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Houston Airport System
August 13, 2007
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If you’ve ever fantasized about an alternate mode of transportation while fueling at the pump, the 1940 Air Terminal Museum in Houston is offering a unique alternative to bumper to bumper traffic.
For roughly the cost of topping-off most sport utility vehicles at the gas station the museum is offering the chance to win a 1947 Cessna 140 aircraft. This well polished silver and red aluminum two-seater may not reduce your costs at the pump, but it will definitely provide a little variety in your transportation.
The aircraft is being raffled off as part of an ongoing series of fundraising events for the museum. Each third Saturday of every month the Houston Aeronautical Heritage Society organizes its Wings and Wheels benefit, which has as its primary goal to raise enough money for the full renovation of Houston’s first airport terminal.
Before gaining fame as the 1940 Air Terminal Museum in Houston, the terminal building was the City of Houston’s first commercial aviation facility. It was purchased in 1937 from the W.T. Carter Lumber Company and has since remained a staple of Houston’s burgeoning travel market.
Today, only occasional flights make use of the historical terminal as all the airport’s flights have been moved to William P. Hobby’s new Central Concourse, just on the other side of the airfield.
Local historians and members of the Heritage Society, however, see an invaluable treasure in the city’s original airport terminal and have embarked on the intricate task of restoring and renovating the facility. Wings and Wheels is one of the primary vehicles for these fundraising efforts.
Each month’s event features a different theme and this is the first time that an aircraft will be raffled by the society. Tickets for a chance of walking away with the airplane are only $50.
To make things even more interesting only 2,500 tickets will be sold, improving your chances of winning this coveted prize.
Although the aircraft up for grabs is not a rare model, it is one of the best examples of the 1947 Cessna 140 in terms of condition and being authentic to what the original airplane would have looked like in the 1940s, museum authorities say. It even won the award of “Best Continuously Maintained Antique” at the EEA Airventure Oshkosh air show in 2004. |
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© Houston Airport System
Cheap flights. For only $50 you could be the owner of a Cessna 140 aircraft like the one above. It's being raffled off to restore Houston's original airport terminal. |
This annual air show in an international gathering place for aviation enthusiasts.
After following the lead of another air museum, Drew Coats, president of the 1940 Air Terminal Museum, decided to buy the aircraft and raffle it to help generate money in support of the museum. The proceeds will go to the costs of operating the museum and the on-going renovations the 67 year old building is undergoing, including a new exhibit hangar.
“Anyone interested in vintage aviation will be attracted to this,” says Coats. “For anyone who has ever wanted to learn how to fly, this is a great opportunity for a very modest investment that goes to a good cause.”
The vintage beauty is reportedly inexpensive to own and operate as well.
“This particular Cessna only uses about 4.5 gallons of fuel per hour, one of the lowest fuel consumptions for an airplane,” says Coats. “Insurance and maintenance costs will also be relatively low because the airplane is small and mechanically pretty simple.”
You can see the classic aircraft in question at each Wings and Wheels event held at the museum. It will also be making appearances at popular aviation events through Houston and southeast Texas.
The raffle will take place after the 2,500 tickets are sold or at the July 2008 Wings and Wheels event, which ever comes first.
“Each Wings and Wheels is a good way to show off the museum in a different way than your normal day-to-day visitors get to do,” adds Coats.
In the meantime, the next upcoming Wings and Wheels celebration will be held on Saturday, August 18, 2007. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children.
For more information on the 1940 Air Terminal Museum and your chance to win a 1947 Cessna 140, please visit www.1940airterminal.org.
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