Hoping To Complete Infrastructure Projects Before Annual Fly-In

The Air Power Museum (APM) in Ottumwa, IA has launched an online capital campaign in an effort to raise $20,000 dollars for needed infrastructure improvements.

On the crowdfunding site GoFundMe, the APM says that they hope to raise the money and complete at least some of the projects prior to their annual fly-in planned for September 2-7.

The major infrastructure projects in the works for 2015 include continued replacement of the roofs on the APM hangars. Spearheaded by AAA (Antique Aircraft Association) National Director Gary Van Farowe and the Michigan AAA chapter, last year saw a much needed new roof installed on the APM Fly-Market building. This year the plan is to replace the roof on the north side of the APM display annex. That project is slated to happen in June and will tie in with the ongoing moving of the N wall in the Powell Hall display area.

Another much needed project to be accomplished before the AAA/APM Invitational Fly-in in September, is the replacement of the APM main hangar door. Per the suggestion of APM President Mike Gretz, in order to retain the period look and keep the costs down we will once again install sliding/track doors. Our research indicates a lot of advances in construction, serviceability and ease of operation of these type doors in the 40+ years since the APM main hangar was originally built and the doors installed.

Finally for 2015, with the completion of the construction phase of the APM Restoration Center, the next steps towards making this facility operational are cleaning, sealing & painting the floor, installing new door seals and insulation on the Schweiss bi-fold hangar door, then installing/finishing the electrical, plumbing, heating and pneumatic systems.

The campaign has raised nearly $8,000 so far.

(Image provided by AAA. Greg Herrick's Fairchild FC-2 over Antique Airfield)

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