On what would have been Neil Armstrong’s 90th birthday, another piece of his history is returning to his hometown. The first Learjet 28 flew into Neil Armstrong Airport in preparation for it’s final stop, the Armstrong Air and Space Museum.
"It’s really one of the highlights of the post Apollo 11 career of Neil Armstrong," said Dante Centuori, director of the museum. "The plane he set five world records in. It really helped complete that story of his life as a pilot."
The unique construct of the plane allowed Armstrong and Peter Reynolds to set those five world records over two days in 1979. And one of the museum board members was a part of the crew that had the honor of flying it one last time.
"He’s always been my number one example as a pilot for his humility, his competence, his aviation excellence," Greg Johnson said, the co-pilot for the airplane's last flight and a museum board member. "I watched him land on the moon when I was 7 and here I am at 58. I’m just thrilled."
Because of some new regulations the aircraft would need modifications that could change the historical makeup. So the owner went the route that preserves it.
"It really was on the sense of, I felt responsible that I needed to make sure that it had a home," Kevin Hayward said, the man who donated the airplane. "And a number of pilots over the years have really taken good care of this airplane, through different ownership."
Five years in the making and it’s finally in Auglaize County. Although, there is no timetable when it will be brought to the museum.
"Really I think what was going through my mind when I heard that was just like, ‘wow,’" Centuori said. "Because it was soon after the big 50th anniversary celebration and you feel like what—not much more that could happen that’s big and exciting. There you go."
Centuori foresees the plane being an attraction for people to stop and take pictures with while visiting Wapakoneta.
