Page 19 - March 2018

I want this museum to stay around for a long
Teens Help Preserve
Edmonton’s Aviation Heritage
Teenagers Christian Chenard and Sonia Wong are playing an
important role in keeping Edmonton's aviation history alive.
Chenard, 15, and Wong, 16, have joined the ranks of
volunteers in the Alberta Aviation Museum's restoration
department. They are following in the footsteps of dozens of
craftspeople who have turned piles of twisted wood, metal
and fabric into an impressive collection of historic aircraft.
"Right now we are working on the restoration of a (Bell) P-39
Airacobra," says Chenard, a Grade 10 student who was caught
by the aviation bug about five years ago. "The machines are
just so fascinating. The fact that they can just get up in the air
and fly and do all these amazing things is remarkable. And the
fact that I can work on them and make them look good, I find
that very interesting."
Wong, who attends Grade 11 and spends her days studying
academic subjects, loves the opportunity to work with her
hands.
"Being able to work with a group of experienced individuals in
the museum with all these wonderful broken pieces of aircraft
is just amazing. Because there is so much to learn."
Teaching them the intricacies of aircraft sheet metal
fabrication is Don Hitsman, a 10-year veteran of the museum's
restoration crew and a licensed air frame structures
technician. Hitsman previously worked on the Museum's B-25
Mitchell and is the go-to expert for all complex sheet metal
projects. He takes his teaching role seriously.
"With the young people I get reassured that all the work that
we put into this place will get passed on.
time," he says. "It's our job to bring on the
next people so it's important for me to pass
the torch."
Hitsman is particularly pleased to see several
young women like Wong taking an interest.
"During World War II, the woman were fixing
the airplanes ... so this is really a place
women are entitled to be, hence the name
"Rosie the Riveter."
Despite the new additions to our volunteer
ranks, we are still very much in need of
additional help to reach our goal of being one
of the finest aviation museums in Canada. In
particular we are looking for:
 Tour Guides & Interpreters
 Grade 6 Education Program
Instructors
 Restoration Technicians and
Assistants
 Drop-In Program Facilitators
 Special Event Assistants
 Oral History Production Assistants
You can learn more by attending our
Volunteer Information Sessions. Help us
spread the word about Edmonton's unique
and important role in Canadian aviation.