Alberta is a province steeped in aviation history, from the first recorded flight in 1911 to the growth of today’s aerial firefighting and air ambulances, home-grown international airlines and the development of aerospace technology innovation. The fascination with aviation gained traction after the First World War when returning Canadian pilots sought out opportunities to continue flying back home, whether as bush pilots or stunt performers. Another generation of aviators was born as a result of the Second World War, this time training at home before joining the fight alongside the Allied Forces.
The building that houses The Hangar Flight Museum (formerly the Aero Space Museum of Calgary) is an artefact in and of itself, being the site where more than 130,000 brave young pilots, mechanics and aviation engineers were trained as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan between 1940 and 1945. Since its inception in 1975 and its relocation to the current location in 1985, the museum has celebrated the aviators that laid the foundation for Alberta’s place in the aerospace industry today.
“Calgary is tremendously rich in aviation history. Many of the streets are named after those who served and from the aviation industry, from the Royal Canadian Air Force to civilian pilots: Barlow, Palmer, McTavish, McKnight, McCall,” says executive director of The Hangar Flight Museum, Brian Desjardins. “The Hangar is at the junction of McKnight Boulevard and McCall Way: William McKnight served in the Second World War and is known for bringing down the most enemy aircraft before being shot down in 1941 at the age of 19, and Freddie McCall was an ace pilot who served in the First World War.”
The museum is home to approximately 30,000 artefacts that showcase incredible aviators and aviation innovations from across the region. With a mandate to celebrate aviation and educate the public about its history in Alberta, The Hangar Flight Museum offers various programs to deliver that education, from Fly Babies geared at kids aged two to five years to Sensory Hours to accommodate visitors with sensory processing issues; from programs for homeschool groups to the travelling Silver Darts program that brings the museum experience to veterans, seniors and patrons with mobility difficulties. The 85-year-old historic hangar attraction offers an outstanding backdrop for events too, and individuals and corporations can rent the space for conferences, meetings or social functions. A record-breaking 52,000 visitors came through the doors of the museum in 2023 and remained strong at close to 50,000 visitors in 2024. A record-breaking 13,000 students participated in educational programs in 2024.
The museum team brings Alberta’s curriculum to life for visiting school groups, and recent curriculum changes have allowed them to expand programming to meet learning outcomes surrounding the theory and science of flight for students of all ages. With just two full-time staff and a dedicated group of volunteers, the museum manages an impressive schedule: hosting a steady stream of school groups in the museum’s two classrooms, often accommodating two sessions in the morning and two more in the afternoon.
“Alberta is heavily invested in aviation and aerospace,” Desjardins says. “We are the grassroots. We are the spark that inspires youngsters to think about post-secondary and inevitably careers in the sector.”
The unique programming sparks visitors’ imagination by featuring everything from military medals to flight simulators to historically important aircraft, all of which have been carefully curated from private and corporate donations over the decades. There are aircraft engines, a flight suit from Calgary astronaut Robert Thirsk, a display showcasing Joan Martin, the world’s first female hot air balloon pilot from Calgary, and a Wilfred (Wop) May exhibit celebrating the First World War ace who returned to Alberta to become the bush pilot instrumental in aerial exploration of the Canadian North. Whether it’s the WestJet 767 cabin crew trainer or the memorial wall dedicated to all Albertans who lost their lives in the Second World War, the artefacts tell the amazing story of aviation. The most popular attractions tend to be the large exhibits that track the evolution of aircraft.
The Hangar Flight Museum houses an impressive collection of 36 historic aircraft in the 40,000-square-foot main building and the adjacent 20,000-square-foot temporary hangar. Among the biggest draws are two rare Second World War icons: the Avro Lancaster, one of only 17 remaining in the world, known for targeted the German missile program and participating in Dambuster Raids, and the Hawker Hurricane fighter plane, one of only 40 left worldwide, known for securing Allied victory during the Battle of Britain. Beyond its wartime treasures, the museum showcases a fascinating mix of military and civilian aircraft including two Sikorsky helicopters, Douglas DC-3 Beechcraft Expeditor, Barkley-Grow T8P, CF-100 Canuck and a Silver Dart replica. The museum will also be home to the first STARS Air Ambulance BK117 helicopter, and it will welcome back a Second World War Mosquito bomber and a CF-100 Canuck that are currently being restored.
“The purpose of a museum is to ensure the artefacts are preserved for generations to come. We are here as protectors and stewards and storytellers of this history,” says Desjardins.
As the collection grew, protecting those artefacts became more difficult. The tent hangar, which is a fabric shell over a metal structure, houses large aircraft away from the elements but it was damaged in 2021 and again in 2023 by extreme weather, heavy snow and windstorms; on multiple occasions the team has had to close access to this part of the museum to ensure visitor safety. It became clear that a permanent solution was needed. Major stakeholders and land use partners were brought together including the City of Calgary and the Calgary Airport Authority to complete a feasibility study to replace the tent hangar with a more modern, durable, permanent structure that will not only safeguard the artefacts but also improve the experience for visitors.
This launched the quiet phase of a capital campaign seeking between $50 and $60 million that would see The Hangar Flight Museum triple its current footprint by introducing a 60,000-square-foot building to make it one of the largest aviation museums in Canada. Over the next few years, the museum will be completing a design architectural phase to bring the project from a high-level feasibility study to being shovel ready. That additional space is desperately needed. Many artefacts from Canada’s Aviation Hall of Fame, which The Hangar Flight Museum became home to in 2022, have been blended into existing displays relating to the aircraft that inductees flew, but there are many pieces that remain in off-site storage due to space constraints.
“We need more space for education classrooms and more space for historic aircraft that are under restoration that are coming home, collections archival area, space for new exhibits and displays, and more space for priceless artefacts for our friends at the Canada’s Aviation Hall of Fame. And that’s why we have our new facility plan expansion project,” he says.
Building accessibility improvements were completed in 2025, a momentous start to the museum’s future, which included widening walkways, installing automated doors and ramps and creating a new loading area to make the space more accessible for visitors. The next step is to focus on fundraising for the new facility expansion to make the ambitious plan a reality. This expansion will allow the museum to consolidate artefacts in one place and boost the number of iconic aircraft and aviation artefacts on display. Most importantly, the humidity-controlled and heated permanent building will protect exhibits against the ravages of Calgary’s weather to ensure they are intact for the next half-century of visitors.
The Hangar Flight Museum’s 50th Anniversary Gala on November 17 will celebrate five decades of achievement in the community. The team is grateful for the continued support of donors, large and small, who make the museum possible, and Desjardins is humbled by the continued support the museum receives from the community and various levels of government.
“Fundraising to us is so important. We would not be able to operate without our donors who give to the museum, and our volunteers who help us with everything from our education programming to maintaining aircraft and supporting special events throughout the year,” he says. “We would not be as successful as we are without their unwavering dedication.”
And the museum has been an extremely successful tribute to aviation history for 50 years. The Hangar Flight Museum is more than a collection of aircraft and artefacts; it’s the story of Canadian aviation and the people who shaped it, brought to life. With stories of pioneering pilots and their adventures in aircraft throughout history, the museum provides the spark that will fuel the industry into the future. The Hangar Flight Museum represents the province’s proud aviation heritage and acts as a reminder that the sky has never been the limit but rather, it’s just the beginning.
4629 McCall Way NE
(403) 250-3752 • info@thehangarmuseum.ca