The Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, Washington, DC, will hold its annual “Innovations in Flight” outdoor aviation display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, on Saturday, June 13. The event is scheduled to run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is expected to bring more than 60 aircraft to the museum grounds for a one-day public display. Organizers said the lineup will include vintage aircraft, modern civilian airplanes, military aircraft, helicopters, and a commercial airline jet. One of the additions to this year’s program will be an air racer that will officially enter the museum’s collection at the end of the event, marking the first time an aircraft arriving for “Innovations in Flight” will be accepted into the museum afterward.
Visitors attending the outdoor display will be able to meet pilots and view aircraft up close, including cockpit and cabin access on selected aircraft. Free passes are required for the outdoor display area and became available through the museum’s website beginning May 14. The event will also include indoor programming as part of the museum’s “Soar Together at Air and Space” family day series. Those activities will feature drone demonstrations, music performances, and presentations connected to aviation and aerospace innovation. Timed passes are not required for the indoor activities.
“Innovations in Flight” is supported by United Airlines, while the “Soar Together” series is supported by Northrop Grumman. The museum noted that the annual event regularly draws large crowds. Parking is available at the Udvar-Hazy Center, though visitors can also reach the site using Fairfax Connector’s 983 bus route, which stops at the Innovation Center Metro station. The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is located near Washington Dulles International Airport and is open daily except Dec. 25 from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. General admission is free, though parking costs $15. For more information and to support the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, click on this link: airandspace.si.edu.
