopped into the airplane, you picked it up pretty good,” Ruberti told Volk.
Between all the planes and the simulators, it’s more than 50 acres of aviation.
The Museum of Aviation is about two and a half hours away from Augusta. You can visit the museum for free.
If you want to try the simulator, you need to set that up in advance by visiting the museum’s website.
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