AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2024 - 35

MIKE FIZER
Getting There
Skagit Valley in northwestern Washington is home to tens of millions of tulips. If flowers are your passion,
land here during the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival, held each year for the month of April. The view of the colorful
blooms are worth the trip.
magazine's " 100 most influential photographs. "
Many items from Anders' NASA career are on
display, plus a moon rock.
On June 7, at age 90, Anders died while flying
aerobatics in a Beechcraft T-34 Mentor, a
vintage military trainer. His death was especially
hard for the people of Skagit Regional
Airport. Anders made his home in the Pacific
Northwest for 30 years and was well known in
the aviation community.
BOEING FACTORY TOURS, EVERETT
Head 35 miles south to Boeing's Everett Factory,
housed in the world's largest building by volume,
472 million cubic feet. There, you'll see
Boeing 777 airliners being assembled in the facility
built specifically for the first jumbo jet, the
747. Thursdays through Mondays, guided tours
with views of the assembly line are offered. The
tours are popular, so book in advance.
THE MUSEUM OF FLIGHT AT
BOEING FIELD
It's worth the drive (or flight) to the Museum
of Flight at Boeing Field in Tukwila, six miles
south of Seattle. The largest private air and space
museum in the world exhibits some unique
aircraft that pilots will want to see, including the
first flying Boeing 747, the City of Everett, which
is open to walk through. Also displayed are a
British de Havilland Comet, the world's first jet
airliner; a Caproni Ca.20, the first aircraft built
as a fighter airplane; and a Boeing VC-137B that
was the first presidential jet. Across the street is
the " Red Barn, " a 1909 wooden building that was
Boeing's original factory.
CANADIAN MUSEUM OF FLIGHT
If that's not enough American metal for you,
fly or drive 45 miles north from Burlington to
the Canadian Museum of Flight to view British
and Canadian aircraft. The museum exhibits
more than 25 civilian and military aircraft and
a large selection of engines. The collection
includes such British aircraft as the Handley
Page Hampden, de Havilland DH 100 Vampire,
and the Avro CF-100 Canuck. The museum is
located at Langley Regional Airport (CYNJ), 25
miles east of Vancouver. Dennis K. Johnson is
an aviation writer and pilot.
Skagit Regional
Airport
Halfway between Seattle
and Vancouver (60 miles
each way), Skagit is a
convenient airport for
visiting both cities. If you're
flying internationally,
U.S. Customs & Border
Protection Services are
available. The airport is
two miles from the shore,
west of Burlington, with
two paved runways: 11/29
is 5,480 by 100 feet and
4/22 is 3,000 by 60 feet.
It's fairly busy with more
than 169 operations a day
and 148 based aircraft.
The terminal is open from
7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, with
after-hours access by a
secret entry code known
only to pilots. The terminal
offers restrooms, a flight
planning computer, Wi-Fi,
and vending machines.
Corporate Air Center is the
FBO, with 24-hour fuel,
restrooms, passenger and
pilot lounges, EV charging,
hangar space, maintenance,
and staff who can assist
with car rentals, hotel, and
dining reservations.
portofskagit.com/
skagit-regional-airport/
aopa.org/destinations/
airports/KBVS
AOPA PILOT / November 2024
35

http://www.portofskagit.com/skagit-regional-airport/ http://www.portofskagit.com/skagit-regional-airport/ http://www.aopa.org/destinations/airports/KBVS http://www.aopa.org/destinations/airports/KBVS

AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2024