First Airplane is Aloft at National Air and Space Museum’s Udvar-Hazy
Center, the New Companion Facility at Dulles Airport

The Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum began the delicate work of
hanging historic aircraft today at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, its new
companion facility at Washington Dulles International Airport in Northern
Virginia. The center opens to the public Dec. 15.

The Loudenslager Stephens Akro Laser 200 was lifted by crane and hung by
cable from one of the aviation hangar’s 10-story-high arched trusses. The
aviation hangar-with a length of three football fields-will ultimately
display some 200 aircraft. On opening day, 70 will be in place including 38
suspended at two levels and the remainder at floor level. For visitors to
experience the sensation of soaring, elevated walkways in the aviation
hangar will run parallel to the two tiers of suspended airplanes.

With the Laser 200-which he built-pilot Leo Loudenslager performed
innovative tumbling and twisting routines, winning an unprecedented seven
U.S. National Aerobatic Champion titles and the 1980 World Champion title.

The Udvar-Hazy (pronounced OOD-var HAH-zee) Center will eventually house
some 80 percent of the museum’s aircraft and large space artifacts, many
stored away for decades. The museum’s flagship building on the National Mall
displays about 10 percent of the collection.

Artifact deliveries for the center began March 17 and will continue on an
almost-daily basis leading up to the opening.

The first layer of roofing is nearly complete on the center’s James S.
McDonnell Space Hangar, which will house America’s first space shuttle,
Enterprise. The space hangar will be finished by opening day with the
Enterprise installed and visible, however the structure will not be
accessible to the public until 2004 while Enterprise undergoes
refurbishment. During the interim, some 50 large space artifacts will be
previewed in the aviation hangar. The space hangar will ultimately house
some 135 large space artifacts.

The National Air and Space Museum, comprised of the Udvar-Hazy Center and
the museum’s building on the National Mall, will be the largest air and
space museum complex in the world. The Mall building is the most popular
museum in the world, attracting more than 9 million visitors each year.
Attendance at the Udvar-Hazy Center is projected at 3 million people a year.