Fly-Outs: Home to amazing aircraft
National Naval Aviation Museum is remarkable
Be prepared to be wowed. That’s not hyperbole—the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida, is truly a remarkable place. Just looking up at the beautifully restored Curtiss NC–4 flying boat, the “Lame Duck” with its 126-foot wingspan, is a jaw-dropper—and it’s only one of the 150 restored aircraft in the museum.
The museum is the world’s largest naval aviation museum with its collection of restored aircraft, 4,000 military uniforms, 350,000 photographs, and papers and documents housed in a 350,000-square-foot facility on 37 acres. One-of-a-kind aircraft such as the last combat F–14D Tomcat and an SBD Dauntless from the Battle of Midway, interactive displays such as “flight” with the Blue Angels, and a seven-story-high screen showing rare footage and new movies are just some of the remarkable attractions of the museum.
The first U.S. naval air station was established in Pensacola, Florida, in 1914. Since then, it has groomed thousands of pilots for military service in thousands of aircraft. To honor that heritage the National Naval Aviation Museum was born in 1963, the brainchild of U.S. Navy Capt. Magruder H. Tuttle and Capt. Bernard Strean. The two men thought it appropriate that new Navy personnel be exposed to the history of their service and to honor the past. NAS Pensacola is the oldest naval air station, and all Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard aviators and Naval flight officers pass through its gates. NAS Pensacola also serves as the home base for the world-famous Blue Angels Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron.
The tour guides in the museum are almost as remarkable as the museum artifacts. You’ll be led through the museum by veteran Navy personnel, many of whom have stories to tell of flying the exact aircraft you’re viewing on the site. Don’t miss the Cubi Bar café, a good place to eat, but also a museum exhibit (see “You’re in the Club,” right). Best of all—all of this is free.
Email [email protected]
Web: www.navalaviationmuseum.org
The final 2018 AOPA Fly-In takes place in Gulf Shores, Alabama, October 26 and 27; special tours of the National Naval Aviation Museum are planned for AOPA members. 
Web: www.aopa.org/fly-ins/jka-learn
Reader response
More $100 hamburgers
The response to our story about favorite places to fly to eat was remarkable—everyone it seems has a great favorite place (see “Will Fly for Food,” August 2018 Pilot). So here are a few more great airport eateries as suggested by our members (in no particular order):
Cockpit Café, Sanford Airport (SFM), Sanford, Maine. —Ed Bergeron
Donna’s Runway Café, Blairstown Airport (1N7), Blairstown, New Jersey. —Nathan Lugo
Right Fork Diner, Katama Airpark (1B2), Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. —Steve Lynch
The Flight Deck, Lake Tahoe Airport (TVL), Lake Tahoe, Nevada;
Peter Chu’s, Redding Municipal Airport (RDD), Redding, California;
Three-Zero Café, Half Moon Bay Airport (HAF), Half Moon Bay, California. —Michael Golden
Sky Café, Sky Manor Airport (N40), Pittstown, New Jersey;
Avion Restaurant, Flying W Airport (N14), Lumberton, New Jersey. —Bryan Boyle
Klingers at the Airport, Reading Regional Airport (RDG), Reading, Pennsylvania. —Terry P. Sroka
Pilot Pete’s Restaurant, Schaumburg Regional Airport (06C), Schaumburg, Illinois. —Mike Lepore
Tin Goose Restaurant, Erie Ottawa International Airport (PCW), Port Clinton, Ohio;
Airport Café, Grimes Field (I74), Urbana, Ohio. —E. Joel Wesp
Nancy’s Airport Café, Willows-Glen County Airport (WLW), Willows, California. —Jimmy Hamilton
K-18 Café, Lucas Airport (38K), Lucas, Kansas. —Tony Miller
Blue Skies Grill, Hampton Roads Executive Airport (PVG), Hampton Roads, Virginia. —John Cabeen
DuNunzio’s Italian Chophouse, Arnold Palmer Regional Airport (LBE), Latrobe, Pennsylvania;
Arena’s at the Airport, Delaware Coastal Airport (GED), Georgetown, Delaware;
Cloud Nine Restaurant, Williamsport Regional Airport (IPT), Williamsport, Pennsylvania. —Steven H. Weintraub
Fly Inn, Plainwell Municipal Airport (61D), Plainwell, Michigan. —Randy Passeno
DC-3 Gifts and Grill, Catalina Island Airport (AVX), Catalina, California. —Jerry Dickman
Airport Steak House, Coles County Memorial Airport (MTO), Mattoon, Illinois;
The Lodge, Rough River State Park Airport (2I3), Falls of Rough, Kentucky;
Lambert’s Café, Sikeston Memorial Municipal Airport (SIK), Sikeston, Missouri. —Jeff Boyd
Keep those suggestions coming ([email protected], with the subject line “$100 hamburger”)! See “Letters” on p. 18 for more reader suggestions.
