91原创

The easing of pandemic restrictions under phase three of the provincial return-to-normal plan won鈥檛 mean an end to pre-booking visits or to mask-wearing at 91原创鈥檚 .

Museum president Bruce Friesen told the 91原创 Advance Times the museum is still asking visitors to wear masks even though they are not technically compulsory, because the cramped main entrance to the museum and its packed indoor exhibition space don鈥檛 allow a lot of room for social distancing.

鈥淚t can become a little crowded, so we encourage people to think about wearing masks,鈥� Friesen said on Sunday, July 25.

READ ALSO: VIDEO: D-Day pilot鈥檚 100th birthday is celebrated with a fly-past at 91原创 museum

And visitors are still being asked to phone ahead to book visits in advance.

鈥淲e鈥檙e going to continue the pre-booking, because it鈥檚 a lot of fun for us and our guests,鈥� Friesen said.

鈥淚t gives them an opportunity to ask questions.鈥�

Aldergrove resident Robert Gillcash, a volunteer who conducts tours of the museum, said the most commonly asked questions vary according to age.

鈥淜ids want to know where the guns are, while older folks want know when it [an aircraft] was acquired.鈥�

Normally, people will tour through the museum in about half an hour, but, for small groups (maximum of six) , Gillcash said visitors can expect a longer presentation that shows off some of the museum鈥檚 lesser-known attractions.

For example, there鈥檚 an aircraft with mounted machine guns in its landing gear, tires on a restored Second World War bomber that still have the original air from when it crashed, and one antique aircraft with an unusual connection to the first Star Wars film.

Friesen said the museum is renewing its hunt for a new home after a 1.6-acre site in the 21300 block of Fraser Highway, next to the Derek Doubleday Arboretum, turned out to have some unexpected issues.

While the proposal to construct the museum on protected farmland won the approval of the Agricultural Land Commission, Friesen said required environmental setbacks from a fish-bearing stream that runs past the location would reduce the amount of available space to less than the museum needs, and the cost of hooking up services was going to be higher than expected.

鈥淲e are hoping there will be other options for us,鈥� Friesen commented.

Overall, the museum is in 鈥済ood shape鈥� financially, Friesen disclosed, thanks to government grants and 鈥渟ome pretty severe economies.鈥�

READ ALSO: VIDEO: Canadian Museum of Flight in 91原创 offers a COVID secure Family Day free event

The museum and restoration site houses over 25 aircraft ranging from a WWII Handley Page Hampden to a T-33 Silver Star in Hangar 3, off 216th Street on Airport Way and takes bookings by phone at 604-532-0035.

Happy 50th anniversary to the

On this date in 1971, the flew together for the first time at an airshow in Moosejaw, SK. You can see an example of the aircraft the Snowbirds fly, the Canadair CT-144 Tutor that was used with the team in the mid 1970鈥檚.

鈥� CanadianFlight (@CanadianFlight)

Flight-worthy aircraft include a Fleet Finch, Tiger Moth, SE5A replica, Waco AQC Cabin, Fleet Canuck and a Harvard II.