North Carolina Sullenberger Museum To Reopen On June 1

The Sullenberger Aviation Museum, named for “Miracle on the Hudson” pilot C.B. “Sully” Sullenberger, will reopen its doors on June 1 in Charlotte, North Carolina, following a substantial redevelopment effort. Sullenberger will be in attendance for the ceremonies. The museum’s “Innovation Nation” exhibit includes the recovered airframe of US Airways Flight 1549’s Airbus A320 that Sullenberger famously landed in New York’s Hudson River on Jan. 20, 2009, with all passengers and crews surviving.

Other museum exhibition aircraft include a replica of the Wright Flyer, a Vietnam-era F-4S Phantom II, a Grumman F-14 Tomcat, a P-80 “Shooting Star,” one of the first U.S. jet fighters, and one of only two Skystreak test aircraft used to explore breaking the sound barrier in the late 1940s. Museum President Stephen Saucier said, “Our reimagined galleries and immersive storytelling encompass much more than a new facility, as we now have the privilege to serve as a conveyer of opportunity, advanced equity, and access to careers in aviation throughout the Carolinas and beyond. We look forward to welcoming curious lifelong learners of all ages through our doors in just a few short months.”

Museum Board Chair Tim Miller recognized the support of museum volunteers, in particular Board Chair Emeritus Marc Oken, for his role in casting “a new vision, assembling an amazing team [and leading the] Museum’s $34 million fundraising effort.”

According to the announcement, “The Museum will also foster access through its Flight Forward program, a consortium of North Carolina aviation industry and educational professionals, several colleges and universities, trade schools, and workforce development groups. This workforce collaborative will work together to create strategic opportunities for student training, networking, and recruitment across STEM-based fields."