American Airpower Museum proudly announces a new Scenic Flight Experience program. If you missed an opportunity to fly on the B-29 “Doc” Superfortress over Memorial Day Weekend’s air show, now is a great time to take a ride on AAM’s popular World War II Douglas C-47 Skytrain “Second Chance.”
Sure, you’ve taken a jet from Islip, JFK or LaGuardia, zoomed up to 35,000 feet and disappeared into the clouds. But, what’s it like to soar 1,000 feet over Long Island’s shoreline at 150 mph? Get the ultimate bird’s eye view of the Island’s famous sites, shorelines and spectacular vistas, from the windows of our popular C-47, star of the Jones Beach Air Show for years! Experience the unforgettable views of North and South Shore beaches and breathtaking landscapes. You’ve never seen Long Island like this before!
Climb aboard the museum’s iconic C-47 Skytrain, it’s just like the ones used to drop U.S. Airborne Paratroopers on their historic D-Day mission in June of 1944! C-47 passengers will feel and hear the aircraft’s mighty twin engines firing up, and then she takes off from Republic Airport and heads for Long Island’s North Shore or South Shore, depending on which way the wind is blowing!
Flight Duration-
Every AAM C-47 Scenic Flight Experience ride lasts approximately 45 minutes, including 20 minutes in the air.
Booking Your Flight-
AAM offers two C-47 Scenic Flights each day on the following Saturdays: June 21st, July 5th, July 19th, August 16th and August 30th. The two flights each day are 10:00 and 11:00 a.m. You can book seats by visiting AAM’s website at www.americanairpowermuseum.org and clicking “C-47 Scenic Flight Experience.” Or call (516) 531-3950, (631) 454-2039 or visit AAM’s Cockpit USA gift shop Wednesday through Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Hangar 3, 1230 New Highway, Farmingdale, NY 11735. The cost of each flight per individual is $195. Please note that all passengers must be at least 12 years old. Teenagers 12 to 17 must be accompanied by a parent or adult guardian.
About Your Flight-
Passengers should arrive 45 minutes prior to your scheduled flight departure. Please be sure to read all other important information in your reservation confirmation email. You should also plan on bringing your cameras or smartphones, plus some form of sound protection like ear plugs, since our aircraft’s twin radial engines are extremely loud and powerful!
Each passenger on a C-47 flight may bring a maximum of two family members at a discounted rate of $10 each, who may watch the flights and tour our exhibits all day. Other guests will pay the regular entrance fees. The public may also visit AAM’s Hangar 3 all day on the aforementioned dates, just to watch each flight and tour our exhibits. If that’s what you’d like to do, regular museum admission is free for members, $18 for adults, $15 for seniors and veterans, $12 for children ages 3-12. Tickets and pre-registration are not required for regular museum admission.
The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport aircraft developed from the civilian Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II. Affectionately dubbed “Second Chance,” AAM’s iconic C-47 was built in 1944 and supplied to the U.S. Army Air Force. She was transferred to the Royal Air Force in 1945 and flew in the Berlin Airlift (1948 - 1949) with the RAF, serving until 1950. The aircraft next served in the Belgian Air Force for two years. In 1952 she went to the French Air Force, serving two years in Vietnam, as well as in India, Algeria, Morocco and the Congo. In 1967 she was sold to Israel and flew in the Israeli Defense Force for 32 years. AAM acquired the aircraft in 2000. In addition to AAM’s popular D-Day Living History Flights, she also performs at regional air shows in classic WWII D-Day markings with the original “D8” code. One of the last C-47s still in stock military configuration, this aircraft has just over 18,000 hours in the air, one of the world’s lowest flight times ever! C-47s were nicknamed “Gooney Birds” by their pilots after the Albatross seabird, which has an impressive wingspan and is known for its endurance and ability to fly great distances!
Join us on the aforementioned Saturdays, for exciting low-level aerial tours of Long Island’s highlights. Support AAM’s mission to honor veterans and military aviation history, by helping maintain and preserve their legacy, the museum’s iconic aircraft. Help Keep ‘em Flying!
The American Airpower Museum is an aviation museum located on the landmarked former site of Republic Aviation at Republic Airport, Farmingdale, NY. The Museum maintains a collection of aviation artifacts and an array of operational aircraft spanning the many years of the aircraft factory's history. The Museum is a 501 (c) (3) Nonprofit Educational Foundation Chartered by the New York State Board of Regents.